Arden's 'Assassins' is a Killer!

From the eye catching sets including huge projections, catwalks and mirrors, to the giant target that reminds the audience that this is not A Little Night Music, the Arden embraces yet another Sondheim that is destined to grab attention at the Barrymores.

Once again Stephen Sondheim combines his bazaar style of music and lyrics with an idea conceived by Charles Gilbert Jr. a Philadelphia writer to create what many would never dream to bring to a stage let alone turn into a musical.

Assassins is the stories of 9 presidential assassins, some insane, some not, some betrayed in their own minds but all with an axe to grind and need to be recognized.  The music says it all. From "Everybody's Got The Right" to "Where's My Prize?" The audience is uncomfortably stunned, yet strangely attracted to each of their stories presented in no particular order as each assassin from John Wilkes Booth to Lee Harvey Oswald appear together, rally together, suffer and support each other throughout the presentation.

There's an outstanding ensemble of some of Philadelphia's finest actors.  Jeffrey Coons offers a swaggering portrayal of John Wilkes Booth. Ben Dibble doubles as the balladeer whom welcomes each assassin into this circle of madness as well as plays the final scene as Lee Harvey Oswald. Philly favorite Mary Martello bring us her wacky worn out house wife version of Sara Jane Moore who fails to carry out her "I want to be noticed" attempt on taking the life of Gerald Ford, as does Erin Brueggemann as the almost too real Squeaky Fromme, the Manson groupie. The two ladies square off only to realize they both have something in common; their need for attention and mutual friend, Charles Manson.

Often, the audience is struck with the edginess and shock value of what they are seeing and hearing on stage, until out comes Scott Greer's Saturday Night Live gone wrong soliloquies as Sam Byck, the Philadelphian who seems as obsessed with Leonard Bernstein's love songs as well as dropping a 747 on the White House incinerating Richard Nixon.

To follow the Sweeney Todd tradition this group of twisted twits also embrace musical instruments such as a guitar, accordion, bongo drums and yes even a ukulele.

James Suggs plays Charles Guiteau, the egomaniac who killed President Garfield. Suggs milks every scene laced with a bit of insane self importance and a "look at me now" humor as he sings his way to the noose.

The final scene climaxes in shocking form reminds the audience that sadly and too often this is a case of something that's "all gone wrong".

Assassins: Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by John Weidman. Based on an idea by Charles Gilbert Jr. Directed by Terrence J. Nolen. Music directed by Eric Ebbenga. Sets by David P. Gordon, costumes by Alison Roberts, lighting by John Stephen Hoey, sound and projections by Jorge Cousineau.

Cast: Erin Brueggemann (Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme), Jeffrey Coon (John Wilkes Booth), Ben Dibble (Balladeer/Lee Harvey Oswald), Scott Greer (Samuel Byck ), Timothy Hill (John Hinckley), Mary Martello (Sara Jane Moore/Emma Goldman), Christopher Patrick Mullen (Leon Czolgosz), Jay Pierce (the Proprietor), Jim Poulos (Giuseppe Zangara), James Sugg (Charles Guiteau).

Arden Theatre Company, 40 N. Second Street, Philadelphia; through Oct. 21. Tickets $27-$45. Information: 215.922.1122 or visit www.ardentheatre.org.

Photos (top-bottom): Jeff Coon; Mary Martello & Erin Brueggemann; Ben Dibble

Photo credits: Mark Garvin

To view an interview with Terrence J. Nolan , Arden's producing artistic director  please click here:
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