The New York Musical Festival is in its 16th year. The mission of NYMF is to nurture the creation, production and public presentation of stylistically, thematically and diverse new musicals to ensure the future vitality of musical theater. These next two readings consider people on the outside of mainstream society – circus performers and the homeless.
The Disappearing Man – Reading
On February 21, 1936, the circus rolls into St. Louis. This musical begins backstage. We meet the performers in a series of exceptional songs which develop character and establish conflict. Sara (Mary Kate Morrissey) is “your favorite sin/She knows what you want and let’s you in.” She is the Magician’s Lovely Assistant. His name is Jim Plaster (Erik Lochtefeld) and he is The Disappearing Man of the title. His act is the headliner of this circus which is struggling to make money during the Great Depression.
Andrew Bellows (Michael Cunio) is the Ringmaster attempting to hold everything together with his willfully strong, ex-lover Daphne (Shakina Nayfack). She’s the Lion Tamer and the obvious alpha of this enterprise. Andrew is currently in a relationship with Sara. Her backstory comes front and center when her brother (Luke Wygodny) arrives. The magician is also hopelessly in love with her. “I can see Goldilocks and me/carving hearts in a sycamore tree.”
There is a clown named Lloyd (DC Anderson, brilliant) who is truly dimwitted. He delivers a monologue so organically perfect for the character that, at its conclusion, the entire audience burst out laughing. The book and score was written by the very talented Jahn Sood. The music is nicely tinged with a country flair and a nod to the period. Songs move the story forward or reflect back so we understand the motivations, dreams and desires of these individuals. “Tough luck living is rough – but it’s living.”
“Whiskey Blues” is a wailing lament punctuating the heavy drinking of these people. The plots involving a local Impresario (Chris Henry Coffey) and Sara’s brother are tight and believable. The ending is dramatic and effective. Wonderfully realized by Director West Hyler, the entire cast is excellent. The Disappearing Man is a completely satisfying musical from start to finish. I eagerly anticipate a full staging filled with the sights and smells of this decaying slice of American history.
Underground: An Urban Tale – Reading
John Viscardi (book) and Thomas Hodges’ (music and lyrics) story begins promisingly. Brandon (Colin Carswell) is begging on a subway platform, homeless and hungry. “Somebody give me my life!” is the scream “in the land of the so-called free.” For those of us living in New York, the moment humanizes an every day occurrence. Unfortunately everything that follows is either silly or lurid.
On the silly side, young Maddie (Casey Wenger-Schulman) heads “down into the hole” to make a documentary for school. Her brother Max (Patrick Brady) will film her interviews for “The Beautiful People.” She meets an underground charmer known as Doormat (Trevor Viscardi) but his real name is Aldo Giuseppe Verdi Puccini. He escorts them to a magical subway station with a grand piano and a chandelier. Both Maddie and Max are smitten with him.
Grace (Mara Cecilia) is a student struggling to get used to life down under and focus on her homework. Her mom (Aléna Watters) loses her job and becomes a whore. Grace finds out. This is the lurid side of the tale. We also learn that Brandon has a similar lifestyle briefly described as “all those old dudes you go down on.”
Back to the Fame plot we go to escape these harsh realities. Turns out Grace wants to attend the High School of Performing Arts. Puccini happens to be a great pianist and teaches her a new song. Add in a few emotional revelations and the kids learn that “it is easy to judge from a distance, harder when they are living next to us.” Underground: An Urban Tale misses the mark by not choosing a tone. As currently written, it feels too inky for a kid’s show and too preposterous for anyone else.
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