On
The Town is a wonderful musical comedy that was just recently revived at the
Lyric Theatre. The current production has caused lots of controversy as to
whether or not it is true to the original script and does it do the script justice
being a show that has a very specific time period. However, I really enjoyed
the production both the first and second time I saw it. The first time I saw
it, I was sitting in the balcony all the way in the back of the theatre while
the second time I saw it, I was second row right in the middle of the action.
Each time allowed me to see different aspects of the production and definitely
helped me develop a deeper understanding of the musical as a whole.
The
first thing I noticed while sitting down in the theatre was the big American
flag. I thought that was definitely different, since most shows have the set on
stage before the show begins. The show had a lot of different sets. I’m never
usually a fan of several set changes, but for some reason I didn’t mind it
during this show. I don’t think there is any other way to do the show without a
certain amount of set changes. My favorite set was what seemed to be the
Downtown Seaport where they had the Staten Island ferry in the back (also known
as my hometown). For a borough that always seems to be deemed as forgotten, it
still made its appearance in this fantastic revival. I also really like how
they created Times Square and Coney Island on stage. The interpretations may
not be exactly what the attractions look like, but the colossal amount of
colors and lights made the entire set pleasing to the eye. They looked even
more incredible from the back of the theatre when I got to see everything in
perspective. Even during the huge dream dance break there was an array of
different sets. From a wrestling rink to a ballroom, everything was absolutely
stunning and really complemented the actors on stage.
Going
into On The Town, I didn’t know anything about the story but I did know a good
portion of the music. I feel that knowing the music really made me enjoy the
play more. Especially “I Can Cook Too”. I used that song for a couple of
auditions through the last couple of years without knowing the context behind the
song or why it was being sung (which is a super awful thing to do for an
audition, but it worked out in the end). Seeing the production, I now know a
lot about the context of the song. It made me love the song even more, and it
can definitely improve my performance during auditions. Along the lines of
context in songs, I also knew the song “New York New York”. I actually really
hated it. Living in New York my entire life, any song that has to do with New
York always annoys me. It’s not necessarily the song itself that annoy me, but
the character(s) that are singing it are usually people who have never been to
New York before and are basking in the glory of all of the beloved attractions
(also known as tourists). However, seeing the sailors singing it and learning
why they were singing it really helped me gain appreciation for the song. It
was actually really cute. These three sailors had one day to explore the city
before they go back to the navy and they are just so excited to see what lies
ahead of them. It really sets up the concept of the entire show. As an
audience, we don’t know what is going to happen, but we are aware of the
setting and the time period just by the first 10-15 minutes of the show. Seeing
this number from the back of the theatre, I was a little disappointed. I feel
that the Lyric theatre, which is also known as the Hilton Theatre or the Apollo
Theatre, was a little too big for this production. I didn’t really realize how
intimate On The Town was until I sat second row. The acting is just phenomenal,
and you don’t really get to see that when sitting all the way in the back. In
fact, when I was in the back I kept getting confused as to which sailor was
which. Tony Yazbeck who played Gabey and Clyde Alves who played Ozzie look kind
of similar so it was hard to determine who was who during some portion of the
show. However, once the relationships with the ladies started to begin, I then
distinguished one from another.
On
the topic of the women, I want to talk about my favorite- Hildy. I saw the show
with a bunch of my friends and the minute Hildy came on stage, they all went,
“Rikki- this is you.” That is exactly the type of role I love playing. Hildy
was everything that a character role should be- funny, sexy, vulnerable, and
engaging. To me, albeit Gabey was the main character, Hildy stole the show.
There have only been 2 other revivals of On The Town, on Broadway and off
Broadway, and both have failed. I’m not necessarily trying to say that their
casting of Hildy is the reason why, but I really think Alysha Umphress stole
the show. Umphress can be previously seen in American Idiot and Bring It On!; however,
it’s clear that On The Town is
really giving her recognition. From the first moment she stepped on stage, she
took control of the scene. “Come Up To My Place” is probably my favorite song
in the entire show. I really love how it’s so challenging. Not only are the
notes hard to hit, but as a performer, you have to focus on timing, dialogue,
blocking, acting, and singing all while performing. Yes, this can be applied to
every number in a Broadway show but I just think this song is particularly
challenging and that Jay Armstrong Johnson and Alysha Umphress did a fantastic
job. Going on in Hildy’s endeavors, when we finally see her in her apartment, I
feel that we are seeing another side of Hildy. Its kind of Hildy’s way of
saying, “I am more than my occupation. I have a life too.” As the scene
continues, it eventually evolves into the song, “I Can Cook Too.” What a
wonderful song is epitomize Hildy’s character. There is so much subtext behind
this song. The song isn’t really about Hildy cooking; it’s about her proving
that she is the perfect woman. After “I Can Cook Too,” Hildy and Chip’s
relationship becomes a lot stronger (and it’s not because they have sex directly
after). It then becomes less about “what are we going to do while you’re here?”
and more about “what are we going to do when you’re gone?”
The
second act of On The Town provokes a lot more emotions than the first one does.
The first act deals with coming to New York, while the second act deals with
leaving New York. With Gabey down in the dumps and all of the other couples
coming to the realization that they will have to split soon, it really injects
an immense amount of pathos to the audience. However, there are several moments
that still make the audience roar with laughter. For example, Jackie Hoffman’s nightclub
impersonations were hilarious. Not only was she a fantastic Maude P. Dilly, but
she also brought the house down with Diana Dream and Dolores Dolores. I always
think it’s really important for an actor to be able to play several roles and
be seasoned, and Jackie Hoffman represents this perfectly. However, on the
topic of a more emotional second act, the song “Some Other Time” always evokes
tears from the audience. It’s just really sad. You watched these people fall in
love for an hour and now they can’t be together because the guys are going back
to the Navy. I know the play is a comedy, but the end of the show is quite sad
if you think about it. After the day is done, these guys are being shipped back
to wherever they’re fighting next. It’s very probable that they’ll never see
the ladies again. And the saddest part to me is how they’re replaced so easily.
I feel as though the audience feels the ending is very happy because there are
three new guys having a new beginning and they’re ambitious to see what lies
ahead. But I don’t see it as very happy. Besides the fact that the guys will
never see the girls again, the new guys might go through the exact same thing
and have to leave their ladies as well. It’s the same cycle over and over
again, resulting in sadness and replacements. I think that’s the one thing I
don’t really like about the show. For a light comedy, it has such a dark
background.
Alas, we come to the end. Hildy, Ivy and Claire were three totally different girls who all fell in love. They all came from different occupations and background, yet, they all somehow found each other in the same predicament. Part of me was a little disappointed that these girls fell in love in less than 24 hours, but I guess that factor really enhances the theme. Through watching the play, I realized that the main theme was that love is unpredictable and spontaneous and you can’t control desire. No matter how long or short it takes to fall in love, it’s still love. A little corny (well, a lot corny), but what do you expect from a 1940’s musical? I think On The Town perfectly depicts its time period. From the style of dance, the songs, and the witty, comical characters, On The Town represents the love and compassion of the 1940’s as well as the dark essence that surrounds it. Moreover, I definitely had a helluva time seeing On The Town each time and I would definitely do it all over again.
5 out of 5 rikdastars
Until next time!
-Rikki
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