Theater Review: “Smorgasbord!" at TheatreWorks New Milford

TheatreWorks New Milford brought a “Smorgasbord!” to their stage just before patrons would head to their tables to celebrate the holidays with a feast. This show, “a musical menu,” was written by Bradford Blake, and he directed and choreographed the TheatreWorks production, an original musical all about food. Blake had previously directed his original holiday musical “Wreck the Halls,” at TheatreWorks.

I was grateful to be able to attend the final performance to experience this feast of musical numbers all with references to food and drink. The show was born during the summer of 1983, but it has been revised, revamped and rewritten in order to keep up with current pop-culture trends. This version was Blake’s attempt to keep the show as timeless and still timely as possible. “Like JELL-O,” Blake writes, “there’s always room for more ‘Smorgasboard.’”

The musical numbers included songs about coffee, fruit, tv dinners, milk, carnivores, sugar, the taco, peanut butter, mayonnaise, ice cream, and even McDonalds, not necessarily in that order.

The talented cast included four local performers that somehow managed to memorize all of the quick-witted lyrics and perform them with great comic timing. There are a few naughty references that are very funny.

Anya Caravella was part of this show for the second time, and also performed in “Wreck the Halls.”

Tracey Marble, who most recently played Margaret White in Sherman Playhouse’s “Carrie,” played the second woman in the cast in her first show at TheatreWorks.

Bret Bisaillon of Prospect has such wonderful stage presence and was simply a delight to watch. Bisaillon is a fifth grade teacher in Waterbury who has been part of local and regional theater for more than 25 years. He has also been part of Blake’s “Wreck the Halls.”

Kevin McNulty portrayed the other guy in the cast. He recently received his B.S. in Music Education at WestConn and is currently a music teacher in Brookfield. I remembered McNulty from his role of Freddy Holt in “Carrie.”

Musical director Charles Smith sat on the stage and conducted the musicians from behind the keyboard. Robert Kogut played percussion and Charles Casimiro played the upright bass. All three of the musicians donned chef’s hats before they sat/stood behind their instruments.

Mary Kimball was the seamstress for the various costume pieces that were added and just as quickly replaced. Blake designed the costumes and the many props. Mark Hankla was in charge of the lighting design that illuminated the set constructed by the gang at Shagbargh Scenic.