New World Stages has found a valuable niche as a venue for musicals that once had long Broadway runs such as Avenue Q and Jersey Boys as well as off-Broadway shows that deserve further exposure but aren’t really suitable for Broadway. This delightful, slightly bawdy show, in the latter category, had to end its successful run at York Theatre Company, but happily is enjoying an encore run on 50th Street with almost all of its creative team intact. Based very loosely on Shakespeare’s “Measure for Measure,” the action has been moved to the Arizona territory in the late 1800’s. Johnny Blood (Conor Ryan; Invisible Thread, The Fortress of Soitude) is a not-too-bright cowpoke who has been sentenced to hang for a barroom shooting defending his saloon bar girlfriend Bella (Lauren Molina; Rock of Ages). The upright sheriff Martin Green (Peter Saide) looks up Johnny’s sister Susanna (Sarah Parnicky, new to the cast), who is about to become Sister Mary Jo, and persuades her to seek a pardon for Johnny from Governor von Richterhenkenpflichtgetruber (Nick Wyman; Catch Me If You Can). We also meet Johnny’s cellmate, Father Morse (Gary Marachek), a drunken priest with a fondness for Nietzsche. The governor agrees to the young nun-to-be’s plea to free Johnny on the condition that she spend the night with him. The silly plot goes on about its merry way and, of course, ends happily. The entire cast are excellent, but I would especially single out Lauren Molina and Conor Ryan. The music by David Friedman (Nellie Bly) is consistently hummable and occasionally more than that. The book and lyrics by Peter Kellogg (Anna Karenina) are very clever. His rhyming couplets are not up there with David Ives’ but are still quite amusing. Director/choreographer Bill Castellino (Cagney) is quite comfortable with the material and works in several bits of hilarious physical humor. James Morgan’s (Cagney) rustic wooden set and Nicole Wee’s (Closer than Ever) period costumes add to the fun. If you are looking for old-fashioned light summer entertainment, this will fill the bill nicely. Running time: two hours 25 minutes including intermission.
Showing posts with label Lauren Molina. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lauren Molina. Show all posts
Saturday, June 9, 2018
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Nobody Loves You **
(Please click on the title to see the complete review.)
As I have found much to admire in Itamar Moses's past work (Bach at Leipzig, The Four of Us, Completeness), I was looking forward to the current show now in previews at Second Stage. This musical send-up of the "reality" television show for which the play is named has a book by Moses, music by Gaby Alter and lyrics by both. The production is blessed with a talented, energetic cast that is impossible not to like. Unfortunately, the performances are better than the material. The satire is bland and the music is instantly forgettable. The book has occasional flashes of wit, but they are too few. Heath Calvert is marvelous as the reality show's vapid MC. Leslie Kritzer and Rory O'Malley are triple threats with three distinctive roles each. O'Malley is especially hilarious as a flamboyantly gay fan, a Lothario and a nerd. Bryan Fenkart and Aleque Reid are respectable as the lead couple. Roe Hartrampf, Autumn Hurlbert and Lauren Molina all shine as the other contestants. I only wish that they had more to work with. Mark Wendland's set is simple but effective. Jessica Pabst's costumes are terrific. Michelle Tattenbaum's direction keeps things moving briskly. Running time: 95 minutes, no intermission.
As I have found much to admire in Itamar Moses's past work (Bach at Leipzig, The Four of Us, Completeness), I was looking forward to the current show now in previews at Second Stage. This musical send-up of the "reality" television show for which the play is named has a book by Moses, music by Gaby Alter and lyrics by both. The production is blessed with a talented, energetic cast that is impossible not to like. Unfortunately, the performances are better than the material. The satire is bland and the music is instantly forgettable. The book has occasional flashes of wit, but they are too few. Heath Calvert is marvelous as the reality show's vapid MC. Leslie Kritzer and Rory O'Malley are triple threats with three distinctive roles each. O'Malley is especially hilarious as a flamboyantly gay fan, a Lothario and a nerd. Bryan Fenkart and Aleque Reid are respectable as the lead couple. Roe Hartrampf, Autumn Hurlbert and Lauren Molina all shine as the other contestants. I only wish that they had more to work with. Mark Wendland's set is simple but effective. Jessica Pabst's costumes are terrific. Michelle Tattenbaum's direction keeps things moving briskly. Running time: 95 minutes, no intermission.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Marry Me a Little **
(Please click on the title to see the complete review.)
If you are an avid Sondheim fan (and I am not), you will no doubt enjoy the Keen Company's revival of this two-person show conceived and developed by Craig Lucas and Norman René. Two neighbors in a Brooklyn apartment building (Jason Tam and Lauren Molina), alone on a Saturday night, sing 19 songs, almost all numbers cut from Sondheim musicals. They also dance a little and Molina plays the cello a bit. That's basically it for 63 minutes. There were a handful of songs I liked, but for me most of them made the case for why they were cut in the first place. Both performers are personable, but not that strong vocally. From the third row, I had trouble hearing some of the lyrics. John Bell is the fine pianist. Dan Knechtges choreographed. Jonathan Silverstein directed.
If you are an avid Sondheim fan (and I am not), you will no doubt enjoy the Keen Company's revival of this two-person show conceived and developed by Craig Lucas and Norman René. Two neighbors in a Brooklyn apartment building (Jason Tam and Lauren Molina), alone on a Saturday night, sing 19 songs, almost all numbers cut from Sondheim musicals. They also dance a little and Molina plays the cello a bit. That's basically it for 63 minutes. There were a handful of songs I liked, but for me most of them made the case for why they were cut in the first place. Both performers are personable, but not that strong vocally. From the third row, I had trouble hearing some of the lyrics. John Bell is the fine pianist. Dan Knechtges choreographed. Jonathan Silverstein directed.
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