42nd Street by Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble, Lyrics by Al Dubin, Music by Harry Warren. Directed by Norm Sham for the Kavinoky Theatre.
42nd STREET is bringing them to their feet at the Kav. One of the great American musicals of the 20th Century, this throwback to the glory days of the Great White Way of the Great Depression is a blend of modern staging with terrific, nostalgic music and songs and some irresistible toe-tapping dance.
Adapted from a 1933 Hollywood film, the story is as old as dirt. Ingenue Peggy Sawyer is fresh off the train from Allentown, ready to conquer Broadway. Lovely Kelly Jakiel is the perfect choice: she sings, she dances, she is cute, sexy and irresistible. This girl really could conquer Broadway.
Tough guy theatrical producer Julian Marsh is desperate for a new hit (“Pretty Lady”) and he’ll take on temperamental star Dorothy Brock (and her Sugar Daddy Abner Dillon’s financial backing) to make it happen. John Fredo as Marsh and Debbie Pappas as Brock are spot on, powerful and commanding. Stephen Jakiel (Kelly’s real life dad) holds his own as Dillon, the blustery bumpkin with the moneybags.
Mix in Pretty Lady’s writer/producers, Bert Barry and Maggie Jones (Gregory Gjurich and the fabulous Kelli Babcock-Natale), a choreographer (Daniel Baldwin Hess), a tenor, Patrick O’Herron, chorus girls (and boys) with hearts of gold (Charmagne Chi, Sarah Ball, Kelly Cammaratta, Devan Marie Corcoran, Kevin R. Kennedy, Hannah Medwin, Laura Mikolajczyk, Sean Murphy, Kara Murray, and Michael Zito) and Miss Brock’s rakish boyfriend, Pat Denning (Peter Palmisano who plays the part with – what else? rakish good looks.)
Of course, in a cast this size the talent will vary, but so many of these actors are of such class and accomplishment it doesn’t really matter. Mssrs. Fredo, Hess and Palmisano, and Mses. Pappas, Bocock-Natale and Jakiel could honestly hold his or her own on any stage in any production anywhere in the world. And the rest of the cast can sing and dance like the devil.
This ain’t Shakespeare. These characters are meant to be sketches, a one (or two at best) dimensional platform from which to launch a song and dance fest. And what dancing! Choreographer Kelly Cammarata has put these kids through their paces and it shows. Clean and tight, these steps will exhaust you just watching. Great work.
And the music? Well done by a seven piece band directed by pianist Mark Vona. Once again sound designer Tom Makar creates a concert hall sound in a shoebox-sized space. The music is powerful but not overpowering. The band is situated smack in the middle of the stage, but never detracts from the action, thanks to yet another excellent, functional set design by David King. The versatile lighting design from Brian Cavanagh is alternately moody or flashy as needed.
But it’s the songs from 42nd STREET that really grab you. “You’re Getting to Be a Habit with Me”, “Lullaby of Broadway”, “Go into Your Dance”, “Shuffle Off To Buffalo” and of course, “42nd Street” are but a few of many. You’ll know why this musical hits a chord when you hear people humming ” We’re In The Money” during intermission.
As the house lights came down and the curtain rose, I thought this is exactly the kind of show for the times, like a Shirley Temple movie in the Great Depression, 42nd STREET’s rags to riches story is a salve for the Great Recession. Hang in there folks, it’s gonna get better.
Legendary producer David Merrick’s original 1980 production of 42nd STREET won the Tony that year, then won The Olivier Award in London and another Tony for the 2001 Revival. Those productions may have had twenty times the budget and four times the cast size, but this Kavinoky production has just as much heart.
This is a big show for the Kav’s modest stage, but the theatre has done well with their season opening musicals, and this 42nd STREET holds true to that history. Director Norm Sham assembled an excellent cast and crew and knew how to use them. The final weekend is approaching, so there’s still time to catch this one, but be forewarned it was sold out the night I attended. Good show!
42nd STREET, directed by Norm Sham for The Kavinoky Theatre through October 9.