Theater Review: "Glitz" at Center Stage Theatre

By Nancy Sasso Janis

Center Stage Theatre closes their 2022 season by presenting “Glitz! The Little Miss Christmas Pageant Musical,” a musical with book and lyrics by Bert Bernardi and music by Justin Rugg. Bernardi, a working actor and director, is the co-founder of Pantochino Productions, where Rugg is the resident musical director.

The Center Stage production is directed and choreographed by Rob Merante, who was assisted by Katherine Sedlock, the co-director, choreographer and costumer for the drama club at Shelton High School. Fiona Bryson, Debbie Dingleberry in “Bingo Jamboree, served as musical director.

“Glitz” tells the story of The Little Miss Christmas Miss Pageant (not a typo,) run by the devious Shayde Shams. It introduces the audience to “pageant life,” complete with stage moms of various degrees, contestants, and some surprise guests during the two acts.

Merante makes his directorial debut with this show, although he has been a choreographer at Center Stage. However, he is no stranger to the pageant world. He has directed/choreographed several pageants throughout Connecticut and many of his students have held the titles of Miss CT, CT’s Outstanding Teen and Miss CT Teen USA. So it has been a treat for the director to both direct and choreograph a musical that encompasses all of his passions.

Shams is brought to life by Al Recchia, in his fourth show with Center Stage. Recchia played Sr. Mary Regina in “Nunsense A-Men” and also directed last season’s “White Christmas.” Jamie Lombardi , a new face at Center Stage, plays both DJ Buddy Panache and Lillian Lattimore.

Geoff Kanner of Hamden wears a great red sweater in his role as Mr. Glunchappen. Mike O’Mara plays both Burnsy and Marley in his 14th production with Center Stage. Grayson Josovitz, a twelve year old from Shelton, plays Giovanni, the brother of contestant Sophia Loren. (At the talkback following the show, Bernardi revealed that he keeps a running list on his cell phone of “crazy” names for future use.)

I will keep the stage mothers and daughter together. Helen Haley, played by Maria Mongillo in her seventh CS show, is the mother of Hailey Ann Haley, portrayed by eighth grade student Addie Mitchell of Shelton.

Soprano Michelle Lambert, a professional voice teacher, plays the role of Olivia Westinghouse Winerack III, who is the stage mother of Taylor Addison Winerack, played by Murphy Riddle, a n eighth grade student from Shelton.

Briana Dawson, a theater/dance teacher in New Haven and a teaching artist for Elm Shakespeare Company, is a delight in her role of Marybeth McCutcheon, the down to earth mother of Goodness Gracious McCutcheon, played by Sophia De Oliveira of Milford. The young actress shows off her wonderful singing voice for the touching “Simple Christmas Song,” that Bernardi wrote with his late mother in mind.

Angela Pellegrino-Grant of Woodbridge plays the role of Mugsy Loren, the mother of the tough Sophia, played by seventh grade student Lila Carey.

Christy Turro Chiaramonte of Seymour plays the crafter Cheryl Spangles in a red sweatshirt emblazoned with a photo of her daughter, the blonde and impossibly cute Barbie Spangles. Barbie is brought to life by Annabelle Agosta in her third Center Stage show.

The eliminated contestants include Julie Jowels (Adelina Bruno of Wolcott,) Skyblue Mountain Windsong (Taylor Dibona in a floral headband,) Rona Chernobyl (Kayla Tadduni of Shelton,) Angelo Acquafresca (seventh grader Molly Campbell,) and Natalie Nabisco (Adeline Fee of North Haven.)

Alex Agosta gets to play the three ghosts that appear to Shams and young Aria Chiaramonte (who happens to be the daughter of Christy) plays the role of the shady outgoing Little Miss, Donna Lisa Derringer, in her first mainstage show. Julia Murphy of Stratford plays Miss Dottie, the choreographer for the pageant, and Nun 1. Angela Jackson covers the roles of Ms. Derringer and Nun 2.

The set design by Ron Baldwin sets the pageant tone well. Kathy Fox was in charge of scenic design and Michelle Haywood took care of both props and painting. Costume concept and design was accomplished by Merante and Sedlock, and as a crafter, I loved the reference in the script to Joann Fabrics. Justin Zenchuk did the lighting design. The sound at the performance that I attended was very loud, making some of the lyrics hard to decipher.

“Glitz!” was originally produced by Pantochino Productions, Inc., and in fact premiered exactly ten years before the Wednesday performance that I attended. The Center Stage version is a bit larger on their (bigger) stage, but retains the heart of the piece. Bernardi set out to blend the traditional story of “A Christmas Carol” with television’s “Toddlers and Tiaras.”

Bernardi told the cast members and production team after the show that he has so much fun seeing a new production of his work and watching for what they have found in the script. This was the first time Bernardi and Rugg have been able to see another director’s vision of “Glitz” in person and only the second time they have attended one of their shows that was locally produced. It is presented with one short intermission.

You have FIVE more opportunities to catch this fun, holiday musical: Tonight at 7:30pm, Friday at 7:30pm, Saturday at 2pm and 7:30pm, Sunday at 2pm. Limited tickets remain.
https://ci.ovationtix.com/29405

Nancy Sasso Janis has been writing theatre reviews since 2012 as a way to support local theatre venues. 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. She recently became a contributor to the Waterbury Republican-American newspaper. Her weekly column and theatre reviews appear in the Thursday Weekend section of the paper.

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