Scotland, PA

C

Although Billy Morrisette’s 2001 film of the same name received mostly negative reviews, it nevertheless became a minor cult classic. It was a parody of Shakespeare’s Scottish play that reset the locale to a greasy spoon diner in a sleepy Pennsylvania town. Now Roundabout Theatre is presenting a musical version with a book by Michael Mitnick (Sex Lives of Our Parents) and music and lyrics by Adam Gwon (Ordinary Days). The results are mixed. Mac (Ryan McCartan; Heathers) and Pat (Taylor Iman Jones; Groundhog Day), a couple working at the diner, feel unappreciated by owner Duncan (Jeb Brown; Beautiful) and decide to go after what they feel they deserve. Their dream turns out to be very much like a certain chain with golden arches. Mac is goaded on by three stoners, led by the delightful Alysha Umphress (On the Town), who replace the traditional three witches. The couple’s dimwitted friend Banko, played by Jay Armstrong Johnson (On the Town), is a hoot. Will Meyers plays Duncan’s unhappy son Malcolm who has a surprising secret. When the bodies start to pile up, detective Peg McDuff (Megan Lawrence; Holiday Inn) investigates. The music and lyrics are serviceable with only a song or two that stands out. The book gets most things right but muddles the stoners’ prophecies. Anna Louizos’s (School of Rock) set is clever and Tracy Christensen’s (Sunset Boulevard) costumes are spot on.  Lonny Price (Sunset Boulevard) directs with assurance. There is nothing specifically wrong with the show; it just is instantly forgettable. The two leads are adequate but are upstaged by Umphress and Johnson. If you want an evening that isn’t too taxing and are a musical fan, you might enjoy this show. Running time: two hours 15 minutes including intermission.

Sunset Boulevard

B

To say that this revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 1993 musical, now in a limited run at the Palace Theatre, was greeted with wild enthusiasm would be a gross understatement. From the moment that Glenn Close first appeared, it was clear that the evening would be a love fest between her and her fans. Not that she doesn’t deserve the acclaim. Although her voice sounded a bit pinched at times, her Norma Desmond is one for the ages. She is joined by a fine supporting cast — Michael Xavier as Joe Gillis, Fred Johanson as Max von Mayerling and Siobhan Dillon as Betty Schaeffer. The production, an import from the English National Opera, makes an interesting trade-off: instead of lavish sets, we get a 40-piece orchestra onstage. Unfortunately, the larger orchestra does not improve the quality of the music. The reduced emphasis on set design somehow makes the story stand out more. The production is more than semi-staged, but the bare-bones set by James Noone is only one step above a typical Encores production. The book by Don Black and Christopher Hampton is respectful to the screenplay of the Billy Wilder film and includes some of its best lines. Tracy Christensen’s evocative costumes are a major asset. Lonny Price directs with a sure hand. If you love the film and are a fan of Glenn Close, you will have a good time. If you do not appreciate Andrew Lloyd Webber’s music, you might not. Running time: 2 1/2 hours, including intermission.

Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill ****

One could argue whether Lanie Robertson's 1986 work is a bioplay with music or a concert with monologues. Whichever it is, let's just be grateful that it has been revived as a vehicle for the multi-Tonied Audra McDonald in a limited-run production at Circle in the Square. Adding another superb performance to her long list, McDonald both vocally and dramatically inhabits the role of troubled jazz singer Billie Holiday near the end of her tragically short life.  McDonald's ability to disappear into Lady Day's persona is uncanny. In between songs, she relates many -- perhaps too many -- stories of her difficult life and career. Also onstage are a talented jazz trio (Sheldon Becton, piano; Clayton Craddock, drums; George Farmer, bass). Becton plays her music director and babysitter Jimmy Powers. Her pet chihuahua Pepi (Roxie) makes a memorable appearance too. James Noone's set designs fills most of the playing space with nightclub tables with a bandstand at one end and a bar at the other. Holiday's costume by Esosa is perfection. Lonny Price's direction is effective. The half-hearted use of projections is not. Ultimately, who cares as long as we have 90 glorious minutes of Lady Day as channeled by McDonald.