Talents shine despite musical’s silliness

The Coeur d’Alene Summer Theatre’s usual qualities are on ample display: Great voices, savvy showmanship and what is called in sports a “deep bench.”

This 1950s pioneer-romance musical requires at least 21 quality dancers – 14 male and seven female. The CdA Summer Theatre has ‘em.

However, in service to what?

It is no reflection on the CdA Summer Theatre to say that “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” is one ridiculous musical comedy. It’s like “Li’l Abner” crossed with “Oklahoma!” and sillier than both.

This piece of hokum is built on the thinnest and dumbest of plots. An 1850s Oregon backwoodsman named Adam takes a new bride, Milly, back to his cabin. She then discovers that she is expected to cook, clean and sew for his six brothers. So she proceeds to try to get them married off. Adam has a different plan. He decides to go to town and kidnap six women.

Let me put it this way: This is the kind of show that contains a song called “Sobbin’ Women,” a perky and lighthearted ode to rape, pillage and kidnapping. (Get it? Sabine women?)

It doesn’t have one single memorable tune, unless you consider “Bless Your Beautiful Hide” to be memorable. So why does the CdA Summer Theatre do it? Because audiences keep voting for it. I have no idea why.

I take that back. “Seven Brides” does have some appeal on two levels. First of all, it is a great dance show, and director Roger Welch and choreographer Michael Ericson can always be counted on to produce at least one show-stopping dance number. In this show, that number is an eight-minute-long number called “The Challenge Dance,” in which the seven brothers take on seven city boys in an athletic dance competition on a log. (Well, usually a log. In this show, they’re up on two elevated boards).

This number is plenty of fun. The male dance troupe displays great timing and grace, as well as considerable gymnastic ability.

“Seven Brides” is also a good showcase for the two leads, Noel Barbuto and Kelly Kunkel, as Adam and Milly. Barbuto’s vocal talent was clear in the show’s first seconds, as a disembodied voice suddenly came booming out of the P.A. system in a pure, powerful baritone. Welch chose to have him enter from the back of the house, through the audience, so we heard that outstanding voice long before we saw who was producing it.

Kunkel, whom you might remember as Velma in last year’s “Chicago,” is an unusual choice to play Milly. Even dressed in calico, this knockout blonde looks like she should be in Malibu instead of a pioneer camp. Yet, she makes it work because of her ability to sell a song, her gift for comedy and her big, brassy command of the stage.

Welch’s supporting cast is solid and polished throughout, if handicapped by the fact that the script makes little attempt to develop the secondary characters. The standout performers in this bunch are Melissa Fleck as Alice and Jason Snow as Gideon.

The set design by Michael McGiveney serves to remind us just how far the CdA Summer Theatre has come technically in the 10 years since they last produced this musical. This production has an elaborate two-story log cabin, a pioneer street scene and some big beautiful mountain backdrops.

And the 19-piece orchestra, directed by Steven Dahlke, gives the show a lushness and spark that can only come from a big and well-rehearsed live pit orchestra.

“Seven Brides” may be a second-rate musical. But bless its beautiful hide, at least it’s a well-done second-rate musical.