WPCNR CENTER STAGE LEFT. Theatrical Rush Review by John F. Bailey. June 25, 2009: There was a buzz and energy at opening night at WBT. Most had never heard of this comedic hoot of a review that debuted Off-Broadway in 1996, and just closed in 2008, outrunning My Fair Lady.
A full house was eager for something happy and amusing and they got a Laugh-in's worth!
Courtney Holds Court!
Courtney Balan is the Complete Comedienne, mugging, madcapping, accenting, wisecracking, sending up, dialecting, wallflower, babe, single girl, torch singer in I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change. Photos, Courtesy WBT, By John Vecchiola.
When comedienne Courtney Balan makes a match.com video on WBT’s widescreens, talking to a video camera, with her back to her audience, she brings down the house with laughter as she tells all her foibles and faults with mugging and facial expressions that generated steady laughter nonstop.
When Noel Molinelli sings a lament about the bride’s maids dresses in her closet, and ill-fated grooms, the women of Westchester grinned and nodded knowingly, remembering weddings past. When Jonathan Rayson laments about waiting for his wife in Macy’s, the men laugh and laugh, while Ms. Molinelli agonizes in line for a women’s restroom—both men, women nod, laugh and remember.
Understudy Travis Taber, last seen in Oliver! as the Knife Grinder (at that incubator of talent, the White Plains Performing Arts Center) did a masterful job jumping in on Opening Night. He's at the wheel of the family car! With the ubiquitous Courtney Balan as his wife, and Noel Molinelli, back seat with Jonathan Rayson as his kids. Mr. Taber had to do the 42nd Street Opening Night "Dream Brake" Replacement role thing this evening filling in for Frank Vlastnik. The kid will always remember this night. He wise-cracked and delivered the part as if he created it! What a great job by the kid. Who doesn't like a little schmaltz on Opening Night? Photos, Courtesy, WBT By Frank Vecchiola
Taber coordinated with perfect comic timing with Ms. Balan to turn four rolling desk chairs into the family car, it's madcap mirth! (Even Brenda Starr, your reporter’s date for the evening laughed in uncharacteristic glee for the most dignified no-nonsense redhead in journalism – mentioning on the way out that her brothers used to fight in the backseat just like Mr. Rayson and Ms. Molinelli.
Scene after scene of Westchester Broadway Theatre’s revival of the longest running Off-Broadway revue in history, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change , the laughs just keep on coming, with an updated script for 80s and 90s couples, it reviews the institution of the pitfalls, pratfalls, of dating, courtship, parenthood, aging, shopping, marital sex through the last fifty years, complete with cellphones. Book and Lyrics (and jokes) by Joe DiPietro and Music by Jimmy Roberts have everyone who’s dated, married, divorced, married, divorced over the last half century laughing naturally, remembering fondly, and going out with a smile on their face. Marriage takes a beating, (but is still ticking at the end of the show) because it keeps on coming back as the ensemble sings at the grand finale!
WBT producers Bill Stutler and Bob Funking have assembled a formidably funny, coordinated group of very droll people to carry off this farce of farces where they play 40 characters in a series of rapid-fire costume changes. It is theatre magic that hangs together, perfecto!
The show uses the WBT video screens cleverly to announce each scene,reminiscent of The Pink Panther credits and from the unexpected opening featuring the Flippant Four as angels who sing Catata for a First Date – the audience is laughing non-stop. This show taps into your personal experience with charm, knowing familiarity and good nature – you’ll think the show is about your romantic life.
Courtney Balan (The Bride) is the long tall brassy blonde comic standout mugging like Carol Burnett, manipulating her flawless face like Lucille Ball with perfect exaggeration, and belting like Bette Midler. She has all the best bits and rachets up the laffometer. That's Travis Taber as the Priest, Mr. Rayson the Groom and Ms. Molinelli, the bridesmaid.
Ms. Balan plays a not-so-pretty girl with Mr. Rayson in A Stud and A Babe sequence that everyone will identify. She connects on the touching ballad “I Will Be Loved Tonight.” I really liked this song,and I bet most of the women did too. Ms. Balan tender and touching just played this song and strummed the heart strings. She reaches the audience’s hearts with the plentive He Called Me, after conducting a cascade of laughs on the phone with her mother about whether her boyfriend had called. Ms. Balan, a graduate of the University of Michigan Musical theatre, sinks her teeth into this comedienne’s dream role with Wolverine tenacity and wows Westchester!
Ms. Molinelli stands up to Ms. Balan’s natural comedic flare gamely in the stalking song with Mr. Taber and Mr. Rayson, Single Man Drought which gets both the males in the audience and their ladies laughing knowingly. She has her moment in Act II, singing about love in the upper ages in the very wise and warm song (one of three in the show) I Can Live With That. She also renders an excellent housewife of many years listening deadpan to Mr. Rayson sing the all-to-true, Shouldn’t I Be Less In Love With You?
Mr. Taber and Ms. Molinelli do a classic bit of a man at a tear jerker movie.
Taber wowed the WBT audience with his portrayal of a convict at a traveling dating show—scaring singles into matrimony.
Mr. Rayson and Mr. Taber have the men in the audience laughing at their Why? ‘Cause I’m a Guy? It details all the things women hate about the way men are. The laughs just coming at you. You have to see the show twice to get all the lines.
Christine DiTotta, (left) and Brian Cooper are the subject of a spoof on a law firm that puts a lawyer in bed to assure sexual satisfaction to remind what you are supposed to do as part of the bed contract. Mr. Taber as a fast-talking lawyer from Jacoby and Myers Masters and Johnson guaranteeing satisfaction or you get paid. You have to see it, folks.
A Scene All Will Identify With: Mr. Rayson (left), Ms. Molinelli (2nd from left), Ms. Balan and Brian Cooper toast a breakup with sentiments that are a hoot!
The set is minimalist, one of the sparest productions WBT has ever done, but the material is so funny, the situations so dead, solid, perfect, the Funny Four so perfectly in tune -- it does not need a set. The material carries it -- no dead spots. It romps!
Two of the six reasons it works is the duo of the talented fingers of John Daniels on the jolly 88s making that Steinway sing, and Sara Molina on violin rip off a jolly good musical bed of moments between men and women we will all remember.
Their artistry segues smoothly from ragtime, cocktail piano, classical, to rock riffs, and even country music. Ms. Molinelli does a wonderful Patsy Cline/Loretta Lynn sendup of country music on Always a Bridesmaid Never a Bride. Mr. Daniels exquisite execution of the keyboard makes this review fly by in a 1 hour first act and a 45 minute second act – where every scene is funny as Hell. The show has more laughs than The Producers.
As composer Jimmy Roberts, quoted in the program notes by Pia Haas, WBT Publicist, says "with the message that dating or married, it's worth connecting"
The show has played in thousands of places around the world, and inspired 61 marriage proposals on stage among its actors, according to Ms. Haas. It's a show that obviously connects actors and actresses, it connected with the WBT audience last night.
As the Funny Four sing in the finale, "We keep coming back."
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You might want to come back, too.
Steve Callaran, the emcee with the elegant stride and the non-stop patter, who opens every show at the WBT, quized the Opening Night audience on how much they thought a ticket to the first WBT show was back on July 9,1974 when WBT first opened.
The audience was surprised to learn it was only $10.95 for dinner and the show, tonight it was $73, and you can get complete box office information on I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change at www.broadwaytheatre.com or call 592-8730. Steve mentioned a promotion for limited dates in July where you can purchase a ticket for the $10.95 price with every purchase of a full price ticket. Check it Out as they say on Times Square!
