‘FLYING OVER SUNSET’: (Left to right) Tony Yazbeck, Harry Hadden-Paton & Carmen Cusack. Photo: Joan Marcus.

FLYING OVER SUNSET
Music by Tom Kitt
Lyrics by Michael Korie
Book & direction by James Lapine
Through February 6, 2022
Vivian Beaumont Theater
150 West 65th Street
(212-239-6200), www.FlyingOverSunset.com

By David NouNou

Flying Over Sunset is a musical that is both intriguing and manipulating. It is intriguing due to the subject matter, the use of LSD, and it is manipulating because of the subjects who are using LSD. Had it been you, me, and a random third person, there would be no intrigue, plot or point. However, Cary Grant (Tony Yazbeck), a movie star from 1932 to 1966; Clare Boothe Luce (Carmen Cusack), a playwright who wrote The Women, a Republican Congresswoman from Connecticut, and a U.S. Ambassador to Italy; and Aldous Huxley (Harry Hadden-Paton), author of the 1932 dystopian classic novel Brave New World—all using LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide)— manipulates us to care about who and what is going on.

All three used LSD at low points of their lives. Cary Grant was trying to connect his movie-star persona to his childhood poverty-stricken self, Archie Leech; Clare Boothe Luce, after the death of her daughter, Ann, in a car accident; Aldous Huxley wanted to experiment and get in touch with his inner self, and after the death of his wife, Maria. They all needed to come to their point of self-realization. Their mentor who helped them through their journeys was Gerald Heard (Robert Sella), the grandfather of the “new age.”

The book by James Lapine is provocative in a manipulating way. Although the three subjects never had a collective session, it is interesting how Mr. Lapine wove together these three brilliant lives into a cohesive narrative.

As a musical, Flying Over Sunset at best is a very iffy proposition. As a drama, it would have been superior with all the insights thrown into these characters. The characters are compelling and do hold our interest. As a musical, the songs and the musical numbers tend to interrupt the proceedings. That being said, the music by Tom Kitt is beautiful and haunting, while the lyrics by Michael Korie are often pedestrian and forgettable.

Never having known Cary Grant, Clare Boothe Luce, or Aldous Huxley personally, of the three, most of us are familiar with the movies of Cary Grant. Thankfully, Mr. Yazbeck doesn’t impersonate Mr. Grant; he gives us the flavor of the self-doubting, dashing leading man, Ms. Cusack imbues a lot of tragedy to her Ms. Boothe Luce, and Mr. Hadden-Patton delves into Mr. Huxley’s persona with passion. They all have their moments to shine, but Ms. Cusack stands out for the beauty of her voice, and her vocals are gorgeously melodic, particularly when singing the show’s title song “Flying Over Sunset” in act one.

The major drawback to all the proceedings is the cavernous Vivian Beaumont Theater; not even Mr. Lapine’s expert direction and the great assistance of Beowulf Boritt’s beautiful and often hallucinogenic scenery can overcome this drawback. What will keep you in your seats and help you overcome this hollowness are the gifts of Carmen Cusack, Harry Hadden-Paton and Tony Yazbeck.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published December 20, 2021
Reviewed at December 19, 2021 press performance.

‘FLYING OVER SUNSET’: (Left to right) Michele Ragusa, Carmen Cusack & Kanisha Marie Feliciano. Photo: Joan Marcus.

‘FLYING OVER SUNSET’: (Left to right) Michele Ragusa, Harry Hadden-Paton, & Kanisha Marie Feliciano. Photo: Joan Marcus.

‘FLYING OVER SUNSET”: Carmen Cusack (center) & cast. Photo: Joan Marcus.

‘FLYING OVER SUNSET’: Robert Sella & Carmen Cusack. Photo: Joan Marcus.

‘FLYING OVER SUNSET’: Tony Yazbeck. Photo: Joan Marcus.

The post ‘Flying Over Sunset’: LSD trip in La La Land appeared first on StageZine.

‘BRIGHT STAR’: (left to right) Michael Pearce, Bennett Sullivan, Rob Berman & Martha McDonnell. Photo: Nick Stokes

BRIGHT STAR
Book, music & story by Steve Martin
Music, lyrics & story by Edie Brickell
Directed by Walter Bobbie
Cort Theatre
138 West 48th Street
(212-239-6200), www.BrightStarMusical.com

By Scott Harrah

With its bluegrass score and Southern gothic plot, Bright Star—the new musical by Steve Martin and pop artist Edie Brickell, based on their 2013, Grammy-winning album “Love Has Come For You”– is hardly traditional Broadway fare, but it is truly an original work in every sense. This down-home tale has a lot going for it, from energetic choreography by Josh Rhodes to a great cast directed by Walter Bobbie and a breakout performance from golden-voiced Carmen Cusack in the lead role of Alice Murphy. Despite its flaws, Bright Star has enough spunk to hold our attention with a compelling yet convoluted, sentimental story and a sincere, infectious, country-fried songbook.

If one overlooks the two things that bog down Bright Star—Ms. Brickell’s rhyming, often repetitious lyrics and the somewhat predictable plot—it’s easy to suspend disbelief and go with the saga, set in both 1920s and 1940s North Carolina. The musical opens with Ms. Cusack belting out the rousing “If You Knew My Story,” which prefaces all that is about to transpire.

In 1945, young Billy Cane (A.J. Shively) returns from the war and pursues his dream of becoming a writer. He travels to Asheville and tries to get published in the prestigious Asheville Southern Journal, but he first has to impress the discerning, editor, Alice Murphy (Ms. Cusack).

The story alternates from the mid-1940s to 1923, when, in bucolic Zebulon, North Carolina, teenaged Alice Murphy falls for Jimmy Ray Dobbs (Paul Alexander Nolan). The trouble is their fathers don’t approve of the relationship. Jimmy Ray’s dad is Mayor Josiah Dobbs (Michael Mulheren), who has lofty plans for his son, while Alice’s Daddy Murphy (Steven Lee Anderson) is a religious zealot and will not bless their union.

Without giving too much away, there’s a baby involved and a mysterious “accident.” It doesn’t take long for the tale of two decades to meet as the twist we’ve been expecting is finally revealed.

Everything unfolds via Eugene Lee’s multi-purpose set, featuring a revolving wooden cabin. We often see the musicians onstage, playing banjo, violin, piano, fiddle, etc., adding to the hillbilly spirit of the show.

Ms. Cusack emerges as the true Bright Star here because, with her lush, emotional vocals and multi-layered performance, she brings badly needed depth and veracity to the paper-thin material, portraying both young and older Alice with seamless conviction. She’s certainly going to be recognized in a few weeks come awards-nomination time in a competitive season of outstanding female musical actresses.

The songs, from “Way Back in the Day” to “Asheville,” “I Can’t Wait” and “Sun’s Gonna Shine” (the latter is the only one from the 2013 “Love Has Come for You” album) propel the story and will thrill fans of bluegrass. Although an original musical is a rarity on Broadway these days, this one, with all its rhyming songs and formulaic revelations, is solid enough for a good, healthy run.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published March 27, 2016
Reviewed at press performance on March 26, 2016

‘BRIGHT STAR’: Carmen Cusack & Paul Alexander Nolan. Photo: Nick Stokes

‘BRIGHT STAR’: Hannah Elless & A.J. Shively. Photo: Nick Stokes

‘BRIGHT STAR’: Carmen Cusack. Photo: Nick Stokes

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