The concept of “breaking the fourth wall” isn’t always an easy feat to successfully accomplish with an audience.
“Starting Here, Starting Now,” running July 3-13 at Canterbury Summer Theatre in Michigan City with performances 2 p.m. Wednesdays and 7 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, is a two-hour musical romance laced with humor that includes key moments when the cast must talk directly to the audience, which is the definition of “breaking the fourth wall.”
“I had some experience with interacting with the audience in a previous production of ‘Our Town’ when I was cast as the role of the stage manager,” said Angel Purl, one of the four ensemble members in the show.
“It’s something that is carefully planned and incorporated for effect to move along the story.”
Broadway composers Richard Maltby Jr. and David Shire created “Starting Here, Starting Now,” in 1976 as a musical revue of love songs to help connect audiences to the pairs of couples featured as the four-person cast.
When the composers first created the show concept, it served the purpose of showcasing some of their favorite previously written songs that were included in musicals which had closed or were never able to get financial backing to be produced.
Purl shares the stage with Noah Bryant, J. Cole Becton and Elena Farley to sing about life’s lessons in love as explained in songs such as “Pleased with Myself,” “I Hear Bells,” “A Girl You Should Know,” “Just Across the River” and “Today is the First Day of the Rest of My Life.”
“This is a musical relatable to all ages and for anyone who has ever thought about the lyrics of a love song,” Bryant said.
“From first kiss to painful breakups, each of the songs is dedicated to a story.”
John Berst, now in his fifth season at Canterbury and a faculty member of the University of Miami for their musical theatre training program, is the director of the production and also serves as musical director. The choreographer is Elana Farley.
Purl said she wasn’t familiar with “Starting Here, Starting Now,” which made the research prior to the early spring auditions exciting to find out the history of the musical revue.
“Each song tells its own separate story and gives the characters a chance to let the audience know them and understand them,” Purl said.
Purl and Bryant agree the show’s scenic design by Peyton Kistler is intentionally sparse to allow the lighting design by Robin Eaken to help set the tone and mood for each of the song-centered scenes.
“With a musical revue like this one, you really don’t need much more than the four stools and the platforms that we have as our stage space for this production,” Bryant said.
“It’s a very simple set, yet also very effective.”
The Canterbury Resident Company, first launched in Michigan City in 1969, is comprised of theatre artists hired from throughout the country, with actors Purl and Bryant, for example, hailing from Alvin, Texas.
“I already knew Noah from our work together for community theater opportunities around our hometown of Alvin, Texas, and we both decided to audition and apply for the summer 2024 program at Canterbury Summer Theatre in Michigan City,” Purl said.
“We both did our research, and one of the aspects of Canterbury which drew our attention was the smiles we noticed on the faces of the company members in the photos included on the website.”
Bryant said of nearly two dozen songs featured in “Starting Here, Starting Now,” the song “Crossword Puzzle” is among his favorites.
“The song ‘Crossword Puzzle’ gives a sense of just how confusing love can be at times and all of the clues we need to find the answers we are looking for,” Bryant said.
“The clever humor in this musical revue is an added bonus to the wonderful songs and stories that unfold.”
Philip Potempa is a freelance reporter for The Post-Tribune.
‘Starting Here, Starting Now’
When: July 3-13
Where: Canterbury Summer Theatre, 807 Franklin St., Michigan City
Cost: $20 or $18 for seniors 62 and older and $10 for students and military
Information: 219-874-4269; canterburytheatre.org
