Keith Cassidy as Teddy Roosevelt in BULLY! AN ADVENTURE WITH TEDDY ROOSEVELT.

  
"Give 'em Hell, Teddy!"

Keith Cassidy as Teddy Roosevelt in BULLY! AN ADVENTURE WITH TEDDY ROOSEVELT.

THE STATE JOURNAL-REGISTER

"One-man BULLY! an expertly performed adventure"
September 1, 2001
By Mary Young

As I was heading off to New Salem Friday to see Gordon Productions' one-man show BULLY!, one thing was obvious to me: At least I wouldn't have to decide which cast members to write about.

But a play with a single actor and several characters can be a tough sell - unless you have the right actor to pull it off, as is the case with BULLY!

BULLY! AN ADVENTURE WITH TEDDY ROOSEVELT, a play by Jerome Alden, is just that: a one-man show that depicts some of the more significant points in the life of President Theodore Roosevelt through the man himself.

Roosevelt flashes back to his early youth as a frightened, asthmatic child and tells the audience about how he boxed and power-walked his way to good health. He regales the viewers with a story about his part in the origin of the teddy bear and touchingly recalls his first wife, who tragically died after only three years of marriage.

We watch him hunt, play with his kids, run for office and eventually die at the age of 60.

The heart and soul of this piece is the vigorous life lived by Roosevelt, but it can only truly be appreciated if expertly performed.

Keith Cassidy as Roosevelt is a solid, grounded actor who leaves you feeling as if you just spent two hours with the Great White Hunter himself, whether sitting in his living room sipping tea or on the campaign trail.

I have no reference point to draw on; I can't say for certain if Cassidy in fact acts, sounds or mimics Roosevelt precisely, but I'd wager he's as close as anyone can get.

Not only is it apparent that Cassidy fervently researched and studied this historical character and diligently brought him to life, but he himself is a gifted and believable actor.

The ability to convince an audience that you're talking to someone they can't see is a dubious task indeed. Often there's the risk of an actor looking like he's crazy, as opposed to carrying on a conversation with an unseen character. And an audience member can more easily buy into two or more people interacting, whether it is on a street corner or on a stage.

But an individual attempting to converse with, shake hands with or hug someone who isn't there requires refinement of technique, timing and confidence.

Cassidy is a professional who brings refreshing energy to this play and to the stage and LIVES this part.

Also, the New Salem visitors center seems the perfect venue. The different levels and simple sets allow for the character to move from one life experience to the next without any distracting onstage hubbub. Even the upstairs railing actually gives the appearance of a train from where Roosevelt addressed many of his supporters.

BULLY! continues at 8 p.m.tonight and 6 p.m. Sunday at the indoor visitors center. Call 632-4000 for tickets.

ILLINOIS TIMES

"Grace and Bluster"
September 6, 2001
By Ann Kerr

Gus Gordon (Gordon Productions) brought Keith Cassidy, his friend from college days, to perform the historical/biographical BULLY! AN ADVENTURE WITH TEDDY ROOSEVELT to the Theatre-in-the-Park stage at New Salem. The summer season is officially over, so this show was held in the indoor theatre in the visitor center, and on Saturday night it was a capacity crowd.

This large audience was not disappointed, either, for Cassidy did a magnificent job with this one-man play by Jerome Alden. How he must have researched the life of the Great White Hunter to project such a believable character! Cassidy is head of the theater department at Gardner-Webb University in North Carolina, and I hope his students have seen him in this production, for this was a consummate performance by a very gifted and professional actor.

It's a fascinating bit of writing, for the actor is called upon to make his audience believe that those invisible people that he talks to are really there. It's a bit disconcerting at first, watching him shake hands with thin air and react to conversations that we can't hear, but it isn't long before it seems quite natural. It's amazing how much information a one-sided conversation can provide.

It's an extremely energetic role, and one full of every emotion imaginable. I was exhausted afterwards; I felt like I had lived that life as well. This is not a short play, either; it's quite a feat to keep an audience at full attention for that amount of time. It's full of flashbacks, so we see the famous character all the way from childhood to the end of his life. He gives us a charming lesson on the origin of the "Teddy" bear, he plays with his children, he gives campaign speeches, he charges up San Juan hill, and he muses, thinking out loud, giving us more than just a glimpse into the person inside the historical figure. He lived the part; Keith Cassidy was Theodore Roosevelt!