Hello Dolly!

Hello Dolly!

Sam S. Shubert Theatre

July 18, 2017

  

Photo courtesy of Hello Dolly!

Before you read on, I did not see Bette Midler in Hello Dolly!  Donna Murphy performs on Tuesday nights, and tickets are available at the TKTS booth.  I wanted to see the production and the cast of Tony winners and nominees, so I grabbed a ticket.  And, oh yes, my life is definitely better for it!  This is a stellar production that far exceeds any one name. The sets, the choreography, the direction, the orchestrations, the voices, and the full cast and chorus are incomparable.  Donna Murphy is spectacular.  This is classic musical theatre revived to perfection.

Matchmaker, Dolly Levi (played by Donna Murphy), has her eyes set on marrying Yonkers businessman Horace Vandergelder (played by David Hyde Pierce).  He, however, is ready to propose to Irene Molloy (played by Kate Baldwin).  Dolly also plans to get Horace to accept that his niece Ermengarde (played by Melanie Moore) is going to marry struggling artist Ambrose Kemper (played by Will Bolton).  Dolly has her hands full, so when Horace’s store clerk, Cornelius (played by Gavin Creel), and his coworker, Barnaby (played by Taylor Trensch), decide to play hooky from work and travel to New York City to find adventure, she is able to get everything in motion to achieve her goals.

Beanie Feldstein, Taylor Trensch, Kate Baldwin, & Gavin Creel
Photo courtesy of Hello Dolly!

Donna Murphy is joyous in the role of Dolly Levi.  Her voice is powerful and she makes the character her own.  David Hyde Pierce is a curmudgeon you root for.  You know he has a heart under his crusty exterior, and you rejoice when it is finally exposed.  In the song “Penny in My Pocket” he makes the most out of a momentary pause that give an insightful glimpse into his inner world.  Kate Baldwin creates an Irene Molloy with zest and gumption.  Her rendition of “Ribbons Down My Back” is fun and touching, light and revealing.  Gavin Creel’s Cornelius is innocent and eager.  The action of every one of his scenes is propelled forward by his energy.  Taylor Trensch and Beanie Feldstein are perfect together as Barnaby and Minnie Fay.  Their energy connects from the first moment they are seen together, and their naiveté is splendid.

Photo courtesy of Hello Dolly!

The scenic and costume design by Santo Loquasto is a bright and bold spectacle.  They set the mood and tone of each scene with the proper balance of reality and nostalgia.  Choreography by Warren Carlyle is crisp and alive.  The style is sharp and consistent.  It is the genius of director Jerry Zacks that brings it all together to deliver a musical theatre experience that feeds your soul and makes your spirit soar.

If you need to remember how great life can be, go see Hello Dolly!  It will hopefully be playing at the Shubert Theatre, showcasing one big name star after another, for years to come.

Domenick Danza

A Life

A Life

Peter Jay Sharp Theater

Playwrights Horizons

December 3, 2016

Photo courtesy of Playwrights Horizons

David Hyde Pierce is mesmerizing in A Life at Playwrights Horizons.  Adam Bock’s script is powerful.  He boldly dives into the deep end of this subject matter, bringing his audience through mystery, fear, and uncertainty.  Anne Kauffman skillfully directs a stellar cast, creating uncomfortable realities and masterful long silences that allow the audience to process the action of the play.

Nate (played by David Hyde Pierce) has just broken up with his boyfriend, Mark.  He is painstakingly searching both their astrological charts to find the truth behind the split.  He connects with his friend, Curtis (played by Brad Heberlee), who tries to convince him to call Mark.  The unexpected takes place, which changes everything.

Brad Heberlee & David hyde Pierce
Photo courtesy of Playwrights Horizons

David Hyde Pierce is on stage alone for the first twenty minute of the play.  He is captivating and witty as Nate.  He creates a probing, flawed, and highly likeable character.  Brad Heberlee is funny and charming as Curtis.  They have a great chemistry, and develop traits that are opposite and complementary.  Adam Bock’s writing gives them a wide range of emotion and detail to portray and personalize, and they make the most of it.

The set, designed by Laura Jellinek, is simple and functional.  It is the transitions of the three sets that are truly breathtaking.  They smoothly flip back in a stunning and effective manner that is only heightened by the fact that it is all taking place on the small, limited stage of the Peter Jay Sharp Theater.

Playwright Adam Bock

Unfortunately, the Playwrights Horizons production closed on December 4 after a well-deserved extended run.  Pick up a copy of the script and read it.  Keep your eyes open for regional theatre productions.  A Life will stun and challenge you.

Domenick Danza

Ripcord

Ripcord

Manhattan Theatre Club

New York City Center Stage I

October 3, 2015

Photo courtesy of
Manhattan Theatre Club

Ripcord, a new comedy written by David Lindsay-Abaire, is now playing at Manhattan Theatre Club’s New York City Center Stage I.  The production is witty and charming.  The script is lighthearted, touching, frivolous, and sincere.  The cast is crisp and the directing is clean. 

Abby (played by Holland Taylor) has a new roommate at the Bristol Place Assisted Living Facility.  She is energetic, cheery, and optimistic, and Abby wants her out.  Marilyn (played by Marylouise Burke), the new roommate, is comfortable with Abby’s company and happy with the bright sunlight in her new room.  She has no intention of leaving.  They make a bet.  If Abby can make Marilyn angry, she gets the room to herself.  If Marilyn can break Abby’s hard outer shell and scare her, she gets the bed closer to the window.  Both women are stubbornly determined and ruthlessly pull out all stops to win. 

David Hyde Pierce, Holland Taylor, Marylouise Burke,
and David Lindsay-Abaire
Photo courtesy of Manhattan Theatre Club

Holland Taylor and Marylouise Burke are well matched.  Their chemistry and timing are perfect.  This is not a surprise since the play is directed by David Hyde Pierce.  Amid the comedic antics, both characters experience sincere moments of emotion that offer glimpses into the deeper truths of their characters.  David Lindsay-Abaire skillfully develops these details in the later part of the play.  This is what makes this lighthearted comedy a rarity.  The kookiness, absurdity, and bitchiness in the writing are superseded by the warmth and emotional healing that only comes from true human contact.

Cast members Rachel Dratch, Glenn Fitzgerald, Daoud Heidami, and Nate Miller are honest and funny.  Their performances heighten the impact of the play’s themes and comic timing.  The set, designed by Alexander Dodge, is full of surprises with quick changes that open the space in ways you do not expect.  The lighting, by Peter Kaczorowsky, effectively shifts the focus and mood of each scene.

Ripcord is a truly enjoyable evening at the theatre.  David Lindsay-Abaire succeeds at making us laugh at the challenging behavior of the two main characters and see ourselves in their fear, frailty, and humanity.

Domenick Danza

It Shoulda Been You

It Shoulda Been You

Brook Atkinson Theatre

March 28, 2015

Photo courtesy of
It Shoulda Been You

I have to admit that I was a little disappointed with It Shoulda Been You.  I expected fluff and frivolity, but couldn’t that come with characters I care about and a plot that is not predictable?  I figured out the ending about twenty minutes in.  Yes, placing seeds in the earlier part of a script that grow and develop later in the play is excellent writing.  I just wish the journey of the play had been more entangled and caused me to doubt my forecasted ending.

The play centers around a wedding.  The main character, Jenny, boldly played by Lisa Howard, is the sister of the bride.  She is a little overweight, lacks self-confidence, and is a bit resentful that her younger sister, Rebecca, played by Sierra Boggess, is getting married before her.  These two actors have great singing voices and build a relationship that is both endearing and tenderly competitive.  Thank God for Tyne Daly, who plays their mother.  She is the reason to buy a ticket to this show.  Another strong performance is by Harriet Harris who plays a daring and biting mother of the groom.  The plot thickens, but not too much, when Rebecca’s old boyfriend, Marty, cleverly played by Josh Grisetti, enters and starts chasing Rebecca from room to room.  We all think we know what he wants, but the truth comes out in the final scenes.

Sierra Boggers, Tyne Daly, David Burtka, and Harriet Harris
in It Shoulda Been You
Photo courtesy of It Shoulda Been You

The set, beautifully designed by Anna Louizos,  has two levels with numerous doors that continually open and close.  Clearly a set up for a fast paced farce, but the pace never really gets to that level.  The music and lyrics by Barbara Abselmi and Brian Hargrove are catchy and entertaining.  Memorable and hummable tunes included the title song “It Shoulda Been You” (starting as a duet and building to a larger group number), “Where Did I Go Wrong” (keenly performed by Harriet Harris), and “Nice” (a stinging performance by Tyne Daly).  The soft shoe number (“Back in the Day”) is cunningly staged by choreographer Josh Rhodes, but is unfortunately not delivered with the sharpness and style it deserves.  David Hyde Pierce’s direction and vision for the show is clear and precise, yet the idea and book are lacking in the intricacies that can make the show farcical, audacious, and dynamic.

The performances were all strong and the audience seemed to enjoy the show.  I laughed out loud at a number of the bits, characterizations, and one-liners.  The quartet at the end (“That’s Family”) between the parents of the bride and groom brings everything to a decent close, unfortunately there was not much to tie together or wrap up by then.

Domenick Danza