NEW YORK—Tony Award winner Christopher Gattelli directs and choreographs a new Fantasticks adaptation, completed by original author Tom Jones

A new Broadway adaptation of The Fantasticks is moving forward, reimagining the classic musical as a contemporary gay love story. Tony Award winner Christopher Gattelli (Newsies, Death Becomes Her) will direct and choreograph the production, which features a revised book and lyrics by original author Tom Jones, with music by Harvey Schmidt.

New version completed before original author’s death

Broadway & Beyond Theatricals, Daryl Roth, and True North Theatricals are producing the project. Jones completed the adaptation before his death in 2023, giving the long-running musical a new lens while preserving its original structure. The development process began in 2022 at Flint Repertory Theatre in Michigan and continued with subsequent productions at Provincetown Playhouse in Massachusetts and Coachella Valley Repertory in California.

In this updated Fantasticks, the central love story shifts from Matt and Luisa to Matt and Lewis. As a result, the musical’s familiar allegory of love, separation, and reconciliation unfolds through a gay perspective. At the same time, the story’s scheming fathers become mothers, reinforcing the production’s contemporary framing while keeping the narrative intact.

Reflecting on the adaptation in a 2022 interview with Playbill, Jones described the process as both demanding and rewarding. He emphasized that the new version required substantial lyric revisions, but added that the work renewed his enthusiasm for the material.

Show ran for 42 years

The Fantasticks premiered Off-Broadway in 1960 at the Sullivan Street Playhouse in Greenwich Village. From there, it went on to run for 42 years and amassed 17,162 performances, making it the longest-running musical in the world. Over time, the show attracted a remarkable range of performers, including Liza Minnelli, Kristin Chenoweth, Megan Mullally, and Santino Fontana.

Equally important, the score helped secure the musical’s legacy. The ballad “Try to Remember” became a standard recorded by hundreds of artists, while songs such as “Soon It’s Gonna Rain” and “They Were You” continued to find new life through generations of performers.

The Broadway development also brings together a notable creative team. Sam Davis will provide new orchestrations, Jason Sherwood will design the scenic environment, and The Telsey Office will handle casting. DR Theatrical Management will oversee general management.

Producers have not yet announced casting, additional creative team members, or a production timeline. Venue details, opening dates, and ticket on-sale information also remain forthcoming.

StageZine will continue to follow developments on the project.

Courtesy of The Press Room.

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‘ONCE UPON A MATTRESS’: Sutton Foster. Photo: Joan Marcus.

ONCE UPON A MATTRESS
Book by Jay Thompson, Marshall Barer & Dean Fuller
Music by Mary Rodgers
Lyrics by Marshall Barer
Adapted by Amy Sherman-Palladino
Directed by Lear deBessonet
Hudson Theatre
141 W 44th Street
https://onceuponamattressnyc.com/

By Scott Harrah

Once Upon a Mattress recently transferred from a hit City Center Encores! production earlier this year to Broadway. It is the perfect vehicle for two of Broadway’s most delightful musical comedy talents: Michael Urie and Sutton Foster. With a crisp new adaptation by Amy Sherman-Palladino of “Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” fame, this latest revival of the Mary Rodgers/Marshall Barer classic is one of the summer’s hottest shows.

Once Upon a Mattress is the story of a fictional medieval kingdom. The musical focuses on Princess Winnifred the Woebegone (Sutton Foster), an awkward, gawky woman from a mystical swamp kingdom who is chosen to be the bride of Prince Dauntless the Drab (Michael Urie). Queen Aggravain (Ana Gasteyer), Prince Dauntless’ mother, is determined to ensure her son remains unmarried and devises impossible tests for Princess Winnifred to pass. The queen has been sabotaging all potential matches to maintain control of the kingdom. Her husband King Sextimus the Silent (David Patrick Kelly) is powerless because he was made mute by a curse cast by a witch. Princess Winnifred—or “Fred” as she prefers to be called—is not the first princess to be tested to see if she is a worthy bride. Queen Aggravain has already rejected several princesses that her son wanted to marry. She devises what she thinks will be a foolproof test, with the help of the Wizard (Brooks Ashmankas): Winnifred must sleep on a huge stack of mattresses with a tiny pea underneath one and if she is truly “royalty,” she will be hyper-sensitive and not sleep and, thus, pass the test. Otherwise, if she actually sleeps, the “test” will show she’s merely a commoner and, therefore, cannot marry the prince.

The musical is mostly famous for launching the career of comedienne Carol Burnett when she originated the role of Princess Winnifred when Once Upon a Mattress opened on Broadway in 1959. Based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale The Princess and the Pea, the saga is a lighthearted spoof of the storybook genre. It was last revived in 1996 with Sara Jessica Parker in the lead role, and a 2005 TV version starred Tracey Ullman. So, the show has always been a vehicle for its leading lady, and this iteration is perfect for Broadway and TV veteran Sutton Foster. Ms. Foster shows off talents many never knew she had, such as her natural gift for physical comedy. With her many pratfalls and slapstick moves—from eating grapes to lifting weights—she has much more to do onstage than in her role as Marian the Librarian in the 2022 revival of The Music Man, in which she was often overshadowed by mega star Hugh Jackman. When she belts out the show’s signature song “Shy,” one can see why Once Upon a Mattress was such an important career starter for Carol Burnett, but Ms. Foster manages to give her own unique interpretation of Princess Winnifred. The musical is Ms. Foster’s from the moment she arrives, wet and dirty from the moat, jumps into the castle and into the prince’s life.

Michael Urie, as Prince Dauntless, is outstanding as always. Is there chemistry between Mr. Urie and Ms. Foster? Not really, but it doesn’t matter, because this is a goofy musical that never takes itself seriously. In his tights, crown and cape, Mr. Urie is a lovable nerdy prince.

Other standouts include Nikki Renée Daniels as Lady Larken, the girlfriend of Sir Harry (Will Chase). Ms. Daniels has a beautiful coloratura voice and she and Mr. Chase are in rapturous harmony on such duets as “In a Little While” and “Yesterday I Loved You.” “Saturday Night Live” alum Ana Gasteyer plays a caustically mean Queen Aggravain.

Daniel Breaker as the Jester, and Brooks Ashmankas as the Wizard, fare less well in supporting roles in which they ham it up with goofy antics, but Once Upon a Mattress is supposed to be an absurdist musical comedy so there’s nothing wrong with screwball high jinks.

David Zinn’s sets are fairly spartan, featuring the orchestra right on stage above the action. Director Lear deBessonet gets consistently good performances from the cast, and one thing is certain: This revival of Once Upon a Mattress features one of Sutton Foster’s best comic performances to date.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published August 17, 2024
Reviewed at August 15, 2024 press performance

‘ONCE UPON A MATTRESS’: Michael Urie, Sutton Foster & cast. Photo: Joan Marcus.

‘ONCE UPON A MATTRESS’: David Patrick Kelly, Michael Urie & Ana Gasteyer. Photo: Joan Marcus.

‘ONCE UPON A MATTRESS’: The cast. Photo: Joan Marcus.

‘ONCE UPON A MATTRESS’: Daniel Breaker & Brooks Ashmankas. Photo: Joan Marcus.

‘ONCE UPON A MATTRESS’: Sutton Foster, Michael Urie & cast. Photo: Joan Marcus.

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‘CAMELOT’: Phillipa Soo & Andrew Burnap. Photo: Joan Marcus.

CAMELOT
Music by Frederick Loewe
Original book & lyrics by Alan Lerner
Book by Aaron Sorkin
Based on T. H. White’s The Once and Future King
Directed by Bartlett Sher
Vivian Beaumont Theatre
150 West 65th Street
(212-239-6200), https://camelotbway.com/

By David NouNou

Lord, save the musical theatre from heavy-handed “serious” writers who insert themselves into classic musicals in the name of reinventing them. Camelot was the next venture for Lerner and Loewe following their smash hit My Fair Lady. They tackled T. H. White’s fantasy novel The Once and Future King, which were short stories based about King Arthur based on the 1485 work Le Morte d’Arthur by Sir Thomas Mallory. They created this fantasy world for the theatre about King Arthur, meeting and marrying Guenevere, creating the round table with knights of the highest order and valor, and its most formidable knight Lancelot du Lac. Visually, Camelot was and may still be the most opulent, extravagant, lavish and colorful musical ever created. I know, I saw it and remember it vividly, thanks in large part to my parents taking me to the theatre at a very early age.

The book by Mr. Lerner wasn’t perfect; it contained too much plot and so many characters but it had an easy flow. The score was sublime especially the lilting music by Mr. Loewe. This is not an easily revivable musical in great part because of the complicated and overlong book and Aaron Sorkin hasn’t made it any better. Between him and Bartlett Sher—who is a formidable director of musicals: South Pacific, The King and I, My Fair Lady,  all under the banner of Lincoln Center—have stripped the fantasy, joy, glory, pomp, extravagance and whimsy and left us this dreary, vapid, monochromatic, joyless world that once was known as Camelot.

Starting with Arthur (Andrew Burnap) hiding from his arranged betrothal to Guenevere (Phillipa Soo), Princess of France, to end the wars and seal the relationship between England and France. Arthur and Guenevere, while escaping from her retinue, stumble upon each other in the wintry woods near the castle where Arthur explains the virtues of Camelot in the song “Camelot.” The two form a bond, which will lead to the creation of the round table. Arthur’s mentor and tutor, Merlin (Dakin Matthews), before dying, warns Arthur of impending doom but doesn’t tell him what it is. In walks Lancelot (Jordan Donica), the knight of the highest ideals singing his own virtues in “C’est Moi.”

Temptation does enter this magical kingdom of virtue, morals and standards where no one is above the law. Arthur’s illegitimate son, Mordred (Taylor Trensch), is the snake in the garden of Eden who tempts Lancelot and Guenevere to be caught together, and causes the undoing of Arthur and all of his idealistic dreams.

Again, although it wasn’t perfect, Lerner and Loewe attempted to create a beautiful world where one could hope for a better future. In Sorkin and Sher’s world, on the enormous Vivian Beaumont stage, their world starts out bleak, threadbare, and has no chance for any higher ideals, the illusion and fantasy are missing and there is no hint of it in Michael Yeargan’s nonexistent sets. Instead of armor, gossamer and brocade, the costumes by Jennifer Moeller are so drab, dreary and adorned with black leather that this Camelot lacks any illusion, mystique or charm.

Thankfully, what is kept intact is the beautiful and melodic score and that is in large part due to its musical director and conductor Kimberly Grigsby. One can just close one’s eyes and listen to Ms. Grigsby and her full glorious orchestra and I’ll quote “Don’t let it be forgot, that once there was a spot, for one brief shining moment that was known as Camelot.”

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published April 16, 2023
Reviewed at April 15, 2023 press performance.

‘CAMELOT’: Phillipa Soo, Andrew Burnap, Dakin Matthews & Jordan Donica. Photo: Joan Marcus.

‘CAMELOT’: Andrew Burnap. Photo: Joan Marcus.

‘CAMELOT’: Jordan Donica. Photo: Joan Marcus.

‘CAMELOT’: Andrew Burnap. Photo: Joan Marcus.

‘CAMELOT’: Jordan Donica & Phillipa Soo. Photo: Joan Marcus.

‘CAMELOT’: Phillipa Soo. Photo: Joan Marcus.

‘CAMELOT’: Taylor Trensch & Marilee Talkington. Photo: Joan Marcus.

‘CAMELOT’: Danny Wolohan, Anthony Michael Lopez, Fergie Philippe & Dakin Matthews. Photo: Joan Marcus.

‘CAMELOT’: Phillipa Soo & cast. Photo: Joan Marcus.

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‘SWEENEY TODD’: Josh Groban & Annaleigh Ashford. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET
Book by Hugh Wheeler
Music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
From an adaptation by Christopher Bond
Directed by Thomas Kail
Lunt-Fontanne Theatre
205 West 46th Street
(877-250-2929), www.SweeneyToddBroadway.com

By David NouNou

Most theatergoers can recite all of Stephen Sondheim’s works and he was prolific indeed. Quite possibly, the best and most intricate song wordsmith of any generation. First produced in 1979, starring Angela Lansbury and Len Cariou and winner of eight Tony Awards, the original production of Sweeney Todd closed after only 557 performances. A barber slitting the throats of his clients for revenge and then making pies out of their bodies wasn’t exactly what people wanted to see from a musical. For most people it was quite jarring, and it wasn’t the usual musical fare one came to expect from a Sondheim musical. Honestly, I was one of those people that just didn’t get it. Let’s just say it was decades ahead of its time

The years have transformed this musical into a masterpiece. Audiences have finally come to appreciate it not only as a musical but it also has the grandness and style of an opera. The songs don’t come trippingly off the tongue, but they are among Sondheim’s greatest compositions.

You know the plot: Sweeney Todd (Josh Groban) rescued at sea and befriended by a young sailor, Anthony Hope (Jordan Fisher) on a dock in London. They are met by a Beggar Woman (Ruthie Ann Miles). Sweeney recounts to Anthony how he used to be a barber and married to a beautiful woman. A corrupt judge, Judge Turpin (Jamie Jackson), lusted for his wife and sent Sweeney away on trumped-up charges. Leaving Anthony, Sweeney goes to Fleet Street where his barber shop used to be above a meat-pie shop. The shop is run by Mrs. Lovett (Annaleigh Ashford) who tells him how awful her pies have been because of the lack of meat in them. When Sweeney asks about renting the barber shop, Mrs. Lovett reveals to him that she recognizes him as Benjamin Barker, the former barber that stayed there, and presents him with his old sterling silver straight razors that she kept for him all these years. She also informs him that his wife, Lucy was lured by the judge and his assistant, Beadle Bamford (John Rapson) to a masked ball at the judge’s home—where she was raped and ultimately, she poisoned herself. The judge then took Sweeney’s infant daughter, Johanna (Delaney Westfall) and raised her as his ward. This starts the tale of Sweeney Todd, the demon barber of Fleet Street.

From the moment I heard that Josh Groban was going to play Sweeney Todd, I have been counting down the days to see this show. For me, this was the show I was longing to see in the 2022/23 season, and wow, it offered everything I’ve been waiting to see in Sweeney Todd. I’ve seen the original Sweeney with Len Cariou, also George Hearn, Bob Gunton, Michael Cerveris—all great in their own right. However, Mr. Groban is the definitive Sweeney. His acting is subtle, provides the proper menace, but his voice, whether singing the bittersweet “The Barber and His Wife”, the bitterness in “No Place Like London,” the anguish for his blades in “My Friends” or the tormented “The Ballad of Sweeney Todd,” the voice is heaven-sent—from its purity to operatic scale, his voice is spellbinding.

One always associates the robust Mrs. Lovett with Angela Lansbury. Let’s face it, who can top Angela Lansbury? Annaleigh Ashford has taken a different path. Ms. Ashford is known for her mastering the art of comedy. Since she is a much younger Mrs. Lovett, she doesn’t go for the robust innocence, but taps into every aspect of the comedic and the sinister that Mrs. Lovett possesses, and this makes her the perfect foil to Mr. Groban’s possessed Sweeney.

Director Thomas Kail, best known for directing the blockbuster musical Hamilton, has seen to every aspect of this production. From fine-tuning his two leads to the supporting players, including: Jordan Fisher as Anthony, Gaten Matarazzo as Tobias, Ruthie Ann Miles as Beggar Woman, Delaney Westfall as Johanna, Jamie Jackson as Judge Turpin, and John Rapson as Beadle Bamford, they all excel in their performances. What Mr. Kail has also seen to is the perfect set design by Mimi Lien. The original by Eugene Lee, although a Tony winner, was way too overwhelming. The steeliness of it overtook everything that was going on. Most other sets were minimal and underwhelming. This one is a perfect mood setter.

Whether it is the material or the timing, suffice it to say this version of Sweeney Todd has reached the pinnacle of perfection.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published April 2, 2023
Reviewed at April 1, 2023 press performance.

‘SWEENEY TODD’: Josh Groban, Annaleigh Ashford & cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

‘SWEENEY TODD’: Ruthie Ann Miles. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

‘SWEENEY TODD’: Gaten Matarazzo, Annaleigh Ashford, Josh Groban, Nathan Salstone & cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

‘SWEENEY TODD’: Gaten Matarazzo, Annaleigh Ashford, Alicia Kaori, DeLaney Westfall & Kristie Dale Sanders. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

‘SWEENEY TODD’: Nicholas Christopher & cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

‘SWEENEY TOOD’: Jamie Jackson & John Rapson. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

‘SWEENEY TODD’: Jordan Fisher & Maria Bilbao. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

‘SWEENEY TODD’: Josh Groban. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

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‘BOB FOSSE’S DANCIN”: Peter John Chursin, Manuel Herrera, Yeman Brown & Jacob Guzman. Photo: Julieta Cervantes.

BOB FOSSE’S DANCIN’
Originally created, directed & choreographed by Bob Fosse
Directed & staged by Wayne Cilento
Music Box Theatre
239 West 45th Street
(212-239-6200), https://dancinbway.com/

By David NouNou

This version of Dancin’— as we are told in promotional fliers pasted all over the Broadway theatre district—is “utterly reimagined for the 21st Century,” and ads for the show include the tagline “The Moves He Invented. Reinvented.” Reinventing a classic and putting a new spin on a cherished Broadway musical is often necessary to modernize a show, but this revival of Dancin’ will have Bob Fosse purists scratchin’ their heads for so many reasons.

When it came to choreography, Bob Fosse was the epitome of class. To see his work as a performer, you can watch him in the 1954 movie Kiss Me, Kate as Hortensio and as Frank in the 1956 movie My Sister Eileen. He later became the choreographer of such musicals as The Pajama Game, Damn Yankees, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, ’Little Me, later still, director and choreographer for Sweet Charity, Pippin, Chicago, Dancin’, and his final show in 1986, Big Deal. This is not even mentioning his movie career as a director.

Wayne Cilento was one of his principal dancers in the original 1978 version of Dancin’ and  prior to that he was Mike in the original cast of Michael Bennett’s A Chorus Line. He worked and learned from two of Broadway’s supreme geniuses. Both Mr. Fosse and Mr. Bennett started out as dancers themselves and transitioned to director and choreographer, and both knew a dancer’s body and motion. Both Mr. Fosse and Mr. Bennett had their own style and class. So, it’s perplexing how Wayne Cilento has somehow turned Mr. Fosse’s class into crass, and gloss into dross.

Both Bob Fosse and Michael Bennett also knew who the hardest-working people in a musical were. Not necessarily the stars but the dancers who worked behind the stars and they glorified their dancers. Bennett’s homage was A Chorus Line and Fosse’s was Dancin’. Staying with Fosse, many excellent dancers came out of that show: Ann Reinking, Wayne Cilento, Sandahl Bergman, Bebe Neuwirth (as a replacement for Ann Reinking in 1981), Vicki Fredrick, Linda Haberman, John Mineo, Christopher Chadman to name just a few. He gave each dancer a specialty number that made them stand out and memorable. Even as a duo, trio, or as a group, you recognized the dancer from a previous number. They all had a distinct look that made them stand out.

Mr. Cilento has maintained the signature Fosse moves: the hip thrust and the shoulder shimmy that was once sexy now comes across as simply sleazy. “Mr. Bojangles,” originally sung by Mr. Cilento and danced by Christopher Chadman, sent chills—you could actually see Mr. Chadman soar high as the lyric states, but in this version no soars, no chills, no thrills. You can’t even remember which dancer did what. The “Big Spender” number from Sweet Charity I think is one of Mr. Fosse’s finest and purest numbers, with the most simplistic of staging: The women were each unique and dazzlers, a feast for the eyes and ears as they undulated to the bar to get your attention and you knew each woman. Somehow, Mr. Cilento just threw his dancers in a pile, giving none of them an identity. I could find fault in all the numbers but that would only ruin the show for you.

Suffice it to say, most of the numbers are still intact, but they lack smooth transitioning. There was a breeziness to the shifting and lifts from one number to another in the original production; now they just meld into each other with no discernible purpose.  However, there is a most unnecessary inclusion that the original didn’t have. The original was done in 1978; the whole ending now is from Mr. Fosse’s 1986 dud musical Big Deal. Unfortunately, since this was his last and least thrilling of shows, you might ask yourself why was there such a huge chunk of the second act ending attributed to Big Deal? Your guess would be as good as mine.

Bob Fosse gave laser-focused movements to his dancers, from the way the arm is bent, the legs are stretched, and the placement of the fingers, they were all synchronized to perfection, 16 dancers moved as one. If you want to see an example of this, watch ME TV (or any cable TV channel that still airs it) The Ed Sullivan Show from 1966 where Gwen Verdon dances and sings  “I’m a Brass Band”  with her dancers from Sweet Charity. Thrilling. Unfortunately, Mr. Cilento doesn’t pay so much attention to detail. When the dancers do a pirouette, they don’t all spin in unison, and in a jeté , they don’t land and stick in formation together.

What is also a distraction for the audience and takes away from the dancers is the constant brash Neon video design projections by Finn Ross on the back of the stage. It totally upstages the performers. Let’s also mention the costumes and their lack of imagination and tackiness; they don’t complement the dancers or their bodies.

Mr. Fosse left a myriad of dance moves and a lifetime of memories and magic for theatregoers, Mr. Cilento has failed to capture them in a 21st century reimagination of Dancin’. Maybe in a few years, a revival of the 1999 hit musical Fosse (a brilliant compendium of the works of Mr. Fosse) will be revived to recapture the magic and memories created by the legendary Bob Fosse.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published March 30, 2023
Reviewed at March 29, 2023 press performance.

‘BOB FOSSE’S DANCIN”: The cast. Photo: Julieta Cervantes.

‘BOB FOSSE’S DANCIN’ ‘: The cast. Photo: Julieta Cervantes.

‘BOB FOSSE’S DANCIN’ ‘: The cast. Photo: Julieta Cervantes.

‘BOB FOSSE’S DANCIN’ ‘: Kolton Krouse. Photo: Julieta Cervantes.

‘BOB FOSSE’S DANCIN’ ‘: The cast. Photo: Julieta Cervantes.

‘BOB FOSSE’S DANCIN’ ’Karli Dinardo, Mattie Love & Ida Saki. Photo: Julieta Cervantes.

‘BOB FOSSE’S DANCIN’ ’: Nando Morland, Mattie Love & Tony d’Alelio. Photo: Julieta Cervantes.

‘BOB FOSSE’S DANCIN’ ’: Jacob Guzman & Mattie Love. Photo: Julieta Cervantes.

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‘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.

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‘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.

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‘THE MUSIC MAN’: Hugh Jackman, Sutton Foster & cast. Photo: Julieta Cervantes.

THE MUSIC MAN
Book, music & lyrics by Meredith Willson
Based on a story by Meredith Willson & Franklin Lacey
Directed by Jerry Zaks
Choreographed by Warren Carlyle
Winter Garden Theatre
1634 Broadway at 50th Street
(212-239-6200), www.MusicManOnBroadway.com

By David NouNou

Americana at its very best.

I have been called a traditionalist, and I am proud of it. Being one of the few remaining dinosaurs who saw the original version of The Music Man in 1959 at the Majestic Theatre, starring Robert Preston and Barbara Cook, I can’t say I was overwhelmed by it. I was only a little boy, I thought it was too long and I didn’t understand the lingo being spoken on stage.  The things that excited me most were so many people dancing, singing and having a good time on stage. I was dazzled by the sets and costumes. I actually wanted to learn to play a musical instrument so I could be a part of the show and play in Professor Harold Hill’s band.

This brings us to 2022. I never learned to play a musical instrument, but over the years I’ve come to appreciate the complexities of what it takes to write a musical. This is a period piece for sure and for modern audiences it may seem stilted. However, one must see it from the context of when it was written and about the times in which it was written. Meredith Willson, being a native of Iowa, wrote a beautifully complex and textured tale about the people he knew best at the turn of the 20^th century in the small town of River City, Iowa. He also wrote the entire score which defines all the characters and their attitudes in the score.

Into this small, sleepy, and unfriendly town storms Professor Harold Hill (Hugh Jackman), trying to sell these cold and gullible folks musical instruments and band uniforms for their children. Once he fleeces his sheep, he usually runs out of town with the money and leaves them with no band. In this instance, there is a little hitch by the name of Marian the librarian (Sutton Foster) who is on to Professor Hill’s antics. In turn, one gets to meet all the colorful townspeople and their quirks.

Once you get accustomed to the lingo used—the likes of jokes from Captain Billy’s whiz bag, Sen-Sen, “so’s your old man,” dime novels, libertine men, “scarlet women and shameless music”—and get in step with the proceedings, it becomes a joyride from start to finish.

This revival brings back to life the magic that was Broadway. A musical that has an orchestra pit, an actual visible conductor, and an orchestra playing real instruments that you can hear and feel the music with no prerecorded and overmiked tracks. An actual live orchestra and a stageful of marvelous performers acting, singing, hoofing and giving it their all. What a joy to finally see a revival or any musical with a cast of 42 people filling the stage and each playing their designated role and not have to watch 20 people going in and out of different characters and play chorus members as well.

Hugh Jackman may not be Harold Hill of 1912, but he is certainly Professor Hill for 2022 and hopefully for years to come. His charm and energy are boundless, he sings sublimely, looks divine, and he is a hoofing Harold Hill. What more can you ask of the man?

Sutton Foster gives us a different interpretation of Marian Paroo, the librarian. Unlike any of her predecessors who came off as sweet and ladylike, this young lady takes no guff from any one, stands her ground, and isn’t waiting for a white knight to rescue her. She is in complete control.

The townsfolk are priceless: Marie Mullen as wise Mrs. Paroo is an Irish charmer; Jayne Houdyshell as Mrs. Shin, the Mayor’s wife, is a showstopper with every move and glance. Jefferson Mays as Mayor Shin is perfect at getting flummoxed easily. The quartet of Phillip Boykin, Eddie Korbich, Nicholas Ward and Daniel Torres is impressive, and their harmonizing is a constant delight throughout the show. One will especially fall in love with Benjamin Pajak as Winthrop Paroo; that was the role I was willing to learn an instrument for when I was a kid and wanted to be in the show to play Winthrop.

To my glee, Warren Carlyle has kept the infectious period dances and his excellent dancers of all ages keep in step. Jerry Zaks, usually an expert director on extravaganzas, could have decluttered the sets a bit and instructed Santo Loquasto, the designer, a more realistic vision than just a side of a barn or painted backdrops. These are mere trifles for an evening that explodes with joy and heart; the musical theatre’s cup has runneth over.

Please indulge me in being able to thank my parents for taking me to the theatre at an early age and introducing me to the magic that was Broadway to such an extravaganza as The Music Man. Watching Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster and the rest of the glorious cast took me back decades to being a small child who wanted to learn the cornet so he could be in a show. I urge parents to take their children to see this glorious version of The Music Man and know what magic Broadway can create if done well, and who knows— maybe someday your kids will thank you, too.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published February 16, 2022
Reviewed at February 15, 2022 press performance.

‘THE MUSIC MAN’: Hugh Jackman, Sutton Foster & cast. Photo: Julieta Cervantes.

‘THE MUSIC MAN’: Hugh Jackman (center) & cast. Photo: Julieta Cervantes.

‘THE MUSIC MAN’: Jefferson Mays (center) & cast. Photo: Julieta Cervantes.

‘THE MUSIC MAN’: (left to right) Phillip Boykin, Nicholas Ward, Hugh Jackman, Daniel-Torres & Eddie Korbich. Photo: Julieta Cervantes.

‘THE MUSIC MAN’: The cast. Photo: Julieta Cervantes.

‘THE MUSIC MAN’: The cast. Photo: Julieta Cervantes.

‘THE MUSIC MAN’: Shuler Hensley. Photo: Julieta Cervantes.

‘THE MUSIC MAN’: Benjamin Pajak & Marie Mullen. Photo: Julieta Cervantes.

‘THE MUSIC MAN’: Sutton Foster. Photo: Julieta Cervantes.

‘THE MUSIC MAN’: Jayne Houdyshell. Photo: Julieta Cervantes.

‘THE MUSIC MAN’: Hugh Jackman & Sutton Foster. Photo: Julieta Cervantes.

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‘COMPANY’: Katrina Lenk. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

COMPANY
Music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Book by George Furth
Directed by Marianne Elliott
Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre
242 West 45th Street
(212-239-6200), https://companymusical.com/

By Scott Harrah

The latest Company revival could drive a critic (and purists) crazy with British director Marianne Elliott’s new, often confusing and very European spin on this masterpiece that has never needed tampering. Why?  It is the quintessential New York musical, a show renowned for its simplicity, sophistication and gorgeous score, featuring classics like “Being Alive,” “The Ladies Who Lunch,” “You Could Drive a Person Crazy,” “Another Hundred People,” “Getting Married Today” and others.  What’s offered here is a 21^st century perspective to dust off the narrative cobwebs and dated dialogue and make it relevant in 2021, but the score by Stephen Sondheim (who died last month) is so timeless that there was no need for a major overhaul here   More than 50 years have passed since Company first premiered on Broadway but much of the overall premise of the show rings true today.  Manhattan is still a maddening, overcrowded insane world with millions of people, and it’s still so easy to feel alone when you’re single.  This is certainly one of Mr. Sondheim’s greatest works, if not the best.  George Furth’s original book was—dare I say it?—ahead of its time back in 1970 when Company premiered on Broadway.  Many aspects of the show—tiny Manhattan apartments, expectations about getting married, the hustle and bustle of the New York City subway—are still relevant today.  Company is both an all-American musical and a paean to New York City, but Ms. Elliott’s interpretation (a hit in 2018 in London) has diminished many of the charms of the original show.

Director Marianne Elliott’s biggest change to the story is swapping the gender of lead character Bobby. Tony Award winner Katrina Lenk (The Band’s Visit) plays Bobbie, a single Manhattan woman celebrating her 35^th birthday.  Ms. Lenk has a great voice and an effervescent stage presence, but she appears too bland and emotionally distant for audiences to root for her, and this is problematic since the original Bobby was always the least interesting character in Company.

Marianne Elliott did such a superb job with the 2018 Broadway revival of Angels in America and the 2014 British import The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, so it is disappointing that she has added too much European-style excess here, from a scene showing Bobbie in the rain to various characters running through Bobbie’s bedroom during the “Barcelona” number in act two.  The last revival in 2006, starring Raul Julia as Bobby, was also very minimalist and featured gimmicky touches from another British director, John Doyle.  Remember how John Doyle had the actors play instruments onstage in the revival of Company and, in 2005, Sweeney Todd?  One of the changes that truly works is changing a straight couple to a gay couple. The character of Jamie (originally Amy) is played with manic exuberance by Matt Doyle as a gay man about to marry his partner Paul (Etai Benson).  Mr. Doyle truly stops the show with his outstanding rendition of “Getting Married Today.”  He displays all the nervous emotions of wedding-day jitters that both men and women, straight or gay, can relate to, and Mr. Doyle should certainly be a front-runner for a Tony Award in a few months.

Another standout is Tony nominee Jennifer Simard as Sarah, the diet-crazed woman married to recovering alcoholic Harry (Christopher Sieber).  Fans of Patti LuPone will not be disappointed with her take on the glamorous, acid-tongued Joanne, Bobbie’s oldest and dearest friend who loves to talk about her many husbands.  Ms. LuPone is her usual over-the-top self, belting out one of the show’s most famous songs, “The Ladies Who Lunch,” with her famous tough-diva pipes.

Scenic designer Bunny Christie mostly fills the stage with Neon-lit boxes and Mylar balloons in an attempt to make the show more contemporary, but doing so takes away some of the show’s New York accent.  Anyone who has at least studied the 1970 original remembers the set was actually a character in the show. Walter Kerr wrote in his 1970 New York Times review that the set by Boris Aronson “at first looks like the prison setting for ‘The Last Mile’ [but] becomes a breath-taking mobile, an interlocked Tinker-Toy of rippling platforms, sighing elevators, spun-glass spindles for dances to chin themselves on.”  In this revival, the set designs look nothing like New York City and could be Anywhere, USA.

Despite this revival’s many shortcomings, it is worth seeing Company simply for the score resurrected one more time to truly appreciate the late, great Mr. Sondheim and hear all the beautiful songs by the last of the great Broadway songsmiths.

Edited by David NouNou
Published December 12, 2021
Reviewed at December 11, 2021 press performance.

‘COMPANY’: (left to right) Christopher Sieber, Jennifer Simard, Katrina Lenk & Patti LuPone. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘COMPANY’: (left to right) Claybourne Elder, Manu Narayan, Bobby Conte. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘COMPANY’: Katrina Lenk & Claybourne Elder. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘COMPANY’: (left to right) Rashidra Scott, Katrina Lenk & Greg Hildreth. Photo: Brinkhoff-Moegenbur.

‘COMPANY’: Matt Doyle. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘COMPANY’: Katrina Lenk. Photo: Brinkhoff-Moegenburg.

‘COMPANY’: The cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

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