The Reviews
Here are some excerpts of the reviews to date.
Portland Press Herald
Loving sense of hope energizes 'Chamberlain'
by Mary Snell
...But "Chamberlain: A Civil War Romance," which had its premiere
here, is not all hometown hurrah. Passionate, heartfelt and inspiring, the
show deals with larger issues of a man's call to duty and public service
and how that affects his choices in his private life and relationships.
"Chamberlain" is filled with the spirits of the past and is energized
by a poetic, idealistic and loving sense of hope and redemption....
Mark Jacoby is terrific in the title role of Chamberlain. His charming voice
and command of the stage bring the needed aura of kind authority to his
character. ...Knapp shows her skill as a playwright and as an actor in her
depiction of Fannie as a difficult person, but one tortured by the fact
of her impending blindness. This selfish, unhappy character becomes more
sympathetic when seen from her perspective -- how Chamberlain's "duty"
meant broken promises and abandonment.
...[Charles] Abbott has ably pulled together the many pieces of this big
production -- the musical elements and dancing, the large cast with many
costumes, the multiple set changes, the broad range of time -- to give us
an energetic and generally quick paced show....
Bonnie Walker served as choreographer and must be credited particularly
for the lively dance number at the train station (Union Station in Portland)
as the men go off to war. And kudos to the costume designer, Susan Picinich,
for her stunning period dresses for Fannie and for the other dresses, men's
formalwear and soldier uniforms.
...I particularly like the rousing opening number, "For the Union";
Fannie's unusual lament, "So Sorry For Me", and Fannie's and Chamberlain's
poignant duet, "Alone in the Dark."
...Supporting cast include Bradley Dean, a stand-out with his great voice
and heartfelt performances as Union solder Capt. Spear and Confederate soldier
Jebediah Logan; Michael Tapley and Reed Armstrong as Tom and John Chamberlain,
Joshua's brothers; Bernard Wurger as Fannie's father, the Rev. Adams; and
John-Charles Kelly and Joseph Kolinski in multiple roles of soldiers, academics
and townspeople.
(c) 1996 by The Portland Press Herald
Courier Gazette
Chamberlain comes home: New musical based on life of Civil War hero
by Van Reid
The best stories not only stand up to retelling, they demand it, and certainly
the defense of Little Round Top at the Battle of Gettysburg falls into this
category. Exhausted, out of ammunition, outnumbered and yet victorious --
it is a perfect example of history accomplishing what fiction would never
dare. To those of us who honor the memory of Joshua Chamberlain and the
20th Maine, who held that pivotal piece of real estate, they are forever
frozen upon that slope, swords and bayonets raised.
It was Chamberlain's burden to be profoundly struck, both physically and
mentally, by the horrors of war, while recognizing that it was the most
immense and, in some ways, the most fulfilling experience of his life. Chamberlain,
the new musical being premiered by Maine State Music Theatre, never
loses sight of this central paradox, even as it touches on its hero's other
accomplishments.
The work does justice to Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain by not flinching from
the darker aspects of his life, which were best reflected in his stormy
relationship with his wife, Fannie Adams Chamberlain has always been a tough
nut for biographers to crack but Sarah Knapp... has given us a full-fledged
person to envision beside the icon of her husband, doing them both justice.
Knapp's book is vivid, literate and witty. Her respect for words is obvious
and her skill with words is evident throughout the book, never more so than
in the show's frequent darts of humor.... Knapp's lyrics are of a piece
with her book. The rhyme schemes are never trite, but clever and unexpected.
The songs manage to propel both plot and character -- a trick some of our
more celebrated lyricists might do well to learn.
The music of Steven M. Alper is in perfect harmony with the words, generating
a sense of familiarity with something totally new by honoring the traditions
of the past. That is not to say that the score is at all derivative: it
is, rather, appropriately influenced.... Military themes, hymns and southern
rock ("Heaven Must Have Plans") have been blended into a cohesive
statement that carries cast and audience along through laughter, goosebumps
and even a brief moment of shock and horror ("So Sorry For Me").
The show as written is expert and confident. The show as performed... was
equally so. Everyone here has something to brag about. First in line for
praise is Mark Jacoby, whose portrayal of Chamberlain hits all the marks,
engendering laughter, sympathy and thrills, according to the moment. With
a distinctive tenor, Jacoby found tenderness ("You [Are] Always on
My Mind") and power as he led an extraordinary chorus of men in "Hold
the Line, Boys," one of the most rousing songs I have ever heard....
The staging was imaginative and surprising -- never more than in the almost
ghostly "Heaven Must Have Plans:" while Chamberlain reads a letter
from a former foe, rebel soldiers quite actually come out of the woodwork
to sing its haunting contents. It is a remarkable moment.... Choreography,
costumes and lighting were first-rate, as was the orchestra, which was led
with vigorous panache by musical director Douglas Coates.
Premiering a work of theater must be a nerve-wracking business. Premiering
a work about a beloved hero in his hometown takes absolute courage. To all
those who honor the memory of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, rest easy --
both art and hero have been done great justice.
(c) 1996 by Courier Publications
Brunswick Times Record
'Chamberlain' hit of season -- Strong story, music mark show's debut
by Barbara Bartels
Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain is no longer an unsung hero.... But not until
last night... were his life and loves recreated in story and song. And the
hometown crowd was there to respond as if the hero himself were returning
from war.
"Chamberlain,"... is moving, complex, dramatic and without question
the hit of the season for the MSMT audience.
The story is well-told, the music strong and performances by Mark Jacoby
as Chamberlain and Sarah Knapp, as his wife, Fanny, are superior. Jacoby
assumes nobility in his stature and strength in voice with grace and ease.
Knapp is at once charming and spoiled as the petulant, difficult woman Fannie
was known to be.
(c) 1996 by The Brunswick Times Record
Lewiston Sun-Journal
'Chamberlain' cast 'does itself proud' ...the audience gives it 'standing
O'
by Faunce Pendexter (Special to the Sun-Journal)
...The Maine State Music Theatre did itself proud in its presentation of
this musical biography.... Mark Jacoby presented Chamberlain as depicted
in the history books; a man who is quietly self-effacing and yet who possessed
the charisma and firmness essential to success in carrying out triumphant
military engagements. The scene in the play where Chamberlain orders the
20th Maine to "charge" with bayonets make[s] one feel present
at Little Round Top.
Sarah Knapp as Fannie was simply outstanding.... She portrayed a wife who
could be disliked intensely for her self-centered attitude and yet pitied
for her inability to recognize Chamberlain's qualities of patience and forbearance.
Strong supporting roles were played by Bernard Wurger as Fannie's father
through adoption, the Reverend Adams, and by Michael Tapley and Reed Armstrong
as Joshua's brothers Tom and John respectively....
The performers were rewarded with a much deserved "Standing O".
This musical should gravitate from Brunswick to the big city stages. It
is that excellent.
(c) 1996 by The Lewiston Sun-Journal
