Theater Review: 'And Away We Go" at Pantochino Productions

By Nancy Sasso Janis

“And Awaaaay We Go…”

Pantochino’s newest original musical is named after Jackie Gleason’s signature line. The delightful musical features a book and lyrics by Bert Bernardi and music by Justin Rugg. Bernardi directed the show that he wrote.

The action is set in the late 1960s in the Jungle Nook cocktail lounge at the Shalimar Ocean Breeze in sunny Miami Beach. Vinny Volare (Jimmy Johansmeyer) and Vickye Cantare (Shelley Marsh Poggio) arrive in Miami from New Jersey, hoping to secure an appearance on “The Jackie Gleason Show.” There is mistaken identity, mayhem, a mob influence, a murder mystery to solve, and lots of laughs in this tale firmly set in one of Bernardi’s favorite eras.

Gleason was an actor, comedian, writer, and composer that was known affectionately as "The Great One." Known for playing Ralph Kramden on “The Honeymooners,” Gleason also developed “The Jackie Gleason Show,” which ran from the mid-1950s through 1970. While the series originated in New York City, videotaping moved to Miami Beach, Florida in 1964.

Poggio (pictured above,) with a long list of Pantochino credits, is back on the stage to wrap up another season with Pantochino and always makes me laugh. Co-producer and resident costume designer Johansmeyer oozes charm as the ambitious Vinny Volare. He teaches costume design to the lucky students of the R.J. Kinsella Magnet School of the Performing Arts in Hartford and works as a freelance costume designer.

Rachelle Ianniello (“Checking in on Charles”) plays Little Mary in her fourth season with the Pantochino family. Rugg takes on the role of the mobster Vito. The adorable Mary Mannix, a founding member of this company who also appeared as Brandy in the world premiere of “Just Desserts” at Legacy Theater in Branford, is a riot as mousy music teacher Marjorie Dunkle who undergoes quite the transformation.

Tracey Marble, who recently played Margaret White in “Carrie” and is a Hartt School faculty member, plays Nonna Antonozzi (“A Message From the Boss”) and therefore has lots of lines in Italian and a wonderful black wig with a white stripe. Marble is in her final semester of grad school working towards her MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts.

It was great to see Lu DeJesus, who played Eddie/Dr.Scott in “The Rocky Horror Show” last year, on this stage again as Jerry Panettone. DeJesus, who attended WestConn and appeared as Beadle Bamford in “Sweeney Todd” with Connecticut Repertory Theater at UConn, is from New Haven. He has fun as a bumbling gangster.

Valerie Solli of Milford, who has spent 25 years in various roles in Connecticut theaters, covers the role of bartender Roxy Rivers.

Susan Kulp (“As Long As We’re Talking” with Pantochino, “Songs for a New World” with FUSE Theatre,) pictured above, plays a June Taylor dancer with the name of Snooky, in a sparkly and very tall costume of the era. “Cheers” to Kulp on a fine comedic performance.

The costumes designed and constructed by Jimmy Johansmeyer are works of art, as always. From the June Taylor dancer’s costume to the sparkly pink lounge singer outfits, everything is faithful to the late sixties (because I remember!) and perfectly executed. The well-teased wigs also effectively evoke the time. My father never missed “The Jackie Gleason Show,” so the visuals of this piece brought back fond memories.

Resident Musical Director Rugg, a talented actor/composer/singer, worked his magic with the vocals and musical tracks. The musical highlights in the first act include “It Looks Like We’re On Top of the World” and “The Vinny & Vickye,” while Act Two ends with a cute “We Have It All” Medley. The set by Von Del Mar is a tacky lounge

Lights by Western Connecticut State University graduate Jakob Kelsey and sound by Tyler Kittleman help set the scene.

The laugh out loud musical “And Away We Go” is performed with a ten-minute intermission. Seating is cabaret style, and many bring their own food and drink. There is some mild language and sexual innuendo. It continues at the Milford Arts Council, the MAC through May 7. Tickets at pantochino.com/and-away-we-go

Pantochino will soon announce the 2023/34 season and coming up in August will be Pantochino Teen Theatre’s production of “The Prom.”

Nancy Sasso Janis, writing theatre reviews since 2012 as a way to support local venues, posts well over 100 reviews each year. In 2016, her membership in the Connecticut Critics Circle began and her contributions of theatrical reviews, previews, and audition notices are posted not only in the Naugatuck Patch but also on the Patch sites closest to the venue. She recently became a contributor to the Waterbury Republican-American newspaper. Her weekly column and theatre reviews appear in the Thursday Weekend section of the paper.

Follow the reviewer on her Facebook pages Nancy Sasso Janis: Theatre Reviewer and Connecticut Theatre Previews and on Twitter @nancysjanis417 Check out the NEW CCC Facebook page.