‘GETTIN’ THE BAND BACK TOGETHER’: Mitchell Jarvis. Photo: Joan Marcus

GETTIN’ THE BAND BACK TOGETHER
Book by Ken Davenport & The Grundleshotz
Additional material by Sarah Saltzberg
Music & lyrics by Mark Allen
Directed by John Rando
Choreography by Chris Bailey
Belasco Theatre
111 West 44th Street.
(212-239-6200),www.gettinthebandbacktogether.com

By David NouNou

You know there are problems with a show when the lead producer, Ken Davenport, jumps on stage before the curtain rises and announces “you are going to see an original musical tonight” and the audience swallows this hook, line and sinker with enthusiastic applause. The first unraveling clue to Mr. Davenport’s announcement comes in the form of the show’s title, Gettin’ the Band Back Together. Well, you don’t have to be Hercule Poirot to figure out the plot. The title says it all. What is worse is when the clichés start piling up and the dialogue and setups become juvenile and dreary. Poor New Jersey gets the worst of the brunt. So many lame one-liners are heaped on this much-maligned state that the creators felt compelled to write an unmemorable song named “Jersey.” So much for originality.

The story is simple, focusing on Mitch Papadopoulos (Scott Richard Foster—the lead Mitchell Jarvis was out at the performance we saw but no explanation was given why the lead was out since the opening was just the previous night). A leaflet inserted in the Playbill notified us of this change. Believe me, that has more mystery to it than the show itself. But I digress. Mitch left Jersey, his band, and his girl 20 years ago to pursue a career on Wall Street. He had to give up his childhood dreams and grow up and assume responsibility in order to pay the bills as he often tells us.

As the curtain goes up, Mitch is fired from his Wall Street job due to his poor performance level and he has to move back in with his widowed mother, Sharon (Marilu Henner) who lives in Jersey. Mitch reunites with his former classmates and rock band members Bart Vickers (Jay Klaitz), Sully Sullivan (Paul Whitty), and Robbie Patel (Manu Narayan). And, of course, the girl he left behind, Dani Franco (Kelli Barrett).

Their band was known as the Juggernauts. In order to create tension, there was a rival band known as Mouthfeel. So, a rivalry of the bands was formed 20 years ago when the Juggernauts won a contest and the leader of the losing team, Tygen Billows (Brandon Williams), head of the band Mouthfeel, has never gotten over this loss and you know there will be a grudge match: Mouthfeel vs Juggernauts.

There are more characters but they are the requisite stereotypical fillers that all “original” musicals have. Credit has to be given to Scott Richard Foster for having the acting muscles to pull off the leading role the night after the opening. Marilu Henner gives her all and you can see she is thrilled to be back on Broadway and gives it her best shot. The third is Kelli Barrett, who gives a creditable performance and is in good voice in the part of the love interest. As for the rest of the performances, there is enough ham and bologna here to open a deli.

John Rando is normally such an adept director, with shows like Urinetown, On the Town, and this spring’s wonderful off-Broadway show Jerry Springer – The Opera which was truly original and innovative. Here, however, I guess he went off track in this too “original” musical. However, he injected the cast with enough energy to keep the proceedings moving. Derek McLane. who usually does brilliant set designs, misses the mark by creating a comic-strip design which further entrenches this musical in a cartoonish milieu.

I guess Mr. Davenport didn’t get the memo that Andrew Lloyd Webber’s School of Rock musical, now at the Winter Garden, is also getting the band together but with kids. Mr. Davenport’s “original” version is “School of Rock for Seniors.” The only original musical that comes to mind from recent years is Kathie Lee Gifford’s Scandalous…connect the dots.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published August 16, 2018
Reviewed at August 15, 2018 press performance.

‘GETTIN’ THE BAND BACK TOGETHER’: Brandon Williams & cast. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘GETTIN’ THE BAND BACK TOGETHER’: Marilu Henner (center) & cast. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘GETTIN’ THE BAND BACK TOGETHER’: (left to right) Manu Narayan, Jay Klaitz, Paul Whitty (center), Sawyer Nunes & Mitchell Jarvis. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘GETTIN’ THE BAND BACK TOGETHER’: (Left to right) Manu Narayan, Jay Klaitz, Mitchell Jarvis, Tad Wilson, Paul Whitty & Sawyer Nunes. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘GETTIN’ THE BAND BACK TOGETHER’: (Left to right) Tamika Lawrence, Sawyer Nunes, Jay Klaitz (seated), Paul Whitty,  Manu Narayan, Tad Wilson (seated). Photo: Joan Marcus

‘GETTIN’ THE BAND BACK TOGETHER’: Jay Klaitz & Mitchell Jarvis. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘GETTIN’ THE BAND BACK TOGETHER’: Mitchell Jarvis. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘GETTIN’ THE BAND BACK TOGETHER’: Jay Klaitz & Marilu Henner. Photo: Joan Marcus

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