Disappointing STEREOPHONIC at Connor Palace

 

 
What drama or comedy has  received the most Tony-Award nominations?  

The logical guesses would be DEATH OF A SALESMAN, STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, or maybe, OUR TOWN.  

The answer:  STEREOPHONIC.  

“The original Broadway production of STEREOPHONIC made history when it garnered 13 nominations at the 77^th Tony Awards, breaking the record previously held by SLAVE PLAY.” 

It ran 321 performances on Broadway, exceeding its initial 14-week limited engagement.

STEREOPHONIC, which is now on stage at the Connor Palace, is a 4-act, 3-hour production, was written by American playwright David Adjmi, with music composed by Will Butler.  

The script has a unique background.  Adjmi and Butler began working on the piece in 2014, with the idea of creating a piece of theatre that felt like the audience was watching a documentary unfolding on stage, while avoiding the piece becoming a full-blown musical in which songs and dances are seamlessly woven into the play’s fabric.  This is not the same format as CHORUS LINE, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF or RENT.

The play follows a fictional British-American band through a turbulent year in a studio.  It kind of mirrors Fleetwood Mac's messy interpersonal relationships and creative struggles to produce their hit album, Rumours.  So much a mirror that there were lawsuits concerning the parallel of the stories. 

(In reality, "Fleetwood Mac producer Ken Caillat  and co-author Steven Stiefel sued the creators of STEREOPHONIC in late 2024, alleging copyright infringement for allegedly stealing substantial parts of their memoir, Making Rumours.”  “A settlement in December, 2024, resolved the dispute and paved the way for future productions.”) 

Each of the four-acts has a specific date, place and action.  For example, in Act I set in July, 1976, in Sausalito, CA, an unnamed band gathers at a studio in Sausalito to record their second album.  The band rehearses new songs, while their personal angst-filled lives unfold.
  
In Act II, which takes place in September of 1976, musical and aesthetic conflicts continue, with different arrangements of various songs being tried.  
 
Act III, which takes place in late December of 1976, continues to probe the album’s march toward completion, while personal issues continue to thwart the progress. 
 
Act IV: First week of June 1977, Los Angeles, CA reveals more of the nightmare of the recording process and the lies that are needed to accomplish the task.
 
David Greene, the Senior Vice President of Programing for Playhouse Square writes, in the show’s program notes, “At its heart, STEREOPHONIC is about the creative process—exhilarating, exhausting and often brutal.”  He goes on to state that after he saw the show in the Big Apple, “The play lingered with me for days, not because of its spectacle, but because of its honesty.”  He also states that, in his opinion, “the show is unforgettable.”
 
I wish I, and, as it appears much of the audience, agreed with Greene. 
 
My attention started to wain about a half-hour into the show.  It was about the same time that I noticed audience members starting to exit the theatre.  
 
After intermission, and my wife having asked, “Do we have to stay?,” I became aware that the two rows in front of us, were basically empty.  A glance to the left indicated that that section, which had been totally occupied, had lost many of its members.  
 
At the show’s conclusion, when the nice LAND audience was usually on its feet giving a show a standing ovation, many of this assemblage were flooding toward the exits, having given  meager applause.  
 
Is the show bad?  I think not.  It is contains conflicts that seem contrived, and a fragmented soap-opera story, which doesn’t always flesh out what is going on.  These are overlaid on a marvelous musical score.  
 
If only the script was of the same quality as the music.  
 
I’m not sure what motivated the Tony nominators and voters to garner the show its many  honors, but it appears that not only I, but some of the local audience, were not as enthralled.
 
The less than enthusiastic reaction is not aimed at the cast.  They were excellent.  Their singing and musicianship were of the highest level.  In addition, David Zinn’s studio set was perfection.  Director Daniel Aukin paced the show well.  
 
Maybe the problem was editing of the original script to what is now dubbed “The Radio Edit”—the cutting of the running time to three hours.  Maybe something was lost in the paring.  Maybe it was vastness of the Connor Palace and the loss of the needed intimacy.  Maybe it was all the awards, setting the audience’s expectations too high.  Whatever. . . 
 
CAPSULE JUDGMENT:  The touring production of STEREOPHONIC was, in the mind of this observer, unfortunately, less than expected! (I wish I had seen the Broadway show as the basis for comparison.)
 
STEREOPHONIC, as part of the Key Bank Broadway Series, runs through January 26, 2026.  For tickets 216-241-6000 or go to www.playhousesquare.org.
 
Next up:  Feb 3 – 22, Connor Palace…the acclaimed Tony Award®-winning musical SUFFS about the brilliant, passionate, and funny American women who fought tirelessly for the right to vote. 

One-liners, playful puns, rapid-fire jokes and hoedown music=delightful SHUCKED @ Connor Palace

Cobb County loves its corn. Or, so we are told by the storytellers in SHUCKED, the Tony nominated musical, now on stage at the Connor Palace Theatre, as part of the Key Bank Broadway series.

SHUCKED, with music and lyrics by Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally, and book by Robert Horn, opened on Broadway in April of 2023 and ran through January 14, 2024, popping 327 performances. 

The Great White Way production garnered generally positive reviews and went on to receive nine Tony nominations. 

Reviews tended to praise the show's high energy comedy, acting and the vocal and the choreographic talents of the performers. 

Its music was generally noted as good but not stand-out as there are no songs that will inspire audience members to sing their way out of the theatre. 

After its opening, the show launched a marketing campaign with country singer Reba McEntire as its spokesperson. Since that superstar is one of the show’s producers, her role as spokesperson makes good sense. 

The show was also hailed because cast member Alex Newell became one of the first openly non-binary performers to be nominated for and win a Tony Award as Best Featured Actor in a Musical. 

The production starts with a sprightly, foot-stomping opening number, “Corn.” Two tale-tellers relate the tale of Maizy and Beau, a couple who are planning their wedding, but because of the sudden corn crop dying, a sign of bad luck, the marriage is called off. Maizy leaves, hoping to find a cure for the curse on the corn, and seeking a life away from Cobb County. For some unexplainable reason she winds up in Tampa, gets involved with a scammer, and brings him back to Cobb. 

Since this is a fantasy the ending is obvious…the corn crop is saved, Maizy and Beau get hitched and her cousin, Lulu, the town distributor of corn moonshine, and the scammer make woopy! 

Sound like a fantasy? It is. A delightful fantasy that has laughs galore, lots of corny jokes, and wonderful characters. The touring show, under the direction of Jack O’Brien and choreographed by Sarah O’Gleby, is an emotional joy. The singing, dancing, acting, comic timing and preposterous storytelling, all work well. 

Tyler Joseph Ellis and Maya Lagerstam are endearing as the narrators. Danielle Wade has a well-trained singing voice and nicely develops the character of Maizy. Her song, “Holy Shit,” had the audience gasping. 

Jake Odmark is studly right as her beau, Beau. His version of “OK” was more than okay! 

Cecily Dionne Davis, a fill-in for Miki Abraham, who normally plays the over-sexed, Lulu, was “zaftig”-right as Lulu. She has a great flair for comedy. Her “Independently One” was poppin. 

Mike Nappi, as Beau’s eccentric brother, delighted the audience with every stage presence. His was a Tony Best Supporting role performance. The rest of the cast was Chagrin Falls Popcorn Shoppe gourmet popcorn fine! 

CAPSULE JUDGMENT: “Holy Shit,” I “Do Believe” that seeing the fun-filled musical farce, SHUCKED, will make you feel more than “OK!” Get away from the stresses of life. GO! LAUGH! ENJOY! 

SHUCKED is at the Connor Palace through Sunday, May 11th, 2025. Tickets are currently still available for all performances and can be purchased by calling 216-241-6000 or online at playhousesquare.org.

“Electrifying PARADE pays homage to the pain of prejudice!

 

PARADE, which is now on stage at the Palace Theatre as part of the Key Bank Broadway series, is a musical with a book by Alfred Uhry and music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown.   It is a dramatization of the 1913 trial and imprisonment, and 1915 lynching, of Jewish-American Leo Frank. But the story goes well-beyond what appears on stage.  Besides encapsulating the pain of American history, and paying homage to a man convicted and murdered for a crime he did not commit, it lays forth the tale that reinvigorated the Ku Klux Klan and brought about the birth of the Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish international non-government organization based on civil rights law and the defense against the defamation of Jewish people. The musical premiered on Broadway in December, 1998, and won Tony Awards for Best Book and Best Original Score.   The show was Brown's first Broadway production. The show’s music, has been noted as, "subtle and appealing melodies that draw on a variety of influences, from pop-rock to folk to rhythm and blues and gospel.”  The intriguing sounds and words are one of the most superb story-telling blending of melodies and compositions yet created in the dramatic tales presently being highlighted on theatrical stages.   Like such modern classics as RENT, DEAR EVAN HANSEN, CABARET, A CHORUS LINE, NEXT TO NORMAL, COME FROM AWAY, RAGTIME and HAMILTON, PARADE uses the art form to tell a tale of significant importance.   While other musical dramas take-on mental health, historical events, social causes, and sexual orientation this script confronts the modern-day angst of prejudice. PARADE takes the audience from the events which lead up to, and then through the 1913 trial of Leo Frank, a New York-native who is the superintendent of a pencil factory in Atlanta, who was convicted of the murder of a 13-year-old girl.   With Frank convicted in the first act, the second act takes us through the appeals of the verdict and his ultimate murder.    When, in 1915, Frank's death sentence was commuted to life in prison by the departing Governor of Georgia, John M. Slaton, due to his detailed review of over 10,000 pages of testimony and possible problems with the trial, Leo Frank was transferred to a prison in Milledgeville, Georgia, where a lynching party kidnapped him. Frank was taken to the victim’s hometown of Marietta, Georgia, and hanged from an oak tree.  The musical's story implies that the likely killer was the factory janitor Jim Conley, the key witness against Frank at the trial. The other villains of the piece are the ambitious and corrupt prosecutor Hugh Dorsey (later the governor of Georgia and then a judge) and the rabidly antisemitic publisher Tom Watson (later elected a U.S. senator). The touring company, a follow-up to the show’s recent Broadway revival, is meticulously staged by Tony Award winning director, Michael Arden.   He has taken the rewritten script and added his own interpretation of the staging concept. Shaker Heights native, Max Chernin, is nothing less that astounding as Leo Frank.  He does not portray the character; he inhabits his persona.  His up-tight, hand-wringing, Yankee frustration with Southern tradition, especially the Jewish southern attitudes, is encompassing.  He does not give a copy of Ben Platt, who recently played the role in the 2023 Broadway revival, he presents his own impressive interpretation.  His vocals "How Can I Call This Home?" and "It's Hard to Speak My Heart!" were spell-binding. Though, at times, it seems like Talia Suskauer, who plays Franks wife, Lucille, shows little depth of love for her husband, her powerful “You Don’t Know This Man,” is a show highlight. The rest of cast forms an excellent support for the tale, with strong southern values and loyalties.  The vocalizations are all excellent. Dane Laffrey’s set, which uses every inch of the stage, seems too busy, large and overly decorated for the space, giving an almost a cluttered feeling.  Capsule judgment:  In the present era of rising antisemitism in this country, PARADE stands as a vivid reminder of the past history of such hideous actions.  The touring company, headed by local actor Max Chernin, is a compelling production that deserves respect and accolades by paying homage to the pain of prejudice. PARADE continues through February 23, 2024.  Tickets are currently still available for all performances and can be purchased by calling 216-241-6000 or online at playhousesquare.org

LES MIZ! back again at the Palace Theatre is as good as ever!

 

LES MISÉRABLES, along with such block busters as PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, EVITA, STARLIGHT EXPRESS, and CATS are part of the movement in musical theatre known as The British Invasion.
 
These shows, in contrast to most American musicals, have no spoken dialogue.  It is more operatic in format.  All singing, no speaking.
 
The musical version of Victor Hugo’s epic novel “Les Miserable” was first a recording, then a Parisian stage spectacle.  British producer Cameron Mackintosh, revamped the script and added spectacular sets, complete with double revolving stages.  The reviews in London were not great, but word of the strong plot and the staging, and the publicity poster’s visual of the downtrodden little Cosette, in front of the French tri-color flag, caught the public’s fancy.  And, as the trite saying goes, “The rest is history.” 
 
In 1987 the musical debuted on Broadway, following a successful London run.  After 6,680 performances spanning sixteen years, it closed in the Big White Way on May 18, 2003, making it one of the longest running Broadway shows.  Revivals, tours, and a movie followed.
 
For those who didn’t take French in school which often required translation of “The Bishop’s Candlesticks,” a simplified version of “LES MISÉRABLES,” an epic 1862 French tale by Victor Hugo, considered as one of the greatest novels of the nineteenth century, may not be aware that the basic story line centers on a period in the early nineteenth century, which culminated in the unsuccessful June Rebellion.  This is not the larger French Revolution of 1788 that overthrew the absolute monarchy of the Bourbons and the system of aristocratic privileges, as many assume when the word “revolution” is used in a French story. 
 
The plot revolves around Jean Valjean, who was arrested and imprisoned when he stole a loaf of bread to feed his starving nephew.  It is fiction broadly entwined within factual and historical events.
 
This is not the usual musical theatre material.  It is about greed, child abuse, revolution and cruelty.  It has physical beatings and numerous onstage deaths.  It lacks the typical happy ending.   But, there is no reason that serious subjects cannot be treated in the musical form.  LES MIZ proves that contention, as does NEXT TO NORMAL, RENT and DEAR EVAN HANSON.
 
There is also no reason that strong emotions about death cannot be visualized as “empty chairs at empty tables,” or hope cannot be expressed as, “there is life about to start, when tomorrow comes,” or, that infatuation cannot be explained as “a heart full of love,” or the future can’t be prophesized as, “I dreamed that love would never die,” or a powerful story can’t be summarized with the musical’s closing
 lyric, “To love another person is to see the face of God.”  
 
Yes, these are all lyrics conceived by Herbert Kretzmer and set to the emotionally charged music of Claude-Michel Schönberg.  These are the thoughts of a great musical.
  
The show has toured through 440/216/330 several times.  When the reconfigured LES MISERABLE was in CLE several years ago as part of the Key Bank Series I wrote: “It is still captivating and is a major piece of the musical theater tapestry which gets an excellent staging at the start of its newest national tour.  If you haven’t seen it before or need a refresher, get to Playhouse before “One Day More,” and get “A Heart Full of Love.”
 
In that review, I also wrote, “From the very first time I saw LES MISÉRABLES, shortly after its opening in London, to the New York production, and through the various touring shows, I have been a fan of the show.  Not just a fan, a fanatic fan!” 
 
My strong positive thoughts generally hold true for the performance now on the Connor Palace stage as part of the Huntington Featured Performance Series.

The present 5-day stay mirrors the 2018 production, which eliminated the original production’s two turntables, reframed the music, reinterpreted some of the songs, added electronic visuals, such as our experiencing Jean Valjean crawling through the sewers as he saves Marius and then Javert falling off a bridge into the raging river below.  
 
There is less vividness than the original.  The battle scene, minus much of the extreme pile of household goods isn’t as dramatic, the marching to the barricades isn’t as exciting.  The lighting is darker, much like the paintings of the period which tended to be painted with less vivid oils.  This darkness shades the entire production.
 
Some things are the same.  I still find the reference to “this one’s a Jew and that one’s gay,” to be unnecessary and offensive.  I never have been a lover of “Master of the House” and “Beggars at Feast,” which I know fulfills the musical theater formula of being “noisy numbers,” inserted mid-first and second acts to excite the audience and keep their attention.  Some of the farce doesn’t seem to smoothly fit, but probably was added to relieve the intense strong oppression of the story.
 
The changes, in the scheme of things, don’t change the overall power and effect of the show.  No one is going to argue with the conceivers and stagers of a show which has been seen by over 70 million people. 
 
Both the solos and choral work is outstanding. Thankfully the cast interpreted the meaning of the lyrics rather than just singing words. This was obvious, for example, in “One Day More,” the sure-thing show stopper, which was mesmerizing.  

 
Nick Cartell, who played the role of Jean Valjean in the last tour, is back again.  He has done this featured role over 1,200 times.  He still portrays the role with a full musical powerful voice and emotional compassion.   His “Who Am I” and “Bring Him Home” were compelling.
 
Haley Dortch (Fantine) grabs the emotions with the plaintive “I Dreamed a Dream.”  Mya Rena Hunter (Éponine) received an extended ovation for her well-nuanced “On My Own.” Jake David Smith gives an appealing earnest quality to Marius.  His “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables” was one of the show’s emotional highlights. 
 
Young Milo Maharika was captivating as the spunky Gavrache.  His middle finger salute to Javert after the over-zealous policeman is exposed as a traitor to the student rebels, brought cheers and laughter from the audience.
 
Preston Truman Boyd, who was here before in the role of Javert, has matured into the role.  He not only displays a strong singing voice, but clearly is obsessive in his maniacal search for Jean Valjean. 
 
We may be well into the historical place of color-blind casting, but having Little Cosette (Ava Buesing), a dark-haired Asian cutie, mature into a Caucasian blonde (Delaney Guyer), and blonde Azalea Wolfe (Young Éponine) become the dark-skinned Myra Rena Hunter (Éponine) was a little unrealistic and confusing.  
 
Matt Kinley’s set and image designs, which were inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo, created captivating images.
 
CAPSULE JUDGEMENT:   LES MIZ!  It is still captivating and is a major piece of the musical theater tapestry which gets an excellent production.  If you haven’t seen it before or need a refresher, get to Playhouse Square and get “A Heart Full of Love.”
 
For tickets call 216-241-6000 or go to www.playhousesquare.org.  LES MIZ runs through October 22, 2024.

Sensational MJ explodes with amazing dancing, rockin’ music and powerful visuals at Key Bank State Theatre!

 

Confession:  I am not a big fan of Juke Box musicals, the now popular Broadway vehicle which is a genre of American Musical Theatre in which pre-written songs are woven, mostly with no real reason, into an often soap-opera-like story.   Reality:  MJ, now on stage at the Key Bank State Theatre as part of the Broadway series, is a Juke Box musical. Confession:  I am not an avid fan of disco/hip-hop!   Reality: MJ mostly is disco/hip hop with some pop. Confession:  Though I have heard his music, and know some things about his life story, I am not a Michael Jackson fan and have never attended any of his concerts.   Reality:  MJ is a tale based on some of Jackson’s life told through his songs and a so-called series of interviews and observations while Jackson and his cast members were preparing for his Dangerous World Tour.  The revelations include the discovery of his profound singing and dancing talents, the sadistic and often physical and emotional abuse by his father, which thwarted his rise to manhood and aided in his often child-like vocal and lack of reality-views of the world, and his personal physical and psychological issues.  Final reality:  I was totally blown-away with the dynamism, creativity and showmanship of MJ, and was on my feet, along with the rest of the screaming stomping and clapping audience at the conclusion of this sumptuous show!  (Make sure you stay for the ear-shattering, visually over-load of a curtain call!   In contrast to most Juke Box musicals which are written by the subject of the show or someone who doesn’t know much about theatre, MJ is blessed with a book by two-time Pulitzer winner Lynn Nottage, who undertook the daunting task of delving into the man-boy who did few interviews, was very private, and was often referred to as the “man behind the mirror.”  (A constant device used in the staging and choreography.)   Yes, his volatile relationship with his demanding often fearsome father, his use of pills to escape reality, his hypochondriac-like illnesses, his face-bleaching and surgeries to change his appearance, are all there, but, as it should have been, most of the spotlight was on his singing and dancing! “Many things have been said about Michael Jackson, both during his famed life and after his untimely death. Some have been substantiated, some not — but two things are undeniable. Jackson’s music was groundbreaking, tying ’60s Motown to ’70s disco, hip-hop, and of course, pop, of which he was labeled the King. His popularity forced the music industry to integrate, breaking down barriers for Mariah Carey, Beyoncé, and a slew of rap performers. It wasn’t just his sound. Jackson’s choreography — executing sexually suggestive moves with innocent abandon — thrilled audiences.”   And, all that is on-stage in MJ: The Musical. “Over a four-decade career, his contributions to music, dance, and fashion, along with his publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture. Jackson influenced artists across many music genres. Through stage and video performances, he popularized street dance moves such as the moonwalk, which he named, and the robot.” MJ, opened on Broadway in February 1, 2022.  It is still playing. and is running at about 91% of audience capacity.  It has earned over 200 million dollars, making it one of the highest grossing musical theatre productions of all time.   These totals are surprising since the show opened to divided critical reviews.  While Nottage’s book was noted by one reviewer as having “bland, exposition-heavy and often trite dialogue,” another noted that he “left the theater entertained, but not convinced I had seen the man in the smoke and mirrors."  To counter these negatives, a critic stated that the show was "visually and sonically ravishing," while another claimed that the show was "beautiful to experience throughout, which one almost never can say about jukebox musicals."    I am, with a few caveats, on the side of the latter! The show received 10 Tony nominations, winning four, including a well-deserved one for director/choreographer Christopher Wheeldon.  The choreography is outstanding.  It’s a blinding blend of Wheeldon, Bob Fosse and a mélange of other hoofers and dance creators.  Wow! Locals should be interested in knowing that the Broadway cast contains three grads of Baldwin Wallace’s famed Musical Theatre program and the touring company also has a BW representative. The touring cast is strong.  Roman Banks creates a believable Jackson.  Unfortunately, he sometimes, in his attempt to duplicate the soft-spoken MJ, fails to project, so some of his speeches can’t be clearly heard. The same is not true of his singing, which is loud and clear, nor his dancing, which is compelling. Jackson’s other selves, Brandon Lee Harris and Bane Griffith (the night I saw the show) are excellent, displaying solid singing and dancing skills.  Devin Bowles is nastiness incarnate as Joseph Jackson, Michael’s self-absorbed, abusive father. The singing and dancing chorus are superb.  They must be totally exhausted after each performance as they are on-stage constantly moving!  Bravo! CAPSULE JUDGMENT:  MJ, the Juke Box musical, puts a spotlight on a segment of mega star Michael Jackson’s career and conflicted life.  The show gets a powerful production featuring exciting electronic graphics, dynamic musical arrangements, superb choreography, some strong performances and exciting choral work and dancing, encased in an acceptable story. MJ runs at the KeyBank State Theatre in Cleveland’s Playhouse Square until August 11, 2024 as part of the Key Bank Broadway Series.  For tickets call 216-241-6000 or go to playhousesquare.org

Special effects and quirky story pleases audience at Back to the Future: The Musical

 
 

In 1985 “Back to the Future,” the feature film, opened.  It stared Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd.  It quickly became a cult favorite and spun off two sequels edged on by those who like the bizarre, the farcical, the outlandish and the quirky!  

When a musical version of the tale opened on Broadway, the reviews all basically echoed the comment that, “It’s a terrifically fun and amusing story that works nearly as well on stage as it did on film.”

Yes, there was some carping that “the score [which contains such quickly forgettable songs as “Got No Future,” “Cake,” “Something About the Boy” and “For the Dreamers”] was mainly superfluous,” but audiences don’t seem to mind.  In fact, if the assemblage at the Key Bank State Theatre the night I saw the touring show is any indicator, the musical will also become a cult favorite as it tours the hinterlands.

Don’t go expecting the emotional power and storylines of such musicals as DEAR EVAN HANSEN, HAMILTON or RENT.  This show isn’t intended for that type of experience.  This is for those who like fantasy and extreme effects such as a car levitating and flying, lots of blasting rock music, and visual gymnastics.

What’s the hullabaloo about?  “When Marty McFly finds himself transported back to 1955 in a time machine built by the eccentric scientist Doc Brown, he accidentally changes the course of history as he inadvertently prevents his future parents from falling in love – threatening his own existence.  Now he's in a race against time to fix the present, escape the past and send himself... back to the future.”

The musical originally premièred in Manchester and transferred to London's West End.  It received positive reviews and won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical in 2022.

The show opened on Broadway in August, 2023. 

The production is billed as “appropriate for those 6 and up.” At a running time of 2 hours and 40 minutes it may be a little long for the young ones, but there are enough spectacular effects that that may not be a problem.

The tour’s cast features Caden Brauch, in his national tour debut, as Marty McFly.  He sings and dances well, and is totally involved in the role.  He is a delight to watch.  (Side note:  wisely he does not do an imitation of Michael J. Fox, who played Marty in the film.)

Long time Broadway and television star, Don Stephenson (Broadway: THE PRODUCERS, BY JEEVES, ROCK OF AGES, WONDERFUL TOWN; Television: “Law and Order,” “The Blacklist ,” “The Good Wife,” “Glee” and “Ugly Betty) is properly eccentric as Doc Brown.

Locals may recognize Ina Black, a member of the ensemble, who was cast in the tour during her last semester at Kent State University, as well as Ethan Rogers, a 2021 Baldwin Wallace grad, who plays Biff.

The small band does credit to the pop to do-wop to rock-centric score.  Chris Fisher’s illusion designs, Tim Hatley’s designs and Tim Lutkin’s lighting, are the co-stars of the production, along with Chris Bailey’s choreography and John Rando’s creative directing.

Capsule judgment:  BACK TO THE FUTURE:  THE MUSICAL will delight anyone who loves farcical, outlandish and quirky stories and who has a special liking for special effects.  Don’t expect a deep thought-provoking tale or sublime music.  This isn’t a show for that.  Go!  Sit back and enjoy the overdone hijinks! Escape from reality!  Laugh, clap and jump up at the end for the required standing ovation!
 
Tickets for the show, which runs through July 7, 2024, can be purchased by calling 216-241-6000 or online at playhousesquare.org.

SIX THE MUSICAL: a history lesson that rocks the Palace!

 

	SIX THE MUSICAL, now on stage at the Palace Theatre, had an unusual journey to the Great White Way.  Conceived by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, the script had been a student project presented at Scotland’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival.  Next it was staged in London’s West End, then in Chicago, for a pre-Broadway out-of-town residence, and then at sea aboard three Norwegian Cruise Lines ships. Even its Broadway premiere was different.  On March 12, 2020, the day SIX THE MUSICAL was scheduled for its Broadway opening (and, for which I had tickets), all Broadway theatres were closed due to Covid.  Over a year later it became the first new musical to open on Broadway since the beginning of the pandemic (unfortunately, no tickets for this one).   The opening was met with smash reviews ("dynamic,” "a blast", “wickedly smart,” “carries out [a] joyful and anachronistic takedown of the patriarchy," "brilliant"), as well as enthusiastic audience response.  That combination resulted in a box office gross of more than $1 million per week.  It is still running to generally sold-out houses.   The musical, which is an exploration of Henry the VIII’s maniac drive for a male heir and the resulting consequences to the women he married, is a pop concert more than a traditional Broadway offering.  The highly stylized and glitzy production begins with stage smoke, a royal purple set, and lighting which silhouettes of six figures--the stars of the show--introduced, one by one, according to the manner of their relationship with the big guy: Divorced--Catherin of Aragon, Beheaded--Anne Boleyn, Died--Jane Seymour, Divorced--Anna of Cleves, Beheaded--Katherine Howard and Survived--Catherin Parr.   “Divorced. Beheaded. Died. Divorced. Beheaded. Survived,” yes, the mnemonic taught in English history classes to assist students to remember Henry’s numerous wives and their life paths. The concept is that the six ex-wives of Henry have been brought on stage to allow them to compete and allow the audience to determine who had the roughest royal reign. As is the style with newer musicals, it has no overture.    Besides two group songs, each of the queens has her own signature solo song, which oftentimes has backup vocals and supporting choreography from the other queens. The dynamic music is provided by The Ladies in Waiting:  Sterlyn Termine (bass), Liz Faure (guitars), Caroline Moore (drums) with Katie Coleman conducting and on keyboards who are on-stage during the performance. Is SIX historically correct?  Kind ‘of.  It’s a work based on real historical events and figures, but it does take artistic liberties in its portrayal of these characters.  “Catherine of Aragon tells how Henry wished to annul their marriage and place her in a nunnery when he began chasing after Anne Boleyn despite her being loyal to him during their marriage ("No Way").  In turn, Anne talks about how Henry wanted her instead of Catherine, then complains of the infidelity Henry partook in, which led to Anne flirting with other men to make him jealous and ending up dead/beheaded, all while covering her trauma and feelings with jokes and silly faces ("Don't Lose Ur Head").  Jane Seymour steps up to take her turn, but is ridiculed for having had an easy time with Henry. However, while admitting she may have been the only wife Henry truly loved, Jane claims that his love was conditional on her having produced a male heir, and that she stood by him despite his many faults ("Heart of Stone"). Themes relating to ideas of female beauty are explored in Hans Holbein's portrait studio. The Queens parody a dating app by presenting a choice of potential brides ("Haus of Holbein"). He chooses Anna of Cleves, but soon rejects her and annuls the marriage, suggesting she failed to resemble her profile picture.   She makes a show of complaining about living in a beautiful palace in Richmond, with an enormous fortune and no man to tell her what to do, but in reality, ends up bragging about it ("Get Down"). The Queens question this, and Anna admits her lavish lifestyle lacked actual tragedy and drops out of the competition.  The Queens then belittle Katherine Howard for being the least relevant Catherine, but in retaliation she enumerates flaws in the others' claims to winning. She then recounts her romantic history, having had many suitors even as a child, and at first relishes her attractiveness; however, she soon reveals the emotional trama and abuse she faced in each of these relationships as it is symbolized in the choreography with all the queens holding a hand on her ("All You Wanna Do"). As the Queens continue to fight over who is the true winner, Catherine Parr questions the point of the competition, which defines them by their connection to Henry rather than as individuals. The Queens nonetheless continue to argue. Frustrated, Parr recalls her separation from her lover, Sir Thomas Seymour, and arranged marriage with Henry, but instead of lamenting, she acknowledges her accomplishments independent of Henry ("I Don't Need Your Love").  The other Queens, realizing they have been robbed of their individuality, abandon the contest and declare that they don't need Henry's love to feel validated as people. They use their remaining moments onstage to rewrite their stories, singing together as a group rather than as solo artists, and writing their own 'hsppily ever-afters', had Henry never been involved ("Six").”  As a curtain call they perform a mashup of many of the songs from the show.  Stay around to the very end and become part of the mash! The cast (Gerianne Pérez, Zan Berube, Amina Faye, Terica Marie, Aline Mayagoitia and Sydney Parra) is uniformly excellent.  These ladies have large and well-trained voices.  They dance and act with total believability.  They command and control the stage!   Jamie Armitage creatively directed the production along co-creator Lucy Moss. The dynamic and inventive choreography by Carrie-Anne Ingrouille is spectacular as is the impressive lighting design (Tim Deiling) and sound design (Paul Gatehouse).  Gabriella Slade’s impressive costuming is an important part of the mix with styles that might be worn by the likes of J-Lo or Beyoncé in a Las Vegas concert. Capsule judgment:   Younger audience members will be turned on by the musical style which is pop and hip-hop and literally invites them to yell, clap, sing and jump out of their seats as if at a rave.  Those of a certain age and/or of conservative political/social attitudes may want to cover their ears from the beating sounds and “course” language.  All in all, the clever concept of the show and the talented ensemble will enchant many more audience members than those who might be turned off.  Me?  I loved it!!  More please, I want some more. SIX THE MUSICAL is part of our KeyBank Broadway Series, and is here at Connor Palace for five weeks, through Sunday, September 10th, 2023. Remaining tickets for the run can be purchased on playhousesquare.org or by calling 216-241-6000.  (Tip: best seating availability is in the weeks of August 28 and September 4.) Added info: Want a visual preview of the show?   Go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egqqtAo8WSI    Want to hear the score?   Go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgEJK6Vk8Ro&list=PLF4ij7xFI0e9RIXcIFplbEVxqvwHC1VlL Want to read the lyrics to get ready for understanding all the words?   Go to: https://www.allmusicals.com/lyrics/six/six.htm

“Aladdin” takes audience on a less than dynamic magic carpet ride

 Disney, whether it’s their theme parks, cruises or Broadway-style shows, has a special approach that excites kids as well as adults.  

 
Disney’s “Aladdin” as it has done several times, is again attempting to take CLE on a magic carpet ride at the Connor Palace as part of the Huntington Featured Performance Series.
 
The musical, with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman, Tim Rice and Menken, is based on the 1992 Disney film “Aladdin.”  
 
The stage version basically sticks to the cinema’s story line, but instead of the film’s animals, Aladdin is blessed with three buddies to help him through his exploits, and add delight through their Three Stooges-like shenanigans.  Jasmine gets three handmaidens, and Aladdin's second wish is used to free him and his friends from capture, not to stop him from drowning, as it is in the movie.

In addition, the stage version, while including five cherished songs from the Academy Award-winning soundtrack, adds some new tunes written especially for the live presentation.

The story follows the young orphaned Aladdin, who, with the help of his three amigos, does petty stealing in a marketplace in the Arabian city of Agrabah, someplace in the Middle East. 
 
Bad guy Jafar, (Boo!) Grand Vizier and assistant to the King, finds out there is a magic lamp which encases a Genie who can grant three wishes to its possessor.  
Getting that lamp is a great way for the scheming Jafar (Boo!) to become King.  Unfortunately, the cave can only be entered by the “chosen one.”  The chosen one?  Aladdin, of course.  (Hey, this is a fairytale.)  
 
Meanwhile, Princess Jasmine is in a tizzy because the law of the land says she must marry a prince.  She’s not interested, but she has a three-day window of time and every prince that she’s offered isn’t to her liking.  (We all know where this plot device is going!)
 
She sneaks out of the palace and goes to the bazaar. Aladdin and his friends are being chased by the royal guards after our hero stole a loaf of bread (you think the guys at Disney got a little mixed up and stole some of the plot from LES MIZ?).  
 
Jaz and ‘Ladin lock eyes and they are smitten.
 
And, so, the plot is laid for the Genie to grant Aladdin his wish to become a prince, thus being eligible to marry Jasmine.  (Of course, there are stumbles along the way, as well as lots of singing and dancing and a magic carpet ride.)  
 
In the end, as is the case with all good tales of this ilk, guy gets girl, villain gets his just just-punishment, and the audience goes home happy, (after stopping at the concession stand in the lobby to buy lots of Disneyesque “stuff”).
 
The touring company is a visual delight of Arabian night costumes, sets and music. However, the cast, who mostly are making their professional tour appearances, is either tired from a long tour, doesn’t have the needed experience, or just doesn’t have the singing and acting chops to carry the show to its potential dynamics.

 
Akron native and BW Music Theatre grad, Marcus M. Martin, is delightful as the wise-cracking, ad-libbing, bedeviling Genie.  His cast-involving opening number sets what should be a perfect delightful tone for the show, and “Friend Like Me,” sung with Aladdin and the Ensemble, evoked extended cheering (there was a large BW and Akron contingent in the audience.)
 
Adi Roy, he of handsome face, dark hair, nice singing voice, and expressive eyes, was acceptable as Aladdin.  He lacked the special charming quality needed to make the audience fall in love with him.
 
His sidekicks, Babkak (delightful Jake Letts), Omar (stand-in Joshua Kenneth Allen Johnson) and Kassim (gym-toned Colt Pratts), were perfect foils.  (Side note:  Baldwin Wallace Musical Theatre grad, Steel Burkhardt, played Kassim on Broadway).  
 
Pretty Senzel Ahmady had the right spunk as Jasmine, one of the few Disney princesses with a backbone. Her nicely sung “These Palace Walls” gave a clear picture of her desire to be her own person.  However, there appeared to be no emotional connection, a plot necessity, between her and Adi Roy (Aladdin).  “A Whole New World,” a Tony Winner for Best Song, a duet between the two, needed more dynamics. 

Anand Nagraj was evil-light as Jafar, not engendering enough real melodramatic scary.  Just moving your eyes upward and scowling, does not evil make.  As Iago, his bumbling side-kick, Iago, Ohio bred, Aaron Choi, feigned being a duffus.  At times he delighted, other instances, he was surface playing put-upon, not being real enough to be believable.

 Cody Hernández (Razoul) is making his homecoming with this Cleveland tour stop.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: “Aladdin” is a family-friendly, escapist musical that gets an adequate production, by a cast of mostly newbies to professional theatre.
 
“Aladdin” will play Wednesday through Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 1:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets are available now by calling at 216-241-6000, or via the Internet at playhousesquare.org. 

The farcical ghostly BEETLEJUICE, THE MUSICAL, that will delight many and confound others, is on stage at Connor Palace

 

As the run of the awe- inspiring HAMILTON draws to a close at the Playhouse Square’s State Theatre, BEETLEJUICE, the cult-followed farcical ghostly show appears next door at the Connor Palace.   The opening is ironic since the curtain-up Cleveland production of the Eddie Perfect (music and lyrics)/Scott Brown and Anthony King (book) parallels the final curtain falling on the show’s Broadway run.   Yes, BEETLEJUICE, THE MUSICAL, which opened on the Great White Way on April 25, 2019 and closed, due to the COVID-19 pandemic on March 10, 2020, and reopened on April 8, 2022 permanently closed its Broadway presence on January 8, 2023. The long-run surprised many.  Though the 1988 movie version was a huge hit, the Broadway musical’s reviews were mediocre.  Comments included, “This show so overstuffs itself with gags, one-liners and visual diversions that you shut down from sensory overload,” as well as BEETTLEJUICE, THE MUSICAL, was crafted from a group of creative minds who clearly love the source material, though not all of it works,” and, “the blithe, dizzily antic spirit of the movie was suffocating under the weight of sophomoric, phallic gags.”   It is thought that the praise for Alexander Michael Brightman, who is best known for his work as Dewey Finn in the musical adaptation of SCHOOL OF ROCK musical  which earned him Tony Awards nomination for Best Actor, and again as the title character in BEETTLEJUICE, THE MUSICAL, as well as the success of the movie, was responsible for the long run. What about locally?   The show, which is part of the KeyBank Broadway Series, is already a success, as there is very limited ticket availability for the entire run.   Advanced publicity states, “The best option for many patrons looking to purchase may be to get individual scattered single seats around the theater instead of trying to find a group or pair together. “   What’s all the hullabaloo about?    The play opens with a group of people in a graveyard mourning the passing of Emily Deetz. Emily's daughter, Lydia, reflects on the death of her mother and her own inability to be noticed by her father, Charles.   A millennia-old demon named Beetlejuice appears and mocks the idea of living life to the fullest, as it will all be worthless once death comes.  Beetlejuice then addresses the audience directly, explaining that, as a demon, he is invisible to all beings unless he gets a living person to say his name three times. He reveals that he has a plan to accomplish his recognition. Beetlejuice then introduces Adam and Barbara Maitland. They are a “normal” married couple who desperately want to start a family.  As the Maitlands reason to themselves why they are not ready for a child, they fall to their deaths from electric shocks received from a series of power chords randomly draped around the house.  (Remember this is a farce…no reality required.)  When the Maitlands awaken and realize that they are dead, Beetlejuice reveals himself and offers to help them adjust to the Afterlife by intoning the song, “The ‘Whole Being Dead’ Thing, Pt. 2." (Yes, there are also parts 1 and 3.)   He reveals to the Maitlands that a new family, the Deetzes, have bought their house and that in order to remain living there, they will have to scare the newbies away.   Thus, we enter that into a tale of non-realistic incidents in which ghosts, the living, and the ridiculousness blend together in a tale that will delight many and turn others off. Justin Collette, who is a master of improv, and has had a successful career of playing exaggerated parts on Broadway, such as Dewey, the lead in SCHOOL OF ROCK, takes on the Beetlejuice role.  Young Isabella Esler, a recent high school graduate, shines in her professional debut as Lydia.   Will Burton and Britney Coleman well-develop Adam and Lydia Maitland as they, and the rest of the cast, do due-diligence in serving as foils for Beetlejuice’s antics. The story, which works hard at getting the audience to laugh at jokes and schticks that serve basically as escape devices doesn’t carry a message, but does induce laughs and many groans of delight. The score includes such unmemorable songs as “The Fright of Their Lives,” “No Reason,” “Say My Name,” “Barbara 2.0” and “Ready, Set, Not Yet.”  (None of which were being hummed on the way out of the theatre.) Will you “like” the show?  Depends on your affinity for farce and ability to set aside the lack of any real message.    CAPSULE JUDGMENT:  If you are a MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL, ADAMS FAMILY, and THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW fan, you, like the duo of guys sitting near me, who were dressed in costumes which paralleled Beetlejuice’s stripped outfit, sang along with the songs, and found the exaggeration and slapstick hysterical, will become “Bettlejuicers.”  If NEXT TO NORMAL, RENT, WEST SIDE STORY and SPRING AWAKENING are your thing, you’ll probably find the whole thing trite and ridiculous. BETTLEJUICE THE MUSICAL, THE MUSICAL, THE MUSICAL runs through January 29, 2023 at the Conner Palace.  Remaining tickets for the run can be purchased here.   Next up:  HADESTOWN (January 31-February 19, 2023).  Winner of eight 2019 Tony Awards®, including Best Musical, HADESTOWN is a hopeful theatrical experience that grabs you and never lets go.”

"HAMILTON" AS COMPELLING IN LOOK 4 AS IT WAS THE FIRST TIME

Some musicals change the very nature of the genre. "Oklahoma" gave birth to the book musical in which story, dance and lyrics blended together perfectly. "Chorus Line" brought the concept of the dance-centered musical. "Hair" encouraged societal topics and mores to be probed. "Rent" introduced the stage to 21st century ideas and issues. Then, along came "Hamilton" which opened the door to singing, rap and movement blending into fine-tuned story telling.

"Hamilton" was inspired by the 2004 biography, "Alexander Hamilton" by historian Ron Chernow. It has book, music and lyrics by Lin Manuel Miranda, who perfectly honed each element to clearly represent our Revolutionary fathers. 
How did this "exhilarating," and "sublime" musical come to be? The story goes that while on vacation from performing in his hit Broadway show "In the Heights," Lin-Manuel Miranda read a copy of the biography, "Alexander Hamilton" by Ron Chernow. 

Miranda perceived the story as a musical and started to write what was then entitled "The Hamilton Mixtape." 

An Obama White House invitation led to him performing what would later be the show's opening song. 

"Hamilton" is not the first musical based on founding of this country history or its political figures. 

"1776," like "Hamilton" is set in Revolutionary times, specifically, showcasing the Continental Congress during the summer of 1776, and reveals the founding fathers' lively debates. 

"Benjamin Franklin in Paris" gives an account of Franklin arriving in Paris in an attempt to raise money for the colonial revolution against England. 

From a stylistic standpoint, "Hamilton" gives us something new. It's a contemporary rap musical which tells the story in a series of scenes in which the movements are choreographed to not only develop visual ideas, but to help create characterizations, seamlessly tell the tale, and give clear insight into each of the characters who sing them. 

The casting includes a racial mixture of actors as the Founding Fathers and other historical figures, paying no attention to their real gender, race, or age.

Even the conclusion is different. Most modern-day musicals end with a splashy showstopper that brings the audience to its feet for a resounding curtain call. Not "Hamilton." A low-key composition closes the show, emotionally wrapping up the story of a man and his quest. 

The story tells the tale of Alexander Hamilton, who was born out of wedlock in the West Indies. He comes to the American colonies at age 19 and seeks out revolutionary patriot, Aaron Burr, who advises the young and enthusiastic youth to "talk less; smile more." This is advice Hamilton did not take, and helps set the stage for a life-long set of philosophical battles between the men, and eventually contributes to Hamilton's death.

The people of Hamilton's life, the Marquis de Lafayette, the Schuyler sisters, George Washington, Charles Lee, James Madison, and John Jay, flow by in song, rap, movement, and spoken words. 

The tale of the Revolutionary War, the birth of the nation, Hamilton's developing the country's financial system, the death of his son in a duel, and his own demise in a shootout with Aaron Burr, all transpire in compelling fashion, under the adept direction of Thomas Kail and precision choreography and movement by Andy Blankenbuehler.  

During the present touring production of "Hamilton," there were several huge shoutouts during the production. Upon the entrance of Marquis de Lafayette and again when Thomas Jefferson made his first entrance the applause and shouts rang out. Why? 

Warren Egypt Franklin, who played both roles, is a Clevelander who is also a graduate of Baldwin Wallace's esteemed Musical Theatre program. 

Victoria Bussert, Chair of the BW program states, "He graduated in May 2018 and landed "Hamilton" one month later. He actually did "What'd I Miss" for his senior showcase number!!!" (Side note: I was in NY with the BW students for that showcase and we were immediately made aware of the agents and casting director's interest in Warren Egypt, including the casting director of "Hamilton."). Besides "Hamilton," he is appearing on tv's "Grown-ish."

On media night the role or King George was delightfully played by Neil Haskell, but starting December 19, and for the rest of the run, Clevelander, Rory O'Malley, a St. Ignatius grad, who was nominated for a Tony Award for his portrayal of Elder McKinley in Broadway's "The Book of Mormon," will be playing the role.

The cast of "Hamilton" is superb. The quality of the singing, acting and dancing is universally amazing. Don't wait for a local theater to do the show as no one has the talent to reach the high level of performance quality to do the show justice.

Those who want to see the show, but are cash strapped, should be aware that there will be a 40-seat lottery for each performance. To participate in a drawing prospective ticket-buyers must download the official "Hamilton" app on their IOS or Android device. Winners will be notified between 1 and 4 a.m. of the opportunity to purchase up to two tickets for a performance between December 6 and 12. (luckyseat.com). Lotteries for subsequent weeks will operate on the same schedule, opening every Friday and closing Thursday. A person must be 18 or older to enter. Regular tickets are priced at $35 to152 at playhousesquare.org

Capsule judgment: The question asked to many who see "Hamilton" is whether it is worth the investment of time and money? This reviewer's answer, "Absolutely!" I've seen it four times and this staging was as compelling as the first!

'Hamilton" runs through January 15, 2023 at the Key Bank State Theatre.