A bestselling book and a major movie have now been transformed into a wildly inventive Broadway musical.  Circus aficionados step right up.  Water For Elephants is stunningly well told, visually enthralling and jam packed with excellent performers of both the circus and musical theater varieties.

Sara Gruen’s book is well known.  A young man flees his family trauma and hooks up with a failing traveling circus struggling mightily during the depths of the Great Depression.  His veterinarian skills will be put to the test.  An aged narrator looks back on his life story.  Throw in a love triangle, a sadistic ringleader and a slew of memorable characters.  This show is a sumptuous feast for the senses.

An extraordinary scene early on features Marlena comforting her prized horse Silver Star.  The horse (and all the animals) are presented in the form of puppets, sometimes in representative pieces.  This horse is injured and weak from being overworked.  Marlena sings “Easy” to soothe her circus act star as only she knows how.

The imagery begins simply and becomes wonderfully evocative.  You believe her, the horse and the pain.  Then the emotion is added.  The horse, or more precisely a performer (Antoine Boissereau), takes flight in an elegant Spanish Web spectacle using dangling white fabric.  The aerial dance is beautiful and you can imagine the horse flying with joy though suffering through injury.  As Marlena sings and pets what is essentially a head on a stick, remarkable theater magic is created.  The whole show contains multitudes of images which astonish and, even more excitingly, propel the story and its underlying emotions and tensions.

Director Jessica Stone (Kimberly Akimbo) deftly balances the awe-inspiring circus feats against a narrative which occurs both in the present and in the past.  Jesse Robb and Shana Carroll’s choreography is impressively athletic and more vividly airborne than any other show on Broadway.  Takeshi Kata’s scenic design includes the improbable live raising of a big top tent.  The visual details of the entire creative team merge seamlessly and are smile inducing and jaw dropping in equal measure.

Darkness underlying this tale also takes center stage allowing the dramatic intensity to never fall away amidst the eye-popping splendor.  Circus owner Augustus boldly inhabits his two faces as grinning ringleader and evil tormenter.  Paul Alexander Nolan (Escape from Margaritaville, Jesus Christ Superstar) is devastatingly good in the role.  We are asked to hate him but there is also an ability to recognize the pressures that made the man who he is.

Grant Gustin and Isabelle McCalla conjour slow burn chemistry that we and the entire circus company can see.  There is no hiding from this love story despite her marriage to Augustus.  Both of these actors shine.  Mr. Gustin’s Jacob Jenkowski is likable and appropriately naive.  Ms. McCalla is delicately touching but equally adept at navigating her fraught situation between choosing real love and managing a dangerous husband.

The circus characters are well developed personas given ample stage time for us to know and care about them.  Stan Brown, in his Broadway debut at age 61, is superb as Camel, the hard drinking, long-time employee at the end of his career.  Joe DePaul’s Walter is the dog owning clown with a big chip on his shoulder and is very funny indeed.  Wade McCollum is exceptionally fine as the menacing henchman who gets his hands dirty and does Augustus’ bidding.

Theater veteran Gregg Edelman (City of Angels) is the elder Mr. Jankowski and he effortlessly and winningly tells his fascinating tale during an extended break from a nursing home prison.  Marissa Rosen’s Sue is one of the most memorable Kinkers as the circus performers are known.  The entire company, however, should be commended for an exceptionally fine display of acrobatics, musical theater song and dance, and tightly orchestrated yet seemingly fluid storytelling.

Much credit has to be given to Rick Elice’s book which clearly articulates the story and allows for so many excellent individual characterizations.  Time period and carnival appropriate music and lyrics are by Pigpen Theatre Co.  Their marvelously inventive 2012 Off-Broadway show The Old Man and the Old Moon is the reason I was inspired to see this show in a month of so many options.

And what about Rosie the elephant?  She’s colossal in everyway imaginable with her five human helpers.  For those of you who know how this one ends, prepare yourselves to be wildly impressed.  Hop on the circus train to savor this underbelly slice of Americana; enjoy the nostalgia and marvel at the stagecraft.  Water For Elephants is a wonder.

www.waterforelephantsthemusical.com

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

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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

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