By: Joseph Szalinski
I’ve faced plenty of difficult circumstances on the clock over the years: barely dodging bits of birdshot but being hit in the face by clay pigeons as a teenage trap boy; repeatedly burning myself on ovens and with hot caustic in between baking pretzels, a few months after I graduated college; dealing with immeasurable grief and trauma while working in an outdated office during The Pandemic. None of that holds a candle to teaching middle school. Exasperated educators are just two of the people we meet in The Rage of the Stage Players’ latest production, Worse in Verse: The Loathsome Lessons of Mr. Scratch, written and directed by James Michael Shoberg, now running at the Margaret Partee Performing Arts Center in Bellevue, PA.
Inspired by his own horror poetry, writer/director/producer James Michael Shoberg has penned another satisfyingly sinister script. Featuring a frame story that contains the usual action and dialogue, things get a little weirder with the inclusion of ten lessons, influenced by the fears of friends and that family, which are taught via rhyme. Fans of Edward Gorey and Shel Silverstein are sure to love the smaller stories. Don’t worry, this review won’t rhyme, although such an angle was considered…The dialogue is replete with wit and references. Characters are complex. Plot is well-paced. Each lesson contains brilliant wordplay that assists in enforcing each fable. There’s a musicality to the language; beauty despite the nightmarish narratives.
These worlds are realized thanks to the superb actors in this show. Most of the cast play a primary part alongside a litany of roles within the show’s vignettes, delighting and disturbing the entire time. Holding down the fort as the adults are Christiénne Miller and Bill Herring as Miss Jones and Mr. Lavey, respectively. Wonderful together as well as separately, they captivate from start to finish. What kind of middle school classroom would be complete without its students? Daniel, the most outspoken and obnoxious of the bunch, receives an entertaining portrayal courtesy of Anthony Babeaux, who is similarly engaging in his other iterations. Andrew Beckas is great as Robert, Daniel’s foil of sorts. The remaining classmates are brought to life by a talented trio. Chelsey Gooch is fantastic as Eve. Spurthi Reddy excels as Gretchen. Nicole Brady is excellent as Abigail. All three of them do double-duty as choreographers. Luke Frederick delivers one of the greatest performances seen in some time as Nicholas Scratch. Equally charming and menacing, one cannot help but be mesmerized by his commitment to character. His accents seem natural; his mannerisms and expressions are spine-tingling. He can amuse as easily as he can unsettle. Attention is commanded, not demanded, via nurtured nuance and subtlety. A truly terrific turn as the titular teller of tales.
Working in concert with the cast is the commendable crew, of which certain members operated in many capacities. Overseeing matters is Dylan Baker as technical director and lighting/sound designer, assisted by Rachel Roach as board operator. The impeccable sets were designed by Katrina Kayden, who constructed them alongside Justin Havens, Bill Herring, and Jen James, the show’s technical advisor. Supplementing their efforts was a team of scenic artists comprised of Frankie Rose Alderson, Christie Strub Biber, Chelsey Gooch, and Justin Rogers, headed by scenic charge artist Rachel Roach. Set decoration and props were done by Frankie Rose Alderson, Chelsey Gooch, Rachel Roach, and costumer/producer Carrie L. Shoberg. Props are used to great effect. Scratch’s bottomless suitcase is wild and weird. The bear paws provide plenty of humor in an otherwise gristly moment. Likewise, confetti and such, as stand-ins for blood and guts, are a fun way to make the gruesome elements more agreeable. The most remarkable technical achievement is the ravenous furnace that comes to life in one of the lessons. Really coal stuff. Costumes aid in differentiating the actors’ various characters. Scratch’s wardrobe, on the other hand, is pretty consistent and therefore helps to establish his identity. The schoolchildren all wear Skechers. Great shoes. A strange thing to notice, but in a show full of deliberate details, there’s certainly some sort of significance. Special effects are handled by Dylan Baker, Katrina Kayden, and Carrie L. Shoberg, whereas makeup is the responsibility of production’s mastermind, James Michael Shoberg. None of this could be possible without a competent run crew, which this production definitely has in the form of Frankie Rose Alderson, Barb Sawatis, Diana Smith, and Peter Anthony Vetrini. Backing them are Box office/house crew maestros Dawn D. Anderson, Linda Baker, Justin Rogers, Lily V. Sixx, Jim Steinhoff, and Peter Anthony Vetrini. Dawn D. Anderson and Lily V. Sixx even baked some delectable goodies! Stage managers Rachel Roach and Justin Havens rein in all the chaos. On the promotional side of things, James Michael Shoberg and Joseph Stammerjohn concocted some awesome design, while the former partnered with David L. Wooddell to handle the marketing. Wizard of the Lens, Forrest Cook, tackles photography and videography, with help from Mitt Lisiak with the latter. Damien created the poster artwork. Rachel Roach designed the title logo.
For the last 25 years, The Rage of the Stage Players has been putting on truly unique productions across The Greater Pittsburgh Area. Whether those shows are comedies, dramas, originals, or reimagined staples, no one does it like the Ragers. Projects are cinematic in scope and execution, proving that other companies aren’t limited by technical possibilities but by lack of imagination. Everyone involved in this outfit, cast and crew, juggles various responsibilities to ensure everything is pulled off perfectly. There’s an unwavering dedication to the artform that permeates the collective effort, evident by the fact that so many of them lend a hand play after play. Throughout their history, Rage has cultivated a built-in audience but also manages to attract a fresh crop of patrons with every performance. Who knows what extraordinary feat of theatre they have in store for folks next year?
Situated in the bustling streets of Bellevue, sits the Margaret Partee Performing Arts Center, a hub for arts and culture. Despite its size, it houses multiple theatre companies and a slew of events ranging from improv comedy to slam poetry. Comfy, cozy, and quaint, it’s a great space for live entertainment. With the town poised to become “the next Lawrenceville,” this venue is set to develop into an increasingly important institution in our local theatre scene.
-JS
Worse in Verse: The Loathsome Lessons of Mr. Scratch continues its run August 6-8 and 13th-14th at 8 PM, along with a rare 2 PM matinee, followed by a cast and playwright talkback, on Sunday, August 9th, at the Margaret Partee Performing Arts Center in Bellevue, PA.
