Kaden Micklos in Company
The venerable Company hit Broadway in a big way in 1970. With its music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by George Furth, it was nominated for 14 Tony Awards (a record not broken until 2001’s The Producers), and won six.
Augustana College's production of the show, meanwhile, is expansive, lively, and musically superb. Director/choreographer Shelley Cooper, Augustana's associate professor of theatre arts, and co-music directors Maureen Holmes and Rob Elfline wrangled an impressive number of performers, staffers, and crew members who, on opening night, conquered challenging material and crafted a fantastic theatrical experience.
Company revolves around Bobby, unmarried at 35, and his 10 very close friends, who happen to be five married couples. Three of Bobby’s girlfriends show up, as well, to illustrate how his romantic journey is going. And “journey” is how it’s framed; everything is a stepping stone, hindrance, or distraction to Getting Married. The show was written in the late 1960s (Augustana is staging Furth's updated book from 1995), when, despite the youthquake of social upheaval, marriage-and-kids remained the social norm in the U.S. Although marriage rates have gone down and age at first matrimony has gone up, that’s still the typical expectation. I’ve always wanted love, not marriage, so I’ve had a hard time relating to this show and the pressure some feel to “settle down.” Nevertheless, I got wrapped up in Cooper's production.
Kaden Micklos performs the most relatable, emotional Bobby I’ve yet seen. His rendition of “Being Alive” is now my favorite (and I’ve heard the Streisand recording). I truly cared about the character, though I wasn’t as invested in him “finding someone special” as everyone else on stage. And “everyone” was more than you might expect. In its Brunner Theatre incarnation, this was the first time I’ve seen Company utilize a full ensemble in addition to the central cast of 14. Broadway’s 2021 revival added an ensemble of five, but Augustana’s version boasts 12 extra bodies and voices.
Big cast, right? Well, hold onto your bowler, because this production has a second complete cast of understudies, who performed on Friday. There are also 38 members of the production staff, plus a spectacular orchestra of 11 who perform live throughout. That stage is quite compact, by the way; I’m now convinced that it boasts doorways to the fourth dimension.
All these folks accomplished a monumental amount of work – I hope they don’t all collapse into a twitching heap after Sunday’s closing performance. Admittedly, the cast’s cohesion solidified slowly on Thursday; the opening number felt a bit scattershot, and characters did not seem quite there. Opening night nerves could be the reason, though, as things eventually smoothed out nicely. Voices were full, rich, and strong, pitches were solid, and the dynamic control was outstanding, particularly considering that volume is an effective tool that's often overlooked. All the characterizations, emotions, and reactions were pro-level, and even ensemble members with no lines were consistently visually delightful.
The couples are Joanne (Sylvia Hughes) and Larry (Aaron Randolph IV); Amy (Jensen Stoneking) and Paul (Austin O’Connor); Susan (Angela Georgakis) and Peter (Callum Tait); Jenny (Georgi Feigley) and David (DJ Roberts); and Sarah (Francesca Mastrangeli) and Harry (Dmitri Bilanicz). Three of Bobby’s prospective partners are Kathy (Lexi Horn), April (Abby Malina), and Marta (Ava Coussens). This trio charms early with perky song and dance in “You Could Drive a Person Crazy,” a tune with a 1940s “Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree” flavor – though their consensus is that Bobby is rotten. Each gets a scene with him later, though I wouldn’t necessarily call them flashbacks – the Company timeline is a snarl of yarn after a kitten attack, with four different versions of Bobby’s birthday party scattered throughout.
Another example of time scrambling is the placement of “Side by Side by Side,” referring to Bobby always clinging to one or another couple. It plays like a natural act-closer, but instead begins Act II. Regardless of where it landed, this singular-sensation number was exuberant fun to watch. I counted 26 performers tapping, with precision bowler-flourishing and cane swiveling.
Similarly, Stoneking slays “Getting Married Today,” wherein Amy vehemently avers that she is Not. Stoneking treated us to awe-inducing nervous high-speed chopper-style rap with precision diction. And Hughes, as the deliciously bitchy Joanne, entertained as deeply, but at a moderate tempo, in “The Little Things You Do Together” and “The Ladies Who Lunch.” She simmered rather than boiled throughout, showing that intense emotion doesn't always require intense volume.
I, for example, am quietly emotional about the departing seniors here, having seen them shine in numerous other productions. But I’ll have equally wonderful undergrads’ performances to console me in the future, and in the meantime, we do have Company. You only have two more chances to see this show – so go!
Company runs at Augustana College's Brunner Theatre Center (3750 Seventh Avenue, Rock Island IL) through March 15, and more information and tickets are available by calling (309)794-7306 and visiting Augustana.edu/arts-ticket-office.
