‘PIRATES! THE PENZANCE MUSICAL’: Nicholas Barasch, Ramin Karimloo & Jinkx Monsoon. Photo: Joan Marcus.

PIRATES! THE PENZANCE MUSICAL
By W.S. Gilbert & Arthur Sullivan
Adaptation by Rupert Holmes
Music direction by Joseph Joubert
Choreography by Warren Carlyle
Directed by Scott Ellis
Through July 27, 2025
Todd Haimes Theatre
227 West 42^nd Street
https://www.roundabouttheatre.org/

By Scott Harrah

Gilbert and Sullivan purists might be puzzled by Pirates! The Penzance Musical, the new, hysterically over-the-top Broadway reboot of The Pirates of Penzance. Regardless, audiences looking for sheer escapism will love it. This updated and modernized version of Gilbert and Sullivan’s operetta just received a Tony nomination for Best Musical Revival. This gleeful iteration is quite different from the first production in New York City in 1879.

The original show was set on the craggy coast of Victorian-era Cornwall, England. In this revival, however, Pirates! takes place in 1880 New Orleans in the French Quarter. The revamped book contains a few additions and changes to the story. Nonetheless, Gilbert and Sullivan’s basic plot remains intact.

Motley crew of characters

The story focuses on naïve young Frederic (Nicholas Barasch). He is about to turn 21 (or is he?) and erroneously becomes an apprentice to a group of motley pirates. This is due to the mistake made by the engagingly eccentric woman who raised him, nurse Ruth (Jinkx Monsoon). In addition, Frederic was born on February 29^th during a leap year so no one can figure out exactly how old he actually is or how many birthdays he’s actually had.

He starts working as an assistant to the pirate, led by the dashing Pirate King (Ramin Karimloo), an alleged orphaned nobleman-turned-pirate who appears intimidating but is a softie in reality.

Major General-Stanley (David Hyde Pierce) is a lovably bumbling military man with a bevy of beautiful daughters. Frederic is immediately lovestruck by Mabel Stanley (Samantha Williams), one of Major General’s daughters.

Twisty plot & many production numbers

Not being that familiar with Gilbert and Sullivan’s body of work, I will not nitpick about whether or not Rupert Holmes’ modern adaptation is true to the original Pirates of Penzance. It doesn’t matter that the story is now set in the Big Easy because New Orleans is a perfect setting for shameless silliness and the lively score, given an all-American flavor with jazz rhythms thanks to music supervisor Joseph Joubert. The entire cast seems to be having a blast onstage, sporting Linda Cho’s elaborate period costumes and performing choreographer Warren Carlyle’s high-spirited dance moves.

Top-notch performances

The vibe of Pirates! is manic and madcap, but the show is first and foremost an operetta/musical. For Gilbert and Sullivan aficionados, the songs are crucial, and David Hyde Pierce does an excellent job with the most recognizable number, the tongue-twisting classic “I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General.” Mr. Hyde Pierce is best known for playing fussy snob Dr. Niles Crane on the popular TV sitcom “Frasier,” but he’s been in countless Broadway musicals and dramas and he certainly approaches the quirky Major-General with the right mix of wit and wackiness.

Mr. Hyde Pierce also takes on the dual role of William S. Gilbert while Preston Truman Boyd doubles as both Arthur Sullivan and the Sergeant of Police. Mr., Truman Boyd and Mr. Hyde Pierce both give a brief introduction at the beginning of the show as Gilbert and Sullivan, respectively.

The always brilliant Ramin Karimloo, also a Broadway veteran, is sublime as the Pirate King. He’s handsome, winsome, and agile, with a natural gift for all the physical comedy involved with the role. Of course, he has a dynamic tenor voice and is a huge crowd-pleaser when singing “I Am the Pirate King” in the first act.

Nonstop energy

Jinkx Monsoon, a two-time “RuPaul’s Drag Race” winner, broke box-office records two years ago when she made her Broadway debut in Chicago. As Ruth, Ms. Monsoon hams it up and is as camp as Christmas, but when she sings, one immediately knows why she has so many fans. She has an amazing voice, especially during her solo number, “Alone, and Yet Alive (The Mikado)” in the second act. She consistently captivates the audience with her nonstop radiant energy. When she sings with cast members, the chemistry she has with the others is incredibly palpable.

Nicholas Barasch is perfectly cast as Frederic, the overzealous youngster and pirate apprentice. With his red hair, squeaky-clean looks, and a lush tenor voice, Mr. Barasch delivers a rock-steady performance and shows amazing physical agility with all the frenzied scenes in the show. His love interest, Mabel, is portrayed by the lovely Samantha Williams. Ms. Williams has a gorgeous soprano voice and a natural rapport with Mr. Barasch.

Admirable direction

Overall, Scott Ellis does an admirable job directing everyone and keeps things light and full of vitality while managing to rein in the cast when needed despite all the hubbub onstage. Pirates! The Penzance Musical is not a definitive new interpretation of Gilbert and Sullivan’s 19^th century saga. However, it’s still a lot of fun for anyone looking for an evening of light entertainment.

Published May 4, 2025
Reviewed at press performance on April 29, 2025

‘PIRATES! THE PENZANCE MUSICAL’: Nicholas Barasch, Ramin Karimloo & Jinkx Monsoon. Photo: Joan Marcus.

‘PIRATES! THE MUSICAL’: Jinkx Monsoon & cast. Photo: Joan Marcus.

‘PIRATES! THE PENZANCE MUSICAL’: (Collage, clockwise from top, right): Samantha Williams & Nicholas Barasch; Nicolas Barasch (center right & left). Photos: Joan Marcus.

‘PIRATES! THE PENZANCE MUSICAL’: (Collage, top:) Nicholas Barasch & Ramin Karimloo & David Hyde Pierce. (Bottom, left): David Hyde Pierce as William S. Gilbert & Preston Truman Boyd as Arthur Sullivan. (Bottom, right): Preston Truman Boyd as the Sergeant of Police & cast. Photos: Joan Marcus.

‘PIRATES! THE PENZANCE MUSICAL’: Ramin Karimloo & cast. Photo: Joan Marcus.

‘PIRATES! THE PENZANCE MUSICAL’: The cast. Photo: Joan Marcus.

‘PIRATES! THE PENZANCE MUSICAL’: The cast. Photo: Joan Marcus.

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‘FUNNY GIRL’: Lea Michele & Ramin Karimloo. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

FUNNY GIRL
Book by Isobel Lennart
Revised by Harvey Fierstein
Music by Jule Styne
Lyrics by Bob Merrill
Directed by Michael Mayer
Through September 3, 2023
August Wilson Theatre
245 West 52nd Street
(877-250-2929), funnygirlonbroadway.com

By David NouNou

What a difference a leading lady makes.

From the ridiculous (absurdly miscast) Beanie Feldstein, to the sublime, Lea Michele, Funny Girl has finally received the sensational revival it has always deserved. After the electrifying overture (one of Broadway’s best), and the curtain went up on Beanie Feldstein last year, tedium set in from the onset. Last night, after the electrifying overture and the curtain went up, electricity started crossing the stage in the form of Lea Michele.

The book centers on Brooklyn-born Fanny Brice (Lea Michele) who although wasn’t pretty like a Miss Atlantic City, broke into showbusiness through sheer grit, determination and raw talent. She started in vaudeville at Keeney’s Theatre, where she meets gambler/con artist Nicky Arnstein (Ramin Karimloo), works her way up to be in the Ziegfeld Follies, gets to serenade Nick singing “People,” leaves the Follies to be with Nick, which brings us to the end of Act I and the immortal “Don’t Rain on My Parade”.

It is in Act II where the book becomes mawkish. As Fanny’s stock goes up, Nicky’s goes down. She makes the money; he gets wiped out and ultimately gets thrown in jail for three years for embezzlement. Eventually comes the parting of the ways. With Ms. Feldstein, the second act book was very weak. However, when you have an electrifying Fanny, the flaws of the book were not as noticeable. The score has always been sublime. Whether written as ballads, torch songs or comic relief, the songs that Jule Styne and Robert Merrill wrote tried to showcase Fanny as the great singer/comedian that she was. But as we all know, the songs ultimately showcased Barbra Streisand and now it showcases her most worthy successor, Lea Michele.

After seeing the woefully miscast Funny Girl revival in April 2022, honestly speaking I had no idea at what to expect with Ms. Michele. Admittedly, I saw Barbra Streisand and Sydney Chaplin do Fanny and Nick in 1964 at the Winter Garden Theatre and of course, I was blown away by Ms. Streisand and can’t recall much of Mr. Chaplin.

I can tell you this: You are not going to see another rendition so good for at least another 60 years. Ms. Michele nails the Brooklyn Jewishness that Fanny possessed. She has been given multiple wig changes that if you’ve seen pictures of the actual Fanny Brice, there is a closer resemblance here than even Ms. Streisand could capture. Her singing prowess is Herculean, there are lots of songs for her to sing, and with her big voice, she brings down the house with each one of them, from: “I’m the Greatest Star,” “People,” “Don’t Rain on My Parade” and the underappreciated “The Music That Makes Me Dance.”  Her final dramatic parting of ways with Nick, and pulling herself together to go out on stage is Fanny/Lea intertwined as one, blows the roof off the theatre.

At our April 2022 performance, Ramin Karimloo was out of the show. The second thrill of the night was seeing Mr. Karimloo. Not only does he have a sublime voice for singing; he can act  and bring nuances to his character, especially as his fortunes begin to falter, and he is sinking financially, by the end you can see the man crumble. That aside, he is gorgeous (pity the real Nicky Arnstein came nowhere close) and wait until the “Sadie, Sadie” number in Act II, and catch a glimpse of that body sculpted by Michelangelo.  Although not sung in the original show, it was written for the movie—the song “You’re a Funny Girl” was sung by Fanny—but here Mr. Karimloo, with his big voice, does a lovely, haunting rendition of it. It was criminal that the Tony committee neglected to nominate him last year in the best musical actor category.

At our performance, Tovah Feldshuh was out that night as Mama Brice and Broadway veteran Liz McCartney ably filled in. Thankfully, Tony nominee Jared Grimes as Eddie Ryan, Fanny’s choreographer and confidant, is still in the show, slaying the audience with his great tap number in Act I.

The pairing of Lea Michele and Ramin Karimloo is casting heaven. When it came to the start of Fanny and Nick’s relationship and their love scenes together, what was once absurd and laughable in 2022 is now nothing short of watching spontaneous sizzling combustion on stage. Their chemistry together is palpable and the audience is weak-kneed.

In this version, you can actually enjoy Michael Mayer’s direction, and he brings this show to life with Ayodele Casel’s tap choreography and Ellenore Scott’s choreography. Both are noticeable now and they are dazzlers. They all have a purpose now.

What a shame Funny Girl with Lea Michele, and Ramin Karimloo, won’t qualify for this year’s Tonys, as they would surely have won in every category. Don’t wait another 60 years. See Funny Girl now—and you’ll still be talking about it in 60 years.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published March 1, 2023
Reviewed at February 28, 2023 performance.

‘FUNNY GIRL’: Lea Michele. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘FUNNY GIRL’: Tovah Feldshuh & Jared Grimes. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘FUNNY GIRL’: Lea Michele. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘FUNNY GIRL’: Lea Michele. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘FUNNY GIRL’: Ramin Karimloo & cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

The post ‘Funny Girl’: Lea Michele is the greatest star appeared first on StageZine.

‘FUNNY GIRL’: Beanie Feldstein & Ramin Karimloo. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

FUNNY GIRL
Book by Isobel Lennart
Revised by Harvey Fierstein
Music by Jule Styne
Lyrics by Bob Merrill
Directed by Michael Mayer
August Wilson Theatre
245 West 52nd Street
(877-250-2929), www.funnygirlonbroadway.com

By David NouNou

There is a reason why Funny Girl hasn’t been revived since its opening in 1964 and her name is Barbra Streisand. Everything about the show was tailor made for Ms. Streisand’s talents, phenomenal voice range and the ability to electrify an audience. By the time she finished her first number in Act I, “I’m the Greatest Star,”  she knew it, we believed it, and it became her anthem.

Funny Girl, along with Hello, Dolly! and later that year, Fiddler on the Roof, were among the last of the big, splashy musicals that were book-heavy. Of the three, Funny Girl has the weakest book and Harvey Fierstein hasn’t improved it any. The book centers on Brooklyn-born Fanny Brice who, although wasn’t pretty like a Miss Atlantic City, broke into show business through sheer grit, determination and raw talent. She started in vaudeville at Keeney’s Theatre, where she meets gambler/con artist Nicky Arnstein, works her way up to be in the Ziegfeld Follies, gets to serenade Nick singing “People,” and leaves the Follies to be with Nick, bringing us to the end of Act I and the immortal “Don’t Rain On My Parade.”

It is in Act II where the book becomes mawkish and lugubrious. As Fanny’s stock goes up, Nicky’s goes down. She makes the money; he gets wiped out and ultimately gets thrown in jail for three years for embezzlement. Eventually comes the parting of the ways. The book is weak, but the score is sublime. Whether written as ballads, torch songs or comic relief, the songs that Jule Styne and Robert Merrill wrote tried to showcase Fanny as the great singer/comedian that she was. But as we all know, the songs ultimately showcased Barbra Streisand.

Now, how can anyone fill such a tall order? Simply put, you can’t. Beanie Feldstein as Fanny gives it a valiant effort but she comes up short for so many reasons. Starting with she lacks the Brooklyn moxie, that energy that comes from struggling from the bottom to reach the top. Her performance doesn’t vary; there is no progression from young Fanny to the adult Fanny. Ms. Feldstein is sweet, energetic, and has a pretty voice but very little range. She doesn’t so much as attack the song as much as the song gets altered to fit her vocal range. Also, she is inconsistent. An example of that is when Nick invites her to dinner when they do the duet “You Are Woman, I Am Man,” there is no romance or sultriness to it; just plain mugging and chewing the scenery, and there is plenty of that. Because Ms. Feldstein has such a cherubic face, it is difficult to see her angry and her fierce bitterness accelerate, so instead you get the kind of performance a high school or college ingenue gives when playing adult roles. Another example of coming up short is the iconic line in the beginning of the show which was slightly altered in the movie: “Hello, Gorgeous.” Ms. Streisand said it like a woman and felt it. Ms. Feldstein uses it as a young ingenue throwaway line, instantly recognizable thanks to Ms. Streisand’s immortalization.

At our performance, Ramin Karimloo was out of the show and Nicky Arnstein was admirably played by Jeremiah James with his devilishly good looks.  If only the real Nick Arnstein had half his looks, it would make sense why Fanny was so crazy for him. Although not a song in the original show, but was written for the movie, the song “You’re a Funny Girl” was sung by Fanny. In this version, Mr. James with his big voice does a lovely, haunting rendition of it.

It’s a great pleasure to see Sophie Lennon from the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, playing Jane Lynch doing Mrs. Brice as an Irish lady, peppering her dialogue with Jewish idioms. Jared Grimes as Eddie Ryan, Fanny’s choreographer and confidant, has a great tap dance number in Act I.

For me, it is a great pleasure to see such revivals as the magnificently executed and lavish The Music Man and Funny Girl with its brilliant score coming back to life again and finding new audiences.

Hearing a full orchestra playing the entire original score (including songs omitted from the 1968 film adaptation), and the stupendous overture with all those fine crafted tunes strung together, brought tears to my eyes. What a pity they don’t have overtures anymore.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published April 29, 2022
Reviewed at April 28, 2022 press performance.

‘FUNNY GIRL’: (left to right): Kurt Csolak, Beanie Feldstein & Justin Prescott. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘FUNNY GIRL’: (left to right): Peter Francis James, Jane Lynch, Jared Grimes, Beanie Feldstein, Ephie Aardema , Debra Cardona, Martin Moran, Toni DiBuono & cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘FUNNY GIRL’: Beanie Feldstein & cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘FUNNY GIRL’: Beanie Feldstein, Jared Grimes & cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘FUNNY GIRL’: (left to right) Debra Cardona, Toni DiBuono, Jane Lynch & Jared Grimes. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘FUNNY GIRL’: Ramin Karimloo & cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘FUNNY GIRL’: Jared Grimes & Jane Lynch. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘FUNNY GIRL’: Jared Grimes & Beanie Feldstein. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘FUNNY GIRL’: Beanie Feldstein. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘FUNNY GIRL’: Beanie Feldstein & cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

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‘ANASTASIA’: (left to right) Christy Altomare & Derek Klena. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

ANASTASIA
Book by Terrence McNally
Music by Stephen Flaherty
Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens
Inspired by the Twentieth Century Fox Pictures
Directed by Darko Tresnjak
Broadhurst Theatre
235 West 44th Street
(212-239-62000, www.AnastasiaBroadway.com

By David NouNou

Anastasia is a musical that can’t make up its mind whether to cater to adults or to children. It was inspired by the two 20th Century Fox movies: the 1997 animated version with talking animals and the excellent 1956 adult version with an Oscar-winning performance by Ingrid Bergman. Luckily there are no talking animals here, but this version is a highly diluted fairy tale version of the once captivating and thought-provoking notion that Anastasia Romanov was spared by the firing squad and actually survived and reunited with her grandmother, the Dowager Empress. Two standout performances, high-tech sets and projections, plus gorgeous costumes make this Anastasia momentous, if nothing else.

Anastasia starts in 1907 before the Russian Revolution in St. Petersburg at the palace of Czar Nicholas II, with a young Anastasia (Nicole Scimeca) and her grandmother (the enchanting Mary Beth Peil) singing a memorable duet “Once Upon a December.” This idyllic picture soon dissolves with the massacre of the czar and his family and the new Communist regime of Russia and poverty. Leningrad and the Communists take over the grandeur that once was St. Petersburg.

It is now 1917, Anastasia has lost her memory and is sweepings the streets of Leningrad. Two survivors of the revolution: Dmitry (Derek Klena) and Vlad (John Bolton) upon hearing rumors that Anastasia may have survived the massacre,  hatch up the scheme to find the right girl, train her, take her to Paris and pass her off as Anastasia and reunite her with her grandmother and claim the reward. In the mix is Gleb, (the wonderful Ramin Karimloo). Mr. Karimloo was Jean Val Jean in Les Miz. Here he is now playing the Javert role, the Russian officer who dogs Anastasia (Christy Altomare) to eliminate any remaining Romanov.

Well, you know the rest. With lots of training, Anastasia’s memory gets jogged, she goes to Paris, meets grandmother, and along the way falls in love with the revolutionary who discovered her. All this is good and well if it wasn’t for the rambling book by Terrence McNally and the bland score by Flaherty and Ahrens, which makes the show seem interminable. Too many unremarkable songs stretch the evening as fillers and minimalize the depth of the narrative. This is where director Darko Tresnjak should have stepped in and tightened the proceedings.

Unfortunately, the show isn’t helped any by having two extremely bland performers as the protagonists. Neither Christy Altomare nor Derek Klena have the depth or charisma to carry off the leads. They both don’t seem to realize that they are portraying Russians, instead of voiceovers for an animated film. John Bolton and Caroline O’Connor (as lady-in-waiting to the empress) perform the obligatory older folks for the light comic touch, with both having too many songs and slowing up the action.

The two gems are Mary Beth Peil, who is so regal and divine as the Empress. Young performers, take notice and learn from Ms. Peil on how she commands the stage. Finally she has been given a role that utilizes her talents. The second is Ramin Karimloo, in the role of Gleb, with a voice and presence that shakes the rafters. Oh, how wonderful it would have been if he had played Dmitry. Anyone would give up everything to be able to run away with him.

Lastly one could call the show a spectacle, thanks in large part to the dazzling costumes by Linda Cho, expert lighting by Donald Holder, but especially to Aaron Rhyne for his innovative projection design. It is absolutely astounding how seamlessly the scenes change from palace to the streets, from Russia to Paris. All three evoke the mood of a fairy tale.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published April 27, 2017
Reviewed at press performance on April 26, 2017

‘ANASTASIA’: Christy Altomare & Derek Klena. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘ANASTASIA’: Ramin Karimloo & Christy Altomare. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘ANASTASIA’: John Bolton & Caroline O’Connor. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘ANASTASIA’: (seated, left to right) John Bolton, Christy Altomare & Derek Klena. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘ANASTASIA’: Derek Klena & Christy Altomare. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘ANASTASIA’: Nicole Scimeca & Mary Beth Peil. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘ANASTASIA’: Christy Altomare. Photo: Matthew Murphy

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