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Regional Reviews: Florida - Southern Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson Also see Jeffrey's review of The Consul
Not being a big fan of rock musicals, as I often find them morose and self-indulgent, I wasn't sure what to expect of Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson. A musical about a long dead President of the United States that claims "History just got all sexypants"? I was put at ease by the up-beat sounds of the Ramones during the pre-show music. It was the ideal choice as it reflected the style of the musical Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson perfectly—irreverent, energetic, sarcastic—but never taking its anger very seriously. The story is told almost in the manner of a history play, with a liberal dose of political satire, profanity, bad puns, and pop-culture references thrown into the mix. There is a great deal to say about the contributions and failures of President Andrew Jackson. He oddly remains the president whom historians most battle over in determining whether he was one of the best or one of the worst. In the words of the character in the musical, "I always hoped history would prove me right." How many presidents have acted with those same hopes? Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson gives us an Andrew Jackson that is as flawed as his constituents and fellow politicians in every way, with many of his choices being nothing more than what seemed best at the time. The set is adorned with posters of U.S. presidents, previous to Jackson, covered with graffiti. The platformed stage includes a catwalk that divides the audience in half. Interesting staging makes use of this element, as well as placing the actors on the fringes of the cocktail tables at which the audience is seated. Lighting and sound design seem to have taken this staging well into account as it all goes off without a hitch. A live, on-stage band composed of Wayne Rediker, Martha Spangler, and Walt Brewer is nimbly led by musical director Kristen Long on keyboard, who also does double-duty as a singer and narrator in songs such as "Second Nature" throughout the show. Robert Johnston is smashing as the well-intentioned, though not very clever, Andrew Jackson. He has just enough swagger mixed in with moments of his character's self-doubt. Johnston has some fine solo acting moments as well later in the show. It is refreshing to see a newer face thrown into the mix of leading players in South Florida theatres, as some of them give us the same handful of actors over and over again in seeming disregard for whether or not they are right for the part. Kaitlyn O'Neill as Jackson's wife Rachel has an alluring womanly warmth. There is an attractive and centered calm in her demeanor as she remains the voice reminding Andrew of who he is as a husband and a person—whether or not he listens to her. Jennifer Murphy is quirky as The Storyteller, Michael Mena is brooding as Black Fox, and Noah Levine is solid as Martin Van Buren. A young Leo Valentine Kaplan turns in a respectable cameo performance as Jackson's adopted son Lyncoya. The other actors serve much time as a "Saturday Night Live"-style Greek chorus. While they spend time delivering songs and driving home humor, they only fleetingly establish their characters due to the nature of the piece. Outre has done a surprisingly good job with a musical I hadn't expected to like. It establishes the tone of the piece from the very beginning, and maintains it consistently throughout the show. Though a rock musical, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson manages to keep the rocking down enough for us to catch most of the words. This is not one you'll want to take the children to see, and it certainly isn't Rodgers and Hammerstein, but it is a musical for those looking for something new and different. Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson premiered in January of 2008 in Culver City at the Kirk Douglas Theatre, produced by Center Theatre Group. It opened Off-Broadway in May of 2009 at The Public Theater in New York in a concert version, returning to run from March 23 - June 27, 2010. It opened on Broadway at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre on October 13, 2010 with many of the cast from the Off-Broadway production. Despite positive reviews the musical closed on January 2, 2011, after 120 performances. The Outre Theatre production of Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson will be appearing through May 31, 2015, in the Abdo New River Room of the Broward Center for the Performing Arts IN Ft. Lauderdale. For information and tickets, visit outretheatrecompany.com. The Broward Center for the Performing Arts is located in the Riverwalk Arts & Entertainment District at 201 SW Fifth Avenue in Fort Lauderdale, FL. It houses the Au-Rene Theater, the Amaturo Theatre, and the Abdo New River Room, and has affiliated venues at the Parker Playhouse, the Rose and Alfred Miniaci Performing Arts Center, and the Aventura Arts & Cultural Center. The Abdo space features cabaret style seating and table service and a full bar. The Outre Theatre Company began in 2011. They are an emerging professional theatre company hiring local Equity, and non-Equity actors and actresses. Their vision is to be a theatre that nurtures the creative spirit of individuals and the community through original and established works, utilizing a variety of mediums to engage the souls and imaginations of the artists and the audience. Their mission is to create theatre which stimulates thought, provokes reflection, and encourages activism. Cast: Crew: *Indicates a member of Actor's Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers in the United States.
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