4 STARS! Review: 'A Frank's Christmas 2011' production is lustrous

 

In the end, after all the child-like cuteness and grow-up parental pains, "A Frank's Christmas 2011" goes out in a blaze of glory. Kelly Haddad opens "Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee," not as an old hymn but soulfully. The song kicks into rock-soul high gear with the cast dancing and soloists rapping and riffing.

It's quite a cap to a night of powerful singing, slick playing by the band, light shows and oddball characterizations by the cast playing children in the first half and their parents in the second.
Time after time, Lisa Andre, Haddad, Emily Paulsen and Amy Riemer come out to nail a song. To name two: Riemer lights up "So This is Christmas," and Andre leads a gospel-fueled "Silent Night."
The guys' characters are flakes in this show, but they deliver in song, too. Frank Hermans fires up an Elvis-like take on "Here Comes Santa Claus." Tom Verbrick delivers a deliciously diabolical "You're a Mean One Mr. Grinch." Pat Hibbard rocks in "Something About Christmas Time." With Andre, David Gusloff warms "The Christmas Song." Ben Cahall is perky in "Jingle, Jingle, Jingle."
Guitarist Dennis Panneck opens the second half with right-on licks in Trans Siberian Orchestra's "O Holy Night" along with keyboardist Tony Pilz and drummer Dan Pauquette.
The show shies from standard Christmas songs. If a standard is sung, it's with a twist. In its 12th Christmas show, the troupe creates a sense of freshness.
That's the case with the production number, "Heat Miser." Hermans unleashes playfulness as the Miser, with the rest of the cast dancing in top hats with walking sticks.

— wgerds@greenbaypressgazette.com

Let Me Be Frank Productions: "A Frank's Christmas 2011": 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and Nov. 29-30, Dec. 1-2, 13-23, plus 1 p.m. Dec. 1, 15, 17, 22 at Meyer Theatre, 117 S. Washington St. Running time: 2¼ hours. $32. http://www.ticketstaronline.com/, (920) 494-3401 or (800) 895-0071. 4 stars (out of 4)

Q & A session with LMBF vocal director and wife to the boss-man, Amy Riemer!

Amy has been with Let Me Be Frank Productions since the beginning--way back when they were performing revue shows above the bar at the Sports Corner in De Pere 12 years ago! Things have come a long way since then and here's a little of what she has to share:

 1. How long have you been with Let Me Be Frank Productions and how did you get your start?

I got a call from Joe Kiedinger in Dec. 1999 to be in LMBF's first show, The Temp.  Joe had contacted Dr. Michael Rosewall at St. Norbert College (where I went to school) and asked him for recommendations. I was one of Dr. Rosewall's suggestions, and since Joe had heard me sing for a wedding earlier that year, he knew my voice.  I came in, we did the show, and it was a ton of fun!  When Joe and Frank decided to write their own review-type show, they asked me to continue performing with Frank's Dinner Theater. I did 3 more shows, and then moved to Texas, but would come back every year and perform in the summer show. 

 

 2. What do you love most about LMBF’s?

I love being on stage with all the talented cast of LMBF's!  Everyone is a pro and they are all so talented!  It's so much fun to share the stage
with the amazing singers, band and truly hilarious characters.  We have a blast with each other and that's something our audience really picks up on.

 3. What is your job with LMBF's and what do you enjoy most about it?

I am the vocal director of LMBF.  My job is to figure out all the harmonies, and make sure everyone in the cast knows what harmonies they should sing in each song.  I record "part CD's", on which I sing all the harmonies for the songs; this makes it easier for singers to learn their parts, and allows them to practice on their own.  I also give constructive criticism at rehearsals, so everyone knows what sounds good and what still needs work. 

4. What other music ventures are you involved with?

I currently perform with Frank's Tribute Theater at the Green Bay Distillery, where I impersonate artists like Reba, Dusty Springfield, Janis Joplin, Martina McBride and am now putting together a Barbra Streisand show.  I also do these characters as part of our traveling Tribute show.  We have just begun performing our Tribute Christmas show at venues in the valley and up north, and will bring that show to GB Distillery in early Dec.  In addition, I perform with Project Pink - Pink Floyd Tribute band, along with Emily Paulsen and Lisa Andre.  I also sing for weddings and, occasionally, funerals, and I am a songleader at my church.

 

5. What do you do in your spare time? Do you have any hobbies outside of LMBF's?

I love to read, cook and listen to music - with a newborn and a family of 7, I usually only find the time to cook lately! :)

 
6. Family life--what that looks like and what are you most thankful for in your life?

Frank and I bought a house this summer and have enjoyed our "blended" family.  We are always busy...our 4 older kids (Darien, Austin, Blake and Katrina) are very involved in activities at school, so we're always running around dropping off and picking up!  My parents and brother's family are incredibly helpful with this too, since a lot of these activities are at night when we have practices or performances.  They also babysit for baby Harrison when we have performances.

I am most thankful for...all of it?  I love our home, love being a mom and stepmom, love having a baby - he's so sweet!  Love being a wife and having Frank as my sweetheart!  Love being so near my family - they live only blocks away!  Love being able to make a living performing!  Wouldn't change a thing, and couldn't ask for more! 

7. Is there anything else you'd like to share? Funny stories, etc? Living with Frank and the kids, there's tons of funny things that happen everyday...but, the baby just woke up, so I gotta go! :)
.......

 We couldn't blog this interview without adding a photo of the cute little man!

In the Spotlight: Co-owner, Pat Hibbard

Our second “In the Spotlight” interview is with Co-owner, Pat Hibbard.

In addition to being co-owner, Pat is also co-writer and co-director for all Let Me Be Frank Productions.

We asked Pat how he was introduced to music and what got him started.  He said he grew up around music.  Both of his parents were musicians; his dad was a horn player and his mom was a singer.  There was always music playing.  Pat knew even as a little kid that he wanted to be a musician.  He was the kind of kid who didn’t want a toy gun to play with, he wanted a guitar!  When Pat was in middle school he started playing the saxophone and then began playing guitar when he was fourteen or fifteen years old. He started his first band when he was sixteen.

Pat was also very interested in theatre and he went on to study it at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. Eventually he left school to go on tour with his band. For several years Pat toured the U.S. playing 20-25 gigs a month.  Over the years, Pat has played with several bands: Moving Violation, The Blitz, KatHouse, Eddie Haskell, and currently plays with Red Clover (http://www.redcloverband.com/).

In 1991 Pat moved back to Green Bay and married his girlfriend of 7 ½ years, Tina.  Pat and Tina have been together for 22 years.  Tina has always been very supportive of Pat’s musical ventures; she’s very proud of everything he does.  Pat and Tina have two kids, Zach 16, and Abbie 13. Zach is following in his dad’s footsteps and is very active in music and theatre.  He has a band of his own, is in marching band, and plays bass guitar, drums, and sings.  Abbie is a talented dancer and enjoys dance as a competitive sport through Barb’s Center for Dance.

When asked about his hobbies outside of music Pat says he has none—just music and more music.  When he’s not performing or writing, he’s with his family, taking the kids to rehearsals and competitions.  He loves watching his kids perform.

This is Pat’s tenth year with Let Me Be Frank Productions, and we wanted to know how he got started:

“I was working for a radio station, selling advertising, and I had sold a Packers radio show to the Sports Corner bar (which Frank owned at the time).  I had known Frank for a few years and I knew he was a musician but I didn’t know about his theater stuff.  I was sitting at the bar wearing a tie watching the show when Frank asked me if I was still playing bass. I said yes.  He offered me a gig playing bass for his “Fabulous 50’s” show. It was a blast. We just kinda clicked personally and creatively.  Frank gave me an opportunity to become more involved.  We started working on ideas and writing together and it slowly evolved into LMBF’s.  For that, I am forever grateful”. 

What’s his favorite part of working for Let Me Be Frank Productions? Pat says he still can’t believe he’s been part of this cool gig for ten years. “Having the opportunity to perform at the Meyer Theatre, getting to work with some of the most talented people I have ever met, and entertaining people—it’s really cool. It’s unbelievable, the community support we’ve received for the last 12 years at LMBF’s…I love meeting people after the shows who compliment us on our performances and are sincerely entertained by what we do. They allow us to make a living doing it, that’s incredible…that’s my favorite part”.

4 STARS out of 4 "Let Me Be Frank's 'St. Mary's Roller Rink' show skates on stellar singing"

Let Me Be Frank Productions' "St. Mary's Roller Rink" is a show, first, to sit back and enjoy the singing.
The story is set in 1978, so there is a lot of lively disco dancing, which is fascinating to see done by a group.
The production is like a concert, with a band fueling the singers, flashy light displays and mirror ball enhancing the aura, and confident performers pouring personality into songs.
Some people may have an automatic off button about the disco era, but many star singers of the period lit up the scene. Amy Riemer takes on Thelma Houston's "Don't Leave Me This Way" and captures its energy, dynamics and clarity. She delivers a huge, long, climactic note that tingles the spine. All of Riemer's solos — from the big-voice disco divas in their prime — are in her wheelhouse. Green Bay has a wowing singer right here.
Riemer also is vocal coach for the troupe. Everybody benefits.
The story allows the performers to take on a character, which puts meaning into songs. Buoyant troupe namesake Frank Hermans writes himself in a present-day bar, pining for the glorious and everything-fresh time of his youth. In a flashback, he's there — love struck, agile and full of hope — on a momentous night.
The songs in the show were played at the Green Bay rink. "I skated to every one of them," Hermans told the opening-night audience.
A sampler of singers and their songs: Kelly Haddad Gusloff and David Gusloff, "Too Much Too Little Too Late;" Lisa Andre, "Evergreen;" Pat Hibbard, "Magnet and Steel;" Emily Paulsen, "You Needed Me;" Hermans, "Angel Baby;" and Tom Verbrick, "Short People."
Guitarist Dennis Panneck has many nifty solo spots as he plays with Hibbard, bass; Tony Pilz, keyboards; and Dan Paquette, drums.
One of the splashy production numbers is a medley of Saturday morning cartoons, with the singers in a straight line front to back taking turns in the spotlight with the singers behind adding comical animation and harmony.
Troupe choreographer Verbrick has a lot to work with in this show. Everybody's into the action and motion, including Hermans and the two knees he had replaced at the beginning of the year.

— wgerds@greenbaypressgazette.com

Review: 'Name Game' showcases troupe's singing

Take facts from here and there about Richard Nixon and Green Bay. Put them in a bottle with a bunch of songs with names in their title. Shake them up and make them into a musical. What you get is showbiz the Let Me Be Frank Productions way in "The Name Game."

The colorfully sung show has kaleidoscopic elements — a vice president, Hotel Northland (backdrop), a collective bargaining dispute, a certain sexual simmer, CIA agents, undercover operations, a chef with a mangled French accent, a gold digger and character development in a tongue-in-cheek story.

At one point, Eleanor Roosevelt is an object of desire.

"I just made that up so I can get this song in the show," troupe namesake Frank Hermans says to introduce "Elenore." It's one of his brightly sung songs.

Songs of the '50s and '60s pop, R&B and rock 'n' roll come with light shows and springy choreography, mostly among the women. Jokes tumble, plenty of times playing with Nixon's nickname.

The singers shine all night in front of their four-piece band. Emily Paulsen owns the saucy "Lola." Ditto Amy Riemer in the achy "Alfie," Kelly Haddad in "I Wanna Be Bobby's Girl," Lisa Andre in "Baby, Don't Leave Me," David Gusloff in "Oh, Carol" and Pat Hibbard in "Rosemary."

Tom Verbrick gets a lot of mileage out of playing Nixon. That starts with a code name for wife Pat Nixon, "Chantilly Lace," as an excuse to break into the Big Bopper's song. Nixon in the show has an Elvis doll to inspire him as he sings Elvis songs into a reel-to-reel tape recorder.

Couples in the group have fun with each other — the married Hermans and Riemer and the engaged Gusloff and Haddad. One bit: Haddad's character says to Gusloff's, "Hi, I'm Carol. Will you marry me?"

Friday's opening-night audience included a tour bus group from Kentucky. Those in the group who were asked said the singing impressed them. A lot of folks around here are, too.

— wgerds@greenbaypress gazette.com

"In The Spotlight Interview" # 1 Frank Hermans talks about his recent trip to Israel and more!

Frank Hermans is our first “In the Spotlight” interview.  Frank is the founder and managing partner of Let Me Be Frank Productions. 

We asked Frank about his recent trip to Israel, his hobbies, and what is most important to him.  What we got was a very candid and emotional response.  Frank began by talking about his wife, Amy Riemer.

“She’s the girl of my dreams,” he says, and immediately gets choked up. “I’m 47 years old and I’m with my soul mate.” Frank and Amy were good friends and performed together for many years before getting married in 2010. Frank describes his family as being like The Brady Bunch. Together, he and Amy have five children: Darien, Austin, Blake, Katrina, and Harrison, their newest addition. 

This month they move into what Frank describes as their dream home.  “Family is big—really important”, said Frank, and this house has room enough for all five kids and the space to host Christmas and other holidays with friends and extended family.  

When asked about his hobbies he doesn’t hesitate to exclaim “theatre and music…We have the best talent around working for us…I still pinch myself every time I walk into the Meyer Theatre…I keep thinking someday I’m going to wake up from this dream...this dream that is Let Me Be Frank Productions.”  Does Frank ever do anything that doesn’t involve music or theatre? Yes, although he creates entertainment opportunities in whatever he is doing.

If you pair Frank’s knack for comedy with his interest in history and travel, you get what Amy refers to as the “History Bluff”.  Frank isn’t limiting his creative talents to the stage alone; he also has aspirations for television. He and his wife Amy have already recorded a few segments for a series. And while Frank finds history very intriguing, he freely admits he creates his own facts and that’s where the comedy comes in. Outrageous, and outlandish, and obviously created in the mind of Frank Hermans makes it all the more funny! 

When we talk about his recent trip to Israel, he is again overcome with emotions.  He tears up and his voice breaks as he describes calling his mother, Karen Coppersmith, while standing on the Mount of Olives.  “To go where Jesus walked and see all the holy places…it’s the greatest thing I’ve ever done as far as travel”.   

This year, Frank was chosen to mentor a business owner from Israel. He was paired up with Jako, of Jako Productions in Tel Aviv.  Jako was here this spring and shadowed Frank on day to day activities. (Frank was connected through a UW-Green Bay partnership with the State Department, developing entrepreneurial relationships with students from Israel and Jordan with Americans.)  “The whole premise is to create harmony in the Middle East…their main goal is to create opportunities for entrepreneurships in Israel and Jordan…they came to the U.S. to see how we do it”. 

In addition to international partnerships, Frank is also extremely proud of his company’s involvement in the local community.  “Let Me Be Frank’s is well respected in this community as far as what we do; the community work and charitable work we do for the community.  We are very community oriented and that’s probably the coolest thing I can say about Let Me Be Frank’s.”

Frank describes his week long experience in Israel as “astonishing, inspirational, spiritual, and eye-opening—the craziest thing I’ve ever done”.  He describes the city of Tel Aviv as “very metropolitan—like New York. Very busy and everything is expensive.” He and Amy hope to make the trip together sometime in the near future. What surprised him most were the similarities he found: “We’re all the same…all people have the same desires and needs…we just need to learn to appreciate and respect each other”. 

EP
http://www.letmebefranks.com/