‘Falsettos’: The original modern family musical

‘FALSETTOS’: Christian Borle & Andrew Rannells. Photo: Joan Marcus

FALSETTOS
Book by William Finn
Music & lyrics by William Finn & James Lapine
Directed by James Lapine
Through January 8, 2017
Walter Kerr Theatre
219 W. 48th Street
800-982-2787, www.lct.org

By Scott Harrah

The individual turmoil of characters, their neuroses and raw emotions, sung via melodic songs, are all at the heart of this superb revival of the William Finn-James Lapine musical. Falsettos remains a fresh, authentic slice of unconventional New York life, despite the fact that its characters lived decades ago. It originally appeared on Broadway in 1992 as a package of two earlier off-Broadway plays, March of the Falsettos and Falsettoland. Although parts of this mostly sung-through musical depict the troubles of another era, this outstanding production never feels dated.

Part of the show’s timelessness must be attributed to the stellar performances by a cast of Broadway veterans, but Mr. Finn and Mr. Lapine’s story about Marvin (Christian Borle), a man who wants to have it all (a wife, a child, and a male lover), was truly ahead of its time, written long before marriage equality and tales of nontraditional families became commonplace

The show opens in 1979 with Marvin about to leave his wife Trina (Stephanie J. Block) for a man, Whizzer (Andrew Rannells). Marvin and Trina’s young son Jason (Anthony Rosenthal) is caught in the middle of the maelstrom.  Meanwhile, the family’s psychiatrist Mendel (Brandon Uranowitz) starts a romance with Trina. In addition to the obvious LGBT theme, Falsettos also relies heavily on celebrating the Jewish New Yorker sensibility, particularly in the opening number “Four Jews in a Room Bitching.”  In fact, one of the reasons why the show holds up so well in 2016 is because it’s far more than merely a musical chronicle of a dysfunctional family and homosexuality. Everything from chess playing to Little League baseball is thrown into the mix. David Rockwell’s clever, simplistic sets frame everything wonderfully, with a cartoonish Manhattan skyline and what appears to be a giant 1980s Rubik’s Cube (remember them?) that is gradually taken apart at times to depict different settings.

Much of the narrative unfolds through song, and although Mr. Finn’s music and lyrics are repetitious at times, most songs are infectious and reveal each character’s feelings and frustrations vividly. One of the show’s best moments is Stephanie J. Block belting out the showstopper “I’m Breaking Down,”with lyrics that are humorous but also reveal her heartbreak when she sings, “He’s a queen/I’m a queen/Where is our crown?” 

Other highlights include “Marvin at the Psychiatrist (a Three Part Mini-Opera),” in which Marvin sings (along with Mendel, Jason and Whizzer) about all the reasons he needs psychotherapy.  In “March of the Falsettos,” all four male characters sing, in the titular falsetto voice to match Jason’s prepubescent tone, about the different aspects of masculinity.  Here it’s done cleverly with the guys all sporting fluorescent clothes, frolicking under black light. Pointless perhaps, but still great fun to watch.

While the first act focuses on family dysfunction, Act Two takes us to 1981. Marvin has split up with Whizzer and now lives next door to two lesbians, Dr. Charlotte (Tracie Thoms), an internist, and her lover Cordelia (Betsy Wolfe), a caterer specializing in “nouvelle” kosher cuisine.

Soon Whizzer becomes ill and enters the hospital.  At the same time, Marvin and Trina are nagging Jason about how he wishes to celebrate his bar mitzvah. To give any more detail would spoil the bittersweet twist of the tragic ending, but the final songs are some of the best, including Whizzer’s “You Gotta Die Sometime” and Marvin and Whizzer’s “What Would I Do?”

Mr. Borle makes a big departure here from his comic roles in Peter and the Starcatcher and Something Rotten as the self-absorbed, hopelessly neurotic Marvin.  Mr. Rannells, of Book of Mormon and Girls fame, is equally effective as Whizzer, and emotionally powerful in the show’s final songs.

The show’s biggest asset, however, is Stephanie J. Block.  Although she’s established herself on Broadway in a number of roles, Ms. Block gives the performance of her career as Trina, and she’ll certainly be a contender for all the awards in the spring. There is a haunting sincerity to Ms. Block’s Trina because, in every song she sings, from “I’m Breaking Down” to “Trina’s Song,” one feels her character’s helplessness in everything from her mannerisms (particularly the hilarious way she slices up a banana) to the beautiful, plaintive tone in her vocals.

Director James Lapine understands the scale of tragedy that was so rampant in AIDS-era New York, and his direction highlights the humanity, quirks and vulnerabilities of these characters’ lives and sheds humor and truth on them without coming across as heavy-handed.  Perhaps that’s why Falsettos can now be called a true classic.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published November 7, 2016
Reviewed at press performance on November 6, 2016

‘FALSETTOS’: (left to right) Betsy Wolfe, Andrew Rannells, Christian Borle & Tracie Thoms. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘FALSETTOS’: Stephanie J. Block & Brandon Uranowitz. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘FALSETTOS’: Betsy Wolfe & Tracie Thoms. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘FALSETTOS’: Anthony Rosenthal & Christian Borle. Photo: Joan Marcus