Crazy For You (Review)
Bob Walton puts on Sacramento crowd
in Gershwin comedy Crazy For You
CRAZY FOR YOU opened the 1998 Music Circus season. The Gershwin classic plays under the tent July 13-19, 1998.
    It was one of those magical nights at the theater when you wished everything would go wrong.

    The Monday, July 13 opening of the Gershwin classic CRAZY FOR YOU at Sacramento's Music Circus was uproariously funny, but the audience really started to laugh when poor Bob Walton's phony mustache began falling off early on in one of the productions' longest scenes of the night.

    Walton, who starred in the show as Bobby Child, a rich son of a banking family sent to foreclose on an ailing theater in Deadrock, Nevada, made the most of one of those moments that makes live-theatre so enjoyable.

    In order to save the theater, Child poses as Bela Zangler, a famous follies producer. Walton's entrance on stage was followed shortly by his mustache's attempt to leave the stage and it turned into a hilarious set of ad-libbed one-liners that had the crowd in near-hysterics and close to rolling on the floor.
    The show went on, of course, and Walton and cast made the most of one of the funniest bloopers ever seen at the Music Circus - several mustache jokes continued throughout the production, even after Walton had the errant hairpiece glued tightly back on.

CAST:
    Tess - Palmer Davis
    Patsy - Trina Simon-O'Steen
    Bobby Child - Bob Walton
    Bela Zangler - Stuart Zagnit
    Mitzi - Laura-Jean Smillie
    Susie - Joie Shettler
    Louise - Amber Owens
    Vera - Karen LaMarche
    Elaine - Allison Dittman
    Irene Roth - Rachel de Benedet
    Mother - Peg Small
    Perkins - Bob Richard
    Moose - Britt Gunter
    Mingo - Mark Sanders
    Sam - Paul Woodson
    Junior - Dirk Mitchell
    Custus - Bob Richard
    Billy - Ben Johns
    Wyatt - Michael Susko
    Harry - Harry Nelson
    Polly Baker - Stephanie J. Block
Bob Walton as Bobby Child is surrounded by beauties in CRAZY FOR YOU, playing at the Music Circus July 13-19, 1998.
    The show featured a lot of great dancing and Gershwin music and songs, including "I Got Rhythm," "Nice Work If You Can Get It," and "Someone to Watch Over Me."

    Stephanie J. Block, last seen in Sacramento in last season's DAMN YANKEES, put on a fine opening night performance as Bobby Child's love interest Polly Baker. Her voice is beautiful and she seemed right at home in the role of an independent cowgirl who won't admit that she's fallen in love (at least not with Bobby Child - she falls for Bobby when he's dressed up as Bela Zangler!).

    There are a lot of new faces in the Music Circus' regular cast ensemble, and they all are nothing short of fantastic. It's going to be a pleasure to watch them as the season progresses under the Music Circus tent this summer.

    CRAZY FOR YOU continues in the Music Circus tent through Sunday, July 19. Performances are at 8 p.m. through Saturday and 7:30 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are priced at $22 to $40 depending on time and seat location and are on sale at the Music Circus box office, 1419 H Street or by phone at (916) 557-1999. Tickets may also be purchased at all BASS Ticket outlets (916) 923-BASS.
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