Theater Review: 'Lucky Stiff' at Seven Angels Theatre

Review by Connecticut Critics Circle membership chair and Patch Contributor Nancy Sasso Janis

Seven Angels Theatre in Waterbury has opened their 36th season with a hilarious, clever and fun production of “Lucky Stiff.” The production is very well directed and choreographed by Robert Mintz, with Managing Director Craig David Rosen as the production manager and Katrina Paul as the technical director.

“Lucky Stiff” is a musical farce that is based on the 1983 novel “The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo,” written by Michael Butterworth. The musical was the first collaboration by the dream team of Lynn Ahrens (book and lyrics) and Stephen Flaherty (music.) The pair is responsible for “Seussical,” “Once on this Island” and “Ragtime.”

Rosen and Artistic Director Constantine Pappas note in the online program, “When you have a team like Ahrnes & Flaherty…you know it is going to be clever, funny and full of great music. We cannot think of a better show to start out tenure here at Seven Angels.

The story is set in England, New Jersey and ultimately in Monte Carlo. This offbeat, hilarious murder mystery farce is complete with mistaken identities, multiple slamming doors, six million in diamonds and a corpse in a wheelchair. From MTI: “The story revolves around an unassuming English shoe salesman who is forced to take the embalmed body of his recently murdered uncle on a vacation to Monte Carlo. Should he succeed in passing his uncle off as alive, Harry Witherspoon stands to inherit $6,000,000. If not, the money goes to the Universal Dog Home of Brooklyn... or else his uncle's gun-toting ex!”

Both acts begin with the characters posing in front of the curtain for “Something Funny’s Going On,” an apt reference to the action. It reminded me of the play “Clue,” although it took me a while to pick up on the murder mystery aspect of “Lucky Stiff.” It also has a romantic comedy woven into the tale. There is also a great dream sequence for “Harry’s Nightmare.”

Mintz recently danced up a storm as Cosmo Brown in the Playhouse on Park production of “Singing in the Rain," a high-energy musical that he also choreographed. He directed this show for the third time in three years and acknowledges that he is in the minority of people who are familiar with “Lucky Stiff.” The director has assembled a cast of triple threats to bring these crazy characters to life.

Pappas, an Equity actor, leads the cast in the role of Harry Witherspoon with a British accent. It was a wonderful treat to see Pappas play this important role of a very shy English shoe salesman. He appeared on Broadway in “Harmony” and in the national tour of “Phantom.” I have also seen him in supporting roles in “The Secret Garden” at ACT of CT, “Master Class” and “I Hate Hamlet” at MTC.

Molly Model is a standout in the role of Annabel Glick, a no-nonsense representative of the Universal Dog Home of Brooklyn. Model makes her character so relatable in her Seven Angels debut.

Savannah Stevenson plays the statuesque Rita LaPorta, a woman who is the high-strung lover of the dead Tony Hendon who is legally blind without her eyeglasses. Stevenson has wonderful comic timing and makes it all look easy in her 7A debut. The actor has appeared on the stage of the Sharon Playhouse and will join the national tour of “The Music Man” as Mrs. Paroo in December.

Equity member Paul Rescigno, who serves as the dance captain, is so much fun to watch in the role of Vinnie Di Ruzzio, an optometrist who is Rita's mild-mannered brother. There is so much fabulous physical comedy in the performance of this dancer who trained at Shakespeare’s Globe in London.

Zayaz Da Camara, also an Equity actor, plays Luigi Gaudi, a mysterious and loud Italian gentleman. The actor makes his Seven Angels and CT debut, having just moved here from Denver.

Jonathan Zalaski returns to Seven Angels to play the emcee of a sparkly Monte Carlo nightclub and makes the most of other small roles as a member of the ensemble. Zalaski portrayed Charlie Price in the CT debut of “Kinky Boots” and later this fall will direct “Death by Design” at the Warner Theatre.

Rick Fountain (“Sister Act” at 7A) makes it look easy to play the dead body of Anthony Hendon, the corpse of Harry's uncle, fixed up by a taxidermist so he looks alive. Fountain played Witherspoon in 2005 and has been performing in theater and cabaret for over 35 years. Don’t give up hoping that Fountain will have a chance to show off his amazing tap dancing skills.

Hailey Aviva is a riot in the role of a landlady, the mean-spirited owner of Harry's apartment house. She also is a member of the ensemble.

Abby McGough steps out of the ensemble to play Dominique du Monaco, a sexy French nightclub singer (“Speaking French,”) and ensemble member and recent WCSU grad Jonah King plays a funny bellhop in Monte Carlo.

Aaron Benham worked as the music director and played keyboard in the pit. Jamie Sherwood covered the bass line and Mark Ryan was in his usual spot on percussion.

David Goldstein designed the set which transforms into the various locations, and lighting design by Sam Terrell colorfully lights all of the different spaces well. Melanie Nelson did the scenic painting and Kyla Mardore was in charge of properties, probably including some delightful modes of transportation (and some fish) that bring a smile.

The costumes designed by Thomas D. Gordon completely highlight each of the characters, easily helping to bring them to life.

Behind the scenes, Thomas Bergamo, Kyla Madore and Katarina Paul were the set builders, with Luna Rosario and John Rush compose the run crew. The Production Stage Manager Rafi Levavy and the Assistant Stage Manager Sarah Rachel Katz are both members of Actor’s Equity Association.

My companion and I loved every minute of this professional production that opens Seven Angel's new season. The performance is presented with one intermission. Expect some gunshots from prop guns. Visit SevenAngelsTheatre.org for tickets.

Seven Angels is an Equity professional Theatre located on Plank St. in Waterbury. Performances of “Lucky Stiff” continue through October 12. You can taste Fascia’s Chocolates on Oct. 3, Sweet Maria’s treats on Oct. 4, “The Cave” delights on Oct. 10, Angelina’s Apizza on Oct. 11, and Big Dipper Ice Cream on Oct. 12.

Coming up in this season will be “Farce of Nature” March 6 -22, “A Grand Night for Singing” Apr. 24 - May 10, “Something Rotten” June 19 - July 3. There are also plans for a Holiday Cabaret in December as part of their Community Theater offerings.

Seven Angels Theatre photos

Nancy Sasso Janis has been writing theater reviews since 2012 as a way to support local venues, and she posts well over 100 reviews each year. She became a member of the Connecticut Critics Circle in 2016. Her contributions of theatrical reviews, previews, and audition notices are posted in the Naugatuck Patch as well as the Patch sites closest to the venue. She was a feature writer and theater reviewer for the Waterbury Republican-American newspaper until 2025. Follow the reviewer on her Facebook pages Nancy Sasso Janis: Theatre Reviewer and Connecticut Theatre Previews and on Twitter @nancysjanis417 Check out the CCC Facebook page.