Theater Review: "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown" at WestRep Stage

Review by Connecticut Critics Circle member and Naugatuck Patch neighbor Nancy Sasso Janis

DANBURY - "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown" is the latest musical to be produced by the WestRep at WCSU and the WCSU Department of Theatre Arts on the Danbury Westside campus. The university students are under the direction of Justin P. Cowan, with choreography by MK Lawson.

This show is a musical adaptation of Pedro Almodóvar’s absurdist dark comedy film “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown.” The musical features a book by Jeffrey Lane and music and lyrics by David Yazbek, the talented team behind “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels”

Set in 1980s Madrid, “Women on the Verge” is “a story about women and the men who pursue them… finding them, losing them, needing them and rejecting them.”

The look of the production reflects what Cowan describes as “the bright, saturated colors that Almodovar splashes across the screen. Bold reds, electric blues, and sun-soaked yellows represent Madrid’s vibrancy and infuses every corner of this production.”

The set design by Clifton Chadick is deceptively simple until the middle begins to slide across the stage. It sometimes carries vintage “telefono” booths. The director notes that because the piece was born as a film, they “embraced many cinematic elements throughout the production: fluid transitions, dynamic perspectives, and moments that feel as though the camera itself is sweeping across the stage.” They have succeeded in all of these aspects.

There is lively choreography in the opening “Madrid,” dotted with sly references to maternity. The first act closes strong with the four women in “On the Verge,” and the dancing returns in “Tangled.”

There are two casts for this production, Cast Gazpacho and Cast Matador. The ensemble that makes up the city of Madrid participates in all performances.

The Saturday matinee that I attended featured Cast Gazpacho. Zola Kneeland, who hails from Orange, CT, leads the cast in the role of Pepa dressed in a great red suit. Pepa is a 42-year-old voice actress with a tumultuous love life. Trumbull native Carlos Pérez shows off his vocal range in the role of the lover that has left her, Ivan (“Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.”)

Natalie Kitchin, who just participated in her second Goodspeed Festival of New Musicals, takes on the role of Ivan’s long-suffering ex-wife of 19 years, Lucia. Her solo turn is for “Invisible.”

Chanelle Jaime-Guzman, from Lawrence, MA, is a delight in the role of the model Candela, Pepa’s close friend. She shines in the fast-paced “Model Behaviior.” Zachary Spreng, from Bangor, ME, is adorable as Ivan’s son Carlos. Nora Watson portrays Carlos’ fiance and WCSU senior Cleo Fiedler, who just was part of the Festival of New Musicals at Goodspeed, plays Lucia’s lawyer.

Alex Lee from Old Lyme, CT, plays a taxi driver that keeps turning up in these 48 hours and sings wonderfully. I was able to pick out Mireya Trelles as Pepa’s concierge, who joins into “Madrid (Reprise.)”

Cast Matador includes Isabella Vanore, Maxwell Wetherhold, Yazmin DeJesus, Henry Grimm, Azayda, Marisa Curti, Angelina Molina and Max Konidaris.

The lighting designed by Oliver Wason accents the set well and there are also videos at the top of the stage designed by Cowan and Hudson Schlurnberger. Tom Swetz works as the technical director. The sound design by Robert Volpintesta worked well, although there were some issues with the taxi driver’s mic in the second act.

Robin McGee has designed colorful costumes that bring to mind the 1980s in the Spanish city of Madrid.

The music director, Donna Renderly Peeler, could be seen on the monitor conducting the orchestra from behind a keyboard on keys 1. Emily Lungarini covered keys 2, with Gillian Kroll on guitar, Zachary Bates on bass, Larry Davis on drums and Caleb Harris on percussion. The musicians sounded great as they played the Spanish-influenced score.

The director invites audiences to “buckle up. Let the colors dazzle you. Let the music sweep you away. Let Madrid carry you through this wild, heartfelt, and unapologetic journey.” There are some light flashes and haze in the show and a gun shot.

In keeping with the cinematic theme, the credits roll on the video projection screen/window during the “Playout.” The show is approximately two hours in length, with a 15-minute intermission. Cast Gazpacho will perform on Feb. 27 and March 1, while Cast Matador covers the performances on Feb. 28.

For more information about this production, including scenic renderings and community events, visit the WestRep Stage website. Tickets can be purchased at WestRepStage.org.

Next up at WestRep Stage will be “Rhinoceros” in the Studio Theatre Apr. 17 - 26.