'Sweet Charity' brings sweet surprises to campus

Last weekend, IUP's Theater By the Grove and the Music Theater brought Neil Simon's "Sweet Charity" to life at Fisher Auditorium. "Sweet Charity" tells the story of an eternal optimist named Charity. As a dance hall host­ess in 1960s New York City, the titular character attempts to seek out true love at all costs. The book, a typi­cal Neil Simon venture, is accompa­nied by classic numbers such as "Big Spender," "If My Friends Could See Me Now" and high school choir favorite "The Rhythm of Life."

The musical, directed by theater faculty member Rob Gretta, was a sharp contrast to last year's ambitious Cole Porter show "Anything Goes." "Sweet Charity" utilized a minimalist approach in both scenery and light­ing. The choreography was also toned down, but still full of the Bob Fosse elements that the show originated with. The treatment allowed for the diverse and well-trained student tal­ent to never be overshadowed.

Leading the cast as Charity was Erika Pealstrom (junior, theater).

Pealstrom, who is never a disap­pointment, conveyed all the optimism and quirkiness of her role while still eliciting compassion from her audi­ence. Supporting Charity through her search for a better life were Nickie and Helene, two hardnosed coworkers. Samantha Fabiani (junior, theater) and Kayleigh Thadani (senior, theater/fashion merchandising) portrayed these parts with a kind of passion and sincerity that was unexpected. These three young women together formed a talented and strong trio of perform­ers with voices that stunned.