Best of all possible shows

RALEIGH -- Leonard Bernstein's "Candide" can be mounted with equal success by opera houses and theater companies. But this brilliant 1957 condensation of Voltaire's satire, with equally challenging feats of acting and singing, is too demanding to make it a staple in either category. For that reason, "Candide" has not been seen in the Triangle for a quarter-century.

Raleigh Little Theatre's new production sweeps away assumptions that the show is beyond a community theater's resources. It's one of the company's best in years and a crowning glory in director Haskell Fitz-Simons' 23-year tenure.

Fitz-Simons has obvious affinity and deep appreciation for this wicked sendup man's foibles. His energetic direction keeps the story of young lovers Candide and Cunegonde bubbling along through all their picaresque adventures, from amorous entanglements and shipwrecks to finding a treasure-laden paradise and being brought before the Inquisition. He doesn't shy away from the shocking and still relevant swipes at male chauvinism, racial and religious intolerance, and convenient morals. But he knows how to make them fit properly within composer Bernstein and book writer Hugh Wheeler's conception, as reworked by Harold Prince for the successful 1974 Broadway revival.

The cast, down to the last soldier and serving girl, is all of one mind -- confident, full of life and extremely funny. Heading the list is Brent Wilson as the narrator, who keeps the quickly changing scene connected with impersonations of a handful of characters, including Voltaire and Dr. Pangloss, the young lovers' clueless tutor. Wilson's strong, articulate singing is matched by his astute molding of the humor.

Katherine Anderson, with her bright, ringing voice, has the range for all of Cunegonde's stratospheric notes (especially in the showpiece "Glitter and Be Gay") and the verve to play her descent from aristocrat to courtesan. Sandi Sullivan relishes the earthy character of serving maid Paquette, her fine singing matching her great comic timing. Maggie Bunce applies her experienced hand to the hilarious Old Lady, whose country-leaping accent and shaggy-dog tales of disaster give the show a high-octane boost of lunacy.

Bill Hennenlotter has the right wide-eyed innocence and dogged faith for Candide, while Drexel Heard II plays Candide's narcissistic brother Maximillian with amusing aplomb. Their singing voices are pleasant but a little soft-edged for the intended effects.

Much of the show's success rests with Nancy Whelan's nuanced musical direction. Her eight-piece orchestra sounds like twice as many, and her understanding of the styles is integral to the show's vigor. Rick Young's scenic design, from giant hanging maps and ever-rearranging stage units, is a marvel unto itself. Vicki Olson's detailed costumes seem endless in their variety. Only Andy Parks' lighting design disappoints with several crucial scenes left shadowy or underlit.

First-timers may need several scenes to catch the show's flavor. But by the end, with the gloriously moving "Make Our Garden Grow," everyone should be standing to laud the company's achievement.