|
From DallasVoice.com Stage ‘Jersey Boys’ isn’t the only big musical out now, as ‘Nine’ aims for a 10
“Ring of Fire” was the last jukebox musical I saw, so you can imagine my hesitation stepping into “Jersey Boys,” its Tony Awards notwithstanding. The name’s generic, and the score is from a fine early rock group (The Four Seasons), but hardly my favorite band. Would goombah accents really make that much difference, or was I in for a gussied up version of “Forever Plaid” by way of “The Sopranos”? At first, it was hard to tell. Even the title calls to mind a similar rags-to-riches musical, “Dreamgirls” — call it “Dreamboys.” But 45 minutes into Act 1, when these Garden State teens finally transform into the Four Seasons, “Jersey Boys” blossoms into an endlessly catchy and entertaining production, an explosion of color and doo-wop choreography performed by a remarkably appealing cast. When the hits start coming (“Sherry,” “Oh, What a Night,” “Walk Like a Man”), the audience at Fair Park Music Hall begins to treat the show like an actual concert, bursting into applause at the first recognizable chord and singing along sotto voce. It’s a nostalgia act performed by men without the creak of arthritis and who don’t need Botox to look young — they are young. And talented. The four leads, all unknowns, mimic the sound of the Four Seasons perfectly, especially button-cute Joseph Leo Bwarie’s Frankie falsetto. Even more charming is Andrew Rannells as Bob Gaudio. There aren’t many women in the show, but that doesn’t mean there’s no romance: The relationship between Bob and Frankie is one of the all-time great friendships, a partnership built wholly on a handshake and a genuine love for each other. That’s the core of the story and what elevates “Jersey Boys” above the average retro musical. Audiences usually approach community theater differently than they do professional and semi-professional stuff, but when shows like “Nine” come along, everything goes out of whack. Irving Community Theater has mounted such a fluid production, and so packed it with talent, that they raise the bar for other theater companies, pro and amateur. The show, a musical adaptation of Fellini’s film “8 1/2,” boasts one of the all-time best scores and concepts: the internal conflict of Guido Contini (Donald Fowler), a movie director who has run out of ideas and is haunted by his feelings for the many women in his life. Director Michael Serrecchia hews close to the original Broadway production by clothing everyone in black and keeping all the women onstage most of the time, a kind of Greek chorus who cluck at Guido, adding to his misery. Fowler, who struggled against a faulty mike on press night, delivers on the songs and emotions, though his Italian accent sometime slips into exaggeration. But there is near flawless work by Patty Breckenridge as Guido’s smart, beset wife and Ashley LeGrew, clad in a revealing cat suit, as one of his lovers. A musical that’s both intellectually simulating and sexy? What could be better? “Nine” runs through Aug. 9 at Irving Arts Center. “Jersey Boys” runs through Aug. 16 at Fair Park Music Hall. This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition August 1, 2008. © Copyright by DallasVoice.com |
