Applause! Applause! Review of "Edgar Lee Masters' Spoon River Anthology" at the Musical Theatre Works by Dr. Thomas Robert Stevens

This review of "Edgar Lee Masters' Spoon River Anthology" at Musical Theatre Works was written and published by Dr. Thomas Robert Stevens and appeared in Volume II, Issue 1 (March, 1998) of Applause! Applause!

"Edgar Lee Masters' Spoon River Anthology"
Directed by Marc Malamed
Musical Theatre Works (440 Lafayette Street, NYC)
Reviewed 3/1/98 at 7:00 p.m.

This play consisted of 11 women and 2 men performing slices of life as characters from Edgar Lee Masters' Spoon River Anthology. The two men played male characters and the 11 women played both male and female characters, with vocals by the extremely talented Marilyn O'Connell. This play needs to be re-excerpted and re-edited before it becomes the riveting emotional-rollercoaster-ride-through-the-tapestry-of-life it should be. The script for this current work should be buried "on the hill." However, most of the actors have tremendous talent. My favorite portrayals included Michael Vaccaro playing Howard Snively and Knowlt Hoheimer; Kristi Schultz playing Sarah Brown and Faith Matheny; Tonya Lester playing Dora Williams; Matt Lai playing Harry Wilmans; Amy Gile playing George Gray; and the entire Ensemble playing Jubilee Joe.