GHOST THE MUSICAL, NOT BOOSICAL

Ghost the Musical is doing its run at the Lunt-Funtaine Theatre. Is it just another attempt at taking a popular movie and forming a Broadway musical to totally wow audiences? If so, I would raise both my thumbs as well as my big toes.

I realize that there are some people who have not seen the movie or forgot the plot (I've seen the movie more than several times on television), so let's get that part over with.

Molly Jensen (Caissie Levy)and Sam Wheat (Richard Fleeshman) are the couple who Ghost revolves around. Carl Bruner (Bryce Pinkham) and Sam both work as bankers as well as being best friends. Carl, however, is a "third wheel". It's time for Molly and Sam to share an apartment. Molly's income is about sculpture which includes using a pottery wheel, becoming like "the portrait scene with the Righteous Brothers version of Unchained Melody".

Unbeknownst to Sam, Carl is doing some underhanded investing regarding a foreign account and seems to be having a problem with a password. He needs the help of Sam's password for this multi-money transaction due by a particular day and time.

Molly and Sam are enjoying an evening (in joke: Molly will tell Sam that she loves him and Same will respond by saying, "ditto") when a mugger, Willie Lopez (Michael Balderrama) ensues, pointing a gun and demanding Sam's wallet. Mugging becomes fight becomes Sam being shot. As his body lies on the ground with Molly holding him, his ghost appears.

As a ghost Sam begins meeting a few other ghosts who have not "gone to the light". One is in the hospital that he is brought to (Lance Roberts) who give him the 101 on his "state of mind and body". The other is one who he meets on the subway (Tyler McGee)who eventually teaches him how to move objects.

In the meantime Molly is in total grief and Carl is looking to take over Sam's position as Molly's lover. Molly is not interested.

Willie comes to the apartment looking for the password while Molly happens to be in the shower and not hearing anyone enter. Sam sees this but can't warn Molly. Frantically walking about the streets of the city Sam comes across a storefront Psychic, Oda Mae Brown (Da'Vine Joy Randolph) and her two side kicks. Oda thinks she's been faking it all until she hears Sam talking. Sam feeling that Molly is in trouble needs Oda Mae's help with communicating to Molly, who's at first skeptical about Oda.

Sam finds out the name of his killer, goes to seek him to later discover that it was Carl who sought Willie's assistance in just getting the wallet. Oops!

A very funny (not intended) Oda Mae now becomes the center of attention in the pursuing and finalizing Sam and Molly's relationship.

Before I get into the actors the sets need to be focused on. Double kudos for Hugh Vanstone on Lighting, Jon Driscoll on Video & Projection, and Paul Kieve for the magical illusions.

Animated screens become sets for several scenes as we travel from one location to another as well as the use of the "moving passenger walkway" to make it appear that the actors are walking from set to set. Lighting that makes "the heavens" appear. Illusions such as Sam walking through a solid door as well as each time we view a dead body and the ghost at the same time. How about watching those ghosts rising onto or into the back drop as they go to either heaven or hell.

How about the score? No, I didn't leave humming any of the songs (other than Unchained Melody). I did, however, fully enjoy the score and choreography of the production numbers.

Now, here is where I get to the actors. I personally did not care for the three leads. The acting was okay...nothing to write home about. Cassie Levy's singing became extremely annoying to me. Every note became predictable in sounding like a typical singer who took singing lessons for the stage. I did not get emoted from the acting or singing of Levy, Fleeshman or Pinkham. I actually pictured the couple from Glee taking on the Molly and Sam role. Hopefully since they are "graduating", these parts will be given to them.

I felt that the star of the show was Da'Vine Joy Randolph who I just noticed that this was her Broadway debut. Total surprise even if I didn't recognize the name. Her comic timing was perfect! Her singing was superb! Most of the performers get their featured solo. Randolph appears in three numbers of which "I'm Outta Here" makes her talent shine even brighter than the lights. She's certainly had me laughing but neither Levy or Fleeshman brought a tear to my eye.

All in all, as my friend Susan Liben said, "Ghost see it"!