Review: Esther, a new musical by SoundBeacon Entertainment
by Michael Meigs

 

Austin's new production company SoundBeacon Entertainment took over the Kleberg, Zach Theatre's mid-sized stage, for a one-night oratorio presentation of Esther, A New Musical, a work by board members Glenna Bowman and Matthew Shead along with pianist-composer Thomas Azar. The fourteen-member local cast was led by Austin favorites Ryan Smith in the title role and tall, well-mannered and mellifluous Matthew Redden, aptly cast as King Xerxes. Other faces were equally familiar from Austin's musical theatre, including particularly Steve Williams, Creighton Moench, Emily Villareal, and comic character actor Kirk Kelso.

 

 

Composers Glenna Bowman and Thomas Azar create sparking, tuneful melodies neatly in line with traditions of American musical theatre. Because the script is based closely on the Biblical book of Esther, a tale set in ancient Persia a long way from Broadway, the cheery songs coast above a setting and tale that in fact contain repression, exploitation, double dealing and outright evil, not to mention a pogrom planned by the king's chief advisor. The Jews will eventually be spared, thanks to the initiative and courage of Xerxes' queen, Esther, initially known by her given Jewish name Hadassah. Although it's not mentioned onstage, this is the story commemorated with the holiday of Purim (observed in 2018 on February 28 - March 1).

 

A single choral number in Act II, Adonai, Teshu'ati, has real gravity. The Jewish community laments the word that a campaign of extermination is to be launched against them. This solemn moment is followed immediately by Esther's playful number with young Dalia (the charming Jessica Brynn Cohen), in which the queen teaches the girl to pick petals from a daisy to see if a boy loves her.

 

Act I of Esther begins with a wistful duet, Living the Dream, featuring girlfriends Hadassah/Esther (Smith) and Suri (Emily Villareal), and segues into a celebration (Come on Out to the Party). Matthew Redden's crooning number Every Time She Walks By in praise of unseen Queen Vashti just begs for a top hat and tails. Xerxes dismisses Vashti for failing to respond to his summons, dutifully following the advice of male advisors concerned by her uppity example; eligible young women including Esther are collected for his harem. That group may not be a hotbed for Xerxes -- it's not clear whether he works his way through those chaste and willing virgins -- but the rivalry there constitutes much of the early action. Innocent Esther stands out sufficiently among them to rile Amira (Elizabeth Neiman), a good looker with a heart as black as that of any Disney villain. Thanks to a tip-off from Mordecai, Esther's uncle, a plot against the king is foiled. Xerxes makes the right pick, taking Esther as queen and clearing us for the main bout in Act II.

 

Act II features the plotting of royal counselor Haman (Creighton Moench, having fun as that sanctimonious hypocrite). Toadying to the king, he's plotting to exterminate the Jews, largely because Esther's uncle Mordechai refused to fall down and worship him. We hear from Esther that the king hasn't called for her for a month (the last time we saw them they were lovebirds), but eventually the queen risks the pain of death by accosting him unannounced. She doesn't plead for her people, and in fact won't reveal her origins until later; instead, as told in the Bible, Xerxes is trying to put himself to sleep one night by reading the chronicles of his reign and realizes he forgot to reward Mordechai (a thought that will save the Jews). Bad guy gets his come-uppance and the virtuous are rewarded.

 

Though mirroring the Biblical account, Esther's reticence and the happy coincidence of royal insomnia seem to deprive the plot of the typical courageous-initiative-followed-by-reward that's a staple of our musical theatre stage. Esther has little agency throughout. She wins her queenly crown with  quiet maidenly beauty and because she served as the conduit for her uncle's warning. Her only real dare is taken when she goes in quest of her neglectful lord and master. The king, though handsome, is pretty much clueless as well, easy prey for wicked ol' Haman. The villains are more interesting than either, even though those schemers are pretty one-dimensional.

 

Esther would benefit from characters who are more self-aware, and not just the protagonists played by Smith and Redding. I'd have liked to have heard more from Mordechai -- he's not a Tevye, but surely he could be a person of thought and faith. Ousted Queen Vashti surely has thoughts to share. Emily Villareal's sidekick role as Suri could be reinforced; maybe we could hear some second thoughts about a system that holds down women and little people. Juily, the harem assistant played by Susan Johnston Taylor, is in a position to offer some acute observations, including about the transience of beauty, instead of simply helping out Kelso, who's the sweetly avuncular harem eunuch.

 

But, then, everyone want to be a critic, right? It's no easy job to craft living, breathing, singing theatre. This was an oratorio presentation, with Matthew Shead reading stage directions. In a fuller staging the story will be amplified and impelled by  action, choreography and costume, captivating the audience and surely overcoming these modest misgivings.

 

Esther is a work in progress, and a promising one. You can hear and enjoy studio-recorded snippets of some of the music at the Esther webpage. This new company took on this big project in ambitious style and with a good understanding of how to market it. Expect to hear more from them before long.

 

EXTRA

Click to view the SoundBeacon Entertainment program for Esther, A New Musical.

 

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Esther, a new musical
by Glenna Bowman, Thomas Azar, Matthew Shead
SoundBeacon Entertainment

February 10, 2018

7:00 p.m.

Zach Theatre, Kleberg Stage

1421 Riverside, Austin, Tx  78704

at Lamar and Riverside, behind the Zach Topfer Theatre

 Ticket prices start at $10 - $25 plus service fees, via

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