Memories of "The Inspector General"

 

The Inspector General was eventually turned into a movie musical starring Danny Kaye, but I was in First Presbyterian Theater's production of the original play by Nikolai Gogol...even though I DID have Danny Kaye's role, Ivan Alexandrovitch Hlestakov, a clerk from the Capital that everyone in town mistakenly believes is the Inspector General...come to town in order to clean up the place and get rid of the corrupt politicians.

This was one of the few non-musical shows I was ever in after high school, and the only time Fort Wayne had the opportunity to see me in a "starring" role. It was entirely appropriate for Denny Bechtelheimer to have been the one to direct me, as we had worked together several times before, not the least of which was when he was Jesus in Godspell with Beloved and me.

Strongest memory: With Denny's direction, I discovered that specific blocking really helped me memorize my lines for the lengthy scene in Act Three in which I became increasingly drunk. That scene also led to my castmates wanting me to over-imbibe at cast parties, but I didn't touch a drop.

"Next comes Dewey Roth as the clerk taken for the Inspector General. Roth has a wonderful role, the most usual of all the folks on stage but animated by a no-holds-barred ego that lets him fly high and free through the hilarious scene back at the Mayor's parlor after a banquet lunch. As he gets drunker and drunker, the stories get taller and taller, but the townspeople stick right with him, heightening the hilarity."  -  Connie Trexler, News-Sentinel

"Dewey Roth plays the opportunistic freeloader the townspeople mistake for the inspector general. His first appearance comes in the second act, an act which unfortunately is needed for introduction purposes, but which goes on interminably and, as staged by Bechtelheimer, rather dully despite Roth jumping over and under and around the small space. Escaping from that, however, Roth comes alive in the final two acts and makes them his. His drunken scene is a mindboggler."  -  Roxanne T. Mueller, Journal Gazette

"Roth is refreshing and bon vivant, as he charms the heart of everyone on stage."  -  Susan Horine, The Communicator

"His Royal 'Fakeness'  -  Dewey,
       Oh boy. Here I am, ready to tell you how much I appreciate you and what you've done for the show...I don't exactly know how...
       You have made this show a delight  -  I mean that. Hlestakov is everything I ever hoped he would be  -  and more.
       I am privileged to know you, to work with you again on a show, and to call you a good buddy. Thanks.
       Love, Denny"