A Bright New Boise

     By Joseph Cervelli

While Samuel D. Hunter's 2010 play "A Bright New Boise" which is having its off Broadway debut at the Signature Theatre is moderately fascinating and absorbing it never truly resonates for a number of reasons. 

Hunter has too many situations going on here. There is the issue of finding the son a character gave up for adoption, lonely people who don't know where to turn, and in the forefront religion. It is not clear exactly how Hunter feels about all kinds of religion but it does not seem to help the characters in his play. 

Interestingly, the action takes place in the break room of a Hobby Lobby Craft Store in Boise, Idaho. Those familiar with this company will be aware that the founders are ingrained in conservative religious beliefs along with strict Christian ideals. Yet, some things here just don't gel. Would one of the characters Leroy (Angus O' Brien) be allowed to wear provocative tee shirts he himself has designed outside of the break room. Hard to believe any store policy would allow an employee to wear such on the selling floor. Can you imagine a conservative Christian institution allowing "F***" to be worn for customers to see. There would be a riot. Hobby Lobby is also anti unions a topic that is gone over very briefly in the beginning of the play. And the manager of the store Pauline (Eva Kaminsky) who was hired to get its failing status back up to par spends most of her time screaming at the employees. Why indeed would she allow Leroy to wear a standard Hobby Lobby shirt without anything underneath? Not exactly realistic.

There is a new employee Will (Peter Mark Kendall) who is starting his first day. We find out Will belonged to a controversial non-denominational church in northern Idaho. He worked he says as both a janitor and bookkeeper. Something happened at the church concerning the pastor which sent the pastor to jail and closed the church down. Hunter does have the audience guessing what exactly transpired which is explained at the end. And it is the last fifteen or so minutes that are the most interesting. I kept wondering why not bring that part of the play into the limelight much earlier. And one of the characters may not be as unassuming as you are led to believe. 

Right from the onset (no real spoiler here) Will announces to the teenage boy Alex (Ignacio Diaz-Silverio) who works there that he is his father who gave him up as a child. Alex has loads of issues which include lying and panic attacks. He also despises his adoptive parents whom he calls alcoholics among other things. Not sure how much is true or not. We also find out that Leroy is his stepbrother. 

As if this is not enough we meet the rather banal Anna (Anna Baryshnikov) who has her own issues trying to find a boyfriend but is very jittery and a rather uninteresting character. For some strange reason the playwright has both entering the lounge area after the store is closed. Will needs the internet for his book and Anna goes there to read. Apparently Will has not service where he is currently living and Anna has to put up with disruptive brothers. Still makes little sense and it would be fine if Hunter had them meet once but twice becomes tedious. 

The performances are adequate but here is a stilted feeling here among all of them. I felt that Oliver  Butler's direction never clearly gives them the energy they should have. The storyline is original but never feels as developed as it should be because too much is transpiring that just never clearly coalesces into a play that should be more involving than it is. 

Tickets are available at the Pershing Square Signature Theater 480 West 42nd Street. 

PHOTOS: JOAN MARCUS    

 Best Shows of The First Half of the 2022-2023 Season

            By Joseph Cervelli

I used to list what I considered to be the best shows of the entire season while other reviewers would write the best of the year. I never quite understood that (and still don't) because quite a number of those shows were already nominated for the previous season. I now prefer to list my favorites from those that opened from May till December and then January to April. The normal cut-off date of shows for the Tony and Outer Critics Circle Awards is in April. 

So, in no particular order here are those I felt were the best during the time period mentioned. 

"Soft" by Donja R. Love was a smashingly good, high intensity play about a group of Black and Latino boys in a juvenile boarding school. The young men have explosive personalities for the most part along with the teacher who tried to keep order. It was an amazing play directed by Whitney White. How they did not (as far as I know) harm themselves in the physical encounters is amazing. 

James Ljames' Pulitzer Prize winning "Fat Ham" which is arriving on Broadway in the spring is a rollicking tale that takes place at a southern barbecue and is a clever, thoughtful takeoff of "Hamlet." It is both seriously entertaining and the next moment a real hoot. I wish it well on Broadway. It has not been easy for transfers of shows off Broadway recently. 

A 1909 play about the lower class in Edwardian England sounds rather dull, yet that is far from what Elizabeth Baker's "Chains" is. Marriage, work, a lodger and a surprise ending made this exceptionally well acted play one that I hope you had a chance to see. 

The wonderfully appealing "Kinky Boots" was given an equally delightful revival. Some might quibble that it was a carbon copy of the original Broadway show but it worked so well.  With a wonderful score by Cyndi Lauper it boasted a bravura performance by Callum Francis as the drag queen performer Lola who forms a friendship with a young man who makes shoes (an equally excellent Christian Douglas.)

While I had some problems figuring out the ancestry in the otherwise superb "Leopoldstadt" by Tom Stoppard,  it is a remarkably effective work about a Viennesse family who thinks they have little to fear from the Nazis living where they have for many years. There are sadly parallels to what we have seen    in this country over the past years. 

Two brilliant performers Corey Hawkins and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II bring new life in the revival of Suzan-Lori Parks' Pulitzer Prize play Topdog/Underdog. How they are not mentally and physically exhausted by the play's end is quite a feat. Or, perhaps, they indeed may be. Sibling rivalry explodes into a fury of tragedy. 

Despite some unfairly negative reviews, I loved every minute of Gabriel Byrne's lovely, lilting autobiographical "Walking With Ghosts." It was a heartfelt tale about his life--funny, touching and even upsetting. Closed much too early. 

And speaking of unfairly negative reviews, I was completely enthralled by "Ohio State Murders" which was a frightening story about the kidnapping of two babies. Told by the incomparable Audra McDonald who certainly helped to propel the story. I just wondered if those who were not taken with this show were mystery story devotees. If you love reading such genre then I would be surprised if you were not immersed in the storyline. 

"Chester Bailey" by Joseph Dougherty was an intriguing and deeply felt play taking place in a hospital in Long Island in 1945 about the relationship between a psychiatrist and his patient who refuses to believe after a monstrous attack by a fellow worker that he is blind, lost his hands and one ear. Reed Birney and his real life son Ephraim Barney give award winning performances. Especially Ephraim who broke your heart. 

While this list is in no particular order, I do have to say the best of the season, thus far, was the mesmerizing "Downstate" by Bruce Norris who wrote the very good "Clybourne Park." This hard to tell and harder to sit through (but you never take your eyes off the explosive performers) play is about a group home for sex predators and the sexually abused man who comes to confront one of them. If ever revived I urge you not to miss it. In any other hands under than Norris's and Pam McKinnon's direction, it could have been been a true disaster. The one caveat is something obvious that occurs in the second act. But that, notwithstanding, it was quite a play. 

I loved "Cost of Living" off Broadway and the recent Broadway revival conjured up the same feelings. One of the new additions was the unforgettable David Zayas who needs to be remembered at award time. Zayas who was superior in the unforgettably exciting  "Dexter" takes to the stage beautifully. 

An excellent revival of the wild "Between Riverside and Crazy"by Stephen Adly Guirgis with a memorable Stephen McKinley Henderson reprising his role is a must. Funny, touching and interesting how your feelings about the injured ex-cop played by Henderson starts to turn as the play evolves. I would hope that someday my personal favorite of all Guirgis' works "Halfway Bitches Go Straight to Heaven" arrives on Broadway. It is a knockout play. 

Mike Birbiglia never fails to disappoint in any of his hilarious and touching one person shows. Birbiglia is a kind of Everyman. A type of guy you want to call up and ask, "Hey, buddy, want  to go out for a beer?" and find out what is going on in his life. His latest and best "The Old Man & The Pool" makes you laugh out loud one moment and wipe away a tear the next. 

"& Juliet" is a rollicking delight about what happens if Juliet wakes up while Romeo supposedly never awakens. Stark Sands as Shakespeare and Betsy Wolfe (Anne Hathaway) just about steal the show. The music while not original fits in perfectly. It is a romp from beginning to end.

Jefferson Mays astounded (not a surprise) in his one man "Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol." Taking every major role in the play he is miraculous as is the thrillingly alive production with the scenic and sound design. And that lighting was award winning. I hope he brings it back next year. 

One of the most frightening performances in a play from many years go, "Wait Until Dark," was Robert Duvall as a psycopath. Now there is another one that was just as chilling. In Harrison David Rivers' deeply engrossing play "The Bandaged Place"  Anthony Lee Medina gives a performance that could easily keep you up nights as the psychotic ex-boyfriend who refuses to stay away from his lover well played by a gentle Jhardon DiShon Milton. There was also a performance of many layers beautifully played by Stephanie Berry. This one stayed with me for days after attending it. 

"Into The Woods" was a joy when it opened back in 1987 and the revival ending on January 8 is just as jubilant with a cast that brought new life into a play about the retelling of the Brothers Grimm fairy tales. Stephen Sondheim at his very best. 

Bravo to the immensely talented performer/actor Maria Friedman for her direction that made the Sondheim show "Merrily We Roll Along" now more accessible. The book was always troublesome but now makes much more sense. The three leads Jonathan Groff, Lindsay Mendez, and Daniel Radcliffe could not be better. And that score still is a reigning achievent for the extraordinary composer. Moving to Broadway next season. 

Both Danielle Brooks and John David Washington bring life into the revival of  "August Wilson's The Piano Lesson." It is a masterwork about the fight between a sister and brother over the sale of a piano that has more riches than the young man cares about. How the past influences who we are today is one of the themes and in its own way it is a deeply spiritual experience.

HONORBLE MENTION:

Johnny Berchtold and Lily McInerny were standouts in "Camp Siegfried"; Nicholas Barasch was amazing in the difficult role of a crazed young man in the bizarre "The Butcher Boy"; As much as I admire Wendall Pierce along with Khris Davis and McKinley Belcher III,  I was not taken with their performances in the latest revival of "Death of a Salesman," yet Sharon D Clarke plays the part of Linda Loman with complete elegance; Tonya Pinkins was simply wonderful as Lena Younger in the disappointing revival of the classic "A Raisin in the Sun"; While I was not a fan of  "Straight Line Crazy," Ralph Fiennes never failed to disappoint and there was a subtly good performance by Helen Schlesinger; the  hardworking cast of "Ain't No Mo'" made it almost worth a visit; the cast, music and dancing were the only assets in the trite "KPOP"; Except for a noteworthy performance by Matt DeRogatis almost everything was wrong about the last revival of "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof"; and the late Douglas McGrath gave an immensely likable performance in his last show "Everything's Fine" which was cut short by his untimely death. 

PHOTO CREDITS IN ORDER:

Daniel J, Vasquez

Joan Marcus

Todd Ceveris

Matthew Murphy

Joan Marcus

Marc J. Franklin

Emilio Madrid

Richard Termine

Carol Rosegg

Joan Marcus

Julieta Cervantes

Joan Marcus

Emilio Madrid

Matthew Murphy

A Christmas Carol Live

Joan Marcus

Evan Zimmerman

Joan Marcus 

Julieta Cervantes

"The Bandaged Place-- A Strikingly Powerful New Play

      By Joseph Cervelli

"The Bandaged Place" at the minuscule Black Box Theater is not an easy play to sit through. If you have ever been a victim of physical abuse by a significant other you will find what transcends here to be a disturbing experience. Yet, that does not mean that this strikingly powerful play by Harrison David Rivers is anything less than superb with realistically acted performances that can have you close to tears and movingly directed by David Mendizabal. 

Jonah Irby (Jharden DiShon Milton) has gone through a horrifying experience that leaves him physically and emotionally damaged so badly that has him not wanting to leave his apartment despite a restraining order. His boyfriend Ruben Torres (a perfectly menacing Anthony Lee Medina) we are told in a fit of rage has broken his knee and later to discover had done more. We don't see Ruben right away but when he eventually appears whether in real time or a few dream like sequences his serpentine movements along with the ominous sound design by Mauricio Escamilla is chilling. Jonah has a feisty eight year old daughter Ella (a very fine and believable Sascha Manuel) whom he had with a friend back in high school. Manuel alternates the roles on other days with Phoenix Noelle. Ella's mother takes off leaving her daughter with Jonah who is was too young to take care of her so goes to live with Jonah's strict grandmother Geraldine Irby (an exceptionally fine Stephanie Berry). Jonah also lived with Geraldine when his own mother and boyfriend disappeared. Both he and his grandmother have always had a very contentious relationship which explodes with some unkind statements by Jonah in the latter half of this one act play. 

Ella has a wonderful relationship with her gay dance instructor Sam Yates (a first rate Jake Ryan Lozano). Jonah has started to leave the apartment but always late or forgetful in picking up his daughter from dance class while he himself is a member of a Harlem dance company. His being neglectful of going for his daughter  causes a kind of rift between him and Sam when the latter  suggests he needs to be more attentive to his daughter's needs. It is no surprise what exactly is going to eventually transpire between both men. 

There is a great deal that goes on in this play. And something that occurs before the ending that might have your heart pounding. What really stands out are the memorable performances. Jonah is an emotionally and physically broken man whom Milton conveys ideally. He is almost always in a dazed like condition As much as he wants to stay away from his psychotic boyfriend he is still in love with him. And when he says over the phone he will always love him you don't but somehow do understand. There is a very pertinent and transfixing dream like sequence where both Jonah and Ruben do a kind of danse macabre with each trying to take control over the other. It is an exhausting number and both actors are quite outstanding under the fight director Rocio Mendez's and choreographer Tislarm Bouie's guidance

Berry is a treasure as Geraldine who is exhausted from trying to control her granddaughter and make her a better person while trying to get her grandson to be more relevant in his daughter's life. She recites a prayer which is so effective while staring at one of two mirrored walls (scenic design by Wilson Chin.) One wall represents the dance studio and the other is above the bed on the other side of the stage. The meaning seems to be that the characters appear to be in an inescapable situation until they have the fortitude to make that change. 

"The Bandaged Place" is one of the best plays of the season, thus far. 

PHOTOS: JOAN MARCUS

Tickets are available at the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre at 111 West 46th Street. Closing date is December 18. 

Gabriel Byrne Walking With Ghosts--Lovingly Personal Memoir

      By Joseph Cervelli

The very fine stage and film actor, Gabriel Byrne, is transfixing in his beautifully crafted and deeply personal one person show "Gabriel Byrne Walking With Ghosts" at the Music Box Theater. The Music Box is a perfect venue for a solo show--intimate enough to be enveloped into the world of the performer. 

He may be the only person on stage yet there are enough characters in his life he so tenderly and expertly conjures.  You easily envision the cast of so many which made an indelible (for better or worse) effect on his life. 

When he states he feels like "an intruder into the past" you never feel he is at all. He brings forward those he calls ghosts whom he shares with the audience. 

He starts right at the beginning discussing his parents and his early childhood in Ireland. While this might sound like you have heard stories about dealing with harsh conditions before, he has a frolicsome quality so even the difficult times become illuminating in their own way. 

He speaks of one particularly vicious teacher at the Christian Brothers school in which he being a poor math student was lashed on his hand repeatedly with a cane used for beating. Bryne vividly recreates the swishing sound. While the show utilizes sound effects this is one he wanted to relive and have the audience feel the horror of what was inflicted on him by this teacher who did not belong in a classroom.

Yet, after some troubling details along with one described and another with a classmate drowning, suddenly you hear carousel music and hanging lightbulbs suddenly appear for he is at a carnival. Like any youngster the bleak moments of a childhood can suddenly be forgotten even for a short when they find some joy and in this case by discovering the sights and sounds of a carnival. Life becomes easier. 

He was very close to his grandmother who brings him to his first movie. He recreates that scene so vividly.  Suddenly the lights  (expert lighting and effective scenic design by Sinead McKenna) dim as the MGM lion roars and he crumples up in fear. 

The show has such a universal appeal. We can all vividly remember being taken to something that thrilled us not forgetting both what it was and who took us to see it. 

Gabriel decides to join the seminary where he tells a horrific tale about being seduced by a priest.  How he handled this years later shows what a kind and compassionate man he is. Not many would have been so thoughtful. 

After leaving the seminary he becomes a dishwasher and toilet attendant before joining an amateur theater group. 

Bryne has a unique ability to go from seriousness and tragedy (his heartbreaking tale of his beloved sister is a prime example) to being frolicsome. The solemnity we have come to know in so many Irish  novels and plays is met here with the humor that he needs to get through the difficult times. He has a delightfully puckish quality that frequently appears. 

He tells a hilarious story about trying to give great depth to one line he has to say "This Way Please" in a television play. He is so thrilled given this opportunity he treats it like he was quoting a famous line from Shakespeare. Of course, it does not go over well with the director. 

The only actor (other than an aside to Al Pacino) that is mentioned is Richard Burton who was his idol. They spent a good amount of the time when not filming drinking. Byrne realized that he loved the alcohol until he correctly realizes it "betrayed" him. Sadly, the extraordinarily fine actor Burton did not and passed away at the untimely age of 58. Burton's take on fame which I read in his diaries years ago still makes quite an impact especially the way Byrne tells it. 

With Lonny Price's compassionate direction and the simply astonishing Byrne we travel with him on his emotional journey and feel honored to do so.

PHOTOS: EMILIO MADRID

Tickets are at The Music Box Theater 239 West 45th Street.

Chester Bailey--Intriguing and Superbly Acted

     By Joseph Cervelli

Before the intriguing and exceptionally well acted (a standout performance by Ephraim Birney playing with his real life dad Reed Birney) "Chester Bailey" begins you hear the first two verses of the classic "Haunted Heart" by the popular singer of the late 30's through the 50's Jo Stafford. The memorable lyrics fit the mood of this new work by Joseph Dougherty at the Irish Repertory Theatre.

The action takes place in a hospital room in 1945 on Long Island. The always excellent set designer John Lee Beatty utilizes a turntable stage to create other locations. I especially was taken with what looks convincingly like overhead steel beams representing Penn Station. 

Ephraim Birney plays the title character, a good looking young man in his 20's, mostly in his hospital room.  Interestingly in a few scenes  you don't quite see his hands for the pajamas and robe seem a bit overlong. There is a reason for this. The other character in the play is Dr. Philip Cotton (an always perfect Reed Birney) a psychiatrist who is assigned Chester's case. 

Right from the onset you find Chester very likable young man wanting to enlist in the army during wartime. But as he tells it, his parents were very much against his serving  and his dad got him to work as a riveter in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. He was despondent when he was convinced his girlfriend dropped him only because he was not in the service. We really don't know the real reason for her breaking up with him if indeed that was. But Chester likes to convince himself so. Unfortunately, a horrific violent  incident takes place at work and the young man loses his hands, one ear and becomes totally blind something which Chester refuses to believe. This is what makes this play so compelling. How could Chester even try to live any kind of life he he refuses to believe that he is now incapable of his once normal life. He spends the time convincing the Dr. Cotton that he can see and still has hands. The young actor is amazing at the resilience he puts forward in the character. There is once scene near the end when he lets out a kind of primal scream that is heartbreakingly real. 

At the same time, Cotton has his own issues. Married with one daughter he finds out about his wife's infidelity. He also has fallen in love with the director of the hospital's wife. He wants there to be more but knows it is just an affair. He appears to be a very unhappy man and what makes him feel even worse is his inability as a doctor to convince Chester that he indeed has been severely damaged. Until that happens he cannot help him. There are various techniques he uses to convince Chester to accept his fate which don't work. 

Beautifully directed by Ron Lagomarsino he is able to show how much alike these two men are in terms of personal relationships and emotions. When the doctor makes a debatable decision at the play's conclusion, you are not sure if it is in the best interest of his patient. But certainly one that will remain with you.

Ephraim Birney is so effortless in his portrayal of this conflicted soul who  beams as he thinks about the young woman he saw working at Penn Station and then the anger when the reality of his condition is somethingwhich he will not accept.  His mood changes are so convincingly done. 

As always the very fine Reed Birney shows his emotion in a more low keyed fashion. There was one moment that was very easy to miss. He was thinking about one romantic time with his superior's wife and just has a bittersweet smile with his mouth slightly open thinking about that special time. 

This is a slow moving play but never dull with both monologues and dialogue between both characters, but the two actors make it work completely. I especially look forward to more stage roles for the younger Birney. He truly is unforgettable. 

Photos: Carol Rosegg

Tickets are available at the Irish Repertory Theatre 132 West 22nd Street. 

 Everything's Fine--An Immensely Likable Storyteller in a Heartfelt One Person Show

      By Joseph Cervelli

I have to say that I was not that familiar with Douglas McGrath before reading in the Playbill he wrote the excellent "Checkers" several years ago and the book to the fine "Beautiful: The Carole King Musical" as well as the screenplay to the hilariously funny "Bullets Over Broadway."  I wish I had known about his adapting one of my favorite novels and films "The Age of Innocence" to the stage. Would have rushed to have seen it.

In the very pleasurable "Everything's Fine" a solo show at the DR2 Theater he acts as both writer and performer. He succeeds admirably on both levels. He is a wonderfully engaging storyteller and a kind of performer you would love to meet and ask more questions about his life. There is only one caveat in this show. While he tells loving tales of his growing up in Midland, Texas (a lot of laugh out loud humor in there) he spends a bit too much time discussing what occurs in the eighth grade. Now, in all fairness I will say I was never bored with his story about his both humorous and also troubling experience with his teacher from that grade. It does go on rather long, but I found myself laughing heartily and then at the edge of my seat thinking this is no longer a funny situation. Fortunately, nothing graphic was discussed because nothing like thankfullytook place (worth the spoiler alert to know that.) 

When McGrath discusses what he felt as a fourteen year old he captures the foibles, innocence and immaturity of a boy that age. He actually morphs into a younger version of himself. I loved his imaginary interaction with his best friend Eddie whom he mimics. Love to know what happened to Eddie. It is so believable looking for help from another fourteen year old and, of course, getting nothing but laughter. McGrath shows his kindness by forgiving his teacher despite making his life more overbearing thanany young man that age needed to contend with. Won't say anymore. You will see for yourself. 

What occurred with  his father after he met with an horrific accident as a child is told with humor and more than that warmth. There is one particular glowing moment when McGrath talks about his grandmother who read classic books to his father trying to recover from the tragedy. As the tears well up in the performer's eyes as they do when he explains how his father made one bad business decision leading to bankruptcy you might find yourself also feeling the same way. McGrath certainly has that persona. 

I can easily understand why the great actor John Lithgow would want to direct this show (first time in 45 years.) As I was watching McGrath and listening to him I could hear Lithgow's voice and even see his mannerisms. It is uncanny and probably why the result is so good. 

There is very little set (design by John Lee Beatty) except for a teacher's desk and chairs which doubles as a family dining area.

While I wished McGrath had discussed what it was like to work on both "Beautiful" and more especially "Bullets," I admired the sweetness encapsulated in his storytelling. The image of him as a child on his bike racing against blowing tumbleweed still remained in my mind well after the show. That exemplifies the enchantment of this show.

Photos: Jeremy Daniel

Tickets are available at the DR2 Theater 101 East 15th Street.

 1776

      By Joseph Cervelli

I remember the thrill of seeing the original and exhilarating "1776." That same feeling held true when I saw the revival years later.

Right now a brave, new production starring female, trans and non-binary actors put a different twist on the show but remaining true to the original except for some dramatically different turns near the end. 

The superb book by Peter Stone and magnificently clever score by Sherman Edwards which tells the story about how the Second Congressional Congress bickered ferociously whether we should break away from England and declare our independence. The  idea of signing a Declaration of Independence remains still as exciting now in this new production.  

One certainly has to first compliment co-directors Jeffery L. Page  and Diane Paulus for their chance in taking such an  unorthodox approach with the cast change. When you have a great show to start with the only thing you have to make sure of is that the cast can live up to the demands. And this cast for the most part does, many of whom playing more than one role. 

First starting with a fiery John Adams (played with forceful conviction by Crystal-Lucas Perry) who never lets up on the commitment for independence. The humorous "Sit Down, John" sung by members of the  Congress along with the uniquely different but extremely effective choreography by co-director Page makes the number feel especially new. Allyson Kaye Daniel is sweetly charming as Adams devoted wife. Their duet "Till Then" still sounds as fresh as when I first heard it. 

Shawna Hamic is a hoot as Richard Henry Lee making the most in a near operatic voice of "The Lees of Old Virginia." There are some comical moments in the first act that don't always work, such as, the overdone drunken representative Stephen Hopkins (Joanna Glushak) from Rhode Island. But most of the time the directors keep them intact without going overboard. 

The always welcome Carolee Carmello is wonderfully dislikable as John Dickinson of Pennsylvania who is staunchly unpleasant in refusing to listen to reason about breaking away from England. Her rendition of "Cool, Cool Considerate Men" a memorable number from the second act is done so well with her band of supportive allies making  hem as disagreeable as they have been throughout. 

I especially enjoyed Patrena Murray who is a droll Benjamin Franklin. Murray could not have been better in portraying the jocular statesman.

The first act ends with a rousing rendition of "He Plays The Violin" sung lusciously by Eryn LeCroy who portrays Martha Jefferson. It is an affectionate ode to her husband Thomas who wooed her from the beginning of their courtship with his violin playing. The only misstep is the dour, lackluster performance of Elizabeth A. Davis as Jefferson. 

There were a few issues with the second act that mainly concerns two of the musical numbers. The strongly anti-war song "Momma, Look Sharp” is very moving number which  starts off well as sung by the courier played by Salome B. Smith. There was no need for the screeching at the end nor the ensemble to join in. The song sells itself. 

While I did like the projections of kegs in the compelling yet disturbing "Molasses to Rum"dealing with the profits from slavery, it, too, was sung with too much yelling by Sara Porkalob (Edward Rutledge). Porkalob did better in the acting role of portraying the smarmy representative from South Carolina rather than singing. Porkalob starts out so well in the song and then it becomes grating.  

There is a twist to the charming "The Egg" as Adams, Jefferson and Franklin debate which bird best represents the our new country. In the middle of the song there is a video of the various turbulent times in our country’s history which does not congeal with the meaning of the song. If the directors feel it was necessary it could have been put in another scene.  

The final scene from the original was a tableau of the Founding Fathers signing the Declaration. Here it is something quite different and much more political. I wish it had ended on a more upbeat note despite the inequities that we do have in our country. The fact that the cast is so varied shows how far we have come and that alone is a cause for celebration. Adding what appears to be this political statement seems forced. What could have worked here was the video during "The Egg" number. 

Despite my reservations, the cast which is certainly excellent does an admirable job of representing the various historical figures. And it’s a joy to listen to that unforgettable score and exceptionally well written book. 

PHOTOS: JOAN MARCUS

Tickets are available at the American Airlines Theater 227 West 42nd Street.