Cappies reviews: The Beverly Hillbillies
Rock-slinging cousins, a pretentious posse of students and a timeless theme song. All of these were part of the happy-go-lucky hodgepodge of swingin’ 60s folk comedy that was Blessed Oscar Romero High School’s production of The Beverly Hillbillies.
Adapted from the American sitcom which ran from 1962 to 1971, The Beverly Hillbillies centers around Jed Clampett, a simple widowed mountaineer, and the Clampett Family, living in the rural Ozarks region. It was not until they struck oil on their land that they were urged to leave the isolated life of the mountains and move to the glamorous district of Beverly Hills. The Clampetts bring an unsophisticated, shameless, backwoods style of living to the snobby, self-centered lives of the residents of Beverly Hills. Packed full of hillbilly jargon and playfully choreographed stupidity, the show was exceptional in many aspects.
Leading the cast, hunched neck and all, was David Gallo hilariously portraying Jed. From start to finish, Gallo was completely submerged in his role. It was clear to the audience the extent to which Gallo delved into his character. Whether it was his distinctive country accent or his niche character quirks, Gallo led with confidence and spontaneity, orchestrating an atmosphere that would elevate the entire cast. Acting in tandem, but providing a standout performance on her own, was Jaren Voigt playing the stubborn but sweet character of Granny. Voigt’s voice and spikey southern accent was textbook. She explored the full vocal range of her character which was made extremely memorable by the fanatical and fantastic performance she delivered.
Equally powerful in their performance was the supporting cast of the show. Jethro, played by Logan Jones, was a spirited character who never failed to draw laughter from the audience. Jones’s characterization and childish mannerisms of the burly and callow cowpoke allowed him to become easily one of the most lovable and laughable characters in the show. Special praise is also due to Connor Dixon as Colonel Foxhall. The conniving man was extremely entertaining as Dixon soared with confidence and vigour.
Another impressive aspect of the show was the impeccable work done by the costume team, led by Luis Conde. Whether it was vibrant dresses or hand-tailored shirts, each and every costume was well fitted and brought exceptional realism with the era-appropriate, swanky style of the 60s. Additionally, the restored body of a 1927 Ford Model T, worked on by the props team led by Teddy Todorova, was spectacularly made and served to be both practical and ingenious, and a marvelous addition to the show.
Lavished with memorable moments of laughter and hillbilly ignorance, Blessed Oscar Romero’s latest spectacle fascinated with an influential cast and a perfect balance of comical idiocy and engaging realism.
“Come and listen to my story about a man named Jed. A poor mountaineer, barely kept his family fed, and then one day he was shootin’ at some food, and up through the ground came a bubblin’ crude.” As someone who grew up watching reruns of The Beverly Hillbillies, it was a nostalgic and memorable experience to see Blessed Oscar Romero High School pull the Clampett family into live theater.
Jaren Voigt did exceptionally well playing the role of Granny. Every minute detail, from the high-pitched swoop in her voice to her low, yet aggressive, shuffle worked together to create an authentic and eccentric character. Her makeup was equally impressive. The wrinkles on her face were as bizarre and unusual as her character, but still believable. Due to the cohesive work of both the tech team and Voigt, Granny was continuously eye-catching throughout the entire of the show.
Logan Jones fits the role of Jethro perfectly. He ruthlessly invested himself in his character. At one point, at the beginning of the play, a broom that had been used earlier kept falling from its tucked away place on stage. When it fell onto Jones, he handled the situation with a comedic look of stupefied amazement. Small improvised moments such as this helped make this show noteworthy.
The props and set truly brought the production to life. Right from the first scene, a rusted 1927 Ford Model T truck came rambling down the aisle and towards the stage. This truck was nothing more than a hunk of metal when it was first bought by the set team, but with some heavy welding, a couple of blinding headlights, a set of four comically small tires, and a bit of love, this vehicle became an incredibly impressive prop.
