KEEPING IT LOCAL

KEEPING IT LOCAL

It is perhaps ironic, given that we live in a city that is considered one of the country's leading theatre centers, that we see more theatre in other cities, primarily in New York, than in our own. There's a reason for that.

At the risk of offending folks in my hometown, I simply find theatre in New York more exciting and vibrant than theatre in Chicago. There's many reasons for that. Foremost is the preponderance of talent in New York. Stop gasping in horror, Chicago, it's true. Chicago, of course, has an impressive lineup of talent, and TimeLine Theatre is one of our favorite companies, but New York is the nation's theatre capital and as such is a magnet for creative and acting talents. Another is an attitude of smugness and pretension that sometimes infects Chicago theatre. I can't quite put my finger on it, but it's something I noticed back in the early 70s when I was a student. It went away for a long time, but now it's back. I didn't like it then; I don't like it now. What is a plus for Chicago is its relatively recent renaissance as a tryout city (recently Ann and Kinky Boots). We like that. And it was the tryout of the new musical Big Fish that sparked this streak of local theatre-going.

In the mix is one tryout, one Equity tour, one non-Equity tour, a production of a musical classic mounted by the Lyric Opera, a slight detour up to Milwaukee for a one-man show and, back to Chicago, three productions, two musicals/one play, mounted by local theatre companies.

Welcome to my hometown!

April, 2013. A non-Equity production that played like an Equity one with top-notch production values, a smoking orchestra, crisp choreography, a talented chorus and engaging performances including a star-making turn by 2012 (!!) FSU grad Stephen Anthony as Frank Abagnale, Jr. Mark my words...that young man is going places. Personally, I liked the score better than their "Hairspray," but felt the book wasn't as strong. A solid "B" show that deserved a longer Broadway run. Highly entertaining! - at the Palace Theatre, Chicago

April, 2013.  Preview performance. Well, it needs work. Quite a bit, in fact. But that's what pre-Broadway tryouts are for. I couldn't decide if the first act was quirky charm or just messy. The second act was better, but the ending needs a rethink. Considering it's Susan Stroman, there was some surprising directorial and staging sloppiness and one really terrible segment involving a witch. With all the bells and whistles, the show frequently loses its humanity and works best during its quieter moments. The score has a couple of pretty ballads, but overall is forgettable. I can only imagine what Flaherty & Aherns could have done with this. The talented cast works hard, especially Norbert Leo Butz, Bobby Steggert (solid performance, but his character needs to be revisited since at the moment it's pretty unlikeable) and, best for last, the radiant Kate Baldwin, whose touching "I Don't Need a Roof" is reason enough to see the show. I hope they can pull it together since there's a lot of potential. At this stage of the game, I'd give it a solid C+. - at the Oriental Theatre, Chicago

April, 2013. About 90 minutes away on I-94 lies the fabulous city of Milwaukee. We made the trip up to see the amahzing Seth Rudetsky and his wonderful Seth's Big Fat Broadway Show. In between howling with laughter, you actually learn something and when you're in the audience with a couple hundred theatre-savvy folks, well, it just makes for a delightful evening. If you ever get the chance to see him….go! - at Vogel Hall, Milwaukee

 (Yes, this is the famed Biograph Theatre where John Dillinger and the Feds got up close and personal.)

April, 2013. At 110 intermissionless minutes, it's either about 20 minutes too long or needs an interval. The acting was uniformly good (Bob's former student did a very nifty turn as the daughter), but I felt the writing went all over the place. Is the play anti-Mormon? Anti-religion? Anti-Idaho? A play about regret? A play about love? Why does the ex-wife make an entrance? Although nicely done, I felt it added nothing to the plot and the play sort of went from one sub-plot to the next and never really landed on one. And, I know I'm in the minority here since many of the critics raved, but I felt the lead character as written was terribly self-indulgent and as such, I didn't care for him or his situation. He's gay. His partner died. Okay, that's sad. Been there, done that. But my reaction to Steve's death wasn't to eat myself to death. Oh, boo hoo, poor Charlie. Yeah, the death of your partner sucks...big time, but Charlie's way to deal with it just majorly pissed. me. off. Didn't hate it; didn't love it. I think the playwright overreached and wrote about things he doesn't really know about. - at Victory Gardens Theatre, Chicago

May, 2013. The book may be creaky, but damn!, that Cole Porter dude knows how to write a tune! The book scenes seemed to be played a bit broader than in New York, but that actually made them funnier. This Equity tour featured Kathleen Marshall's sensational choreography, a glorious orchestra, a top-notch cast and Rachel York's dazzling star turn. Kudos to Jeremy Benton and Jeff Brooks who superbly filled in as Billy Crocker and Moonface Martin and a big shout-out to the gloriously wonderful Joyce Chittick as Erma. Her "Buddy Beware" was smoking hot! This is classic musical theatre at its best. Thanks, Roundabout Theatre Company for including Chicago as a tour stop! - at the Palace Theatre, Chicago

May, 2013. I was most definitely not bewitched, bothered and bewildered. Porchlight's production of the Rodgers & Hart classic was, sadly, pretty awful. Dull, misdirected characters, a really ugly and cheap-looking set and some really unfortunate performances by the ensemble made this difficult to sit through. To be fair, the singing was good, if bland, and it had some decent "Cabaret" dances. No, I'm not confused. One of the numbers appeared to have been lifted directly from the film of "Cabaret." Most reviewers really liked it, but it's getting so our main reviewers have lost their edge and pretty much like anything, unless a production in New York is being reviewed, in which case they nit-pick about everything. There was no sophistication; no edge. Joey was charming and kind of a bad boy,  but not the slimy douche he's supposed to be. Vera was played like she was nipping down to the kitchen for some coffee rather than a worldly, seen-it-all, done-it-all woman of means and, in the most perplexing performance of the show, Melba ("Zip") was played by an actress fresh out of Columbia College, in other words, at least a decade too young. The critics fainted over her despite the fact she didn't understand what she was singing. You could tell. No clue. None. And all her choreography was missing was a pole for her to gyrate against. Again, just so wrong for the song… and the show. Ah, well. Glad we got 1/2 price tickets. This company claims to produce "classic musicals Chicago style," whatever the hell that means. If this is an example, I think I'll pass on their "Chicago style" approach. A huge misfire. - at Stage 773, Chicago.

May, 2013. Cy Coleman provided the tasty score for this rarely done musical. While it may not have had the "wow" factor that I experienced when I saw the original production in New York, it did remarkably well considering the relatively small space it was performed in. I didn't like that the characters, except for Barnum and Chairy, always wore their circus clothes (really, you couldn't put Jenny Lind in a gown?) and the second act fell apart somewhat, almost as though the director ran out of staging ideas. The actress playing Joyce/Blues Singer was vocally meek and the actress playing Jenny Lind had inexcusably poor diction. Solid performances by Gene Weygandt (Bob's known him for years) as Barnum and Cory Goodrich as Chairy gave the show a nice professional sheen. Sadly the show has been playing to very small houses and that's a shame since it's an enjoyable time in the theatre. - at the Mercury Theatre, Chicago

May, 2013. A 37 piece orchestra! 23 strings, real strings!! Bliss! I can't even imagine the thrill those first audiences felt in 1943 as this trailblazing iconic musical unfolded before them. The amplified sound was a bit dicey, but perhaps we were simply too close, and the supertitles were not necessary (there's someone in the world who doesn't know the lyrics? Seriously?), but those are mere quibbles in an evening of pure pleasure. John Cudia and Ashley Brown were terrific as Curly and Laurie. Understudy Paul La Rosa was a powerful Jud. Curtis Holbrook was an energetic Will, Usman Ally a very funny Ali Hakim and Tari Kelly was simply sensational as Ado Annie. And the singing? Fantastic. The Agnes De Mille choreography? Classic. The sets and costumes? First class all the way. It's perhaps ironic that this show, the first truly integrated musical, plays homage to a conservative, politically homophobic red state. Perhaps the state needs to pay heed to Oscar Hammerstein's timeless lyrics, slightly paraphrased to make my point, "Oh the straight folks and the gay folks should be friends…."  Oklahoma! performed by professionals. What a concept! Loved it. - at the Civic Opera House, Chicago

That's it for now. Until later. 

"B" SHOWS: The Underrated Gems

"B" SHOWS: The Underrated Gems

Back in the days of vinyl records (remember those?), and most especially in the case of 45s, there was an "A" side and a "B" side. Typically the "A" side was the song that the record company wanted promoted; the song that they hoped would become a hit. The "B" side was considered the secondary recording, the stepsibling, so to speak, of the "A" side. That isn't to say, however, that the "B" side songs were bad songs. Not at all. They simply were the other side of the record. I wonder how many of you only played the "A" side of a 45 until one day, either by accident or design, you played the "B" side and went, "Wow. That's pretty good! What a surprise!" I know I did. And according to Wikipedia, the monster hits "I Will Survive," "Maggie May," and "I'll Be Around" were originally the "B" sides to "Substitute," "How Could I Let You Get Away," and "Reason to Believe," respectively. Remember those great "A" side tunes? Me, neither.

Similarly in the movies, a "B" picture was originally the less publicized second film of a double feature. Often the production values were excellent with quality actors, but for whatever reason, just not commercial or good enough to get the full studio treatment. (Sidebar: "B" movies also referred to wonderfully cheesy horror movies and vanity projects that still often featured well-known actors and/or creatives.) Today, a direct-to-DVD film could be considered a "B" picture. A good example of a modern "B" movie would be the enjoyable, direct-to-DVD  "Unconditional Love" with Kathy Bates, Jonathan Pryce and Rupert Everett.

Unlike the film and recording industries, the theatre doesn't have a "B" category. Nowadays, the only categories that seem to exist are hit and flop with nothing to categorize the shows that fall in the middle. Ben Brantley, main theatre critic for the NY Times, uses three measurements: a thumbs up and a big smile for shows he likes, a thumbs down and a "bleh" frown for shows he doesn't and an "on the fence" for those he's ambivalent about. So what is a "B" play or musical? Since there's no official definition, let me give you mine. A "B" show, for the purposes of this blog, is a musical or play that for whatever reason just doesn't catch on. These shows may be written by newcomers, but often they have a good and/or proven pedigree. These shows usually, though not always,  receive mixed reviews, have a short(ish) run and, more often than not, close as financial failures. The reasons can involve something in the production itself that's the "fatal flaw" (often it involves the writing) or it simply could be a really decent work, but nothing out of the ordinary that would attract that all-important, for lack of a better term, tourist audience, especially with today's ticket prices. Offhand I can't think of a single playwright, lyricist or composer who doesn’t have at least one "B" show in their oeuvre. These shows are usually not the ones you immediately think of when the authors are named. For example, do you automatically think of Dear World when Jerry Herman is mentioned? Jule Styne wrote Gypsy, but he also wrote Do-Re-Mi. Harnick and Bock, those Fiddler guys? The Apple Tree. (Yes, I know, I know. I love the show and it had a run of over a year, but it still lost money and has enough flaws in its construction to merit "B" show status.)   What about the Cabaret duo of Kander and Ebb? The Happy Time.  Surely not Rodgers and Hammerstein. Yep. Allegro. And let's not forget the playwrights and their "B" shows. Arthur Miller has After the Fall; Edward Albee has Everything in the Garden; Tennessee Williams wrote the divinely "B" Suddenly Last Summer. Well, you get the drift. All of these shows featured top creative and performing talent. In a handful of cases, a "B" show has won the Tony Award (one to be discussed later). What I guess I'm trying to say is that the true "B" show and especially those I'll chat about, all have wonderful qualities, yet they all are missing that sometimes indefinable something that puts a play or musical into the "A" ranks. Before the costs of producing a show became so onerous with musicals costing in the double-digit millions and plays in the single-digit millions (compared to 1971's Follies which was, at the time, one of the most expensive shows produced on Broadway at just over $525,000 or, depending on the source, $675,000 or thereabouts), a "B" show could run the better part of a season and might even have an afterlife. Sadly, today's theatrical financial environment doesn't allow much wiggle room for a show that doesn't get critical approval (exceptions exist, of course, for those "critic-proof" shows like Wicked and Mamma Mia! that bring in the crowds despite critical ennui).The "B" show, while it still exists, is now typically just a blip on a Broadway season and we theatregoers are the worse for it. But for now, sit back and join me in celebrating some of my favorite "B" shows.

August & September, 1967. I love this quirky, muddled show. Talk about pedigree! Take a look at this: book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner; score by Burton Lane; direction by Robert Lewis; musical staging by Herbert Ross; scenery by Oliver Smith; costumes by Freddy Wittop; lighting by Feder. And that was just the creative team. Heading up the original cast was Barbara Harris, John Cullum, William Daniels, Clifford David, Rae Allen and Tito Vandis. Now that's a damn impressive lineup all the way around. On a Clear Day has a terrific hook and the Lerner/Lane score should rank, if it already doesn't, as one of the finest in the musical theatre. But what it doesn't have is a consistently coherent book and plot and that's why this is perhaps the quintessential "B" show and not the "A" show it could have been. Lerner's take on reincarnation, past lives, psychological therapy, and how chain-smoking, psychic powers and gardening are all somehow and improbably related was often witty and engaging, but there were times when it all just fell apart. It closed after a Broadway run of only 280 performances.  Several of the songs became pop standards and that apparently was good enough street cred for producer Zev Bufman to mount a first-class national tour and this, a revised version as I've since discovered, was the production I saw both on opening night in Chicago and on my 17th birthday. The production starred Howard Keel of movie fame and he scored top marks for being a handsome, big-voiced leading man. For me, however, the star of the show was the young lady who played the female lead (the Barbara Harris role) - Barbara Lang. A fine actress, a good comic and a sensational, earthy singer (note: her "What Did I Have That I Don't Have?" stopped the show cold at the Shubert and kept it stopped for a while), she was able to earn a living acting and should have been one of the great theatre discoveries of the late 60s. But, for whatever reason, she wasn't and that, truly, was the theatre's loss. I've tried Google/Wikipedia, etc., but apparently she just disappeared from show business sometime in the late 80s. (No, she is not Barbara Lang, the movie actress, who died in 1982.) On a Clear Day You Can See Forever is my all-time favorite "B" show. Sadly, over the years it has been subjected to a dreadful movie adaptation starring a woefully miscast Barbra Streisand and a 2011 reimagined (mis-imagined?) revival starring Harry Connick, Jr., that will be featured in a future post. - at the Shubert Theatre, Chicago

May, 2007. The critics didn't care much for this as a play, but to a person, they praised the estimable talents of its two A-list-and-then-some stars, Angela Lansbury and Marian Seldes. This play marked Lansbury's return to Broadway after a 24-year absence. The plot concerns two former women's doubles tennis champions who are reunited for a tribute at the U.S. Open. During the course of a match, they reminisce about the good old days, old grudges, old friends and the reasons they ended their partnership and, essentially, their friendship. When Mr. McNally kept his focus on the two ladies, the play had a certain easy charm and some surprisingly big laughs. Unfortunately, however, he also added two sports commentators who provided "color" and gave the audience a lot of background history (couldn't that have been woven into the dialogue between the leads?) and a fan who sort of functioned as a one-man Greek chorus, with a number of heartfelt soliloquies about what these two ladies mean to him. While the actors portraying these characters were all very professional and competent, their contributions muddied the play and that is why this is a "B" show. Had McNally written a two-hander, this could easily have been the sleeper hit of the season. As it was, it completed its advertised limited run of 121 performances, plus previews, and closed at a loss. For the record, the audience at the attended matinee, including us, were quite enraptured with Misses Lansbury and Seldes. Talk about your class acts! - at the Music Box Theatre

July,2005. A rare opportunity to see this underrated musical: the sole collaboration between theatre greats Richard Rodgers, Stephen Sondheim and Arthur Laurents. Based on his play, The Time of the Cuckoo, Laurents' book is a bit of a mess which some nicely drawn characters and others who, well, could be cut without any real harm to the story. The heroine is a bit of a pain in the ass, the hero is a dishonest opportunist and adultery abounds. The glory, though, is in the score: a richly melodic, lyrically nuanced treat for the ears. With a better, more consistent, book (and, I suppose, if the authors had actually all played well together), this could have been a modest "A" list show instead of a negative memory for the creative team. A surprising choice for the we-usually-play-it-safe Theatre at the Center, this well-produced, well-directed and well-acted production featured outstanding performances by Chicago favorites Hollis Resnick (a stunning Leona) and Paula Scrofano (a wise and worldly Signora Fioria), with Larry Adams ably portraying the somewhat despicable DiRossi. The matinee audience  seemed to enjoy it, yet at the same time I felt they secretly wished they were watching something a bit lighter in flavor.  In my opinion, long overdue for an Encores production with, perhaps, a revised and sharpened book. - at the Theatre at the Center, Munster, IN

March, 1979. Fourth preview performance. Unofficially based on the film, Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell (there's no program credit), the plot revolved around Carmelina Campbell, three GI lovers, a daughter from one of them, 17 or so years of triple child support, a secret admirer and a GI regimental reunion. Myriad complications ensued and there was a happy ending as the curtain fell. With a creative team to die for - book by Alan Jay Lerner and Joseph Stein, lyrics by Lerner, music by Burton Lane - and designed by the cream of theatre designers to give the show a lush look and performed by a cast that included Cesare Siepi for that Italian ambiance and the incomparable Georgia Brown to provide some good, old-fashioned star power, this certainly should have been a winner. Sadly, however, most of the critics dismissed it as being old-fashioned and out-of-step with the times and it closed after only 17 performances. I loved it. It was funny, literate, gorgeous to look at, well-acted (and Georgia Brown was divine!) and had a phenomenal score, capped off with a killer 11:00 number for Brown that had the capacity audience at the St. James applauding like mad. It deserved a much longer run. Old-fashioned? Out-of-step with the times? Perhaps, but I hope the theatre always has a place for the well-written, solid show with great production values; one that places good story-telling and defined characters above flashy projections and gimmicks. Had Carmelina been produced 10-15 years earlier, the critical outcome probably would have been much different and the show would have had a decent, profitable run. Ironically, twenty years later, another version of the source film would open in London (2001 in New York), this time not nearly as well-constructed with a really mediocre script, but with an ABBA treasure trove of hits for a score. It would survive critical drubbings in London and New York and at this writing (May, 2013), is still packing them in eight times a week. That show, of course, is Mamma Mia! and it's one of my guilty pleasures. I wonder, though, if the creators of that show ever think about or know of this little gem that did it all first. - at the St. James Theatre, New York

November, 2006. Bob and I saw this very funny and sometimes very silly play on our anniversary. Considering the plot revolves in part around the U.S. government's legal definition of marriage, it was an appropriate choice. From a production point-of-view, this show was an absolute wow: fabulous set, wonderful lighting and gorgeous clothes. The fabulous Christine Baranski and the late George Grizzard headed up the fine cast, with a tasty and tart turn by Sian Phillips and the scene-stealing Jackie Hoffman doing her best in a role that was simultaneously both overwritten and underwritten.  It finished its scheduled run and that was that. What's the "B" show factor here? Well, folks, it's the Paul Rudnick script. Now understand, I like Paul Rudnick, but I do feel all of his writing, including his fiction, just runs out of steam somewhere along the line, loses focus, and strives too hard to be witty and this play was no exception. The pivotal plot point of gays going on strike for a day to show the world how much the world relies on GLBT people and their talents is a great one and he mined it to good advantage here, but at two acts, it all just seemed too long and I believe the play would have benefited enormously by cutting and trimming it into a smart and sassy 90-minute one act. The reviews were dismissive; reader comments were negative. I liked it quite a lot. It deserved better. - at the New York City Center Stage 1 (MTC), New York

May, 1997. This charmer by Kander and Ebb received mixed to negative reviews and managed only a three month run. Set in Atlantic City at a marathon dancing competition during the Depression, Steel Pier was about second chances, redemption, fleeting fame and making choices on how to live your life. Susan Stroman provided the choreography and mighty good choreography it was, too. Kristin Chenoweth made her Broadway debut as a small-town girl who turns out to be more devious that her wholesome looks indicated. Debra Monk was both hilariously bringing the show to a grinding and sustained halt with "Everybody's Girl" and heartbreakingly desperate in "Somebody Older." Daniel McDonald, who would tragically die at a young age from cancer ten years later, played the hero in a charming, understated performance. Gregory Harrison was the handsomely sleazy marathon manager in a very un-Trapper John, M.D. performance. But it was the remarkable Karen Ziemba's portrayal of faded celebrity Rita Racine which gave the show its heart and center. Ziemba is highly-regarded in the theatre world. There's a reason for that. A terrific, expressive singer, an amazing dancer and a sophisticated, nuanced actor, she's been pretty damn wonderful in everything I've seen her in. "Well, Jeff, if this show was so good, why do you consider it a "B" show?," you ask. It's a "B" show simply because it couldn't find an audience. It just didn't have the must-see reviews. In a season of disappointing and critically underwhelming shows (FYI: this was the season of the dreadful Jekyll and Hyde), this flawed beauty should have run much longer, but sadly that was not to be. I'm so glad we saw this! (Sidebar: future Tony-winning choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler was a member of the ensemble!) - at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, New York

Winter, 2005. Remember my mentioning that on occasion a "B" show has won the Tony? Hallelujah, Baby! Is one of those shows. Winner of the 1968 Tony Award for Best Musical, this has a dynamic score by Betty Comden, Adolph Green and Jule Styne, shown off to top advantage by the original cast album featuring a awesomely wonderful Leslie Uggams. I somehow managed to miss the tour when it came through Chicago, so I was very excited to finally get the chance to see this in Washington, DC while on a layover. (Note: I planned my flight schedule for that month so I would have a DC layover that would allow me to see this.) The show initially ran for just under 300 performances in New York, opened to very mixed reviews and would close at a loss. Ironically, the Tony Awards the show won would garner no box office bump since it had already closed months before the Tonys were handed out. What makes this Tony winner a "B" show is its confusion about what it wants to be. Ostensibly it's about the history of African Americans over the last century using show business as its narrative engine. But was it supposed to be an entertainment? A political study? A lesson in race and race relations? Arthur Laurents revised his book for this production, first produced at the George Street Playhouse, in part, I believe, to remedy some of the critical concerns of the original production. Even with the revisions, however, the show remained somewhat of a mystery to me. It was very entertaining, the story line was compelling and the performances were all excellent, but there was a undercurrent of anger throughout the show that kept me from truly caring about the characters. Yes, there has been rampant prejudice and despicable behaviour from whites towards blacks, but, as portrayed in the show, the leading character, Georgina, sometimes caused the bad things to happen to her because she was just an insufferable bitch and despite all of Suzzanne Douglas' talents, it was hard to warm up to her character. This has the potential to be a great show. It just needs a loving, balanced revision of its confused book. (Sidebar: songwriter Amanda Green contributed additional lyrics to this production.) - at the Kreeger Theatre (Arena Stage), Washington, DC

That's it for today. Comments welcome. More later!