WPCNR STAGE DOOR. Theatrical Review by John F. Bailey March 6, 2012:
Come on Cutes, get on your dancing boots and come dance with the “Fab Five”:
The delightful “Sutton Fosteresque” Dierdre Haren, ( far left) the comedic gamin-belter Stacey Harris (being held aloft), the sultry Mary Millben, (front right), the debonair manic Harold Lloyd look-alike, Blake Slaybaugh (back right) and the high flying leading man, Sean Watkins (second from left.
The effervescent stars of ‘S Wonderful give us a graduate course in Gershwin that romances, enhances,whisks us magically through the greatest love songs of all time. Here they are performing the intoxicating Just Another Rumba!
‘S Wonderful, opened at the Westchester Broadway Theatre Friday night, resuming for just the next three weeks Wednesday is more than a review, but five shows-in-a-show stringing out a Gershwin Galaxy of Hits in a Rhapsody in Blue from the songwriting team that captured love in song for decades. ‘S Wonderful, put together by Ray Roderick at the request of the Gershwin estate will make you feel like dancing again.
It weaves 50 George and Ira Gershwin classic songs into a non-stop extravaganza of electrifying dance routines (each completely different and attention-getting), clean comedy and lovingly rendered songs drawing bravos from theatre aficionados on their feet wanting more Friday night. From Rhapsody in Blue to Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off to Embraceable You all the Gershwin “Oldies But Forevers” are back to show the youngsters what love feels like, and the oldsters those wonderful feelings again.
The moment the man in white tail and black tie, Ken Lundie seats himself elegantly at the Yamaha the unforgettable all-time signature clarinet riff of Rhapsody in Blue followed with ‘S Wonderful sung by the five actors who carry this show takes flight! The committed high energy cast never comes down. They are in the stars!
Blake Slaybaugh left, hooked up with “The Chic Thief,” Dierdre Haren, singing I’ve Got a Crush on You.
The hour and a quarter first Act delivers The Gershwin songs in time capsules. The first episode sets us in the 1920s in a where-else – a newspaper copy room where Mr. Slaybaugh, a ringer for the mannerisms of the silent star of the twenties, Harold Lloyd, dreams of life as a glamorous investigative reporter. His Nice Work if You Can Get It, (dreaming of love) followed by I’ve Got Rhythm arranged and coreographed in a clever typewriting sequence sets the the news room scene.
Enter “The Chic Thief,” the ultra 1920s, “it” girl in Diedre Haren as Leslie who places an ad for Boy Wanted. Harold realizes that Leslie’s description matches a jewelry thief called “The Chic Thief.” He follows her on a trolley, clever created on stage) to where she works selling wedding dresses, in a very clever surveillance sequence. Eventually Leslie and Harold are apprehended but not before she sings I’ve Got a Crush on You just before she and Harold are hauled off to jail, but they will be together after 10 years.
Mr. Slaybaugh’s comic timing, high kicks and dead-on sight gags make the number work, as he sings Kickin the Clouds Away. Ms. Haren’s Leslie is a lovely energetic comic foil with a sweet crystal voice of a star to be. Her energy and presence on stage deliver the same j’n c’est quoi as Sutton Forster. She alone is a reason you should see this show, in addition to the other 4 stars.
Mary Millben as Nina takes center stage in vignette two as the scene shifts to New Orleans where she tells the story of her and her friend Jane (Stacy Harris) in a series of musical postcards Jane sends Nina from around the world Ms. Millben’s comfortable contralto (between Della Reese and Ella Fitzgerald) captures your attention with The Man I Love (whom we learn Jane has run away with).
Ms. Millben, making her New York debut in this show, (after appearing in the Super Bowl with Bruce Springsteen and at Arena Stage in Washington with Maurice Hines, delivers another Gershwin classic, Summertime, trioettes with Ms. Harris and Mr. Slaybaugh on There’s a Boat Dat’s Leavin’ Soon; duets with Ms. Harris on A Foggy Day. The glamour of travel is captured by the seamless change of scene by the master of the footlights, Andrew Gmoser. Miss Harris and Ms. Millben finish off this set of whirlwind travel with a standing ovation version of It Ain’t Necessarily So and Of Thee I Sing.
Act One’s most charming skit depicts the heartbreak and longing songs of the war years, featuring Ms. Haren (left) and Mr. Watkins as a romantic couple. Here Set Designer John Farrell creates Paris very cleverly and of course Ms. Haren fits right in this milieu. She and Mr. Watkins as Gene, her sailor romantic lead, whom she meets in a café where she is working naturally deliver a very believable romance in 25 minutes. As Mr. Watkins says to Ms. Haren, “if only the Mona Lisa had a smile like that!” And he’s right! She was born to be a leading lady!
Ms. Haren and Mr. Watkins executive a marvelous dance set to Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off (one of my favorite Gershwins) and a very fulfilling, touching Love is Here to Stay. When the war is over, and the two are reunited we are treated to Strike Up the Band.
Act Two gives the comic and songsmithette talents of Stacy Harris (on Sean Watkins’ houlders) as Jane has her moments—in Hollywood. She’s a makeup artist making up Mr.Watkins who plays a star actor very in love with himself.
Ms. Harris demonstrates spot-on comic timing and the audience gets every line. Ms. Harris is given a chance to screen test in a love scene with Mr. Watkins, and when she is kissed by him, she sings Do It Again that scorches the lyrics. Her “Do it Again” silences the audience it is so sexy. This woman deserves a sit-com. Ms. Harris and Mr. Watkins maintain a great comic joy in this sequence. She also does a terrific pratfall through a mirror to set up the sequence!
Fastforward to the finale which is a tour de force of Gershwin songs in short snips, cleverly conceived using the I-Pod player as a device to switch from Gershwin Era to Gershwin Era. Here in another exhausting high energy sequence the Fab Five do Swanee, Someone to Watch Over Me (Ms. Haren), They Can’t Take That Away From Me, Embraceable You.
When the houselights finally dim, the audience applauds and they do not stop. The Fab Five and the Magnificent 7 (the orchestra) perform some more with a boffo finale.
If you want hear one of the great orchestras rounded up to Gershwin Gershwin, these are the players: Ken Lundie on piano, Kathy Braver, violin, Ron Kozak, Reeds, Jason Colby, Trumpet; Jason Ingram,Trombone;Ron Raffio, Bass/Tuba; Ron Ross, Percussion. This group is seamless, leaves you starry-eyed, teary-eyed and sensitive with there dead solid perfect musical phrasings.
What a show! You can only see it for the next three weeks. If you want to brush up on your Gershwin, this is the show. If you want to get your squeeze in the mood, this is the show, if want be be wrapped stars, romance, and good feelings this is the show. And you get dinner with the price of your ticket. All That and Gershwin too! Who Could Ask for Anything More!
For ticket information contact (914) 592-2222, or go to the theatre website at www.broadwaytheatre.com
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