Swept Away

 Swept Away
Longacre Theatre
December 28, 2024 

Photo courtesy of Swept Away

The Broadway production of Swept Away is a beautiful telling of a harrowing tale.   John Logan’s book cuts to the heart.  The music and lyrics by the Avett Brothers run the gamut from foot stomping fun to tender, spiritually moving ballads.  Director Michael Mayer approaches the challenges of this unique musical with creativity and perspective that grips the soul and engages every emotion.  This new musical is closing way too soon.  

Mate (played by John Gallagher, Jr.) is haunted on his deathbed by the ghosts of three of his shipmates.  They urge him to tell their story.  He resists, and finally gives in.  It is the year 1888.  A whaling vessel is ready to set sail, but one crew member is missing.  Little Brother (played by Adrian Blake Enscoe) rushes in, ready for his first big adventure.  He is followed by Big Brother (played by Stark Sand), who is trying to convince him to return home to their farm.  While they are engrossed in their argument, Captain (played by Wayne Duvall) orders the gangplank to be removed so the ship can set sail.  Big Brother is now trapped with Little Brother, embarking on a journey he had no intention of joining.  The brothers continue to argue for days, but it is useless.  They are at sea.  When the ship hits a storm, all the crew are lost, except Mate, Captain, Big Brother, and Little Brother.  They are adrift in a lifeboat, where they will remain for over twenty days with no food or water.  As Little Brother lays dying, they make the only decision that will keep the remaining three alive. 

Photo courtesy of Swept Away

The first half of this musical is full of discovery, comradery, and conflict aboard the whaling vessel.  The choreography, by David Neumann, creates relationships among the hardy crew, builds tension between the characters, and keeps the action moving at a brisk pace.  Mr. Neumann works closely with scenic designer, Rachel Hauck to magnificently depict the sinking of the ship.  It is a gripping and stunning enactment.  

Photo courtesy of Swept Away

The second half takes place in the lifeboat, and the tone dramatically shifts.  The four main actors (Adrian Blake Enscoe, Stark Sand, Wayne Duvall, and John Gallagher, Jr,) keep the audience fully engaged.  Mr. Mayer brilliantly spins the lifeboat in different directions to transition the perspective.  The climax of the action is a heart wrenching twist, which allows the rest of the story to fall gracefully to its conclusion.  Forgiveness, comfort, and redemption are shared among these characters.  It is an honorable ending to a tragic story. 

Swept Away announced an abrupt closing date shortly after it opened at the Longacre Theatre.  The closing was extended for two weeks to December 29.  At this time, there is no notice of it being extended again, which is highly unfortunate.  It is a unique and brilliant piece of theatre.  Its closing is a tremendous loss to the Broadway season. 

Domenick Danza

“Oh, Mary!”

“Oh, Mary!”
Lyceum Theatre
December 16, 2024 

Photo courtesy of "Oh, Mary!"

The Broadway production of “Oh, Mary!” is madcap hilarity.  Playwright Cole Escola took a few historical facts, combined them with a few little known facts, asked, “What if?” and went wild with the possibilities.  Director Sam Pinkleton found the style and pace that heightened the humor.  The cast plays each moment for every laugh.  It is over the top fun! 

Mary Todd Lincoln (played by Cole Escola) has a drinking problem.  She tells her husband, Abe (played by Conrad Ricamora) that she will stop drinking if he lets her go back to her true calling, which is cabaret singing.  He refuses to allow it.  It is not befitting for the wife of the President to sing in cabarets, especially during times of war.  More importantly, Abe is concerned that he will not be able to keep his homosexuality a secret in that setting.  As soon as the war is over, Abe decides to allow Mary to take acting lessons to keep her occupied.  Mary falls in love with her acting teacher (played by James Scully).  When she finds out what is really going on between her teacher and her husband, she comes up with an idea to rid herself of the unbearable obstacle in her way of achieving her cabaret dreams.

Conrad Ricamora & Cole Escola
Photo courtesy of "Oh, Mary!"

This cast (Cole Escola, Conrad Ricamora, James Scully, Bianca Leigh, and Tony Macht) is in perfect sync throughout the ninety-minute performance.  The timing and style are consistent and effective.  The storyline is full of surprises, and the playwright and director connect them all the way through to a grand finale payoff. 

Cole Escola is scheduled to perform the role of Mary through January 19.  Betty Gilpin will take over the role from January 21 through March 16.  The play is worth seeing no matter who is performing.  It is raucously off beat and precisely on point.

“Oh, Mary!” is playing at the Lyceum Theatre. 

Domenick Danza

Babe

 Babe
The New Group
Pershing Square Signature Center
December 14, 2024 

Photo courtesy of The New Group

The New Group production of Jessica Goldberg’s Babe delivers a powerful punch.  Director Scott Elliot gets to the heart of Ms. Goldberg’s writing.  The pace is steady.  The relationships are strong.  Set in the music industry, the audience gets a glimpse of power structure and how decisions are made.  There is a clear view of how far we’ve evolved over the past forty years, due to sensitivity training and the effort to eliminate toxic work environments.  We also get a clear sense of who pays the price.

Gus (played by Arliss Howard) and Abigail (played by Marisa Tomei) are interviewing Katherine (played by Gracie McGraw) for a position in their management office.  The walls are covered with gold records of the recording artists they represented.  Katherine is young, glib, and assertive.  Gus tells her what he and Abigail had to do back in the day to discover and develop individual artists who made a lasting impact.  At Abigail’s insistence, Katherine is offered the job, but does not rise to the challenge as easily as she anticipated.  After Gus aggressively puts her in her place, Abigail reaches out to her.  They bond over stories of Kat Wonder, a solo artist discovered by Gus.  She was a true friend to Abigail, and Katherine idolizes her.  When Katerine accuses Gus of sexual harassment, the tables turn.  Abigail’s loyalty is put to the test.  She faces the truth of the role she played as Gus’ partner.  Unfortunately, part of that becomes a liability. 

Arliss Howard & Marisa Tomei
Photo courtesy of The New Group

Marisa Tomei delivers a strong performance, physically transforming into the character of Abigail.  She shifts in age as scenes take place in the present as well as decades earlier.  In addition, the character is undergoing cancer treatment.  Ms. Tomei genuinely portrays this wide range of experiences.  It is a visceral performance.  Arliss Howard holds nothing back as Gus.  He is bold and direct.  The character’s confidence is evident in his masculine demeanor.  Gracie McGraw plays both Katherine and Kat Wonder.  She and Ms. Tomei seamlessly transition through these scenes.  They cross timelines and smoothly shift emotion.  Their physicality tells the full story, magnetizing the audience’s interest and intrigue. 

At first, this story is about making it in the music industry.  As events unfold and the past is revealed, the play becomes about power, who has it and how they hold onto it.  When accountability lands, it’s not always fair. 

Babe is playing at Pershing Square Signature Center through December 22.  The performances of this cast are worth seeing.    

Domenick Danza