Superhero

Superhero

Second Stage Theater

Tony Kiser Theater

March 16, 2019

Photo courtesy of Second Stage Theater

If you need a superhero, who would you conjure or draw?  Would he save the planet, or just you?  Could you be his side-kick, or would you get kicked aside?  These are some of the questions that Simon, the main character of Superhero, now playing at Second Stage Theater, grapples with and tries to answer.  Tom Kitt’s music and lyrics take the audience on an emotionally impactful journey as Simon faces the truth and gains his footing in order to move forward.

Simon (played by Kyle McArthur) draws and writes superhero stories.  His mother, Charlotte (played by Kate Baldwin), is worried about how distant he has become since his father died.  She has been overwhelmed trying to keep her life together.  When Simon witnesses his unassuming neighbor, Jim (played by Bryce Pinkham), perform an act of superhuman strength, he starts believing Jim is a superhero, sent from another galaxy to save the planet.  He convinces his mother to have dinner with Jim to gather details of his personal life.  Once the unresolved thread of their family starts to unwind, it will take a real superhero to help Simon and Charlotte pull their lives back together.

Kate Baldwin & Kyle McArthur
Photo courtesy of Second Stage Theater

Mr. Kitt’s songs superbly develop the characters and relationships.  Kate Baldwin, Kyle McArthur, and Bryce Pinkham make every one of these moments soar.  Their vocal skills are astonishing.  They give every lyric meaning, revealing their characters’ inner need and propelling them forward to connect on a deeper level.

Beowulf Borritt’s scenic design transforms the space into the world of this play.  The transitions from one scene to the next are quick, smooth, and always unexpected.  Every set design of Mr. Borritt creates a specific atmosphere that defines the production and keeps the action moving.  He skillfully delivers that consistent quality in Superhero.  Illusion design by Chris Fisher and projection design by Tal Yarden are imaginative.  They vividly depict the world inside Simon’s head, which is vital to the action of the play. 

Superhero is playing at the Tony Kiser Theater through March 31.

Domenick Danza

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

John & Jen

John & Jen

Keen Company
The Clurman Theatre / Theatre Row

Sunday, February 15, 2015

John & Jen is the second production I have seen at Keen Company this season.  The first was Lee Blessing’s A Walk in the Woods with Kathleen Chalfant and Paul Niebanck.  Expertly directed by Keen’s Artistic Director, Jonathan Silverstein, these productions have made me a big fan and follower of Keen Company.

Kate Baldwin and Conor Ryan in John & Jen
Photo courtesy of Keen Company

John & Jen is a heartfelt, two-character musical by Andrew Lippa (music and book) and Tom Greenwald (lyrics and book).  It tells the story of John and Jen, a brother and sister, how close they were growing up, how they grew apart, and how love and fears of letting go transfer through a generation.  I purposely do not want to tell any more about this unique musical so you can experience the journey first hand.  Personally, I was carried back to memories of my relationship between me and my youngest brother, and how that has transferred down to my young nephew.  It is clearly relatable story that should not be missed. 

Jen is magnificently played by Kate Baldwin.  I saw her in the Broadway production of Big Fish last season.  She was marvelous in that as well.  John is tenderly played by Conor Ryan.  He was previously seen in the Public Theatre production of The Fortress of Solitude.  Their chemistry is magical as we watch their characters grow up before our eyes.  Their transformation from childhood through puberty into adolescence and then young adulthood is seamless and magically crafted.

Director Jonathan Silverstein is gifted at finding the moments where the growth in the relationships between the characters intimately moves the action forward and allows the audience to ride through the story.  The musical staging is by Christine O’Grady.  Her movement fills the space and develops the characters with care, precision, and detail.

The set, by Steven C. Kemp, is a mixture of geometric structures that are utilized in various and imaginative ways.  It works very well as a unit set for this story that travels through decades of time and numerous settings.  It is painted in dark and intense colors that, unfortunately, do not allow the space to illuminate with the range of emotion the play spans.  Josh Bradford’s lighting is very well done, but hindered by the darkness of the set structures.

John & Jen is sure to be well received.  Go see it!  I am looking forward to returning to Keen Company for their next production.

Domenick Danza