By Caldwell Titcomb
Some of the dancing feet in a scene from the Boston Conservatory production of “42nd Street.”
I don’t know about you, but I’ve always been a sucker for tapdancing – whether the unsurpassed solo hoofing of the late Gregory Hines (1946-2003) or an entire stage of unison clickety-clacking. Tapdancing was a stage staple in the early twentieth century, but it faded to the periphery for some time. It eventually made a comeback, however, and enabled Hines to win a Tony in 1992 for his performance in “Jelly’s Last Jam.”
Much credit for bringing tap back into favor was the 1980 Broadway production of “42nd Street,” which won the Tony for best musical and went on to run for 3,486 performances. A revival in 2001 chalked up a new 1,524-performance run.
This work was the second stage musical to be adapted from a film (the first, “Gigi” was a 1974 flop) – in this case the 1933 movie of the same name, which catapulted Ruby Keeler to tapdancing stardom until her retirement eight years later.
The current production by Boston Conservatory students is most welcome indeed, under the helm of 1991 alumnus Michael Susko, who has over the years danced, choreographed and directed the work. He had the luck to learn the staging of the famous original director and choreographer Gower Champion, who died the very day of the Broadway opening.
The idea of adapting the film belonged to Michael Stewart, who with Mark Bramble wrote the book; and the score came from the pen of Harry Warren (1893-1981), with lyrics by Al Dubin. Warren was born into an Italian-American family as Salvatore Antonio Guaragna. Though small in stature, standing only five feet, he was tall in stature as a Hollywood composer, writing more than 700 songs for 56 films between 1933 and 1961 – and winning one of three Oscars for “Lullaby of Broadway” in “42nd Street.”
In the plot, a fading star, Dorothy Brock, breaks her ankle, which threatens to close the Philadelphia tryout of the musical “Pretty Lady.” The demanding director, Julian Marsh, is persuaded to let an untested player, Peggy Sawyer, step into the lead, and he addresses her with the celebrated line, “You’re going out there a youngster, but you’ve got to come back a star!” You can guess the outcome.
The show opens with an audition, in which the stage is full of tapdancing feet. More splendid tapdancing comes with “We’re in the Money” (with 19 persons dancing atop huge pseudo-coins in front of a shimmering silver curtain), the aforementioned “Lullaby of Broadway” in Act II, and the title song near the end. Tapdance fans, rejoice.
A scene from the Boston Conservatory production of “42nd Street.”
In the large cast of thirty, special praise is due Lindsey Larson as the haughty Dorothy, Riley Krull as the aspiring Peggy, Brennan Roach as the exasperated Julian, Steven Cardona as Billy Lawlor, the tenor lead, and Cory Stewart as Dorothy’s jealous sugar daddy Pat Denning (sporting a Texas hat).
Janie Howland and Jeff Adelberg provide imaginative sets and lighting, respectively. F. Wade Russo conducts the confident orchestra of nineteen, almost entirely made up of wind players.
The end of the show is quite daring. The concluding title song is written in the minor mode. And with the cast heading off to the opening-night party, the pooped Julian is left alone on stage to sing quietly, “Come and meet those dancing feet…”
This production is appropriately dedicated to the memory of Sue Ronson, who headed the Conservatory’s tap program from 1979 to 2001. Performances continue through Sunday, March 8.
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'42nd Street' Dances Its Way to Success
Published On 3/9/2009 3:15:55 AM
“Think of musical comedy, the most glorious words in the English language,” director Julian Marsh says to burgeoning but reluctant star Peggy Sawyer in “42nd Street.” The Boston Conservatory’s production of this musical serves as a compelling, nearly infallible corroboration of Marsh’s lingual assessment.
The energy and sheer joy of the cast and orchestra is immediately palpable with the first rise of the curtain, revealing pairs upon pairs of synchronized tapping feet. While perhaps hewing a bit too close to the design and staging of the excellent 2001 Broadway revival, the Boston Conservatory’s production—which ran through March 8—is nevertheless an exuberant triumph on all levels.
The ultimate backstage musical, “42nd Street” follows ingénue Peggy (Riley Krull) as she attempts to get a part in a new Broadway show directed by the famous director Julian Marsh (Brennan Roach). As Peggy’s celebrity grows, the career of the leading lady Dorothy Brock (Lindsey Larson) fades.
“42nd Street” is one of the great, enduring musicals, but restaging such a successful production requires immense talent from both the cast and creative staff. The cast members need to pull off the triple threat of acting, singing, and dancing, while the creative team must produce the spectacle of a classic 1930s musical without letting it seem dated. In this production, both cast and creative excel at their respective tasks.
In a show where dance is the real star, the choreography must be seamless and expressive. It works well, then, that Michael Susko acts as both director and choreographer. Susko uses the whole stage in forming creative routines that hint at the Busby Berkeley origins of the show and are flawlessly integrated into the story. Even the waiters tap offstage when clearing set pieces from a restaurant scene. Particularly affecting is the tap ballet routine during the play-within-a-play performance of the song “42nd Street” by Krull.
Krull exemplifies the triple threat this show demands. Her character Peggy needs to naturally stand out in a line of chorines, “specks of dust on the stage” according to Marsh, and Krull does. Her performance as Peggy is never too naïve or calculating; she strikes just the right chord of vulnerability and wide-eyed excitement. As Roach sings the show-stopping “Lullaby of Broadway,” an ode to theater and New York City, Krull’s face becomes dreamy and adoring. Her love of performing pulses through every tap of her shoe and every note of her songs.
Roach’s Julian Marsh is the perfect balance to Peggy’s bubbly Broadway fever. Somewhat jaded and severe, Marsh can be an unlikable character in less capable hands, but Roach hits the exact note of susceptibility to keep his character appealing and interesting. Roach is a refreshing anomaly on stage, his gruff tones a welcome opposition to the glitz and glam and high-pitched chorus girl squeals.
The only disappointment in the cast is Steven Cardona’s Billy Lawlor. While Cardona’s dancing is acceptable, his acting and singing are not suited for this role. Great songs like “Dames” and “Young and Healthy” fall flat, Cardona’s too-weak tenor voice drowned out by the lovely orchestra.
The work of the fantastic ensemble sometimes suffers from technical glitches like delayed light cues, but overall their performance only adds to the dynamism of the show. In particular, Jennifer Cohen shines as Maggie Jones, a role that could read as too over-the-top but is instead played with just the right comedic timing and scene-stealing flair. Her introduction to the fantastic “Go Into Your Dance” is an absolute pleasure to behold.
“Go Into Your Dance” is but one of the many winning song and dance numbers in the wonderful score. All of these big songs are treats for both the eyes and ears, accompanied by spot on tap routines and flashy set pieces designed by Janie Howland. The true delight, however, is the music under the direction of F. Wade Russo. As the production moves from hit song to hit song, the cast members’ voices remain beautiful, but the orchestra steals the show from the very start of the overture. The score has never sounded fresher or livelier.
All in all, The Boston Conservatory’s “42nd Street” would make demanding director Marsh proud. Productions such as this are what give the Peggy Sawyers of the world the dream to star in a Broadway show. The chorines might be just specks of dust to Marsh, but as Peggy says: “Put all those specks together, you have something alive and beautiful that can reach out to a thousand people we’ve never seen before.” —Staff writer Ali R. Leskowitz can be reached at aleskow@fas.harvard.edu.
The energy and sheer joy of the cast and orchestra is immediately palpable with the first rise of the curtain, revealing pairs upon pairs of synchronized tapping feet. While perhaps hewing a bit too close to the design and staging of the excellent 2001 Broadway revival, the Boston Conservatory’s production—which ran through March 8—is nevertheless an exuberant triumph on all levels.
The ultimate backstage musical, “42nd Street” follows ingénue Peggy (Riley Krull) as she attempts to get a part in a new Broadway show directed by the famous director Julian Marsh (Brennan Roach). As Peggy’s celebrity grows, the career of the leading lady Dorothy Brock (Lindsey Larson) fades.
“42nd Street” is one of the great, enduring musicals, but restaging such a successful production requires immense talent from both the cast and creative staff. The cast members need to pull off the triple threat of acting, singing, and dancing, while the creative team must produce the spectacle of a classic 1930s musical without letting it seem dated. In this production, both cast and creative excel at their respective tasks.
In a show where dance is the real star, the choreography must be seamless and expressive. It works well, then, that Michael Susko acts as both director and choreographer. Susko uses the whole stage in forming creative routines that hint at the Busby Berkeley origins of the show and are flawlessly integrated into the story. Even the waiters tap offstage when clearing set pieces from a restaurant scene. Particularly affecting is the tap ballet routine during the play-within-a-play performance of the song “42nd Street” by Krull.
Krull exemplifies the triple threat this show demands. Her character Peggy needs to naturally stand out in a line of chorines, “specks of dust on the stage” according to Marsh, and Krull does. Her performance as Peggy is never too naïve or calculating; she strikes just the right chord of vulnerability and wide-eyed excitement. As Roach sings the show-stopping “Lullaby of Broadway,” an ode to theater and New York City, Krull’s face becomes dreamy and adoring. Her love of performing pulses through every tap of her shoe and every note of her songs.
Roach’s Julian Marsh is the perfect balance to Peggy’s bubbly Broadway fever. Somewhat jaded and severe, Marsh can be an unlikable character in less capable hands, but Roach hits the exact note of susceptibility to keep his character appealing and interesting. Roach is a refreshing anomaly on stage, his gruff tones a welcome opposition to the glitz and glam and high-pitched chorus girl squeals.
The only disappointment in the cast is Steven Cardona’s Billy Lawlor. While Cardona’s dancing is acceptable, his acting and singing are not suited for this role. Great songs like “Dames” and “Young and Healthy” fall flat, Cardona’s too-weak tenor voice drowned out by the lovely orchestra.
The work of the fantastic ensemble sometimes suffers from technical glitches like delayed light cues, but overall their performance only adds to the dynamism of the show. In particular, Jennifer Cohen shines as Maggie Jones, a role that could read as too over-the-top but is instead played with just the right comedic timing and scene-stealing flair. Her introduction to the fantastic “Go Into Your Dance” is an absolute pleasure to behold.
“Go Into Your Dance” is but one of the many winning song and dance numbers in the wonderful score. All of these big songs are treats for both the eyes and ears, accompanied by spot on tap routines and flashy set pieces designed by Janie Howland. The true delight, however, is the music under the direction of F. Wade Russo. As the production moves from hit song to hit song, the cast members’ voices remain beautiful, but the orchestra steals the show from the very start of the overture. The score has never sounded fresher or livelier.
All in all, The Boston Conservatory’s “42nd Street” would make demanding director Marsh proud. Productions such as this are what give the Peggy Sawyers of the world the dream to star in a Broadway show. The chorines might be just specks of dust to Marsh, but as Peggy says: “Put all those specks together, you have something alive and beautiful that can reach out to a thousand people we’ve never seen before.” —Staff writer Ali R. Leskowitz can be reached at aleskow@fas.harvard.edu.
