Oscar E Moore

Romeo and Hamlet.  Doesn’t the title say it all?  I mean this play is part of GAYFEST NYC 2010.  And writers R. Jonathan Chapman and Kevin Stefan have concocted a combination of Shakespeare’s tragedies Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet, put both scripts into a mix-master and come up with what is supposed to be a clever revisionist story that has Hamlet (Craig Wesley Divino) about to marry Juliet (Ellen Adair) who acts as if she is mad Ophelia and Romeo meeting Juliet at the ball that Claudius (Peter Reznikoff) is throwing in honor of his new marriage to Gertrude (Kate Levy).  Wherein Romeo falls instantly in love with the lovely Juliet.  But that instant has not enough time to take root when Romeo ogles Hamlet and falls as instantly in love with him.  And never the twain shall meet.

Under the direction of Sidney J. Burgoyne, who under normal circumstances and with a better script to work with does an excellent job, seems to be adrift at sea, the same body of water that poor Juliet drowns in because no one can swim to save her life.  He has chosen to liven things up between the many scenes by playing selections from West Side Story and a version of “All The Way” which opens Act II with Hamlet and Romeo awakening after a wild night of who knows what – they don’t go all the way in undressing – all the more the pity!

Are we to take this as a tragedy?  Or a comedy?  It seems to want the best of both worlds and winds up somewhere in the murky in between.   The authors’ intention to write a story of “marriage equality”  gets lost within the arch faux Shakespearean dialogue, contemporary references and actual words spoken from one of the Bard’s characters that is originally spoken by another –  i.e. Hamlet while looking for Romeo “Romeo, Romeo wherefore art thou Romeo?”  There are enough variations on the “to be or not to be” to make your head spin.  There are double entendres flying around like ping pong balls and women playing traditional men’s roles.  Quite a mix up in that mix master.

Juliet does fine.  Gertrude, who doubles as Friar Laurence ready to marry the two heroes takes first place in the acting department.  Her bag full of ways to kill Claudius is truly funny and the highlight of an otherwise tepid production.

But the whole point of this festival is that all proceeds go to the Harvey Milk Scholarship Fund – for the Harvey Milk School “a voluntary NYC public high school focused on the educational needs of teenagers who are in crises or at risk of physical violence and/or emotional harm in traditional educational environment.”  It’s a great cause.  So even if Shakespeare revisited is not your cup of tea you can donate.  Or you could go see the show and prove that this reviewer is all wet.  

www.GAYFESTNYC.com  

Tickets $18.00 at the June Havoc Theatre – Abingdon Theatre Arts Complex through May 16^th.  Please check out their other Festival productions.

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303 Bond Street, Brooklyn is the place to go to relive your youth, to have the fairy tales that you grew up with envisioned in a totally new way by visionary choreographer and director Austin McCormick and his Company XIV – with their extraordinary, inventive and imaginative production of Le Cirque Feerique (The Fairy Circus).  And bring the kids.  Bring everyone.

It’s fractured fairy-tales meets Tim Burton meets Baroque Opera Trio meets Lady Gaga meets Bizet meets flamenco meets Swan Lake meets Vivaldi meets Princes and Princesses played interchangeably by men and women.  All conceived by Mr. McCormick and Zane Pihlstrom who is responsible for the zany, bizarre, and purely over the top theatrical costumes and circus like set.  Props and pieces of costumes are in full view in order to get everyone involved in this most original production.

Jeff Takacs is the writer, adapter and most wondrous gruff Pirate narrator of these most famous tales.  With eyes that twinkle with mischief and evil glee he will simply enthrall and amaze you with his impromptu friendly banter between scenes.  He also sings, plays harmonica, keeps things rolling along with great humor and instructs.

But it is the incredibly resourceful and artistic choreography of Mr. McCormick (who also is part of the ensemble company of six gifted dancers and mimes) that consistently amazes in the telling of The Frog Prince, The Princess and the Pea, Red Riding Hood, The Ugly Duckling, Ferdinand the Bull, Cinderella and The King’s New Clothes.  Never mind that they have fiddled with the original stories.  Never mind that men dance on the tips of their toes.  It’s a great way to introduce children to music, dance and plain old theatricality and the all embracing open mindedness of thinking outside the traditional fairy tale box.

This box is full of surprises.  You will marvel at the pig and cow masks of Cinderella’s step-mother and evil sisters and happily cringe when they are beheaded.  Just a teaser of what to expect.

There are three women, the Baroque Opera Trio – Charities (Brooke Bryant, Amber Youell, Brett Umlauf) perched above and on the side with a grand piano dangling who are marvelous.  Bedecked in red gowns, white wigs and black top hats they sing gloriously to the pre-recorded sound track that is terrifically eclectic.

Fairy tales were never like this before.  Thank goodness for Austin McCormick and Company XIV – Laura Careless, Yeva Glover, Davon Rainey, Gioia Marchese and Marisol Cabrera.  Through June 6^th.     www.companyxiv.com

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHF0tHVUBO0 

Photo: Christina Ramirez

Tags:   Austin McCormick · Baroque Opera Trio · Baroque Opera Trio-Charities · Jeff Takacs · Zane PihlstromComments Off on Le Cirque Feerique (The Fairy Circus) Company XIV

At the Astoria Performing Arts Center in a converted auditorium of the Good Shepherd United Methodist Church there was much excitement and anticipation as we awaited the beginning of this year’s musical production of “Children of Eden” – Based on a concept by Charles Lisanby with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz who is otherwise known as the creator of “Wicked” – the hugely successful Broadway musical phenomenon and what there is of a book by John Caird who has “Les Miserables” and “Nicholas Nickleby” highlighting his resume.

Last year APAC produced one of the finest productions of “Ragtime” I have ever seen.  It was incredible.

http://talkentertainment.com/c-8760-Award-winning-RAGTIME-at-Astoria-Performing-Arts-Center.aspx

They obviously enjoy the monumental task and challenge of mounting large musicals in a small space.  But I’m afraid lightning has not struck twice.

Despite the fact that the same extremely talented director, Tom Wojtunik, has assembled another excellent cast and design team – the set by Michael P. Kramer runs the length of the auditorium on multiple levels and playing areas that has the cast scurrying about within inches of the audience that sit on comfortable folding chairs surrounding the stage three quarters – “Children of Eden” is a remarkable and ambitious production of a less than remarkable (read mediocre) musical which sets endless unmemorable tunes, to the Book of Genesis – loosely adapted to fit the requirements of its writers.

Act I finds Adam (Joseph Spieldenner) and Eve (Emmy Raver-Lampman) in the Garden of Eden as brother and sister – being created simultaneously by Father (James Zannelli).  They ask many questions, name animals, marry, eat the forbidden glistening fruit, sire Young Cain (Daniel Henri Luttway) and Young Abel (Zekari Jackson) who are in turn played by Alan Shaw and Stephen Gelpi respectively and continue through with rhyming couplets until the murder of Abel.   Act I ends with an American Idol moment.

In Act II we have the story of Noah and the Flood with the lead actors doubling in the major roles.  Adam with a beard as Noah.  Eve without a wig as his wife.  Cain becomes Japheth, falling in love with Yonah from the house of Cain (Stacie Bono).  Who expected that destruction would be more exciting than creation but Act II fares much better with its ingenious parade of the animal puppets (designed by Hunter Kaczorowski) onto the arc which rivals The Lion King within a much smaller budget but with tons more imagination.

It’s a long, almost three hour show and were it not for the designers, the musicians, excellent direction and choreography (Christine O’Grady) and the cast APAC would be in trouble.  But the cast is uniformly excellent with Alan Shaw and Stacie Bono as the lovers in Act II taking home the honors.  They both have fine voices, act with honest conviction and have that most important ingredient to flesh out a memorable performance – passion.  Their duet “In Whatever Time We Have” is just about perfect.  Another standout is Kyle Hines.  He is believable throughout in his supporting role as one of the eight Storytellers.

I eagerly await APAC’s next musical production.  Hopefully they will choose carefully and wisely to make all their ambitious efforts worth while.  Through May 22.

www.apacny.org Photo:  Jen Maufrais Kelly

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As a last minute replacement for the cancelled “Lips Together, Teeth Apart” the Roundabout Theatre Company has been lucky enough to have Sherie Rene Scott literally waiting in the wings and ready to cast her glow (or is it her aura?) over the American Airlines Theatre stage with her semi-autobiographical “variety show” starring herself – a self professed semi-star – in “Everyday Rapture” which was a recent off-Broadway hit for the Second Stage Theatre.  And boy was she ready!

This semi-star should drop the semi right now.  She is delightful.  Beautiful.  Has an impertinent comic sense that is a combination of Gracie Allen and Stan Laurel.  She can sing like a purring cat and can belt like Merman.  As she skips on stage with enough lip gloss to reflect to the balcony, her blonde locks as excited as she is to be there, Sherie Rene Scott is a full blown star obviously enjoying basking in her spotlight center stage.

Together with Dick Scanlan she has co-authored the clever yet contrived book that loosely holds together various songs that have been taken from Ms. Scott’s own private, meaningful songbook to illustrate the balance that she is seeking to find in her life.  A balance between being just a speck and being a star.  Being able to embrace the idea that the world was created solely for her to achieve her biggest dreams and desires.

Embrace it she has.  There is no doubt, from the very beginning in Topeka Kansas that Sherie Rene Scott has always thought that, despite the fact that we follow her from her simple naïve Mennonite beginnings to her independent foray to Manhattan – magic acts included.  And there is a strong support for gay acceptance underlying all the comedy which is truly heartfelt.

She is backed up by Mennonettes Lindsay Mendez and Betsy Wolfe who help transition the many scenes which at times appear to be a Streisand television special from the past.  The young, rubber faced Eamon Foley has his own star turn as he lip-syncs “My Strongest Suit” from the Elton John/Tim Rice Aida where she stole the show as Amneris.  It is quite funny but stays too long at the fair.

Ms. Scott has a thing for Judy (as in Garland) and Jesus (as in Christ) that is both touching and wildly irreverent as she croons “You Made Me Love You” to projections of the man himself.   In another tribute to Garland segment we have her singing an ultra ironic “Get Happy” to a group of patients at The Menninger Psychiatric Center.

Mister Rogers – the man with the cardigan – is another hero and Ms. Scott does a smashing job of singing a couple of his esteem building songs with beautiful arrangements by Tom Kitt. 

“Everyday Rapture” has its ups and downs just like the supposed life of Ms. Scott which has been directed by the director of the moment Michael Mayer who keeps the acts moving along at a fast clip for the ninety minutes allotted.  Through July 11^th.

www.roundabouttheatre.org             Photo: Carol Rosegg

Tags:   Dick Scanlan · Eamon Foley · Michael Mayer · Sherie Rene ScottNo Comments.

Good things come to those who wait.  For those theatergoers who are patient enough to sit through the leisurely and bookish two act, two character “Collected Stories” by Donald Margulies which is now being presented by the Manhattan Theatre Club at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre you will be eventually rewarded. 

But it takes time as Mr. Margulies slowly and deliberately sets the groundwork for the final confrontation between mentor Ruth Steiner (Linda Lavin) and pupil, assistant, and devoted fan Lisa Morrison (Sarah Paulson) who becomes a “cause celebre” for Ruth after publishing a very private story which she has heard, rehashed and reshaped (as told to her by Ruth in an uncharacteristic revealing moment) that becomes a best seller.  

A final confrontation that is six long years and five scenes in the making.  Thankfully Mr. Margulies has some great dialogue and knows just when and how to end his scenes.  Spanning in time from 1990 when Ruth first notices the writing ability of Lisa and offers to tutor her to the finale in 1996 in the same Greenwich Village apartment where she is now ailing and venting her anger and where all of the interesting and intelligent albeit undramatic set up has taken place we finally get to see some sparks fly.

With a look, a shrug, a sigh, a cough Linda Lavin conveys all the deep set layers of a successful writer who is only jealous of her protégé because she has time on her side. As the young, inquisitive, very talkative, determined admirer Ms. Paulson lets us know early on exactly what she is up to.   

Remember aspiring actress Eve Harrington inching her way into the life of Margo Channing; substitute writer for actress and you have “Collected Stories” but without the theatrical fireworks.   Just those last minute sparks.  Unfortunately the meat of the play – where we would actually see what Lisa is up to – that she is trying to hide the fact that she is stealing an intimate life experience from Ruth (her love affair with the poet Delmore Schwartz) without ever looking her in the eye would have been terrific.  But we are only told about this happening.  I would have liked to have seen it happening.  Show, don’t tell they say.  I say, don’t tell, write the scene or scenes.

One would have thought that MTC’s space at City Center would have been better suited to house this intimate story, that borders on being bland in its production but for the incredible job done by Linda Lavin and Ms. Paulson as the two intelligent women who are at the same time attracted and at odds with each other and the astute direction of Lynne Meadow.  But that would have prevented Linda Lavin from receiving a Tony Nomination as Best Actress in a Play.  Which she certainly deserves.

www.mtc-nyc.org    Photo: Joan Marcus

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Why?  Why would anyone in their right mind pay good money as opposed to the bad money reaped in by Enron to see a bloated, over produced, padded, gimmicky show called ENRON with a cast of odious characters with no redeeming or likable features whatsoever? 

A highly toted, award winning British import, written by Lucy Prebble which attempts to document but hardly enlighten the biggest bankruptcy in corporate America with ironic humor, tasteless fun, complicated fraudulent financial explanations with primal/tribal music, debt eating dinosaurs, some rhythmic movement, a puppet and various and assorted other tricks that director Rupert Goold has come up with including Siamese Lehman Brothers and thee blind mice (or are they rats?) to enhance this sordid tale of greed and corruption.

A tale that should not be in any way glorified.  A tale where hundreds of employees lost everything after being hoodwinked into investing by those oh so smart crooks in the company and stupid impressionable stock annalists.  Employees told the boldest of lies – lies to the bitter end – that they where investing in their future – when all they were doing was raising the price of Enron’s stock so that Ken Lay (Gregory Itzin), Andy Fastow CFO (Stephen Kunken – whose name should be Andy Fast One) and others could take huge bonuses while the company tanked.  How amusing it is to see them all pulling a fast one!  Ha! Ha!  Could it be that the British are also pulling a fast one on us?

We all know the sordid story.  No need to remind us.  Worse has happened since.

Claudia Roe (Marin Mazzie) is introduced on a corporate desk with her legs in the air, her red thong on the floor and Jeffrey Skilling (Norbert Leo Butz) pulling out.  She knew how to get ahead by giving good head it’s revealed.  He labors hard here.  To no avail.

And so the story unfolds and you want to get up from your seat and scream “I’ve had enough and won’t take it any more.”

The London Telegraph called ENRON “a fantastic firecracker of a play.”  Well, this firecracker fizzles at the Broadhurst Theatre.

www.EnronBroadway.com    Photo:  Joan Marcus

Tags:   Lucy Prebble · Marin Mazzie · Norbert Leo Butz · Rupert GooldNo Comments.

On a realistically rendered set by Santo Loquasto, which includes the run down two story home, porch, and backyard of the Maxson family, where a beautiful old Maple tree has stood for many years with a makeshift baseball made out of old rags hanging from one of its limbs, looming ominously and where the very symbolic fence stands unfinished,  playwright August Wilson, who won the Pulitzer for “Fences” back in the eighties tells this riveting tale of a father who wants the best for his family but is angry, embittered and jealous.  A man who has many deep-rooted, unresolved issues.

This is Pittsburgh 1957 and very difficult for black people to be accepted.  Hard for them to find jobs.  To get promotions.  Hard for trash collector Troy Maxson (Denzel Washington) who excelled at baseball to find a team to play on.  Hard to deal with his checkered past.  To accept change.  Hard to accept the fact that he used his brother’s disability checks to pay for the house he rules.  Hard on his brother Gabriel (Mykelti Williamson) a WWII veteran to not believe he is the Angel Gabriel.  Hard to connect with his older son Lyons (Russell Hornsby) from a previous marriage who comes around only when he needs money (although he has some pretty snazzy shoes on), hard on his caring wife Rose (Viola Davis) who loves her husband despite his faults, and hardest on their young son Cory (Chris Chalk) who has the opportunity to play football but a father who insists on his doing his chores, holding down a job and finishing the fence first.

August Wilson has the immense talent to make all this interesting without getting too melodramatic about all that happens to this family which includes an extra marital affair that results in Troy fathering a baby girl (Raynell – a very endearing SaCha Stewart-Coleman) and her mama’s death.  A not so understanding but compassionate Rose takes the baby in but not before she blasts her husband for his misdeeds which had the audience fully in her favor and applauding her actions.  Mr. Wilson knows these people inside out and is able to convey their innermost fears, thoughts and desires beautifully.

The acting is superb with Denzel Washington coming to grips with an unsavory character and making us feel for him.  Viola Davis shows an inner strength in having to deal with everything in a resolute manner.  Her performance is breathtaking.  Stephen McKinley Henderson as Troy’s best friend Jim Bono brings some humor to the very dramatic proceedings.

Kenny Leon as director does not get in the way of the story or the characters, and that is the best compliment.  He leads and coaxes believable performances from all.  And the incidental jazz music by Branford Marsalis between scenes is quite evocative. 

“Fences” is an enthralling night at the theatre that reminds us all of the challenges that black people have had to face, have met and have overcome.

www.FencesOnBroadway.com   Limited 13 week engagement at the Cort Theatre.  Photo:  Joan Marcus

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After forty years we may all need some work done on ourselves.  A nip here.  A tuck there.  Not a complete make-over mind you but just enough tinkering to make ourselves look better.  Such is the case with Broadway’s newest and best revival of the season, “Promises, Promises” which could be better called a revisal.

Where “I Say a Little Prayer” and “A House Is Not a Home” have been added to the already pop hit filled score (“I’ll Never Fall in Love Again” “Whoever You Are” “Promises, Promises”) and other numbers cut or moved to serve the purposes of Rob Ashford whose excellent direction and ubiquitous choreography keep things moving at a fast pace yet allowing his characters to move you with their bitter sweet story.

First produced in 1968, “Promises, Promises” was a hit then.  Now it is even better.  It is an uproariously funny and delightful musical-COMEDY written by Burt Bacharach (with his signature, unmistakable sound) and Hal David’s wise and witty just right lyrics with book by funny man Neil Simon based on the film The Apartment written by Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond.  With a pedigree like this not much could go wrong.  And it doesn’t.  If this show doesn’t put a smile on your face nothing will – better make funeral arrangements. 

It doesn’t hurt that the recent sexual scandals involving John Edwards, Tiger Woods and Eliot Spitzer make the executives of Consolidated Life all the more timely and sleazier in their sexual trysts with female employees using the apartment of Chuck Baxter – a winning and disarmingly charmer of a guy hoping to get ahead, Sean Hayes.  Who knew he could hold his own in a musical?  He does more than that.  He shines.  He takes command of the stage, a surprising revelation.  He is hysterical in delivering his lines and executing some physical jokes as well.  And he has plenty of heart to spare.

Speaking to the audience in true Neil Simon manner – we meet the girl he secretly longs for, Fran Kubelik (the beautiful belter Kristin Chenoweth) and in his Walter Mitty mind set she longs for him.  Not so.  She is having an affair with his married boss, lothario J. D. Sheldrake, Tony Goldwyn, who is so obnoxious in the role, rightfully so, that he is booed by some at curtain call – as the character not for the performance which is excellent.

The Act II scene where Chuck goes half drunk to a local bar on Christmas Eve and meets Marge MacDougall (a delicious and master comedienne Katie Finneran) is comic writing and delivery at its utmost best.  She just about but doesn’t quite steal the thunder from Ms. Chenoweth.  This scene alone would make any mediocre show a hit.  But “Promises, Promises” has so much more to offer.

For starters, the very droll portrayal of Dick Latessa – Dr. Dreyfuss, Chuck Baxter’s next door neighbor who admires his sexual stamina, mistakenly believing that it Mr. Baxter and not the many executives that are enjoying the wiles of all the woman coming and going and who treats the attempted suicide of Fran.  It’s not all fun and games.  But balanced very well.  Even this scene has terrific humor and heart.

Then there are the Scot Pask sets and costumes by Bruce Pask, and the amazing orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick where we have what used to be called “pit singers” now re-named “orchestra voices” some great underscoring and backup singing by celestial voices which make “Promises, Promises” heavenly.  A return to the best of what Broadway musical-comedy can offer.  Great music, lots of laughs and terrific performances.  Who could ask for anything more?

Photo: Joan Marcus

At the Broadway Theatre.   www.promisespromisesbroadway.com

Tags:   Burt Bacharach · Dick Latessa · Hal David · Katie Finneran · Kristin Chenoweth · Neil Simon · Rob Ashford · Sean HayesNo Comments.

The words and wisdom of Stephen Sondheim, master songwriter for the theatre, are on display in the fascinating and entertaining new musical “Sondheim on Sondheim” – ingeniously conceived and directed by James Lapine which has just opened at Studio 54.

It is a cross between a retrospective musical revue of some of his best and least known songs and a PBS documentary utilizing video taped interviews compiled over the years (check out the various hairstyles) and still photos of family and friends where through the magic of modern digital technology Mr. Sondheim seems to be live on stage, dishing and delving into how he works; giving us an intimate (or as intimate as he will allow) glimpse into his what some have called “His God-like genius”. 

With eight of the best singers – the indomitable Barbara Cook whose voice is one of the seven wonders of the world, the gorgeous Vanessa Williams, leading man Tom Wopat, funny man Euan Morton, the virile and handsome Norm Lewis, quirky Leslie Kritzer, beautiful Erin Mackey with a voice to match and a man with a bright musical future Matthew Scott – to interpret Sondheim’s smart and witty lyrics with their complicated rhyme schemes that explore the heartache and humor, the passions and melancholy of his mostly neurotic characters.

Neurotic himself, (and who isn’t) he is the first to tell you they are the most interesting characters to write about.  From Sweeny Todd to Bobby in Company, to Fosca in Passion and Mama Rose in Gypsy we are treated to the songs he has written over the decades.  Songs that are interrupted by the observations of a candid, intelligent and humorous Sondheim who has a knowing twinkle in his eye as he strolls down memory lane without becoming the least bit sentimental.

Growing up an only and lonely child – his parents were divorced and his mother Foxy thought him an “inconvenience” he was farmed out to the neighboring Hammerstein family where Oscar Hammerstein became mentor and surrogate father.  This is where young Stephen learned his craft.  His mother may have regretted having given birth to her son but the world is and will be forever grateful that she did.

He is a complex man.  He enjoys being alone but enjoys collaborating.  It’s the family he never had.  He suggests that lyrics should be clean and precise so that the audience can understand on first hearing but listen to some of his more complicated lyrics and you might wonder…

Aiding Mr. Lapine, side by side by side are set designer Beowulf Boritt, lighting designer Ken Billington and incredible video & projection designer Peter Flaherty without whom Sondheim on Sondheim would not be the same.  The revolving set made up of various sized and angled screens and a larger screen that is like a giant puzzle which can be used in any combination of ways is put to great use as bit by bit his songs and life are deconstructed and brought together in many moments of brilliance with a small slump midway through Act I.

Go see this poignant Sondheim sampler and be awed and amazed at the immense output of this musical genius whose biggest commercial hit “Send in the Clowns” is given an hysterical send up with the many stars that recorded it then beautifully and simply sung by the only person in the world that could upstage Stephen Sondheim, Miss Barbara Cook.  She is sublime.

www.roundabouttheatre.org   Limited engagement through June 13^th, 2010

Photo: Richard Termine

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Last night at the St. James Theatre where the punk rock, drink friendly musical American Idiot by GREEN DAY has just opened I was assaulted.  Assaulted by strobe lights, guitar riffs, ear piecing amplification, drugs, plenty of profanity, multiple video screens, not so young screaming women in the audience and three lonely, angry and alienated losers (one actually loses his leg) on stage who are trying to find their way in life that they find little pleasure in blaming everyone else for the pickle they are in during the Presidency of George W. Bush.

The visuals are stunning (set design by Christine Jones, lighting by Kevin Adams and Video/Projections by Darrel Maloney).  But to paraphrase Macbeth, “It’s a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying not too much of anything.”  And will probably run forever.

It’s a very famous album.  Selling millions of copies.  Director Michael Mayer along with Billie Joe Armstrong (lyrics) have tried to make some narrative sense of the songs from the album with the very thinnest of story lines which comes across as an elaborate rock concert about three guys.  A rock concert that has some very good music.  I was surprised.  And found that I liked a lot of the music when it wasn’t threatening my eardrums.  “Wake Me Up When September Ends” is gorgeous.

The cardio-vascular choreography by Steven Hoggett is very exciting at first but wears thin in its repetitious robotic movements and foot stomping.  He does come up with a dream sequence that is part Cirque du Soleil and part Peter Pan which is bizarre but fun.

The three guys in question are Johnny (a frenetic John Gallagher Jr.) Will (a laid back Michael Esper) and Tunny (a compelling Stark Sands).  They are not your usual threesome.  They are definitely not Gabey, Chip and Ozzie from On The Town – looking for a good time.  No, Johnny comes to the Big Apple where he is seduced by sex with Whatsername (Rebecca Naomi Jones) and drugs by his supplier St. Jimmy (Tony Vincent).  Will opts to stay at home doing drugs and guzzling beer and getting his girlfriend Heather (Mary Faber) pregnant.  And Tunny goes off to war, losing a leg but gaining the aide of a nurse – The Extraordinary Girl (Christina Sajous).  There is little or no character development and we do not care what happens to these whining adolescents.

But fans of GREEN DAY do care.  They care about the songs and that’s what they get in spades.  The entire cast is excellent and sings with an energy and anger that just about blows the roof off of the theatre.  And I suppose that’s enough for them.  It really is a bare bones production in that the plot and characters are bare bones not the elaborate visuals that assault you non stop for ninety intermission less minutes.

Last night, after the encore that has everyone playing a guitar (which reminded me of the ukulele ending for No No Nannette – which couldn’t be any further from what I was seeing) Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt and Tre Cool – GREEN DAY themselves  – whipped the crowd into a frenzy, raising the decibel levels and rocked out a couple of numbers encouraging the audience to sing along.  Which they did.  I have never heard such an ovation ever in any theatre for any performer or group in my entire life.  It was wild!

www.AmericanIdiotonBroadway.com Photo:  Paul Kolnik

Tags:   Billie Joe Armstrong · Green Day · John Gallagher Jr. · Michael Esper · Michael Mayer · Stark SandsComments Off on American Idiot – 21st Century Fast and Furious Musical by GREEN DAY