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NEWS RELEASES DECEMBER 2001

Angels in the Snow Review
December 4, 2001

MARINETE—Theatre on the Bay revisits the Cold War in human terms in "Angels in the Snow: The Berlin Wall Musical Drama."

Beautiful and touching songs fill the three-hour show that continues this week at the University of Wisconsin-Marinette. The ambitious production serves as a public introduction to Douglas W. Larche as artistic director and playwright-in-residence. Larche wrote the show with his wife Susan Elliott Larche, and son, Jason D. Larche.

The musical premiered in 1990, the year after the Berlin Wall was torn down to end 28 years of agony and anger. Action takes place in West Berlin and East Berlin over that period. The musical keys on two couples, with East German leader Erich Honecker drawn in as a formidable presence.

Dieter Burkhardt and Elise Schumann are married with a baby on the way when Dieter goes to the East as part of his work as a minister. It's the day before friends Kurt Leichty and Helen Mahler are to be married. Kurt goes with colleague Dieter, thinking they'll be able to return the next day. The wall goes up overnight, and they are trapped in the East. Thus begins heartbreak and longing.

To mount this production, Theatre on the Bay recruited students, faculty, the community and other theatre companies. Larche also tapped the professional level, bringing in stage and screen actor Neil Maffin (one of his former students from his days of teaching in Iowa) to play the role of Dieter.

Maffin's skills are obvious. He adds layers of intensity. That pays off in later stages of the musical, when Dieter locks horns with Honecker, played with force and strength by Eric Craver (UW-Marinette's director of student services.)

Impressive as Elise is Amanda Rhines-Grenlund, a Peshtigo schoolteacher who is a product of UW-Green Bay. Elise is complex. That includes having a lover in her husband's absence. Rhines-Grenlund captures Elise's depth, plus delivers the goods vocally.

Songs are sung to a recorded score. They include merry tunes of a German Beer-hall flavor, traditional Christmas carols sung in German, happy Christmas songs (particularly "Teddy Bear"), heavy-duty songs expressing political power and many revolving around heartbreak and separation.

The intricate "Christmas Trilogy" at the end of Act I brims with feelings as the principals are joined by choruses. "I Will Remember I Love You," sung sweetly by student Matthew Bouche as Kurt, is heart rending.

Tenderness pours from a trio song, "Back Into My Arms," sung by Rhines-Grenlund, Jennifer Farley as her frined Helen and Linda Engels-Lindquist as Elise and Dieter's grown daughter.
Many others contribute earnestly in large and small roles.

The script is clanky at times. Of course, it can only represent what may have taken place for some people caught in events. The script also weaves in questions of faith, fidelity, ecology and human rights. It has edges.

In the end, it succeeds in being uplifting.
 
Warren Gerds
Green Bay Press Gazette