FOLLIES in Washington DC

Bernadette Peters is losing her mind

At the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., a rare production of FOLLIES is drawing a New York crowd. Lovers of this Sondheim/Goldman musical can not pass up such a grand opportunity. Eric Schaeffer directed and Warren Carlyle choreographed as good a production as I have ever seen and this was production number four for me. FOLLIES is the kind of show that continues to fascinate, but rarely satisfies everyone on every level––too much can go wrong, or if not go wrong exactly––too much can fail to live up to one’s expectations. The big four this time were pretty darn good with Bernadette Peters heading the troupe as Sally, Jan Maxwell as Phyllis, Danny Bernstein as Buddy and Ron Raines as Ben.

The physical production gave us a properly singed and crumbling empty theatre setting––a shroud lifting to reveal the ghosts of the theater at the top of the show. Set Designer Derek McLane added a mylar curtain for “Who’s that Woman” and a beautiful textured archway of flowers for the “Loveland” sequence. This was all fairly simple, but add to that Gregg Barnes’ fantastic period “Ziegfeld” inspired costumes for the ghosts––absolutely stunning and as haunting as a faded photograph from “The Ziegfeld Follies of 1919.”

Just in case the reader has no idea what this show is about, the concept is a reunion of the “Weisman Follies” cast members––all fifty plus years old––on the evening before the old theater that housed the annual revue is to be torn down to be replaced by a parking lot. The guests all reminisce about the old days and perform numbers that they used to do––albeit with lyrics that say a lot more about their true lives. The two main couples recount their history and we find out that two of them married the wrong person. Their lives are falling a part and the reunion brings up a lot of unfinished business. The show switches back and forth between honoring a faded type of show business that flourished between World War I. and World War II. and the trials and tribulations of the main two couples.

Most of the fun is had from the performances of the many elderly ladies who step forward to entertain again. There is always a double layer to this aspect of the show when people like Linda Lavin, Florence Lacey, Terri White, Susan Watson and Elaine Paige are involved. There is the nostalgia of the actual star performing for us layered on top of their character’s story. With unknown actresses, these roles would lose several degrees of potency. Terri White stopped the show with “Who’s that Woman” in an exciting tap dance staging involving the young ghost version of each lady dancing in reflection and White’s big booming voice filling the Edision Theatre. Elaine Paige as Carlotta got plenty of mileage out of “I’m Still Here” and her high belt is still pretty spectacular. Linda Lavin was cute with “Broadway Baby” and still knows how to sell a number. Opera star Rosalind Elias gave a moving rendition of “One More Kiss,” which in a way, is the theme song for the show. Singing in counterpoint, Leah Horowitz helped make the number truly beautiful with her delicate and clean soprano. The only big disappointment of the evening was Régine as Solange. She might actually be French, but her rendition of “Ah, Paris!” was a bore. Where was Leslie Caron? Sadly, no one applauded for the entrance of Susan Watson as Emily Whitman. But then, she’s been out of the scene since the days of No, No, Nannette and she was the original Kim in Bye, Bye Birdie. Her duet with Terrence Currier, “Rain on the Roof,” was very sweet.

As for the big four: Peters seems at home with Sondheim and delivered a very moving “Losing My Mind.” I have not been a fan of hers based on her past three Broadway outings, but here her particular quirks and bag of tricks did well for the character. Jan Maxwell turns out to be a surprisingly good singer and survived the rigorous choreography in her “The Story of Lucy and Jessie” number, keeping up with a group of well trained chorus boys. Her performance of “Could I Leave You” was a ferocious show stopper. Danny Bernstein was as perfect a Buddy as I have seen and summoned up a little Bert Lahr in his rambunctious delivery of “Buddy’s Blues.” Ron Raines retains his expert musicality and strong baritone, serving the material best with “The Road You Didn’t Take” and “Too Many Mornings” in the first act.

This Kennedy Center production is quite an event, with the full orchestration sounding better than ever as directed by James Moore. Yes there are mutterings about it moving to Broadway, but don’t get excited until you see the marquee go up, because it is a big endeavor. Also, save for the sets and costumes, it is likely that a somewhat new group of ladies will have to be assembled at the point when a production could actually open in New York. For now, a half day bus or train trip to Washington D.C. will bring you a healthy dose of Broadway magic.

Excursion to Massachusetts

FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM

The Williamstown Theatre Festival is enjoying its 56th season. This, one of the great summer theater companies of the U.S. (and having received the Regional Theatre Tony Award to prove it), is still situated on the campus of Williams College as always, though there is now a brand new theatre arts building to house it. The main stage is a beautiful modern, multitiered proscenium theater in metal and sandy woods with comfortable seating and a deep red act curtain. Currently upon the stage is a wonderful assortment of New York talent performing Stephen Sondheim’s A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM in an all male casting in the manner of the ancient classical theatre. This novelty doesn’t exactly help the show, but neither does it harm the show. The fact that men are in drag playing female characters is a laugh that comes and goes quickly. The real humor comes from the characters these men have developed and they are just as honest and hilarious as they would be with a traditional casting. The merry band of players is headed by Christopher Fitzgerald as Pseudolus. Anyone who saw him on Broadway as Igor or Og understands the deliciousness of this choice. Josh Grisetti plays Hysterium and delivers the kind of delightfully quirky character expected from this star of Off Broadway’s ENTER LAUGHING (I am still upset that BROADWAY BOUND never opened last season because we were robbed of a potentially brilliant night at the theatre with Josh Grisetti). He frolics about the stage like a young Ray Bolger––nearly a replica. Kevin Cahoon, that veritable martian who was featured in THE WEDDING SINGER and CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG to freakish delight, played Tintinabula and Erronius. David Turner was wonderful as Philia, making “I’m Lovely” a new comic masterpiece. Brice Pinkham was Hero in an expected reading of the character, strangely sporting a horrid white blonde wig, though he sang is material nicely. Jessicca Stone directed an hysterical production upon Alexander Dodge’s sturdy three dimensional set, punched up with Catherine A. Parrott’s colorful costumes. Gary Adler conducted a fine orchestra and Denis Jones choreographed the numbers with whimsy. Stephen Sondheim was in the audience, for all the critics praised this all male production and it was well worth the trip to the Williamstown Theatre Festival to see the show in top form.

Sondheim On Sondheim

This Stephen Sondheim revue was as much a master class as an entertainment, with some great entertainers illustrating Mr. Sondheim’s lecture. He came in the form of video footage from past TV interviews and contemporary interviews recorded especially for this production. These were displayed on amazing floating TV screens, which moved in a variety of directions like the pieces of a Scrabble game. Behind the menagerie of screens was a small but full sounding orchestra silhouetted like the orchestra from FANTASIA above a rotating maze of stairs and platforms that seemed to create an infinent variety of settings for the lengthy list of musical numbers. Designed by Beowulf Boritt, all of this was beautiful and showcased the talent and the event perfectly. Mr. Sondheim's descriptions of his work, his stories, his shared memories, were all lovely to hear––he is an enjoyable speaker, displaying an intimacy and ease as if we were in his home chatting with him about the history of Broadway––his remarkable experience of Broadway. His experience with Broadway starts with a mentorship from Oscar Hammerstein, writing lyrics for WEST SIDE STORY and GYPSY, then on through his wide variety of musicals for which he composed the music as well as the lyrics: COMPANY, FOLLIES, SWEENEY TODD and A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, which is enjoying a revival this season as well. All this and Barbara Cook too! After all the other very fine performers made their entrances, Barbara Cook walked on to an extra round of thunderous applause. There she stood, taking it all in for a moment, a woman who represents the history of Broadway herself. She is the original star of MUSIC MAN, PLAIN AND FANCY and SHE LOVES ME among other things. The past twenty years she has been a busy cabaret and concert star, quite often devoting programs to Stephen Sondheim’s music. I caught one of these at Carnegie Hall some years ago and also saw her in the more intimate Cafe Carlyle. Yes, there she stood, resplendent, now in her early 80s, singing with that clean clear soprano that made “‘Till There Was You”, “My White Knight” and “Ice Cream” so stunning once upon a time. At this performance she gave us brilliantly executed solos of “Take Me to the World”, “In Buddy’s Eyes” and “Send in the Clowns.” We are all so lucky that there is a show for Barbara Cook in 2010.

Of course there are other people in the show too and they are delightful. The other two big stars are Tom Wopat, who has been a Broadway regular for the past decade or so and Vanessa Williams, who had played the Witch in the revival of INTO THE WOODS. As a kind of supporting ensemble, but shining through with solo work as well we were given the powerhouse known as Leslie Kritzer, Norm Lewis who sang a killer “Being Alive,” Euan Morton, who got a lot of comedy material, but who was under used and two fine young singers new to me––Erin Mackey and Matthew Scott. All of these people were charming and sang their material with excellence, both as individuals and as a tight chorus.

James Lapine conceived and directed the production, introducing the audience to quite a bit of rare material. One great use of this idea was hearing the various versions of Bobby’s final song for COMPANY, leading up the the final choice, “Being Alive.” Inbetween hearing these versions, Mr. Sondheim appeared on screen to explain why each version was discarded. This technique was also used to show the evolution of the opening number for FUNNY THING...FORUM––the winner finally being, “Comedy Tonight.” Although I’ve heard Mr. Sondheim tell the story at different times, his telling of the time Oscar Hammerstein signed a picture to him that said, “To Stevie, My friend and teacher,”* was very moving and preceded an emotional “Anyone Can Whistle” being played on the piano by Mr. Sondheim on screen while the cast sang to it on stage. For students of the musical theater, there just isn’t a better classroom to be in than SONDHEIM ON SONDHEIM and by the end of June it will saddly all be over.

*Sondheim fans, I have quoted this from memory, so if I didn’t get it world for word please forgive me.