42nd Street

Someone who saw the opening night production of Woodland Opera House’s “42nd Street” (directed by Robert Cooner) told me that it was spectacular and that I would love it. I am happy to report that it is — and I did.

This formulaic Depression-era story of a girl from the midwest arriving in New York, determined to become a star, was first a Busby Berkeley movie vehicle for hoofer Ruby Keeler in 1933, with book by Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble, lyrics by Al Dubin and music by Harry Warren.

In 1980, David Merrick decided to bring the story to Broadway, under the direction of Gower Champion. The stage version used only four of the songs from the original movie version and added songs from other musicals of the 1930s (including one by Hoagy Carmichael, uncredited in the current printed program). The end result was nominated for several awards in 1981 and won a Tony for best revival in 2001.

The cast of 22 fill the Opera House stage and most of them tap dance through several impressive numbers, each of which brings down the house. The best part was that there was nobody out of line — they were as in unison as a murmuration of starlings. Choreographer Staci Arriaga may be the real star of the show!

The central figure of the story of Peggy Sawyer, played by Ernestine Balisi (who played this same role with Davis Musical Theatre Company in 2017). She arrives in New York, wide-eyed and fresh-faced and certain she’ll immediately get cast in a big Broadway musical. She can dance up a storm but has never been on stage before.

Michael David Smith plays Billy Lawlor, the tenor of the show-within-a-show. Smith is a huge bundle of talent in a less-than-huge body. He’s a triple threat — he sings, he acts and he dances up a storm. He and Peggy have an instant rapport and there is hint of a budding romance, though that is not the focus of the story.

Scott Martin is terrific as Julian Marsh, the producer who believes the show, “Pretty Lady,” is going to get him back on top again, after a series of less-than-successful shows. When counting heads, he realizes that he is short one chorus girl and so Peggy, who just happens to be on the street in front of the theater, is chosen, seeming to learn all the dance routines instantly.

Patricia Glass plays Dorothy Brock, an aging, fading Big Name whose sugar daddy, Abner Dillon (David Cross), has backed the production so that his girl can have another hit. While she has a great voice, she has two left feet and so choreography has to be revised so that others can dance around her to hide the fact that she can’t dance.

Lenore Sebastian and Gil Sebastian are Maggie Jones and Bert Barry, the songwriters for the show, offering comic relief throughout. These local favorites do not disappoint and, in fact, Lenore gets some of the biggest applause at the curtain call.
When an accident takes Dorothy Brock out of the cast, Peggy is chosen to be her replacement, in two days, under Marsh’s direction. Marsh is a harsh taskmaster and when Peggy gets the jitters before the curtain goes up, he utters those immortal lines: “Two hundred people, two hundred jobs, two hundred thousand dollars, five weeks of grind and blood and sweat depend upon you. It’s the lives of all these people who’ve worked with you. You’ve got to go on, and you’ve got to give and give and give….You’re going out there a youngster, but you’ve got to come back a star.”

Nothing like a little pressure!

I won’t spoil the show by revealing how it ends, but let’s just say lots of tapping and arm waving are involved.

It’s all very silly, and involves a lot of suspension of disbelief from anyone with even the vaguest inkling of what goes into producing a Broadway show, but what the heck: The important thing is getting from one musical number to the next – and everybody does this exceptionally well.

Woodland offers consistently fine productions and this one exceeds even their own normal standards. Try not to miss it!

42nd Street

Add cErnestine Balisi as Peggy Sawyer and Nathan Lacy as Julian Marsh
perform in the Davis Musical Theatre Company's production of “42nd Street.”
Fred Gladdis/Enterprise photo

 If you like tap dancing, you’re going to love Davis Musical Theatre Company’s sparkling new production of “42nd Street,” directed by John Ewing, with choreography by Terri Taylor.

This formulaic Depression-era story of a girl from the Midwest arriving in New York, determined to become a star, was first a Busby Berkeley movie vehicle for hoofer Ruby Keeler in 1933, with a book by Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble, lyrics by Al Dubin, and music by Harry Warren.

In 1980, David Merrick decided to bring the story to Broadway, under direction of Gower Champion. The stage version used only four of the songs from the original movie version and added songs from other musicals of the 1930s. The end result was nominated for several awards in 1981 and won a Tony for best revival in 2001.

The central figure of the story is Peggy Sawyer, played by Ernestine Balisi, with a sparkle in her eyes and a big Mary Tyler Moore smile. Peggy almost never loses her conviction that she can be a star and it’s hard to believe that nobody involved with casting can see that she’s a bundle of talent.

Wendy Carey is the aging diva, Dorothy Brock, who no longer has the talent she used to when she was the darling of Broadway. Though she has the belting ability of an Ethel Merman, they now have to get the chorus to dance around her to hide the fact that her steps are no longer up to par. Carey gives the role her all, and her final message of encouragement to Peggy is touching. (“Now go out there and be so swell that you’ll make me hate you!”)

Randal Costa and Monica Parisi play Bert and Maggie, the writers of the show, who step into the chorus when necessary. Parisi has the mannerism and voice of one of those old show-biz dames who have been around Broadway forever.

Kyle Jackson is Billy Lawler, the leading tenor with whom there is a hint of a romance with Peggy. Though the actor is 22 years old, he seems younger and the chemistry often appears forced. He has a fine voice, though had problems with his voice cracking on high notes on opening night, which contributed to the feeling that he is younger than the role called for.

Steve Isaacson had great fun as Abner Dillon, the Texas gazillionaire, sugar daddy to Dorothy. It’s the kind of role Isaacson loves to play and does so well.

But the standout performance was by Nathan Lacy, as Julian Marsh, the famous but acerbic director, who eventually sees the talent Peggy has and pushes her to the limits to step into the starring role after Dorothy has an accident. He gives her a pep talk when she gets nervous: “Two hundred people, two hundred jobs, two hundred thousand dollars, five weeks of grind and blood and sweat depend upon you. It’s the lives of all these people who’ve worked with you. You’ve got to go on, and you’ve got to give and give and give.”

Surely that’s enough to calm her down! “You’re going out a youngster but you’ve got to come back a star!”

When Lacy sings his signature song, “42nd Street,” it’s a show-stopping moment. The voice that was so memorable in the recent “Man of La Mancha” blew everyone away.

If there is anything negative to say about this Julian Marsh it is that his gray hair and the obvious age difference between him and Peggy make the one emotional moment between them a little creepy, where it would not have been with a more age-appropriate actor.

Perhaps the best part of this show is the nearly nonstop tap dancing. Choreographer Taylor has worked her chorus extremely well and there is nothing more thrilling than a stage full of tap dancers.

Someday, I hope DMTC finds its own sugar daddy so that when it does one of these better-than-average musicals, it can afford the sets to give it the look it deserves. The company does well with minimal sets, but oh for a bit of glitz and glam!

42nd Street

'Kid, you're going out there just a girl from the chorus, but you're coming back a star!'

Or words to that effect.

Shows such as '42nd Street,' continuing through Sunday at Sacramento's Music Circus, still encourage young kids to flock to Hollywood or Broadway, certain that they'll be the next one who steps from obscurity into the spotlight, to become an overnight sensation.

This play's oh-too-predictable book is by Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble, with music by Harry Warren and lyrics by Al Dubin. '42nd Street' is replete with well-known songs, including - in addition to the title number - 'You're Getting to Be a Habit with Me,' 'I Only Have Eyes for You,' 'We're in the Money' and 'Lullaby of Broadway.'

As for the plot, Peggy Sawyer (Melissa Lone), from Allentown, Pa., arrives in New York in the middle of the Depression, all fresh-faced and certain she'll immediately get cast in a big Broadway musical. She can dance up a storm, but has never been on stage before.

Naturally, the show that'll put director Julian Marsh (Patrick Ryan Sullivan) back on top just happens to be short one girl for the chorus, and so Peggy is chosen.

The show's star, Dorothy Brock (Lynne Wintersteller), is an aging, fading Big Name whose sugar daddy, Abner Dillon (Lew Lloyd), has backed the production so that his girl can have another hit.

Interestingly, although all the people in the cast groan about how Dorothy can't sing, dance or act, she does a lot of all three, and quite competently!

An accident on stage causes Peggy to bump into Dorothy during the first out-of-town performance. The show must be stopped because Dorothy's ankle is broken. Peggy is fired.

This leaves the production without a leading lady, of course, so the cast persuades Julian to bring Peggy back, because she's the only chorus member with enough talent to take over the leading role in this big musical. She has just 36 hours to learn some ungodly number of pages of dialogue, several songs and lots of dance numbers.

She's a bit nervous about this, but - trooper to the core - she works herself to the point of collapse.

I won't spoil the show by revealing how it ends, but let's just say lots of tapping and arm waving are involved.

It's all very silly, and involves a lot of suspension of disbelief from anyone with even the vaguest inkling of what goes into producing a show, but what the heck: The important thing is getting from one musical number to the next, and everybody does this exceptionally well.

The real star of this show is choreographer Michael Lichtefeld, whose chorus of amazing tap dancers brings down the house with every dance. 'We're in the Money' is particularly wonderful, thanks to Leon Wiebers' gold costumes. The number is such a knock-out that it gets a reprise during the curtain call.

It's no surprise that Sullivan, making his Music Circus debut as Julian, is such a strong character; he played the role on Broadway and in a national tour of the show. He looks every bit the way we expect a Broadway producer to look.

Lone, returning from three years on Broadway to play Peggy, is an amazing dancer; she effortlessly handles the transition from uncertain ingenue to star.

Wintersteller was last seen on the Music Circus stage being dragged around as Kate in 'Kiss Me Kate.' The hard part here is picturing her as a has-been, although she plays the diva role convincingly.

The supporting cast is outstanding. Zachary S. Berger, as the tenor Billy Lawlor, has a fresh, earnest face; he reminded me of Dick Powell, whom I later realized had played the role in the 1933 film. Berger is an equally talented dancer, and he acts the role with a flair.

Maggie - one of the writers of 'Pretty Girl,' the show within a show - is played by Susan Cella, who makes a big impact.

With terrific dancing, familiar tunes and a predictable plot line, '42nd Street' is good, old-fashioned fun. It's a great way to cap off Music Circus' 60th season.