[NEohioPAL] Berko review: COME FLY WITH ME @ The Palace/PlayhouseSquare

[Roy Berko]

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COME FLY AWAY takes audience on a song and dance trip of romance



Roy Berko

*(Member, American Theatre Critics Association & Cleveland Critics Circle)*

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Combine the vocal sounds of Frank Sinatra, the king of sophisticated mellow
sounds, the master of “cool,” with the creative energies of choreographer
Twyla Tharp, queen of unique dance interpretations, and the result is an
evening of masterful joy.



COME FLY AWAY was greeted on Broadway with tepid reviews.  Taking note of
the negatives, and building on the positives, the touring production is
half an hour shorter, some songs were dropped, the intermission eliminated.
Now, about 80  minutes long, it is tighter, less repetitive and holds the
audience’s attention with the feeling that Sinatra is in the house.



The sound design gives the illusion that Sinatra is standing in the wings
while the wonderful on-stage big band (reeds, trumpets, trombones, bass,
drums and piano) supplement the fine signature recorded musical
arrangements of the boss.   No one sings Sinatra, the vocals are his!  In
fact, it’s so well done that it was almost expected that the man would
appear on stage during the curtain call.  Well, in fact, he does…the result
of visual electronics.  And the audience reaction was the same as if he had
returned from the dead.

 The setting is a night club.  We watch as four couples flirt, conflict,
fall in and out of love, while dancing to the crooner’s seductive vocals.  The
dancers move with ease, invading each other’s space, overlapping in
vignettes, change and shed clothing to display their superbly toned bodies.
The dance style is modern dance with ballet overtones, not ballroom
movements.  There are traditional balletic lifts, partner coupling, hand
extensions, flowing moves on and off stage, coupled with modern dance,
gymnastics, flips, jive, and lots of enthusiasm.



Don’t expect a story line.  That isn’t part of this format.  Tharp doesn’t
usually tell stories.  She shapes characters, each unique, who repeat their
strongest dance abilities, keeping true to their designated form.  As the
show is fluid in casting, the lineup seen one night may not be what is seen
the next.  This gives a freshness to each performance.



On opening night Ramona Kelley and Christopher Vo danced as a cute young
couple who shyly meet and by the end of the show, are in love.  They were
both superb, with Vo getting laughs for his awkward attempts to impress
Kelley.



Ron Todorowski displayed strong abilities with body abandonment in his
flips, cartwheels and gymnastic skills.  Beautiful Meredith Miles displayed
fine balletic dancing talent.  Toned Stephen Hanna’s strong balletic
skills, which was also highlighted in the musical BILLY ELLIOT, was well
showcased.



The rest of the opening night lead dancers, Ashley Blair Fitzgerald,
Tanairi Sade Vazquez and Anthony Burrell all displayed excellent dance
skills.  The corps was strong.



The on stage band, which supplemented the recorded music, was superb.  Strong
solos performances aided in the overall quality of the musical sounds.



*CAPSULE JUDGEMENT:   If you’re a Sinatra fan, you’ll have an evening of
nostalgia with old blue eyes.  If you’re a dance aficionado, you’ll
experience an evening filled with the visual delights of Twyla Tharp.  If
you are a lover of musical theatre filled with a strong story line and
message, this isn’t going to be your thing.  Me?  I really, really enjoyed
myself.*



Tickets for COME FLY AWAY, which runs through May 20 at the Palace Theatre,
can be ordered by calling 216-241-6000 or going to www.playhousesquare.org.


 Roy Berko's commentaries and reviews appear on coolcleveland.com,
neohiopal.com,artsamerica.com,

and broadwaynews.com.  His blog is: www.royberko.info

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