By Marilyn Lester***Suppose you were magically deposited in an audience seat (sans program) at a performance of Ludlow Ladd (The Poor Little Orphan Boy). The moment the chorus of “Kooky Carolers” took the stage you might well assume you’d been dropped into a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta, and no doubt thusly prepared for an evening of tuneful melodies and pithy, witty lyrics sung by a cast of amazing talent. Your assumption wouldn’t be far off the mark; in Ludlow Ladd all of these elements were in play, and with much more to offer over an hour of carefree delight.
Ludlow Ladd in Concert, a production that was part of the Urban Stages’ Winter Rhythms festival, brought to life the operetta written some decades ago by the late Gerald J. Markoe (music) and the very much with us (and with it) Michael Colby (libretto/lyrics). The antics revolve around the eponymous title character, a poor young orphan in Victorian Liverpool, evolving through the unique concept of mock-Christmas carols (images of which were projected during the presentation). To sweeten the kooky pot, Colby has also drawn from Charles Dickens and Fractured Fairy Tales to roll out a fantastic plot (and that can be taken two ways!) to assure that poor Ludlow achieves happiness through a Christmas miracle.
The engaging Kooky Carolers set the stage with a medley of kookiness: “It’s Snowing,” “Noisy Night,” “The Ole Salvation Army” and “Ye Faithful Shepherds.” This charming collection of carolers were all students in the Circle in the Square school, taught by Ludlow director, Sara Louise Lazarus. Naturally, as these things go, the story must be set up, and it’s perfectly introduced with “Ludlow Ladd” sung by the carolers and Daisy ( Isabel Robin).
It so happens that Ludlow (a huggable, adorable Joshua Turchin) was born on a Christmas eve, and now finds himself on another Christmas Eve, an orphan without a home, sadly wandering the streets of Liverpool in search of warmth, if not love and acceptance (“I’m a Poor Little Paper Boy”). He happens into the sphere of the of highly eccentric Grimbles, Nester (Adam B. Shapiro) and Hester ((Shawna Hamic) (”Let’s Take Him In”). Eccentric might not quite cover it—the Grimble home is crammed to the gills with all manner of plants, animals and children, including Prescott (Luke Naphat) and bratty daughter Prudence (Megan Styrna). Madness of one sort and another ensues and before long, after annoying the Grimbles, Ludlow is left alone with their Christmas tree (“Why Do I Do Ev’rything Wrong?).
In such circumstances the only sensible thing to do is—dream! And so Ludlow imagines the tree turning into the magical Misssus Pinecones (Maureen Taylor) (“Call Me”), who whisks him to the Land of Yuletime Cheer (“The Land of Yuletime Cheer”), where dreams can come true. But what Ludlow encounters is a nightmare populated by a frightful cast of characters, including the Tin Soldier (Nick Lunetta) who orders all to “March! March! March!” Eventually Ludlow awakens “Shake Him,” and revelations are brought to the fore. It follows, because dreams do come true in Ludlow Ladd, a Christmas miracle happens—and Ludlow becomes the Grimble’s son.
Ludlow Ladd (The Poor Little Orphan Boy), written in a simpler time, is full of sweetness and good cheer. These are enduring qualities that make the piece the perfect way to celebrate the holiday season now, in a time not so simple. With good fortune, Ludlow Ladd will return again and again to help merrily and brightly lift spirits high.
Sara Louise Lazarus did a crackerjack job of directing a fine cast of performers. This Ludlow Ladd may have been billed as “in concert,” but the production values were none the less high. Lazarus kept the pace briskly moving, and through staging and bits of business, kept the action interesting and engaging. Music director and pianist Michael Levine was a wonder to watch as he attentively played the score and guided the chorus and cast through their musical paces.
Note: For those familiar with the Markoe-Colby work, Charlotte Sweet, Ludlow Ladd makes an appearance as an adult—and is the hero of that story.
All photos by Michael Stever
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