‘SHE LOVES ME’: Laura Benanti & Zachary Levi. Photo: Joan Marcus

SHE LOVES ME
Book by Joe Masteroff
Music by Jerry Bock
Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick
Choreography by Warren Carlyle
Directed by Scott Ellis
Through June 12, 2016
Studio 54
254 West 54th Street
(212-719-1300), www.RoundaboutTheatre.org

By David NouNou

An exquisite, delicious bon-bon of a musical.

In October of 1963 when She Loves Me opened, it hardly made a ripple and barely lasted nine months. That was still the era of the super spectacular musicals. Two dynamic divas were waiting in the wings. Carol Channing opened in January 1964 in Hello, Dolly! and Barbra Streisand torpedoed in March as Funny Girl. What chance did poor David have against two Goliaths?

Thanks to the impeccable taste of the Roundabout Theatre and Scott Ellis, who manage to resurrect these lost gems (last year the glorious revival of On the Twentieth Century), they have brought to life She Loves Me for the second time. The first was in 1993, and the current incarnation is even more delectable.

Set in the summer of 1934 Budapest in and around Maraczek’s Parfumerie, David Rockwell’s gorgeous sets transport the viewer to another world where life was gentler and shopping was an actual experience; where people waited on you and said, “Thank you, please come again.” On this particular day in this lovely store, there is a store manager, Georg Nowack (Zachary Levi) and a young lady, Amalia Balash (Laura Benanti) who is applying for a position as a salesgirl. Needless to say, there is an instant dislike and hostility in their relationship. As chance would have it and unbeknownst to either one, both have pen pals named “Dear Friend.” If this plot sounds familiar, it is. It was first done as a movie in 1940 by the name of The Shop Around the Corner and remade in 1998 as You’ve Got Mail, starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan.

In this store there are a delightful array of characters: the mantrap, Ilona Ritter (Jane Krakowski), her on again/off again philandering boyfriend, Steven Kodaly (Gavin Creel); the store owner, Mr. Maraczek (Byron Jennings), fellow clerk, Ladislav Sipos (Michael McGrath); and the delivery boy, Arpad Laszlo (Nicholas Barasch). I mention all these characters because they are integral to the story. Back then, they actually wrote songs for all the supporting players and the entire cast have so many moments in which they can shine.

Scott Ellis has polished this gem into a brilliant diamond and set it with an incredible cast. Laura Benanti as Amalia is enchanting. Her soprano voice is reminiscent of Barbara Cook’s (who originated the role of Amalia) and Ms. Benanti’s rendition of “Ice Cream” brings back memories of the great Ms. Cook. Zachary Levi proves he is a masterful musical leading man. He doesn’t rely on just his good looks; he actually is a singing actor.

It’s so great to have Jane Krakowski back on Broadway. She has been in TV land way too long. She is in great voice, with legs to die for and you’ll see why, and gives a much-needed sexiness to Ilona that no other actress has given her. In contrast to Ilona, Kodaly has to be smarmy and debonair, but Gavin Creel plays him slick and lackluster. I’ll insert a factoid here: the only Tony Award Hello, Dolly! lost in 1964 was for best musical supporting actor to Jack Cassidy as Kodaly. No one could do sleazy, smarmy and debonair like the late Mr. Cassidy could and still be loveable. Michael McGrath and Byron Jennings are two Broadway veterans that add humor and class to any show they are in. Nicholas Barasch as Arpad is just bursting with glee.

Other than the title song “She Loves Me” and “Ice Cream,” none of the other songs in this show ever caught on. There are a lot of charming songs for the individual characters, thus they get diluted. However, it is still a delightful score. You would never have known back in 1963 when you were leaving the Eugene O’Neill Theatre after a performance of She Loves Me that the very next year, 1964, Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick would introduce the world to not only one of the greatest scores, but to one of the greatest musicals of all time, Fiddler on the Roof. Both shows deal with the foibles, loves and humanity of its people; She Loves Me on a small scale and Fiddler on a universal scale.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published March 23, 2016
Reviewed at press performance on March 22, 2016

‘SHE LOVES ME’: Gavil Creel & Jane Krakowski. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘SHE LOVES ME’: Gavin Creel & Jane Krakowski. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘SHE LOVES ME’: Gavin Creel & Jane Krakowski. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘SHE LOVES ME’: Laura Benanti & Jane Krakowski. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘SHE LOVES ME’: Zachary Levi & Michael McGrath. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘SHE LOVES ME’: Laura Benanti. Photo: Joan Marcus

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MADCAP ‘TWENTIETH CENTURY’: (left to right) Peter Gallagher, Michael McGrath, Kristin Chenoweth, Mark Linn-Baker, Andy Karl. Photo: Joan Marcus

ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Book and Lyrics by Betty Comden & Adolph Green
Music by Cy Coleman
Based on plays by Ben Hecht, Charles MacArthur & Bruce Millholland
Directed by Scott Ellis
Choreography by Warren Carlyle
Through July 5, 2015
American Airlines Theater
227 West 42nd Street
(212-719-1300),www.roundabouttheatre.org 

By David NouNou

The thing I remember enjoying most from the original 1978 production was the ultra-deluxe, magnificent Art Deco set by Robin Wagner. Not being the best of musicals in the form of book or score, On the Twentieth Century is getting its first revival in 37 years and what a grand one it is. Under Scott Ellis’ magnificent direction, he has infused so much life into this otherwise throwaway musical that it is one of the must-see musicals of this year. Granted, thus far the musical season has been a bust, so this is the best revival in many years. I will go further and state that since it has never been revived, for most audiences it would qualify for best musical of the year.

Most of us know this screwball comedy as Twentieth Century, in the form of the 1934 movie with John Barrymore and Carole Lombard at their best. The Roundabout did a fun revival of that in 2004 with Alec Baldwin and Anne Heche. Traveling on this particular 20^th Century Ltd from Chicago to NYC, we have to transport ourselves to 1932, when travel had style and elegance and enjoying the pleasure of riding with some of the zaniest characters we’ll have the good fortune with which to travel.

There is Oscar Jaffe, the down-on-his-luck producer (Peter Gallagher), who needs to sign Lily Garland (the fabulous Kristin Chenoweth) who was once his discovery and now a big movie star. He needs her desperately to be able to get back on his feet again. Both unrelenting ego maniacs who derive pleasure in the art of haute ham hijinks, Lily is traveling with himbo/boyfriend/leading man, the narcissistic Bruce Granit (Andy Karl), and Oscar is joined by his two gofers Owen O’Malley (Michael McGrath) his PR man, and Oliver Webb (Mark Linn-Baker), his lawyer. In this loopy mix is Letitia Peabody Primrose (Mary Louise Wilson), the nutty financier who is going to bankroll Oscar’s next show to lure Lily back to Broadway. Also on this ride, we are tended to by four porters: Rick Faugno, Richard Riaz Yoder, Phillip Attmore, and Drew King, all of whom make the ride that much smoother and a pleasure all the way till our final destination.

What makes this journey such a pleasure is that every facet of the production is done with elegance and taste, from the magnificent set by David Rockwell, to the delectable confectionery costumes by William Ivey Long and brilliant lighting by Donald Holder; this is a first-class production with no expense spared.

We also have an exquisite cast. Starting with Ms. Chenoweth, she has never been better. She has elevated Lily Garland to the grandness of Carole Lombard and is certainly a frontrunner for the Tony. Peter Gallagher is having the ham of his life, over the top and a constant delight. Although he got a Tony nomination last year for his role in the short-lived musical Rocky, this is the role that will finally get him the recognition he rightfully deserves. Just as Kevin Kline won his first Tony for this role, Mr. Karl is just as deserving for the featured actor Tony. Mr. McGrath and Mr. Linn-Baker provide humor to their gofer roles, and Mary Louise Wilson is the grand old nutty lady for all seasons.

Kudos to the Roundabout for making this ride On the Twentieth Century a lavish, deluxe one that we will remember for a long time.

ALL ABOARD: (left to right) Andy Karl. Kristin Chenoweth & Peter Gallagher in ‘On the Twentieth Century.’ Photo: Joan Marcus

NONSTOP LAUGHS: Andy Karl & Kristin Chenoweth in ‘On the Twentieth Century.’ Photo: Joan Marcus

SCREWBALL INSANITY: Kristin Chenoweth & Peter Gallagher. Photo: Joan Marcus

ONE OF THE BEST PERFORMANCES OF HER CAREER: Kristin Chenoweth in an absurdly funny number in ‘On the Twentieth Century.’ Photo: Joan Marcus

MON DIEU: Kristin Chenoweth in a preposterous, amusing Parisian production number in ‘On the Twentieth Century.’ Photo: Joan Marcus

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published March 18, 2015
Reviewed at press performance on March 17, 2015

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