EIU's 'Two by Two' could be subtitled 'Tevye and the Ark' astern illinois Esther, sings of her feelings originated the role, but he put the bouncy title tune, presum­ University's theater about him in "An Old Man." energy and feeling into it and ably choreographed by direc­ E department is very busy And so on. "Tevye and the got a big hand for his ebullient tor Wolski. They got a big these days. They staged Ark" could be a subtitle for the "Ninety Again" number. assist from the pit musicians "Spoon River Anthology" at show. There was a strong support­ - Jason Yarcho, piano; the end of September, just The comparison is not a ing cast: Jamie Bender, touch­ Christopher Kenilo, percus­ completed a five-performance criticism, however. "Two by ing as Esther; Jeff English, sion; and Jetry Daniels, clavi­ run of"Two by Two," and will Two" is sprightly, amusing low-key as Shem the miser, nova for the hauntingly lovely present "Candida" beginning and entertaining, and the and Jessica Mahrt, high­ "Gitka's Song." Nov. 7. What's next? A double AT THE THEATRE Rodgers score, with lyrics by pitched as his loudmouthed The attractive, pastel, car­ feature? Martin Charnin, is pleasant wife Leah; Christopher Yonke, toonish house-and-ark set was "Two by Two" is the 1970 unwilling family to their fate­ and tuneful, with songs like likable and believable as Ham by Clarence Blanchette, the musical retelling of the Bible ful voyage. "Something, Somewhere" and the loafer, and Amanda costume design by Christine story of Noah and the 40 days There are things about the tender "I Do Not Know a Alburtus, pretty and appealing Joern, the lighting by David and 40 nights of the flood, "Two by Two" that remind Day I Did Not Love You." as Rachel, the wife he doesn't Wolski, and the sound by according to Richard Rodgers. one of "Fiddler on the Roof." It was given a first-rate pro­ love; Lucas Goodrich, sweet, Patrick Ham. The book by Peter Stone, Like Tevye, for example, Noah duction on Eastern's somber and earnest as A job well done by all. based on Clifford Odets' 1954 carries on a dialogue with Mainstage under the light Japheth the philosopher; and play, "The Flowering Peach," God. Tevye has problems with touch and inventive direction Janet Essary as Goldie, the • Cart Lebovitz is a tells how Noah, a doddering his daughters, and Noah has of Jean Wolski. curvaceous cutie who goes reviewerooat-large for the senior citizen of600 years, is tsorris with his three sons, Christopher Thompson along for the ride, stopping the Journal Gazette and limes­ too old to do God's will, but Shem, Ham and Japheth. made a dandy Noah. He may show with her "The Golden Courier. Contact Lebovitz at shakes off his years to become Tevye asks his wife Golde in have been too young and Ram" number. [email protected]. a frisky pup of90 and spry song, "Do You Love Me?" and lacked the comic and dramatic They all sang well and got enough to command his Noah's wife of 121 years, range of Danny Kaye, who to do a nice bit ofdancing for