‘FUNNY GIRL’: Lea Michele & Ramin Karimloo. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

FUNNY GIRL
Book by Isobel Lennart
Revised by Harvey Fierstein
Music by Jule Styne
Lyrics by Bob Merrill
Directed by Michael Mayer
Through September 3, 2023
August Wilson Theatre
245 West 52nd Street
(877-250-2929), funnygirlonbroadway.com

By David NouNou

What a difference a leading lady makes.

From the ridiculous (absurdly miscast) Beanie Feldstein, to the sublime, Lea Michele, Funny Girl has finally received the sensational revival it has always deserved. After the electrifying overture (one of Broadway’s best), and the curtain went up on Beanie Feldstein last year, tedium set in from the onset. Last night, after the electrifying overture and the curtain went up, electricity started crossing the stage in the form of Lea Michele.

The book centers on Brooklyn-born Fanny Brice (Lea Michele) who although wasn’t pretty like a Miss Atlantic City, broke into showbusiness through sheer grit, determination and raw talent. She started in vaudeville at Keeney’s Theatre, where she meets gambler/con artist Nicky Arnstein (Ramin Karimloo), works her way up to be in the Ziegfeld Follies, gets to serenade Nick singing “People,” leaves the Follies to be with Nick, which brings us to the end of Act I and the immortal “Don’t Rain on My Parade”.

It is in Act II where the book becomes mawkish. As Fanny’s stock goes up, Nicky’s goes down. She makes the money; he gets wiped out and ultimately gets thrown in jail for three years for embezzlement. Eventually comes the parting of the ways. With Ms. Feldstein, the second act book was very weak. However, when you have an electrifying Fanny, the flaws of the book were not as noticeable. The score has always been sublime. Whether written as ballads, torch songs or comic relief, the songs that Jule Styne and Robert Merrill wrote tried to showcase Fanny as the great singer/comedian that she was. But as we all know, the songs ultimately showcased Barbra Streisand and now it showcases her most worthy successor, Lea Michele.

After seeing the woefully miscast Funny Girl revival in April 2022, honestly speaking I had no idea at what to expect with Ms. Michele. Admittedly, I saw Barbra Streisand and Sydney Chaplin do Fanny and Nick in 1964 at the Winter Garden Theatre and of course, I was blown away by Ms. Streisand and can’t recall much of Mr. Chaplin.

I can tell you this: You are not going to see another rendition so good for at least another 60 years. Ms. Michele nails the Brooklyn Jewishness that Fanny possessed. She has been given multiple wig changes that if you’ve seen pictures of the actual Fanny Brice, there is a closer resemblance here than even Ms. Streisand could capture. Her singing prowess is Herculean, there are lots of songs for her to sing, and with her big voice, she brings down the house with each one of them, from: “I’m the Greatest Star,” “People,” “Don’t Rain on My Parade” and the underappreciated “The Music That Makes Me Dance.”  Her final dramatic parting of ways with Nick, and pulling herself together to go out on stage is Fanny/Lea intertwined as one, blows the roof off the theatre.

At our April 2022 performance, Ramin Karimloo was out of the show. The second thrill of the night was seeing Mr. Karimloo. Not only does he have a sublime voice for singing; he can act  and bring nuances to his character, especially as his fortunes begin to falter, and he is sinking financially, by the end you can see the man crumble. That aside, he is gorgeous (pity the real Nicky Arnstein came nowhere close) and wait until the “Sadie, Sadie” number in Act II, and catch a glimpse of that body sculpted by Michelangelo.  Although not sung in the original show, it was written for the movie—the song “You’re a Funny Girl” was sung by Fanny—but here Mr. Karimloo, with his big voice, does a lovely, haunting rendition of it. It was criminal that the Tony committee neglected to nominate him last year in the best musical actor category.

At our performance, Tovah Feldshuh was out that night as Mama Brice and Broadway veteran Liz McCartney ably filled in. Thankfully, Tony nominee Jared Grimes as Eddie Ryan, Fanny’s choreographer and confidant, is still in the show, slaying the audience with his great tap number in Act I.

The pairing of Lea Michele and Ramin Karimloo is casting heaven. When it came to the start of Fanny and Nick’s relationship and their love scenes together, what was once absurd and laughable in 2022 is now nothing short of watching spontaneous sizzling combustion on stage. Their chemistry together is palpable and the audience is weak-kneed.

In this version, you can actually enjoy Michael Mayer’s direction, and he brings this show to life with Ayodele Casel’s tap choreography and Ellenore Scott’s choreography. Both are noticeable now and they are dazzlers. They all have a purpose now.

What a shame Funny Girl with Lea Michele, and Ramin Karimloo, won’t qualify for this year’s Tonys, as they would surely have won in every category. Don’t wait another 60 years. See Funny Girl now—and you’ll still be talking about it in 60 years.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published March 1, 2023
Reviewed at February 28, 2023 performance.

‘FUNNY GIRL’: Lea Michele. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘FUNNY GIRL’: Tovah Feldshuh & Jared Grimes. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘FUNNY GIRL’: Lea Michele. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘FUNNY GIRL’: Lea Michele. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘FUNNY GIRL’: Ramin Karimloo & cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

The post ‘Funny Girl’: Lea Michele is the greatest star appeared first on StageZine.

‘FUNNY GIRL’: Beanie Feldstein & Ramin Karimloo. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

FUNNY GIRL
Book by Isobel Lennart
Revised by Harvey Fierstein
Music by Jule Styne
Lyrics by Bob Merrill
Directed by Michael Mayer
August Wilson Theatre
245 West 52nd Street
(877-250-2929), www.funnygirlonbroadway.com

By David NouNou

There is a reason why Funny Girl hasn’t been revived since its opening in 1964 and her name is Barbra Streisand. Everything about the show was tailor made for Ms. Streisand’s talents, phenomenal voice range and the ability to electrify an audience. By the time she finished her first number in Act I, “I’m the Greatest Star,”  she knew it, we believed it, and it became her anthem.

Funny Girl, along with Hello, Dolly! and later that year, Fiddler on the Roof, were among the last of the big, splashy musicals that were book-heavy. Of the three, Funny Girl has the weakest book and Harvey Fierstein hasn’t improved it any. The book centers on Brooklyn-born Fanny Brice who, although wasn’t pretty like a Miss Atlantic City, broke into show business through sheer grit, determination and raw talent. She started in vaudeville at Keeney’s Theatre, where she meets gambler/con artist Nicky Arnstein, works her way up to be in the Ziegfeld Follies, gets to serenade Nick singing “People,” and leaves the Follies to be with Nick, bringing us to the end of Act I and the immortal “Don’t Rain On My Parade.”

It is in Act II where the book becomes mawkish and lugubrious. As Fanny’s stock goes up, Nicky’s goes down. She makes the money; he gets wiped out and ultimately gets thrown in jail for three years for embezzlement. Eventually comes the parting of the ways. The book is weak, but the score is sublime. Whether written as ballads, torch songs or comic relief, the songs that Jule Styne and Robert Merrill wrote tried to showcase Fanny as the great singer/comedian that she was. But as we all know, the songs ultimately showcased Barbra Streisand.

Now, how can anyone fill such a tall order? Simply put, you can’t. Beanie Feldstein as Fanny gives it a valiant effort but she comes up short for so many reasons. Starting with she lacks the Brooklyn moxie, that energy that comes from struggling from the bottom to reach the top. Her performance doesn’t vary; there is no progression from young Fanny to the adult Fanny. Ms. Feldstein is sweet, energetic, and has a pretty voice but very little range. She doesn’t so much as attack the song as much as the song gets altered to fit her vocal range. Also, she is inconsistent. An example of that is when Nick invites her to dinner when they do the duet “You Are Woman, I Am Man,” there is no romance or sultriness to it; just plain mugging and chewing the scenery, and there is plenty of that. Because Ms. Feldstein has such a cherubic face, it is difficult to see her angry and her fierce bitterness accelerate, so instead you get the kind of performance a high school or college ingenue gives when playing adult roles. Another example of coming up short is the iconic line in the beginning of the show which was slightly altered in the movie: “Hello, Gorgeous.” Ms. Streisand said it like a woman and felt it. Ms. Feldstein uses it as a young ingenue throwaway line, instantly recognizable thanks to Ms. Streisand’s immortalization.

At our performance, Ramin Karimloo was out of the show and Nicky Arnstein was admirably played by Jeremiah James with his devilishly good looks.  If only the real Nick Arnstein had half his looks, it would make sense why Fanny was so crazy for him. Although not a song in the original show, but was written for the movie, the song “You’re a Funny Girl” was sung by Fanny. In this version, Mr. James with his big voice does a lovely, haunting rendition of it.

It’s a great pleasure to see Sophie Lennon from the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, playing Jane Lynch doing Mrs. Brice as an Irish lady, peppering her dialogue with Jewish idioms. Jared Grimes as Eddie Ryan, Fanny’s choreographer and confidant, has a great tap dance number in Act I.

For me, it is a great pleasure to see such revivals as the magnificently executed and lavish The Music Man and Funny Girl with its brilliant score coming back to life again and finding new audiences.

Hearing a full orchestra playing the entire original score (including songs omitted from the 1968 film adaptation), and the stupendous overture with all those fine crafted tunes strung together, brought tears to my eyes. What a pity they don’t have overtures anymore.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published April 29, 2022
Reviewed at April 28, 2022 press performance.

‘FUNNY GIRL’: (left to right): Kurt Csolak, Beanie Feldstein & Justin Prescott. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘FUNNY GIRL’: (left to right): Peter Francis James, Jane Lynch, Jared Grimes, Beanie Feldstein, Ephie Aardema , Debra Cardona, Martin Moran, Toni DiBuono & cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘FUNNY GIRL’: Beanie Feldstein & cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘FUNNY GIRL’: Beanie Feldstein, Jared Grimes & cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘FUNNY GIRL’: (left to right) Debra Cardona, Toni DiBuono, Jane Lynch & Jared Grimes. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘FUNNY GIRL’: Ramin Karimloo & cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘FUNNY GIRL’: Jared Grimes & Jane Lynch. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘FUNNY GIRL’: Jared Grimes & Beanie Feldstein. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘FUNNY GIRL’: Beanie Feldstein. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘FUNNY GIRL’: Beanie Feldstein & cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

The post ‘Funny Girl’: Uneven revival of classic appeared first on StageZine.

‘PASS OVER’: Namir Smallwood, Gabriel Ebert & Jon Michael Hill. Photo: Joan Marcus.

PASS OVER
Written by Antoinette Chinonye Nwandu
Directed by Dayna Taymor
Through October 10, 2021
August Wilson Theatre
245 West 52nd Street
(888-985-9421), www PassOverBroadway.com

By David NouNou

One of the many things I was taught as a child was that it was offensive to say or use the “N- word.” Watching a performance in a theater where the word is constantly used—to the point of every other word in this 90-minute play by Antoinette Chinonye Nwandu—is a hard sit-through. However, there is a point to it; that being, who can use the word, and who is not allowed to utter it.

If the premise of this play seems familiar, it’s because it loosely resembles Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot. Instead of Didi and Gogo being stuck on a dirt road and a tree, the current two men stuck in place are Moses (Jon Michael Hill) and Kitch (Namir Smallwood), both of whom are conversing on a ghetto street corner with a street lamp. Their conversation consists of “getting out of this place” and listing their “top 10 desires in the promised land,” with every other word or sentence consisting of the N-word.

Interrupting this conversation enters a tall, lanky white man in a white suit with a Luciferian manner known as Mister (Gabriel Ebert). He has lost his way to his mother’s house, bringing her this special basket full of food: everything from collard greens and pinto beans to apple pie, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, champagne, and whatever is on the top 10 list for food comes out of this little picnic hamper. Over the course of time, Mister’s benevolence changes to “Master” and the trouble he feigns by using the start of wrong words and claiming “that’s not what I meant.”

After his missteps, Mister leaves in a huff and takes all the leftover food and drinks in that little hamper, except for a small apple pie which Kitch pilfered. Left alone again and back to the conversation of getting away, passing over to the promised land, and the top 10 list, this time Moses and Kitch are interrupted by Ossifer, a white policeman (Gabriel Ebert), from taking away the apple pie and the language used; the rest is left to the viewer’s interpretation.

The three performances by Jon Michael Hall, Namir Smallwood and Gabriel Ebert are all riveting.

Broadway has been closed since March 2020. I’m not sure if this was the right vehicle to jump-start Broadway’s return. Pass Over pushed its opening from September 12 to August 22, 2021. This was a rushed opening, considering previews started on August 4. Pass Over isn’t so much as reopening Broadway but more like sending the proverbial canary inside the coal mine to see if it is safe to return to Broadway

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published September 12, 2021
Reviewed at September 11, 2021 press performance.

‘PASS OVER’: Namir Smallwood & Jon Michael Hill. Photo: Joan Marcus.

‘PASS OVER’: Namir Smallwood & Jon Michael Hill. Photo: Joan Marcus.

‘PASS OVER’: Namir Smallwood & Jon Michael Hill. Photo: Joan Marcus.

‘PASS OVER’: Namir Smallwood & Jon Michael Hill. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘PASS OVER’: Namir Smallwood & Jon Michael Hill. Photo: Joan Marcus.

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‘MEAN GIRLS’: (left to right) Erika Henningsen, Ashley Park, Taylor Louderman & Kate Rockwell. Photo: Joan Marcus

MEAN GIRLS
Book by Tina Fey
Music by Jeff Richmond
Lyrics by Nell Benjamin
Directed & choreographed by Casey Nicholaw
August Wilson Theatre
245 West 52nd Street
(877-250-2929), meangirlsonbroadway.com/

By David NouNou

Regardless of whether you’ve seen or know anything about Tina Fey’s 2004 movie Mean Girls, it has now been adapted as Broadway musical by Ms. Fey. The one thing you have to know is the title tells the whole story in an extremely entertaining way. Thanks to Ms. Fey’s clever and funny book and especially under the creative control of director/choreographer Casey Nicholaw, the fun never stops.

The story is one we’ve all experienced in high school; whether you were with the “in”crowd or out, athlete or dweeb, cool or a nerd, pretty or plain, smart or borderline D-. It is all here. Depending upon which category you fell in, it could conjure either good memories or nightmares. Thank God, I attended a private school back in the day full of primarily Jewish students, so there was minimal bullying and the school wasn’t strong in the athletic department. The school excelled then and still does in the brain department. Of course, I was in the drama department; no bullying there.

Similar to Clueless and Heathers, where the beautiful girls torment the rest of the student body, this story has the comeuppance of the gorgeous mean girl, Regina George (Taylor Louderman) and the outsider who just enrolled in a new school, Cady Heron ( Erika Henningsen) and the conflict she faces to fit in at this peer-pressure-filled environment.

Since the story is an obvious one, I would like to showcase it from the standpoint of its components. Ms. Fey’s book constantly moves, she gives everyone an equal opportunity to the point that some of it seems like filler. The music by Ms. Fey’s husband, Jeff Richmond, and lyrics by Nell Benjamin, are catchy and memorable. They encapsulate each person and cliques, which at times also feels like filler. However, it is the great Casey Nicholaw who injects his usual flair for the production numbers that always keeps the musical and numbers moving.

By describing the players, you can piece together the plotline. For starters, as an ensemble, the cast members all work together perfectly. They can sing, dance, and are full of energy. Erika Henningsen, the home-schooled math genius and the new kid in school, is a delight. Her transformation from the spunky outsider to the leader of the pack is gradual and delightful and brings the proper pathos when she finds out it’s not what it’s all cracked up to be. On the other hand, Taylor Louderman as the two-faced Regina George, is sensational. She has come a long way from her Broadway debut as the innocent Campbell in Bring It On.

The supporting cast are remarkable and unforgettable. Ashley Park as the fragile mean girl Gretchen Wieners has a powerhouse voice and is a constant delight. Kate Rockwell as Karen Smith, the gorgeous but dumb blonde, is hysterical. Barrett Wilbert Weed as Janis Sarkisian and Grey Henson as Damien, the outsiders as well as the narrators of the show, are divine, their working off each other is terrific. Naturally there is the jock, Kyle Selig as Aaron Samuels brings not only his good looks but sincerity to his role. Kerry Butler, a Broadway favorite playing multiple female adult roles (from a mom to a teacher), is her usual expert self and can still pass for a mean girl.

In conclusion, the show has bounce and verve, it’s joyful and has a healing message; it’s colorful and a delight. Skip the usual tedious musical revivals and go enjoy the fresh new musical Mean Girls and maybe you’ll see yourself on that stage and have a chuckle and ask yourself,  “Was I really like that?”

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published April 13, 2018
Reviewed at press performance on April 12, 2018

‘MEAN GIRLS’: Barrett Wilbert Weed & company. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘MEAN GIRLS’: (left to right) Ben Cook, Nikhil Saboo, Cheech Manohar, Erika Henningsen & Kerry Butler. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘MEAN GIRLS’: Taylor Louderman. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘MEAN GIRLS’: Grey Henson, Barrett Wilbert Weed & Erika Henningsen. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘MEAN GIRLS’: (left to right) Ashley Park, Taylor Louderman, Kate Rockwell & Erika Henningsen. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘MEAN GIRLS’: Kyle Selig & Erika Henningsen. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘MEAN GIRLS’: Barrett Wilbert Weed & Grey Henson. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘MEAN GIRLS’: Kerry Butler & Erika Henningsen. Photo: Joan Marcus

The post ‘Mean Girls’: Awesome adaptation of hit film appeared first on StageZine.

‘HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS’: Candice Glover. Photo: Carol Rosegg

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS:
THE BROADWAY CONCERT CELEBRATION
Performed by Candice Glover, Josh Kaufman, Bianca Ryan,
Peter Hollens & Evynne Hollens
Special appearance by Danny Aiello
Creative & musical direction by Jonathan Tessero
Through December 30, 2017
August Wilson Theatre
877-250-2929, www.holidaysonbroadway.com

 By Scott Harrah

Christmas concerts are nothing new but are rare on Broadway. Home for the Holidays: The Broadway Concert Celebration doesn’t feature any actual Broadway stars and instead showcases three young talents from TV reality competitions: Candice Glover, winner of season 12 of “American Idol”; Josh Kaufman, winner of the sixth season of “The Voice”; and Bianca Ryan of “America’s Got Talent” fame. In addition, there are appearances by Kaitlyn Bristowe from TV’s “The Bachelor”; pop singers and “Youtube sensations” Peter Hollens and wife Evynne Hollens; and a special appearenace by Danny Aiello, all backed by a live brass and rhythm band. This all makes for an pleasant evening or afternoon of Yuletide carols, but the overall feeling, while festive, reminds one more of a glitzy school swing choir or a Christmas variety show on cable TV than a bona fide Broadway celebration of the holidays.

Perhaps Home for the Holidays is a misnomer, because the only holiday noted here is the one observed December 25^th, so this is strictly a Christmas show (sorry, no Hanukkah, Kwanza or New Year’s songs), with the women in glittery gowns by Sherri Hill, Stephen F and Noah Waxman, all looking convivial and full of seasonal spirit in their holiday finery. Creative and musical  director Jonathan Tessero has not put too much imagination into the show, an entertaining but mostly uninspired collection of both Christmas standards and a few originals. Unfortunately there is no song set list given in the Playbill, possibly because most of the material consists of medleys of cherished secular and religious Christmas carols.

The main reasons to see the show are Candice Glover and Josh Kaufman. Ms. Glover is truly phenomenal and has a big, rich, melodic voice that overshadows nearly all the others. Matching her closely is Josh Kaufman, a guy with a mellifluous set of pipes that may remind some of Stevie Wonder. One of the show’s highlights is a dueling duet Mr. Kaufman and Ms. Glover do, covering both “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” and the Carpenters’ “Merry Christmas, Darling” simultaneously. While Mr. Kaufman sings of the joys of spending Christmas with his loved one, Ms. Glover belts out plaintively about being alone and missing her one and only in a new spin on the Karen Carpenter classic. In this particular number, Ms. Glover’s voice is absolutely haunting and heartbreaking, and is a wonderful juxtaposition to Mr. Kaufman’s more upbeat classic.

Bianca Ryan, best known for her larger-than-life voice on “America’s Got Talent,” delivers impressive vocals as well. She’s obviously styled herself after such multi-octave-range pros as Mariah Carey and the late Whitney Houston, but here she has a few pitch problems with some of the material. In addition, her manic hand gestures grow tiresome after awhile.

The rest of the featured singers are entertaining but otherwise forgettable. Although husband and wife Peter Hollens and Evynne Hollens harmonize wonderfully together, and must be given credit for such things as an original song by Mr. Hollens, don’t people mostly want to hear Christmas standards? A Broadway Christmas show at these steep prices probably is not the place to test out new, unfamiliar material. Thrown into the mix are Kaitlyn Bristowe, a young woman with a decent voice, and Oscar-nominated actor Danny Aiello, who sings a few songs (he actually has an admirable voice) and also regales us with tales of his boyhood Christmases in New York.

Home for the Holidays might have been a bigger draw with some genuine Broadway or major Hollywood names and more variety, but as is there seems to be a lot missing here. It would have been nice if Danny Aiello could have put on a Santa suit, for example. In addition, Jonathan Tessero’s creative and musical direction of these gifted young vocalists unfortunately never goes anywhere beyond the pop style of “American Idol” and other musical reality TV shows.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published November 21, 2017
Reviewed at November 19, 2017 press performance.

‘HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS’: (Left to right) Evynne Hollens, Peter Hollens, Bianca Ryan, Danny Aiello, Kaitlyn Bristowe & Josh Kaufman. Photo: Carol Rosegg

‘HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS’: (Left to right) Bianca Ryan, Peter Hollens, Evynne Hollens, Candice Glover & Josh Kaufman. Photo: Carol Rosegg

‘HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS’: (Left to right) Peter Hollens, Evynne Hollens, Josh Kaufman, Biance Ryan. Photo: Carol Rosegg

‘HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS’: Evynne Hollens & Peter Hollens. Photo: Carol Rosegg

‘HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS’: Josh Kaufman, Bianca Ryan & Candice Glover. Photo: Carol Rosegg

‘HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS’: Josh Kaufman. Photo: Carol Rosegg

‘HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS’: Kaitlyn Bristowe. Photo: Carol Rosegg

‘HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS’: Danny Aiello. Photo: Carol Rosegg

‘HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS’: Candice Glover. Photo: Carol Rosegg

‘HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS’: Evynne Hollens, Peter Hollens & Danny Aiello. Photo: Carol Rosegg

Home for the Holidays Youtube montage

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‘GROUNDHOG DAY’: Andy Karl. Photo: Joan Marcus

GROUNDHOG DAY
Book by Danny Rubin
Music & lyrics by Tim Minchin
Directed by Matthew Warchus
Choreographed by Peter Darling
August Wilson Theatre
245 West  52nd Street
(877-250-2929), www.Groundhogdaymusical.com

By David NouNou

Turning a motion picture into a musical is nothing new. It was done earlier this season to disastrous results. However, when you bring in talented people—the likes of: writer, Danny Rubin, who wrote the original screenplay for Groundhog Day; songsmith Tim Minchin, who gave us Matilda; an especially adept and creative director, Matthew Marchus, who did Matilda, Follies, among endless other shows; and expert choreographer, Peter Darling, all people who know what they are doing—and throw in the incredible Andy Karl, you have yourself a winning combination that keeps giving, and giving, and giving, and giving.

As part of his job and against his will, Phil Connors (Andy Karl),an arrogant and obnoxious weatherman in Pittsburgh, is assigned to go to Punxsutawney, PA to cover the annual Groundhog Day. It is a cold and bitter winter day, February 2nd, in a dreary, humdrum town, with conventional people and nothing much to do but cover the damn groundhog story to see if it sees its shadow or not. This is the day Phil has been cursed with to repeat again and again until he gets it right.

Of course, there is Rita (Barrett Doss), Phil’s associate producer and ultimately his love interest, who helps him get on the path of redemption and the colorful townsfolk of Punxutawwney: the mayor; Ned Ryerson, the insurance salesman; Nancy, the lovely town beauty; the town drunks Gus and Ralph; they are all here. In addition, there are also all the ways that Phil tries to free himself of this awful nightmare.

Just like the clever spinning set by Rob Howell, Matthew Warchus keeps the story line spinning cleverly with so many brilliant touches that it would rob the viewer to mention these surprises. Suffice it to say it keeps up with the movie.

The fireworks that burst from the stage are nothing more than the vibrant talents of Andy Karl. He is a one-man irresistible dynamo. In the movie you had Bill Murray who is a larger-than-life character great for the screen. For a stage adapted musical, you need an actor, singer, charmer, and extraordinary likable guy and that is Andy Karl. In case you need further incentive to see Groundhog Day, just a couple of weeks ago it won the Olivier Awards in London for “best new musical” and “best musical actor,” Andy Karl. The Oliviers are Britain’s version of the Tony Awards. Enjoy.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published April 23, 2017
Reviewed at performance on April 22, 2017

‘GROUNDHOG DAY’: Andy Karl. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘GROUNDHOG DAY’: John Sanders & Andy Karl. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘GROUNDHOG DAY’: Andy Karl & Barrett Doss. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘GROUNDHOG DAY’: Barrett Doss & Andy Karl. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘GROUNDHOG DAY’: Andy Karl & Barrett Doss. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘GROUNDHOG DAY’: The cast. Photo: Joan Marcus

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