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.

A Romance for the Ages, Tonight at Eight

Review: She Loves Me

Laura Benanti and Zachary Levi star as perfectly mismatched lovers in Roundabout's fantastically funny She Loves Me.

Winsome. Charming. Utterly enchanting. All of these words and more can be used to describe Roundabout Theatre Company's top-notch revival of She Loves Me, the most whimsical and romantic night of musical theatre currently available on Broadway. Every moment of the show has been lovingly rendered by director Scott Ellis and his pitch-perfect cast, which is headlined by Tony-winner Laura Benanti in a role tailor-made to her many and varied theatrical talents.

She Loves Me is based on the same short story that inspired the Tom Hanks-Meg Ryan romance You've Got Mail, and follows parfumerie clerks Georg Nowack and Amalia Balash. Constantly bickering on the job, the pair has simultaneously been falling in love via their frequent, anonymous written correspondence with one other. It is a classic romantic comedy setup that has been musicalized using a gorgeous score by Fiddler on the Roof duo Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick, and although the show itself is rarely produced in New York most have likely encountered at least one of its many popular songs (such as that favorite of budding sopranos, "Vanilla Ice Cream").

The premise is uncomplicated and the outcome inevitable, but thanks to Joe Masteroff's intelligent book and Ellis' supremely sensitive direction, this refreshingly intimate musical love story has all the elements required to hold your attention for the duration of its runtime. It is clear that Ellis and his cast have an unabashed love for the material and one another, and that fondness radiates out beyond the footlights to envelope the audience in its warm embrace. By keeping the focus of the story small, She Loves Me also offers far more character development than most shows of its ilk, meaning you will come to genuinely love every one of the characters by the final ultimo.

As Georg and Amalia, Zachary Levi and Laura Benanti make for perfect romantic leads. Their chemistry is palpable and each provides a masterclass in acting a song, whether it be Levi's giddily infectious "She Loves Me" or Benanti's crystal clear and hilarious ode to the aforementioned "Ice Cream." By the time these two temperamental lovebirds realize they are perfect for each other, you are genuinely ecstatic for them, thanks to the pair's charisma, earnestness, and complete sincerity. Benanti's role in particular showcases the actress as few roles can, highlighting her impeccable comic instincts, emotional accessibility, and crystalline soprano in equal measure (and often within the same scene). It is an utter delight to have Benanti back on Broadway after a five year hiatus, and hopefully we won't have to wait another five before being graced with her talents again.

Jane Krakowski is another actress who has spent far too long away from Broadway, having left the Great White Way for the bright lights of Hollywood after her Tony-winning performance in the 2003 revival of Nine. Krakowski is simply sensational as shop attendant Ilola Ritter, skillfully combining easygoing sensuality with convincing naivety as she is constantly taken advantage of by the shop's resident ladies' man, Steven Kodaly (an immensely appealing Gavin Creel). Krakowski goes from slinky kicks and splits in the comic "Ilola" to genuine heartbreak in "I Resolve," all without missing any opportunity to make her scenes as funny as humanly possible. She and Benanti also share fantastic chemistry in their scenes together, making for believable gal pals you wish would spend more time together.

The entire cast is dressed in resplendent 1930's period garb by costumer Jeff Mahshie, which looks all the more gorgeous on David Rockwell's jewel box of a set (the first wow moment of the show is when the exterior facade of the parfumerie open up to reveal its immensely detailed interior right before your eyes). The saturated jewel tones really pop thanks to Donald Holder's lights, and the crisp sound design completes the feeling of being enveloped in the interior of a musical jewelry box.

This has been an outstanding season for musical revivals on Broadway, and She Loves Me is another knockout. A practically perfect production of an underrated show, this revival highlights everything that is splendid about Golden Age musical theatre while removing any hint of dustiness. Like all Roundabout productions, it is scheduled to play a limited engagement, so any and all interested parties should purchase their tickets as soon as possible.

A First Rate Revival of a First Rate Farce

Review: Noises Off

After seeing Noises Off, you'll never look at a plate of sardines the same way.

When is bad acting the best kind of acting? When it is intentional and pulled off with the kind of deft, reckless comic abandoned used by every single cast member in Roundabout Theatre's stellar revival of Michael Frayn's farcical masterpiece, Noises Off. The belly laughs come early and often in this dizzying comic tour de force, which marks not just the first Broadway show of 2016 but also the first great one.

Heralded since its 1983 premiere as one of the all time great theatrical comedies, Noises Off milks its many laughs out of an exceedingly simple premise. A troupe of actors is desperately trying to mount a production of the fictional sex farce Nothing On, a terrible play being done terribly by the ill-equipped actors. Noises Off is broken up into three acts, each set at a different point in the show's run: Act I details the show's disastrous technical rehearsal, Act II moves the action backstage during a performance midway through the show's run, and Act III comes back in front of the curtain to show just how much the show has fallen apart by the end of its run. All of this is enacted by a wonderfully eccentric cast of characters who are concurrently sorting out multiple backstage romances, none of which seem to be going particularly well.

It must be said that even 30 years later Frayn's writing remains a marvel of economy and subtle exposition. As Noises Off primarily deals with how poorly the play-within-a-play is going, there's little time for fleshing out the actors performing it, and yet Frayn manages to pepper the dialogue with enough organic references to their offstage lives that everyone comes across as a person rather than a caricature. The show's first act is funny enough on its own that you don't realize how much expository groundwork it's laying. The repetition of scenes from Nothing On (necessitated by multiple missed cues during the play's tech rehearsal) allows you to follow what's happening in Acts II and III, where the same portion of the fictional comedy is viewed from backstage and from the audience during completely botched performances, yet you don't even realize that's what Frayn's doing until long after the final curtain has literally fallen. The only real knock against the writing is that the playwright fails to follow up on the bombshell revelation at the end of Act II, but at the same time the fact Frayn leaves certain details offstage details to the imagination is part of the appeal.

Of course no matter how strong a script is, you still need a cast and creative team capable of executing it, and that is where this revival truly shines. As the saying goes, "Dying is easy; comedy is hard," and nowhere is that more apparent than in the carefully plotted madness of Noises Off. The play relies on everything going wrong in such a specific fashion that one misstep would derail the entire enterprise, and yet for it to remain funny you cannot see the work or be aware you're being set up for a punchline. Director Jeremy Herrin nails this aspect, carefully crafting each moment of stage time so you can follow both the plot of the play-within-a-play and the behind the scenes shenanigans with ease. He keeps the pacing tight and the comedy heightened yet real; none of the characters have any idea they're being funny, which makes their hapless misadventures all the more hilarious.

Herrin has also assembled one of the hardest working casts in the industry, a true ensemble where every member is working together towards the larger goal. Part of what makes the sparsity of character development work is this cast's ability to fill in the blanks with their mannerisms, and at any moment you can watch anyone onstage and see a fully committed and often deeply hilarious performance. The specificity of the character choices is astounding, as is the varied and delightful ways they interact with one another. It helps that everyone has impeccable comic timing and a major affinity for physical comedy, from prat falls to slap fights to a tumble down the stairs executed with near balletic grace. The actors' physicality comes to a head during the showstopping backstage pantomime that makes up the majority of Act II, a sequence so packed with comic genius it could be watched half a dozen times and reveal entirely new layers of brilliance each time.

Andrea Martin is excellent as the company's resident (and fading) diva, who slowly but surely comes to realize she's in way over her head. Famed comedienne Martin is essentially playing the straight woman, which anyone who works in comedy will tell you is the hardest role to make work, a change of pace she expertly handles while remaining her unimpeachably hilarious self. Jeremy Shamos is side-splittingly funny as an actor who can't stand the sight of violence and just wants to know his motivation, getting funnier and funnier as his character becomes more and more bedraggled. Kate Jennings Grant is immensely appealing as the company's most competent actor and resident gossip monger, and has perhaps the play's single greatest bit of physical comedy as she *slowly* slinks across the floor midperformance to "unobtrusively" remove an errant plate of sardines from the set. Campbell Scott is delightfully explosive as the cantankerous director trying to corral this hapless troupe of actors, and both Tracee Chimo and Rob McClure provide fine support as the production's stage manager and resident technician/understudy, respectively. David Furr kills as the fading marquee idol seemingly incapable of finishing his sentences, and as the resident drunk Daniel Davis is great fun.

But the true standout of the show (quite the accomplishment in a cast this talented) is Megan Hilty as the blonde bombshell who spends the majority of the play in sexy lingerie. Hilty is one of the best bad actresses you are likely to ever see, and her every second of stage time is a multi-faceted masterclass in comic business. Hilty never upstages her cohorts, but when it's her time to shine she takes the moment and runs with it, like her tear-inducingly awkward crawl down the staircase while searching for her missing contact. Whether she's practicing her meditation, silently mouthing the other actors' lines, or flailing her arms in mock panic, Hilty is a comedic knockout.

Really, the only thing wrong with Noises Off is that it's a limited run production, meaning we only have another month to savor this sublime production. The entire hilarious cast will soon have to clear out of the American Airlines Theatre to make way for a very different type of classic (Roundabout's upcoming revival of Long Day's Journey Into Night), so I beg you to brave the cold and catch this production while you can. It's the perfect antidote to the winter doldrums, and proof positive that comedy can be every bit as artistically rewarding as drama.

An Highly Entertaining, If Slightly Dated, Ride

Review: On the Twentieth Century

Kristin Chenoweth makes her triumphant return to Broadway in Roundabout's lavish revival of On the Twentieth Century.

She's ba-ack. 5 years after her ill-advised stint in the woefully underwhelming 2010 revival of Promises, Promises, pint-sized powerhouse Kristin Chenoweth has returned to Broadway in the Roundabout Theatre Company's big budget revival of the Tony-winning On the Twentieth Century. Thankfully, this musical farce is a much greater showcase for Chenoweth's multitudinous gifts, including her impeccable comic timing and robust soprano that effortlessly fills the American Airlines Theatre. If Chenoweth and her first-rate costars are occasionally let down by material that is starting to show its age, that does little to diminish the overwhelming fun to be had by those willing to surrender themselves to the show's old school charms.

Chenoweth plays Lily Garland, a glamorous movie star who was plucked from obscurity by Broadway producer Oscar Jaffe before trading the bright lights of Broadway for the allure of the silver screen. A string of flops has left the once successful Oscar deep in debt, and the desperate producer hopes to convince box office magnet Lily to return to the stage by offering her the lead in his (currently non-existent) epic about Mary Magdalene. There's just one problem: Lily hates his guts, and Oscar only has the duration of their shared transcontinental train ride to change her mind and get a signed contract from the temperamental starlet.

As Garland, Chenoweth is absolutely radiant, the character's glamorous aura enhanced by Chenoweth's own innate star quality. She seizes on the material's farcical nature and runs with it, delivering the libretto's old fashioned zingers with a pitch perfect rhythm that often makes the lines seem funnier than they actually are. Chenoweth sounds expectedly stellar singing Cy Coleman's score, which offers the gifted vocalist plenty of chances to show off the lush, full tones of her upper register; that she often produces these high notes while running around the stage or dancing Warren Carlyle's high energy choreography just makes her purity of tone all the more impressive. Chenoweth is such a unique talent that other revivals have had difficulty fitting her into roles written for more conventional types, but Lily suits Chenoweth so well its easy to forget the part wasn't written for her.

Leading man Peter Gallagher missed a large number of preview performances thanks to a much publicized sinus infection, but watching him attack the role of Oscar Jaffe you'd never know it. Gallagher is smooth and assured throughout, even if his role as the show's straight man doesn't present him with the same types of opportunities as Chenoweth's more multi-faceted character. It would be nice if Gallagher and Chenoweth generated a bit more heat during their interactions, although Gallagher's truncated rehearsal period and some bizarre directorial choices are mostly to blame. For instance, the pair have been instructed to sing to audience rather than one another during a key Act I duet, which undermines their character development and makes their relationship's arc less satisfying than it could be.

Andy Karl turns the one-note role of Bruce Granit, Lily's marquee idol boy toy, into a veritable comic feast. Karl displays a particular affinity for comic business, whether it's plastering the train car with his headshots, being constantly shoved into doors, or tossing an entirely game Chenoweth around like a sack of potatoes. Mary Louise Wilson also shines in the small but memorable role of Letitia Peabody Primrose, an exceedingly wealthy religious fanatic that Oscar hopes will bankroll his proposed play. And while they have almost zero bearing on the show's plot, a special shoutout must be given to Rick Faugno, Richard Riaz Yoder, Phillip Attmore, and Drew King as the train's tap dancing porters, whose performance of the Act II opener "Life is Like a Train" proves to be the evening's biggest showstopper.

Visually, this is one of the most stunning productions Roundabout has ever mounted, although it does feel like the show has been squeezed into a smaller space than it should have been. David Rockwell's playful art deco sets perfectly encapsulate the evening's tone, and he has come up with some startlingly effective solutions to the musical's many scenic demands. Costumer William Ivey Long has done it again with his period perfect costumes, all candy colored hues and sophisticated elegance. And everything is beautifully lit by Donald Holder, whose creative lighting design helps to supplement Rockwell's sets in a way that the show feels even more expansive than it already is.

Unfortunately, while director Scott Ellis has done a commendable job staging this production, he rarely utilizes his cast or the material in the best way possible. Perhaps Ellis is just exhausted (he already directed this season's You Can't Take It With You and The Elephant Man), but there is a lack of tonal cohesion in this revival that occasionally yields chuckles when it's obvious belly laughs were desired. The gifted cast can sometimes come across as frantic, and Ellis has allowed a few too many contemporary mannerisms to sneak into his blocking. While these often produce laughs, it ultimately comes at the expense of being true to the characters, making some moments stick out for the wrong reasons. At the same time, the material hasn't aged particularly well, and the fact that this production is as enjoyable as it is speaks highly of Ellis' work.

For most theatergoers, the main attraction of this production is the chance to Chenoweth return to the stage after years of film, TV, and concert work. And in that light, On the Twentieth Century is a resounding success, proving once again that given the right material there are few women funnier than Chenoweth (and no musical comedienne can touch her operatic soprano). Roundabout has pulled out all the stops on this production and it shows, from the first rate cast to the beautiful production design. This revival fails to completely overcome the more dated aspects of the material, but there are far worse ways to spend a night in the theatre, and hopefully this production will remind the industry that someone really needs to build a new show around Chenoweth's unique talents. She certainly deserves it.

Best of 2011 Countdown: #6

Best Shows of 2011

#6 The Importance of Being Earnest

Brian Bedford in The Importance of Being Earnest

Sometimes, you just know a show is going to be good.  As soon as you read the press release announcing a show and its cast, you make a mental note to go see it because you just know the production is going to be awesome.

The Importance of Being Earnest was not one of those shows.  While the script certainly has merit, it has been run into the ground by endless college and regional productions of middling quality, not to mention overanalysis in various theatre history and British literature courses.  On top of that you have the Roundabout’s spotty track record with play revivals (particularly that awful production of Mrs. Warren’s Profession, a play from the same era as Earnest, in Fall 2010) and the complete lack of any name stars.  In all honesty, if I hadn’t been offered the chance to review this show, I probably wouldn’t have gone to see it at all.

Thank God I did, because Earnest ended up being a top tier production which almost 12 months later remains one of my most enjoyable nights at the theatre in 2011.  Oscar Wilde’s famous wit has endured the test of time, with his clever quips and wordplay remaining as refreshing now as they must have been during the play’s premiere over a century ago.  Everyone in the cast perfectly suited their roles, and their lively interactions made this well-worn play’s nearly 3 hour runtime fly by.

The crowning jewel of this Earnest was its leading “lady.”  Director Brian Bedford pulled double duty by casting himself as the delightfully acidic Lady Bracknell, and stole the show with his perfectly modulated performance.  Although men in drag have been a source of comedy for ages, Bedford wisely avoided camp and played Bracknell as an actual person, making the performance all the more endearing.  Within a minute of his first entrance, the audience completely forgot they were watching a man in drag and were simply watching an aristocratic matriarch pass blistering judgment on everyone around her.

There are two morals to this story.  One is that the true classics earn their lauded status, due to solid construction and observations about the human condition that remain relevant no matter what century it is.  The other is that sometimes it pays to take a chance and go see a show “just because;” it may end up being one of your favorites.

Best of 2011 Countdown: #7

*Note:  I originally named War Horse as my number 9 pick for Best Show of 2011, but when I looked back at my original “Best of” list, I realized the number 8 show had no business being on it.  So I’ve bumped War Horse up a spot.  You’re welcome, Lincoln Center.*

Best of 2011

#7 Anything Goes

Sutton Foster and the Anything Goes ensemble

It’s tricky to revive a pre-Rodgers & Hammerstein musical.  In the years since the team’s heyday, it has become standard for a show’s musical numbers to work with the book scenes in advancement of plot and/or characterization.  We as audience members expect this of all shows, and generally demand a damn good reason for a show to break from that format.  But before 1943, it was perfectly acceptable for a musical to consist of elaborate production numbers padded out by a loosely constructed and often nonsensical plot. 

Such is the problem with Anything Goes.  For all of its entertainment value, including a fantastic score by the great Cole Porter, nothing of consequence really happens.  Even with multiple rewrites over the years (there are now a whopping six credited bookwriters, and lord knows how many uncredited tweaks by actors and directors), the show’s plot makes no sense.  There’s something about a working class man trying to win the affections of an upper class debutante, a completely harmless “public enemy” trying to increase his street cred, and apparently lead character Reno Sweeney is an evangelist who saves souls for a living.  But in essence the story is an excuse to have various combinations of performers sing a hit parade of Porter tunes, all in the name of entertainment.

And entertaining it is.  Kathleen Marshall has crafted a perfectly fine revival of this reliable favorite, with a (mostly) game and talented cast doing an excellent job of delivering the material with style and flair.  Her Tony-winning choreography on the title song alone is worth the price of admission, as it is one of the most joyous demonstrations of talent and stagecraft currently on a Broadway stage.  But for all of her directorial skill, Marshall can’t quite maintain that level of enthusiasm throughout the entire show.  Sometimes the show starts to feel like the 70-year-old dinosaur that it is, rather than a fresh and relevant revival of an old favorite.  In fact, I would argue that there isn’t a whole lot going on at the Stephen Sondheim theatre that couldn’t be seen in a well-done regional production of the show.

So what makes this one of the best shows of 2011?  The answer is simple: Sutton Foster.  The eminently likable and multi-talented comedienne’s take on Reno Sweeney is the kind of star turn that will be talked about for decades, and she single-handedly elevates the production to must-see status.  Her phenomenal voice and solid dance skills would be enough to make her a great Reno, but once you throw her often underrated acting ability and emotional sincerity into the mix you have a truly transcendent performance that more than deserves all the Best Actress awards she received for it.  Anything Goes cements Foster as a once-in-a-generation kind of talent, an ebullient throwback to the musical comedy stars of yesteryear.  If you haven’t seen her, go now, and watch how the pros really do it.