Good Night, Oscar

B

As a fan of both Oscar Levant and Sean Hayes (Promises, Promises; “Will & Grace”), I was excited by the opportunity to see the latter portray the former on a Broadway stage. Hayes has been developing the project for almost a decade and, after a false start with another playwright, chose Doug Wright (I Am My Own Wife, Grey Gardens) to do the script. The result is a cleverly crafted showcase for dramatic and pianistic talents that Hayes has not had a previous opportunity to display. The emotionally unstable Levant was a frequent guest on Jack Paar’s show because Paar (Ben Rappaport, Fiddler on the Roof) thought his unpredictability was good for ratings. He did appear on Paar’s LA debut show, but not, as the play posits, after being sprung under false pretenses for a four-hour pass from a mental institution by his wife June (Emily Bergl, The Ferryman). Until the telecast begins, we must get through lots and lots of exposition supplied by Paar, June, NBC head Bob Sarnoff (Peter Grosz, A Kid Like Jake), a star-struck aide Max (Alex Wyse, Waitress) who just happens to be Sarnoff’s nephew and Alvin (Marchant Davis, Ain’t No Mo’), the orderly who is tasked to keep an eye on Levant during his brief leave. We also get two rather awkward appearances by George Gershwin (a dapper John Zdrojeski, Heroes of the Fourth Turning) who, although dead for 20 years, appears to Levant during his hallucinations. At the end of his live on-screen conversation with Paar, Levant is wheedled into playing an excerpt from Rhapsody in Blue, which Hayes performs superbly while also remaining in character. Designer Rachel Hauck’s (Hadestown) set is an apt homage to mid-century modern and Emilio Sosa’s (Sweeney Todd) costume for June is a delight. Director Lisa Peterson (Light Shining in Buckinghamshire) gets us through the long exposition before the fun begins as expeditiously as possible. While the other actors served their roles well, most of the success or failure of the play rests on whether Hayes can create a plausible version of Levant. Although I thought he initially overdid the tics and restlessness, I found him increasingly convincing as the play progressed. Although he bears absolutely no physical resemblance to Levant, he actually started to look more and more like him. I’m not sure how much those who did not know Levant as actor, conductor, raconteur or pianist will appreciate the show, but Hayes’ performance is well worth seeing. Running time: one hour 40 minutes; no intermission.

Waitress

C+

It took me 2 1/2 years, but I finally got around to seeing this slick musical adaptation of Adrienne Shelly’s 2007 film, with music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles and a book by Jessie Nelson. With one exception, the entire cast has changed since the show opened. My reason for seeing it now was to catch the Broadway debut of the delightful Nicolette Robinson (Invisible Thread, Brooklynite) as Jenna. The roles of Jenna’s sidekicks have been recast well with NaTasha Yvette Williams (Chicago) as the brash Becky and Lenne Klingman as the shy Dawn. Benny Elledge is their boss Cal, Ben Thompson (Matilda) is Jenna’s abusive husband Earl and Al Roker (yes, that one) is the owner of Joe’s Pie Diner. Alex Wyse (Spring Awakening) is a scene stealer as Ogie, Dawn’s persistent suitor. Drew Gehling (Jersey Boys), the sole holdover from the original cast, is both goofy and ardent as Dr. Pomatter. The book offers no surprises other than its casual acceptance of adultery. The running pie-baking motif becomes tiresome quickly. The music is pleasant, but it is often difficult to make out the lyrics because the voices are harshly overamplified. The musicians, although only six in number, sound so loud that they occasionally threaten to drown out the singers. With today’s advanced technologies, these problems should not be hard to solve. The scenic design by Scott Pask (The Book of Mormon) is both attractive and flexible and the costumes by Suttirat Anne Larlarb (Of Mice and Men) are appropriate. Diane Paulus’s (Pippin) direction is relatively restrained. The show is only moderately entertaining, but apparently that’s enough to have kept it running this long. Running time: two hours 35 minutes, including intermission.

Ride the Cyclone *** B

I wish I had not read the rapturous Chicago reviews of this offbeat musical by Brooke Maxwell and Jacob Richmond now playing in an MCC production at the Lucille Lortel Theater. My expectations were so high that I ended up being slightly disappointed. The plot is unusual in that the characters are all dead when the show begins. Six teenagers from the chamber choir of St. Cassian School in Uranium City, Saskatchewan have just been killed in a freak roller coaster accident. They find themselves in a macabre purgatory presided over by The Amazing Karnak (Karl Hamilton), a mechanical fortune teller who has the power to grant one of them a return to life. Ocean O’Connell Rosenberg (Tiffany Tatreau), born to hippie parents, is an obnoxious overachiever. Constance Blackwood (Lillian Castillo), the chubby nice girl, is Ocean’s best friend. Noel Gruber (Kholby Wardell), the only gay boy in town, idolizes Marlene Dietrich. Ricky Potts (Alex Wyse), a nerd with a physical disability, dreams of being an intergalactic superhero. Mischa Bachinski (Gus Halper) puts on a tough act but is a romantic at heart, longing for his fiancee back in the Ukraine. Finally, there is the mysterious Jane Doe (the vocally blessed Emily Rohm), who was decapitated in the accident, whom her fellow students do not recognize and whose body remained unclaimed. Each teenager sings a song to make the case for being the one chosen to return to life. The eclectic score has a wide variety of styles from pop rock to hip hop to faux Ukrainian folk song. The performers are all appealing. The scenic design by Scott Davis is wonderful, as are the costumes by Theresa Ham and the projections by Mike Tutaj. The choreography by Rachel Rockwell, who also directed, is lively. Why then was I slightly disappointed? In trying to tell us enough to care about each character, the show occasionally loses momentum. The interaction between the students and Karnak drops out for an extended stretch. The ending somehow did not have the impact I anticipated. Nevertheless, there is much to admire, particularly for a younger audience. If you liked “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” which I was reminded of, you will probably enjoy this show. Running time: one hour 40 minutes; no intermission.