By Lauren Yarger
I wasn't expecting much more than getting to hear excellent Gershwin tunes. I came away thinking I had just experienced one of the best musicals I ever have seen on a Broadway stage.
An American in Paris, based on the 1951 motion picture starring Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron, brings a fresh, modern feel to the glorious old-fashioned musical and has the audience saying, "Oooh, la la!"
Christopher Wheeldon, artistic associate at England's Royal Ballet, makes his Broadway directing debut and also choreographs this breathtaking show, which looks like a works of art. Within 10 minutes, I knew I was watching the likely Tony Award winner for choreography (and it is, of course, nominated). Dance is storytelling here. Whole scenes, wordless, are communicated through dance and movement which can include something as complicated as ballet or as simple as someone dancing a prop onto the stage. It's amazingly staged and blew me away -- and with all of the excellent theater I see, that usually is a sign that something is VERY, VERY good indeed. Wheeldon;s direction is genius as well as he takes unconnected scenes happening simultaneously on stage and somehow connects the participants. It's exciting and riveting stage craft.
Craig Lucas (The Light in the Piazza) gets the task of writing the book and does an outstanding job of translating the light movie plot into a solid story that is propelled by the elements around it. Three men, artist Jerry Mulligan (Robert Fairchild, a principal dancer with the NYC Ballet, making his Broadway debut), singer Henri Baurel (Broadway vet Max von Essen) and a composer, Adam Hochberg (Brandon Uranowitz) become fast friends in post World War II Paris -- then, without realizing it, they all fall in love with the same girl, ballerina Lise Dassin (Leanne Cope, a Royal Ballet School grad also making a sensational Broadway debut).
As you might guess, complications abound. Henri already is engaged to Lise, the choice of his parents, Madame and Monsieur Baurel (Veanne Cox and Scott Willis), who have protected the girl during the war and made it possible for her to follow in her famous ballerina mother's toe shoes. The heir to the family's textile business, Henri hides his true desire to be a musical entertainer (with a hidden reference to his homosexuality) from his parents.
Jerry forms an alliance with wealthy American, Milo Davenport (Jill Paice), who becomes a supporter of his artwork and who wants a little more than paintings in exchange for her patronage. Adam, meanwhile, is unable to express his love for the beautiful Lise, who is hiding a secret of her own, except through his music.
Ah, and then there are the George and Ira Gershwin lyrics and music adapted, arranged and supervised by Rob Fisher. “I Got Rhythm,” “‘S Wonderful,” “But Not For Me,” “Stairway to Paradise,” “Our Love Is Here To Stay," “They Can’t Take That Away” and orchestral music including “Concerto in F,” “2nd Prelude,” “2nd Rhapsody” and “An American In Paris" all sound as though they were written just for this story (with excellent orchestrations under the direction of Christopher Austin). The action plays out on fabulous sets designed by Bob Crowley (who also does the meticulously created costumes) that appear -- with the help of projections (designed by 59 Projections) and lighting (designed by the always excellent Natasha Katz) -- to be sketches and paintings leaping off Jerry's sketch pad or on exhibit in a museum.
Fairchild and Cope dance magically and lend decent singing voices as well.
It's S Wonderful, and absolutely delightful in every way. It's the "don't miss" of the season. An American in Paris has been nominated for 12 Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Other nominations, besides choreography are: direction, book, scenic design, costumes, orchestrations and the performances by Cope. Fairchild, Uranowitz and von Essen.
An American in Paris mesmerizes at the Palace Theatre, 1564 Broadway, NYC. Performances are Tuesday and Thursday at 7 pm; Wednesday at 2 and 8 pm; Friday at 8 pm; Saturday at 2 and 8 pm; Sunday at 3 pm. Tickets are $47 - $147. http://www.americaninparisonbroadway.com.
Christians might also like to know:
-- God's name taken in vain (in a joking context). Really don't let this keep you away.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.