Bullets Over Broadway - Ordway Music Theater

What do you do when you want to turn a very funny Woody Allen film into a Broadway musical? You take Bullets Over Broadway, add songs from 1914 through the 1930s and turn it into a fantastically fun evening. Bullets Over Broadway, now playing through Sunday at the Ordway Music Theater, tells a good story in the best way possible. I mean really, how can you resist chorus girls, garter belts, flappers, and tap-dancing gangsters?

The story, in case you haven't seen the film, is about a struggling playwright (David) who finally has a chance to get his play produced on Broadway. The one hitch? The gangster (Nick Valenti) who is putting up the money is requiring that his no-talent chorus girl girlfriend (Olive) plays a part. Add to this the playwrights girlfriend (Ellen), a drunken diva (Helen) as leading lady, fighting between two mob families, and...well to paraphrase a theater god (Sondheim)...what happens then, well that's the play and you wouldn't want me to give it away. Suffice it to say that you will have a great night.

Production Photos by Matthew Murphy

The set has a false proscenium (the four edges of the stage) which helps to shrink the enormous Ordway stage. It also has two other prosceniums, one which moves up and down to help create other locations. At the top of the show there is a curtain hanging from the back proscenium. This is all in reds, black, and off-white - it shows a very 1920's style jazz scene. Cheech (played by Jeff Brooks) comes out with a tommy gun and shoots the title of the show into the curtain. Curtain up and we are in a club with show girls singing a song called "Tiger Rag." This song is one that I have never heard and that was one of the great joys of this show - being introduced to some new oldies! Sure, I have heard "Let's Misbehave", and "Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You" - but there were quite a few that I didn't know and now love! The music was fantastic. Every song was perfectly selected and used. Glen Kelly adapted and wrote additional lyrics to these songs and they were great! Add to that the amazing choreography by Susan Stroman and there is nothing more I could want in a show. 

The show has a classic musical style with some small changes. Sure, I'm a sucker for shows like "42nd Street", "Crazy for You", "Nice Work if You Can Get It", "Ain't Misbehavin'", all these shows with old classic tunes, and a classic old-school style story. If you take those style shows, add a bit of swearing and some hints of burlesque (mainly in comedy and double entendres), you get Bullets over Broadway. Honestly I can not say enough about the choreography and direction. Each scene had such a smooth transition into the next, the characters were true and believable (even if they were truly over-the-top) and each dance step was perfect. Stroman has a way of moving that is so smooth and beautiful, yet can turn on a dime in an energetic forcefield. Take, for an example, the number "Tain't Nobody's Bizness If I Do." This is performed by Cheech and the gangsters....and it is a tap dance. Nowhere have I seen a tap dance like this - gorgeous, yet perfectly suited to the characters of gangsters - angular, angry, full of machismo. It was performed on the 68th Tony Awards, and when it was finished last night - it received a long applause. It didn't reach an ovation, but it certainly stopped the show. 

Another stand out number was "Tain't a Fit Night Out for Man or Beast" - also in Act One. This number show a mob fight between the two opposing families - and it was all told through dance. Parts of it reminded me of West Side Story, but it was such an energetic feast for the eyes and ears. It also highlighted a slight issue with the large space that is the Ordway. There are times where the lyrics get lost - either because the space sucks up the sound, or the band is a bit too loud. I noticed this mainly in the group numbers, especially the women's chorus. It may have been just the higher voices fighting with the band. Honestly, it happened rarely and certainly had no effect on my enjoyment of the show. 

There are some amazing performances in this show. I already mentioned Jeff Brooks as Cheech. Michael Corvino as the gangster Nick Valenti was great - especially when he gets a chance to sing in the finale. What a voice!! Jemma Jane played Olive Neal - the gangsters talentless girlfriend - and got every single laugh possible out of her character, while not milking them, nor winking at the audience at how dumb her character was. She played it with all her heart and was fantastic. She and Bradley Allan Zarr get a chance to shine in "Let's Misbehave" - one of the funniest numbers I've seen. Hannah Rose DeFlumeri (Ellen) has two great moments to shine - Act One's "Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives to Me" and Act Two's "I've Found a New Baby." What a fantastic voice. This show would not be what it is without the incredible (and local) Emma Stratton as Helen. She played the Diva leading lady with a heart and a drinking problem perfectly...filling the stage as only that character could, and making the most of playing a Diva while also staying true to the characters heart. She couldn't have done that without the skills, and talent of Michael Williams playing David. Michael plays him with such sweetness, naivete, longing, and determination that even though David cheats on Ellen, we are still rooting for him. Michael has some incredible moments of pure comedy genius and timing. Along with that, he knows how to sell a song and dance. All of these actors, along with an amazing ensemble really created a perfect cast.  Don't miss your chance to see them in action. You won't regret it.

Notes:

The Ordway has done some great articles that I want to share from their site. There is an article with Jemma Jane, and an interview with our hometown girl Emma Stratton. There is also an article about the amazing costume designs by the incomparable William Ivey Long. Also I wanted to mention that this is a non-equity tour. If you are wondering why I bring that up, check here. 

Singular Sensation - A Chorus Line at the Ordway

Tom Berklund as Zach (Photo by Rich Ryan)

An empty stage, black curtains across the back and a single white line across the stage towards the front. That is what greeted us when we walked into opening night of A Chorus Line at the Ordway. It was exactly what we expected to see, and the performance did not disappoint.

If you are one of the few who does not know the story of A Chorus Line (both the story onstage, and the history of how the show came together), you can read about it here.
If you are interested in the history, I would recommend a great documentary named Every Little Step.

The story of A Chorus Line is about a cattle call audition. The stage is filled with dancers auditioning for a show (that is never named). Through the following two hours (no intermission), the dancers get cut down to the ones who stand on the line and tell the audience a bit of their story, talk about their passion for dance, and learn the dance steps. The show is set in 1975 (the year it opened on Broadway) with a few small updates. The costuming was perfect for that time period, as were the dancing styles.

Photo by Rich Ryan

The show starts with the basic audition number "I Hope I Get It." It starts with just a rehearsal piano playing for the dancers who are learning the number and watching themselves in the mirror across the back of the stage. Zach (the director/choreographer) tells them to do the whole number, away from the mirror and the orchestra (who sound incredibly through the whole evening) takes over. It was incredible, giving me shivers even remembering it!

After the first cut, we are left with seventeen actors. They stand on the line and Zach (played and danced incredibly by Tom Berklund) asks them to tell him about themselves. Some of them give in very easily to talk, others are a bit more reticent. As the characters tell stories, the other characters think about what stories they want to tell, or have memories of their own. Mike (Tim Hausmann) is great in "I Can Do That." Sheila (Pilar Millhollen), Bebe (Katie Hahn) and Maggie (Amanda Lea LaVergne) sing about being inspired "At The Ballet." This is one of my favorite songs and the last build before the end did not disappoint thanks to Maggie's amazing belt! This number was staged perfectly by Kerry Casserly and James A. Rocco.

This song leads into a montage called "Hello Twelve" where the cast sings about growing up, dealing with puberty, dating, life as an artistic child in a non-artistic school, being someone different, etc. Up till now, the cast has been on stage through the solo numbers, yet in the middle of this montage (when Diana sings "Nothing"), the cast exits. While I found it odd, neither myself nor my companion could remember when the cast came back onstage so clearly the moment worked well.

Diana (Katrina Asmar) has a great voice, and plays the part so well. After her number, the cast comes back on and the montage continues--again perfectly staged in that the actors sing their solos, and dance their numbers, but they land exactly in their original spot on the line. Val (Maria Briggs) sings the very well known "Dance: Ten; Looks: Three." Then the cast is sent on a break.

Molly Tynes as Cassie (Photo by Rich Ryan)

At the last minute, Zach calls back Cassie (Molly Tynes). It has been hinted at earlier that they have had a relationship. Cassie has her big number "The Music And The Mirror." This is an incredibly difficult number to stage and perform. It has such a long history of amazing dancers doing this number - from Donna McKechnie, Charlotte d'Amboise, and many others. This production's version is very good yet for me, it seemed to lack something. Molly was fantastic, however I felt the choreography was lacking something, some passion. One small issue with an overall fantastic production.

After this number, Larry (the amazing Tony Vierling) takes the whole cast downstairs to learn the final combination. Paul (Omar Garibay) comes on to tell his story--a very well known monologue about being gay, doing drag, and learning to live with dignity. The show ends with the number you have been waiting for all night: "One." Each actor comes on, takes a bow in a spotlight, then joins the chorus line where they all look the same.

Photo by Rich Ryan

It is the brilliance of the show that all these individuals that you have come to care for and be interested in, end up being like every one else. I feel that it really shows us that all this mass of humanity that we see in our daily commute - each on has their own story and is special.

That is what makes this show so special as well, and why it endures. This production and choreography was spot on, the vocals and orchestra were amazing, and the cast was incredible. It really was and is a singular sensation, and you should go see it. It plays through February 28 at the Ordway on the main stage.

Lovely and Enchanting Night: Cinderella

Yes, the title of the post says almost everything I want to about Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella. The show was originally written by Rodgers and Hammerstein for a 1957 Original Television Musical starring Dame Julie Andrews as Cinderella. It was then staged in 1958 at the London Coliseum. In 1965 it was remade into another television special starring Lesley Ann Warren. It wasn't until 1993 that the New York City Opera staged a version and restaged/revived it in 1995 and 2004. In 1997 it had another television remake - this time starring R&B performer Brandy as Cinderella and Whitney Houston as the Fairy Godmother. It has played in High Schools around the country but in 2013 it debuted on Broadway for the first time ever. This show features a new book by Douglas Carter Beane. It includes all the songs from the television musical as well as some songs from the trunk (meaning songs written for other shows but cut or adopted for this work).

The story of Cinderella is well known. It is based on the story by Charles Perrault who based it on folklore of his time. This story is similar to other stories around the world - the story of Ye Xian in China, or Chinye in West Africa, or even Rhodopis in Egypt.  The story has even been told in writing from the viewpoint of an Stepsister. A girl's parents both die and she is raised by a stepmother who treats her unkindly. The Prince of the land gives a ball so that he can find a wife. The stepmother and her two daughters go and leave Cinderella at home. A fairy godmother intervenes and...well, you know the rest. The story of the show follows this fairly closely. There are a few changes from the original TV film as well as from the Disney animated film. One of the biggest changes is that Cinderella takes more control of her destiny. When she first leaves the castle, she trips and leaves one of her shoes behind. She grabs it and runs off. The second time she leaves, she purposefully hands the
shoe to the Prince.

The Orpheum has a wonderland on stage. There is an amazing forest set that fills the stage when you walk in. And when the cast comes on stage - the whole stage is filled with people or set. It is wonderful and charming. The story is certainly for the kids but there is some political content that helps keep the adults entertained as well. It is also very clear that Ella is all about compassion and kindness. The set, story and cast were as good as you could want them. The music and singing were pitch perfect - 23 songs filled with perfect characterizations and wonderful voices. In fact there are a total of 26 pieces of music through out the night (up from the 15 from the original TV broadcast). This keeps the show flowing and magical. And speaking of magical - the transformations!! During Act 1, Crazy Marie throws off her hood, turns around and is transformed in full view to the gorgeous, purple-gowned Fairy Godmother. Soon after that Cinderella is transformed (also in full view) from her raggedy dress to a wonderful white ball gown and tiara. True stage magic which earned it's applause. There are a few moments of magic in Act Two as well that are as astounding and surprising!

The other astounding part of this work is the dance. The choreography is not your typical Broadway hoofing. It leans far more toward ballet and it is used through out the show. Visually there is always movement and something catching your eye. The dance at the ball was lovely and gorgeous and a feat of strength with lifts like you rarely see on stage. I appreciated that they allowed time for these dances and trusted that the audience would be mesmerized by them - and they were.

The show runs over 2 hours long. The audience was filled with young girls and yet it was very quiet. The kids were paying attention and clearly loving every minute. And there was so much on stage to love. It truly was a lovely and enchanting night of theatre. A night I wish everyone could experience at some point.

Review: Kinky Boots

Ladies, Gentlemen, and those of you who have yet to decide - Kinky Boots is in a word - Fantastic!

The multi-award winning show Kinky Boots opened last night at the Orpheum. The story is about a man who is trying to find a way to save his family's shoe factory. In trying to do so, he comes across the idea of making stiletto boots for the men who wear them. Of course, there is romance, and conflicts that need to be overcome. The show is still playing on Broadway (at the time of this writing) and won six Tony awards in 2013, including Best Musical, Best Original Score, Best Choreography, and Best Performance by a Leading Actor. Even though Billy Porter is not touring with the show, all of that award winning talent is evident on stage.

The set is a shoe factory. The show starts with an actor walking in through the front door for work and takes a phone call. He then provides the very clever pre-show announcement about silencing cell phones, not texting, or taking photos, etc (though some folks still didn't get that message, but more about the audience later*). The first number clearly sets the stage and gives a brief history of Charlie growing up in a shoe factory and being told that he would be in charge of it later in life. It also shows Lola growing up and the trouble she has to deal with, and finally the upwardly-mobile life-view of Nicola - Charlie's girlfriend. The joy is that all of these viewpoints are shared while focusing on shoes. Charlie and the shoe factory (making men's shoes), Lola and the bright red heels she likes as a boy, and Nicola's desire for a pair of shoes that cost three-months rent.

Charlie's father dies and he has to figure out what to do with the factory. On his way out of a pub, he sees a woman being chased and steps in to protect her. She doesn't need his protection, swing her purse and accidentally hits Charlie. She takes her to her dressing room and we are introduced to the land of Lola - a drag queen. Billy Porter won a Tony award for his performance as Lola on Broadway. Kyle Taylor Parker was incredible as well. As Lola, he knows how to work some high boots and great drag! He never felt like he was over-the-top but was so natural. In fact, he was so natural that when he comes on stage dressed in a suit and tie, it is clear that he is uncomfortable. Lola is backed up by her "Angels" - six gorgeous men in drag. By the reaction of the audience last night, this town loves their drag queens! After the first number by Lola and her Angels, Charlie realizes that this is his niche market for shoes - tall, stiletto boots for men - and a way to save the factory. Of course, there are some relationship issues that need to be worked out. The relationship between Charlie and Nicola, between Charlie and Lola, between Charlie and Lauren (the girl at the factory who is majorly crushing on Charlie - and played by the amazing Lindsay Nicole Chambers [Gayle from Submissions Only]), and the relationship between Lola and the factory workers.

For the rest of the story, go see the show. If you can't make it, then I would recommend watching the film. The film was based on a true story, and was translated for the stage by Harvey Fierstein with music and lyrics by Cyndi Lauper. It was all directed and choreographed for the stage by the amazing Jerry Mitchell. The versatile, multi-level set by David Rockwell was amazing. I never felt trapped by the factory set as it was used so fantastically, and it changed up so easily for other scenes. Of course, the costumes for Lola and the Angels are going to get most of the "publicity" but the rest of the costumes were perfect for the time and place. The score is very pop with some gorgeous ballads as well. And for a "pop" show, even the sound levels were perfect, with some really cool surround-sound effects during a number.

I already called out Kyle Taylor Parker as Lola but I also have to call out Steven Booth as Charlie. While he was at first uncomfortable being around Lola, he opened his mind and accepted her for who she is - not as a gay man (as her sexuality is never mentioned) - but as a person who expresses herself differently. And this is the true message of the show - change your mind and you can change the world. For an amazingly fun show to have a subtle message is fantastic. And speaking of fantastic - I have to call out Lindsay Nicole Chambers. If you are a fan of the webseries Submissions Only, then you know her as Gayle. This role of Lauren is a total turn-around from that role. And what an amazing voice!! I also have to mention the Angels, and the rest of the cast. Every role was perfectly cast and well played. I had a LOT of fun watching the show, and it was clear that the cast was loving every minute as well.

Go see this show!!

*now, about the audience...First off. When the tickets say that the show starts at 7:30, it means it starts at 7:30. There were probably 30+ people coming in after the opening number. I know that there were multiple things happening downtown Mpls last night but 7:30 means 7:30. Also - I noticed quite a few people walking out during the first ballad, and coming back in. On the other hand - the audience last night was looking for a great fun time, and they were present for it. There was cheering and extended applause after almost every number, and for certain after every number of Lola's. The standing ovation was almost instantaneous as well. There was so much energy coming from the audience, and it was a loud house in a good way. I was really amazed!

(all photos curtesy of Hennepin Theatre Trust and Matthew Murphy)

Opening Night at F.O.B. - Synergy and Samosas!

Mu Performing Arts just opened their production of F.O.B. last night, January 30. The show, which is playing at Mixed Blood Theatre, runs through February 15.

I wasn't familiar with the play going in, other than knowing that F.O.B. meant "Fresh Off the Boat" and referred to recent immigrants. David Henry Hwang's play debuted in 1979, and the immigrants here are recent and not-so-recent arrivals to Los Angeles from China.

In the course of the three-character play, set in a Chinese restaurant, we hear about the experiences of immigration in different eras and the levels of distinction from the F.O.B.s to those who have been in the country for years to A.B.C.s - American-Born Chinese. The play also involves Chinese gods and heroes, who have their own struggles.

Although I didn't necessarily get all the connections in this play, particularly between the realistic and mythic realms, it was beautifully performed by Michael Sung-Ho, Meghan Kreidler, and Randy Reyes, who also directed. The sound and lighting, along with the acting, made the larger-than-life characters come to life, which was a lot to accomplish in a brief, 70-minute play.

Mu toured this production to Chinese restaurants around the state last summer, and now that they're playing in a theater space, they've brought the restaurant with them. For an additional $6, you can add to your ticket an individual takeout box of noodles to eat at your seat! It looked like a good number of people took up that offer on opening night.

The theater is partnering with three Chinese restaurants to bring in food for the shows. January 30-February 1, the catering is by the ChinDian Cafe. February 5-8 is Keefer Court Bakery & Cafe, and February 12-15 will feature food from the Tea House. Each Saturday night, the restaurateurs will also participate in a post-play discussion.

One of my favorite things about seeing this show is the amount of collaboration and cooperation happening. Mu is performing in Mixed Blood's theater, they are partnering with all of these local eateries, and there's a display in the theater on Chinese immigrants in Minnesota that was put together by the Minnesota Historical Society. And on opening night, they had more food from ChinDian, wine (which I didn't catch the provenance of), and beer from Town Hall Brewing. It's just great to see the synergy, and I hope it catches on with other theaters.

I think I'd better read up on the show and what it's all about, but that's something I appreciate in theater--a show that makes me want to learn more.