By David A. Sargent,Special to the Sun Journal

AUBURN – After 11 years, “Grand Hotel: The Musical” is back as a Community Little Theatre production and several of the performers who made it a hit in 1995 are again responsible for a wonderful night of music, dance and drama.

This play has two distinct faces – dark and foreboding subplots that unexpectedly collide with jaunty and often comical interludes. Both are expertly delivered by director-choreographer Raymond Marc Dumont.

Steve Dupont repeats the bittersweet role of the dying Otto Kringelein, and Michelle Mahon is again playing Flaemmchen, the vulnerable typist with Hollywood ambitions. They have several numbers of showstopping caliber, including Mahon’s “Girl in the Mirror” and their charming “Who Couldn’t Dance With You?”

Dupont is unforgettable as the mousy and terminally ill accountant who’s out to find life. He deftly recreates the look and style of Michael Jeter, who originated the character on Broadway.

Tipsy business

In a duet at the bar with the baron, Dupont launches the show’s signature number, “We’ll Take a Glass Together.” It’s a marvelously funny serving of tipsy terpsichore that demanded an encore – if only there could have been a reservoir of energy remaining at the end.

Bob Gauthier has the perfect operatic voice and stage presence for his part as the penniless baron. Earlier, this veteran of stages throughout New England was well-received as the title character in Community Little Theatre’s production of Maury Yeston’s version of “Phantom.”

His principal numbers are “Life As It Should Be” and “Roses at the Station.”

As the baron, Gauthier carries the show’s leading man characterization and the romantic interest opposite Catherine Ouellette, who portrays Grushinskaya, the fading prima ballerina.

This is Ouellette’s second appearance with this little theater (she was Babette in last fall’s “Beauty and the Beast”) and her performance in “Grand Hotel” is very good. Her rendition of “Bonjour Amour” is particularly pleasing.

Tim Pinkham’s role is Rohna, the hotel’s general manager, who’ll be remembered as one of the more venomous characters. His understated menace is chilling as we see an unexpected evil side of the manager emerge.

Pinkham is another Community Little Theatre veteran (now president of the organization) who was in the 1995 production of “Grand Hotel.”

The man who strays

Roger Phillipon convincingly plays a misguided businessman who strays from the straight and narrow.

Scott Powers and Wayne Pike, playing cabaret performers called the Two Jimmys, do very well with the up-tempo “Maybe My Baby Loves Me” and the Charleston-esque “Happy.”

Also notable is Karen McArthur as Raffaela, the ballerina’s adoring companion. Her song, “What You Need,” is very well done.

Many others deserve credit for good performances, including Bruce Gerry as the morphine-addicted Colonel-Doctor Otternschlag, observer of the passing parade at the Grand Hotel.

This show’s inventive staging is part of its success. With minimal scenery, but dozens of identical banquet chairs that are moved into many configurations by the cast, the show moves along with seamless scene changes. It’s a welcome switch from the usual blackouts between scenes.

All of this highly enjoyable production owes its success to the dedication of its director-choreographer, who says he is one of the musical’s biggest fans. After choreographing Community Little Theatre’s 1995 version, he landed a chance to do 72 performances with many of the Broadway company’s members in Philadelphia in 1999. That’s where he absorbed much of the flavor of the original show. We all now benefit from that experience.

Paul G. Caron’s contribution as musical director is outstanding. He assembles the area’s best orchestra talent for many of these little theater shows.

“Grand Hotel: The Musical” may not be everyone’s favorite. There’s traditional musical theater style in some of the numbers and a lot of the darker story-driven style of more recent years in others. It switches on a dime from one style to the other, so it can be a little unbalancing and difficult to appreciate either style to the fullest extent.

Nevertheless, this “Grand Hotel” is a wonderful showcase for the many talented performers who bring us great community theater.

The show continues March 16-19 at The Great Falls Performing Arts Center, Academy Street, Auburn. Curtain is 8 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and 2 p.m. on Sunday. There is no intermission.

Tickets may be reserved by calling the box office, 783-0958, or going to www.laCLT.com

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