Tag: Musical

About This Reviewer - Posted on

Be More Chill

Based on a novel by Ned Vizzini, Be More Chill is about Jeremy, a high school student who is simply not cool.  The musical opens strongly with “More Than Survive,” a song which covers teenage angst with lyrics like “I feel my stomach filling up with dread.”  The direct audience for this entertaining exercise is the young adults who made this show an internet sensation after its world premiere in 2015 at the Two River Theater in Red Bank, New Jersey.  As of this writing, this sold out off-Broadway show will be transferring to Broadway in February 2019.  The material is definitely strong enough.

Be More Chill is a hybrid of the current Broadway hit Mean Girls and a science fiction young adult adventure.  The school bully Rich is played by Gerard Canonico who looks like Johnny Galecki’s younger brother and is just as funny.  Rich introduces Jeremy to SQUIP, a “super unit quantum intel processor” which can control the brain to help Jeremy learn to act cooler.  In other words, instead of being a nerd, he will “be more chill.”  Naturally things go awry.

Joe Iconis (music and lyrics) and Joe Tracz (book) wrote this show squarely toward the young adult audience.  As a result, the storytelling and, in particular, the multitude of high quality character songs clearly evoke an atmosphere.  As in Mean Girls, another nerd gets their shot to hang with the cool kids.  Thanks to the science fiction angle, the predicaments pile on the nerdy delights.  Jeremy’s friend and love interest Christine (Stephanie Tsu, excellent) expresses her inner geekiness in “I Love Play Rehearsal.”  A knockout performance by George Salazar as Jeremy’s best friend includes the show’s best song, “Michael in the Bathroom,” during the “as also seen in Mean Girls” costume party.

All of this inspired silliness is not necessarily breaking any new ground.  What Be More Chill has in abundance though is style and commitment.  Beowulf Boritt has designed a set which cleverly frames technology’s pervasiveness over this demographic.  Stephen Brackett directed this show with energy and heart, seemingly channeling the telephone singing teens from Bye Bye Birdie into the present iPhone era.  None of this would come together if our hero at the center of this story wasn’t relatable, sweet and misguided.  As Jeremy, Will Roland created a fully detailed, realistically believable character and firmly nails his memorable Act I closer, “Loser Geek Whatever.”

Who is the audience for Be More Chill?  Young adults surely even though there is a playful raunchiness that may be considered slightly offensive to some (“I’m waiting for my porno to load”).  Older theatergoers who want to see an outstanding production while embracing the youthful subject matter.  Broadway audiences?  I hope so but many of the comments I heard exiting the theater were respectful but not completely engaged (“too long” and “I’m not the target audience”).  If you know how to be more chill, grab your tickets and give this sold out phenomena a try.  Maybe you’ll learn to be cooler as a result.

www.bemorechill.com

About This Reviewer - Posted on

Moulin Rouge! The Musical (Boston)

Why does every other show these days have to use the phrase “The Musical” in its title?  I presume it is a dumbed down marketing thing although I’m not convinced anyone would buy tickets to Moulin Rouge! thinking it was a play.  Walking into Boston’s gorgeously renovated historic Emerson Colonial Theatre, opulence is the word that comes to mind.  Walking to your seat, a sumptuous red valentine of a set screams theatrical grandeur.

Adapted from the Academy Award nominated film by Baz Luhrmann, this new musical is decidedly connected to the 2001 film in spirit but has been significantly updated in its contemporary jukebox musical selections.  No song list has been written into the program and that is a good thing.  There are surprises in store and they are fun.  The overall verdict for the show, however, is a mixed bag.

The core problem for me (and those I attended with) was that there was little chemistry between the two romantic leads played by Karen Olivo (Satine) and Aaron Tveit (Christian).  Both sing beautifully but  their voices do not match well in duets.  The acting by Mr. Tveit (Next To Normal, Catch Me If You Can) is, frankly, bad.  There are far too many moments where he stands with his hands down at his sides offering no energy as a leading man.  The effect is boring male ingenue who only comes to life during his musical solos.  Ms. Olivo (West Side Story) fares better (and seemingly works harder) but she has little energy from her costar to play off and her performance (and disappearing accent) suffers.

As a result of muted star power, the rest of the cast blooms brightly and makes this show entertaining to watch.  Six time Tony nominee Danny Burstein is the nefarious owner of the Moulin Rouge and he will certainly be nominated for another Tony if this show transfers to New York.  He nails a ruthless character yet manages to conjure believable, vulnerable emotion with his star Satine.  In a romantic melodrama, that intensity needs to be with the central couple not only with the showgirl and her boss.  Moulin Rouge! slows down for a minute in Act II and Mr. Burstein performs the Florence and the Machine song “Shake It Out” with some of the ladies.  The moment is a high point.

As the villainous Duke of Monroth who desperately wants Satine as his mistress, Tam Mutu exudes power, malevolent motives and sex appeal.  Sahr Ngaujah and Ricky Rojas are Christian’s newly found buddies in Paris and their acting, stage presence and characterizations are so strong that you don’t see Mr. Tveit’s Christian as the center of the show during their scenes together.  Another huge plus is the sultry dancing of Robyn Hurder as one of the ladies of the cabaret.

The creative team has done outstanding work here as the sets (Derek McLane), the costumes (Catherine Zuber) and the lighting (Justin Townsend) were magnificently eye-filling.  Alex Timbers (Peter and the Starcatcher, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson) is a director whose work I admire.  In this endeavor, Act II is overlong and drags on, never more so than during the “Roxanne” number, a holdover from the film.   In Moulin Rouge! The Musical, the elements needed for a crowd pleasing hit are in abundance.  For this to be a top tier Broadway show, Mr. Timbers needs to focus his efforts on his proven talented leads and make us care about the romance at the heart of this spectacle.  Maybe then the dull and emotionless ending would not just seem a placeholder prior to a sensational finale and curtain call.

www.emersoncolonialtheatre.com

About This Reviewer - Posted on

Hello, Dolly!

The current revival of Hello, Dolly! has been a phenomenal success.  Bette Midler headlining as Dolly Levi proved to be a casting gold mine.  Her fanbase enveloped her with rapt adoration and she won every award possible.  I was a bit less enthralled about her performance than the majority.  She was indeed funny, as always.  She has outstanding presence.  I thought her vocals weren’t quite up to the challenge of the material.  I also felt she played Bette Midler not necessarily Dolly Levi.  I will admit that the role is certainly a star vehicle and I assume the role’s originator, Carol Channing, oozed Carol Channing.

I decided to see two-time Tony winner Donna Murphy’s version of Dolly which she does on the days Ms. Midler does not perform.  What was a fun revival became a celebration of this beautifully created old school musical.  First, her performance is surprisingly bigger.  The scene at Miss Malloy’s Millinery was elevated from spirited hijinks to outrageous tomfoolery.  As a replacement in the role of Barnaby, Charlie Stemp was not only a welcome physical comedian but also an excellent dancer.

Ms. Murphy also brought some additional vulnerability to the character which helps deepen her relationship with Horace Vandergelder (David Hyde Pierce, superb).  The show seemed more in balance and the conclusion more organically reached.  Yes, she’s a meddling matchmaker and a wisecracker.  But she’s also a widow who knows it is time to move on.

As for the singing, Ms. Murphy knocked everything out of the park and I finally heard the version of “Before the Parade Passes By” that I was craving.  While the entire Harmonia Gardens Restaurant scene is still a little flat (or maybe dated), the title song is a joyous Broadway top shelf masterpiece and the audience was beside themselves with the exquisitely executed version here.  Jerry Herman’s score is so good; I was thrilled to hear it performed this well.  The standing ovation at the end of the show was deafening.  And well deserved.  I am sorry Hello, Dolly! is closing later this month because Ms. Murphy is still crowin’ and still goin’ strong.”  Hurry if you can as her performances are not sold out.  They should be standing room only.

www.hellodollyonbroadway.com

theaterreviewsfrommyseat/hellodollybettemidler

About This Reviewer - Posted on

Something in the Game: An All-American Musical (Northwestern University, Chicago)

As a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and a current season ticketholder to its football team, I am clearly in the bullseye for the target audience for a musical based on its legendary football coach, Knute Rockne.  Something in the Game: An All-American Musical had its first outing ten years ago and was then titled Knute Rockne:  All-American.  The name change makes sense.  This show is certainly about the famed, larger than life man.  The bigger story involves his personal orbit (family, players, coaching highlights) and a growing college which at the time attracted unwelcome minorities, notably immigrants and Catholics.

Can a rags to riches story centered around football be successfully turned into a big musical?  The answer is yes although the scoreboard might read field goal instead of touchdown.  For Notre Dame fans the score might instead read touchdown with a missed extra point attempt.

The show begins as Knute is leaving South Bend for an opportunity to coach at Columbia University.  Immediately we have family conflict as his wife was not consulted.  Both Stef Tovar (Knute) and Dara Cameron (Bonnie) deliver heartfelt, strong characterizations.  The story then tracks Knute from his arrival at Notre Dame where he meets his new roommate Gus Dorais (a period perfect Neal Davidson) who also plays football.  The two worked together to create many memorable developments in their sport, notably popularizing the forward pass in a historic win over Army in 1913.  There is a musical number incorporating this concept, “Completing the Forward Pass,” which is surprisingly effective storytelling and fun.

The football scenes are the winning part of the formula here.  The team’s famous use of “The Shift” allows for some very creative scrimmage line inspired choreography.  The Artistic Director for Northwestern’s American Music Theater Project David H. Bell directed and choreographed Something in the Game.  The crop of young actors from the student body (and even some from their football team) added a real sense of athleticism to the show.

The superhero star of Notre Dame football and of this musical is George Gipp who played from 1917 until 1920.  He became a legend, immortalized by Ronald Reagan in the 1940 film Knute Rockne: All American.  Adrian Aguilar’s extraordinarily fine performance hints at why the show changed its name.  The musical is at its best when this talented young man is overachieving on the field while sinning and gambling off the field.  “Welcome to the Bottom” is a showstopper when things go wrong for George which he sings with the speakeasy’s owner and singer.

The focus on George Gipp, the Rockne family troubles, tensions with University clergy and a coach with massive self-promotion instincts make for a very full book.  A few minor scenes should probably be reconsidered.  The staging of Jimmy the Goat’s saloon felt inauthentic as well.  A drinking, gambling hangout around the time of Prohibition in South Bend, Indiana would likely be a bit grittier than suggested by the smiling flapper tappers on display.  (More like Chicago than Crazy for You.)  Importantly, the score is strong with many memorable ballads and jazzy songs including Bonnie’s gorgeous “If There Had Been Roses,” Gipp’s “Confession,” and the title song.  For the Notre Dame faithful, no need to fear.  Our fight song makes a welcome appearance.  Go Irish!

www.somethinginthegame.com

About This Reviewer - Posted on

NYMF Best of Fest (New York Musical Festival, Part 8)

Over the last four weeks, I attended 21 performances of new musicals in development; every full production and reading at the New York Musical Festival.  At tomorrow’s awards ceremony, they will present the NYMF Best of Fest awards.  The cream of the crop this year compares favorably with the top NYMF shows I have seen in the past.

In alphabetical order, my top four shows (full productions) of 2018:

An American Hero:  A New World War II Musical

accomplished show… the score is filled with gems…. all of the battle scenes were superbly staged…. fought back tears

Between the Sea and Sky

richly woven fable… atmospherically moody yet fun… the surprises delight… every performance was excellent

Emojiland

catchy and delicious Broadway pop… ready for prime time… classic character song greatness

What’s Your Wish?

truly enjoyable… endlessly inventive staging… witty dialogue… high entertainment value

From the group of 9 readings, my standout favorite was:

Storming Heaven: The Musical

score is excellent… realistic, believable characters… a winner

Sign up for an email subscription and receive all new posts.  Here are the links to the original posts for the above mentioned NYMF Best of Fest:

theaterreviewsfrommyseat/anamericanhero

theaterreviewsfrommyseat/betweentheseaandsky

theaterreviewsfrommyseat/emojiland

theaterreviewsfrommyseat/whatsyourwish?

theaterreviewsfrommyseat/stormingheaven

 

 

About This Reviewer - Posted on

NYMF: The Gunfighter Meets His Match, Sonata 1962, Between the Sea and Sky (New York Musical Festival, Part 7)

The final three productions in this year’s New York Musical Festival are diverse in style and subject matter.  One takes place out west where guns rule and there are plenty of saloon gals.  Another harkens back to 1962 and considers how society, families and the medical profession dealt with homosexuality at the time.  The last show takes place on Diamond Beach, the location of an eerie mystery from the past.

The Gunfighter Meets His Match (Production)

There is a lovely piece of theme music that weaves throughout The Gunfighter Meets His Match.  The trumpet is featured in the melody and you can conjure up the wild west from old memories when this genre was popular in the movies and on television.  I expect there were other songs I could select as particularly melodious but this production was so busy, it was hard to focus.  As a ballad was sung, six people would be encircling the performer for no reason and with unflattering choreography.  This musical was written by Abby Payne who also plays the saloon’s piano player, May.  The story is basic and there is little in the way of character building.  A woman from the city moves to the west, gets married, then meets the gunfighter who teaches her to shoot.  Along the way he sings, in the same song, “let me show you a little lovin’ darling” and “why don’t you teach me how to love?”  This small, underwritten story could not bear the weight of the staging.  As the title character, I enjoyed Michael Hunsaker’s performance.  The tone of his characterization was probably where this musical should have grounded itself.

Sonata 1962 (Production)

In “Making The Day” Margaret Evans sings “do what you should and nothing will ever go wrong.”  FORESHADOWING, in capital letters.  Soon thereafter her daughter Laura enters and is visibly suffering through headaches.  They are a side effect of her undisclosed treatment.  My guess was that she had a lobotomy.  The musical then goes back in time to tell the story of Laura, a supremely talented pianist who receives a scholarship and goes off to college.  She meets and falls for Sarah.  The chemistry exhibited by Christina Maxwell and Anneliza Canning-Skinner brightens this musical considerably, notably in “Movie Theater.”  All the other characters are one-dimensional.  Things predictably get serious and the medical profession’s barbaric treatments for sexual deviancy and sociopathic disorders are brought front and center.  Sonata 1962 has some interesting moments and there are a number of tuneful songs including “I Will Run.”  Toward the end of this musical, mom gets to sing “Take It Off,” a bizarrely out-of-place distant cousin to “Rose’s Turn” from Gypsy.  A few too many reprises and a message heavy lament close this underdeveloped show.

Between the Sea and Sky (Production)

When a musical has a soaring, intricate score, I sometimes find myself focusing on the music rather than the staging.  Under Michael Bello’s accomplished direction, that was impossible as I wanted to see every moment of this atmospherically moody yet fun show.  In 1999, two sisters are sent to their grandmother’s beach house for the summer as their parents are getting a divorce.  This community certainly has its share of elderly folk who remember a mysterious death that occurred when hippies were in town thirty years earlier.  In the opening number, a woman appears as a specter.  Who is she?  The elder sister is currently reading Shakespeare’s The Tempest and sees a beach mystery that needs solving.  Between the Sea and Sky is a richly woven fable which managed to effectively balance its ambitions as part musical comedy, part cryptic puzzle and part lushly imagined fantasy.  Luke Byrne wrote the book, music and lyrics to this show and its cohesiveness is abundantly clear.  Songs make sense for the story, the characters and add significantly to the mood.  The surprises delight.  Every performance was excellent.  I loved this new musical which has been optimally showcased to reveal its charms.  A grand finale to the festival; feeling fortunate that I chose to see this show last.

www.nymf.org

About This Reviewer - Posted on

Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope (Encores!)

In 1973, Stephen Sondheim’s A Little Night Music won Best Musical over Stephen Schwartz’s Pippin.  They remain well known oft-performed musicals.  Also Tony nominated that year was Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope.  Vinette Carroll was the first African American woman to direct on Broadway.  With music and lyrics by Micki Grant, both were also the first black women nominated in their respective categories.   How historic and rare?  Other than Ms. Carroll’s second directing nomination for Your Arms Too Short to Box With God, the next African American woman to be recognized for direction was Leisl Tommy for the play Eclipsed…. 43 years later.  This is exactly the type of show to be rediscovered at Encores!

Outstanding in every regard from start to finish, Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope is a combination of cabaret, revival meeting and protest performed through song and dance.  In this version, the original score has been rearranged and shortened to one act.  This musical contains 24 songs and there are no lulls.  Great song after great song from start to finish with varied musical styles including gospel, jazz and calypso.  The performers were all excellent.  Savion Glover (Bring In Da Noise, Bring In Da Funk) masterfully directed and choreographed Don’t Bother Me.  The show had an effortless blend of song and dance; both soft and loud with serious and playful.  I believe this show is so strong and so topical, it demands a full revival.  Or just transfer this version as is, it’s that great.

The African American experience is explored in Don’t Bother Me.  Naturally the topics covered include slavery, racism, assassinations and housing.  Significantly, this musical is also about coping with the daily and systemic slights faced by a race of people in America way back in 1972.  Updating the gorgeous song “Time Brings About a Change,” the lyric “Archie Bunker” was replaced four decades later with “Roseanne.”  Doesn’t that help illuminate why people are kneeling at football games?

What’s particularly impressive about this musical is that anger is not expressed through negative emotions.  There is hurt and despair under the surface but somehow the show coalesces into a musical entertainment.  Ms. Grant’s songs are used to embrace the audience and vividly share its messages without a bullhorn.  The spectacularly performed “Looking Over from Your Side” could not be a more timely.  Considering another’s point of view is in short supply in today’s America.  Perhaps a wide, diverse audience needs Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope now, so we all can cope better than we are.

www.nycitycenter.org

About This Reviewer - Posted on

NYMF: ’68, An American Hero and Peter, Who? (New York Musical Festival, Part 6)

The next three musicals at NYMF deal with the tensions surrounding the 1968 Democratic convention in Chicago, Irish Americans who chose to fight in World War II and, on a lighter note, a parody of Spider-man.

’68 (Production)

The conceit for this show is intriguing.  A librarian wants to interview and record stories from people who were connected to the rioting that occurred in Chicago during the 1968 Democratic national convention.  Attending this musical with someone born nearly thirty years later is illuminating.  Unless you know this story well, ’68 will be an incoherent jumble of names and vignettes.    The lyrics had no depth and were simplistic:  “Most of the kids are peaceful/Most of them will play fair/We don’t want to shoot them/Just because they have long hair.”  On the bus, the conventioneers sway and sing a four word song, “Where Are You From?”  Make that five words.  Toward the end of this repeating one line chorus, the word “coming” is added as in “where are you coming from?”  The book uses absurd phrases like “they are threatening to use Molotov cocktails and nudity” but this is not a comedy.  The low point comes late in Act II when a Vietnamese woman slowly walks in behind the ensemble wearing an Asian conical hat.  The screen is projected with a yellow color.  (The category is… Miss Saigon realness.)  She begins singing “all the chickens in the hen house have a name, have a name.”  Why does a Mother Superior-like nun appear singing alongside?  Near the end of the show, “The Lucky Ones” was a storytelling character song which finally illuminated what this musical might have been.

An American Hero: A World War II Musical (Production)

Ireland was neutral during the second world war, choosing not to fight alongside Great Britain.  Those who did were blacklisted and their families became outcasts.  An American Hero is the story of first generation Irish American brothers who hear the call of duty and enlist.  This accomplished show takes us on a journey from the Bronx to the battlefields in France to the munitions factory floor in Elizabeth, New Jersey.  A project developed at Southeast Missouri State University, the book is by professor Kenneth L. Stilson with music and lyrics by Cody Cole, a recent graduate.  The score is filled with gems like the telegraph inspired “Waiting on the Mailman.”  The ensemble was large and used well.  All of the battle scenes were superbly staged, not an easy feat.  As the brothers at the center of this story, Adam Schween and José Alpizar beautifully portray these characters and finely perform rich emotional songs.  Both deliver two of the best performances at this festival.  The sweeping score feels appropriate to the time period and nicely moves the story forward.  A note to make this very strong show even better would be to further develop the female characters, including the ensemble.  The idea works but doesn’t yet feel as organically real as the men.  Much of this cast has traveled to NYMF from the university.  Their youth, particularly in the gut wrenching war scenes, hits us hard as it should.  So many men who lost their lives protecting our freedoms were so very young.  Three of us attended An American Hero, fought back tears and were unanimous in our praise.  Congratulations to this cast and creative team for an exceptionally fine piece of theater.

Peter, Who? (Production)

When parodies are done well, they can be extraordinarily fun shows to watch.  They can also be very successful such as off-Broadway’s current Puffs: Or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic.  Peter, Who? is a silly, funny, entertaining take on Spider-man.  The show is a welcome addition to NYMF by a creative team defying gravity and having fun with the musical comedy form.  The jokes are plentiful.  The school stud Flash (who doesn’t even see Peter Parker as a person) drinks green tea “but not a lot, just enough to say I drink it.”  At the Daily Bugle newsroom, Betty informs us that “I’m like a Honda Civic.  Turn me on once and I’m good for a year.”  My favorite line: “a narrow mind gets fewer headaches.”  The set design has clever hand held comic book cut outs.  When our hero is swinging between buildings, it is far more entertaining than in the movies.  Songs are tuneful and hilarious, as they need to be.  The entire cast seems to be having a ball and, as a result, so does the audience.  Peter, Who? is not yet at the highest level of zaniness on display at Puffs.  All the necessary ingredients are in evidence.  Inserting a few more great jokes and this piece could make people smile from ear to ear from start to finish.

www.nymf.org

www.theaterreviewsfrommyseat/puffs

About This Reviewer - Posted on

Head Over Heels

The magic that is musical theater allows for the improbable to be born.  Jeff Whitty conceived a musical based on The Countess of Pembroke’s Arcadia written by Sir Philip Sidney towards the end of the 16th Century with songs written by the new wave pop band The Go-Go’s towards the end of the 20th Century.  The mash up is not subtle.  In this revision, the realm of Arcadia is famed for its beat, hence the opener, “We Got the Beat.”  Head Over Heels is a tale of a king and queen, two princesses in need of suitors and prophecies from the Oracle of Delphi.

Fun is in abundance in this show, staged as an old school musical comedy entertainment complete with clam shell lights on the stage.  The original story is famous for its coverage of sex, politics and cross dressing.  Which suitor will our Princesses pick?  And why?  Let’s just say that the tag line from The Drowsy Chaperone would work here:  “mix-ups, mayhem and a gay wedding.”  Head Over Heels received advanced publicity for hiring Peppermint, a transgendered performer and finalist from Ru Paul’s Drag Race.  Broadway has it first trans character originated by a performer who is trans.  Playing the Oracle Pythio, Peppermint’s acting is just ok.

Everyone else in this frothy frolic is spot on.  As Musidorus, the shepherd who fancies a young Princess Philoclea (Alexandra Socha, lovely), Andrew Durand is simply hilarious, culminating with an Act II slapstick routine that affirms his place as show stealer of Amazonian proportions.  Not to be outclassed, Bonnie Milligan’s vainly beautiful Princess can dish out the comedy and belt Go-Go’s tunes despite the illogical sounding concept of a Go-Go’s tune being actually belted.  Ms. Milligan shines brilliantly in the role.

All of this nicely orchestrated farce has been directed by Michael Mayer (Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Spring Awakening).  Head Over Heels is an odd combination of “ye olde England” and songs which seem a bit thin musically for the Broadway stage.  Get past that (and I did) and you will enjoy a fizzy, lusty tale of love, desire, freedom and tolerance.  The set design by Julian Crouch enhances the story with clever visual delights.  Special thanks to the sound designer Kai Harada for an ideal blend of voice and music, never allowing the band to overshadow the vocals.

Who is the audience for Head Over Heels?  People who want to be entertained in an evenly paced, bawdy old-school, relaxed, witty way.  If you know the song “Mad About You,” all the better.

www.headoverheelsthemusical.com

About This Reviewer - Posted on

This Ain’t No Disco (Atlantic Theater Company)

Those of us who came of age in the late 1970’s have a memory of a New York City that was magical, gritty, glamorous, decadent and dirty.  In this era, the famed Studio 54 and Mudd Club were born, conquered and faded into memory.  This musical is the story of the strivers, drifters and dreamers who were clamoring for their position not only in these clubs but also more generally in the downtown art scene.  Stephen Trask, the composer of This Ain’t No Disco, knows how to write music and lyrics from the period as evidenced in his brilliant score for Hedwig and the Angry Inch.  There are some good songs here as well.  But this musical ain’t no disco.

The set promises the gritty New York of the late 1970’s.  Everywhere you look is filled with images from the 42nd Street porno theater marquees.  What appears on stage though is sanitized go-go dancers not coke-fueled party hedonists.  Part goofy mockumentary, part serious documentary, part “if I can make it here, I’ll make it anywhere” story, This Ain’t No Disco focuses on a number of oft-told stories.  Gay kid kicked out from home, turns tricks in New York before his discovery by Steve Rubell (the Studio 54 impresario) and his momentary fame.  He meets a single mom who is striving to create a singing career.  Cue The Artist (Andy Warhol) who sees brilliance in her shabbiness. The show never really settles on a tone varying from serious issues (cutting) to a biting parody of self-promotion.

The direction and choreography are borderline frenetic.  The set moves back and forth, the stagehands keep very busy.  The dancers are sweating, they work very hard.  There are some decent songs.  Here’s what wrong with This Ain’t No Disco.  The Artist sings a big ballad that could easily double as an anthem by the rock band U2.  In fact, it sounds exactly like a vehicle for Bono.  The odd genius Andy Warhol starts the show famously meek to becoming an offensively abusive manager to then self-analyzing himself through a power ballad over the course of this musical.  Huh?

Exiting the theater I overheard one man say, “I loved it.”  His companion replied, “that’s gonna challenge our friendship.”  Maybe if you know nothing about Studio 54, you’ll find the story amusing.  For me this was simply a wasted opportunity to recreate an iconic New York slice of history.

www.atlantictheater.org