Review: Creativity is the rule in

'Camelot'

Piano Rep's actors, creative designers help make

production fresh

01:24 AM CDT on Tuesday, October 19, 2004

By LAWSON TAITTE / The Dallas Morning News

PLANO - In the age-old debate about which is more important

in the lyric theater - words or music? - you'll cast an emphatic

ballot on the verbal side when you've seen Plano Repertory

Theatre's Camelot.

The company opened Lerner and Loewe's classic musical -

almost an operetta, really - on Saturday. Director Joel Ferrell

makes sure his cast wrings every ounce of laughter and

sentiment out of the story of King Arthur's courtship of his

reluctant bride, Guenevere, and her even more reluctant

romance with his best friend. Sir Lancelot.

Mr. Ferrell's former employer, Fort Worth's Casa Manana,

mounted a production last year that boasted a cast with

national credits and glorious voices. But the whole thing fell flat

because it all looked and felt so stiff.

In the cozy confines of the Courtyard Theatre, set up in a new

thrust configuration that makes the space feel even more

intimate. Plano Rep's designers have taken an original

approach. Randel Wright's set looks positively primeval. Ric

Leal's costumes are mostly in dark earth tones. And Laura

McMeley's lighting is as full of shadows as a Caravaggio

painting.

The fresh look, perhaps, helps the performers find fresh takes

on their roles. Regan Adair is strikingly young to play Arthur. He

manages to seem noble as well as innocent, and his witty line

readings make all the jokes work - a must if this script isn't to

feel way too cute. He has to stretch a bit far for the grand

moments at the ends of the acts, but this is still a winning

performance.

As for Jessica D. Turner's Guenevere, you can't call her dull.

She's much funnier and more sophisticated a queen than most.

In truth, she doesn't sing very well. But she's so charming that

you don't mind so much.

Ron Gonzalez plays Lancelot straight - and still gets all the

usual laughs and more out of his pompous opening number,

"C'est Moi." Brian Gonzales steals the show in his dual roles of

Merlyn and Pellinore. Pellinore is usually an old bore, because

his every line is a joke that would have seemed old when Arthur

pulled Excalibur out of the anvil. Mr. Gonzales' comic ability

brings every one of these hoary lines to life.

Ironically, the songs mean more when they arise from such

strong performances of the talky "book" scenes than if they

were being sung by great voices backed by choirs of angels.

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Camelot, presented by Plano Repertory Theatre at the

Courtyard Theatre, 1509 Ave. H, Plano, Wednesdays through

Sundays through Nov. 2. Runs 170 min. Tickets $24 to $42. Call