Sex on the River—Triangle Productions—NE Portland

 

Photo by Kinderpics – Nancy [Boggs] and her ‘girls’

“Merrily We Roll Along”

    This Live musical is written by Donnie with lyrics by Donnie and Jonathan Quesenberry and with music by Jonathan Quesenberry.  It is directed by Donald Horn and choreography by Sara Michler Martins and is based on actual incidents.  It is playing at their space at 1785 NE Sandy Blvd. (free parking lot next to the building) through May 28^th.  Be advised that full Covid protocols are in place…vaccine cards, masks, temp. checks, etc.  For more information, go to their site at www.trianglepro.org or call 503-239-5919.

    The Portland area in the 1880’s was ripe with corruption from law enforcement, politicians, business owners and on down.  In fact, it was divided into three sections…Portland, East Portland and Albinia, with the Willamette River dividing East from West.  Opium dens, Shanghai tunnels, Graff, gambling, booze, prostitution, and bordellos were accepted practices in this untamed West.

    Enter one Nancy Boggs (Julianne Nelson…later in the run to be played by Danielle Valentine), from Pennsylvania.  Previously married and having tried a variety of jobs, ends up in Portland, buys a scow (a type of barge), refurbishes it and turns it into a floating bordello down the middle of the Willamette River, just far enough from Portland jurisdiction.  She even paints it green with red highlights (a bit of irony, perhaps, as a Garden of Paradise, overshadowed by a red demon).

    She has the reluctant blessings of two other Madams of the land variety of pleasure palaces, the elegant Brit, Liverpool Liz (Lisamarie Harrison) and the down-to-earth, Mary Cook (Cyndy Ramsey-Rier).  Along the way she acquires a bookkeeper, the practical, Kim (Channel Ka’iulani Kaimana Batala-Ledfore), having her own issues to deal with from traditional family values.

    Of course, to have a successful bordello, you have to have the pleasures of the sea as well.  So, enter Melody (Liz O’Donnell), Sara (Cassandra Pangelinan), June (Cosmo Reynolds) and Irene (Arielle Scena-Shifrin), who are willing to lay down the rules to make men happy.  But there is always a fly in the ointment, so enter, the boy in blue, Sam (Alexander Trull), who is only looking for an excuse to close them down, and yet is intrigued by Nancy.

    All these folks have their moments to express themselves in song and monologues.  But it should be seen and digested by the viewer, so do see it for yourself.  One of the most impressive scenes is by the character of Kim, as she expresses the dilemma of being an Asian with traditional beliefs and the new-found freedom of finding her own way in a brave, new world.  The character of Nancy, having some of the same reactions, as she bucks the establishment of the male-dominated society, which are both major themes of the story by Donnie.  And in this crazy world we are living in now, it seems to be that not that much has changed!

    There are a couple of dynamite dance numbers by Martins, which enhances the show.  And Batala-Ledford performance is heartfelt, as she expresses her frustrations of being a “stranger in a strange land.”  Nelson is terrific as Nancy, having both the voice for the songs and the acting chops, as well.  Harrison and Ramsey-Rier are ole pros of musicals theatre and they shine here, too.

    Quesenberry has done a number of shows for Triangle and he is a master musician, as he is here.  Horn has a love of Portland history and it explodes on the stage, as he blends it with his perpetual fight for equality and justice for the downtrodden and marginalized among us.  May he “live long and prosper!”

    I recommend this show.  If you do see it, please tell them Dennis sent you.

--DJS