Constellation Theatre: "Aida"

The classic Verdi Opera "Aida" got a modern makeover a few year back by Sir Elton John and Tim Rice.  Constellation Theatre's intimate storefront venue is the perfect place to give it life.  A deceptively simple set with many entrances and a sloped perspective based not too subtly on the geometry of the triangle (get it?  Love triangle), was an effective frame for this magical retelling.  The costumes were beautiful.  The choreography was fine given the limits of the space within which the actors are confined.  The lighting often proved enhancing, although on this score there were a couple of notable moments where it failed to either work or was poorly designed in illuminating the actors.  When a production is overall as lovely as this one was, it only takes a couple of errors to really mar any particular aspect of the production.

The cast was strong and many familiar to me from other local productions.  Three deserve some focused attention.  Greg Watkins as Zoser, the pharaoh's vizier, was delightfully evil and led a couple of the shows most memorable musical numbers.  Chani Wereley as the Pharaoh's daughter, Amneris, played both the campy self-absorbed moments and the poignant spurned lover moments with equal flare.  Her interpretation of songs was likewise as polished and noteworthy.  But the star was the star, Aida, in the very talented hands of Shayla S. Simmons.  Her vocals were piercing even when they were restrained.  He voice and use of it to convey emotion was only surpassed by the exceptionally mesmerizing range of her countenance.  I can't remember when I've watch an actor with such complete control of every aspect of their faces.  Her mouth, her eyes, her cheeks, her brow...she had such subtle yet powerful ways of embodying the feelings of the doomed Nubian princess.

I have no reservation is recommending this production for all my friends in the DMV.