The Terms of My Surrender

B+

I will admit that I was skeptical when I heard that Michael Moore was coming to Broadway. Although I admire his films and agree with many of his social and political positions, I did not relish the thought of sitting through an evening-long polemic. Furthermore, anyone willing to pay Broadway prices [check Show-Score or Theatermania for discounts] to see him would no doubt already be a fan so I did not see the value of preaching to the choir. I am pleased to report that most of my reservations were unwarranted. Who knew that indignation could be so entertaining? Moore, with a substantial contribution by director Michael Mayer (Spring Awakening; Love, Love, Love), has cleverly assembled a varied evening that constantly shifts gears before it can become monotonous. There are reminiscences, send-ups, analyses, explications, an interview with a fellow activist and even a quiz show with audience participation. Yes, there are a few rants, but overall, Moore is considerably more subdued than I anticipated. I laughed a lot more than I expected to. This is not a bare-bones production. The set by David Rockwell (She Loves Me, On the Twentieth Century) has elements that pop up or slide in as needed. The huge American flag that forms the backdrop continually transforms with the aid of sophisticated projections by Andrew Lazarow (Privacy). The costumes by Jeff Mahshie (She Loves Me, Next to Normal) are clever. Although basically a one-man show, there are other people involved. The biggest surprise is a boffo finale that is as hilarious as it is unexpected. As to my qualms about the dubious value of preaching to the choir, perhaps there is therapeutic value to being surrounded by like-minded people and getting a well-crafted pep talk. Running time: one hour 50 minutes; no intermission.

Brooklynite **

This new musical about superheroes in Brooklyn, now in previews at the Vineyard Theatre, has lots of talent behind it. Composer/lyricist/ book co-author Peter Lerman has won both a Jonathan Larson Award and a Stephen Sondheim Young Artist Citation. Director and book co-author Michael Mayer brought us “Spring Awakening.” Choreographer Steven Hoggett’s many successes include “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” and “Once.” The story is based on characters created by Michael Chabon and Ayelet Waldman. The cast includes Nick Cordero, so impressive in “Bullets over Broadway,” and the always entertaining Ann Harada. The production is lavish by Vineyard standards. Donyale Werle’s modular set creates several diverse locales, Andrea Lauer’s superhero costumes are wonderful, as are Andrew Lazarow’s projections. With all this talent, why did I find the show curiously flat and uninvolving? I think the main problems are the book and the music. The story of six superheroes created when an asteroid hit Gowanus and the nebbishy hardware store clerk who would like to join their ranks works better for a comic book than an off-Broadway musical. Except for a couple of songs, the music seemed merely serviceable. The cast, led by Matt Doyle and Nicolette Robinson, do their best to animate cardboard characters. The other recent musical about Brooklyn, “Fortress of Solitude,” was superior in every way. With its story of Brooklyn superheroes and in-jokes about that borough, this show might have been more suitable for some Williamsburg venue than for the Vineyard. I think a younger audience would appreciate it more. Running time: 2 hours, 10 minutes including intermission.