Oscar E Moore

Natalie Toro – the versatile “Diva Toro” does it all – beautifully: Broadway (A Tale of Two Cities) Cabaret (The Metropolitan Room) and Recordings that capture her clarion belt and distinctive vocals.

With her new CD – JUST IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS – Natalie shows a softer, more traditional and funny side to her recording persona.  It’s almost a mini-CD as there are only seven tracks – BUT seven is a lucky number and it’s the quality and not the quantity that counts here.

The title track – “Just in Time for Christmas” is a haunting and lovely song that should become a classic as sung here.  With a great arrangement, a softer Toro begins the number; then soars in volume and emotion with her beautiful belt.

Starting a cappella with Native American flutes as backup Natalie adds a fresh interpretation of the old standard “The Christmas Song” giving it new life.  We’ve all heard it before dozens and dozens of times, but not like this.

Sharing “Baby It’s Cold Outside” with Ryan Kelly results it a nice balance of their voices and the arrangement will melt any ice cycles and get your juices bubbling.  It’s perky and fun.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBLYyZCGA2U

“Ave Maria/O Holy Night” is a brilliant interpretation of these two traditional songs.  With sweet tones, beautiful phrasing, perfect enunciation and a big “Toro” finish that is a declaration and celebration of the birth of Christ without losing the wonder of it all.

“Once Upon a Christmas Song” is new to me and lots of fun.  Using children as back-up and a catchy repeated chorus (over and over and over) like many of the melodies we are used to hearing during the holiday season, this is a jolly tune with a surprise ending!

“Our First Christmas Together” is an up tempo change of pace that will get your toes a tapping and the final track on this delightful CD “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” has Jon Secada joining Natalie in a bossa nova type arrangement with James Lum on Guitar and Ivan Zervigon on Cajon and Percussion that adds a hot Latin accent to the show.  And it is a grand, joyous Christmas show not merely a CD.  Happy Holidays! Enjoy!

Produced by Dawn Makay JUST IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS is the perfect stocking stuffer that will delight one and all and to all a good night.

www.NatalieToro.com

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A cornucopia of festive holiday delights “hard, sticky and sweet” are awaiting to tempt you into submission when you attend (and I strongly suggest that you do) this delicious concoction called NUTCRACKER ROUGE at the Minetta Lane Theatre – a voyeur’s fantasy come true created by the multi-talented Austin McCormick who has conceived, choreographed and directed his troupe of versatile actors/dancer/acrobats – COMPANY XIV.

In this riff on Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker that is unlike any Nutcracker I’ve ever seen there isn’t an enormous Mouse King but an enormous faux penis decorating the lower limbs of Mr. Takacs, the narrator, who also wrote the script loosely inspired by E.T.A. Hoffman.

Part Burlesque, part Baroque and part Nutcracker this entertainment starts the minute you arrive at the theatre.  There is a holiday spirit alive in the lobby with the aroma of pine wreaths wafting through the air as the patrons of Club Company XIV have a cocktail and await the commencement of this surprising show that allows you a second drink during the break between the acts.

The pre-recorded music ranges from Piaf to Vivaldi to “If I Knew You Were Comin’ I’d’ve Baked a Cake” to the lush music of The Nutcracker.  The fog induced, dream like atmosphere allows us to see what Marie-Claire (a fantastic Laura Careless) sees as she gracefully weaves through the various acts in her Baroque period gown being tempted and seduced by Drosselmeyer (Jeff Takacs – a burly bear of a man) who has given Marie-Claire the infamous nutcracker.

Mrs. Drosselmeyer (Shelly Watson) is the amusing co-host emcee in this extravaganza.  She changes her elaborate costumes (Zane Pihlstrom) often (in the wings) and sings with a strong voice channeling Sophie Tucker and Garland as she introduces such acts as “The Licorice Boys”  “Turkish Delight” (an amazing Nicolas Maffey with an amazing body and amazing gymnastic skills), “Peppermint Candy Cane” (Courtney Giannone – who does wonders with a large hoop twirling herself around and around within it) and the “corps de gorgeous young men” who are cross dressed in corsets, Louis XIV heels and minute bejeweled jock straps exposing their posteriors for full bubble butt effect.

There are strippers too.  Wearing sparkling pasties.  What would burlesque be without strippers and their pasties?  In NUTCRACKER ROUGE they all have a gimmick that will set you a drooling and a twinkling.  A terrific and lovely Katrina Cunningham does just that.

The piece de resistance is a show stopping sexy and scintillating pas de deux danced by the up-to-this-point-demure Marie-Claire and her Prince, Alexander Hille.  Together they are sensational.  Austin McCormick’s choreography is at its best here.  He has a distinctive style that is innovative and unusual.  Laura Careless and Alexander Hille deserve the cheers that great them at show’s end.  This alone is worth the price of admission ($39.00 – 79.00 Premium 99.00).  No one under 16 will be admitted.

If NUTCRACKER ROUGE doesn’t brighten up your holidays and get your jollies jingling nothing will. Tchaikovsky would have loved this naughty and sublime production packed with sugar and spice and so will you.

Through Jan 5^th

For a sneak preview:  http://vimeo.com/78924041 Photos:  Phillip Van Nostrand

www.companyXIV.com http://www.NutcrackerRouge.com

NOTE:  The cast includes Laura Careless as Marie-Claire, Jeff Takacs as Monsieur Drosselmeyer, Shelly Watson as Madame Drosselmeyer, circus artists Rose Bonjo, Courtney Giannone, Nicolas Maffey and Benn Mendoza, and dancers Marisol Cabrera, Katrina Cunningham, Molly Griffin, Jakob Karr, Nicholas Katen, Kana Kimura, Tyler Philips, Davon Rainey and Alison Ulrich.

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With all due respect to the powers that be at Lincoln Center, their very dark and dreary production of MACBETH at the Vivian Beaumont directed by Jack O’Brien and starring Ethan Hawke is a nightmare.  Some of it on purpose, but most of it not.  Take a look at all the empty seats and you know something’s rotten in Dunsinane long before Birnam forest arrives.

Enunciation and projection.  Two very important qualities that are missing from Ethan Hawke’s portrayal.  The other being a believable character.  He can rant and rave but he is much too contemporary in an otherwise period production that at times seems to be channeling The Hobbit with bombastic music by Mark Bennett.

One would think that if Ethan Hawke took the time to memorize all those words that he would want to share them with us – so that we could at least hear what he has to say.  The coughs coming from the audience are so much clearer.

Lady Macbeth (Anne-Marie Duff) has her own vocal problems.  She is truly British, with a sharp accent which stands out like a sore thumb as she garbles most of her speeches.

To boot, there is an absence of chemistry between the two supposedly hot for each other, treacherous and ambitious villains no matter how much they grope each other.

The three witches.  Played by men.  As they would have been played in the time of Shakespeare.  Only here they do not work as well as the men playing women in the Old Globe productions of Twelfth Night and Richard III.

Byron Jennings, Malcolm Gets and John Glover get to camp it up as they proclaim their prophesies to Macbeth and Banquo (an excellent Brian d’Arcy James) that set this tragedy in motion, whetting the appetite of Macbeth and his wife to commence their killing spree to become King and Queen of Scotland.

Mr. Glover, doubling as the Porter, has an unfortunate “Knock, Knock” sequence that attempts to include an unwilling audience (house lights up) with the stupid joke.

In time (seeming like many hours later) Macbeth is warned to “beware Macduff” (a terrific Daniel Sunjata who has the voice and presence lacking in so many of the other actors sharing the cavernous space that appears to be a dark and ominous sound stage – under Mr. O’Brien’s cinematic and misguided direction).

The always dependable Richard Easton makes for a fine Duncan, King of Scotland and could give some of his co-actors some tips in performing a Shakespearean tragedy not a Shakespearean nightmare.

www.lct.org Through Jan 12^th

^{Photos:  T. Charles Erickson}

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Terrence McNally’s newest play written as a gift to The Pearl Theatre Company for its 30^th Anniversary could be subtitled – backstage stories across the centuries.  In 100 minutes straight through with six versatile actors Mr. McNally extols the virtues and pitfalls of the acting profession warts and all from the Greeks to Present Day, with pit stops back and forth in time to Russia, London, France and Florida that take place backstage on a congested set designed by Sandra Goldmark that evokes every theatre’s backstage rehearsal area that had me asking “Where’s Waldo?”

Props.  Hanging light fixtures.  Costumes.  Wigs.  Sound equipment.  Even a bust of The Bard himself.  And masks.  The all important mask that the first thespians wore.

Even today without an actual mask actors become someone else and here they become a slew of people – actors, of course, but also a cleaning lady, a patron of the arts, a wife of a star and a board member among others making for a concept that is always interesting, sometimes amusing but ultimately coming off as a glorified fundraiser for the beleaguered theatres of today.  Which is a very good thing.

Jack Cummings III of the wonderful Transport Group guest directs.  And he does what he does best.  Directs and coaches actors to be all those other people.  And he has an excellent group here as they are introduced to us one by one, kissing the stage paying homage to it and then telling us their favorite and least favorite part played and a personal tidbit of themselves.  And then,  Away We Go.

It’s an insider’s look at what actors have to deal with and that most of the time they do what they do out of love.  Not much has changed over the centuries, except for the fact that women are now allowed on stage.

Nothing and no one is safe from the wry observations and barbs of Mr. McNally.  From his salient views of a board member to Edward Albee’s ego and Becket’s infamous “Waiting for Godot” – all fall victim to Mr. McNally’s view of theatre albeit with love.

My favorite episode is that of the disaster of “Waiting for Godot” starring Bert Lahr in Florida where Donna Lynn Champlin portrays Mrs. Lahr.  In fact all her other characters are spot on with a finale of seeing each of them one right after another as she exits and enters through a door with split second comic timing and a scarf.

There is also a scene of a young gay man dying which is tender and emotional that honors those many actors stricken with AIDS.  It’s jarring although nicely played by all.

The other stellar members of the cast include Rachael Botchan, Dominic Cuskern, Sean McNall, Carol Schultz and newcomer Mr. Micah Stock making an auspicious Off – Broadway debut (he’s quite excellent) in this world premiere by the renowned Terrence McNally.

Through December 15^th www.pearltheatre.org Photo:  Al Foote III

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A grand theatrical spectacle has been lovingly imported from London with the all-male Shakespeare’s Globe repertory productions of TWELFTH NIGHT and RICHARD III for sixteen weeks only – so you had better brush up your Shakespeare (www.SparkNotes.com) and high tail it over to the Belasco Theatre where they are performing these marvelous marathon plays.

Arrive early and stay late and you might even be able to bring home one of the hundred candles that illuminate the stage for a charitable donation to Broadway Cares.  You will be enthralled by these two luscious productions done as they would have been performed in the time of Shakespeare – with the men playing the parts of the women – playing them straight so to speak – without camping it up at all.  You’ll be amazed.

There are seats available on both sides of the stage in two tier galleries.  Seven musicians face the audience high up on another level playing period instruments that add a most festive flavor to the proceedings where the music by Claire van Kampen takes us back in time.

As you enter the-perfect-for-these-productions Belasco Theatre the actors are preparing – applying make-up and being helped into their authentic costumes that have to be laced up and buttoned.  They are beautifully designed by Jenny Tiramani (hats, ruffs and crowns included) who is also responsible for the unit set that has two sets of very active doorways.

Two of the unlit six chandeliers are lowered, the house lights dimmed a bit and the tapers are lit, then the chandeliers are raised as we are about to be given two of the best gifts to America from England ever.

There are six performances of TWELFTH NIGHT a week and two of RICHARD III as the comedy is more accessible than the tragedy although attending both will afford you the luxury of seeing the actors in different roles.  If so desired you can overdose and see both on Wednesday and Saturday.  The period dance finale/curtain call of each is staged so beautifully that you will leave elated with a newfound admiration for the profession that brings written characters to life – that of the actor.

This is how Shakespeare should be done.  With no updates and no gimmicks.  Just pure language, pure emotions and pure entertainment.  With a great array of acting talent that cannot be matched, headed by Mr. Mark Rylance who portrays Olivia (seemingly floating across the stage as she begins to thaw and fall for a boy who is a girl played by a boy and a limping, deformed Richard III who with gleeful malice kills all those in his way to the throne – seeming to say – look how audacious I can be with a wink and a sob) along with a company of actors that redefines “ensemble”.

You will delight in everyone’s performance.  But I must point out an exceptional Paul Chahidi as Maria/Hastings, Samuel Barnett as Viola/Queen Elizabeth, Liam Brennan as Orsino/Clarence, Angus Wright as Sir Andrew Aguecheek/Duke of Buckingham, Joseph Timms as Sebastian/ Lady Anne/Grey, Colin Hurley as Sir Toby Belch and Stephen Fry as the put upon Malvolio who vows to seek revenge on those that have humiliated him.

Tim Carroll has directed both superbly.  TWELFTH NIGHT is a great comedy and RICHARD III a much more complicated and darker tragedy with more humor than you can imagine.  They are not to be missed by aficionados of Shakespeare and anyone else looking to experience a one of a kind extremely special theatrical event.

www.ShakespeareBroadway.com Photos:  Joan Marcus

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At the Walter Kerr Theatre members of the D’Ysquith family are being knocked off – one by one – in this sparkling new, wacky, witty and just plain wonderful new musical A GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER based on a 1907 novel by Roy Horniman and brought to vibrant life so that we may enjoy these murders by newcomers Steven Lutvak (music and lyrics) and Robert L. Freedman (book and lyrics).  It is absolutely refreshing to see and hear some new voices on Broadway.  The score is tuneful and the book and lyrics smart and very, very funny.

With a stage set within the stage set cleverly designed by Alexander Dodge that allows the action to unfold when the curtain rises on each scene and then falls with a striking tableau, it is reminiscent of a Punch and Judy English Music Hall presentation of a Gilbert and Sullivan musical of an Agatha Christie multiple murder crime mystery.

Although we know whodunit or who is going to do it and we know why as the would be murderer awaits with bated breath as do we for the hysterical opportunities to arise so that he can do them in, in order that he can become the next Earl of Highhurst.  But I’m getting ahead of myself so excited was I after seeing this exuberant musical.

Monty Navarro (Bryce Pinkham a super triple threat actor) has just discovered through an old family friend Miss Shingle (a delightful and sassy Jane Carr) that his just departed mom was disinherited by the wealthy and powerful D’Ysquith family as she married for love and not position and that he, Monty Navarro is a D’Ysquith and in line to become Earl one day.  The only problem is that there are eight others before him and so he decides to knock them off one by one.  Each in a surprising and delicious way.

An exceptional Jefferson Mays plays each of these characters with wild abandon in a tour de force performance rivaled only by his equally exceptional co-star Mr. Pinkham.  What an exceptional pair they make.

As if the murders were not enough Monty has to balance his love life between the vain Sibella Hallward (Lisa O’Hare) and the lovely Phoebe D’Ysquith (Lauren Worsham) both of whom are more than the sum of their parts.  They partake in two numbers “I’ve Decided to Marry You” and “That Horrible Woman” that are scrumptious.

The period costumes by Linda Cho are pitch perfect (look for the fox tails on Lady Eugenia’s (a great Joanna Glushak) bustle.  The many quick changes of Mr. Mays are baffling to behold.  The show backstage must be as interesting and amusing as the show itself that is impeccably directed by Darko Tresnjak Artistic Director of Hartford Stage that along with The Old Globe brings us this inspired production.

Murder might be nothing to laugh at but with A GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER one can’t help oneself.  Will Monty, charming rogue that he is, get caught?

There are laughs and unexpected surprises right up until the final moments in this sublime crime spree.  Beyond highly recommended.

www.agentlemansguidebroadway.com Photos:  Joan Marcus

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In 2006 Alison Bechdel’s graphic memoir FUN HOME – A family tragicomic was published and immediately became a sensation, recounting her rearing in rural Pennsylvania with her two brothers under the tyrannical rule of their father Bruce who was a strict disciplinarian and English teacher who ran the local funeral home and her put upon mother a would be thespian who also taught school.

As it turns out Alison discovers she is a lesbian who follows her dream of becoming a cartoonist and while in college discovers that dad is fooling around with men and young boys and that mom knew all too well what was happening.  And then dad was hit by a truck and died which everyone supposed was a suicide.

And now at The Public Theater is an unsettling, uncomfortable yet always interesting chamber musical based on this book FUN HOME – which was anything but.

The painfully honest libretto is by Lisa Kron.  It is sharp and warm and funny.  She also wrote the lyrics to the music of Jeanine Tesori which sounds heavily influenced by Sondheim.  But there is only one Sondheim.  At times, when she finds her own voice her music soars especially when Alison finds herself falling in love with Joan and sings about changing her major to sex with Joan which is a high point in this production where Alison is portrayed by three women.

Our guide, the older Alison (Beth Malone) who is omnipresent along with her sketch pad is somewhat cold and distant.  Then there is the child – Small Alison (Sydney Lucas) precocious and not caring about dresses or barrettes – just wanting to draw.  And finally Medium Alison- Al (a delightful Alexandra Socha) trying to find herself and trying to fit in at college where she finds Joan (Roberta Colindrez) and falls hard.

Michael Cerveris (Bruce) has the difficult job of portraying an intensely unlikable but charming, complicated and conflicted closet queen who sneaks out at night to cruise and who hires a hunky guy Roy (Joel Perez) to help him refurbish his Victorian home and to play with.

Alison’s two brothers are on the sideline and seem to be there to fill out the production numbers to help lighten the seriousness of the piece.  Playing in coffins and spoofing the Partridge Family for instance.

This is a family in disarray with lots of secrets and lies that unfold in song.  A terrific Judy Kuhn (Helen – long suffering mother) has a gut wrenching number that she delivers with about to explode restraint magnificently.

What happened to Joan?  She isn’t anywhere to be found with the older Alison as she sketches and tries to understand her father and herself on the large stage that at times dwarfs the intimacy of the story.  The sound system (Kai Harada) could also be better as there seems to be an echo effect happening where we miss some of the dialogue.  It appears that one side of the audience responds better than the other.

Sam Gold, the director, manages to balance the comedy and the tragedy extremely well blending the past and present that sometimes is blurred but you won’t come out of FUN HOME happy or humming.

Extended through December 29^th

www.publictheater.org Photos:  Joan Marcus

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Behind the diminutive, jovial and blunt exterior of iconic sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer is a wealth of emotional information that is brought to the surface in Debra Jo Rupp’s earthy, funny and touching portrait of the woman who beat all odds to become one of radio and television’s most popular celebrities with her frank and honest and often witty remarks regarding sex with an unmistakable accent that shot her to fame.

In BECOMING DR. RUTH, beautifully crafted by Mark St. Germain and directed with a keen insight into character and pace by Julianne Boyd that is now in performance at the Westside Theatre (Upstairs) Debra Jo Rupp (from That 70s Show) captures the essence and the heart of that little woman who could – her courage, her intellect and her perseverance.

Preparing to move out of her Washington Heights apartment (nicely detailed by Brian Prather) that she had shared with her third husband Fred for thirty six years (recently deceased) – and two children – packing up boxes of books and family photos and a collection of turtles she interrupts her phone conversation by telling the person on the other end of the line that she has “guests” – gesturing to the audience – and immediately we are drawn into her story.  A story told with great wit and wisdom.  Projections by Daniel Brodie) giving a theatrical flair to this feisty woman’s tale of survival and success.

When Hitler arrived in her homeland and her parents were carted off, little Ruth was sent to Switzerland where they were accepting Jewish children.  It is a harrowing tale told on the brink of tears but tears are withheld because German Jews don’t cry.  They smile as her Grandmother taught her to do and make the best out of every situation and to take advantage of any and all opportunities that may arise, which she did in abundance – all the way to becoming Dr. Ruth.

Loving to sing and dance (she had a terrible singing voice) she educated herself by watching Shirley Temple movies and reading True Confessions.  And receiving scholarships.

Discovering that she was a romantic and attracted to handsome men she also learned about sex early on which ultimately led her to writing books on sex, inventing a sexual board game, and giving advice on a radio show that became a huge hit where she dispensed information on the size of ones penis, masturbation, and oral sex.  She shied away from S&M and bestiality (as she wasn’t a vet).

Dr. Ruth also collected doll houses.  They represented family for her.  A family that was torn apart.  With her neat and ordered houses she could control that which she never was able to do.  It’s a very telling and moving moment conveyed honestly by the consummate performer Debra Jo Rupp.

I won’t spoil any more of the delicious tidbits conveyed in this fine production but will leave them for you to discover when you see it first hand.

A Barrington Stage Company production.  Photos:  Carol Rosegg

www.BecomingDoctorRuth.com

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MURDER FOR TWO, a way over the top whodunit featuring an appealing straight man of sorts Brett Ryback as a cop (Marcus) investigating the murder of famous New England novelist Mr. Arthur Whitney and Jeff Blumenkrantz of mobile face and nimble limbs as all the endless eccentric suspects – male and female – young and old – prissy and gruff – including a twelve member boys’ choir has seemingly led a charmed life.

After a sold out run at Second Stage Theatre Uptown this past summer at the McGinn-Cazale Theatre where it garnered glowing reviews MURDER FOR TWO written by Joe Kinosian (Book & Music) and Kellen Blair (Book & Lyrics) has reopened at New World Stages 5 where both actors are first seen vying for dominance over who is going to play the grand piano center stage.

Your delight with the material will depend on your willingness to just go with the flow and not care if it doesn’t really make any sense at all and how much you will admire the virtuosic tickling of the ivories by both men.

Arthur Whitney has been murdered.  Has he been shot?  Or stabbed?  Or poisoned?  It’s a moot point as his unseen body is dead on the floor with his wife caring more about who stole the ice cream?

All of the suspects can be found in the various novels that Mr. Whitney has written.  Also unseen strewn across the floor.  The cop on the scene (Brett Ryback/Marcus) wants to solve the crime so that he can be promoted to Detective by “Chief” who checks in every so often on a cell phone (the cell phone ringing is a running gag that annoys Mr. Blumenkrantz to distraction and soon becomes dreary).

Marcus is also looking for a friend as his ex-partner and he had been mixing business with hanky-panky and she left leaving him forlorn.  Enter the niece of Whitney, Steph, who wants to take her place.  And help solve the mystery.

There is also a psychiatrist, a bickering old couple, a ballerina and three kids from the aforementioned choir.  As good as Blumenkrantz is at changing his voice to accommodate these suspects it becomes difficult to follow with the result being that you don’t care who did it in this material that is spread wafer thin and directed at break neck speed by Scott Schwartz.

Props on the back wall that look like clues from the board game CLUE remain unused on the wall of the drab back stage set designed by Beowulf Boritt.

What I ultimately appreciated was the dedicated hard work of the actors and the skills displayed by their four hand finale – that appears to have been influenced?  adapted?  ripped off?  from an old Victor Borge bit that still resonates.

Extended Through March 16th 2014  Photos:  Joan Marcus

www.MurderForTwoMusical.com

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Elegant and sassy.  Exuberant, stylish, optimistic and filled to capacity with tunes that will set your feet a tapping and your heart a racing, The Cotton Club is alive and well and stomping and splitting and sliding and singing – making the Brooks Atkinson Theatre the new Jazz Mecca to head for to be thoroughly entertained by AFTER MIDNIHT – a new musical revue expertly directed and choreographed by Warren Carlyle.  It’s ninety minutes of pure joy emceed by Dule Hill with short poetic narrative by Langston Hughes and music direction by Wynton Marsalis.

The country may have been deep in the depression but at The Cotton Club in Harlem where only whites could see some of the best black performers around everything was bubbly, glamorous, happy and filled with hope – even when singing the blues.

AFTER MIDNIGHT is a spectacular production any way you look at it.  A celebration of The Cotton Club’s music and performers.  That lone, leaning lamp post is deceiving but once it is lit the stage comes to vivid, colorful life with a 17 piece on stage band (The Jazz at Lincoln Center All Stars) playing Harold Arlen, Duke Ellington, Dorothy Fields, Ethel Waters and Cab Calloway to the hilt on a unit set by John Lee Beatty that along with lighting designer Howell Binkley changes color to adapt to the phenomenal costumes by Isabel Toledo making her Broadway debut.  And what a debut it is.

The last time a fashion designer did costumes for a musical (and I may be wrong) but I think it was Donald Brooks for NO STRINGS starring Diahann Carroll and Richard Kiley and they were lovely.  Ms. Toledo’s costumes are original, whimsical and to die for.

Warren Carlyle has outdone himself with choreography that is imaginative, contemporary and breathtaking.  Without as much as a word he can convey a story through dance.  Tap, boogie, athletic, funny, strenuous, jive and street smart are all covered with dancers that can execute the moves beautifully.  “Peckin” is destined to become a classic with “specialty” numbers aplenty.

Making a star entrance as “Special guest Star” is Fantasia Barrino and she does not disappoint.  She is wondrous.  Looking fabulous (tats and all) and singing her heart out with “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love”  “Stormy Weather” and “On The Sunny Side of the Street” she simmers with every note.

Wonderful comic relief is supplied by Adriane Lenox with two witty numbers “Women Be Wise” and “Go Back Where You Stayed Last Night”.

Featured dancers/singers Karine Plantadit, Julius “iGlide” Chisolm, Virgil “Lil’ O” Gadson and Jared Grimes and Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards – oh they are all terrifically talented.  GO GO GO.  Even a funeral is cause for celebration!

There are songs that I had never heard and want to hear again.  There are “verses” sung.  Verses that are a thing of the past but will now be introduced to a new generation of theatergoers to be loved and appreciated.  What an outstanding production!  Conceived by Jack Viertel.  Thank you.

www.AfterMidnightBroadway.com Photos:  Matthew Murphy

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