‘ROMY & MICHELE’: Laura Bell Bundy & Kara Lindsay. Photo: Valerie Terranova.

ROMY & MICHELE: THE MUSICAL
Book by Robin Schiff
Music & lyrics by Gwendolyn Sanford & Brandon Jay
Based on the motion picture Romy & Michele’s High School Reunion
& the stage play, Ladies Room, by Robin Schiff
Directed by Kristin Hanggi
Through November 30, 2025
Stage 42
422 West 42^nd Street
https://romyandmichelethemusical.com/

By Scott Harrah

The 1997 cult classic Romy & Michelle’s High School Reunion forms the basis for Romy & Michele: The Musical. The film starred Mira Sorvino as Romy and Lisa Kudrow as Michele, two lovably ditzy, underachieving California girls who have been friends since their high school days in Arizona. Now, 28 years later, the film has been adapted into a splashy Off-Broadway musical.

Tricky business

Musical stage adaptations of hit movies are tricky business. Producers love them because musicals based on popular films have a built-in audience. However, the finished product does not always live up to everyone’s expectations.

Romy & Michele sticks to the film’s plot and even includes much of the same dialogue. Romy & Michele’s High School Reunion was a short 90-minute movie, but here it’s been stretched and padded out to a two and a half-hour musical (with intermission).

The story

For those who haven’t seen the movie, here’s a synopsis.  Romy White (Laura Bell Bundy) and Michele Weinberger (Kara Lindsay) are both friends and roommates in Los Angeles. They get invited to their 10-year high-school reunion in Arizona. Romy works as a cashier at a Jaguar dealership and Michele is unemployed. They are apprehensive going back to high school, a place where they felt they didn’t fit in. To boost their confidence, they concoct an absurd fib about how they “invented” Post-It Notes. The film told the story by juxtaposing flashbacks from high school with scenes from their present-day life in L.A. seamlessly. For the musical, the narrative has been changed slightly. Act one is mostly flashbacks to their high-school days and act two includes a road trip to the reunion.

Some songs sound like padding

The musical features a first act that is a flashback to their high school years, with the second act mostly about their trip to the reunion and what happens at the big event.

The score by Gwendolyn Sanford and Brandon Jay is energetic but mostly forgettable. At times, songs like “Everybody Wants Somebody” and “I Feel Fulfilled” seem like padding that bog down the narrative and fail to propel the story forward.

The second act opens with “Businesswomen’s Special,” a pointless number that fails to enhance one of the film’s funniest moments. In the movie, Romy and Michele enter a roadside diner on the way to the reunion. An older waitress takes their order.  Both in the film and the musical, Romy and Michele are dressed in sexy, black business attire. Romy asks the waitress if they have a “businesswomen’s special” because, as Michele adds, “we’re businesswomen from L.A.” The scene is hilarious in the film because the older “hash-slinging”  waitress gives a confused look to the twentysomething ladies and quips “we don’t have anything like that” and soon asks “what kind of business you in?” It’s a truly iconic moment in the film.

The joke and the punch line bomb, however, in the musical because the waitress is played by a young woman (Ninanko Donville) about the same age as Romy and Michele and just as attractive and fresh-faced as them. The song’s lyrics are not nearly as funny as the scene in the movie, so the whole production number falls flat.

Heather’s show-stopping song

Ironically, it’s neither the two heroines that have the musical’s best song. Heather (Jordan Kai Burnett) is the sarcastic, cynical woman (played by Janeane Garofolo in the film) who chain-smokes and invents Lady Fair cigarettes. “Twice the taste in half the time for the gal on the go,” she says. “I invented the quick-burning paper.” Heather’s angst-ridden ballad “Love Is” at the end of act one is the highlight of the show.

Ms. Burnett as Heather sings in a marvelously husky voice, “You can count on a cigarette/Its taste consistently divine/Like a pale thin flammable lover/Seductive/So refined/When I smoke, I’m a femme fatale/I’m French/I’m Lauren Bacall.” It’s so wonderfully over the top and campy, with red lighting, like a parody of a song from Chicago.

The reunion

The musical reaches its climax when Romy and Michele arrive at their reunion at Sagebrush High in Tucson, Arizona. Michele runs into the popular, air-headed mean girls who used to tease her in school, especially Christie (Lauren Zakrin). Michele tells the fabricated story about inventing Post-It Notes in the song “I Invented Post-Its.” Soon, Heather exposes the lie and Romy and Michele have a fight. They soon reconcile and go tell off Christie and her clique.

Will the musical please diehard Romy & Michelle fans?

Diehard fans of the film and those who simply want to see an escapist musical will enjoy this adaptation. The first act drags with too many throwaway songs but the musical fortunately redeems itself in the second act, and the songs do get better indeed. Ms. Zakrin as the villain Christie has a fine voice and is delightful when singing “I Feel Fulfilled” and “Christie’s Big Speech.”

Stage veteran Laura Bell Bundy is consistently funny and spot on as Romy, doing a great imitation of Mira Sorvino’s nasally voice in the film. As Michele, Kara Lindsay has good chemistry with her co-star and is charmingly vacuous. One cannot help rooting for them.

Director Kristin Hanggi does a good job of keeping everything true to the beloved movie. She helps extracts noteworthy performances from many cast members, including Ms. Burnett as Heather, Ms. Zakrin as Christie, Pascal Pastrana as Christie’s husband Billy, and Je’ Shaun Jackson as Toby, the school yearbook editor who finally comes out of the closet.

Did we really need a musical version of Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion? Probably not. Is it a perfect show? No, but it has enough laughs, colorful characters and gleeful 1990s nostalgia to please fans and warm up these dreary late-fall nights.

Published November 4, 2025
Reviewed at press performance on November 1, 2025

‘ROMY & MICHELE’: Laura Bell Bundy, Ninanko Donville & Kara Lindsay. Photo: Valerie Terranova.

‘ROMY & MICHELE’: Jordan Kai Burnett & cast. Photo: Valerie Terranova.

‘ROMY & MICHELE’: (Clockwise from top left): Kara Lindsay; Je’ Shaun Jackson; Michael Thomas Grant; Je’ Shaun Jackson & cast. Photos: Valerie Terranova.

‘ROMY & MICHELE’: Laura Bell Bundy & Kara Lindsay. Photo: Valerie Terranova.

‘ROMY & MICHELE’: Michael Thomas Grant & Jordan Kai Burnett (top row); Laura Bell Bundy & Kara Lindsay (center, bottom row). Photo: Valerie Terranova.

The post ‘Romy & Michelle’: Film fave now a musical appeared first on StageZine.

‘HOW TO DANCE IN OHIO’: The cast. Photo: Curtis Brown.

HOW TO DANCE IN OHIO
Book & lyrics by Rebekah Greer Melocik
Music by Jacob Yandura
Directed by Sammi Cannold
Choreography by Mayte Natalio
Belasco Theatre
111 West 44th Street
(212-239-6200), howtodanceinohiomusical.com

By David NouNou

Like the musical Harmony which opened last month, this is yet another well-intentioned show. In this case it showcases seven autistic young adults, both men and women, navigating through their daily lives. Based on the HBO documentary of the same name, the musical adaptation of How to Dance in Ohio is not asking for pity or to feel sorry for these seven individuals but to give us an understanding and a perspective on how they deal with life on a daily basis.

Set at the Amigo Family Counseling, a real Columbus, Ohio mental-health center for autistic people, run by Dr. Emilio Amigo (Caesar Samayoa), whose courses are in life skills. They are social in nature (how to ask for something), emotional (how to deal with daily rejections) and physical (how to navigate). They are given exercises in dealing with issues and participation is voluntary. All of this is ultimately to prepare for the facility’s spring formal prom dance that will take place in 99 days.

It’s not just the pupils who have the struggles of daily routines; it is also the families of the children. The excitement of two mothers taking their daughters Caroline (Amelia Fei) and Jessica (Ashley Wool) to Macy’s to buy them a dress for the dance and feel the magic of that special night they felt when they were young. Or the widowed father wanting his shy daughter Marideth (Madison Kopec) to step away from her laptop and enter the real world and go to the dance. Also, the engineering genius, Drew (Liam Pearce) who wants to go to the prom but doesn’t know how to ask Marideth to go with him.

Another issue focuses on Dr. Amigo and his assistant, daughter Ashley (Cristina Sastra) who also has problems. After her leg injury, Ashley has lost her interest in dance and feels the need to stay at the center to help with these young adults to sort out their problems, but her father is insistent on her resuming her dance courses at Julliard. Further complications arise when a podcast is released praising Dr. Amigo and making it all about him and neglecting the pupils who made such progress to get this far, and in turn this alienates them from Dr. Amigo, and they refuse to go to the prom which derails all the progress they made.

Music by Jacob Yandura and lyrics by Rebekah Greer Melocik aren’t so much memorable as they are an introduction to the characters, songs like: “Today Is,”  “Under Control,” “The How-To’s,”  “Hello, How Are You?”  These aren’t so much as songs that play in our heads but more like instructional guidelines for the characters and their daily routines.

The seven pupils are not performers, but they are autistic adults, who happen to be very talented and can sing beautifully. The pupils include Liam Pearce, Imani Russell, Amelia Fei, Ashley Wool, Madison Kopec, Conor Tague and Desmond Luis Edwards. They are an ensemble but they all have their moment to shine and show us what makes them so special. Caesar Samayoa, last seen in Come From Away, manages to balance the difficult role of teacher, father and friend expertly.

The quest for How to Dance in Ohio is to enlighten us, but it is done in the most obvious way with a lugubrious, repetitive book. Like the delightful 2018 musical The Prom, there is a prom to go to at the end. The Prom had a great set by Scott Pask and gave the illusion of a multitude of joys taking place; the set here by Robert Brill is threadbare and lacks any illusion of joy. The musical is also hindered by Sammi Cannold’s lackluster direction.

The true joy that is extracted in How to Dance in Ohio is seeing seven talented young adults giving it their all.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published December 15, 2023
Reviewed at December 13, 2023 press performance.

‘HOW TO DANCE IN OHIO’: Madison Kopec (center) & cast. Photo: Curtis Brown.

‘HOW TO DANCE IN OHIO’: Desmond Luis Edwards & cast. Photo: Curtis Brown.

‘HOW TO DANCE IN OHIO: Liam Pearce & cast. Photo: Curtis Brown.

‘HOW TO DANCE IN OHIO’: Ashley Wool (center) & cast. Photo: Curtis Brown.

‘HOW TO DANCE IN OHIO’: Madison Kopec, Liam Pearce & cast. Photo: Curtis Brown.

‘HOW TO DANCE IN OHIO’: Caesar Samayoa (center) & cast. Photo: Curtis Brown.

‘HOW TO DANCE IN OHIO’: The cast. Photo: Curtis Brown.

‘HOW TO DANCE IN OHIO’: The cast. Photo: Curtis Brown.

‘HOW TO DANCE IN OHIO’: The cast. Photo: Curtis Brown.

The post ‘How to Dance in Ohio’: Hope for autistic adults appeared first on StageZine.

‘BACK TO THE FUTURE’: Casey Likes. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

BACK TO THE FUTURE: THE MUSICAL
Based on the Universal Pictures/Amblin Entertainment Film
Written by Robert Zemeckis & Bob Gale
Book by Bob Gale
Music & lyrics by Alan Silvestri & Glen Ballard
Directed by John Rando
Winter Garden Theatre
1634 Broadway
https://www.backtothefuturemusical.com/new-york/

By David NouNou

Having seen Back to The Future last year in London, I have to concede that this version is far superior to the British production. Reason being that other than Roger Bart playing Doc Brown, an American actor, the rest of cast were all British, with the most abominable American accents. In addition, the actor playing Marty McFly was way too old for the role, thus making the part cringeworthy.

You all know the plot, here’s a recap: Set in a small California town in 1985, 17-year-old Marty McFly (Casey Likes), in an experiment travels through time in a modified DeLorean car created by his eccentric friend, Doc Brown (Roger Bart) where he ends up in 1955 encountering young versions of his parents, before they were married. His mother Lorraine Baines (Liana Hunt) has the hots for Marty when she first meets him and thinks his name is Calvin Klein because of the underwear he’s wearing, and his father is a nerdy highschooler George McFly (Hugh Coles) who is constantly being picked on and tormented by Biff Tannen (Nathaniel Hackmann), the town bully. Marty has to make sure that George and Lorraine fall in love and kiss at a designated time, or he and his siblings shall cease to exist. More daunting, Marty has to return to his own time and save the life of Doc Brown.

The plot is simple and the cast is minimal. It follows the premise of the movie; however, most of the charm and innocence of the piece is gone. Instead, it is loud and all over the place. Substance has been replaced with needless and uninspired dance numbers.

The book by Bob Gale is clever enough to keep it afloat. The score at best tries to stay in the mood of the 50s and 80s but is not particularly memorable. Although the musical is created and directed by Americans, it was originally presented in London. What’s amazing about British musicals is when creating material that is English in nature, from Six to & Juliet, they can be brilliant, but when they try to create American-themed musicals, they somehow miss the mark by overindulgence to play for an American audience—as if to say bigger is better.

The cast, headed by Roger Bart, as Doc Brown, has mercifully toned down his performance a lot. Doc Brown is a brilliant but eccentric scientist. In London, Mr. Bart portrayed him as a manic lunatic. His performance is much better and more genuine now. If you follow the performance, he now seems to channel Robin Williams which is a much more pleasant experience. Casey Likes—who last fall played William in the short-lived musical version of Almost Famous— now plays Marty McFly. He is age appropriate and rather likeable.

The best part of the show is the English holdover, Hugh Coles. He was great as George McFly in London; he is even better now on Broadway.

To be sure, as long as tourists keep coming to New York, Back to the Future will be their favorite staple and can keep it running well into the future.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published August 11, 2023
Reviewed at August 10, 2023 press performance.

‘BACK TO THE FUTURE’: Roger Bart & cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

‘BACK TO THE FUTURE’ (left to right): Daryl Tofa, Nathaniel Hackmann, Will Branner, Casey Likes & Hugh Coles. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

‘BACK TO THE FUTURE’: Jelani Remy & cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

‘BACK TO THE FUTURE’: Casey Likes & cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

‘BACK TO THE FUTURE’: Casey Likes. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

The post ‘Back to the Future: The Musical’ better in NY appeared first on StageZine.

‘LIFE OF PI’: Hiran Abeysekera & Richard Parker (Fred Davis, Scarlet Wilderink, Andrew Wilson). Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.

LIFE OF PI
Based on the novel by Yann Martel
Adapted by Lolita Chakrabarti
Directed by Max Webster
Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre
236 West 45th Street
(212-239-6200), www.lifeofpibway.com

By David NouNou

Life of Pi is an epic in every sense of the word and for regular theatregoers, will be a reminder of War Horse due to its puppet wizardry courtesy of Finn Caldwell and Nick Barnes. They are so masterfully crafted and come to life so vividly that we are actually invested in each and every one of them.

Starting in 1978 with Pi (Hiran Abeysekera), under his bed in an antiseptic hospital room in Mexico, he’s being questioned by Lulu Chen (Celia Mei Rubin), a Canadian government figure and Mr. Okamoto (Daisuke Tsuji), a Japanese insurance man. They want to know how this 17- year-old boy survived for 227 days and was washed up on the Mexican shore after being shipwrecked from a Japanese freighter en route to Canada. Pi has struggled with grief, loss, loneliness, physical pain and still survived.

He is reticent to talk to them at first and finally does open up to explain his childhood in India in 1976, his parents, sister, his relatives, and the zoo that his father owned. The zoo was a magical place for Pi, it housed an orangutang, a giraffe, zebra among other animals and Richard Parker, the Bengal tiger supreme.

Pi’s father (Rajesh Bose) and mother, also overseer and protector during his ordeal (Sathya Sridharan) and family are forced to leave India due to the increasingly repressive government.

As the journey begins, so does the magic created by set and costume designer Tim Hatley. Turning the hospital room and bed into an ocean and a boat is nothing short of extraordinary and a visual extravaganza. As Pi jumps ship after being sunk in a storm, his companions consist of a giraffe, zebra, orangutan and Richard Parker. I don’t have to go into detail about the giraffe, zebra and orangutan. Suffice it to say, the battle is between Pi and Richard Parker and their mutual understanding of each other.

Unlike the movie— which relied mostly on special effects to engage the mass audiences—here religion and metaphysics play a big part in Pi’s survival and it is manifested in the scenes between the hospital and the ocean. Hiran Abeysekera originated the role of Pi (for which he won an Olivier Award last year as best actor) and he captures Pi’s innocence in the beginning as well as his struggles and ordeals with life, religion, and survival.

Special kudos have to go to all the handlers but especially those of Richard Parker, consisting of his head, his hind, and his heart, and his masterful voice is that of (Brian Thomas Abraham).

Life of Pi is a journey of mystical belief and an unforgettable visual treat and experience long after leaving the theatre.

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

‘LIFE OF PI’: Sonya Venugopal, Celia Mei Rubin & Hiran Abeysekera. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade

‘LIFE OF PI’: Hiran Abeysekera, Mahira Kakkar & company. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.

‘LIFE OF PI’: Hiran Abeysekera, Mahira Kakkar & company. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.

‘LIFE OF PI’: Rajesh Bose & Hiran Abeysekera. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.

‘LIFE OF PI’: Rowan Magee, Celia Mei Rubin, & Nikki Calonge. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.

‘LIFE OF PI’: Rowan Magee, Celia Mei Rubin & Nikki Calonge. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.

The post ‘Life of Pi’: Superb mystical & visual journey appeared first on StageZine.

‘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.

The post ‘Almost Famous’: Ambitious stage adaptation appeared first on StageZine.

‘MRS. DOUBTFIRE’: Rob McClure. Photo: Joan Marcus.

MRS. DOUBTFIRE
Book by Karey Kirkpatrick & John O’Farrell
Music & lyrics by Wayne Kirkpatrick & Karey Kirkpatrick
Directed by Jerry Zaks
Choreographed by Lorin Latarro
Music supervision by Ethan Popp
Stephen Sondheim Theatre

124 West 43rd Street
(212-239-6200), www.DoubtfireBroadway.com

By David NouNou

Mrs. Doubtfire’s intentions are good and it aims to please. There is a lot going on in here, but in this case, the proverbial less would have been more. Fewer non-descript songs by the talented Kirkpatrick brothers would have gone a lot further. They did a great job with the score of Something Rotten!—one of my all-time favorite shows—but here the score is so unmemorable to the point of tedium, with the exception of two production numbers, “Make Me A Woman” and “The Shape of Things to Come,” thanks to the ingenious direction by Jerry Zaks and the choreography by Lorin Latarro.

When you create a stage adaptation of a mega-hit family movie—one which originally starred the incomparable Robin Williams—you are also taking a big gamble. Yes, it is an identifiable brand, but turning Mrs. Doubtfire into a musical forces one to make the unenviable comparison of movie versus musical. The movie was seamless and believable and you rooted for the hero Daniel Hilliard/Mrs. Doubtfire. In this case, it is quite difficult to root for Daniel (Rob McClure).

Daniel here is an obnoxious, irresponsible man-child who refuses to take anything seriously. His wife Miranda (Jenn Gambatese) has given him every opportunity to grow up and take responsibility as a husband and father, but he instead remains a child among his own three children: Lydia (Analise Scarpaci), Christopher (Jack Ryan Flynn) and the youngest, Natalie (Avery Sell). This leads to their divorce and the custody of the children. The only way Daniel would get more time to spend with his children is to take the job of their nanny/babysitter, and recreate himself as Mrs. Doubtfire with the aid of the make-up artists Frank, his brother (Brad Oscar) and his husband Andre (J. Harrison Ghee).

You’ll have to wait for about 20 minutes into the show before it begins to come to life, and that’s thanks to the marvelous number given to Mr. Oscar and Mr. Ghee in “Make Me a Woman.” Whenever the show drags, not meant as a pun, the two are in place to give the show some transfusion. Another lovable character is Peter Bartlett as Mr. Jolly, a TV host for a children’s show.

With the book not being much help except as the blueprint for the musical, Karey Kirkpatrick and John O’Farrell have thrown in a lot of unnecessary fillers to differentiate themselves from the movie. You will find that out for yourself. Thanks to the genius of Jerry Zaks, he’s infused it with a lot of fun touches to make it pass for family entertainment.

In defense of Mr. McClure, his energy is boundless, his talents are endless and he transforms from Daniel to Mrs. Doubtfire with ease. Despite Mr. McClure’s many gifts, how can anyone compete with a phenomenon like the late Robin Williams?

Jenn Gambatese isn’t given much to do but be dour for most of the show, and the kids— instead of being naturals—are cloying Broadway kids.

As I said before, the show tries very hard to please, and out-of-towners will love it.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published December 9, 2021
Reviewed at December 8, 2021 press performance.

‘MRS. DOUBTFIRE’: (left to right) Avery Sell, Jake Ryan Flynn, Analise Scarpaci, Jenn Gambatese & Rob McClure. Photo: Joan Marcus.

‘MRS. DOUBTFIRE’: (left to right) J. Harrison Ghee, Brad Oscar, Charity Angél Dawson & Rob McClure. Photo: Joan Marcus.

‘MRS. DOUBTFIRE’: Brad Oscar, Rob McClure & J. Harrison Ghee. Photo: Joan Marcus.

‘MRS. DOUBTFIRE’: Jenn Gambatese & Rob McClure. Photo: Joan Marcus.

‘MRS. DOUBTFIRE’: Peter Bartlett. Photo: Joan Marcus.

‘MRS. DOUBTFIRE’: Rob McClure. Photo: Joan Marcus.

‘MRS. DOUBTFIRE’: The cast. Photo: Joan Marcus.

The post ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ adaptation a crowd-pleaser appeared first on StageZine.

CASTING FOR MIRANDA!

CASTING FOR ANDY!

NEW DATE IN CHICAGO!

TONY AWARD-WINNER BETH LEAVEL TO STAR

AS THE ALL-POWERFUL EDITOR MIRANDA PRIESTLY

TAYLOR IMAN JONES TO PLAY ANDY

JAMES ALSOP, MTV VMA WINNER, JOINS AS CHOREOGRAPHER

NEW MUSICAL WILL PREMIERE AT

BROADWAY IN CHICAGO’S CIBC THEATRE IN JULY 2021 (NEW DATE)

Tony Award-winner Beth Leavel will play the iconic Miranda Priestly in the new musical, The Devil Wears Prada and the role of the wide-eyed assistant, Andy Sachs, will be played by Taylor Iman Jones (Groundhog Day, Head Over Heels). The Pre-Broadway World Premiere of the new musical will open at Broadway In Chicago’s CIBC Theatre from July 13-August 15, 2021 for a limited run prior to a Broadway engagement.  The production had previously been announced to play in Chicago next year at a different venue.

Tony Award winner Beth Leavel. Photo: Nathan Jones

Strutting an all-star team, The Devil Wears Prada has music by Tony Award-winner Sir Elton John (Billy Elliot, Disney’s The Lion King), lyrics by singer-songwriter Shaina Taub (Twelfth Night at The Public Theater), a book by Paul Rudnick (In & Out, Jeffrey), music supervision by Nadia DiGiallonardo (Waitress), and direction by Tony Award-winner Anna D. Shapiro (August: Osage County).

Taylor Iman Jones to star as Andrea in ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ musical. Photo; Press handout.

MTV Video Music Award-winner James Alsop, known for her work with Beyoncé, Lady GaGa, Kelly Rowland, Janelle Monae, Perez Hilton, Shanice Wilson, Wayne Brady, has joined the production as choreographer.

Additional casting and creative team members for the Chicago production and future Broadway plans will be announced at a later time.

The Devil Wears Prada is based on Lauren Weisberger’s best-selling 2003 novel and the 2006 blockbuster film from Fox 2000 Pictures.  The musical is produced by Kevin McCollum and Rocket Entertainment and presented by special arrangement with Buena Vista Theatrical.

Producer Kevin McCollum said, “I am so thrilled that Beth Leavel, one of the American theater’s great leading artists, will be playing one of the most powerful and feared women in popular culture. Producing The Drowsy Chaperone and seeing Beth win the Tony Award for her performance was a career highlight for me and I know that she will create a brilliant Miranda.”

McCollum explained the reason for the rescheduling of the production. “We realized that we wanted more time to work on the show. Our creative team members are in demand around the world with ridiculous schedules. The new dates mean that not only do we get an ideal theatre in Chicago (the CIBC Theatre), it also allows our New York landlord to confirm the Broadway venue, which means we have more time to coordinate our physical design, marketing and sales plans accordingly.”

Sir Elton John. Photo: David Guay

Producer David Furnish (Rocket Pictures) said, “Elton and I are very excited by the exceptional level of theatrical artistic talent signing up to help The Devil Wears Prada leap onto the stage from its successful literary and cinematic origins. Everyone is fiercely dedicated to creating an updated version of the much-loved tale.  The show needs to reflect the cultural and societal changes that have redefined the fashion world since Lauren Weisberger wrote her novel over 16 years ago.”

Beth Leavel won the Tony Award for her performance in The Drowsy Chaperone. She made her Broadway debut in the original production of 42^nd Street and has also been seen in Hal Prince’s Show Boat, Crazy for You,  42nd Street (revival), Mamma Mia!, Young Frankenstein, ELF (twice), Baby It’s You, and The Prom (for which she received her third Tony Award nomination).

Andy, an ambitious young writer in New York City, lands a job at a prestigious magazine. Trying to survive under her stylish yet terrifying boss, she finds herself caught between the dreams she thought she wanted, and the cost of what that reality brings. A joyous, funny, and — of course — ultraglamorous story about navigating life’s runway to discover where you’re meant to be, The Devil Wears Prada is a new musical that gives the hit film a fabulously fresh makeover. Sometimes the best fashion statements are sung.

For more information, visit DevilWearsPradaMusical.com.

TICKET INFORMATION

Broadway In Chicago will be in touch with Subscribers and Groups regarding the new dates. Subscribers with questions, please call 312-977-1717. Group Leaders with questions, please call 312-977-1710. Tickets are also currently on sale for Subscribers and Groups for the new dates. Tickets are available now for groups of 10 or more by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710 or emailing GroupSales@BroadwayInChicago.com.  Individual tickets for The Devil Wears Prada will go on sale at a later date.

ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO

Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 19 years has grown to be one of the largest commercial touring homes in the country.  A Nederlander Presentation, Broadway In Chicago lights up the Chicago Theater District entertaining more than 1.7 million people annually in five theatres.  Broadway In Chicago presents a full range of entertainment, including musicals and plays, on the stages of five of the finest theatres in Chicago’s Loop including CIBC Theatre, James M. Nederlander Theatre, Cadillac Palace Theatre, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place and presenting Broadway shows at the Auditorium Theatre.

The post Beth Leavel to star in ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ musical appeared first on StageZine.

‘MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL’: Karen Olivo & Aaron Tveit. Photo: Matthew Murphy

MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL
Book by John Logan
Based on the 2001 Twentieth Century Fox film Moulin Rouge!
written by Baz Luhrmann & Craig Pierce & directed by Baz Luhrmann
Music supervision, orchestrations, arrangements & additional lyrics by Justin Levine
Choreography by Sonya Tayeh
Directed by Alex Timbers
Al Hirschfeld Theatre
302 W. 45th Street
877-807-9130, https://moulinrougemusical.com/

By Scott Harrah

Baz Luhrmann’s iconic 2001 film Moulin Rouge! was perhaps the first “jukebox musical” of its kind for Hollywood, released the same year as the ultimate jukebox phenomenon Mamma Mia! on Broadway. In this brilliant stage adaptation, book writer John Logan and director Alex Timbers keep the same storyline but have added many new songs. Set designer Derek McLane has turned the Al Hirschfeld Theatre into a gorgeous replica of the legendary Montmartre nightclub in Paris, complete with a red windmill and glitter galore, like a brothel on steroids.  Moulin Rouge! The Musical “can, can, can” and will give mega-shows like Hamilton and Book of Mormon some stiff competition as far as having hard-to-get, expensive tickets, and the show has already broken box-office records since previews began earlier this summer.

Baz Luhrmann’s brilliantly busy film was always more about style than substance, so if the show’s narrative seems paper-thin and hollow, it’s only because this adaptation is staying true to the film. However, to really enjoy the musical, forget about Nicole Kidman’s Satine, Ewan McGregor’s Christian and John Leguizamo’s Toulouse-Lautrec because the geniuses behind this glorious stage version have completely recalibrated and retooled this reboot for a 2019 audience. Everything about the show is interactive and decadent from the moment one steps inside the Hirschfeld, with men and women sporting corsets and high heels bumping and grinding on stage before the show even begins. The show starts with a proverbial bang, with four sassy ladies belting out “Lady Marmalade,” the cover of the LaBelle song that Christina Aguilera, Lil’ Kim, Pink and Mya and Missy Elliot took to the top of the pop charts when the film opened 18 years ago.

Here, we have the golden-voiced Tony winner Karen Olivo as Satine, and her interpretation of the aging Parisian cabaret courtesan is much darker and less glamorous than Ms. Kidman’s but is equally heartbreaking.  When she descends upon the stage from a swing that comes down from the ceiling, belting Shirley Bassey’s “Diamonds Are Forever,” amped up by powerful mikes, it’s as thrilling as seeing Beyoncé, Madonna or any pop superstar making a grand concert entrance. Ms. Olivo’s lush vocals are one of the musical’s greatest assets. Aaron Tveit—who has come a long way indeed since Catch Me If You Can more than a decade ago—is great as the idealistic, broke young songwriter Christian, yet both he and Ms. Olivo do not have a lot of chemistry together, but somehow they make it work. Come to Moulin Rouge! The Musical for the “wow” factor of the music, Sonya Tayeh’s dazzling choreography and all the eye-popping spectacle, but just like the movie, don’t expect great drama.

The story revolves around how Harold Zidler (the delightful Danny Burstein), the quirky owner of Moulin Rouge, is facing financial ruin with the club in 1899. The only hope of saving the business is the smarmy Duke of Monroth (Tam Matu), who has plenty of cash to invest but demands the affections of Satine in return. This is a problem because Christian falls madly in love with her, so she must choose between him and the villainous duke.

Much of the fun experiencing Moulin Rouge! The Musical, besides Catherine Zuber’s splendid costumes, is hearing all the song snippets from recent hits like Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” and Rihanna’s “Only Girl (In the World),” to name a few.  Some of the movie’s few original songs remain, most notably “Come What May,” Christian and Satine’s haunting love ballad, but it is truly a shame that Satine’s solo number, “One Day I’ll Fly Away,” was cut as that song was a show-stopper for Nicole Kidman in the film.

In addition, too many newer songs have been added to mention, but the opener in Act II, Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance,” contains one of the most thrilling pieces of sexy choreography you have seen in a long time.

Other iconic parts of the film, like Australian pop star Kylie Minogue as the “Green Fairy” trilling “The Sound of Music,” could not be included for obvious technical reasons. However, Ms. Olivo does a great job doubling as the little fairy (here, she descends from the ceiling in one number) when Christian decides to drown his sorrows in the trippy alcoholic concoction absinthe.

Some of the supporting cast members are not as powerful as others. For example, Sahr Ngaujah (Fela!) seems too strong and able-bodied as Toulouse-Lautrec, the physically challenged painter whose portrayal by John Leguizamo was far superior in the film. However, it would be petty to quibble about the minor shortcomings of this stage adaptation because, thanks to the precise direction of Alex Timbers and his crackerjack team, Moulin Rouge! The Musical is a pop-culture pastiche, and a colorful, energetic, endlessly creative ride from beginning to end. It will certainly enjoy a well-deserved long, vibrant run on Broadway.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published August 1, 2019
Reviewed at July 31, 2019 press performance.

‘MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL’: Tam Matu. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL’: The company. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL’: Ricky Rojas & Robyn Hurder. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL’: (left to right) Sahr Ngaujah, Aaron Tveit & Ricky Rojas. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL’: Karen Olivo & Tam Matu. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL’: (left to right) Jacqueline B. Arnold, Robyn Hurder, Holly James & Jeigh Madjus. Photo: Matthew Murphy

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‘TOOTSIE’: Santino Fontana & cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy

TOOTSIE
Book by Robert Horn
Music & lyrics by David Yazbek
Directed by Scott Ellis
Choreographed by Denis Jones
Marquis Theatre
1535 Broadway at 45th Street
(877-250-2929), www.TootsieMusical.com

By David NouNou

Based on the brilliant 1982 movie starring Dustin Hoffman, I have to say Tootsie is one of the better adaptations of movies in recent memory. Credit must be given to Robert Horn for an intelligent, bright and imaginative book. It is fresh and to its credit veers slightly from the movie to enable it to have a different slant.

Michael Dorsey (Santino Fontana) can’t land an acting job because of his exacting and infuriating difficulty of doing a part without having to question the parts motivation. He gets fired from every audition. His former girlfriend, Sandy (Sarah Stiles) comes over one night with a script entitled Juliet’s Nurse. Michael is supposed to help her get a better understanding of the part. It is a musical based on Romeo and Juliet; this takes place after Romeo dies but, in this version, Juliet is still alive and the nurse helps her recover. Michael decides to audition for the part of the nurse, and enters as Dorothy Michaels. Of course the show is awful, but Dorothy not only lands the part of the nurse but, with sheer determination, steers the show to a resounding success.

Michael is so desperate to land an acting job that he never considers any of the complications that will arise. For one thing, he falls in love with Julie Nichols, the young lady who plays Juliet (Lilli Cooper). Further complications arise when Romeo’s brother, Chris (John Behlmann) falls madly in love with the nurse/Dorothy Michaels. Dorothy turns a flop to a huge success and has to sign a two-year contract and has to continue being a woman. Michael gets the part and the stardom that he always wanted, but he also comes to a breaking point with all the conflicts he created.

What Mr. Horn has cleverly done is taken the TV setting out, in which Michael auditions for a part in a soap opera; now Michael auditions for a Broadway show which makes it more relatable to the audience who are seeing a Broadway musical. The rest stays true to form, more or less. The book is abetted by a bouncy score from David Yazbek. Last year, Mr. Yazbek won a Tony for the score of The Band’s Visit. While that show’s score was rich and haunting, this is upbeat standard Broadway fare.

The cast, although not dynamic, is effective. Santino Fontana as Michael/Dorothy doesn’t have the luxury to develop these two characters the way Dustin Hoffman did in the movie. In the theater it becomes more of a quick-change artist rather than morphing from one character to the other. Since the audience is already in on the joke, his transitioning becomes easier and less demanding.

Lilli Cooper is charming as Julie Nichols but lacks the vulnerability of the character that draws her to Dorothy/Michael. She is too independent to be taken in. Sarah Stiles, as the neurotic Sandy in desperate need of a part and validation, comes across a tad too shrill in the beginning but is quite effective in the end. John Behlmann as Dorothy’s ardent suitor is perfect as the narcissistic brain-dead actor. Julie Halston as the show’s producer is a delight.

Credit has to be given to director Scott Ellis, as this is his second show this season, the first being the brilliant revival of Kiss Me, Kate currently at Studio 54. The man has taste and knows how to keep things moving at a quick pace. He has taken a familiar story and presented it in new terms as a musical that is worth visiting and enjoying.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published April 26, 2019
Reviewed at April 25, 2019 press performance.

‘TOOTSIE’: Santino Fontana & Lilli Cooper. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘TOOTSIE’: Santino Fontana. Photo: Julieta Cervantes

‘TOOTSIE’: Santino Fontana & Lilli Cooper. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘TOOTSIE’: Santino Fontana (right) & company. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘TOOTSIE’: (left to right) Julie Halston, James Moye, Santino Fontana, Lilli Cooper & John Behlmann. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘TOOTSIE’: (left to right) Leslie Donna Flesner, Shina Ann Morris, Santino Fontana & Julie Halston. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘TOOTSIE’: Santino Fontana & Andy Grotelueschen. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘TOOTSIE’: Lilli Cooper & cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘TOOTSIE’: Reg Rogers (center) & cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘TOOTSIE’: Lilli Cooper. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘TOOTSIE’: Sarah Stiles & Andy Groteluesche. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘TOOTSIE’: Santino Fontana (center) with (left to right) Drew King, Leslie Donna Flesner, Sissy Bell & John Arthur Greene. Photo: Julieta Cervantes

The post ‘Tootsie’ transformed into triumphant musical appeared first on StageZine.

‘BEETLEJUICE’: Alex Brightman & Sophia Anne Caruso. Photo: Matthew Murphy

BEETLEJUICE
Music & lyrics by Eddie Perfect
Book by Scott Brown & Anthony King
Based on the 1988 movie Beetlejuice
Directed by Alex Timbers
Winter Garden Theatre
1634 Broadway
(212-239-6200, https://beetlejuicebroadway.com/

Editor’s note: This review is from the 2019 production, starring Alex Brightman, Rob McClure and Sophia Anne Caruso.  The show has some new cast members and is now playing at the Marquis Theatre.

By Scott Harrah

Beetlejuice is a rare gem in the genre of Hollywood movie adaptations for the Broadway stage. While following the main narrative from the 1988 Tim Burton film, Beetlejuice expands on the story of Goth teen Lydia (played with panache by rising 17-year-old star Sophia Anne Caruso), making her the central female character. The musical is a theme park unto itself and a fun, offbeat roller-coaster ride from start to finish. It stands out as a superior adaptation for so many reasons, but mostly due to Scott Brown and Anthony King’s clever book and outrageously effervescent performances by Alex Brightman, Leslie Kritzer and Ms. Caruso, plus whimsical sets by David Korins and over-the-top costumes by William Ivey Long.

It’s hard to resist the incomparable Alex Brightman from the moment he enters the stage as Beetlejuice, the lovable poltergeist who is also the tale’s narrator, saying he hopes we’re ready for “a show about death” and starts into the razzle-dazzle opening number “The Whole ‘Being Dead’ Thing”.

Mr. Brightman is that rare entertainer who is so energetic, he commands the whole stage whenever he’s on it. He tosses off bon mots like “I’m powerless…like a gay Republican” with cavalier ease, in one of the season’s best performances. He’s the perfect guide through this gloriously re-imagined version of the hit film. Adam (Rob McClure) and Barbara (Kerry Butler) are the Maitlands, a happy couple in an old Victorian home (played by Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis in the film). When they tragically die in a freak accident, their spirits are left to haunt their house and live in its attic. Soon the obnoxious Deetz family buys the house. Charles (Adam Dannheisser) and his ditzy paramour/Lydia’s nanny Delia (Ms. Kritzer) want to totally redecorate the place and turn it into a modern art showcase, hoping to make it a model home and land a lucrative real estate development deal. Charles’ daughter Lydia (Ms. Caruso) is a black-wearing Goth and has no interest in the home, and certainly wants nothing to do with her dad and Delia. She runs into the ghosts of Adam and Barbara in the attic and strikes up an unusual friendship with them as they create a scheme to literally scare Charles and Delia out of the house.

In the movie, Lydia was portrayed by Winona Ryder as a dour, depressed teen mourning the death of her mother but there was little explanation as to why the girl was so grief-stricken and obsessed with the dark side of life. However, in Beetlejuice the musical, Lydia and all her quirks and pathos are front and center, tackling the issue of children grappling with grief in a lighthearted way, something one would never expect in a Broadway musical. Ms. Caruso’s voice is richly textured and particularly haunting when she sings the solo numbers “Dead Mom” and “Home.”

In 2014, I caught Sophia Anne Caruso in a revival of Ruthless! The Musical at an uptown cabaret. Ms. Caruso was just a child then, playing Tina Denmark, a parody of the demented girl Rhoda from The Bad Seed. She had a unique stage presence and one-of-a-kind voice I never forgot. I wrote in the review back then about her “wholesome looks, lush singing voice and over-the-top acting style,” noting that she was going to be quite famous someday. It is remarkable how far Ms. Caruso has come in just five years. With her distinctive voice and spunky performance in Beetlejuice, she’s indeed on her way to Broadway stardom.

The book has some minor flaws. A scene involving the “netherworld” and Ms. Kritzer in a secondary role as an otherworldly beauty pageant winner makes little sense. In addition, the songs by Eddie Perfect are bouncy and propel the plot wonderfully. Although the score is upbeat, it is not exactly memorable.

Regardless, director Alex Timbers holds everything together beautifully and gets noteworthy performances from the rest of the cast. Standouts include Ms. Kritzer, who is sensational as the gaudy, overbearing Delia. Rob McClure and Kerry Butler are a hilarious duo as the kooky spooks the Maitlands, and Broadway veteran Ms. Butler (last seen in Mean Girls) has never been funnier.

Musical adaptations of hit Hollywood films are standard fare on Broadway. Most are pedestrian or simply mediocre, but Beetlejuice is colorful, consistently lighthearted fun. It’s—dare I say it? —a musical “to die for.”

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published April 25, 2019
Reviewed at April 20, 2019 press performance.

‘BEETLEJUICE’: (left to right) Sophia Anne Caruso, Rob McClure & Kerry Butler. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘BEETLEJUICE’: (left to right) Rob McClure, Kerry Butler, Sophia Anne Caruso & Alex Brightman. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘BEETLEJUICE’: Alex Brightman. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘BEETLEJUICE’: Leslie Kritzer & Adam Dannheisser. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘BEETLEJUICE’: Alex Brightman & Sophia Anne Caruso. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘BEETLEJUICE’: Alex Brightman. Photo; Matthew Murphy

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