Review: MAKE ME A MUSICAL Performers Hit Comedy Heights at PASA

A couple of minor first night glitches did nothing to detract from some terrific performances by a hand-picked cast in PASA's American premiere production of Make Me a Musical.

It begins with Robby Vance as Miguel, one of a group of people auditioning for a new musical a la A Chorus Line, giving a deliciously over-the-top performance as tells he of his deprived and depraved upbringing and gets to sing "A Terrible Life", one of two songs written specially for the PASA production . When the director (Larry Grote) tells him his tale of woe is too much of a cliché, he immediately launches into a one-man quick-change parade of different characters, hoping that one of them will be what the director wants.

That sets the tone and gets the ball rolling nicely in this tale about a rehearsal pianist, Robert Ponsonby, who sells his soul to a powerful agent, Cedric E De Ville (played with smooth aplomb by Jef Maldinado) in the hopes of becoming a renowned Broadway composer.

As Robert, Ramsey Marion Sweatmon gives one of the most brilliant comedy performances I have seen on any stage. He perfectly captures the nerdishness and naivety of Robert's character, who feels that his WASP background is holding him back and wishes he had been born foreign or black or gay so he would have more "street cred".

"I've tried being gay," he says, "but I can't seem to get the hang of it."

Sweatmon's onstage rapport with Lauren Campion, playing the ingénue role of Angela Goodall, is nothing short of theatre magic. I have no reservations in saying that these two young performers (shown in the photo) have a great future ahead of them. Campion, only 18 years old, displays a fine singing voice as well as acting and comedy chops that would do credit to a more mature and more experienced performer.

After being paired in PASA's immediately previous production (the acclaimed "Ruthless"), Jef Maldonado is reunited with Twyla Lamont, who gives yet another outstanding performance as the vampy Stella Martin, a combination of a New Jersey (or perhaps I should say "noo joizy") version of Lola in "Damn Yankees" and the great Oscar-winning actress Gloria Grahame (Ado Annie in Oklahoma) in her heyday. Her attempt to seduce Robert is a rib-tickling tribute to the seduction scene in Damn Yankees. Sweatmon's reactions to this seduction attempt are priceless (as are a number of his scenes in which he proves himself a master of gawky awkwardness).

In a scene that is the flipside of "My Fair Lady", De Ville tries to give Robert lessons in being rude and obnoxious so that people will take him more seriously as a composer. "People won't take you seriously if you're too nice." So it's no more Mister Nice Guy (at least for a while).

Michael Cooling brilliantly performs the second song written specially for this production, "Extraordinary Girl", playing a drag artist who resents being called either a drag artist or a female impersonator. "I don't impersonate," he sniffs. "I channel. I inhabit. I become. I transmogrify. I resonate. I redefine. I become the new essence of femininity." His performance is both amusing and touching, capturing the outsider frustrations of drag acts that let some of their internal pain and vulnerability show through.

Veteran character actor Gary Sartor gives an oily performance as Nigel Hudson, a pervy fading star whose skin is so thick it would take an elephant gun or a cruise missile to penetrate it.

Luis Legaspi contributed some impressive facial expressions in his role as Riff Winkler and did some excellent choreography to three of the songs.

Gianna Rodriguez plays the sassy Juanita with verve, while Jayme Stewart and Amanda Thompson both added to the enjoyment (and the choreography) of this production, which was directed by Vaughn Taylor and Jade Esteban Estrada, with musical direction by Nicole Erwin.

The show has Broadway written all over it.

Seats are available at Brown Paper Tickets (http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2501991) or call the theatre on (210) 557 187.

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