Review: 'Rock 'n' Roll Redemption' at Seven Angels

Pictured above: (from left) Matthew Dailey (as Dion), Harry McEnerny V, Nate Rocke and Clint Carter Photo by Paul Roth

Waterbury, CT - The Connecticut premiere of ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Redemption’ opened at Waterbury’s Seven Angels Theatre on Saturday. Semina De Laurentis directed the production and shared during her usual animated curtain speech that this cast first assembled on the first of May and somehow managed in just 15 days to be ready to officially open the show as scheduled.

‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Redemption’ is set in the late 1950s through the early 1960s and tells the story of Dion DiMucci who was the lead singer of Dion and Belmonts, a vocal group named for Belmont Avenue in his neighborhood of the Bronx. The musical shows how the Hall of Fame musician took on the Mob, the music business, and his own personal demons to become one of the legendary voices of the Rock and Roll era. Of course, the show features all of Dion’s hit songs including “Runaround Sue,” “I Wonder Why,” “Teenager in Love,” “The Wanderer,” and finally the more contemplative and beautiful “Abraham, Martin & John.”

The 7A artistic director decided long ago that this would be the perfect show to close out the theatre’s 27th season; she connected with this work because it reminded her of her own youth growing up Catholic in the North End of Waterbury surrounded by hard-working Italian Americans. “In reading Dion’s story,” she writes in her Director’s Letter, “I recognized that there was a heart and soul in the Bronx that I have always felt here in Waterbury centered on family, faith and Sunday sauce.” Since I have similar memories of my younger days, I could certainly relate.

“You think that all the world’s problems can be solved with macaronies.” - Pat DeMucci to his wife Frances in ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Redemption’

Ms. De Laurentis also relates the central message of staying true to who we really are to the mission of the Equity theatre that she founded 27 years ago. Seven Angels has produced over 135 professional musicals and plays that include the premieres of over 30 new works. Celebrities who have come to Waterbury include Lou Diamond Phillips, Rue McClanahan, Gabe Kaplan, Christine Baranski and Matthew Cowles and many others. Throughout it all, the Seven Angels community has remained true to itself.

The direction by Ms. De Laurentis is well-conceived and honors her Italian roots (not to mention the spaghetti sauce.) The splendid cast includes a wonderful mix of Equity members and candidates (and one local celebrity) and every one of them could not have been more convincing as they sang and danced their way through the musical numbers, including a festive Feast of St. Anthony street festival for “Runaround Sue.”
When Jimmy Donohue (Barfee in ‘Spelling Bee,’ Fr. O’Reilly in ‘Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up’) opened the show in the role of Big Bopper, I knew this was going to be a great show. In his leopard-skin tuxedo jacket, he nailed the song “Chantilly Lace” and then joined the ensemble for other roles. Mr. Donohue also served as creative assistant on the show and will be directing this summer’s production of one of my favorite musicals, ‘Seussical.’

Rob Girardin (who just finished up his starring role in the Warner’s ‘The Full Monty’) was the next community theatre actor I recognized in what is technically his 7A debut in the role of Buddy Holly. The ridiculously talented Mr. Girardin played the role of Buddy Holly in the Landmark Community Theatre production of ‘The Buddy Holly Story’ and so it was great to see him reprising the role that totally suits him.
Equity actor Matthew Dailey (Tommy DeVito for nearly three years in the tour of ‘Jersey Boys’) took on the role of Dion DiMucci and gave it everything he had. He easily played the guitar when he finally convinced his handlers that the instrument should accompany him in the direction that he wanted his career to head, and sang the Dion hits effortlessly.

So that local celebrity was the Seven Angels ‘angel’ himself, WATR’s morning host and general manager Tom Chute. Mr. Chute has been involved at 7A since the very first season as both a performer and director and in September will be directing (as well as emceeing and performing in) ‘Showstoppers.’ In this production, he was a much more serious priest than the free-wheeling Fr. Trot that he played to great acclaim in the most recent ‘Nuncrackers.’

Justin Henry (Tom Robinson in Landmark’s ‘Mockingbird’ and Coalhouse in ‘Ragtime’ with CTC) made his 7A debut in the role of Willie Green and got to show off his amazing singing voice on a duet with Dion for “The Son of Skip James.” Chelsea Dacey (‘Beehive!’ at 7A and several appearances with Castle Craig Players’) appeared as an actual angel; Madeleine Tommins was another angel and also served as dance captain for the excellent choreography of Janine Molinari. Samantha Rae Bass (the fabulous Felicia in ‘Memphis’ and Effie in ‘Dreamgirls,’ both with Landmark) rounded out the onstage angels.

Speaking of angels, Jason Ostrowski made his 7A debut in the role of Johnny, a character of conscience that no one sees but Dion. He also dazzled us on the onstage piano for “Shout Shout.” John Little (a veteran of many tours both foreign and domestic) and Joel Robertson (a member of the original cast of ‘Cats’ on Broadway) played the Schwartz brothers who want to help produce Dion’s records and provided comic relief at various times.

The Belmonts were played by Harry McEnerny V (as the bass Carlo,) Clint Carter (as Fred,) and Nate Rocke (as Angelo.) Marilyn Matarrese (whose credits include the Waterbury inspired ‘Eddie and the Palaceades’ by Roy O’Neil) embodied the Italian mother of Dion and JP Sarro in his 7A debut was his loud Italian father Pat.

NYC actor Edward La Cardo appeared as the iconic Ritchie Valens. Anna Laura Strider (Mrs. Van Buren in ‘Intimate Apparel’ at Playhouse on Park) was lovely in her 7A debut as the girlfriend and eventual wife of Dion. This young actor showed off her beautiful singing voice on her solo of “The You I Know” and pretty much lit up the stage whenever she was on it.

The excellent group of musicians in the pit included Music Director Brett C. Mauldin on piano and conducting the arrangements that he wrote, Mark Ryan on drums, Richard Scarola on bass, Jamie Sherwood and Tim Maynard on guitar and Ken Nigro and John Pytel on saxophone. The lighting designed by Matt Guminski beautifully set the mood and the scenic design by Daniel Husvar was simple but it worked. The costumes by WCSU grad Johnna Fettinger (‘Second Chance’) were thoughtfully designed.

Be forewarned that some of the language is vulgar and that the musician’s use of heroin is shown more than once.

I was very impressed with just about everything about this production. Opening night was well-attended and I got my photo taken as I was speaking with some of the cast members at the post-show reception. The reception was catered by Ralph Cantito; everything he prepared was delicious. The Connecticut premiere of ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Redemption runs May 17-June 17 at Seven Angels Theatre in Waterbury. Semina De Laurentis shared with the opening night audience that already confirmed for next season are ‘Altar Boyz,’ ‘First Date’ and ‘Rip Cord’ and I am excited for all three.

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