The Best Shows of 2016: Part II

I've already revealed the first half of my Best of 2016 list, and now it's time to reveal my picks for the Top 5 Shows of 2016. As always, the criteria for making this list is as follows: the show must have officially opened in 2016, and it must have been seen by yours truly. Think of it as more of a list of personal favorites than a definitive "best of" list (since I did not manage to see several highly acclaimed productions).

Here are my Top 5 Shows of 2016:

5) Bright Star

Carmen Cusack and Paul Alexander Nolan in Bright Star.

Like American Psycho before it, Bright Star is another show from the spring of 2016 that just didn't have the kind of run it truly deserved. Unlike American Psycho, Bright Star actually had a fair number of critical champions, and word of mouth from those who actually saw it was quite strong. Steve Martin and Edie Brickell's bluegrass score was a true stunner, especially on repeated listening, and while the story was perhaps predictable it was never anything less than involving. In fact, it is a testament to the show's strength that audiences remained emotionally invested despite the big reveal being fairly obvious from the outset. And the cherry on top of this already wonderful cake was the star making performance of Carmen Cusack in the lead role of Alice Murphy, playing the spunky literary editor as both an exuberant youth and a stern adult. Cusack astounded with her big voice and even bigger emotions, and will hopefully become a much more regular fixture on the New York stage in the years to come.

4) Waitress

Jessie Mueller and the cast of Waitress.

There was never any doubt that Hamilton would dominate the 2016 Tony Awards, leaving Sara Bareilles' positively delightful Waitress a perpetual runner up. In my opinion, this feel good musical confection (the first Broadway tuner to boast an entirely female creative team) was the second best new show of the 2015-2016 season, exceeding expectations thanks to an absolutely charming book, score, and cast. Bareilles, director Diane Paulus, and librettist Jessie Nelson have crafted a romantic drama with a ton of heart, one which hews close enough to tradition to remain comforting while packing just enough twists to hold your interest. And anchoring everything is Jessie Mueller's towering, Tony-nominated performance as Jenna, the small town waitress with big city aspirations. Mueller possesses a depth of feeling few actors have, and powerhouse vocals that make a mighty feast of Bareilles' soaring melodies. By the time Mueller finishes her 11 o'clock stunner "She Used to Be Mine" (one of the most gorgeous showtunes of the past several seasons), she has left absolutely everything on the stage, and the audience is all the better for it.

3) Noises Off

The company of Roundabout Theatre Company's revival of Noises Off.

Few plays have managed the sustained levels of hilarity found in Noises Off, the gold standard of farce written by playwright Michael Frayn in 1983. This season saw an absolutely sensational revival mounted by Roundabout Theatre Company (which had one of its best seasons in ages) which produced over two hours of near continuous laughter. Every member of the ensemble had multiple moments of gut busting hilarity, be it Megan Hilty looking for her missing contact, Andrea Martin struggling to remember where exactly to place the sardines, or Kate Jennings Grant literally rolling across the stage trying to remove an errant prop. There was such a dizzying array of comic genius on display that it was impossible to fully appreciate everything in a single viewing, and the nearly wordless second act was the most bravura example of comedic excellence I have perhaps ever witnessed. A true masterwork in every sense of the word.

2) Dear Evan Hansen

Ben Platt (center) and the Broadway cast of Dear Evan Hansen.

I have yet to see the show's much lauded Broadway transfer, but given the stellar shape Dear Evan Hansen was in when I saw it at Second Stage Theatre in the spring I have not qualms about naming it one of the best of the year. Benj Pasek and Justin Paul have written a searing contemporary score, bursting at the seams with emotion and drive and delivering on all the promise they showed in the Tony-nominated A Christmas Story several years back. The wholly original narrative about an awkward teen's misguided attempt to capitalize on his unexpected internet fame speaks directly to our modern social media obsessed culture, while also touching upon universal concerns about belonging and our place in the world. Director Michael Mayer has crafted an energy-infused staging that owes no small debt to his brilliant work on the Pulitzer Prize-winning Next to Normal, and in an ensemble of fine actors special mention must go to Ben Platt's jaw-dropping work as the title character. The young star's performance must be seen to be believed, and already has the town buzzing in a manner similar to the talk surrounding eventual Tony-winner Cynthia Erivo's work in The Color Purple. Tickets are not easy to come by, but definitely worth the investment, especially for those who enjoy supporting entirely original musicals.

1) She Loves Me

Laura Benanti and Zachary Levi in She Loves Me.

Perfection. It is not a term I use lightly, but it is wholly appropriate when describing Roundabout Theatre Company's transcendent revival of Bock and Harnick's classic musical romance She Loves Me. Every facet of the production, from the gorgeous set and costumes to the pitch perfect performances and direction, exuded such love for both the piece and the theatre in general that it was positively infectious. Laura Benanti and Zachary Levi were superbly cast as the feuding perfumerie clerks secretly made for one another, sharing an electric chemistry and a masterful understanding of how to act a song. The supporting cast was also excellent, including a deliciously smarmy and gloriously sung turn by Gavin Creel as the womanizing Kodaly. And words seem hardly adequate to describe the comedic perfection that was Jane Krakowski as the lovelorn Ilona, whether she was doing the splits or sharing the details of her life changing "Trip to the Library." Broadway musicals simply don't get any better than this.


And there you have it! Those are my Best Shows of 2016. For next year, I will have to make a resolution to be better about reviewing all the shows I see (it's a shame I didn't write down my thoughts about American Psycho, Bright Star, or Waitress while they were fresh). Be sure to keep checking this blog space for reviews of all the big spring shows, and don't be shy about sharing your favorites of the year in the comments.

Happy New Year!

Old-Fashioned Comfort

Review: Holiday Inn

Corbin Bleu, Lora Lee Gayer, and Bryce Pinkham lead the cast of Holiday Inn at Studio 54. Not clearly pictured: fabulous Easter bonnets!

Holiday Inn is a curious concoction of a show. Pointedly subtitled The New Irving Berlin Musical, this old-fashioned musical comedy has never been seen onstage before but is adapted from a relatively well known 1940s movie musical. That Golden Age Hollywood pedigree proves both a blessing and a hindrance for the show, which is a refreshing throwback to the musicals of yesteryear that also highlights some of the storytelling shortcomings of the era. But those who can look past the plot contrivances and focus on the joyously staged musical numbers will find plenty to love in Roundabout Theatre Company's latest Broadway production, one of their rare forays into the world of "original" musicals.

The titular Holiday Inn is a converted farmhouse that only hosts guests on holidays, giving patrons a one night only musical extravaganza themed to the date's festivities. It is operated by Jim Hardy, a former entertainer and songwriter who initially wanted to give up show business but hatched the idea as a way to pay the bills after a failed attempt at farming. Joining him on this endeavor are his best friend, famed dancer Ted Hanover, and local schoolteacher Linda Mason, who herself once had dreams of performing.

The biggest problem with Holiday Inn's new book by Gordon Greenberg and Chad Hodge is that it takes an inordinately long time to set all this up. The creation of the Holiday Inn feels like the inciting incident of the story, but doesn't occur until at least 45 minutes into the show. The time before then is spent attempting to develop the characters and their backstory, which is admirable and yet misguided for this type of breezy musical comedy. The entertaining yet awkwardly slotted production numbers of the first half hour seem to suggest the bookwriters also don't trust their characters to hold the audience's attention, attempting to keep the energy up with multiple big dance sequences set to Irving Berlin's timeless tunes.

As with many musicals from the 1940s and 50s, the plot of Holiday Inn is secondary to the musical numbers and doesn't hold up to much scrutiny. The tension mostly stems from Jim Hardy's stubborn selfishness, and yet we are obviously meant to empathize with him as the kindhearted everyman. Many character actions are obviously motivated by the need to set up the next musical number, with several secondary characters disappearing and reappearing as needed with little explanation. The show's attempts at more weighty emotional stakes also fall flat, as there is never any real question about how the love triangle between the three leads will turn out. And yet it feels unfair to judge Holiday Inn too harshly for these structural faults, as it has no pretensions of being Shakespeare (or to use a more appropriate musical theatre reference, Sondheim).

In fact, the incredibly engaging cast and cavalcade of top notch production numbers override any narrative misgivings one might have. Bryce Pinkham brings the same easygoing charm to Jim Hardy as he did to the rakish Monty Navarro in the Tony-winning A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder. Corbin Bleu proves to be a consummate song and dance man, endowing Ted Hanover with charisma and star quality to spare. Lora Lee Gayer exhibits a refreshingly modern, self assured take on the classic ingenue archetype, while also managing to sneak in some subtly hilarious bits of sardonic humor. And Megan Lawrence is a reliably hilarious standout as Louise, the inn's caretaker and Jim Hardy's confidante.

But the real stars of Holiday Inn are choreographer Denis Jones' glittery musical numbers, sharply executed with an abundance of wit and charm. Expertly danced by one of the most appealing ensembles on Broadway, Jones' dances cover a wide array of period-appropriate styles and moods, with just enough modern razzle dazzle thrown in to hold the interest of contemporary audiences. Jones makes particularly clever use of the ensemble women during Ted's "You're Easy to Dance With" at the top of Act II, and stages a rousing patriotic spectacle for the inn's Fourth of July spectacular (including a fantastic tap showcase for Bleu). Most impressively, he has created a showstopper in the truest sense of the word for "Shaking the Blues Away," a glorious Christmas-themed extravaganza that sees Lawrence's Louise leading the entire ensemble in an athletic, multi-part tap marathon which culminates in some truly jaw dropping tricks involving a lot of garland. The number brings the house down and practically justifies Holiday Inn's existence on its own.

The show's holiday pastiches are greatly helped by Alejo Vietti's non-stop parade of themed costumes. Whether Vietti has the ensemble decked out in Thanksgiving themed leotards with accompanying turkey tails, red-white-and-blue striped nautical outfits, or the most glorious Easter bonnets seen on Broadway in quite some time, the costumes never look less than stunning. The production is also blessed with one of the most elaborate sets in Roundabout's history courtesy of Anna Louizos, all lovingly lit by Jeff Croiter. And bookwriter Gordon Greenberg pulls double duty as the production's director, keeping everything moving at a pace fast enough that you don't have time to focus on the structural flaws without ever having the show feel rushed.

In a world increasingly rife with political and social turmoil, it's nice to have a lighthearted musical like Holiday Inn around to keep the mood festive. Irving Berlin's timeless melodies reaffirm his position as one of the great American songwriters, and form the backbone to a series of wonderfully entertaining production numbers choreographed by Denis Jones. The hardworking, immensely appealing cast wins you over even when their material is less than stellar, and only the most curmudgeonly on audience members won't find at least something to enjoy. Like most actual holidays, the deeper feelings behind Holiday Inn may get glossed over in favor of festive spectacle, but that's part of the appeal.

An Admirable "Journey," If Not a Great One

Review: Long Day's Journey Into Night

John Gallagher, Jr. and Jessica Lange in the latest Broadway revival of Long Day's Journey Into Night.

There's always been something off about the Tyrones, the highly dysfunctional family unit at the center of Eugene O'Neill's Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece Long Day's Journey Into Night. Slowly learning the many ways in which the Tyrone family isn't what it seems is one of the drama's chief pleasures, with each new revelation forcing you to reconsider your feelings about the four deeply damaged characters onstage. But in the Roundabout Theatre Company's current revival of this American classic, something is even more off than usual, and it holds this fine production back from the transcendent heights it so desperately wants to achieve.

The cast of stage and screen veterans assembled here certainly dives into their meaty roles with abandon, with each cast member offering a perfectly valid and often fascinating take on their member of the Tyrone clan. Yet these performances don't quite stylistically mesh with one another, so at times it feels like four separate productions occurring simultaneously rather than one seamless whole. Whether this is a fault in casting or direction is up for debate, but it is a noticeable issue which distracts from the impressive acting of the cast.

As the family patriarch James, Gabriel Byrne is wonderfully understated, convincingly reserved and world weary from a life full of regret and emotional turmoil. Byrne does an excellent job of using the character's Irish bluster to hide his true insecurities, and his deeply expressive eyes make it clear that every insult and accusation hurled his way stings even though James rarely vocalizes his hurt. His is an all-too-real remorse that is quietly devastating, anchoring the showier performances around him with genuine human gravitas.

Jessica Lange is often captivating as the alternatively fragile and ferocious matriarch Mary, and is particularly effective in the scenes where the character rapidly shifts from one emotional extreme to another. Lange makes the character's repeated utterance of "I don't know what you're talking about" everything from the heartbreaking possible onset of senility to a bone chilling challenge to anyone who dares question her sincerity. You're never quite sure how conscious her denial of the problems in her life is, and it makes for a fascinating character study. Yet for all she does right, Lange sometimes feels out of place; you get the feeling her Mary would work even better in a production where the other actors matched her particular style of emotionally volatile acting, rather than the more measured and stately performances favored by her current costars.

As the Tyrones' two sons, both Michael Shannon and John Gallagher, Jr. are exceptional. As the elder son, Shannon is mesmerizing, expertly forging all of the character's conflicting impulses into one multifaceted gem of a performance. Shannon's Jimmy is the most self-aware of the bunch, but also the most vindictive, purposefully agitating the rest of the family by continually bringing up their hurtful past. There's a twinkle of joy in Shannon's eyes when he gets a rise out of one of the other characters, and yet his repeated apologies are heartfelt and his own self-loathing always readily apparent. As the younger son Edmund, Gallagher, Jr. nails the character's contradictory desire to be treated as a man and need for the extra attention granted him by virtue of being the family baby. He also makes for the most interesting foil to Lange, the only one who seems to really see her even as she continually lies to herself about his ongoing medical problems.

Director Jonathan Kent makes a few choices that actively undermine his cast, including staging the play so that an unnecessarily large amount of dialogue is delivered upstage. It robs the audience of the chance to see the actors' expressive faces, and occurs enough that it becomes difficult to fully empathize with them (Lange in particular spends a lot of time speaking upstage). Also, while no one has ever accused Long Day's Journey Into Night of being a short play, Kent's decision to provide only one intermission during the play's four hour runtime turns it into an endurance test for even the most devout O'Neill fans. The last of the four acts suffers the most from this decision, with several brilliantly subtle bits of acting competing against the increasing restlessness of the audience, and the heartbreak of Lange's final monologue undercut by the relief of finally getting a break.

Overall, this Journey is admirably executed but rarely excites, making it difficult to recommend but also hard to completely dismiss. O'Neill's play is a masterwork of rare skill, infinitely complex despite its relatively straightforward setup, and something that reveals new facets of meaning on every viewing. It is something that should be experienced by every theatre lover at some point in their lives, but it would be a shame if those unfamiliar with the work mistook the flaws in this production as flaws with the play in general. Audience enjoyment will be directly tied to how interested you are in seeing these specific actors tackle these specific roles, but those who have seen multiple productions of the play probably won't find much to distinguish this revival from the rest.

Willkommen Back

Review: Cabaret

Alan Cumming, reprising his Tony-winning role as the Emcee, leads the nubile denizens of the Kit Kat Klub in Roundabout's revival of Cabaret.

When Roundabout Theatre Company announced they were remounting Sam Mendes and Rob Marshall's acclaimed, Tony Award-winning production of Cabaret, the news was understandably greeted with some scepticism.  Roundabout made very clear that this would be a near exact recreation, boasting the same creative team and Tony-winning star - Alan Cumming, reprising his near-legendary performance as the Emcee - of a production that had only closed on Broadway 10 years prior.  It all sounded like a shameless cash grab, something the nation's largest non-profit was doing to finance the rest of its season rather than something born out of any artistic need or urgency.

Thankfully, while all of the above may be true, this resurrected Cabaret is a powerful interpretation of one of the undisputedly great musical dramas.  Nothing about Mendes' recreated staging feels canned or stale, and this representation of the decadent days proceeding the second World War is both highly entertaining and deeply unsettling.  This is a show with something important and downright challenging to say (an all too rare occurrence in contemporary musical theatre), and with the exception of one key piece of casting it is carried off with such artistic integrity and assurance that only a fool would begrudge Roundabout's return to the Kit Kat Klub.

For those who have never seen Cabaret, the show takes place in 1930s Berlin right before the Nazis' ascent to political dominance.  Bisexual American novelist Cliff Bradshaw moves to the city looking for inspiration for his next book, and is soon pulled into the exhilaratingly seedy world of the Kit Kat Klub, which is overseen by an otherworldly Emcee and headlined by the free spirited Sally Bowles.  Cliff and Sally move in together and begin a romance, while their landlady Fraulein Schneider is wooed by a Jewish fruit seller named Herr Schultz.  As the country's Nazi leanings become more pronounced, all of the characters are forced to decide whether to continue their carefree, pleasure-focused lives in the face of mounting political tension.

Cabaret remains a rock-solid piece of theatrical writing, featuring perhaps the finest collection of showtunes Kander and Ebb ever created during their 50-plus years of collaboration (this production has smartly incorporated several songs the pair wrote specifically for the movie, including "Mein Herr" and "Maybe This Time").  Joe Masteroff's libretto expertly juggles multiple plot threads while creating multifaceted characterizations, and the show tackles some very big issues in a way that is digestible without diminishing their importance or complexity. 

Co-directors Mendes and Marshall (who also handled choreographic duties) expertly guide the narrative with clarity and precision, nailing the juxtaposition of tones for maximum theatrical effect.  Celebrations of life's decadence such as "Willkommen" and "Two Ladies" are intoxicatingly delightful, while the scenes between Herr Schultz and Fraulein Schneider are positively charming.  But the show can turn on a dime to deeply unsettling, powerfully staged moments like "If You Could See Her," the Act I closer "Tomorrow Belongs to Me," or the show's chilling final tableau.  Mendes and Marshall make excellent use of Masteroff's book and Kander and Ebb's score to lull the audience into a false sense of complacency before springing the show's more disturbing elements on us, demonstrating just how easily anyone can be caught unawares by life's dark side.

All these years later, the Emcee remains Alan Cumming's signature role, and the Scottish actor is every bit as astounding as one could hope.  Cumming's voice remains virtually unchanged, and he exudes a carefree confidence tinged with a hint of menace.  Cumming is game for pretty much anything, from performing lewd gestures to dancing overtly sexual choreography to donning various androgynous costumes (or sometimes wearing almost nothing at all).  At first genial, Cumming becomes slowly unhinged and more antagonistic as the evening wears on, and by the time he asks, "Where are your troubles now?" during the finale, it's as much an accusation as anything else, implying that human selfishness is what allows tragedies like to Holocaust to happen.

As Fraulein Schneider and Herr Schultz, Linda Emond and Danny Burstein are close to perfection, with an easy chemistry and a gravitas that makes their relationship the heart of the show.  And while Burstein is well-known for his musical theatre chops, Emond's play-focused career has denied the world of hearing her fantastically strong voice until now.  Bill Heck acts the role of Cliff with conviction, and Aaron Krohn is excellent as Ernst Ludwig, the charming Nazi sympathizer made all the more unnerving by his utter normalcy.  The cast and ensemble (who also doubles as the orchestra) are uniformly excellent, with one very notable exception.

Unfortunately, that exception is Michelle Williams as Sally Bowles.  The Oscar-nominated actress is making her Broadway debut, and while no one can accuse her of resting on her laurels, she gives a deeply misguided and ultimately unsatisfying performance.  Probably miscast, Williams has moments of strength and a surprisingly sturdy singing voice (remember that Sally is supposed to be at best a second rate singer, a fact the movie ignored in favor of casting the excellent Liza Minelli).  But Williams' performance rings false thanks to a collection of character tics that don't really work for her.  She constantly shakes and has an entirely unplaceable accent, making it unclear whether Sally is an addled drug addict, putting on an adopted persona, on the brink of a nervous breakdown, or some combination of all three.  Whatever it is, it doesn't really click, making a character that has in previous versions been defined by her authenticity feel fake and untruthful.  It's also unclear what about this Sally makes Cliff, who as played by Heck clearly prefers men to women, stay with and ultimately fall in love with such a deeply damaged individual.

Everything and everyone around Williams is excellent, and there is plenty to recommend this revival (especially to those who missed the production the first time around).  But the role of Sally is such a pivotal one that Williams' labored performance does bring the show down a notch or two.  With another actresses in the role, this Cabaret would easily be one of the best things running on Broadway.  As is, it is still a strong production of one of the musical theatre's greatest dramatic works, an adult work just as interested in challenging the audience as it is in entertaining them. Fans of that kind of theatre should definitely head over to Studio 54 and heed Cumming's opening entreaties to "bleibe, reste, stay."

Let Her Sing

Review:  Violet



Roundabout takes another chance by casting Sutton Foster in a role against her usual type, and it pays off handsomely.

Two-time Tony-winner Sutton Foster is virtually unrecognizable in Roundabout's revival of Violet, the 1997 Off-Broadway musical about a disfigured Southern girl on her way to seek a cure from a famous televangelist.  Oh, that crystalline belt is unmistakably hers, and in the show's lighter moments we see glimpses of the musical comedienne who wowed in shows like Thoroughly Modern Millie and The Drowsy Chaperone. But for the majority of Violet's intermissionless 110 minutes, Foster completely disappears inside this deeply insecure young woman struggling to make sense of the blows life has handed her, and watching an actress so familiar play so thoroughly against type is positively thrilling.  There are plenty of other aspects to recommend in this handsomely staged production, but Foster is the main draw, and it is another high point in her illustrious and prolific stage career.

Violet suffered a horrible accident in her youth, when her father's axe blade flew off the handle and left Violet with a brutal scar across her face.  Now grown, Violet has convinced herself that if she places herself in the hands of a nationally famous faith healer, God will heal her disfigurement and she can become the woman she was destined to be.  To that end, she hops on a bus toward the site of the Preacher's next big revival, and along the way befriends two soldiers who will play a major role in helping Violet realize what is truly beautiful about her.

It must be said that as a piece of theatrical writing, Violet has some issues.  Brian Crawley's libretto skips to different points in Violet's life with a murky logic that at times makes the show more of a mood piece than a coherent book musical.  Jeanine Tesori's folk and gospel-influenced score is far more engaging than Crawley's occasionally cloying dialogue, even if several musical numbers overstay their welcome ("Luck of the Draw" and "Raise Me Up" are prime offenders, even if the latter features some thrilling choral work by the hardworking cast of 11).  Thankfully for the show and the audience, the strongest section of the show is the last, with the final 30 minutes proving both an illuminating character study and an emotionally satisfying conclusion to Violet's journey.  Although the show's message about personal acceptance has become something of a cliché, it is heartfelt and earnestly expressed by both the writing and the cast.

In fact, it is largely due to the first-rate cast that Violet is able to overcome its more questionable plotting decisions and structural weaknesses.  As previously mentioned, Foster exceeds expectations as a dramatic singing-actress, in her most surprising and emotionally moving performance yet.  The production eschews any kind of make-up, allowing the audience to imagine Violet's horrific scar rather than getting bogged down with actually showing it; thanks to Foster's wholly committed performance, the scar's presence and the accompanying years of psychological baggage are always felt.  And while Violet the character can be emotionally guarded and introspective, Foster the actress is open and accessible in a way that anchors and elevates the show and its message of inner beauty triumphing over adversity.  Towards the musical's end, one of the characters earnestly tells Violet, "I wish you could see yourself.  You look so beautiful."  Because of the expert way in which Foster as charted her character's growth, we can see the exact change he's talking about, and it is truly marvelous.

Joshua Henry demonstrates great charisma as Flick, the black soldier who instantly bonds with Violet over the shared hardship of being constantly judged based on their looks.  Henry's million-watt smile and soulful voice make his solos soar, and he does an excellent job of creating a fully rounded character from material that leaves a lot unsaid.  Colin Donnell is appropriately dashing as Monty, Flick's womanizing companion who completes the central love triangle, although he is occasionally let down by the writing.  At times Monty is presented as a legitimate alternative to Flick, while at others he comes across as an opportunist only interested in brief fling.  Donnell portrays both options convincingly, which ultimately leaves you feeling unsure about both his character and how we're meant to feel about his eventual fate.  Meanwhile, Alexander Gemignani is pitch perfect as Violet's widowed Father, and Emerson Steele is ideally matched with Foster as the adolescent Violet.

Director Leigh Silverman has staged this production with efficiency and an appropriately scaled back physical production.  Unfortunately she doesn't always help to clarify what is going on in the show, specifically in regards to the logic behind the time shifts (Violet's current and past incarnations are often both onstage at once, in separate but interlocking scenes that sometimes dissolve into one another).  Both David Zinn's set and Clint Ramos' costumes are appropriately unassuming, with enough detail to suggest time and place but not so much that they inhibit suspension of disbelief during the many location changes and scene shifts.

If you're looking for the kind of big, splashy musical that Sutton Foster is usually associated with, Violet is not for you.  But it is a lovingly mounted production of a charmingly small-scale musical that tells an interesting and moving story despite some structural shortcomings.  Previously confined to the realms of musical comedy, Foster's career redefining performance shows she has the acting skills to tackle more serious musical dramas, opening even more doors for one of the Great White Way's most in-demand leading ladies.  Ably supported by her costars, Foster makes Violet a journey worth taking

Best Shows of 2012: #9

Best of 2012

#9 – The Mystery of Edwin Drood

Damned if there you are!

 

I firmly believe that Rupert Holmes’ The Mystery of Edwin Drood is one of the worst musicals ever written.  Based on Charles Dickens’ unfinished last novel, the show is two hours of uninteresting exposition and merely passable songs that mark time until we reach the musical’s central gimmick, which is letting the audience vote on the mystery’s solution and thereby choose the show’s ending.  The nearly incomprehensible “plot” and exceedingly shallow characters require a top-notch production to mask their many deficiencies and make the show even vaguely tolerable.

Thankfully, the Roundabout Theatre Company’s current Broadway revival is a top-notch production.  Filled to the brim with outstanding performances, the talent involved elevates Drood into a musical confection that’s still devoid of meaning but so much fun you hardly care.  Stephanie J. Block has found the perfect vehicle for her many talents, with her turn as the title character equally highlighting her skills as a musical comedienne and her nearly unmatched vocal prowess.  In any other show, a performance of Block’s caliber would make her the unequivocal star, but this production features so many outstanding supporting turns that Block is but one jewel in a musical crown.

Rising star Jessie Mueller demonstrates remarkable range as the fiery Helena Landless, proving just as entrancing here as she was playing the ingénue Cinderella in this summer’s Into the Woods.  As the musical’s master of ceremonies, Jim Norton turns what could be a rather bland role into one of the year’s great comedic performances, hamming things up with delightful abandon.  Will Chase chews the scenery with infectious, giddy delight as the musical’s villain, and as the object of his lascivious desires Betsy Wolfe is a dream.  The show also boasts Chita Rivera’s return to the Broadway stage after a six year absence, and this living legend proves that she’s still got it.  The sets and costumes are just as impressive as the starry cast, with William Ivey Long’s gorgeous Victorian outfits a particular standout sure to net the designer his umpteenth Tony nomination.

Roundabout’s Broadway productions have been hit or miss in recent seasons, but The Mystery of Edwin Drood is a definite hit.  The not-for-profit has given this musical a far better production than it deserves, and those high standards have resulted in one of the most entertaining musicals of the year.  Anyone looking for a carefree night of bawdy jokes and hammy performances will absolutely adore Drood, and even the most ardent Scrooges in the audience won’t be able to resist cracking a smile or two.



For my full review of The Mystery of Edwin Drood, click here.

Murder Can Be Fun (Provided You Have the Right Cast)

Review:  The Mystery of Edwin Drood

The merry muderers of the Music Hall Royale in their rendition of "The Cell Block Tango"

Let’s get one thing straight:  The Mystery of Edwin Drood – the 1985 musical murder mystery with book, music, and lyrics by Rupert Holmes – is a terrible show.  The music is bland, unmemorable, and breaks so many rules of good theatrical composition that the mind boggles.  The poorly constructed book consists of an endless parade of paper-thin characters prattling on about nothing, with an abundance of puns thrown into the mix to distract the audience from the fact that nothing is actually happening.  The show’s central gimmick, allowing the audience to pick an ending for Charles Dickens’ unfinished final novel of the same name, is a good one, but Drood relies so heavily on that conceit that the initial two hours suffer mightily in comparison.  Rarely have I found so few redeeming qualities in a Broadway musical.

Having said all that, the Roundabout Theatre Company’s current revival is an excellent production that manages to transcend all of the script’s shortcomings to emerge as one of the most entertaining musicals of the fall season.  The hilarious and supremely talented ensemble cast features a host of Broadway veterans all doing excellent work, and the magnificent physical production offers a richly colored tapestry on which the show unfolds.  This is an excellent mounting of a horrible show, and only the most jaded audience members won’t find at least some enjoyment among the production’s many charms.

The show is set in the fictional Music Hall Royale of London during the Victorian era, and the resident acting troupe has taken it upon themselves to present a musicalized adaptation of the unfinished Mystery of Edwin Drood.  The show-within-a-show concerns the drug-addicted John Jasper’s unhealthy attraction to the beautiful Rosa Bud, who has been betrothed to marry Edwin Drood since birth.  Other characters in the tale include twin siblings Helena and Neville Landless, their caretaker the Reverend Crisparkle, opium purveyor Princess Puffer, and the town’s resident drunk Durdles.  What any of these characters have to do with one another remains something of a mystery, even after the show’s conclusion, and matters are further complicated by the fact that the Music Hall Royale’s actors are constantly breaking character to make asides or react to scripted mistakes.  Thankfully, the characters of Drood and the fictional actors who play them are brought to such uniformly charming life by the show’s cast that this narrative murkiness doesn’t really matter.

Donning drag to portray the titular character, Stephanie J. Block has found the perfect vehicle to showcase her many talents.  Block’s natural charisma helps taper the character’s more abrasive qualities, and her broadly comedic portrayal provides plenty of belly laughs.  Her spine-tinglingly good voice makes Holmes’ amateurish songs sounds leagues better than they actually are, and her rendition of the show’s finale is positively thrilling.  She also possesses a winning chemistry with Betsy Wolfe’s delightfully coquettish Rosa Bud, and the pair is nothing short of enchanting whenever they share the stage.

Will Chase is clearly having a blast as the cartoonishly sinister John Jasper, and his delight in the role’s over-the-top nature is infectious.  He’s the type of villain you love to hate, even if his excessive snarling sometimes prevents him from making the best use of his strong singing voice.  Andy Karl’s hot-headed Neville Landless is a hoot, and as his twin sister with the “geographically untraceable accent” Jessie Mueller continues to prove that she’s one of the most versatile actresses of her generation.  Doing a complete one-eighty from her equally winning work as Cinderella in this summer’s Into the Woods, Mueller’s Helena Landless emanates a steely resolve and exotic beauty that extends to the back of the balcony and beyond.  Mugging in all the right places and given too few opportunities to demonstrate her superb alto singing voice, Mueller is one of the show’s strongest assets, and although her part is sizeable she still leaves you wanting more.

This Drood also sees the welcome return of the Chita Rivera to the Broadway stage, and the legendary actress makes the most of her limited stage time.  If her Princess Puffer doesn’t quite live up to the insanely high standard the actress has set for herself, Rivera remains the consummate professional and an utter joy to watch.

And then there’s Jim Norton.  As the Chairman and master of ceremonies of the Music Hall Royale, the veteran actor’s virtuosic performance is the highlight of the evening.  Although he initially appears to be little more than a genial guide meant to hold the audience’s hand throughout the freewheeling show, each scene allows Norton to reveal more and more of his vast reserve of talent.  The actor’s deft comic timing makes even the most groan-inducing puns seem hilarious, and the detached, slightly perturbed way in which he introduces scenes and characters only serves to add to his charm.  Norton can turn a raised eyebrow or muttered aside into comedic gold, and when a scripted mishap forces him to assume a more active role in the show-within-a-show Norton unleashes the most hilarious characterization of the night.

Like the cast, Drood’s physical production is top-notch.  William Ivey Long’s sumptuous Victorian costumes are resplendent in their beauty, utilizing a deep color palette and intricate detail work to jump off the stage.  His attention to detail permeates everything, from the perfectly tailored suit Will Chase wears for the duration of the evening down to a breathtaking gown Stephanie J. Block wears for all of thirty seconds.  Anna Louizos’ set simply and effectively evokes the show-within-a-show’s multiple locations and the English music hall the entire event occurs in (even the lobby has been given a suitable Victorian makeover).  Brian Nason’s lighting design makes both the sets and the costumes pop, and the overall result is a stage that is almost as interesting as the action taking place on it.

The Roundabout’s Broadway productions have been hit or miss for the past few seasons, but the ones that have worked have worked extremely well.  The Mystery of Edwin Drood is an example of a production that works, despite the subpar material’s best attempts to derail the entire endeavor.  The cast is top notch, and the fact that many of them are playing roles outside their typical wheelhouse (and succeeding brilliantly at it) adds an extra layer of enjoyment to their performances.  While it would be a mistake to come to Drood expecting high art or evening coherent storytelling, an abundance of fun and loads of laughs are virtually guaranteed.