Theater review: 42nd Street from Garland Summer Musicals

by Cheryl Cory of John Garcia's The Column

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Big, big sounds, exciting eye candy, and fancy footwork fill the evening. It was truly a delightful musical production!

Entertaining, rejuvenating, inspiring!

I have to preface this review with a description of my weekend activities so you can "consider the source." I spent days helping my best friend pack her home and move. We worked all night Friday through the morning and were supposed to be done by noon. Instead, I found myself running out of there at 7 p.m. to jump in the shower, take a strong dose of caffeine, and head to Granville Arts Center. Sitting in my seat, I was fighting to stay awake before the musical even began.

But then, it began. A show filled with tap dance and song in a big BROADway! There was no sleeping through this production! 42nd Street (presented by Garland Summer Musicals through July 25) tells the story of newcomer Peggy Sawyer, who arrives in New York City to try her hand at a career on Broadway. Her nerves keep her from arriving on time. She runs in at last minute to audition for the new musical Pretty Lady. Julian Marsh, the director, is trying to make a comeback after the downfall of the Depression era. However, the auditions are completed by the time Peggy arrives.

With all of the reality shows -- So You Think You Can Dance, America's Got Talent, Dancing with the Stars, and American Idol -- we've had the opportunity to see the wannabe actor/singers/dancers pacing in the halls before hitting the stage, only to be completely rejected. The nervous contestants have a familiarity ring to us in that we can relate to even more strongly nowadays then when this show was first produced.

According to Wikipedia, "The 1980 Broadway production, directed by an ailing Gower Champion won the Tony Award for Best Musical and became a long-running hit." They boast to Peggy that "You're going out there a youngster, but you've got to come back a star!" In 1984 (London) Catherine Zeta-Jones played the part of Peggy as a funny "real-life-imitating-arts" kind of moment. But it was 2001 when the real revival of this show hit.

Billy Lawlor, one of the lead singers, is immediately drawn to Peggy and gets her to go ahead and start singing with him in hopes of trying to get Julian's attention. It works. She gets a spot in the chorus but she turns down Billy's advances. And then you have the aging star who is past her prime and not as good as the starlet in the making. Patty Granville gives a convincing performance as the Queen "can't dance – don't ask me" Bee. It was vocally captivating with tremendous stage presence.

Big Broadway numbers require many moving parts all working and fitting together perfectly to create the WOW factor. This show is no exception. Lighting, sound, set, choreography, costume, music, props, cast, and orchestra are just part of the package. Garland Summer Musicals have pulled together an extensive team for this project, and believe me when I say, IT WORKS!

The director Julian Marsh, played by Jay Taylor, commands our attention. He is powerful and moves well across the stage. Julian realizes that Ms. Dorothy is past her prime but caves in to the majority who want to see her as the lead. Abner (Ron Biancardi) is her biggest supporter; however, Dorothy is not quite as loyal to him. Julian discovers Dorothy's straying eyes and is forced to protect Dorothy so as to protect the show.

The show incorporates the audience so it feels like a show within a show (welcome to the Twilight Zone). Various cast members enter the stage by walking down the aisle. The prelude to intermission was so creative and beautifully executed that I was totally giddy, and not just because the caffeine was wearing off -- but I almost don't want to spoil it by sharing.

Anyone that has ever attempted to tap understands that this is not an easy task. Heel toe and toe heel and clickety clicking across the stage can cause the most coordinated folks to tumble. Sure enough, starlit Peggy trips and pushes Dorothy, causing her to fall and break her ankle. The show disintegrates before our very eyes. Billy suggests that Peggy can come up to speed and learn all the dances and songs before curtain time.

Jeremy Dumont as "Billy" creates a spirited performance complete with facial expressions that tell the story without many words ever spoken. The jealously ensues between Billy and Julian as the traditional fight for a girl's attention.

Emily Lockhart's sweet demeanor creates a sappiness to Peggy Sawyer character that even the biggest sweet tooth might find just a bit over the top. Less is more. But this is Broadway! So we do expect and forgive and sometime throw flowers as a thank you for those big bold cartoon-like characters that help us to see those subtleties all the way from the back row.

Come on along and listen to... has been done and redone in various skits and numbers over the years that even if you are not familiar with the musical; you are familiar with the music. "We're in the Money," "Lullaby of Broadway," "You're Getting to Be A Habit With Me," "Shuffle off to Buffalo," and, of course, the title number "42nd Street" all have the audience happy in our seats doing a silent tap number.

Tap acts have been hitting the stages with new twists and more twists. Visually stronger and more daring, choreographers Emily Lockhart and Jeremy Dumont took on this challenge and soared. Dallas Costume Shoppe, Michael Robinson, and Suzi Shankle's costumes brilliantly pulled in the WOW factor.

After having attended some scratchy static performances at Dallas Summer Musicals earlier this year, it was refreshing to hear the crispness of this arena. As a first time visitor to Patty Granville Arts Center, I was most definitely impressed about the clarity of the vocals. Musical Director/Conductor Larry Miller has much to be proud of with his group of musicians.

Big, big sounds, exciting eye candy, and fancy footwork fill the evening. It was truly a delightful musical production!

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