The first half of Act I of The Who’s Tommy is a spectacular visual feast.  A master class of storytelling, visuals, design, direction and choreography.  At one point early on the audience audibly gasps.  Then the show settles into extended excellence until the finale which blew my mind with its ferocious intensity and focused intent.

I can honestly say I’ve not listened to the record album straight through since the 1970’s.  I vaguely remember the movie from 1975.  Thirty years ago (30!!) this show won the Tony for Best Musical and I missed it.  This incarnation made me fall back in love with this piece.  I stood at my seat until the final post-curtain call notes were played prior to exiting the theater.

Director Des McAnuff (Ain’t Too Proud, Jersey Boys) places the action “in the future” and also “in the past”.  Like many London artists who grew up jarred by the horrors of World War II, Pete Townshend’s work reflects that agonizing period.  By show’s end Mr. McAnuff confronts all of us to face that reality.  In addition I saw a pointed contemplation on history repeating itself.  “Listening to you, I get the music” leads into “From you, I get opinion / From you, I get the story”.  A rock version of Sondheim’s “Careful the tale you tell / Children will listen”.

Many of you will know that Tommy is a boy who is born deaf, dumb and blind.  His familial relationships are explored at ages four and ten.  Through his problematic Cousin Kevin he discovers that he can sure play a mean pinball.  He grows into adulthood and eventually exclaims “I’m Free”.  As in any concept album, there are blanks to be filled in both by the show itself and the observer.  I was riveted throughout.

All of the creative design elements – scenic, projection, costume, lighting and sound – memorably support the thematic vision.  A simple lit mirror is the reflection into Tommy’s unspoken soul.  The florescent-like lighting reminded me of Dan Flavin sculptures.  Here they shape shift, continually changing scenes and focal points.  The color yellow is employed as a sunbeam of hope warming the despair locked inside the unknowable world of a deaf, dumb and blind person navigating an unimaginable journey.

Performances are, almost without exception, outstanding.  In his Broadway debut Ali Louis Bourzgui brilliantly captures Tommy’s essence from insular wonder to “see me” rock star.  He is ably assisted by Cecilia Ann Popp (age 4) and Quinten Kusheba (age 10).  All three connect spiritually on stage and the impact is both heart wrenching and empowering.  Their ability to act blind is astonishing.

Tommy’s encounter with the Acid Queen (Christina Sajous) is, believe it or not, satisfyingly understated.  The result is a scene which demonstrates her afflictions in a gritty, realistic way rather than as a bright lights arcade spectacle.  Ms. Sajous is, nonetheless, “guaranteed to break your little heart”.

Cousin Kevin is portrayed by the always terrific Bobby Conte (A Bronx Tale, Company).  His wayward story arc encapsulates the unfortunately familiar tale of misguided, directionless youth influenced by the evils of peer mentality.  Adam Jacobs, Broadway’s original Aladdin, believably inhabits the role of Captain Walker with his relentless desire to protect his son while also finding a cure for Tommy’s dilemma.

The very strong performance which disturbingly resonates is that by John Ambrosino as Uncle Ernie.  In another smashing Broadway debut, this supporting role transcends more with physicality than with dialogue.  This actor gives you enough access to fill in all the troubling blanks and read his mind.  That this smaller character’s journey is so transfixing amid this production’s massive visual onslaught is a triumph thanks to Mr. McAnuff’s exquisite balancing between rock arena big and compellingly rendered details.

Another high point is the marriage between the direction and Lorin Latarro’s interesting and varied choreography which nicely conveys both the past and the futuristic themes.  The ensemble is used purposely throughout and, unlike many other shows, does not needlessly distract from the central action.  This talented group comes across both as real people and as faceless stereotypes as needed.  Managing the costume changes backstage would probably be fun to watch.

I was enjoying Tommy so much that I became worried that the end might fizzle out given the cataclysmic senses overload I had already absorbed.  How would the show reach a peak?  By triumphantly facing ourselves, our humanity, our history, our failings and our hopes head on.  The finale is breathtaking, measured, explosive and, like the rest of this fantastic musical, mesmerizing.

The Who’s Tommy is playing on Broadway at the Nederlander Theatre.

www.tommythemusical.com

Gutenberg!  The Musical!

Have  you ever sat through a middling, unfocused and probably should have been cut from the telecast skit while watching Saturday Night Live?  Well then I have a show for you.  Gutenberg! The Musical! is all that, and sometimes less, at Broadway prices.

Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells play Bud and Doug in this two man show.  Both are nerds who decide to collaborate writing a Broadway musical.  Neither has experience or talent but the show must go on!  They rent the James Earl Jones Theatre to stage an industry reading for potential investors.  Not the worst idea for an insider’s skewering of the creative process.

The pair write a show about the 15th century inventor of the printing press.  His name is featured in the title.  Why was he chosen?  There is scant information about him online so the material can be whatever they want.  They described the show as historical fiction also known as “fiction that’s true”.  A funny line appears now and then.

Due to limited funds they cannot perform the musical with a full cast so the two perform every part.  Trucker hats with printed names let us know who the people are.  Antisemitic flower girl is the edgiest.  The printer’s love interest is Helvetica.  “History tells us in olden times there were a lot of poor wenches,” we learn.  Mr. Gad sings a song about her not being able to read.

The problems with the show are many.  Long stretches of filler, no real attempt to create any semblance of story arc and overused ideas (the hats, repeated joke targets) bog this comedy down to a fairly dull, roll your eyes while wanting to laugh exercise in theatrical tolerance.  I cannot recommend this underwhelming and overpriced revue to anyone.

All that said, both men are appealing performers who work very hard to put over this featherlight concoction.  Both originated the leads in The Book of Mormon many moons ago and they have natural – and nicely opposite yet complimentary – chemistry.  The audience was madly in love with them.  Perhaps someone can write these gentlemen a musical miles closer to their level.  Broadway theatergoers will likely flock to see them again based on the reception I witnessed.

In case you miss this show, here is my favorite joke.  In the second act a reprise of a song is heard.  These theater hucksters inform us that this particular moment is employing a “motif”.  A motif is “when you use the same piece of music over and over and it’s not lazy”.  That made me laugh amidst this sluggish slog of a wannabe smart and not silly enough show.

Gutenberg!  The Musical! is running at the James Earl Theatre through January 28, 2024.

www.gutenberg.com

Merrily We Roll Along

Spending a lot of time these days away from New York City, I was not around for the off-Broadway revival of Merrily We Roll Along last spring.  The show was a smash hit with stellar reviews.  The uptown move to Broadway followed this fall.  I purchased tickets near the holidays so I did not miss this production.  Great fortune most often happens with advanced planning.

This version is my fourth viewing of Merrily (see link below).  In a nutshell, I have always liked the show despite the pile on mentality of its problems.  The tale is about three friends who arrive in NYC with big dreams.  Time passes and these so-called besties fall out of love, if not completely able to unshackle their emotional bonds with each other.

George Furth’s book tells this story backwards.  While some find this conceit awkward, I fully embrace its intent.  Perhaps this is because I’ve encountered this show as an older person.  The trials and tribulations of life and these friendships are vividly real.  Getting to the end of the show with the fresh faced bloom of youthful possibilities is the tragedy yet to unfold.

Director Maria Friedman has mounted an extraordinary staging of this Stephen Sondheim show.  The production places the Franklin Shepard character front and center with the two friends circling in an unsteady orbit.  Imagining the reverse chronology as a autobiographical memory play enables the audience to connect with and repel from Mr. Shepard as do his friends.

Jonathan Groff portrays him with all of the narcissism required.  His flaw, if it were, could be that he doesn’t completely abandon his early ideals while he pursues Hollywood success and excess.  Songwriter and creative partner Charlie Kringas is his lyricist and playwright.  The tension between the two erupts in a television interview.  Mr. Kringas reads his old friend for filth in the bitter revenge song “Franklin Shepard, Inc.”.

Daniel Radcliffe, a kinetic ball of exuberant energy unable to contain a tightly wound fury, excels in this high point of Act I.  The tension on Mr. Groff’s face while ingesting the public humiliation is intense.  Throughout the course of the show, both actors inhabit a character arc that feels utterly believable and disconcertingly sad.

The third wheel in this trio is Mary Flynn.  She meets the two on a NYC rooftop in 1957 also full of her own dreams.  At the show’s beginning Mary is a splenetic alcoholic.  She also has issues with Franklin Shepard which haunt her through the decades.  The always excellent Lindsay Mendez joins the reprise of “Not A Day Goes By” towards the end of Act II.  The moment will break your heart.  Guaranteed.

The creative team has assembled a bountiful assortment of great individual and collective moments.  First and foremost is the ensemble.  Every person on the stage is always a character no matter how small.  The group performs the “Merrily We Roll Along” transitions which feel, perhaps for the first time, critical to retelling this musical memoir.

Supporting character performers are also spot on.  Reg Rogers’ Joe Josephson steals his scenes as the producer.  Understudy Talia Simone Robinson delivered an effectively plaintive characterization of Frank’s first wife Beth.  Krystal Joy Brown knocked the ladder climbing Hollywood diva bombshell Gussie Carnegie out of the park.

Critics seemed not to love the scenic design by Soutra Gilmour.  I disagree.  I thought the simple and timeless (and getting dated over time) mid-century vibe was ideal.  The set speaks to a moment in memory’s time while still being able to evolve timewise without excessive and distracting changes.

Ms. Gilmour was also responsible for the costumes.  They are excellent.  Mr. Sondheim ridiculed the cultural elitists in a number of his shows and Merrily is one of them.  The de rigueur black and white costumes are stunning in “The Blob,” a minor song in this show presented with exquisitely artful fangs calling out the snobbery of the pompous ass class.

All of these superlatives should be enough to convince musical theater fans to rush and see this exceptional production.  One more incentive.  Stephen Sondheim’s score is truly outstanding with great songs blending seamlessly with the people and their stories.  I’ve merrily seen a lot of Sondheim over the years (only a few outliers remain!).  This one is a must.

Merrily We Roll Along is running at the Hudson Theatre and has recently extended performances through July 7, 2024.

www.merrilyonbroadway.com

theaterreviewsfrommyseat/merrilywerollalong/roundabouttheater

Monty Python’s Spamalot

Did I really need to see the current revival of Monty Python’s Spamalot on Broadway?  I love the original, delightfully idiotic film which makes me chuckle every time the knights say “Ni!”  I enjoyed the original musical adaptation starring Tim Curry in 2005.  Fans of the material – and of talented theater gents (and one major diva) – should pounce like a hungry killer rabbit in search of some bloody fun.

This incarnation is not materially different in terms of jokes, gags, songs, over-the-top performances, silliness and intentionally offensive humor.  The French, Jews, gays and, most lovingly, the Brits are mercilessly mocked for laughs.  That’s good news because the current climate could have encouraged a tone change or two.  That would destroy this material.  The winking and knowing self-mockery, as much as the amputations, must remain for Spamalot to work.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail was a spoof of all things medieval by a very talented troupe of English actor/writers.  The plot is nominally about King Arthur’s quest to search for the Holy Grail.  It’s a truly pathetic effort as evidenced by the fact that he has no horse.  In the film his “Patsy” accompanies him and pretends to give the journey gravitas.  Clicking coconut shells together make the approximate hoofing sound.  The generally well-versed audience roars in recognition of the classic film moment.  Others seem to appreciate the abject silliness.

Seemingly everything in the film is present onstage in the book by Monty Python member Eric Idle.  Josh Rhodes directed and choreographed this version.  All the performers are given stellar shining moments to make their case for glory, for country, for scenery chewing, for coming out of the closet, for looking on the bright side and for nakedly killing it.  I had a great time and the show made me leave happily entertained, far beyond my expectations.

Who to single out?  Taran Killam is a terrific Sir Lancelot but his raspberry turn as The French Taunter may never, ever be bested.  Michael Urie (Buyer & Cellar) portrays scaredy pants Sir Robin who is relatively subdued until his second act double feature of “Brave Sir Robin” and “You Won’t Succeed on Broadway”.  Ethan Slater (SpongeBob Squarepants) plays eight small characters, all of them hilariously.  Hard to pick a favorite from his many high points so I’ll go with Not Dead Fred, Baby and Prince Herbert.

James Monroe Iglehart (Aladdin) and Christopher Fitzgerald (Waitress, Young Frankenstein) are the centers of the show and hold the reins (or pretend to) admirably.  Scattered into this testosterone mix is The Lady of the Lake.  Channeling every belter who has ever demanded the spotlight, Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer (Beetlejuice!) eats the scenery with ferocity and some great zingers.  Of course she nails all of her big songs (and she will let you know there are not enough of them).

The doldrums of winter coupled with the heinous start to another disgraceful Presidential election cycle is our current Dark Ages.  Spamalot exists to remind us that, even though we citizens may be armless and legless, we can still stand up to the taunting man and let love – and laughter – reign supreme.  This musical revival is for those of us who desperately need to look on the bright side of life.

Spamalot is currently searching for a shrubbery at the St. James Theatre.

www.spamalotthemusical.com

Do we really need a musical adaptation of a 1985 hit film in 2023?  Back to the Future: The Musical answers that question with dated MTV references, the use of a Polaroid camera and the infamous DeLorean car.  The show is enormously fun, wholesomely silly and best described as an oversized theme park ride which intentionally and successfully accelerates to 88 miles per hour.  Fasten your seat belts!

Marty McFly (Casey Likes) has “Got No Future” after his band audition is rejected.  His family is a bunch of underachievers and he laments their state in “Hello – Is Anybody Home?”  The beginning is amusing but the action, as expected, takes off when Doc Brown (Roger Bart) proclaims “It Works”.  The time machine car is ready to rock and roll.

The plot generally holds true to the film with a few dashes of updated sassiness to spice up the humor quotient and lightly comment on the issues of today.  “It just feels right when all the white men get want they want” is one tongue-in-cheek example which garners the laugh and does not feel preachy or forced.  Bob Gale wrote the book based on the movie he co-wrote.  The storytelling is solid and the characters surrounding Marty are still cartoonish caricatures brought to three dimensional life with some excellent performances.

Mr. Likes is a winning Marty as is his 1955 mother/girlfriend played by Llana Hunt.  Mr. Bart’s Doc is an homage to the classic Christopher Lloyd mad scientist performance.  Nathaniel Hackmann is the villainous Biff Tannen and his big Act II number is a standout not to mention his bully bulldog physicality.

The scene stealer in this production is Hugh Coles who perfectly inhabits the spineless father.  George McFly is certainly a nerdy type, afraid of dreaming too big or getting the girl he wants.  In one of his many memorable scenes, he sings “My Myopia is my utopia”.  The performance is a complete knockout.

This past year has been an exceptionally rich one for featured actors in musicals.  All of these are memorable turns:  Jennifer Simard (Once Upon a One More Time), Alex Newell and Kevin Cahoon (Shucked), Kevin Del Aguila (Some Like It Hot), Betsy Wolff and Ben Jackson Walker (& Juliet) and last, but not least, Jinkx Monsoon’s roof raising guest star appearance as Mama Morton in Chicago.  There were others worth celebrating too but those shows have sadly closed.

Is Back to the Future free of skid marks?  Of course not.  Doc’s “For the Dreamers” is a groaner.  The music from the film is dutifully incorporated which can overpower the newly written tunes.  “Earth Angel” and “Johnny B. Goode” throwbacks harken to an idealized and fictional America.  “The Power of Love” makes a bombastic appearance near the end.  As every good theme park entertainment knows, give ’em what they want and they’ll leave happy and smiling.  At the Winter Garden Theatre in the year 2023 that is most likely a safe bet for all.

www.backtothefuturemusical.com/newyork

theaterreviewsfrommyseat/onceuponaonemoretime

theaterreviewsfrommyseat/shucked

theaterreviewsfrommyseat/somelikeithot

theaterreviewsfrommyseat/&Juliet

theaterreviewsfrommyseat/chicago

Here is yet another jukebox musical about female empowerment.  The theme is certainly welcome but when it comes in repetitive wave after wave, the redundancy becomes numbing (not to mention the box office cannibalization).  Some of these shows are very good (& Juliet).  Some are not (Bad Cinderella).  Once Upon a One More Time is a mixed bag but I enjoyed myself immensely.

The concept takes the Britney Spears catalog and attempts to reposition historical fairy tale female stereotypes.  Those characters include Cinderella (again!), Snow White, Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty, Princess Pea and the Little Mermaid.  They have a reading club (really) so they’re not just pretty!  The underdeveloped book (Jon Hartmere) bizarrely places these empowered women as less central than those who dominate them.  If you can move on from the slight storyline, major fun can be had.

The show is a cavalcade of hits which sound arena loud and are well orchestrated.  Keone and Mari Madrid are the husband and wife team who directed and choreographed this production.  The dancing is fresh, exciting and energetically staged.  Having seen many Broadway jukebox shows over the past five years, these two creatives bring something new and visual interesting to savor.  I might even call it a TikTok sensibility and far more up-to-date than most mainstream offerings.

There are some excellent performances.  The notorious scene stealing Jennifer Simard portrays the Stepmother.  She is “Toxic”.  That Act II number – and her deadpan delivery – is one of this musical biggest highlights.  Adam Godley’s Narrator is an evil delight as he tries to keep the rebelling ladies acting as originally conceived.  Brooke Dillman’s O.F.G. (Original Fairy Godmother) is a hoot.

The home run hitter in this musical is Justin Guarini as Prince Charming.  Apparently all these princesses have figured out that there is only one of him and many of them (wink, wink The Book of Mormon still running).  His role is large, his singing and dancing are excellent and his self-absorbed male egotism is unctuously smarmy.

Some of the ladies are quite good and I enjoyed Briga Heelan’s quietly transformational take on Cinderella.  A few others, however, fall short of the mark but not helped by so very little to say and do.  As a result, the feminist theme is off kilter.  Referencing Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique book from 1963 is likely a head scratcher for most of the audience.

Of course this being today’s Broadway there is a gay subplot tossed in.  You can probably guess that princesses come in many varieties.  This addition is like many others where there is a perfunctory nod to shoving a gay couple onto the stage with almost no real context.  Oops, they did it again.

Once Upon a One More Time is a big, splashy, colorful spectacle.  Drinks are recommended as this one’s a party.  I don’t listen to Britney Spears’s songs often so I found them to be a nostalgic treat.  One of the best moments in the show is a fabulous “Circus”.  The prince  brags “all eyes on me in the center of the ring just like a circus”.  Like the fairy tale sources they want to escape, these princesses are kinda second fiddle once upon a one more time.

www.onemoretimemusical.com

theaterreviewsfrommyseat/&juliet

theaterreviewsfrommyseat/badcinderella

I have experienced boredom in the theater before.  New York, New York is not necessarily a bad show.  Nor is it a particularly good one.  The first act is akin to sitting through a marathon.  If you go, standing at intermission will be a glorious relief.  Is the second act better?  Not enough to change the headline:  Boring!

This musical is somewhat based on the flop 1977 film starring Liza Minelli and Robert DeNiro.  The title song has since become a well-known classic.  Here it is the final number and is a rousing finale.  There are also other moments to enjoy in between the uninspired dullness of a very expensive Broadway production.

All the principals in this cast were enjoyable.  Their storylines in David Thompson and Sharon Washington’s book are a mishmash of Big Apple dreams in post-WWII New York City.  There are too many of them, they don’t coalesce into a cohesive whole and everything is flat.  You enjoy the performers because they are good.  You don’t care very much about the predictable story arcs which unfold.

The star-crossed lovers are Jimmy Doyle (Colton Ryan) and Francine Evans (Anna Uzele).  He’s a musician and she’s a singer.  A Star is Born is the blueprint.  There’s a producer (Ben Davis) with mischief on his mind which causes a very hard to believe conflict in Act II.  Will love between this surprisingly well-handled interracial relationship prevail?  Start spreading the news.

The Diaz family are the immigrants in this melting pot.  Mom Sofia (Janet Dacal) is married to an abusive man (Leo Montezuma).  There is a par for the course gay subplot concerning their son (Angel Sigala).  A Jewish violinist progidy (Oliver Prose) wants to go to Julliard.  Will Madame Veltri (understudy Wendi Bergamini in the performance I saw) take him on as a student while she deals with her own traumas?

More characters fill this overstuffed melodrama.  Jimmy’s sidekicks help him focus, including a memorable Clyde Alves as his best friend.  Ensemble member Jim Borstelmann plays a slew of funny minor characters.  Director and Choreographer Susan Stroman gives her large cast lots and lots people to play.  Towards the end of this slog a pregnant woman and her husband cross the stage.  There are millions of stories in the big city.  Most of them are on this stage.

Beowulf Boritt’s scenic design won a Tony.  The skyscraper scene is incredible both visually and contains the show’s most exciting number.  The set contains many backdrops and voluminous scene changes.  That may be one of the issues contributing to the boredom factor.  Little dribbles of filler are everywhere connecting the not overly interesting storylines.

New York, New York is not bad just very, very boring.  I enjoyed the entire cast, especially the leads.  Mr. Ryan’s quirky and varied character was particularly fun to watch.  The Kander and Ebb score from the film was supplemented by songs from their catalogue as well as an assist from Lin-Manuel Miranda.  “Let’s Hear It For Me” from Funny Lady was a nice surprise.  I remembered that movie as I was listening.  That is not ideal.

www.newyorknewyorkbroadway.com