All in Musical
Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia mounts an impressive and solid production of Kander and Ebb’s “The Scottsboro Boys”, a satirical minstrel show presentation of the harrowing story of one of the most disgraceful episodes in American history. Musical theatre fans in the D.C.-metro area should flock to this regional premiere of an extraordinary and underappreciated musical. It’s an important “must see” of the season, and well-worth the visit.
The Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Connecticut presents a first rate production of “The Will Rogers Follies” starring a perfectly-cast David Lutken; marvelously staged, choreographed, and designed, this high-energy 1991 bio-musical—performed as a Ziegfeld Follies revue—was brilliantly crafted by Broadway greats Cy Coleman, Betty Comden, Adolph Green, and Peter Stone, and feels every bit as lavish in the intimacy of this venue as any show does on Broadway.
“Unexpected Joy”, a new musical at the York Theatre Company, contains several unexpected joys: a groovy, folk rock score, an intriguing original story mining contemporary themes, and a quartet of strong female vocal performances; and some unfortunate faults: a script and direction lacking dynamism, stereotypical characters and sitcom-deep dialogue, and a pat ending. The whole show feels dated and unrealistic, with an “agree to disagree” closing message about LGBT equality that I found troubling.
“Me and My Girl” is a fizzy, frothy, and funny British musical from the 1930s, updated in the 1980s, presented with period pizzazz as part of City Center’s Encores! concert series. With a fancifully simple story and charming, if forgettable score, this show offers pure lighthearted escapism. If you’re looking to think, skip it, otherwise, serious musical theatre fans should catch this chance to see a classic.
A roundup look at three shows that opened Off-Broadway in April. Roundabout’s “Bobbie Clearly” struggles with tone while the Public’s “Miss You Like Hell” is lovely but muted. I highly recommend MCC Theater’s stunning “Transfers”.
“Summer: The Donna Summer Musical” is a flat and soulless jukebox tribute to the “Queen of Disco” that disgraces the genre she created by offering thin orchestrations, inauthentic choreography, and a song listing that includes too many obscure cuts from later in her career. LaChanze’s radiant performance is not enough to salvage this joyless and unfocused show. Save your money and listen to Summer’s iconic songs instead.
Lincoln Center Theater delivers a grand, first rate, feminist revival of Lerner and Loewe’s classic musical, “My Fair Lady”. Perfectly keyed to this moment while honoring the greatness of its text and score, director Bartlett Sher hits another home run, and Lauren Ambrose and Harry Hadden-Paton give smashing, revolutionary performances as Eliza Doolittle and Professor Higgins. A great revival of a great musical to end the season on a high note.
Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Carousel” is back on Broadway in a big, bold, and beautiful new production that is both soaringly operatic and heart-wrenchingly intimate, thanks to a quintet of smashing principal performances, stunning choreography, enchanting sets, and a generously sized orchestra. Great musicals of the golden age deserve to be seen; pay a visit to this glorious “Carousel”.
Tina Fey’s “Mean Girls” the musical is a triumphant burst of high-energy fun, artfully written and brilliantly executed. This stage adaption is every bit as funny as the now-iconic 2004 film, and even more effective at delivering its message of self-confidence and kindness, thanks to good writing, great design, a boffo cast, and the guiding hand of director/choreographer Casey Nicholaw. In a season of too few musicals, “Mean Girls” is a standout.
“Goldstein” is an intimate, delightful, and tender new musical about familial bonds amid changing times; excellent performances and a classic 1960s musical theatre score make up for a lackluster book and underwhelming production values. Still, it is sweet, heartwarming, and relatable.
The Bengsons follow up on “Hundred Days” with another musical docu-concert, “The Lucky Ones”, which serves as a sort of prologue or prequel. Abundantly surprising, deeply intimate, and simply gorgeous, they have created another wonderful show that brims with rawness, honesty, and humanity.
“Grand Hotel, The Musical” is a glorious gem from 1989, now presented in a full out, Broadway-quality production with a roster of superb performances that weave an evocative, sumptuous, and highly entertaining visit to 1928 Berlin. This is arguably the best production Encores! has presented since “Chicago” in 1996, and deserves a Broadway transfer. See it now so you can say you saw it when!
