THEATER REVIEW : Operetta Production Hits Both High and Low Notes : The singing in ‘The Student Prince’ and lovely costumes make production a delight. But the acting is variable, inconsistent.

The current Moorpark College production of Sigmund Romberg’s “The Student Prince” is the latest installment of the only continuing series of operetta performances in Ventura County. While opening night’s offering was substandard to the college’s previous work, it wasn’t embarrassing, and not all the fault of the performers. And many of the problems might well be cleared up by this weekend.

Youthful prince Karl-Franz, having been raised in the refined confines of the palace, is in need of seasoning and a touch of reality. His tutor, Engel, convinces Those Who Are In Charge to allow Karl-Franz to spend a year at the University in Heidelberg. At the same time, the prince will be escaping a complicated romantic situation that finds him engaged to two women--Princess Margaret and Princess Stephanie--neither of whom is a love object. Before long, Karl-Franz has fallen in with a fraternity called the Saxon Court, and in love with the beautiful barmaid Kathie.

All of this provides much opportunity for voices to lift in melody, from a Gilbert & Sullivan-like opener “What Goes On Behind the Scenes” to rousing drinking songs by students and romantic duets between Raymond Michael Hebel as Karl-Franz and Leslie Mauldin as Kathie.

Other featured players include Daniel Sullivan as Tarnitz, Jeffrey Kucera as Engel, Jeri Ursetti as Princess Stephanie, Robert Weaver as Von Mark, Rob Thain and Kevin MacDonald as a couple of students. The part of Stephanie’s conniving mother alternates between Virginia Montero (who will be seen on Saturday) and Susan Robb (scheduled for Friday and Sunday).

Most of the singing was fine on opening night, though some of the vocalists could have given a little more oomph. But the acting was variable, including entirely too many odd inflections, inconsistent use of German accents, missed cues and other such signs of too little rehearsal. By this weekend, with luck and diligent work on the cast’s part, much of that will be cleared up.

The choppy script, which won’t improve, is credited to Dorothy Donnelly (who wrote the original lyrics and libretto) with a “book revision” by Jerome Chodorov and “lyrics revision and additional lyrics” by Forman Brown.

At least one character, Princess Margaret, is missing from this version, a subplot and a romantic duet along with her. With “music adaptation and new arrangements” by Harper McKay, not even Romberg’s music stands intact.

Still, it’s amusing enough, especially the sequences devoted to Karl-Franz’s valet, Lutz. Far more of an effete snob than the prince, Lutz has his own aide, a “gentleman’s gentleman’s gentleman’s gentleman” named Hubert, and serves as a spy for the court, making sure that none of the prince’s misbehavior (if any) goes unreported. Particularly inept at espionage, Lutz adapts a series of disguises that fool practically no one. Andrew Krigel, David Banuelos and Leah Florence have many of the show’s best moments as the comic trio of Lutz, Hubert and the aggressive fraulein Gretchen.

With lovely costumes and music that benefits from a small live orchestra (previous Moorpark College musical productions have used a single pianist or a taped orchestral backing), the play moves so briskly under Marilyn Anderson’s direction that you might not notice the plot chasms until you’re well on your way home.

Details

* WHAT: The Student Prince

* WHEN: Friday and Saturday night at 8; Sunday at 2 p.m.

* WHERE: Moorpark College Forum Theater, 7075 Campus Road, Moorpark

* COST: $8 general admission; $7 students and staff; $6 for seniors and children under 12.

* FYI: For reservations or further information, call 378-1468