Review: I'M STILL GETTING MY ACT TOGETHER - Some Beautiful Songs Performed Ever So Beautifully

I'M STILL GETTING MY ACT TOGETHER (AND TAKING IT ON THE ROAD)/book & lyrics by Gretchen Cryer/music by Nancy Ford/directed by Gretchen Cryer/The Laguna Playhouse/thru November 1, 2015

An incredibly talented cast populate the West Coast premiere of Gretchen Cryer's I'M STILL GETTING MY ACT TOGETHER (AND TAKING IT ON THE ROAD). This production actually includes the original 1978 I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking It On the Road as the first act with the newly written second act set 30 years later.

Heather, a single mom attempts to tour her unconventional, unproven musical act, eschewing inclusion of popular, more commercial songs her manager Joe suggests. Heading the troupe as Heather, (the younger alter ego of Gretchen Cryer), the simply wonderful Erica Hanrahan-Ball performs Cryer and Nancy Ford's songs utilizing her amazing vocals (especially in the very sweet "Old Friend" and the balls out "Never There.") Hanrahan-Ball receives beautiful harmony back-up from Jennifer Leigh Warren as Alice and Erika Schindele as Cheryl. Warren steals the spotlight in her lead vocals in "Strong Woman Number" knocking it out of the theatre. Schindele shines in her comic delivery of Cheryl's cutesy lines. (Kudos to Schindele and Cryer for the clever synchronized choreography of the three girl singers.)

Providing musical support, as well as, background banter, Matthew Wrather on piano (with a gorgeous piano solo on "Old Friends"), Omar D. Brancato on bass guitar, Daniel Filippi on drums, with Jesse Johnson on guitar and as Jake, the unsuccessful younger suitor of Heather. Johnson commands centerstage with his romantic rendition of "Reprise: In a Simple Way I Love You," his country/western "Road Not Taken," and his hard rock "Big Daddy." Totally versatile singer/actor!

Bravo to Cryer for sharing the stage with such incredible singers, especially Hanrahan-Ball playing a younger version of herself. Cryer (as the older Heather) fares best vocally in her last number "Reprise: Here to Say I Love You."

Top billed, Broadway musical veteran Rex Smith (in some ads) winningly plays Joe, Heather's sometimes manager and former love interest. Smith gives a wonderfully over-the-top musical comedy tour-de-force performance, while always reacting to whatever's happening on stage even when he's on the sidelines. How sad that Smith does not have a single number of his own to perform. Like hiring Streisand for a non-singing role in a musical. His underused vocal chops get exhibited in the few notes he gets to sing. How disappointing and misleading to advertise Rex Smith as the male lead in a musical and he doesn't have his own song to sing. A manager can't sing? What a missed opportunity!

Top-notch production elements include: clear sound by Juan Sanson, appropriate concert lighting by D Martyn Bookwalter, utilitarian concert stage set by Jim Prodger and fun period costumes by Kate Bergh. The ghost-like effect of Hanrahan-Ball appearing high above the heads of the second act finale, however, seems bewildering.

www.lagunaplayhouse.com

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