Monday, May 30, 2016

MUSICAL NEWS for Monday, May 30, 2016

MUSICAL THEATRE CONFERENCE
NMI’s sixth Biz of the Musical Theatre Biz Conference is coming July 22 – 24 to a brand new facility in Burbank, the Convention Center at ANC Productions. The conference offers sessions for musical theatre bookwriters, lyricists, and composers on a variety of important subjects. It’s a full weekend of events for you to learn what you need to know from producers, directors, writers, entertainment attorneys, money-raisers, dramaturgs and other insider theatre professionals ready to rub shoulders with you and answer your questions. Early Registration, for a discount of $100 off the full conference, ends June 1st. For a complete schedule and more information, go to NMI.org/develop/conference.

FRINGE NEWS
The world premiere of Bumpersticker: The Musical will take place June 4 – 23 at the Asylum @ The Dragonfly in Hollywood. Set during a massive urban traffic jam, each song is inspired by one of those blunt, punchy slogans you’ve seen on the backs of cars everywhere. A radio DJ/Announcer guides the audience through the show, which features characters from different ends of the political spectrum and varying social strata with wildly different opinions, hopes, and fears. As the frustrations of morning gridlock mount, audiences get to know the people and stories behind these stickers. You may enthusiastically agree or violently disagree with them but, in the end, everybody has a point of view they think is completely rational…and always correct.

Bumpersticker: The Musical is the brainchild of Gary Stockdale and Spencer Green, who created Bukowsical, the acclaimed musical about besotted literary hero Charles Bukowski which won Outstanding Musical at the New York International Fringe Festival. Michele Spears directs a cast that includes Nadia Ahern, Jahmaul Bakare, Lamont Dozier Jr., Zach Ford, Eliot Hochberg, Lauren Rubin, Jennifer Leigh Warren, Anne Yatco, and Holly Rockwell (understudy). Musical Director is David O. http://hff16.org/3687

Little Candle Productions brings its world premiere of the new musical Taming of the Show by Blake Waker to this year’s Hollywood Fringe Festival. The 55-minute farce takes the audience through the outlandish and hysterical rehearsal process of a dysfunctional production of Shrew set in caveman times. It will run June 5 – 25 in the Sacred Fools Theatre Black Box.

A line has been drawn in the sand betwixt actors and crewmembers. Never the twain shall meet. And yet… Eddie Littlejeans, the assistant stage manager of a dysfunctional production of Taming of the Shrew dares to harbor a flame for the leading lady. Can love find a way backstage? In what might be considered Noises Off! meets Misery (with singing and dancing!) the show within a show goes terribly wrong, while Taming of the Show gets it just right. The cast includes Jeff DeCrosta, Chineze Enekwechi, Marc Forget, Greg Steinbrecher, Steve Peterson, Paula Deming, and Anthony Papastrat. Musical direction is by Billy Gill and the show is produced by Karissa McKinney and Lynn Downey Braswell. http://hff16.org/3418

From the creator of 2015’s sold-out run of Sin: A Pop Opera and 2009’s hit musical, Ecstasy, comes a new musical for this year’s Hollywood Fringe Festival. Ruby is the story of a self-described nerd named Ruby (Christina Rose) who is frustrated with her love life until she meets her sexy, sassy fairy godmother Glendale (Saudia Yasmein) and takes a trip back in time to the free-wheeling Brady Bunch-era where she meets three versions of her boyfriend Tommy (Christopher Robert Smith). Will she find true love, or just a lot of sex in this raucous romp that tips an affectionate stiletto heel to early ‘70s variety specials and TV shows and the obscure “naughty fairy tales for adults” ‘70s film genre.   

The show is filled with singing, dancing, fun characters, crazy costumes, ridiculously infectious musical numbers, animation, risqué dance routines, puppets, and homages to musicals from the ‘70s like The Wiz, Pippin and Rocky Horror. It also features sensual choreography by Kirby Harrell and includes Evalee Gertz and Christine Jung in the dance ensemble. A “dream project” of producer, composer & animator S. Claus, the 70-minute show makes its world premiere at The Three Clubs June 2 – 27. http://hff16.org/3455

Theresa Stroll debuts her new solo show, My Big Fat Blonde Musical, June 4 – 25 in the Sacred Fools Theater Black Box. Stroll moved to L.A. to pursue her acting dreams but, as an overweight actress, found it difficult to avoid negativity, both from herself and others. In this irreverent and deeply personal world premiere, she tackles the issue of being a BIG girl trying to make it in Hollywood by having fun with the somewhat sensitive topic.

“The story is about believing in yourself, even when you are your biggest critic,” Stroll says. “It’s about creating your own opportunities and it’s about the realities of growing up, paying bills and still trying to follow your dreams.” The show is co-written by Stroll and Bobby McGlynn, directed by Jessica Lynn Johnson, and also features original music by Stroll and McGlynn. “It’s wonderfully absurd,” Stroll adds, but she wants audiences to walk out of her show with something more. “Big girls can do anything and they shouldn’t be limited based on their size. Don’t let people’s expectations of you set your limits. If there’s something you want, go and get it. Create your own opportunities if they’re not being created for you, regardless of your size.” http://hff16.org/3674


Chromolume Theatre makes its return to the Fringe with Edges, a song cycle about four burgeoning adults asking classic coming-of-age questions. Written by Tony nominated Benj Pasek and Justin Paul in their sophomore year at the University of Michigan, this charming, witty and honest examination of adulthood explores what happens when we are teetering on the edges of our lives. Starring Melody Ricketts, Courtney King, Caroline Pugliese, Shayna Gabrielle, Andy Ramirez, Everjohn Feliciano, Justin W. Yu, directed by Lauren J. Peters with musical direction by Daniel Yokomizo. June 4 – 25 at the Dorie Theatre. http://hff16.org/3648

LA’s award-winning “Best Badass Burlesque” show returns with a night of politically incorrect burlesque, The Wrong Show: Trigger Happy, starring Lemi Atom, James Bondage, Moonbow Brite, Dahlia Dimont, Capt. Jack Heartless, Lord Londonbridge, Miss Onyx Nova, Penny Starr, Jr., Panama Red, Leia La Voix, Terry Velour, and Seraphina Wilder. The show runs late nights June 3 – 25 at the Ruby Theater at the Complex.

Now in its 10th year, under the creative direction of award-winning burlesque dancer Penny Starr, Jr., VVH is known for its mix of high glamour and sick sense of humor featuring all manners of genders, races, and sizes. The show has a rotating cast of accomplished stripteasers, comedians, and musicians with featured guest stars like Prince Poppycock, Margaret Cho, Kate Flannery (The Office), Greg Behrendt (He’s Just Not That Into You), and  Vernon Wells (The Road Warrior). http://hff16.org/3438

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Saturday, May 28, 2016

Review: Disney Premieres Gorgeous FROZEN - LIVE AT THE HYPERION

Elsa and Anna. Photo by Piotr A. Redlinski/Disneyland Resort

Frozen fans will be ecstatic with the way Disney has re-imagined its much-loved blockbuster film for the stage, now that the doors to Frozen – Live at the Hyperion are open on the Hollywood backlot of Disney California Adventure. And with its stunning state-of-the-art visual technology and heart-opening theatricality, it’s safe to say that even Uncle Walt would be proud of his studio’s latest creation.   

This idea of openings is woven throughout the show (both in design and story) by director Liesl Tommy, choreographer Christopher Windom, and the creative team who have carefully crafted every detail of Elsa and Anna’s journey.

Enormous panoramic scenic views are created on more than 20 different video surfaces, including a custom curved 2,200 square-foot LED wall on stage and an aurora borealis-inspired curtain so massive it almost completely surrounds the audience. Moving animations breathe life into the space while taking the audience out over the snow-capped mountains and into the mythical kingdom of Arendelle in astonishing detail. Seating capacity in the Hyperion is nearly 2000 so you can imagine the hours that have gone into creating the show’s large effects.

The cast of Frozen. Photo by Scott Brinegar/Disneyland Resort

The one hour and forty-two minute film has been adapted to run under an hour and does so succinctly and quite seamlessly. All of the beloved characters and iconic images have been beautifully realized in their live form, from Anna and her quirky way of putting her foot in her mouth, to Elsa and her shimmering blue gown and icy palace, to Olaf’s dreamy vision of summer, to the playfulness of the rock trolls. The cast is terrific and endlessly enchanting. Suffice it to say there are no unmet expectations in this engaging experience.

Elsa delivers her iconic “Let It Go” number in a breathtaking sequence atop a magnificent ice staircase that revolves out over the audience and Anna and Kristoff’s escape from the wolves ends with an aerial drop that is both thrilling and humorous. Even the villain reveal is executed with an element of surprise that is sure to bring gasps from subsequent audiences just like it did on opening night. 

But for all its spectacle and drama, the show never loses sight of the fact that, at its core, it is a story about two sisters and the love they share. It is their longing to connect that tugs at our heartstrings and touches a universal cord in us all.

Jason Michael Webb has adapted and arranged the movie’s best songs for a cast of 24 from a total of 107 actors who will perform on a rotating schedule. Those songs, so familiar in the animated version, now come to life with even more personality under musical director John Glaudini’s supervision. “Let It Go” may be the most famous of them all but “Love is an Open Door” is the one you’ll walk out singing. Anna’s “Do You Want to Build a Snowman” and Olaf’s “In Summer” are full of fun, and the choral chanting in “Vuelie” is simply gorgeous.

The adorable puppets – including Sven, the reindeer, and snowman Olaf – by Michael Curry (who worked with Julie Taymor on The Lion King) are beyond charming, and the show contains more than 1000 brilliantly colored fanciful costumes by Clint Ramos. Even the detail work on the show’s massive doors is authentic, painted in a Norwegian style of folk art called rosemaling. Welcome to the richly complete world of Arendelle.

With Frozen – Live at the Hyperion, Disney has created a timeless theatrical experience that artfully captures the story’s emotional heart. Full of whimsy, sweet “aww” moments, dancing, drama, and incredible effects and animations, I can’t recommend it highly enough. And since Frozen doesn’t arrive on Broadway until 2018, those looking to ‘let it go’ will do best to head west.

FROZEN – LIVE AT THE HYPERION
Showtimes vary daily
Disney California Adventure
1313 Disneyland Drive, Anaheim, CA 92802

Hans and Anna meet at Anna's Coronation. Photo by Piotr A. Redlinski/Disneyland Resort

Olaf dreams of Summer. Photo by Scott Brinegar/Disneyland Resort

Anna and Elsa. Photo by Piotr A. Redlinski/Disneyland Resort

Kristoff brings Anna to the Trolls. Photo by Scott Brinegar/Disneyland Resort

Young Kristoff and Sven. Photo by Piotr A. Redlinski/Disneyland Resort

Elsa lets it go. Photo by Scott Brinegar/Disneyland Resort

Elsa, Queen Idun and King Agdar. Photo by Piotr A. Redlinski/Disneyland Resort
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Tuesday, May 24, 2016

MUSICAL NEWS for Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Lena Hall in Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Photo credit: Jamie Loeb

MUSICAL NEWS
More big news from the Hollywood Pantages this week: Lena Hall will reprise her Tony Award-winning performance as Yitzhak in the highly anticipated national tour of Hedwig and the Angry Inch coming this fall. She joins Darren Criss on the tour, November 1 – 27, 2016. In addition, Hall will also play the role of Hedwig for one performance a week in San Francisco and Los Angeles. It is rare a Tony Award winner to go on national tour, and historic for the same person to play both Hedwig and Yitzhak.

Book writer John Cameron Mitchell says, “Oh my Goddess, Lena Hall is the only talent I know who could play a brilliant Yitzhak and Hedwig in the same production. Talk about finding your other half. It’s Hedwig history in the making.”

Hall will appear as Hedwig in the following performances: Sunday, Nov 6 at 6:30 pm, Sunday, Nov 13 at 6:30 pm, Sunday, Nov20 at 6:30 pm, and Friday, Nov 25 at 8:00 pm. Tickets are currently only available for purchase with a season package to the Hollywood Pantages 2016-2017 Season. Individual tickets will go on sale to the general public at a later date TBA. www.HollywoodPantages.com


Deaf West Theatre’s Tony-nominated production of Spring Awakening has launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise money for the cast to perform on the Tony Awards June 12. You can read more about their journey at www.GetSpringOnTheTonys.com and help support them. Contributions to Deaf West Theatre's Kickstarter are tax deductible.

“The past few weeks have been a thrill for Deaf West and everyone at Spring Awakening,” said D.J. Kurs, artistic director of Deaf West Theatre. “We are not in the business of theater-making for awards recognition, but being recognized and remembered by the Broadway community, particularly in this season of diversity, is something to treasure,”.

“Our journey to Broadway originally began with a Kickstarter, which funded rehearsals in a tiny church in North Hollywood and performances at the 99-seat Inner City Arts’ Rosenthal Theater in Los Angeles. Now, as a non-profit, Deaf West is looking to our fervent supporters, many of whom supported Spring Awakening’s acclaimed limited run on Broadway, to reunite our far-flung cast for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to perform for the world on the Tony Awards broadcast. There’s just one night a year that theater gets this platform. Our performance will be an undeniable statement to the world that theater is for everyone.”

MORE NEWS FROM THE FRINGE:
Angel’s Flight, a film noir caburlesque comedy written by Matt Ritchey and Benjamin Schwartz, will premiere at Three Clubs cocktail bar, June 4 – 25. The hour-long detective story partners Ritchey and Schwartz with the Cherry Poppins Caburlesque Company, residents at Three Clubs and winners of Hollywood Fringe’s 2015 “Most Orgasmic Performance.”

It’s Los Angeles, 1944. A girl’s gone missing, but L.A. detective Duff McKagan is hot on this swell doll’s trail, barking up the wrong trees and other such noir-ish clichés. But things aren’t always as they seem in the City of Angels, and the chase becomes a downward spiral of betrayal, murder, and the deadliest drug of all: marijuana. Featured in the cast are Schoen Hodges, Sarah Haworth, Allison Miller, David Lee Garver, Michael Onofri, Ben Blonigan, Kelly Stevenson, Rebecca Reaney, Brin Hamlin, Heath Butler, Benjamin Schwartz, Bradley Benz, and Madeleine Heil. For audiences 21 and up. Tickets: http://hff16.org/3353.

Tap Overload is premiering a new original tap dance story show at the Fringe, June 4 – 24 at Sacred Fools Theater Main Stage. Office Beat is a light-hearted, toe tapping, family-friendly dance comedy with original music by Andrew Van Vlear and directed & choreography by Gabe and Mindy Copeland (additional choreography by Dianne Walker and Hiroshi Hamanishi) Tappy workers once happily shuffling through their days are in for a dramatic flap ball change when the arrival of a new Boss brings a strict no tap dance policy.  An office revolt breaks out as everyone unites to bring tap dance back to the office.

Cast includes Maddy Beadle, Clarissa Yoshiko Chun, Gabe Copeland, Mindy Copeland, Hilary Cunningham, Racquel Dirckze, Heidi Drinkward, Erin Esparza, Jimmy Fisher, Mark Marchillo, Aaron Pardini, Brooke Paulsen-Zelus, Gary Roberts, Valerie Rockey and Angela Todaro. Running time: 60 minutes. Tickets: http://hff16.org/3390. For more about the show, visit www.tapoverload.com.

CABARET/CONCERT
The popular concert series A Little New Music moves to Catalina Bar & Grill in Hollywood for its next concert performance on June 27. “We are excited to join the ranks of many Broadway and jazz greats who have created some exceptional musical moments at this Los Angeles institution.,” says ALNM co-founder, Christopher Maikish. “And in that spirit, we invite our audience to experience our innovative series anew at the Catalina, whose motto is, ‘only the best music has to offer.’” Tickets: 323-466-2210 or www.TicketWeb.com. For more info, visit www.alittlenewmusic.org.


An Evening of Classic Broadway returns June 13 to Rockwell Table and Stage with the music of Harold Arlen, Jule Styne, Rodgers & Hart, Lopez, Parker & Stone, Rodgers & Hammerstein, and Menken & Ashman. Join Brad Ellis and Dianne Fraser along with Eydie Alyson, Jennifer Bennett, Will Collyer, Jean Louisa Kelly, Kelly Lester, Scotch Ellis Loring, Kevin McMahon, Jeffrey Scott Parsons, and Jennifer Shelton. Ticket link


The Foundation for New American Musicals presents its next Musi-Cal showcasing outstanding composers, writers, and performers on Monday, June 6, hosted by Richard Israel. The performance will take place at Rockwell Table & Stage and will feature material from:

Marilyn!
Music & additional Lyrics by Gregory Nabours
Book & Lyrics by Tegan Summer
Performed by: Kelley Dorney and Constance Jewell Lopez 

Snow White and the Magnificent Seven
Book, Music & Lyrics by Ronnie Sperling & Chris Halsted
Performed by: Nick St. Maria, Romy Sperling, John Dantona, Stephen Stewart, Judi Stewart, Annie Reznik, and Milli Miereanu.

The Escape Artist (From the short musical anthology A Feast of Snacks
Book, Music & Lyrics by Michael Gordon Shapiro
Performed by: Graydon Schlichter, Lindsay Anne Braverman, Lauren Holiday, Margaret Glaccum, and Carey Matthews.

Leap
Book, Music & Lyrics by Zach Spound
Performed by: Zach Spound, Aly French, Julia Black, and Alexander Pimentel
Welcoming back with new songs from

Alien vs. Musical
Book, Music & Lyrics by Erik Przytulski
Book by Steve Troop
For more info, go to www.lafestival.org.

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Monday, May 23, 2016

MUSICAL NEWS for Monday, May 23, 2016

Alison Woods as Ariel in The LIttle Mermaid.
Photo credit: Bruce Bennett courtesy of Theatre Under The Stars.

MUSICAL NEWS:

La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts presents The Little Mermaid, featuring music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater, book by Doug Wright, June 3 – 26. Musical direction is by Colin R. Freeman, choreography by John MacInnis and the show is directed by Glenn Casale. The cast includes Alison Woods as Ariel, Melvin Abston (Sebastian), Adam Garst (Flounder), Fred Inkley (King Triton), Eric Kunze (Prince Eric), Tracy Lore (Ursula), Jeff Skowron (Chef Louis), Jamie Torcellini (Scuttle), Scott T. Leiendecker (Flotsam), Jeffrey Christopher Todd (Jetsam), and Time Winters (Grimsby) along with Ashley Anderson, Kim Arnett, Kristine Bennett, Marjorie Failoni, Melissa Glasgow, Devon Hadsell, Michael McGurk, Amanda Minano, Dennis O’Bannon, Marco Ramos, Aaron Ronelle, James Shackelford, Brian Steven Shaw and Tro Shaw. www.lamiradatheatre.com


New Musicals Inc. and 3-D Theatricals have announced the cast for their upcoming staged reading of the new musical Invisible, book by David Hollingsworth, lyrics & music by David Orris. The reading will be co-directed by 3-D Theatrical’s artistic director T.J. Dawson and NMI’s artistic director Elise Dewsberry; with music direction by Ron Barnett; sound design by Julie Ferrin; and puppet design by Patricio Wolovich. The show is a John-Hughes-esque musical theatre re-interpretation of the HG Wells classic The Invisible Man with a totally original pop/rock score that takes great joy in paying homage to popular music and popular cultural tropes of the era. Featured in the cast are Michael Thomas Grant, Daniel Amerman, Ashley Argota, Jordan Goodsell, Christie Brooke, Natalie MacDonald, Jay Cramer, Luke Klipp, Luke Matthew Simon, and Daniel Mills.The presentations will take place on Monday, June 6 (8pm) at the Colony Theatre in Burbank; and on Tuesday, June 7 (8pm) at the 3-D Theatricals Rehearsal Hall in Anaheim. Visit www.nmi.org to learn more.

Musical Theatre Guild has announced its 2016-2017 season. For the last twenty years, MTG has presented a wide variety of rarely seen musicals including west coast and Los Angeles premieres from such composers as Stephen Sondheim, Jason Robert Brown, Maury Yeston, and Aherns and Flaherty. MTG also partners with the Los Angeles Music Center’s Education Division to expand their mission of preserving the genre of Musical Theatre by presenting in-school programming to teach a new generation about this original American art form. Season includes:

Sept 25, 2016: Promises, Promises
Nov 13, 2016: The Spitfire Grill
February 2, 2017: Hallelujah, Baby!
May 7, 2017: State Fair
Season tickets go on sale in late June and single tickets will be available in July. All performances take place at the Alex Theatre in Glendale. www.musicaltheatreguild.com

NEWS FROM THE FRINGE:
Acclaimed company Robot Teammate & The Accidental Party returns with the world premiere of their second scripted musical, an epic dystopian comedy titled Thug Tunnel. Somewhere in the not-so-distant-future, greed, pollution, and The Ancient Fire of Death and Despair has made Earth's surface uninhabitable, forcing the human race to survive underground in a criminal society known as Thug Tunnel. No one dares defy the violent rulers Breakin' Necks Becky (Nikki Muller) and Stabby Rick (Dave Reynolds) until a young Tunnelborn named Petunia (Kat Primeau) and her lovesick sidekick Panther (Chris Bramante) decide to make a break for the world above. Aided by (Miles Crosman) an old Tunnel sage, and the phosphorescent Yogurt Stew (Molly Dworsky), Petunia and Panther journey through the Double Darkness, into the Maze of Infinite Confusion, and past the Great Grate to see if life on Earth's surface is possible once again. June 9 – 20 at Sacred Fools Theater Main Stage. http://hff15.org/3671

Book, lyrics, and music were conceived through improvisations and refined during writing sessions with the Robot Teammate ensemble, led by director Molly Dworsky. Musical accompaniment is by Sam Johnides and Branson NeJame plus live band members Matt Campbell, Dan Macken, and Christopher Sousa. For more about Robot Teammate, go to www.robotteammate.com.

Sugimation Productions announces the world premiere of Broadway Noir, created by Dan Sugimoto, the musical director who brought you the CAC Studios shows ChicabaRENT, Project Mayhem and the 2015 Fringe Best in Cabaret & Variety, Thenadier’s Inn #NotLesMis, Broadway Noir is an original musical comedy that reveals the black heart of show biz. Start with your detective tale. Add a few dames. A dash of comedy. A few coppers. Some good, old-fashioned drama. A little song and dance. And finally toss back a few murders for your chaser. That’s the Broadway Noir cocktail, a combination you’re going to want to taste for yourself. Performances take place at Three Clubs, June 2 – 19 (with 2 previews in Santa Monica May 26 & 31). Come dressed in your ‘40s finest! http://hff16.org/3595

A new sci-fi musical comedy The Cure to Mortality by Katy Erin will debut at the Fringe June 11 – 25 at the Asylum @ The McCadden Theater. The futuristic musical farce explores what happens to society when science takes the possibility of eternal life seriously. Erin will also star in the show, along with Molly Gilman (who directs), Sandra Diana Cantu, Mary Ann Pianka, and Brookelyn Rose. Music by Katy Erin and Christoffer Schunk. The show opens with a pay-what-you-can preview on June 5 prior to its run. Tickets: http://hff16.org/3522

Also at the Asylum @ McCadden Theatre, internationally-recognized classical pianist David Wheatley will appear in a genre-defying concert experience, A Useful Life in C Major. Wheatley’s repertoire ranges from classical favorites and original compositions to jazz, country, R&B and everything in between. The performance showcases his versatility at the keyboard as well as the range of the instrument itself. Visits from friends, surprising storytelling, and stand-up comedy make the show elevated enough for adults but friendly for the whole family. June 5 – 26. Tickets: http://hff16.org/3849

Theatre Unleashed is bringing back its critically acclaimed crowd favorite A Feast of Snacks to the Fringe at the Lounge Theater, June 3 – 25. This anthology of four bite-sized comedic musicals written by Michael Gordon Shapiro and directed by Julia Plostnieks, include:

In The Charmed Life (Co-written with Mark Harvey Levine), Margie has experienced unnaturally good luck her entire life. One afternoon she discovers the source of her good luck: a secret admirer, who for years has been covertly making her life better.

In Climb the Smallest Mountain, miniature golf legend Darius “Duke” McGovern seems poised to win his seventh world championship until a competitor finds a loophole in the rules that allows him to disrupt Duke's game.

In HMS Headwind, the merry crewmembers of an 18th century British frigate have one problem: their failure to capture a single enemy vessel.

And in a brand new piece, The Escape Artist, making its world premiere, the overly confident Scotty shows us the ropes of getting out of jury duty…until he meets a stubborn judge and a potential rival. http://hff16.org/3796

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Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Review: The Many Charms of I Only Have Eyes For You

L-R: Constantine Rousouli, Nikki Bohne, Jared Gertner,
Kayla Parker and Justin Michael Wilcox. All photos by Michael Lamont

Lovers of the era of Busby Berkeley movie musicals are getting a double whammy of Golden Age goodness this month with a pair of musicals playing only two blocks from each other in Hollywood. I Only Have Eyes For You is already running at the mid-sized Ricardo Montalban Theatre on Vine and, very shortly, 42nd Street will open at the much larger Hollywood Pantages. Both are inescapably linked by their subject matter.  

The latter is a Tony Award-winning musical based on the 1933 Warner Bros. film that made Ruby Keeler a star, featuring songs by lyricist Al Dubin and composer Harry Warren. The former tells the story of Dubin’s troubled personal and professional life, and includes the back story to 42nd Street among its significant events. The two musicals even share five songs written by Dubin and Warren: “Shuffle Off to Buffalo,” “We’re in the Money,” “Lullaby of Broadway” and both title songs – “42nd Street” and “I Only Have Eyes For You.”

But while 42nd Street has already established itself a winner, the newer I Only Have Eyes For You is still looking to make its mark. Among its charms are a first-rate cast, beautiful period costumes, bright witty choreography, and of course, those wonderful tunes. And with director/choreographer Kay Cole helming the production, every dance number is a gem.

Jared Gertner and Constantine Rousouli

When Al (Jared Gertner) meets Harry Warren (Constantine Rousouli) over oysters in Grand Central Station, they seal the deal on their new partnership with a terrific song-and-dance number, “With Plenty of Money and You,” reminiscent of the old vaudeville buddy acts. A lingerie-clad sweetheart (Valerie Perri) and her three muscle men in turn-of-the-century bathing costumes (Julian DeGuzman, Karl Warden, and Justin Michael Wilcox) brilliantly play the comedy card (one of many in Cole’s dance specialties) during “Mechanical Man,” while Ruby (Kayla Parker) and Syd (DeGuzman) show off their skills in a classic tap “rehearsal” number You’re Getting to be a Habit with Me.

The most beautiful of the bunch is the opening of Act II which pairs Dubin’s long-suffering wife Helen (Nikki Bohne) singing “Painting the Clouds with Sunshine” with two dancers (Kim Taylor and Warden) performing an exquisite pas de deux behind her. Even the scene changes offer up snippets of personality with dancing waiters and porters rolling on set pieces and tapping off into the wings. It’s a given that the big numbers like “42nd Street” and “Lullaby of Broadway” will provide even larger doses of pizzazz.

Karl Warden and Kim Taylor

What is still not yet fully fleshed out is the connective tissue; the story between those classic songs and remarkable dance numbers. The framing device for this bio-musical is unclear, beginning initially with Helen telling the story but that idea is quickly abandoned. Subsequent vignettes offer the bullet points of Dubin’s life and the obsessions that tortured him, but bookwriters Jerry Leichtling and Arlene Sarner don’t always achieve a natural flow between the elements. 

Sometimes it is a case of inserting the wrong song, as when Dubin returns after a 4-day bender only to find he’s been replaced as Warren’s writing partner by Johnny Mercer. They argue and, after Dubin leaves, Warren sings “Don’t Give Up the Ship” a song about not giving up on a friend…after it looks like he’s given up on his friend. At other times, the lead-in to, or transition out of, a song doesn’t serve the story, or a scene simply stops for the next number, as in the cut to the finale. Either way, crafting a book to go with a set of pre-existing songs is like putting together a puzzle. When the pieces fit, the picture is divine but you can always tell when the edges don’t line up.

Regardless of those challenges, the cast really delivers the goods. The role of Al Dubin appears tailor-made for Gertner who is sweet, charming, infuriating, and absolutely wonderful in the role. His eleven o’clock number “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” is a film noir-inspired showstopper and Gertner delivers the dramatic turn beautifully. Bohne possesses a lovely soprano voice that adds depth to her winsome appeal and Rousouli is extremely likable as Dubin’s most significant professional relationship.
Julian DeGuzman and Kayla Parker

The famous personalities that populate Dubin’s world are also brought to life by a group of dynamic entertainers. Kayla Parker is a breath of fresh air as Ruby Keeler, the tap dancing starlet who married Al Jolson, played by Justin Michael Wilcox. Jolson’s sound was unmistakable and Wilcox has his vocals down to a T. In fact, musical director Gerald Sternbach has achieved something rare with this production. The individual voices, and resulting overall character of the show’s sound, completely recreates the classic movie musical sound of the ’30s and ‘40s. It’s stylistically consistent with the genre throughout – from orchestra to vocals to sound design (Cricket Myers at her finest once again) – and that alone is a delight.
Elijah Rock and dancers

There are also strong performances by Elijah Rock as charismatic jazz singer and bandleader Cab Calloway, Robert Pieranunzi as the great showman Busby Berkeley, and Valerie Perri, who has perfected the art of a Jewish mother’s guilt, as Dubin’s mother.

One other element of the production design bears special mention. Much like Sternbach has captured the sound of movies, so, too, has lighting designer Brandon Baruch captured the style of visual richness you can only find in film. At times, the stage would take on a glow that was absolutely sublime. One beautiful example is the way he lit Helen during the reprise of “September in the Rain.” The combination of her vintage red gown, a simple gold tablecloth and chairs, and a floor to ceiling blue curtain somehow all melted together under the lights to create a breathtaking effect. The gorgeous costumes are by Debra McGuire and stylish set pieces are by John Iacovelli.

In many ways the show feels like a vintage love letter to the Golden Age of film. It bridges the period before and after the stock market crash, from Broadway to Hollywood, vaudeville song and dance to Tinseltown talkies, and that makes for a wonderfully happy night at the theatre. There’s work to be done but still much to love.
Jared Gertner

Nikki Bohne and Jared Gertner

Nikki Bohne, Valerie Perri and Jared Gertner

Act I Finale - 42nd Street

Nikki Bohne

The finale of  I Only Have Eyes For You

I ONLY HAVE EYES FOR YOU
May 10 – June 12, 2016
Montalban Theatre
1615 Vine Street
Hollywood, CA 
Tickets: 323-461-6999 or www.flavorus.com
Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 8pm; Saturdays at 2pm & 8pm; Sundays at 3pm

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