THE THEATER MIRROR, New England's LIVE Theater Guide
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note: entire contents copyright 2006 by Beverly Creasey
The Reagle Players’ A LITTLE BIT OF IRELAND is a little bit of an understatement for a show with fourteen harps, a chorus of thirty singers and two dozen Irish step dancers ---not to mention one shamelessly adorable stand up comedian, an authentic Irish band and a Broadway star to boot!
Sarah Pfisterer, who starred in two of last summer’s musicals at Reagle, adds a magical presence to the celebration, her soft soprano floating over the chorus in gorgeous songs like “Ireland, Mother Ireland” and “Danny Boy.”
Erik Sachs provides the sweet, lilting Irish tenor you’d expect to hear in a tribute to the emerald isle. Al Feetham, too, can deliver a poignant “I’ll Take You Home Again, Kathleen” with the best of them. Almost any member of the chorus can step out and shine on his own.
Reagle faves Rusty Russell and Rachele Riehl add a touch of whimsy in delightful standards like “Clancy Lowered the Boom” and “Father O’Flynn.” For sheer heart pounding excitement, though, you can’t top the Harney championship dancers, torsos perfectly straight, all in alignment, legs flying across the floor, miraculously pounding out the rhythm like a hundred drums—and yet their feet never seem to touch the ground. Come to think of it, it’s not surprising at all when you have leprechauns and fairy goblins all conspiring to steal your heart away!