“Ben Franklin in Paris ” Delights Audience

by Cathy Craig

It is amazing to view the imagination and energies of people transform and empty stage into the color, sound, sight and thought that is a musical production. Gifted people have collaborated to accomplish that task in Summer Theater in the Park’s production of the delightful “Ben Franklin in Paris .”

Director-actor Dick Willis has chosen a marvelous play for the transformation of Memorial Park Shelter House.

Playwright and lyricist Sidney Michaels, a careful student of the man Ben Franklin, has skillfully woven ideas and words that were the famous lady’s man and diplomat’s to retell the musical’s story. Michaels captures the spirit of Franklin ’s brilliant courtship of Louis XVI’s France and of Spain . He has done so with little sacrifice of historical accuracy to poetic license.

Music by Mark Sandrich Jr. sets the necessary moods of patriotism, humor, gaiety and romance—all elements of Franklin ’s diplomacy for a young America in a worldly-wise Paris .

The Summer Theater company happily recreates Michaels and Sandrich’s account.

The great and clever man is portrayed by a shaven Dick Willis who with a glint in the eye and whimsical smile exudes the excitement, charm and brilliance of a Franklin challenged to perform the impossible. Willis’ command of vocal intonation and mannerism convey Franklin still robust in his 50s. He is an actor who knows the humor, wisdom and affection of his character.

Patricia Allen, in voice and movement, plays Madame La Comptesse Diane de Vobrillac with the elegance and poise befitting a confidant and advisor to a king. Importantly, too, she reveals a Diane delicate and vulnerable to her old flame and suitor “Benjamin.”

Franklin ’s grandson and secretary Temple is portrayed by John McCammon as a stuffy Harvard graduate, frightened that his sense of decorum will let life pass him by. McCammon handles well his character’s emerging sense of self and a final statement of independence, “Go to Hell.”

Richard Scott is a spunky and doting Benjamin Franklin Bache, the grandson-child who is yet an apprentice at his illustrious grandfather’s knee.

Janine, a French common girl and the older woman Le Docteur Franklin is so glad to see enter Temple ’s life, is played by a lovely Darlene Druley. She emanates an earthly yet graceful quality crucial in making the heart-felt wisdom of her character and the possibility of marriage to Temple credible.

Greg Easter is a consistently funny Pierre Caron de Beaumarchais, the grandiose playwright who also is Franklin ’s histronic confidant. At times, Easter is hysterical as the foppish Frenchman.

Three others should be singled out for their performances. Chris Barr is an imposing and threatening David Lord Stormont, the English ambassador, with his six-foot, five-inches plus height and booming voice. Richard Hakes humorously depicts the easily seduced Spanish ambassador, a buffoon to Willis’ wily Franklin , as Pedro Count de Aranda. And Gary Imel gives a fine cameo performance of a sadly funny, weak, and dull-witted Louis XVI.

As playwright Michaels said, “a musical is still its music.” And the Summer Theater troupe’s music, under the direction of Della Mae Tronchuk, is excellent.

Three chorus numbers are outstanding in sound and choreography direction by Tronchuk and Willis. They are the opening song, “We Sail the Sea,” the numbers in counterpoint “Hic, Haec, Hoc” – “God Bless the Human Elbow,” and Act II’s “I Love the Ladies.” Other enjoyable songs were “Half the Battle ,” “To Be Alone With You,” and “I Invented Myself.”

All voices of the principals were easily listenable. The chorus not only sang well but performed with smiling faces, great energy and good interaction.

Director Willis has moved a sizable cast through a complicated plot and subplots with great dexterity. A brilliant scene of comedy and technical achievement is the recreation of the first ascension of a hot air balloon in France . Easter’s Beaumarchais directs a painter’s effort to capture for posterity Louis’ court as witness to the momentous event while Willis, Allen and basket are hoisted into mid-air.

Superb in Tuesday’s opening show was the costuming. Vickie Willis, designer, and her assistants produced a variety of late 18^th century dress which easily surpassed the close scrutiny of an audience just feet away.

Props appeared authentic and were very fine.

The three-quarter staging utilized this year in place of the theater-in-the-round stage of 1977’s summer season allows greater movement of cast via greater area for maneuvering. An aspect difficult to adjust to in Willis’ staging, however, was the occasional positioning of principal characters with their backs to a majority of the audience.

Lacking in a too rapid sequence of action in an otherwise fine production was the pivotal importance of Janine’s meeting with Ben Franklin outside a ballroom at Versailles . Janine embodies the impractical in her passionate dedication to the love of a man and to a cause. But her fervor wins her the ear and respect of the very practical Franklin . It is this scene that later makes plausible Franklin ’s willingness to sacrifice his own independence by proposing to his lovely Diane and finally when all seems lost, his life for his country’s ideal of freedom.

But it should be underscored that the Summer Theater company has done a terrific job of a musical extravaganza. Memorial Park Shelter House was alive with Ben Franklin doggedly, lustily and humorously winning recognition and aid for his country Thursday night.

The production will be repeated tonight. Saturday, the company introduces the second of the five-play alternating repertory, “My Three Angels.” Curtain each night is at 8 o’clock . Season tickets will be available at the door through Saturday night. Individual tickets may be bought throughout the season.