The Baker’s Wife
A small cluster of four of our Theatre Group went to a sold-out performance of “The Baker’s Wife” at the Ridgefield Theatre Barn a bit ago. Usually when I see or do something to blog about, I blog that same day or not at all. Even though we saw this musical nearly two months ago, I think the venue, the music, the acting and the orchestra deserve something. So here it is, two-months late.
The Orchestra
Pamme Jones had me at “14-piece orchestra.”
Ms. Jones is the Executive Director of Ridgefield Theater Barn (RTB) in the eponymous Connecticut town. And, yes, her name is Pammee.
Now back to that 14-piece orchestra.
The following paragraphs are mostly from the site and/or from a review I found.
It’s impressive enough on its face. However, add in that even Broadway shows with the marquee pedigree of a Funny Girl have taken to using a comparable number of players (or less) in the pit, leaving the rest to an electronic keyboard. For anyone whose memory of a classic musical score (like Jule Styne’s Funny Girl) is rooted in the original cast album (from the 1960s), the latter-day watering down of that sumptuous soundscape can be a letdown. (It was for me.) The word that comes to mind is “tinny” when compared with the lushness of a vintage original cast album. In the mid-20th Century, a musical might have upwards of 30 people in the pit.
Suffice it to say even Stephen Schwartz himself was impressed by the orchestral flourish RTB bestowed on his show. He was at the opening night performance and noted that he wished the West End production of the same show in London had that size orchestra.
The orchestra RTB employs for The Baker’s Wife is indicative of its consistently quality-conscious production values. The atmospheric set, evoking a provincial French village, is another example.
RTB
RTB is in the midst of a $2 million expansion of its physical plant, with Phase 2 now underway. The expansion (and renovation) is easily noticeable both on the exterior and interior area of RTB.
The Actors
The show is anchored by two strong leads in Joe Harding as titular baker Aimable and Claire Simard as his wife, Genevieve. They create sympathetic, poignant characters that win us over in short order through acting that is polished and authentic, buoyed by the requisite vocal chops that any musical demands.
The Premise
The plot of The Baker’s Wife is charmingly simple and simply charming in how it unfolds. After being bread-starved for weeks without a baker, the residents of a rural village in 1935 France are relieved to finally have a new bread maker, Aimable, who’s also humbly amiable.
The avuncular Aimable is married to a comely woman many years his junior, Genevieve, who in short order is smitten with dashing young villager Dominique (Alan Partelow-Zika). The two young paramours disappear, leaving Aimable crestfallen, spurring the sympathetic villagers to rally to reunite the baker and his spouse.
That’s about it, and that’s all Mr. Schwartz (and book author Joseph Stein, of Fiddler on the Roof fame) needs to work his magic. The lovely score is a tuneful blend of styles that is altogether easy on the ears: the songs are by turns aspirational, romantic, mournful, rueful, playful, sung in a round, and triumphant. The score comes to vibrant life through the full force of that 14-piece orchestra, which is a gift to the performers and the audience both.
Also worth mentioning is that The Baker’s Wife is an immersive experience, at least to the extent that on a few occasions cast members work their way from the back of the house up the center aisle to the stage. There’s also a small platform in the rear corner of the house that serves as a porch for some characters at various intervals to read a newspaper or indulge in inebriation. The tricky part to that staging is that audience members are impelled to crane their necks one way and then another when characters at either end of the house are conversing, though no one exchange ever lasts long.
While it’s a small moment, the show’s opening is a grace note that effectively establishes time and place as server Denise (Catherine Cavender) enters from the back of the house singing “Chanson” as she fills glasses from a pitcher.
RTB Seating and Summary
This was a fun, entertaining musical with great acting. I encourage you to see if you have the chance sometime. Hopefully that venue will also have a 14-piece orchestra.
The seating is such that you are always close to the actors. We had a great time, being seated at a table for four. Bring your own food and drink and enjoy the show.
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