Review of 'Cat On a Hot Tin Roof' by Sacred Heart University

‘Fairfield, CT - Sacred Heart University Theatre Arts Program (TAP) decided to take on the challenge of Tennessee William's classic play ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.’ The students worked under the direction of SHU adjunct professor Kevin Connors, a professional musical theatre composer and director for more than 35 years. Mr. Connors co-founded Music Theatre of CT where he serves as the executive artistic director and was a recipient of Connecticut Critics Circle’s Tom Killen Award for Outstanding Contribution to Connecticut Professional Theatre. TAP expressed their thanks to Music Theatre of Connecticut for loaning the cast their costumes and props.

What is the victory of a cat on a hot tin roof? --- I wish I knew ...Just staying on it, I guess, as long as she can … - Maggie in ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’

So Tennessee Williams can be heavy and hard to take, especially when a play runs two and half hours with two briefish intermissions. The Little Theatre second stage on the SHU campus was filled for the Sunday matinee to support the talented university students in the cast. I appreciated this work more as I saw it for a second time; the added element of young adults covering the generations of ages in this story made it all the more impressive.

SHU junior Kevin Carlson (‘Comedy of Errors,’ ‘Jesus Christ Superstar,’ ‘The Tempest’) played the town’s preacher and sophomore Sven Vogel (‘Comedy of Errors,’ ‘Macbeth’) was the doctor that makes a trip to this house. Senior Katherine Horne (‘JCS’) was most convincing as Mae, pregnant with her sixth child.

Justin Weigel, now in his sophomore year at SHU, appeared as the firstborn son Gooper; although he did not have all that much stage time, he made his mark with this role of the underappreciated son. I have enjoyed seeing Mr. Weigel in the SHU productions of ‘Be More Chill,’ ‘Next to Normal,’ ‘Avenue Q,’ and ‘Macbeth.’

Matt Henshaw, a junior who appeared as an apostle in ‘JCS,’ played the heavy drinking son Brick with a usually quiet intensity. The statuesque Jordan Norkus grabbed onto the role of Maggie the Cat and her performance was mesmerizing to watch. This marks the 12th production at Sacred Heart for this SHU senior; I was most impressed with her performance as Lady Macbeth this past summer.

Senior Nicole Jablonski ended her SHU appearances on stage as the matriarch of this group in the role of Big Mama; she had a big stage presence and a great black and red floral dress to match. Of course Patrick Robinson (‘The Tempest,’ ‘Macbeth’) was up to the challenge of the role of Big Daddy. He played older and heavier with intensity in the role that he called an amazing opportunity.

Kudos to the dialect coach Jim Schilling for ensuring that everyone perfected the Southern drawl. No credit was given to a fight choreographer, so I hope the three falls that Mr. Henshaw took did not hurt him. Sven Vogel was the play’s producer and Erica Alloca assisted the director. Costume design credit goes to Mackenzie Page and the wardrobe was classic to the period and southern location.

Sound by Joey Marriott was effective and lighting design by Kevin McVeigh set the mood and even showed a figure taking a shower in a bathroom next door. The set design by the theatre program members brought us into a bedroom on a Southern plantation in 1950s in the Mississippi Delta. Credit is due to SHU junior Liisel Nelis for the superb hair and make-up design.

Remaining show dates for ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’ are March 22-24 at 8pm and March 25 at 8 pm at The Little Theatre on the Sacred Heart University campus.

Nancy Sasso Janis has been writing theatre reviews since 2012 as a way to support local theatre venues and she posts reviews of well over 100 productions each year. In 2016, she became a member of the Connecticut Critics Circle. She continues to contribute theatre news, previews, and audition notices to local Patch sites. Reviews of all levels of theatrical productions are posted on Naugatuck Patch and the Patch sites closest to the venue. Follow the reviewer on her Facebook pages Nancy Sasso Janis: Theatre Reviewer and Connecticut Theater Previews and on Twitter @nancysjanis417