Flying Over Sunset

C

When I first read that James Lapine (Falsettos, Into the Woods, Sunday in the Park with George) had written the book for a Broadway musical about an LSD trip shared by Aldous Huxley (Harry Hadden-Payton; My Fair Lady), Clare Booth Luce (Carmen Cusack; Bright Star, Carrie) and Cary Grant (Tony Yazbeck; On the Town, Prince of Broadway), I thought it was a joke. When I learned that it was really true, I didn’t know whether to admire the producers for their bravery or pity them for their foolishness. I was encouraged that Lapine engaged Tom Kitt (Next to Normal, If/Then) to write the music and Michael Korie (Grey Gardens, War Paint) to write the lyrics. Regular readers of this blog know that, as a rule, I don’t think people should direct their own material because they are too close to it to be objective. Therefore, an alarm went off when I read that Lapine would also direct. It was with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension that I arrived at the theater today. I really hoped that something so far outside the box might succeed. Alas, it does not. Although there is much to admire —some fine performances, some glorious singing, a few satisfying scenes, clever choreography that incorporates tap, and spectacular sets and projections, its elements do not cohere and it ultimately adds up to very little. Nothing we learn about the three celebrities is that interesting. The back story of their LSD guide Gerald Heard (Robert Sella; Sylvia, Verité) is virtually ignored. The music and lyrics were disappointing. When it finally ended after 2 3/4 hours, I had to wonder what was the point. The four leads strive mightily to create full-blown characters. The other six cast members (Kanisha Marie Feliciano, Nepal Joshi, Emily Pynenburg, Michele Ragusa, Laura Shop and Atticus Ware) are all strong. At only 13, Ware has the presence of a Broadway veteran; his tap dance number with Yazbeck is one of the show’s highlights. Unfortunately, it is also one of the numbers that, while entertaining by themselves, do not advance the book or develop the characters. If I had to pick the people who come off best, it would be Beowulf Boritt (Act One, Sunday in the Park with George) for his amazing sets, 59 Productions (Oslo, An American in Paris) for their beautiful projections, and Michelle Dorrance, in her Broadway debut, for her innovative percussive choreography. I am not sorry that I saw it and salute Lincoln Center Theater for taking a chance on something so unconventional. However, my prevailing reaction is disappointment.

Superhero

B-

This new musical at Second Stage comes with an impressive pedigree — music and lyrics by Pulitzer winner Tom Kitt (Next to Normal) and book by Tony winner John Logan (Red). Two years ago, Charlotte’s husband and Simon’s father was killed in an accident witnessed by Simon. Both mother and son have had trouble dealing with their grief. Simon (Kyle McArthur) refuses to talk about his father and spends most of his time drawing comic books about superheroes. Charlotte (Kate Baldwin; Hello, Dolly!, Big Fish, Giant) can’t break through Simon’s defensive posture or finish a book she has been trying to write. Simon gets it into his head that Jim (Bryce Pinkham; A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, The Heidi Chronicles) the reclusive man who lives in Apartment 4-B, is really a superhero in disguise. That’s all I will say so I won’t spoil the story. The downbeat book is intelligent and the songs are well-integrated into it. The first act is quite polished, the second act less so. Nevertheless, the show is still emotionally satisfying. The performances by the three principals are very strong. The  four secondary characters are all underdeveloped. The attractive scenic design by Beowulf Boritt (The Scottsboro Boys, Hand to God) has a series of frames gradually receding to a Manhattan skyline. Tal Yarden’s (Network) projections add an important element. Sarah Laux’s (The Band’s Visit) costumes are unobtrusive. Jason Moore’s (The Cher Show, Avenue Q) direction is a bit sluggish on occasion. At times, I was reminded of another recent musical about a troubled teenager and his depressed mother. If you liked Dear Evan Hansen, you might like this too. Just don't go expecting another Next to Normal. Running time: two hours ten minutes including intermission.

Head over Heels

B

The idea hardly sounds promising: take a 16th-century English pastoral, “The Arcadia” by Sir Philip Sidney, revise it and marry it to a score made up of songs by the all-female 80’s rock group, the Go-Go’s. Nevertheless, it was sufficiently well-received at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival three years ago that a group of producers including Gwyneth Paltrow and Jordan Roth signed on to shape it up and bring it first to San Francisco and now to Broadway's Hudson Theatre. Against all odds, it mostly works. James Magruder (Triumph of Love) adapted Jeff Whitty’s (Avenue Q) original concept and book and the producers assembled a fine cast and a very talented creative team including Tom Kitt (Next to Normal) as orchestrator, Spencer Liff (Spring Awakening) as choreographer and Michael Mayer (Spring Awakening) as director. The sumptuous set design by Julian Crouch (Hedwig), the wonderful costumes by Arianne Phillips (Hedwig), the hyperactive lighting by Kevin Adams (Hedwig) and the clever projections by Andrew Lazarow (Privacy) all add greatly to the production. The eight leads — Jeremy Kushner, Rachel York, Bonnie Milligan, Samantha Pollino (u/s for Alexandra Socha), Tom Alan Robbins, Taylor Iman Jones, Andrew Durand and Peppermint — are all talented performers. Durand (Spring Awakening) is delightful in the dual role of shepherd and Amazon. It’s good to have Rachel York (City of Angels) back on a New York stage. Peppermint (“RuPaul’s Drag Race”) is notable for being the first transgender woman to create a role on Broadway. For me, Liff’s choreography is one of the strongest aspects of the show. l confess that I had never heard a Go-Go’s song before and would not feel deprived if I did not hear one again. Nevertheless, they fit reasonably well into the show. The GoGo’s must have reached cult status, because there was loud whooping and hollering whenever the first bars of a familiar song were heard. The plot is unabashedly silly, with an oracle, a curse, a royal family, a shepherd, hidden identities and a touch of “woke” gender fluidity. It’s not My Fair Lady or Carousel, but it works as naughty fun for a summer night. The curtain call is a real treat! Running time: two hours 20 minutes including intermission.

If/Then **

Unless you’re a really dedicated Idina Menzel fan, you can take a pass on this high-concept musical by Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey. Menzel plays Elizabeth, a recently divorced almost-40 city planner returning to NYC after 12 years in Phoenix. She seems more interested in dwelling on past choices than in moving ahead with her life. A seemingly trivial decision about which friend to hang out with after an encounter in Madison Square Park leads her down two different paths, one as Beth, more interested in her career than her personal life and the other as Liz, who values love above career. Following her down these two different roads sounds more interesting than it turns out to be. Neither story is particularly compelling and the alternation between them is both confusing and unproductive. The people who surround Liz/Beth are right out of the cliche book — Lucas (Anthony Rapp), a mostly gay housing activist, Kate (LaChanze), a sassy black kindergarten teacher, Josh (James Snyder), a noble doctor just returned from military service; Anne (Jenn Colella) and David (Jason Tam), two cardboard characters to provide romantic interest for Kate and Lucas, and Beth’s boss and mentor Stephen (Jerry Dixon). Mark Wendland has designed an attractive, flexible set complete with turntable and huge overhead mirror. Kenneth Posner’s lighting design features a glowing backdrop of changing colors, some of them quite bilious. Emily Rebholz’s costumes do not distract. Michael Greif keeps things both stories moving with only occasional confusing moments. And then there’s the music, none of which I could hum if my life depended on it, and the lyrics, which rarely rise above the humdrum. Since I am old-fashioned enough to think that the music is the main point of a musical, I find the show wanting at its core. Menzel is a commanding performer, but she can’t elevate mediocre material. Running time: 2 hours 45 minutes, including intermission.

Bring It On, The Musical **

(Please click on the title to see the full review.)
After last year's unsuccessful move uptown by Lysistrata Jones [reviewed 12/3/11], the last thing I expected to see on a Broadway stage this summer was another cheerleader musical. And yet here is Bring It On, "inspired by" the immensely popular five-movie series of the same name, now in previews at the St. James Theatre. Its impressive creative roster includes composers Tom Kitt (Next to Normal) and Lin-Manuel Miranda (In the Heights), librettist Jeff Whitty (Avenue Q) and director/choreographer Andy Blankenbuehhler (In the Heights). While the hard-working cast of 35 is performing high-flying cheerleading stunts and lively dance numbers, it is great fun. The book is only fitfully entertaining and doesn't really spring fully to life until the captain of the lily-white Truman High cheerleading squad is forced to transfer to the inner-city Jackson High. The characters are little more than stereotypes -- the dumb blonde, the chubby but spunky girl, the teen-aged Eve Harrington, the tough-tender girl, the comic rapper, the sensitive boy, and even the black drag queen. The music is often engaging, but the lyrics were not always intelligible. The show would benefit from some judicious trimming: 2 hours, 25 minutes (including intermission) is too long to sustain its momentum. The simple set by David Korins makes heavy use of video projections (excellent ones by Jeff Sugg) on four large moving panels. Andrea Lauer's costumes are delightful. Lighting designer Jason Lyons is guilty of the cardinal sin of shining bright lights in the eyes of the audience not once but twice. Judging from the reaction on the night I attended, the show is critic-proof. Wild cheering began even before the show started. The audience stayed on their feet even after the standing ovation to watch projected photos of the cast in rehearsal. The crowd was slighter older than at Newsies and even more enthusiastic. If you are looking for uncomplicated summer entertainment, you could do far worse than to catch this limited run.