Theater Review: "Amadeus" by Town Players of Newtown

By Nancy Sasso Janis

Town Players of Newtown, the longest running community theater in Connecticut, are presenting the often dark drama/tragedy “Amadeus,” written by Peter Schaffer. The Newtown production is carefully directed by Robin Frome. Due to some canceled performances, added performances will continue through this weekend.

The play portrays a fictionalized account of the intersection of the lives of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri, positing a rivalry between the two composers at the court of Austrian emperor Joseph II. A devout Catholic, Salieri renounces God when he witnesses the boorish behavior of the young Mozart, who has been blessed with endless musical talent that Salieri believes should have been his. He sets out to destroy Mozart as a means of retaliation and goes to great lengths at the end of his life to be remembered. Ultimately, he is doomed to mediocrity.

Frome has been teaching and directing for both schools and theaters for thirty years and currently is the drama director for Shepaug Valley High School. The director notes in the printed program that he was inspired by the Trevor Nunn production of Dickens’ “Nicholas Nickleby.” Nunn utilized “a bare stage, actors moving set pieces (and) furniture, and creating atmospheric noises and throwing fake snow…to direct that ever-changing episodic saga.”

As a result, Frome incorporated some of Nunn’s devices to tell this story that moves through decades of Salieri’s memories, set in the 18th century in diverse locations. He also used incidental music, mime, modern costume pieces and actors constantly moving from their seats at the sides of the small stage to become part of a scene. A long black table also serves as Mozart’s keyboard.

I have never seen the film version of Schaffer’s work, and this is the first time I have attended a performance of the play. Although I missed a few details, I enjoyed the story and the storytelling choices made by the director.

John Bergdahl commands the stage in the role of Antonio Salieri, with a resonant speaking voice and a keen eye to the motivations of his character. I remember this actor from his role as Oberon in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” with Shakespeare in Sharon, and he has many other Shakespearean credits.

Tyler Holm completely embodies the role of the younger Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the brilliant composer simply trying to survive. Holm, who is “known mainly as Robin Frome’s ‘fool/villain’” in a few Shakespeare’s plays, also was the music supervisor for the production.

Isabelle Bergman, a rising junior at Sarah Lawrence College, is the beautiful Constanze (Stanzi) Weber, Mozart’s young wife, in her first production with the Players.

Gus Bottazzi plays the role of Joseph II, a staunch patron of the arts. Botazzi sits on the board of the Town Players. Dan Pullen portrays Count Johann Killian von Strack in his first acting role, and Dean Alexander, in his second appearance with Newtown Players, shares many scenes in the role of Count Franz Orsini-Rosenberg. Michelle Rosa, who is married to Bottazzi, steps up to play Baron Gottfried van Swieten in her second Town Players production.

The role of “Venticelli” was originally shared by Lindsay Clouse and Amy Strachan, but at the performance that I attended one performer (Strachan) played the somewhat odd role. Nick Kaye was in charge of designing the simple set, the interesting lighting and the sound production. The modernized costumes designed by Kimberly Marcus still evoke an earlier era, and Salieri’s easy changes mark it clear when Salieri is sharing a memory.

This play premiered on Broadway in 1980, with Ian McKellen as Salieri, Tim Curry as Mozart and Jane Seymour as Constanze. The 1984 film adaptation won the Academy Award for Best Picture. The play was reworked by Shaffer and the film's director, Miloš Forman, with scenes and characters not found in the play, and it starred F. Murray Abraham as Salieri.

The Town Players of Newtown are looking to add new people to their theatrical family. Playwrights and screenwriters are invited to submit their work for the theater to present.

“Amadeus” is presented with one intermission. Use promo code AMADEUS25 at checkout and enjoy the show at a discounted price.

Connecticut Critics Circle member Nancy Sasso Janis may be reached at nancysjanis@att.net.

Rehearsal photos of members of the cast of "Amadeus" Photo Credit: Trish Haldin Photography