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Regional Reviews: Phoenix 42nd Street Also see Gil's reviews of Joseph..., Shifting Gears, The King and I, You Say Tomato, I Say Shut Up!, Nana's Naughty Knickers
The plot is fun but as thin as can be. Broadway director Julian Marsh is trying to put on a show in the middle of the Great Depression featuring former star Dorothy Brock. While Marsh thinks Brock is past her prime, he needs the funding for the show that Brock's wealthy boyfriend has agreed to put up. In walks ingénue Peggy Sawyer, fresh off the bus from Allentown, PA, to audition for the show. She immediately clashes with Brock, and stumbles into her during rehearsals, making Dorothy fall and break her leg. Will the show go on? Who could possibly fill in for Dorothy? It doesn't take much of a brain to figure out the answers to those questions or how the show will end. While the story is lightweight, the combination of wall to wall dancing and infectious songs from the 1930s composing team of Harry Warren and Al Dubin make the end result a joyful experience. Based on the novel by Bradford Ropes and the 1933 film of the same name, the musical uses the songs from the film along with other numbers from the Warren and Dubin catalog. Featured songs include such familiar tunes as "We're in the Money," "Shuffle Off to Buffalo," "Lullaby of Broadway," "You're Gettin' to Be a Habit with Me," and the title song. Director/choreographer Cambrian James has cast three excellent performers in the lead parts of Marsh, Sawyer and Brock. Bright-eyed and as energetic as can be, Angela Kriese is absolutely perfect as Peggy. Her singing and dancing are top notch and the joy she brings to the part is thrilling. David Rodgers is steadfast and demanding as Marsh, bringing an appropriate fatherly touch to the role. While he really only gets parts of two songs to sing in the show, Rodgers does well with both. As Dorothy, Alaina Beauloye has the right balance of fierceness and old time star power to bring the role to vibrant life. Beauloye expertly shows Brock's vulnerable side in her scenes and songs. Stand outs in the supporting cast include Victoria Holden, who is bold and brassy as one of the songwriters on the show within the show, and Lauren Berkley, who makes Peggy's friend Anytime Annie more than just a one-dimensional part. While James' direction in the dialogue scenes is perfect and his choreography is lively, the large cast means that there are many times when the stage is packed too full. Also, considering a famous line from the show is that "the two greatest words in the English language are 'musical comedy'," it's unfortunate that the show is lacking a bit in the comedy aspect. But that may be more due to the difficulty in pulling this show off in the "in the round" setting to ensure the comic bits land. Production values are slight, especially in the set design. While the silhouette of the Manhattan skyline that is painted on the walls is fitting with the show's locale, the choice to have all of the walls painted a dark black is a serious detriment to what should be a light and colorful production. Doing a show in the round here is always difficult when it comes to sets, since it's not easy getting them on and off the small DST stage. But having basically no sets except for a couple of chairs, a table, and a chaise lounge in just a couple of scenes means that almost every scene is played on the bare stage. A few colorful set pieces would have added a necessary lightness to the overall effect, especially with the dark wall color. Aurelie Flores' costumes are appropriate, both to the period and the characters, though they are more muted earth colors and dark tones. Fortunately, there are a few pops of color in some of the costumes that help brighten up the design, as does Haley Miller's lighting. Even with those small shortcomings, with fun, spirited choreography, great leads, and a knock out performance from Angela Kriese, there is much to like in DST's 42nd Street. The Desert Stages production of 42nd Street runs through February 8th, 2015, with performances at 4720 N. Scottsdale Road in Scottsdale. Tickets are available at www.DesertStages.org or by phone at (480) 483-1664. Director/Choreographer: Cambrian James Cast:
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