Thursday, March 28, 2024





 The Who's Tommy

By Joseph Cervelli

In the middle of the explosive and mesmerizing revival of "The Who's Tommy" at the Nederlander Theater, Ali Louis Bourzgui in the title role breaks into "Sensation." A most apt song for this young performer to sing for he is quite sensational. Well, there is nothing that is less than breathtaking here. I fell in love with the original which I saw back in 1993. I could not imagine that this production could be better, but it is. There is a modern feel to it thanks to changes in the book and the direction by Des McAnuff who was at the helm of the original production. 

A huge amount of credit has to go to projection designer Peter Nigrini who creates a dizzying array of nonstop shapes in various directions that are significant because it is the way our hero envisions what is happening around him when he can no longer speak, hear or see. Adding to the projections is David Korins smartly intricate set design. 




The story takes place in Britain in which Captain Walker (Adam Jacobs) is sent to war and his pregnant wife (Alison Luff) is given the tragic news of his death. Some time passes and she and her four year old (payed by Cecilia Ann Popp at the performance I attended)  are living with her brutish lover (a perfectly menacing Nathan Lucrezio). When Captain Walker who is very much alive comes to the door there is a fight and he kills the lover. This is when Tommy is so affected by this he goes into a kind of stupor. Brought to different hospitals for treatment he has lost all three senses.  Six years pass and Tommy (played at this performance by Quinten Kusheba) has not improved. Both children are wonderful in not very easy roles. True no dialogue but their faces need to be blank and they accomplish this most admirably. With their curly haired wigs they look so much like the grown Tommy. 

Tragically, Tommy goes from being sexually abused by "Uncle" Ernie (a scary John Ambrosino) to one quack doctor to another but suddenly at a pinball arcade he becomes a genius at playing. As time goes on he has a following. To the pseudo adoring crowd he becomes a hero, savior, prophet, etc. That is until he returns to normal again. That is when they turn against him and want nothing to do with a man who can offer them nothing. 




While the Nederlander is smaller than the St. James Theater where the show originated it works better here. You feel yourself drawn more into his world and the spectacle of the brilliant lighting by Amanda Sieve is never overdone. While the sound design is loud we need to compliment sound engineer for being able to understand all the lyrics clearly. And Peter Townshend's jaw dropping score sounds as fresh as when it was first written. 

All the performances are on the top of their game. Bourgzui not only has a powerful voice but his body movements touchingly exhibit his inner feelings. Christina Sajous is the best Acid Queen I have seen. As much as I adored Tina Turner, she overplayed the role in the disastrous movie version. Here Sajous plays it in a seductively frightening manner which works perfectly. I was excited to see what the always terrific Bobby Conte ("A Bronx Tale" and "Company") could do with the role of Cousin Kevin. Let's not forget this talented young actor come award time. 





I would be truly amiss not to mention Lorin Latarro's wildly varied stunning choreography. This talented young choreography never seems to get the recognition she has deserved in previous musicals. Let's hope this is not the case here.

Thanks to all involved in this production of  "Tommy" which feels fresher and even more moving than I imagined it could be. 

PHOTOS: Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman

Tickets are available at the Nederlander Theater 208 West 41st Street.





Thursday, March 14, 2024

 


The Notebook The Musical

By Joseph Cervelli

While I never read Nicholas Sparks' huge best seller "The Notebook," I loved every moment of the beautifully moving film of the same title. 

The musical version of the novel at the Schoenfeld Theatre which is based not on the film but on the book adapted by Bekah Brunstetter is sad to say a let down. It does not help that the score with bland music and trite lyrics by Ingrid Michaelson does nothing to enhance the storyline nor move things along.

The show begins promising enough with the Older Noah (Dorian Harewood) staying in an Extended Care Facility to be with his  (no spoiler here) wife Older Allie (a wonderful performance by Maryann Plunkett) who is suffering from Alzheimer's. He reads to her from a journal which she wrote as her disease started to take hold. Besides the serious moments in the journal about love there are also some amusing ones. Harewood is good but for some reason I did not find his performance as touching as I would have expected.  Still the last scene was very well done and he came into his own at that moment. Plunkett was outstanding in every way as Allie. Her mood swings so typical of Alzheimer's patients and the blank look one moment and then recognition of Noah was superbly and realistically rendered.





We are introduced to the Younger Noah (John Cardoza) splashing in the water (action takes place in a coastal town in the Mid-Atlantic) with the Younger Allie's (Jordan Tyson.) Both of these performers are excellent and have a great career ahead of them. They are believable and their voices are strong and lovely. Yet, too bad, they don't have a better score to sing. Lyrics like "It's sadness and it's joy; it's light and then it's dark...." are banal.   I love sentimental stories and songs but this particular score just felt much too saccharine and the music undistinguished. We also meet Allie's friend Georgie (Dorcas Leung) and Noah's friend Fin (Carson Stewart.) While both are very good somehow they feel more like fillers to the story than anything else

Ally's parents do not approve of Noah for he works at a lumber yard while Allies dad who is a successful maker of planes (Charles E. Wallace) and the same for her her mom (Andrea Burns). The mother just feels he is like any other boy wanting one thing only. Think we have heard that line before in so many other shows. 



When Noah joins the armed forces his letters to Allie are intercepted by her mom and Allie thinks he was killed while Noah just thinks she is no longer interested.  

We are now introduced to the the Middle Noah (Ryan Vasquez) and his counterpart Allie (Joy Woods). If Brunstetter had, perhaps, not kept segueing from the middle couple  back to the younger ones and vice versa we might have been more taken with the characters. It was very difficult to feel anything for their  plights with the way the book suddenly jumps from each of them back to the older couple. While middle Allie is now engaged she flies back where she spent the summer first meeting Noah and goes back to the house that Noah wanted to renovate since he was a young man. She then finds out about the missing letters. She decides to go back home but here something felt off kilter. She is boarding the plane and then the next scene she is with Noah. Then you see her again with Noah but only now with luggage. 

Even before this scene just mentioned this is where the musical becomes disjointed which is very surprising considering an accomplished director like Michael Greif is at the helm. Unless co-director Schele Williams had this in mind.  And having so many characters intertwining with each other in one ensemble scene all singing simultaneously lessens the effect of the musical and does not work dramatically. Instead, their particular relationships become too superficial. 



Both Vasquez and Woods are outstanding performers with star quality. I could easily see Vasquez in a revival of the shamefully underrated "The Bridges of Madison County" and Woods a lead in a musical written with her in mind. 

What is strange is that the Younger Noah kept speaking about how his renovations of an old neighborhood  house will be perfect for Ally and him. So, when middle Allie goes back and sees what Noah has completed you may wonder what indeed has been done. As designed by David Zinn all you see basically is just the framework of the inside of a house. Surely, something could have been done to make it look like he had spent years working on his dream home. It looks like he just moved in. 

Katie Spelman is listed as the choreographer though I found very little if any dancing. 

The cast is indeed terrific but the musical is lacking in so many departments which is truly unfortunate.

PHOTOS: Juliana Cervantes

Tickets are available at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre 236 West 45th Street.






Tuesday, February 13, 2024



The Apiary

By Joseph Cervelli

About the only thing I really know concerning keeping bees was from the lovely book made into an equally beautiful film, "The Secret Life of Bees." Kate Douglas's oddly fascinating "The Apiary" at The Tony Kiser Theater presented by 2nd Stage presents bees in quite a different light. It is very easy to spoil what is happening in this play so will tread lightly on that.

At the very start Cece (an excellent Nimene Wureh in several roles) who worked in the apiary is in front of the stage giving a monologue about how important it is to express to the bees you are raising what is going on in your life. Not even so much how much you love taking care of them but having them feel that they are worthy of knowing about your everyday life. When she and her family stopped doing this the bees would no longer make honey. And worse yet, they later put a curse on the family for other reasons. She does give two other monologues one concerning the effect on the world of the demise of most of the bee population and the other more elliptical. 




It is twenty two years in the future and the scientists have created a synthetic apiary where the bees live in year round spring. While we don't see Cece working and she has basically left the lab, we hear from two of the three others now working in it briefly about her life. The issue is that bees are almost non existent now. The three scientists do their best housed in the basement of a facility to keep them alive. Gwen (Taylor Schilling) is the one in charge.  Gwen is angry with the lack of respect those in the hierarchy of the lab have for the work the three are doing.  While Schilling is good, I could have done with less shouting on her part. Pilar (a delightful Carmen M. Herlihy) has a complete love for the bees and seems that this is the most important thing in her rather mundane life. Zora (a fine April Matthis) is new and has a PhD in biochemistry. She worked in a high tech lab but decided to come here being a less corporate environment. She speaks about her adoration for bees since being a child. 

For a while in this 75 minute play not much really seems to happen until the three discover a decayed body on the floor of the lab. You shortly find out who the person was as and a controversal idea comes to Zora about how to save the bees and start a rejuvenation process. Extinction will no longer form into any equation. Zora convinces Pilar about her idea and she is excited to go along with it. Without delving any further you can imagine that experiments can go awry as it so happens here. 



There is also included a dancer (very effective Stephanie Crousillat) who portrays a bee in a glass booth within the apiary. Basically her function is to represent both the healthy and unhealthy bees as they go through various transformations. It does work very well even though it might sound a bit silly or stretching things too far. Not sure if it was the idea of the playwright or the always outstanding director Kate Whoriskey. 

I have admired Whoriskey's work for a very long time. I find she concentrates a great deal on characterization (think "Clyde's" and "Sweat") blending so succinctly into the story line. Here it is a tougher job for her because so much of what happenes has to do much more with the tale being told, yet again she proves her talents.



Walt Spangler has created a perfect sterile looking setting along with Jennifer Moller's varied costumes. 

Here is a play that will certainly divide audiences. It is a cautionary tale about medicine? Have we gone too far in experimentation? Is what the scientists do for the betterment or determiment of humanity. The questions are put forth. It is up to you to make that decision. 

Photos: Joan Marcus

Tickets are available at The Tony Kiser Theater 305 West 43rd Street.



Tuesday, February 6, 2024



"The Connector"

By Joseph Cervelli

With a too short run (only until March 17) I urge you to head to the captivating new musical "The Connector" at MCC Theater. With a compelling book by Jonathan Marc Sherman; a superb score by Jason Robert Brown and both skillfully conceived/directed by Daisy Prince it proves to be a chillingly prophetic work. So much of what transpires mirrors greatly on what is going on in our own country. What is truth? Can we play around with facts just to get a story written? Or worse can we say whatever we want and there will be those who don't check the validity of what is being said. Is the person in this case so definitive that their comments has to be true. These ideas are explored without hitting you over the head like a sledgehammer.

"The Connector" is a fictitious well respected magazine that was inaugurated back in 1946. It is now 1996 celebrating its fiftieth anniversary. The editor Conrad O'Brien (an excellent Scott Bakula) has announced that the publication has new corporate partners. He plans on retiring in the near future after a successful run as editor. There is great hope for the magazine to expand and continue for years to come. The opening number "The Whole World Changed"  has lyrics which in their way are foreboding: "The Facts Can Be Manipulated....We Are Not the Purveyors of Facts" convincingly sung by the forthright Conrad. Those lines set the stage for what we are going to witness for the one hour forty five minutes that you will be riveted to. 



Into the scene comes the seemingly pleasant Ethan Dobson (a thrilling Ben Levi Ross) who would like a job with the publication. He meets the copy editor Robin Martinez (a perfect Hannah Cruz.) While Robin feels a kind of attraction towards Ethan in the somewhat admiring "I'm Watching You" she slowly begins to have some doubts about this humble young man who becomes more than a little too sure of himself. 

Ethan's first story deals with his meeting in the West Village with the irreverent 70's style hippie Waldo (a very enjoyable Max Crumm) who is a genius scrabble player. Karla Puno Garcia does a great job of choreographing the lively number "Success" which becomes Ethan's focus in life. Success for him supersedes everything else. 

It is at this juncture we meet Mona Bland (a fine Mylinda Hull) whose name fits her demeanor in that she is a lonely person writing letters to the magazine that are first favorable concerning Dobson's reporting and then become critical.  She becomes far more prescient than you are led to believe. 



As Ethan becomes more self assured (think Harry Bogen from "I Can Get it For You Wholesale"), fact checker Muriel (an outstanding Jessica Molaskey) becomes more and more suspicious. Near the end of the musical she sings the poignant and highly personal "Proof" which nearly stops the show.

Sherman has done a terrific job of creating so many different characters yet having us concentrate on Ethan whose lively demeanor turns seductively over confident.  Ross just devours every moment he is on stage.

Bakula plays the editor of the paper with a quiet but determined demeanor,  and it is so great to hear his strong singing voice again.



Again, Brown has proven what a versatile composer he is.  From his exceptionally moving "The Last Five Years" to the breathtakingly beautiful score to "The Bridges of Madison County" he now delves as he did in "Honeymoon in Vegas" into a slightly jazzy one. From the honestly touching  “Proof" sung to perfection by Molaskey to Ross’s ferocity in “The Voice of My Generation" he is unbeatable. And what works so well in all his scores is establishing a perfect ballast intertwining the lyrics into the book.

And as I would expect the simple but effectively sleek, stylish set design by the expert Beowulf Borrit is splendid.

Daisy Prince's resonant direction moves steadily spending enough attention with each of the various characters. 


There could be an issue for some with Bakula's character not paying closer credence to when Ethan is asked for definite proof to substantiate the stories he wants to write about. Why is Conrad so quick to accept this? Could it be the story Ethan tells is so convincing or that before the editor finally retires he wants to go out receiving laurels for the stories he has chosen to  run. 

Despite that minor caveat everything clicks in this stirring new musical and the brilliant Ross says it all in the line from "The Voice of My Generation": "I Wasn't Planning to be the Voice of My Generation." Unfortunate that he was more concerned with his own importance rather than being truthful. 

Photos: Joan Marcus

Tickets are available at the Robert W. Wilson MCC Theater Space  511 West 52nd Street. 


 

Monday, January 15, 2024



Formidable! Aznavour Concert at Town Hall

By Joseph Cervelli

I can think of only two performers who not only had remarkable voices but more than that brought us on an emotional journey in their songs. One was the late, wondrous French singer Edith Piaf and the other the French/Armenian performer Charles Aznavour. While I never had the honor of seeing Piaf in person, her incandescent style in getting the songs across were a wonder. The same could be true of Aznavour. Having attended, at least, half a dozen or more of this late singer's performances, I was always amazed how  so many of his songs were like three act plays. He once said (not quite true, but the message was there) that he never says to an audience "thank you" for his songs are his thank you. I understood him. And you thanked him for what he gave us.

I attended the glorious tribute to Charles Aznavour called "Formidable! Aznavour" which celebrates the incomparable singer, songwriter and actor at its world premiere at Town Hall. Director/Creator Gil Marsala met with the late performer and was given permission to present such a loving tribute to him. This show will be the first in its world tour celebrating the upcoming 100th birthday of the late performer. He also approved of the singer Jules Grison to lead us through the life and times of the one and only Aznavour. 




As you enter Town Hall there is a screen with various slide projections of Aznavour through the years which is a nice reminiscent of his life. The last one has a sketch of him with the words "Forever in Our Hearts" which is also the last projection. 

Jules Grison, quite thankfully, in no way tries to replicate the voice of Aznavour. He has his own style and is just every bit as impassioned as the late singer. He is incredibly personable and has some very fancy and effective dance steps. 

He opens with the familiar "Les Comediens" which he gives a jazzy beat to along with another of Aznavour's signature songs "La Boheme" also giving it the same treatment. I did not think “Boheme”would work since never heard it that way, but it most certainly does. 



He joyfully goes into the audience to dance "The Old Fashioned Way" with an elderly woman before leaving her and bringing up a younger woman on stage. This felt a bit gimmicky.

He also sang "Jezebel" with the ardent quality it deserves. I could have done without the wood burning in a fire on the screen. The song and the singer sold the song completely. 

And his gorgeously moving "Que c-est trust Venise" about finding love in that immortal city and then never being able to turn at the end of the relationship is sung simply by his sitting on a chair. 

He so correctly points out that Aznavour wrote a number of songs that dealt with social issues. One that had to have been quite controversial since it was from 1972 is the deeply poignant "What Makes a Man a Man" about a gay performer looking for love. Grison's interpretation is every bit as deeply moving as I would have expected him to be. I was very taken with this performer's maneuvering from his lively numbers from Aznavour's repertoire to something as serious as this one. 




As Grison pointed out Aznavour wrote about 1200 songs so not easy to choose the ones for the concert though he certainly did most of the familiar ones interspersed with one or two less familiar to me. 

About halfway through the show he did a duet with the wonderful Melissa Ericco who made a brief guest appearance. 

Grison concludes at the piano (the four other excellent musicians have left the stage) with "She." During the rendition the light fades on him and you hear Aznavour's voice. That duet was beautifully executed. 

This is a lovely tribute to the one and only Charles Aznavour. If there was one minor quibble it would be that I wished Grison had told more about the late singer's life and career. Even briefly would have helped. But that in no way negates the pleasure of his the evening. 

I wish him well on his world tour.

Now, I must scold the terribly rude audience which was one of the worst I have encountered. Many were coming in late, texting, taking photos or videos. And people going back and forth from their seats to possibly the restrooms. I understand when nature calls, but to leave about 10 minutes into the show and worse yet, return to their seat when he was singing is unacceptable. Why not wait until he finished the song. I must but partial blame on the staff who were no where to be found during this except escorting those latecomers to their seats. This was an affront to both Mssr. Grison and his musicians.

PHOTOS: First two Marta Pich/Third and Fourth Eric Carriere



Tuesday, January 2, 2024

Best Shows of the First Half of the 2023-2024 Season

By Joseph Cervelli

Here are what I consider the best shows I have seen from May till December of this year. 

So, here in no particular order, are those I felt were the finest. I also have included shows I felt were of honorable mention for various reasons.



"Appropriate"

Hard to imagine the 2 hours and 45 minutes of this superbly engrossing play by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins flew by with such rapidity. I never saw it off Broadway but have read how far superior this production is. First and foremost, the cast is absolutely mesmerizing especially with Sarah Paulson at the helm. A family drama in which they arrive at a decaying home of the recent death of the patriarch of the family to liquidate the sale of the estate. What ensues between them is startling. You are not quite sure whether to laugh or gasp which certainly will occur. An amazing play that never lets up in its tension despite its length thanks also to the knockout direction by Lila Neugebauer. 





"I Can Get it For You Wholesale"

I never saw the short lived original Broadway musical which claim to fame was having Barbra Streisand in it singing the hilarious "Miss Marmelstein" earning her a Tony nomination. I don't know if Trip Cullman's fast moving direction made this revival work so well but it certainly does. Santino Fontana is excellent as the despicable businessman in the garment area in the 1930's. I have listened to the score periodically and this cast really does it proud. Besides Fontana, Judy Kuhn deserves consideration at awards time.  




"Dracula--A Comedy of Terrors"

"Comedy" is the key word here. This hilarious ode to the classic horror story is wonderfully acted by a very talented cast. You have a hunky leading man (a delightful James Daly) and a gender bending standout performance by Arnie Burton who will have you howling with just a slight nod of his head. The rest of the cast all performs admirably and are game for this kind of inspired lunacy.     






"Spamalot"

I loved the original production from eighteen years ago and enjoyed this new revival possibly even more. Sillier (yep, you heard that right) than even the original the cast seems to be relishing in every loony moment. If you missed the original production by all means rush to this one. And even if you saw it back then, this laugh fest deserves another go.





"Stereophonic"

Yes, the show is long. But my theory is it is deliberately so to give you the idea of how grueling it is to go through a recording session. It deals with  a 1976 rock band who is trying to make it big. The successes and failures along the road with the tensions that arise among all of the characters are all detailed. Engagingly acted throughout. It is scheduled to arrive on Broadway in the spring. 





"Swing State"

A gripping and palpitating new play by Rebecca Gilman had me on the edge of my seat attention from the very first scene when a middle aged woman is in her kitchen contemplating suicide. Mary Beth Fisher gives a mesmerizing performance as a widow in rural Wisconsin who years ago along with her deceased husband took in a troubled young man (a superb Bubba Weiler). Amazing how a missing toolbox leads to complications that will have you in a near sweat wondering what is going to occur when you have that aching feeling you already have a strong feeling you do. Beautifully directed by the always reliable Robert Falls. 




"Small"

A terrific one man show written and performed by a rousing Robert Montano about his desire to become a jockey. His height and frame are great for the profession until he ages and becomes taller and heavier than the desired requirement. He also talks about becoming a dancer and starring in "West Side Story" as Bernardo. He takes the role of various characters in his life and is quite outstanding. 






"Purlie Victorious--A Non Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch"

While I honestly wished they have brought back the musical "Purlie," the next best thing was bringing back Ossie Davis's play which the musical was based upon. Leslie Odom Jr. gives a standout performance as a preacher who earlier in his life was beaten by a plantation owner. His goal deals with a bit of conniving to obtain a church he wants for himself to use for his sermons. This will be hopefully accomplished by using a young woman (a wonderful Kara Young) posing as his cousin.  As fine as Young was in "Cost of Living" and "Clyde's" she is even more memorable here. 




"The Shark is Broken"

A rollicking hoot of a play based on one part of the classic film "Jaws" in which the three dynamic actors Alex Brightman (portraying Richard Dreyfuss); Ian Shaw as his father Robert Shaw; and Colin Donnell who portrays Roy Scheider bicker and break into hilarious arguments as they wait for that 'damn' shark to be fixed so they can finish the film. The three actors are magnificent, especially a wildly funny Brightman capturing every characteristic of Dreyfuss. 




"The Saviour"

The opening scene of the arresting and moving play is one that is unforgettable. An elderly Irish woman (brilliantly played by Marie Mullen)   is smoking in bed reminiscing about the sexual evening she had with a younger man. These moments of euphoria dissipate as her son (an equally wonderful Jamie O'Neill) informs her of what her "lover" is really all about. 






"Primary Trust"

A beautifully written and unforgettably acted play starring William Jackson Harper deals with loneliness and how Kenneth (Harper) is  trapped into a fantasy friendship with an imaginary friend. Little by little we see how Kenneth starts to change for the better with the help of those around him who are caring. An originally written play by Eboni Booth at every turn of the way, this was one that I will remember for a long time coming.  





"Here Lies Love"

I saw this musical about Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos of the Philippines at the Public about a decade ago and loved every stunning moment. You stood (there were a few chairs) and moved around with the actors on movable stages. It moved to Broadway where this time I sat and still thought it was a wild romp with a spectacular set design by David Orins and lighting by Justin Townsend. A shame it never caught on. 


Honorable Mention

In "Make Me Gorgeous" Wade McCollum gave a bravura performance as gay icon and trans Kenneth Marlowe way ahead of his times. While the play was a bit overlong (two drag numbers would have been sufficient) it still was a well written play. Imagine growing up gay in Iowa in 1926.

 "How to Dance in Ohio" boasts a very gifted cast of autistic young adults who shine when on stage. The musical loosely based on the excellent documentary is a fine show marred by too much attention paid to the doctor who works with them in group sessions. The issue is the personal situations within the doctor's life overshadow the storyline about the young people wanting to learn to have a dance.

"Buena Vista Social Club" boasts a vibrant cast with rousing music and dancing. The book is good but nothing memorable. Also, I found it strange that the young  Omara (a perfect Kenya Browne) is vibrant and personable while her older self is played in a too austere manner by Natalie Venetia Belcon. 

Patrick Page excels in "All the Devils are Here" a one person show with various monologues portraying Shakespeare's villains. Unless you know these particular characters roles in the playwright's plays, I am afraid you might find yourself confused. 

Tim Hatley's incredible set design--oh, that car!--make "Back the the Future" so much fun. Casey Likes is excellent as the young man while Roger Bart was slightly disappointing giving just a good but not noteworthy one as the professor. 

While both Kelli O'Hara and Brian d'Arcy James are magnificent in "Days of Wine and Roses" and the book by Craig Lucas is faithful for the most part to the film, the score by Adam Guettel was very dissonant and almost jarring sounding. It will be coming to Broadway in the spring. 

While not a perfect musical, the Indie-Rock Musical "Lizard Boy" about a young man whose skin turns green after a strange childhood accident was lots of fun with a tuneful score by Justin Huertas who was responsible for the book. 

While I had some issues with James T. Lane's one man show "Triple Threat" he does give a towering and exhaustive performance as an actor, singer and dancer.

 John Rubenstein excelled as President Dwight D. Eisenhower in "Eisenhower: This Piece of Ground." While the material can, at times, may not have been as impressive as Rubenstein it still was worthwhile for his performance. 

"Rock and Roll Man" about the life of Alan Freed who was the first disc jockey who promoted rock and roll music on the air sunk into hard times with his conviction for tax evasion.While the book was well written and the original 50's songs incomparable, I was less impressed by Constantine Maroulis's adequate performance. Still it was fun thanks to the music and a standout performance by Rodrick Covington as Little Richard. He could not have been better. 

Yes, "King James" does refer to the great LeBron James and the touching friendship between two guys where insensitivity in one's comment about race breaks it up. It was well written but the heavy influence on basketball could have lost a lot of viewers unless you are a real fan. Yet, both Glenn Davis and Chris Perfetti were superb. 


PHOTO CREDITS IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE

1--Joan Marcus

2--Julieta Cervantes

3--Matthew Murphy

4--Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman

5--Chelcie Parry

6--Liz Lauren

7--Dorice Arden Mondronero

8--Marc J. Franklin

9--Matthew Murphy

10--Carol Rosegg

11--Joan Marcus

12--Billy Bustamente, Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman






Wednesday, November 29, 2023



 Make Me Gorgeous!—A Dazzling Star Turn

By Joseph Cervelli

I must confess that I never heard of Kenneth Marlowe the gay icon and "trailblazer" from the 1960's. It was not only a very difficult time to be gay but  becoming trans a nightmare. At that time it was called sex reassignment. The most famous was Christine Jorgensen who gained most of the notoriety. 

The funny but mostly very moving new play by Donnie (full name is Donald Horn) "Make Me Gorgeous!" at Playhouse 46 at St. Luke's is blessed with a knockout performance by the amazingly gifted Wade McCollum. McCollum flirts and jokes with the audience while telling about his gay life in both an amusing and then a touching manner that almost can bring tears to your eyes. He by no means plays it over the top as he could easily have. Sure, he camps it up here and there but knows when to rein it in. 




His alcoholic mother always wanted a girl so for the first three years dressed him as such. This would be difficult for a young boy at any time but 1926 in Iowa had to be devastating. It did not help that his father who was a sanitation worker (garbageman at the time) left the family in disgust. Kenneth was starting to have sex at age 14 in bathrooms. He is lucky he lived as long as he did.

Eventually, he moves to California to live with his aunt and uncle. He met  60 year old Charley a man that Kenneth found almost repulsive but he needed him to support himself. McCollum's imitation of the older man is startlingly realistic. Charly never had sex with Kenneth but just liked  having him around and always gave  him money. Things don't even turn sour when he finds out that Kenneth has been bringing men to his apartment in Long Beach until he has had enough with Charley. What is surprising is that how Kenneth was so involved in Bible studies (even becoming a Catholic missionary!) which was so out of place in the gay world especially at that time. 



He really finds his niche sexually that is in the gay area of LA called Pershing Square. He then moves to Chicago and becomes a beautician. He moves further south and deals dice at a club owned (unbeknownst to Kenneth) by a mobster. This is where he becomes a female impersonator doing a made up song. McCollum does a fine job as a drag performer even though he admits the song is not very good. That is true but still fun. I would have preferred if he did only two not three performances in drag during the  moving 90 minutes. But understand why director Donnie decided upon this.  I did enjoy his impersonation of Sally Rand though it was filmed in too dark blue light even though the rest of the lush lighting is perfectly designed by Jamie Roderick. Escaping from a mobster is not easy,  and he almost does not make it as Kenneth goes to Indianapolis. 

There is a heartbreaking scene as he is gang raped after being drafted and the audacity at the time of being dismissed with a dishonorable discharge. 



He moves to LA and meets his mother who is now a recovering alcoholic. Things become comical as he runs Mr. Madam Answering Service setting up sexual meetings between various people who call in. How he accomplished this probably on his own was quite an achievement. 

He then became a hairdresser to the stars including Phyllis Diller and Lucille Ball. Shortly, thereafter when he sees a pamphlet about sex assignment he decides to have it done. The issue is it was far from easy at that time. He arranged for a fund raiser and was able to raise $8000.

There is nothing mentioned about the end of his life which is unnecessary.

Jeffrey Hinshaw's costume design is astonishingly varied from simple to glorious dresses and Walt Spangler has designed a lovely set that mostly features Kenneth's dressing table. 

The evening certainly belongs to the remarkable and unforgettable McCollum. With his sweet, bright wide eyed grin to his moments of fear knowing what is going to happen to a young gay man when accosted by a group of men he could not be better. He lived life to the fullest even writing 9 books.

After the show the writer/director Donnie  spoke to me and his coming to NY from Portland.  Lovely, unassuming man. He told me the show would run longer but McCollum is appearing in a new Broadway show. McCollum has provided additional material to the show.

Photos: Maria Baranova

Tickets are available at Playhouse 46 at St. Luke's 308 West. 46th Street.