Review - On the Town

I don't know what has taken me so long to get to the revival of On the Town.  I guess my budget is what took me so long.  In a perfect world, I'd see everything as it opens, but, alas, this is not a perfect world.  I did buy a lottery ticket, though, so please cross your fingers that my money ship comes in this weekend...

Anyway, I love On the Town.  I love the film, which isn't exactly an accurate representation of the stage musical, but it does capture the spirit and joy of the piece as a whole.  I also love my original cast album, featuring Betty Comden and Adolph Green performing some of the songs for which they contributed lyrics.  I was lucky enough to meet Betty & Adolph when I first started my job and they were both just as delightful as you might imagine.  I have a soft spot for them and all of their work.  Though, frankly, a soft spot isn't necessary to enjoy their wit and humor.  They were so talented, you have to admire them.  I love watching their films or listening to their musicals and thinking to myself 'oh, that's one of Betty's lines!' or 'I just KNOW Adolph came up with that!'

The revival at the newly named Lyric Theater (formerly the Foxwoods, formerly the Hilton, formerly the Ford Center) is wall-to-wall fun.  I had a smile on my face the entire evening.  Maybe some of my joy was because of one of my seat neighbors, but I don't think so.  I'll get to him later.  The theater itself is a barn, but still lovely.  I picked up my ticket (having to stand outside because of the long line wasn't fun) and noticed I was in Row P.  In most theaters, that would be in the back.  At the Lyric, I was about midway back, orchestra right.  It was a terrific seat.  Before the show started, I at first was looking around thinking, gee, it's been a long time since I've been here.  And then I remembered no, I saw Spider Man there.  Ugh.  It was NOT wall-to-wall fun and best left forgotten, I think.

The tale of three sailors ready to enjoy a 24-hour leave in NYC is one that's immediately identifiable and meeting them with the exhiliarting "New York, New York" seriously put tears in my eyes.  It was just so free and joyous and hearing that amazing 28-piece orchestra play the immortal Bernstein melodies with such verve was terrific.  Of course, hearing the amazing Philip Boykin start the show off, before we meet the sailors, with a silky "I Feel Like I'm Not Out of Bed Yet" REALLY got me onto the edge of my seat.  His voice just grabs your attention.  Oh, ok, let's start at the actual very beginning of the show - hearing the orchestra start with not the overture but with the "Star Spangled Banner" and we all stood up to sing it was a terrific way to get this wonderfully American musical on its feet, plus it united the audience right off the bat.  It was a good choice.



Photo credit: Sara Krulwich

The show isn't cast with 'celebrities' but with true triple-threat Broadway performers and they were all fantastic.  Tony Yazbeck as Gabey is lovestruck and naive, yet gregarious and fun around his friends.  Watching him dance, especially in the act two dream ballet, is a joy.  And his "Lonely Town" will probably be a highlight of the season for me.  Megan Fairchild as Ivy dances like a goddess, though I wondered at not seeing her character onstage for such long periods throughout the evening.  Jay Armstrong Anderson and Clyde Alves are fun as Chip and Ozzie, and Alysha Umphress and Elizabeth Stanley are riots as their ladyfriends.  I was so happy to see Michael Rupert on stage again (his singing is just as fantastic now as it was when I saw him in Falsettoland oh so many years ago).  But, really, everyone in the cast was top-notch and seemed to be having such a good time performing, it was infectious.

Photo credit: Joan Marcus

The choreography was wonderful and all that dancing!  Loved it!  My seat neighbor was stunned about all the ballet when we chatted at intermission, but I explained about the original production and Jerome Robbins, so he was well-informed.  Not-so-brief interjection:  I don't normally really chat with my seat neighbors, I just keep to myself and go to the show.  For some reason, last night, I got to chatting.  Before the show started, I saw a couple hovering at the end of the aisle, unsure where to go and ushers not really noticing them.  So I asked if I could help.  Turned out, they were sitting next to me.  The gentleman asked if I see a lot of theater, I replied yes.  I noticed his accent and asked where he was visiting from.  Italy, he says.  ITALY!  Well, it was fate.  We chatted up a storm.  He and his ladyfriend (he referred to her as his partner, so I don't know) are from Venice.  I told him about how much I loved visiting Italy; he expressed amazement that I enjoyed Naples.  Too dirty and criminal, he said.  I said it reminded me of New York in the 80s.  He laughed.  He said he had wanted to see (as he called them) King Lion or Opera Phantom, but they were both too expensive.  He was very happy with his $50 seats.  He said he was looking forward to Bernstein's music the most.  Oh, also at intermission, he asked if Americans always stand up to sing before the show and I had to admit we don't.  He was really charming.  He LOVED the show.  He clapped loud and long after every song and threw in a "woo hoo" every now and then.  At intermission, he also said he had enjoyed it so much, he wished it were longer.  I said it is, there's another act!  (Of course, that could be an easy mistake to make, the first act is nearly 90 minutes by itself. Even I got a little antsy towards the end of the act.  My other seat neighbor got out her cell phone. I did not find her charming.)  He and his partner got up to stretch their legs, then a quite adorable elderly woman from Kansas started chatting with me.  I was Miss New York!  Maybe it was just the warm and joyful feeling from the stage reaching out into the crowd...

OK, I'll admit I had a few quibbles with a bit of overacting here and there, or with some spots that lagged due to pacing, or a couple of times my ears pricked up and thought, 'oh that must be something new, I'm not sure I like it' (there is an 'additional material by' credit in the Playbill) or with a couple of overly busy set pieces, but taken as a whole, I thought On the Town was a sheer delight.  I had the best time.  It's a love letter to a "helluva town" and everyone should get themselves over to the Lyric and check it out.