HANDS ON A HARD BOMB

A contest is held every year by a Nissan dealership in Longview, Texas.  Ten people stand around a red $15,000 hard body pickup truck. When the starting whistle blows, each person puts one hand on the truck. They wear gloves, so as not to mess up the paint job. And they keep standing there (with some 15 minute breaks) until one by one, each gets tired or no longer motivated and drop away, with one person left standing. That person gets to keep the truck. This is the premise for the new Broadway musical, Hands On A Hard Body, at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre.

Let’s begin with the characters.  Each contestant  sang their “poor me” solo to back up their need for the truck.  Music was fine but the lyrics were getting pretty predictable and sometimes, the diaglogue.  One character sounded like Forrest Gump when he spoke, but lost the accent when he sang.  Same with the “Mexican” who either spoke Spanish or English with a Spanish accent. 

It was getting predictable when the actors did their “show off” number and were the next to leave.  The whole thing reminded me of a jazz band.  They all play the song and then each plays their solo of which the audience is forced to applaud. 

Here are the ten contestants.  J.D. Drew (Keith Carradine), 60, is a “good old boy” with gray hair and a high grin. He is accompanied by his wife, Virginia (Mary Gordon Murray).  Greg Wilhote (Jay Armstrong Johnson), early 20’s, a freckled white kid with a baseball cap. Kelli Mangrum (Allison Case), 22, pretty brunette with steel ambition. Jesus Pena (Jon Rua) the Mexican kid in is 20’s, who keeps reminding us that he is a US citizen.  Heather Stovall (Kathleen Elizabeth Monteleone), 29, a flirtatious blonde restaurant hostess. 

Janis Curtis (Dale Soules) is a tough old lady with sun-burnished skin and missing teeth.  Her husband, Don (William Youmans) wears a cardboards sign “I love you Janis, Go baby Go”.  Ronald McCowan (Jacob Ming-Trent), 35, a good-natured African-American with a slight Louisiana accent. His singing is predictable. Chris Alvaro (David Larsen) is a well-built ex-marine wearing a pair of aviator glasses that conceal his eyes.  Norma Valverde (Keala Settle) is a stout Latina woman in tennis shoes and a floral appliqué t-shirt.  It becomes quite clear that she is motivated by God.  In fact, she provides the audience with a number  (“Joy Of The Lord”) that begins with her contagious laughter leading into a choreographed dance as each of the others join in and move the truck in various directions…the highlight of the play. 

I didn’t leave humming any of the songs, composed by Trey Anastasio and Amanda Green. 

On the positive side…everyone was on key and other than accents, they all did a fine job both in full numbers and solos.  The choreography by Neil Pepe was well done.   Not much on sets and that’s okay.  Other than the truck there was a stage left area devoted to the Nissan dealership. 

Perhaps there will be a show about the New York tradition of the annual Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest and call it, “Hands On A Soft Weiner.” 

CAROLEE CARMELLO IS SCANDALOUS

An elderly woman is interviewed about her reaction to the new Broadway show Scandalous with a remark about being on her bucket list. I saw the show this past Saturday afternoon.

Writer Kathie Lee Gifford (we are all familiar with her television personality) and star Carolee Carmello certainly have something to give praise to.  Aimee Semple McPherson, the world’s first Hollywood Superstar Evangelist, is the controversial subject that may make a few bucks for them.

Kathie Lee wrote the book, lyrics and some additional music while the rest of it is credited to David Pomeranz and David Friedman.  Scandalous has a tremendous amount of songs some of which were pretty good and I’ll give credit for Lee’s writing.

Here’s the story.  Aimee’s mom, Minnie Kennedy (Candy Buckley) is totally big on the bible and her daughter’s position in life.  Aimee is interested in acting.  Mom’s against it. Amiee’s dad, James (George Hearn) is okay with whatever his daughter calls to her.  Amiee marries young to Robert Semple and has a kid (we never seem to see her offspring, even from her second marriage).

Preaching somehow comes out of acting and she meets up with Emma Jo Schaefler (Roz Ryan), a madam, who gets convinced to join her cause.   Thank goodness because we need that one African-American female comic character.  

The show opens with Aimee being on trial for her scandalous life.  I never did get how much scandal was worth a trial except that after her divorce she met Harold McPherson on her way to Hollywood fame and married what I think was a man who promised himself to another.   I guess that being an Evangelist and going Hollywood might create a scandal back in the 1920’s, especially for a woman.

Scandalous has some pretty decent choreography but don’t expect some big numbers.   A few that stood out for me. The first number, “Stand Up” is a great opener for both many of the cast and Carolee.  In fact, just about anything that Carolee sang was outstanding. 

Roz Ryan had her feature in the song, “A Girl’s Gotta Do What a Girl’s Gotta Do” along with the ensemble of girls.  It’s Roz and Carolee’s performance that truly makes the show. 

When it came to Aimee’s Hollywood career, “Moses and Pharaoh” threw in a few side splits of humor, although the characters were portrayed as being more “Jewish” than “Hebrew”…like it was taken from a Fiddler on the Roof song.

The show runs about two and half hours with a 15-minute intermission.  A printout of songs was placed in the Playbill. Two songs were eliminated but still too long!  I recommend the show to Church groups although I did not get that any sect of Christianity was emphasized, nor the mention of Christ.  Scandalous is entertaining, but please don’t put this one on your bucket list! 

CLOSER THAN EVER

I recently saw Maltby & Shire's musical review Closer Than Ever at The York Theatre.  There are four people in the cast: Jacquelyn Piro Donovan, George Dvorsky, Anika Larsen and Sal Viviano.  Music derives from two instruments - Piano (Andrew Gerle - Musical Director) and Bass (Danny Weller) who are at the rear of the stage.  The set consists of 6 doors  with props such as a table and chair that come on and off the stage.  Now, you have the basic backdrop of the show.

Here is the Author's Note. "Closer Than Ever began as a file of observations about people David and I knew, stories friends and acquaintances told us about themselves, perceptions we had about our lives, which over time developed into songs. It was only when we put the song together in a show that we realized that there was a unity to these stories, a series of portraits of adults idiosyncratically coping with the complexities and anomalies of grown-up life." 

That is about all I can say regarding the "plot" of music with no dialogue.   Let's rum down a list of the songs. Doors. She Loves Me Not. You Wanna Be My Friend (breaking up from being a lover and very funny).  What A I Doin? The Bear, the Tiger, the Hamster and the Mole. I'll Get Up Tomorrow Morning. Miss Byrd. Dating Again (another funny one). One of the Good Guys. There's Nothing Like It. Life Story. Next Time/I Wouldn't Go Back. (End of Act I)

Three Friends. Fandango. There. Patterns. There is Something In a Wedding. Another Wedding Song. If I sing. Back on Base. The March of Time. Fathers of Fathers. It's Never That Easy/I've Been Here Before. Closer Than Ever.

I really don't know how to critique this one.   Everyone was on key.  The show moved but was a bit too long for a review.  Each song was a performance number with minimal choreography.  It's enjoyable and entertaining, which is why the run has been extended from September 30 to around the end of November.

The York Theatre is located at 54th and Lexington Avenue at St. Peter's Church.  One thing I must add is about the concession.   Food is cookies baked by PMS and cost $3.  They are a decent size and have various flavors.  Coffee is $2.  They have these what they call "adult sodas" that are not overly sweet for $2.  Water is also $2.  This is a bargain considering what is charged at Broadway theatres!

CHEERS FOR BRING IT ON

Bring It On, the Musical has been transported from screen to Broadway and is certainly something to cheer about.  Think of it as Glee with cheerleading as the main subject. In fact, not only are most of the cast debuting on stage but the main cheerleaders were actually sought all over for their cheerleading ability. So, expect some high flying and professional stunts.

The story begins at the last day of the school year at Truman High School with Cambell (Taylor Loudermann) asking the higher power to assist in becoming the Captain of the cheerleading squad as she becomes a senior.  Lunchtime that day will determine the outcome. Taylor believes that she can lead Truman High to the Nationals.

Before I continue, here are the basic characters.  At Truman we have:  Campbell, our heroine; Skylar (Kate Rockwell), her outspoken best friend; Kylar (Janet Krupin), Skylar’s protégée;  Bridget (Ryann Redmond), chubby and portraying the school master;  Steven (Neil Haskell), Campbell’s boyfriend; Eva (Elle McLemore), a sweet and innocent freshman.

At Jackson High: Danielle (Adrienne Warren), head of a fierce dance crew; La Cienega (Gergory Haney), her transgender female friend on the crew; Nautica (Ariana DeBose), buddy to both and also on the crew; Randall (Jason Gotay), an aspiring dj; Cameron (Dominique Johnson), Danielle’s boyfriend; and Twig (Nicolas Womack), Cameron’s buddy. 

Back to the script.  Skylar is vying for the Captain position as well.  Taylor gets the position but loses it as she is being transferred to Jackson High due to her residence suddenly being in another district.  That may be due to the succession of Captains – Cambell, Skylar, Kylar, Eva.

Jackson does not have a cheerleading squad, rather, a “hip hop crew”.  There’s no point in saying that there will be a vying to include both Jackson and Truman. Oh, the only other person transferred is Bridget.

Bring It On, the Musical, just by the title, tells you that there will be singing and choreography.  Here is where we get to acknowledge the behind the scenes crew, too many to mention. Let’s just thank them all for giving us such a play that provides great music, a good story and thrills in both the dancing and cheerleading.

I loved the entire show and all of its talented cast…a true piece of entertaining theatre.  As Bridget says, “Shut the front door and slap my ass with the screen”. 

Bring It On, the Musical is being performed at the St. James Theatre at 246 W. 44 St.

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"!

NEWSICAL THE MUSICAL: END OF THE WORLD EDITION

I attended the opening night of Newsical The Musical: End of the World Edition. It was all about the attendees. Broadway stars and some from the cast of One Life To Live as the show is being spoofed about it's leaving the airwaves. They do mention All My Children, but nobody from that cast. Eve Plumb (Jan Brady) was there. Afterwards, a party was held across the street with drinks and finger food.

I'm not going to review as yet but tell you that it's a revue and three of the four cast members are from Forbidden Broadway. Off-Broadway. Character changes. Topical, with song and hilarious!!

BROADWAY: BONNIE AND FLOP

Despite the December 30, 2011 closing, I thought I'd speak my mind. When I attended a performance of the musical Bonnie & Clyde,at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre,I heard much of the audience giving positive feedback to what turned out to be a romanticized view of the infamous Bonnie and Clyde.

The show is based on the movie and gave more detail to the lives of the leads from when they were children in a poor area of Texas, when and how they met, and why they stayed together through it all. I don't have to relate the plot as I'm sure you've seen the movie version.

Laura Osnes and Jeremy Jordan head the show with music by Frank Wildhorn and lyrics by Don Black. I had no problem with the score, in fact it's now a waste unless you can get a cd somewhere of when it was performed in La Jolla, or on youtube.

There were no huge production numbers since it was not a huge cast. The talent was fine and many of the actors even looked like the historic Bonnie & Clyde folks. At times, movies or photos of the reality version flashed on screens and a half car was on the stage.

I guess I did have a concern that Broadway is making historic killers look good and sitting near the front got a more detail view of the blood and gory. I didn't really think about that as I watched, rather was I enjoying a piece of entertainment and I did. Heck, go get a half price ticket and see it.