‘ALMOST FAMOUS’: Casey Likes & Solea Pfeiffer. Photo: Matt Murphy.

ALMOST FAMOUS
Book & lyrics by Cameron Crowe
Music & lyrics by Tom Kitt
Directed by Jeremy Herrin
Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre
242 West 45^th Street
(212-239-6200), https://almostfamousthemusical.com/

By Scott Harrah

This Broadway musical stage adaptation of Almost Famous, the 2000 Cameron Crowe film, follows the movie’s narrative almost word for word. Perhaps that’s because Cameron Crowe himself wrote the book and lyrics for this stage version. As ambitious an effort as this is, adding in Tom Kitt’s songs—most of them sung like power-pop cover anthems from “American Idol” and “The Voice”—takes away the raffish charm and authenticity of the film and slows the story down instead of propelling it forward.

William Miller (Casey Likes) is 15 and dealing with tension at home. He starts writing freelance rock articles for underground newspapers in San Diego. His 18-year-old sister Anita doesn’t get along with her mother and moves away to San Francisco to become a stewardess, leaving William her collection of rock albums.

The show opens with teenage William speaking to legendary rock critic Lester Bangs (Rob Colletti). Lester Bangs gives William an assignment to review a Black Sabbath concert but the band won’t let him in backstage, but he manages to get in by making flattering comments to the opening band, Stillwater. He meets Stillwater’s lead guitarist Russell Hammond (Chris Wood) and groupie Penny Lane (Solea Pfeiffer). Penny tells William she and her friends aren’t groupies but are instead “band aids,” female fans who are purportedly hanging out with the group because they really like the music.

William gets an unbelievably lucky break into rock journalism when Ben Fong-Torres (Matthew C. Yee), the editor of Rolling Stone magazine, calls up and hires the teen to write an article about Stillwater and follow them around on tour.  This doesn’t sit well with his mother Elaine (Anika Larsen), who wants him to stay home and graduate from high school before going on the college to study pre-law and one day become an attorney. William goes on the road with the band and is able to interview everyone in the group except Russell Hammond. The band starts derisively calling William “the enemy” as he tries to follow rock journalist Lester Bangs’ advice and not become too friendly with band members because he must remain objective if he wants to write an honest profile of Stillwater. This is no easy task as William becomes seduced by the glamour of the rock world, the band members, the groupies and proverbial sex, drugs and rock and roll. He finds it impossible to meet his deadline as he becomes just another fan and hanger-on instead of a professional journalist on assignment.

Comparisons to the 2000 Cameron Crowe film starring Patrick Fugit as William, Kate Hudson as Penny Lane, Billy Crudup as Russell Hammond and Frances McDormand as concerned mom Elaine Miller are inevitable because this stage adaptation follows the film almost verbatim.  The film was supposedly semi-autobiographical, based on Mr. Crowe’s experiences, and the narrative on screen made much more sense because it focused on the turmoil of the characters, and used real 1970s rock music as the backdrop. The movie’s performances were also more in sync and solid. Unfortunately, this Broadway adaptation lacks the thread of authenticity that made the movie so powerful.  Yes, there are original new songs by Cameron Crowe and Tom Kitt, but they add little to the story. When Solea Pfeiffer, as Penny Lane, belts out the ballad “Morocco,” there’s no doubt she’s a gifted vocalist with a pleasant voice and good range, but the song just doesn’t fit in the era in which the show is set. The only song that isn’t original is a cover of Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer,” sung by everyone just as it was in the movie.

Supporting characters are the true standouts here. Anika Larsen is luminous and gives a heartbreaking performance as Elaine Miller, a mother who knows she’s lost control of both her children and feels helpless. A scene showing Elaine speaking on the phone with Russell Hammond is a show stopper. One really gets the sense of a protective mother, angry that a rock band has “kidnapped” her teenage son.

Rob Colletti is outstanding as Lester Bangs, the real-life “gonzo” rock journalist and critic who inspired a whole generation of music writers with his intellectual working-class hero persona and his almost academic yet hip dissections of 1970s rock artists. His take on Lester Bangs is as an avuncular figure and mentor to the teenage wannabe rock journalist.

Casey Likes as William and Solea Pfeiffer as Penny are serviceable but not as convincing for anyone who has seen the movie and the iconic, Oscar-nominated performance of a young Kate Hudson playing the messed-up groupie.

What’s supposed to be a retro look at the world of 1973 rock comes across as awkward, and Jeremy Herrin’s uneven direction doesn’t help matters. That’s a shame because there’s still a great story here of innocence lost, the decadence of the early 1970s rock scene, “gonzo” rock journalism, and many interesting characters. Almost Famous was a great movie about 1970s rock music and the people who made up that world, but it simply falls flat as a Broadway musical, with songs that make the story drag instead of enhancing it and setting things in motion.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published November 3, 2022
Reviewed at October 28, 2022 press preview performance.

‘ALMOST FAMOUS’: Casey Likes & cast. Photo: Matt Murphy.

‘ALMOST FAMOUS’: Casey Likes & Rob Colletti. Photo: Matt Murphy.

‘ALMOST FAMOUS’: Anika Larsen. Photo: Matt Murphy.

‘ALMOST FAMOUS’: Drew Gehling & Chris Wood. Photo: Matt Murphy.

‘ALMOST FAMOUS’: Emily Schultheis, Anika Larsen, Casey Likes. Photo: Matt Murphy.

‘ALMOST FAMOUS’: Matt Bittner, Drew Gehling, Chris Wood, Brandon Contreras. Photo: Matt Murphy.

‘ALMOST FAMOUS’: Solea Pfeiffer & Chris Wood. Photo: Matt Murphy.

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‘WAITRESS’: (left to right) Keala Settle, Jessie Mueller & Kimiko Glenn. Photo: Joan Marcus

WAITRESS
Book by Jessie Nelson
Music & lyrics by Sara Bareilles
Based on the motion picture by Adrienne Shelly
Choreography by Lorin Latarro
Directed by Diane Paulus
Brooks Atkinson Theatre
256 West 47th Street
(877-250-2929), www.WaitressTheMusical.com

By David NouNou

Formulated with flour, baked with butter and sprinkled and seasoned with sugar are not only the ingredients of the pies that are baked in Waitress. They are also the ingredients of the show itself and showered all over with love.

Based on the 2007 movie of the same name, Waitress easily translates to the musical formula and is hugely influenced from a female perspective because its creators, book, score and direction, are all women. If you recall the 1970s sitcom “Alice” with Linda Lavin, and Mel’s Diner, it had a feminist point of view that was refreshing for its day. Waitress has updated that version and the notion women can ultimately have and do it all.

The indefatigable Jessie Mueller is Jenna, working in a diner in the American South. She is in a loveless marriage with her abusive husband Earl (Nick Cordero). Her gift is making the pies her mother taught her. In this diner, instead of the gruff and lovable cook Mel and the two besties: loudmouthed Flo and dimwitted Vera, we now have the gruff and lovable cook Cal (Eric Anderson). The besties are loudmouthed Becky (Keala Seattle) and naïve Dawn (Kimiko Glenn), both of whom are there to support Jenna during her destructive marriage and her unplanned pregnancy.

Also on hand is the handsome and married gynecologist, Dr. Pomatter (Drew Gehling), with whom Jenna has an affair during her pregnancy. The ever lovable showstopper Christopher Fitzgerald as Ogie, pursuing Dawn, and the curmudgeonly Joe, owner of the restaurant, are the characters who round out this talented cast.

The book by Jessie Nelson is serviceable; the score by Sara Bareilles is not very compelling considering the best song in the show is given to a secondary character, the showstopper for Ogie entitled “Never Ever Getting Rid of Me.” The rest are interchangeable ballads. Diane Paulus keeps things moving, thanks in large part to the brilliant scenic designer Scott Pask. Although in this case the sets are not much to look at, but their seamless transitions keep the musical afloat and his backdrop landscape vistas are breathtaking.

Jessie Mueller is quickly rising in the ranks as a top, bona fide Broadway star. Having won the Tony Award for Beautiful just two years ago, she will be up again for best actress for the coveted role of Jenna. She is the magical sugar, butter and flour that makes this musical rise.

Keala Settle, as bestie Becky, is a delight and believable; she was one of two characters that made the musical Hands on a Hardbody bearable. Kimiko Glenn as Dawn gives more of a caricature than a performance.

The men run the gamut from dreamy to abusive bully. Drew Gehling as the gynecologist is a total dream; he is one of the good guys. Nick Cordero, who was brilliant in Bullets Over Broadway, here comes across as a Southern psycho bully; one really expected hisses from the audience at curtain call. There is the wonderful character actor Dakin Matthews as the curmudgeonly Joe and he makes his presence felt in every scene. The best for last is Christopher Fitzgerald as Ogie; there isn’t a thing this wonderful musical comic can’t do.

If you’re in the mood for a scrumptious piece of pie, why not try the big helpings you’ll get at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre? They will surely satisfy anyone with a sweet tooth.

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

‘WAITRESS’: Jessie Mueller. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘WAITRESS’: Nick Cordero & Jessie Mueller. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘WAITRESS’: Kimiko Glenn & Keala Settle. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘WAITRESS’: Nick Cordero & Jessie Mueller. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘WAITRESS’: Drew Gehling & Jessie Mueller. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘WAITRESS’: (Left to right) Ryan Vasquez, Charity Angél Dawson, Christopher Fitzgerald, Eric Anderson, Dakin Matthews & Molly Hager. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘WAITRESS’: Christopher Fitzgerald, Kimiko Glenn & Aisha Jackson. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘WAITRESS’: Kimiko Glenn & Christopher Fitzgerald. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘WAITRESS’: Dakin Matthews & Jessie Mueller. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘WAITRESS’: (left to right) Jeffrey Morse, Christopher Fitzgerald, Kimiko Glenn & Aisha Jackson. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘WAITRESS’: Drew Gehling & Jessie Mueller. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘WAITRESS’: Drew Gehling & Jessie Mueller. Photo: Joan Marcus

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