|
Regional Reviews: St. Louis Out on Broadway: The Third Coming
And somehow, under the direction of New Line founder Scott Miller, we end up teetering on the brink of some new discovery, as yet unknown, with a silvery-voiced anthem of unity and understanding. It'll change the way you look at the small-town gay experience here in St. Louis. But Out on Broadway: The Third Coming does not simply revel in beautiful harmonies; there are many moments of comedy along with both regular and super-premium gay drama. We also discover a great hidden talent of Miller's (usual) co-director, Mike Dowdy-Windsor: an outrageous anguish, a hysterical hysteria (he'd be great as Hysterium), heretofore unknown. He's one of the show's surest bets for multiple strings of laughs. Mike's real-life partner, Dominic Dowdy-Windsor, proves to be one of the evening's strongest singers, and their duets together, including "Getting Married Today" (from Company) and another tune in which a couple has a tiff in a wine shop, only to end up storming through a Manhattan downpour ("Fine," from Ordinary Days), are sure-footed relationship comedy—as bracing as anything you'll see on stage this happy summer. Ken Haller, who has his own cottage industry of finely crafted cabaret performances in town, is the master of warm and introspective moments, especially here in the "Married" solo from Cabaret, a number he recently performed on another stage in town, as Herr Schultz. He really knows how to hold an audience. Nate Jackson is the piano soloist throughout, splendid for nearly two hours, down in a one-man pit. Keith Thompson shows a flair for romantic anxiety, too, especially singing a song about an ostensibly straight man who almost has a gay fling in Hawaii. "One of the Good Guys," from Closer Than Ever, is surprisingly detailed and becomes highly dramatic in emotional structure. That song, by Richard Maltby, Jr. and David Shire, amounts to a one-act play itself, looking into the hidden reaches of the soul, speaking truths that may best be expressed in song. Then again, Mr. Thompson can just as easily summon up a delightful innocence for "A Trip to the Library," from She Loves Me. Sean Michael is my new favorite lyric tenor, whether he's the wedding singer in Company's doomed marriage ceremony or in three or four other places where a shimmering voice will suddenly entrance us. He uses that high, spinning tone to great advantage in a lovely solo, "Sleepy Man" from The Robber Bridegroom, and later with the ensemble in "Children Will Listen" (from Into the Woods) and "Everything Possible," at the end, by Fred Small. Outside of a revue like this, how often are you going to get to hear all these great, obscure songs performed live? New Line hasn't done a wise, searching sampler like this, filled with amazing pieces, in 17 years. So if you've ever been in love with musicals, don't miss this show. There's an age dynamic at work too, where the 30-ish year-old younger guys seem to need counsel and sympathy from the 50-somethings on stage, now and then. And it works the other way around, too, as when the younger gays seem to suggest they can form more trusting social bonds, perhaps not having been hobbled by the hard knocks of the 20th century. But generally it's a thoughtful and kind evening of rare songs and fine performances—with a lot of unexpected hilarity thrown in. Even the set, by Rob Lippert, is surprisingly nice, like a miniature Busby Berkley proscenium. New Line Theatre's Out on Broadway: The Third Coming runs through August 19, 2017, at the Marcel Theatre, 3310 Samuel Shepard Drive (about two blocks east of Powell Hall-or one block west of Compton). For more information visit www.newlinetheatre.org. The Singers: Piano: Nate Jackson The Artistic Staff: |
