Simon classic love story staged for NE Campus theater
by Ashley Clark, entertainment editor

     In the traditional comedic style of Neil Simon, NE Campus presents They're Playing Our Song, a humorous love story about two characters most people can relate to.
     When lyricist Sonia Walsk, played by Lisa Wash, meets composer Vernon Gersh, played by Eric Wilder, in 1970s New York City, they are instantly attracted to the talent the other displays and envision their individual careers complementing one another's.
     They are not prepared for the attraction they soon find for each other, and love mixed with business presents challenges and differences the two lovers try hard to overcome.
     Unlike traditional musicals, They're Playing Our Song has a small cast of eight with only two of the cast members responsible for the spoken dialogue.
     Director Stacy Schronk wanted to work with a smaller group this time instead of the cast of 30 or more that he has worked with in musicals of the past.
     Cast and crew agree that the simpler production map and a smaller cast have made a world of difference in several categories of the show.
     Actress Wash described Sonia Walsk as an “eccentric flighty nutcase.” Sonia wears dresses worn in theatrical productions as everyday wear.
     Even so, she exhibits depth as when she says, “None of us are just one person.”
She is represented by three parts of her personality: her ego, her passion and her skepticism.
     Sarah Phillips, who represents Sonia's passion, is performing in her second production at NE Campus and her first musical.
     She sings soprano in the trio and is enjoying the challenge of choreography and of bringing her character to life through body language.
     Kate Bornemann plays the voice of Sonia's skepticism.
     “She questions everything,” Bornemann said. “She is the one that has the negative outlook on what Sonia does and what she's thinking about doing.”
     Sonia's Ego is played by Ember Harris, who describes her castmates as “a talented and compelling group of people.”
     According to Bornemann, The Voices of Sonia are only on stage 10 percent of the time—at points when her emotions are at their strongest.
     However, the actresses agree that it is the offstage moments and the friends they have made that excite them about doing more shows for NE Playhouse and what they will remember most about this production.
     Vernon Gersh, played by Wilder, is also made up of Ego, Passion and Skepticism played by John Hicks, Mike Kraft and Jason Thornton, respectively.
     With a comical script packed with emotion and depth, the close friendship between lead actors, Wilder and Wash, is a proven benefit to the show.
     Their trust in one another as well as their professional history together adds to the believability, the chemistry and the strength of their performances.
“It's going to be like kissing my brother,” Wash said of her first on-stage kissing scene.     
     “Although if I didn't know him as well as I do, I would feel more intimidated by the intimacy,” she said.
     This reaction is not to downplay the talent Wilder and Wash displayed in a recent rehearsal for the production.
     In fact, Schronk believes that it is their natural talent for acting and singing that will be recognized as the show's highlight.
     “They are a joy to work with,” he said. “Lisa is so very sensitive and understands her character so well.”
     “This is a huge commitment for me,” said Wash of the most challenging role she has played so far. “Some of the songs are very confusing to learn.”
     At one point, Wash recites a lengthy monologue next to Wilder as he sings If She Really Knew Me.
     “There are also several different versions of the same song throughout the show,” Wash added. “Figuring out which style goes where gets confusing at times, too.”
     Wash also says that there is a lot of depth to the character that she personally relates to. “A lot of the things she says and does remind me of myself,” Wash said.
     Marvin Hamlisch composed the music for Simon's story, and the lyrics and underscore are emotionally universal.
     What makes the music so effective is that the songs are not separate from the dialogue.
     Simon uses music to enhance the emotions of his characters and let the audience remember a time when they, too, felt like Vernon or Sonia.
     “Even though it is a musical and a comedy,” Schronk said, “there is some depth there. Hopefully the audience will recognize what is going on and be able to say ‘been there, done that, have the T-shirt.’”
     Competition between partners, frustration of differences, jealousy, the stress that working with a lover can put on a relationship, the bond that keeps two people fighting for their relationship throughout difficulties and the trauma that could occur if that bond failed are some of the emotions revealed in this performance. It is a love story that everyone can relate to.
     Even so, Schronk says that since it is a comedy, he does not try to overplay the emotion. It comes out in the written dialogue.
     Wilder believes that what sets this musical apart from most is that the acting is more important than the singing.
     “It's not enough to be able to carry a tune,” Wilder said. “You have to be able to understand the character and act better than you can sing.”
     Though he is more at home as an actor and has no vocal training, Wilder feels more challenged in letting go of the character he played in the last production.
     “In the last show, my character was a comic who was really animated. There was a lot of physicality to him,” Wilder said. “This character is just as comical, but it's more internal. It's more of an intellectual humor and less physical. The challenge is pulling back physically and finding his personal style.”
     “He is a very intuitive actor,” Schronk said of Wilder. “He does what I want him to do on stage before I even ask him. When I do ask him to do something, he understands it instantly.”
     Compliments are tossed back and forth among cast members and crew. Their admiration for each other is evident.
     “We're seeing Stacy in a different light,” said Wash of Schronk. “Because it's such a small cast, he doesn't come down so hard. He's a lot more light hearted, and he's fun.”
     Wash and Wilder both agree that their credibility with Schronk has allowed the pressure of putting on such a challenging production to lift as they find him to be more relaxed this time around.
     Schronk said the actors have taken the pressure off of him.
     “They are disciplined, reliable and want to do a good job,” he said. “Rehearsals are not social gatherings. They are all a bunch of pros, you might say.”
     Choosing a smaller cast script has allowed Schronk to be more simplistic in his set design. For the 13 scene changes, the sets are rolled on and off stage on wagons.
     “I didn't want to use a lot of scenery,” Schronk said. “I wanted to concentrate more on the characters and their stories.”
     Lighting designer Laura Mahon will use smaller spills of light and follow spots to isolate and localize the action during scenes.
     Michelle Velarde did Wash’s outrageous Broadway wardrobe and the 1970s costuming of the rest of the cast.
     Schronk believes that They're Playing Our Song would appeal to a more intellectual audience.
     “There are not a lot of big production numbers with lots of singers and dancers,” he said.
     “The songs are really dialogue where the characters are continuing to relate their thoughts and feelings,” he said.
     “I think whoever comes to see it will enjoy it,” Wash said. “It's a love story.”
     Wilder agrees. “If we do it the way I know Lisa and I can, it's going to be awesome,” he said. “This is a show that challenges us to put all our talents to use and really make it good. This is something I can really be proud of.”
     NE Playhouse will run the show Nov. 14-18 at 8 p.m. with a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday. For reservations, call 817-515-6687.