Published: September 17, 2009 10:00 am      

‘Mid-life! The Crisis Musical’ at Circa '21 has something for everyone

Yes, the title says it all.

You can easily guess the focus of the latest offering from the incomparable dinner theater in the District of Rock Island. But as the Three Stooges, the Marx Brothers and Buster Keaton have proven over the years, knowing what’s coming doesn’t stop it from being funny or entertaining.

This production directed by Ann Nieman delivers exactly what it promises — a light-hearted look at aging and the sandwich generation. The kids won’t move out and the parents are moving in. So you’d better find some humor in that irony or sell the farm and establish a new identity.

Mid-life! is very simply staged and reliably performed. Some recycled platforms courtesy of Ron May and Moline High School dominate the stage and provide the backdrop for the story. Simple props are carried on and off by the performers themselves.

The crowd loved this show. There are some hilarious moments including those involving a singing mammogram, a biological clock with a clanging alarm and an amusing look at side effects of prescriptions medication.

Two of my favorite Circa regulars — Brad Hauskins and Tom Walljasper — appear in this production and I could be happy with that. But the cast is filled with talented players and each brings their own special touch to their assignment.

Walljasper actually saves “Turning Forty” — a number full of parental clichés — and turns it into a fantastically amusing romp. Hauskins’ standout number is “My Lost Love” — an impressive homage to his runaway hair.

A great addition to that duo is Paul Gregory Nelson, who appears in his first Circa performance. The three of them are hilarious in “Weekend Warriors” — in addition to being very brave with their attire.

Nelson’s own favorite — and mine — is “Some Kids.” This song put a comical twist on the empty nest syndrome and Nelson’s slacker-stoner character is fun for him to play and for us to watch.

The other (better?) half of the cast came together to dazzle us with a great triple threat on “He Got What He Deserved.” Kathi Osborne, Carrie Saloutos and Jessica Swersey gave us their version of why their exes deserved their hexes. The ladies really showed their chops on this one and the audience loved it.

Musical Director Sarah Britt England is onstage tickling the ivories throughout and, along with percussionist John Ladson II, brings life and sparkle to an average musical score.

But the real star of this show is a projected eye chart. It first appears before the show begins and the letters within unscramble themselves to spell out assorted age-associated terms. Scrambled words from “prostate” to “Geritol” are randomly revealed to entertain and distract the audience from staging changes and ebbing moments in the show.

There’s not a lot of humor here you haven’t heard before but it’s fun to see how it’s handled. Nieman’s direction keeps everything flowing nicely for the most part.

The audience was genuinely entertained and amused…and so was I. Needless to say, you would probably have to be of a certain age to really enjoy this show. But the table next to me was three generations — the youngest in their 20s.

At times, the 20-something laughed harder than some at the table because she could see her parents’ and grandparents’ behavior reflected by the characters in the show. So, I think any age adults would enjoy seeing this together in a family group.

So get on the phone with your relatives to plan a fun get-together before the holiday madness sets in. Here’s what you need to know:

“Midlife! The Crisis Musical” runs through Nov. 7.

Performances are on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday

Ticket Office: call (309) 786 7733, Ext 2.

Online: www.circa21.com

You can also get a detailed listing online of the upcoming season at Circa ‘21 — including the next show “Holly Jolly Christmas” starting Nov. 13.

See you at the theater!

Jami Smith is our local theater reviewer and a sales representative at the Clinton Herald. She can be contacted at jamirsmith@clintonherald.com.