[NEohioPAL]Berko review: ON THE TOWN (Beck)

[Roy Berko]

‘ON THE TOWN’ GETS LOST AT BECK

Roy Berko
(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--

	
Lorain County Times--Westlaker Times--Lakewood News
Times--Olmsted-Fairview Times	


‘ON THE TOWN,’ the production now on stage at Beck
Center, is a musical-comedy extension of ‘FANCY-FREE,’
a ballet with choreography by Jerome Robbins and music
by Leonard Bernstein.  

Like ‘FANCY FREE,’ ‘ON THE TOWN’ tells the story of
three sailors during World War II and their amorous
adventures on a 24-hour shore leave in the Big Apple
(”New York, New York”), but expands the development of
the characters and comic situations. 

This show introduced to Broadway two creative geniuses
who would make vast contributions to the American
musical theatre.   This was Leonard Bernstein's first
musical theatre score and Jerome Robbins' first
assignment as choreographer in musical comedy.  It
also opened the door for two other soon-to-be-Broadway
heavyweights-- Betty Comden and Adolph Green.  When it
opened on Broadway in 1944 ‘ON THE TOWN’ was an
instant hit and ran for 436 performances.   

Interestingly, when MGM acquired the film rights Louis
B. Mayer, the studio’s chief executive disliked
Bernstein's score so much that he replaced almost all
of it.  If you see the movie and stage versions you
will find two different scores.  The movie, which went
on to win an Academy Award, starred Frank Sinatra,
Gene Kelly, Jules Munshin, 
Ann Miller and Judy Holliday.

The New York Times called the stage version, "One of
the freshest musicals to come into town in a long
time."  The review went on to say that “Its breathless
pace and feeling of excitement was maintained from
opening curtain to the finale.”

Unfortunately, in the Beck version, the breathless
pace, the feelings of excitement and the wackiness are
generally missing.  After staging super hits like
RAGTIME and MAN OF LA MANCHA at JCC, Fred Sternfeld,
one of the areas best musical theatre directors, seems
to have lost his way in this show.   He decided to use
shticks and gimmicks to help develop the delight of
the show instead of using the natural aspects of the
show.  Unfortunately, it just doesn’t work.
 
Part of the problem isn’t Sternfeld’s.  ‘ON THE TOWN’
is a dated show.  To make the production work, it
needs a cast who understands the movement, the speech
and the dance styles of the1940s.  Sternfeld’s
assemblage, which consists mainly of teenagers, just
can’t place themselves in that era.   

In addition, this is a dance show.  It requires that
almost everyone in the cast be a superb dancer. 
Choreographer Martin Cespedes does his usual creative
job of staging the movements.  But, even the talented
Cespedes can’t make dancers out of a cast, many of who
whom aren’t dancers.  Some of the numbers look rag-tag
with the performers trying their best but not always
succeeding. 

To add to the difficulty is Bernstein’s music.  The
score is hard to play and harder to sing.  The
musicians, under the direction of Larry Goodpaster,
needed to have a big band sound.  They, as with the
cast, try hard, but there is a “little” sound rather
than the fullness of the music of the era.  Vocally,
the choral sounds, a key to success with Bernstein,
were often missing appropriate blendings.

Colin Cook sparkles as Chip, the sailor who only wants
to see the sights.  The scene (“Come Up to My Place”)
in which he is seduced by a female cab driver (Amiee
Collier) was delightful.  He sings well and has a
clear concept of his role.  

Sean Szaller is properly gawky as Gabey, complete with
farm boy charm.  Joseph Fronadel, as the
hopping-hormoned Ozzie misses the mark on several
levels.  He lacks the acting polish and the vocal
talents to pull off the role.

 Katelyn Blockinger dances and sings well, but lacks
the acting depth  needed to pull off the role of Ivy,
Gabey’s love interest.  Maggie Stahl never develops a
consistent characterization at Clair De Loone.  There
should be a Judy Holliday daffiness to the role.  Paul
Floriano, the production’s only Actors Equity
performer, is fine, but seems wasted in a small role. 


Abram Hegewald and Linda Mementowski are wonderful in
a classical ballet segment which comes directly from
‘FANCY FREE.’   These are two talented kids!

All is not lost.  The opening night audience was
seemingly enthralled.  The two high school kids
sitting next to me applauded and laughed consistently
and were amazed by “the awesome dancing” and the
“unbelievable talent of my friends in the cast.”

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT:   ‘ON THE TOWN’ is a dated and very
difficult show to stage.  In spite of a valiant
effort, the Beck cast simply isn’t up to the task.  

‘ON THE TOWN’ runs through April 10 at The Beck Center
for the Arts in Lakewood.  For ticket information call
216-521-2540.



Roy Berko's web page can be found at www.royberko.info.  His theatre and dance reviews appear on NeOHIOpal, an on-line source.   To subscribe to this free service via the World Wide Web, visit http://lists.fredsternfeld.com/mailman/listinfo/neohiopal.


		
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