Prince of Broadway

B+

While there are many things I could find fault with about this revue of musical highlights from Hal Prince’s long career, the important thing is that I enjoyed it a lot. When I get the chance to hear over 30 songs, mostly from shows I greatly enjoyed, performed by talented actors backed by a 16-piece orchestra, I am not about to grumble over what could have been better. Some have criticized the very concept of the show, pointing out that it is in no way an artistic biography of Prince. I’ll grant that the total information contained in the narration by the actors who take turns impersonating Prince amounts to less than in his one-page program note in Playbill. Nor does the show make clear what Prince’s unique contribution was to the material selected. Some have groused that stripping songs of their context diminishes them. That might be a problem for people unfamiliar with the shows they were plucked from, but clearly it was no problem for an audience of Manhattan Theatre Club subscribers. There are shows I wish they had included more of and others I wish they had used less of. One could question why they chose to include numbers from shows that have been so recently revived (Fiddler on the Roof and She Loves Me) and two that are currently running (Phantom of the Opera and Sweeney Todd). On the other hand, omitting them would have deprived us of the pleasure of Chuck Cooper’s Tevye and Karen Ziemba’s Mrs. Lovett. Despite all the nits one can pick, the bottom line is that I found the show thoroughly entertaining. The cast of nine is wonderful. In addition to the six whose work I have enjoyed in the past (Chuck Cooper, Emily Skinner, Brandon Uranowitz, Michael Xavier, Tony Yazbeck and Karen Ziemba), there are three talented newcomers (Janet Dacal, Bryonha Marie Parham and Kaley Ann Voorhees). The modular set by Beowulf Boritt ranges from the minimalist (a couch) for A Little Night Music to an elaborate pop-art backdrop for It’s a Bird… It’s a Plane… It’s Superman. William Ivey Long’s attractive costumes supply a lot of the context. Choreographer Susan Stroman, who also co-directed, created a vigorous tap number for Yazbeck’s Buddy in Follies. Jason Robert Brown not only wrote the clever overture which contains fragments of 17 songs but provided the excellent musical arrangements and the closing number. David Thompson is credited with the book, such as it is. Prince himself gets the director credit. If you are a fan of musicals, by all means go. There’s something here for everyone. Running time: 2 1/2 hours including intermission.

Honeymoon in Vegas ****

This hilarious show which was a hit at Paper Mill Playhouse last year puts the comedy back in Broadway musical comedy. No conjoined twins, economic malaise, alternative realities or political strife here — just wacky comedy without any pretension of deeper meaning. Jason Robert Brown’s catchy music, wonderfully orchestrated, recalls the brassy big band era, but his clever lyrics are full of up-to-the-minute references. Andrew Bergman’s book captures the best of his 1992 film. The fine cast is led by the talented Rob McClure as the marriage-averse nebbishy Jack, Brynn O’Malley as his long-suffering fiancee Betsy and Tony Danza as the shady gambler Tommy who takes a shine to Betsy because she is a look-alike of his late wife. Nancy Opel is hilarious as the ghost of Jack’s mother, who forced him into a deathbed promise never to marry. Tommy schemes to lure Jack into losing a fortune at poker and then proposes to forgive the debt if he can spend a weekend in Hawaii with Betsy. The escalating silliness includes a harpist who plays the instrument with her breasts and a troupe of skydiving Elvis impersonators. Anita Louizos’s scenic design is complex and attractive. The set constantly reconfigures to create locations in New York, Las Vegas and Hawaii with the assistance of evocative projections. The costumes by Brian C. Hemesath are delightful. The choreography by Denis Jones is lively. Gary Griffin’s direction keeps everything moving smoothly. If you are looking for a show with substance, don’t look here. If you just want an entertaining evening, you’ve come to the right place. Now in previews at the Nederlander Theatre. Running time: 2 hours, 30 minutes including intermission.

The Bridges of Madison County ***

If you found the novel by Robert James Walker or the movie with Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep too treacly, you were probably planning to take a pass on the musical version, now in previews, with music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown and a book by Marsha Norman. That would be a shame, because you would miss seeing two of our finest musical theater talents, Kelli O'Hara as Francesca and Stephen Pasquale as Robert, both in top form; their chemistry together is absolutely sizzling (which you might not have expected after their previous outing, "Far from Heaven"). Add a beautiful score by Brown, an excellent set by Michael Yeargan, attractively appropriate costumes by Catherine Zuber, evocative lighting by Donald Holder and sensitive direction by Bartlett Sher, and you end up with a lot to admire. Norman's book has its ups and downs. She has opened the story up with more time given to Francesca's family and neighbors and Robert's former wife. The addition of the neighbor couple, Marge and Charlie, works out fine because they are played by two fine actors, Cass Morgan and Michael X. Martin. I would have preferred omitting Francesca's sister and Robert's ex, especially since the show could use some trimming. For me, its flaws were far outweighed by its strengths. I would overlook a lot to catch O'Hara and Pasquale together onstage. Running time: 2 hours 40 minutes, including intermission.

The Last Five Years ***

(Please click on the title to see the complete review.)
Second Stage Theatre has revived Jason Robert Brown's popular theater piece in a production with two excellent singing actors, Adam Kantor and Betsy Wolfe, directed by the composer. I say "theater piece" rather than "musical" because the work is basically a song cycle with aspirations. The gimmick is to have the two characters alternate songs, with Jamie telling the story of their relationship from beginning to end while Kathy tells it in reverse from breakup to first meeting. They share a song only once when their chronologies meet and again, very briefly, at the end. When I saw the original production, I wasn't sure whether the gimmick enhanced or detracted from the work and I'm still not sure. What I am certain of is that the score is very good. Brown's music and lyrics and the way he integrates the vocal and instrumental lines are admirable. Kantor and Wolfe have big shoes to fill (Norbert Lee Butz and Sherie Renee Scott in the original), but succeed completely. The six fine musicians, who are arranged on individual platforms on the back wall, perform beautifully. Derek McLane's set is appropriately simple as are Emily Rebholz's costumes. Jeff Sugg's projections are used sparingly, but effectively. I still don't fully embrace the show's underlying concept, but I enjoyed the evening. The audience was notably younger and more enthusiastic than usual. Running time: 85 minutes, no intermission.