Mach is
Broadway leading man material.
He’s tall, dark, handsome, with a strong singing voice, great acting
chops, and a charming “Midwest wholesome” personality. Mach’s credits already include the
international tour of “Rent,” as well as the role of Fiyero in the touring
production of “Wicked,” and the Broadway revival of “Godspell.”
When I
reviewed Mach in the 2010 BW/Playhouse Square production of “Chess,” as staged
by BW Musical Theater faculty member, Victoria Bussert, I commented that he was
“sincere and sensitive.” In another commentary I tagged him as “ready for
Broadway,” and as having “star quality.” Yes, he’s
another one of Bussert’s “kids” who is making good!
The touring
version of “Flashdance The Musical” is part of the Key Bank Broadway
series. The national tour, which
started in January of 2013, has four more stops, ending in Toronto (May 27-June
8).
The show is
based on the 1983 romantic film, “Flashdance,” which was written by Tom Hedley
and Clevelander, Joe Eszterhas.
Though the flick opened
to negative reviews, it went on to be a surprise box office success. It was the third highest grossing film
of 1983 and has become a cult favorite, having brought in more than $100
million dollars in worldwide box office sales. The sound track included “Maniac” and “Flashdance…What a
Feeling” which have become pop standards.
The musical stage
version, which was billed as “an unmistakably unique musical about holding onto
your dreams and love against all odds,” premiered in the UK, and toured that
country. The oft-promised Broadway
opening is up-in-the-air.
Originally the show was announced as opening on the Great White Way in
August of 1913. That date has been
set back, and now is in limbo again because the producers say, “The
postponement is due to a lack of theaters.”
Both the stage and film
versions center on Alex Owens, an eighteen-year-old small town girl who moves
to Pittsburgh in order to pursue a career in dance. She has no formal training and winds up working as an exotic
dancer by night and a welder in the Hurley Steel Mill by day. In the musical, into her workday life
saunters Nick Hurley, the grandson of the mill’s owner. Their on-and-off romance, her
overcoming her lack of dance self-confidence, complications caused by issues of
her co-workers at both the bar and the steel mill, and her need to learn the
meaning of love, fuel the story.
Of course, as happens in
all feel-good, plot obvious musicals, only a “Maniac” wouldn’t know that in the
“Steeltown Sky,” the girl will realize “It’s All in Reach,” as “Here and Now,”
she understands that this is “Where I Belong,” and she learns to “Hang on,” so
she finally can realize, “What a Feeling” it is to get her dancing dreams and a
wealthy, nice, and studly guy.
The musical
and book don’t exactly follow the same plan. Sixteen songs have been added for the stage version, Grunt,
the lovable dog of flick fame, is gone, lots of characters are cut and others
added, the name of the dance conservatory has been changed, the character of
Jeannie, an ice skating friend of Alex, has been modified, the character of
Nick’s ex-wife is gone, and Alex doesn’t trash Nick’s apartment. What is left is an obvious “I told you
that’s the way it would turn out” ending of boy meets girl, girl rejects boy,
boy pursues, girl finally realizes that he is prince charming!
The touring
production is pure entertainment, centering on dancing, dancing and more
dancing, plus singing, singing and more singing. It sweeps up the audience, not with the story but with the
choreography, musicality, and the abundant use of electronic graphics.
The role of
Nick Hurley is a perfect vehicle for Mach. He puts on the character and wears it with complete
confidence and talent. He makes
Clevelanders proud to call him “ours.”
Tiny and
adorable Sydney Morton has the right cocky, yet insecure persona as Alex. Her singing and acting are excellent,
her dancing not up to the required level.
Her highlight number, when she tries out for dance school, though perfectly
adequate, doesn’t compel as it should.
Alison Ewing
and Dequina Moore delight as exotic dancers, the dance chorus is high octane
excellent, and the orchestra, though sounding rather shrill due to an
over-dependence on the electronic keyboard, develops the multi-musical sounds.
CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: “Flashdance The Musical” is one of
those musicals that delights audiences, while not being a well-written
show. It has strong music, great
choreography and Corey Mach, local kid making good. That ought be more than enough to please the Cleveland
faithful.
“Flashdance
The Musical” is scheduled to run through April 13, 2014. For tickets call 216-241-6000 or go to www.playhousesquare.org
Add-ons:
•Prepare to be dazzled on
May 2, when the $16-million upgrade of Playhouse Square becomes a reality…four
welcoming gateways, video boards, marquees, a 48-foot Playhouse Square sign
atop the Cowell & Hubbard Building, and the world’s largest outdoor
chandelier will all be set ablaze.
•Congrats to the
subscribers to the Key Bank Broadway series. The 29,266 of you hold membership in the largest subscriber
series in the U.S.!
