‘Harmony’: Saga of performers in Nazi era

‘HARMONY’: Allison Semmes (center) & cast. Photo: Julieta Cervantes.

HARMONY
Music by Barry Manilow
Book lyrics by Bruce Sussman
Directed & choreographed by Warren Carlyle
Ethel Barrymore Theatre
243 West 47th Street
(212-239-6200), www.HarmonyANewMusical.com

By David NouNou

Throughout my entire theatre-going days, I have never seen a musical or play that was as well-intentioned as the new musical Harmony. However, there is a price to pay with such well-intentioned offerings. I am sure that none of the creative team or anyone could have ever foreseen what would play out overseas on October 7, 2023. As if politics didn’t divide the country enough, the Israel/Hamas war has created divisions in this country and around the world the likes of which Jewish people haven’t encountered since the early days of the Nazi era in 1933.

Harmony begins at a concert in 1933 at Carnegie Hall in New York City where six performers, three Jewish and three non-Jewish, who were known as The Comedian Harmonists were performing. This group did exist. They were world renowned. They performed in most capitals of the world. They had recordings, were in movies, but all of their fame, music, recordings and movies were obliterated and destroyed once the Nazis took over.

We go back in time to 1927 – 1929 Berlin, when the group was being formed, their early struggles, and how they wanted their act to develop. Basically, they wanted to perform in harmony. The group was formed by Harry (Zal Owen) and consisted of Young Rabbi (Danny Kornfeld), Bobby (Sean Bell), Chopin (Blake Roman), Erich (Eric Peters) and Lesh (Steven Telsey). Their lives become more complicated when Young Rabbi who is Jewish marries a non-Jewish girl, Mary (Sierra Boggess) and Chopin who is not Jewish marries the Jewish anarchist, Ruth (Julie Benko).

There is another character, Rabbi (Chip Zien) who is both narrator and commentator of the proceedings from the rise of The Comedian Harmonists to their demise. Just as in A Beautiful Noise where there is the old Neil Diamond and the young Neil Diamond, the older character becomes more of an intrusion than propelling the story forward. The difference here is Rabbi also plays multiple small parts, with lots of schtick, assuming that is to add comic relief to the proceedings. Rabbi is also the conscience of the show; and how he stood by idly and did nothing as the events were unfolding. Could all of their lives have been spared if he insisted on staying in America instead of returning to Berlin?

Act I comes to an end with a swastika emblazoned on the back wall, and the results are grim. Act II begins in one of the most misguided and absurd openers ever conceived. It is 1934 at a performance of The New Ziegfeld Follies where Josephine Baker (Allison Semmes) is performing atop a white piano with The Comedian Harmonists as her backup singers in white tuxedos in a song entitled “We’re Goin’ Loco!” Loco indeed. This must have been Barry Manilow’s way of cheering up the audience for the devastation to come, a tribute to Lola from his hit song “Copacabana.” Only to be told by Rabbi that this was a fantasy that never really took place.

From that point on you can connect the dots of what’s to come. Again, let me reiterate, the intentions are formidable. As I am writing this review, in the background is the news on TV with what is happening at elite universities and college campuses among students and professors alike, condemning Israel for defending itself and the rise of antisemitism across the country. It’s absolutely chilling to see what happened in 1933 is happening now in 2023. I cheer and applaud Mr. Manilow and Mr. Sussman for taking such a risk in musicalizing and bringing to life The Comedian Harmonists. The score is haunting and meaningful, but the book is very heavy-handed and lugubrious and there is no way of improving it. Not even the dependable director/choreographer Warren Carlyle can alleviate the proceedings. If anything, Mr. Carlyle should have been a better editor and deleted a lot of unneeded moments.

The six voices and harmonizing of Mr. Bell, Mr. Kornfeld, Mr. Owen, Mr. Peters, Mr. Roman and Mr. Telsey as the sextet is phenomenal as are the voices of Ms. Boggess and Ms. Benko. They have all been given solid songs and they all deliver with conviction.

Chip Zien is a Broadway veteran and has extensive credits from Into the Woods and Falsettos to the recent revival of Caroline, or Change. He plays older Rabbi and also narrates the proceedings which is so unnecessary, because they are self-explanatory. He is given the 11th hour song “Threnody”. Its definition: “a wailing ode, song hymn or poem of mourning composed or performed as a memorial to a dead person.” Think of it as Cervantes singing “The Impossible Dream” from Man of La Mancha or Jean Valjean singing “Bring Him Home” from Les Misérables. You are on your feet for the delivery of the song by the artist. Here one finds oneself applauding this incredible powerful song and not the performer. He lacks the power, charm and charisma to carry such an undertaking.

Harmony is a very tough sit-through, but it is an evening that is provocative and thought- provoking only to see how history might be repeating itself.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published November 16, 2023
Reviewed at November 14, 2023 press performance.

‘HARMONY’: Chip Zien. Photo: Julieta Cervantes.

‘HARMONY’: Julie Benko & Sierra Boggess. Photo: Adam Riemer.

‘HARMONY’: (left to right) Blake Roman, Steven Telsey, Zal Owen, Danny Kornfeld, Eric Peters & Sean Bell. Photo: Julieta Cervantes.