REVIEW "Curtains"

Manatee Players' latest musical, "Curtains," has some endearing performers that make the comedy twinkle. But even with dazzling moments of stage revelry, there are times when the show loses luster.

"Curtains,” directed and choreographed by Rick Kerby, takes audiences to the Colonial Theater in Boston, during the premiere of a bound-for-Broadway musical called “Robbin’ Hood!” The new country western musical is run into the ground by its lead actress Jessica Cranshaw (Trina Rizzo). As she proudly takes her curtain call at the end of “Robbin’ Hood!” She gets sick and later dies — to the acting troupe’s joy.

But her death is ruled a homicide. Enter Lieutenant Frank Cloffi (Steve Dawson), who puts the entire theater company under suspicion. His love for community theater and blossoming affection for company actress Niki Harris (Dianne Dawson) sometimes gets in the way of his investigation.

“Curtains” wins favor with its catchy lyrics and witty dialogue, which are employed particularly well by Manatee Players newcomer Nancy Denton, who plays the brash producer Carmen Bernstein, and Rodd Dyer, who plays the prim-and-proper director Christopher Belling. . . .

Read the rest of my review in Saturday's paper on page 2A