A Rousing 'Sex' At The Magic Theatre

By: Oct. 20, 2004
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Feeling a bit teased by an interview I did with Robert Jess Roth and Douglas J. Cohen during rehearsals for "The Opposite of Sex" I was eager to see how their adaptation of the cult hit film translated onto the stage. This past week I headed to the charming Magic Theatre in San Francisco to check it out.

Now as most of the readers of BroadwayWorld.com will already know, I don't normally do reviews - I leave that to our very abled Michael Dale, Jena Tesse Fox and others around the country. While what follows below can be considered a review - I'd like to consider it more my observations of a work that's still in progress and respect it as so (after all, there might be a slight bias having designed - and continue to maintain - Kerry Butler's website). In fact, as I sit here typing, the cast is rehearsing the first set of changes - 3 news songs that will be replacing ones already in the show - for tonight's performance.

As an adaptation:
 The Opposite of Sex is extremely faithful to its source material. Some of the dialogue is lifted right from the film and that which isn't has the same voice and tone as Don Roos's brilliant screenplay. It's sharp, funny and just as relevant today as when it was in movie theaters - with the election quickly approaching, even more so. The premise of "Sex" consists of a 16 year old (Dedee Truitt) who packs her bags after her step-father's death, moves in with her half-brother and changes the lives of everyone she comes in contact with. To quote from the show, "If you think I'm (Dedee) just plucky and scrappy and all I need is love Well I've got news for you.. I don't have a heart of gold and I don't grow one." That line is from the opening number which sets the tone for the evening right off the bat...

If you like the kind of story
Where people choose right from wrong
Which centers on an adolescent
Who learns to sing her own song
And at the end you can hear her proclaim,
"After that summer I was never the same..."

Well I've got news for you....

From the opening moment until blackout at the end of Act 2, the script moves deftly from scene to scene with Roth and Cohen having captured the all the pathos from each character as they collide under Dedee's manipulations.

Music and Lyrics:
Having heard two songs at "Bound for Broadway II" I was anxious to see how those fit in and what else Douglas Cohen had come up with. While in my interview with the creative team, Robert Roth said he saw the film and immediately thought what a great musical it could be...I was a bit more skeptical.

There are very few "conventional" songs in The Opposite of Sex. As the creators and other reviewers have noted - it's very Falsettos-like. Most of the time it works well, and others, not so much. The sung through dialogue for the opening number "I've Got News For You" manages to cover all the exposition we could and would want to get the ball rolling. It's successful in creating that marriage of lyric, music and dialogue. Later in the show, there's a clever number featuring DeDee, Lucia, Bill, Matt and a waiter called "You Are Going Back to Indiana" The song/sung through dialogue doesn't seem to flow as well as it could. The closing number to Act 1 (which I have been told is one of the ones currently being replaced) "I'd Sooner Die" also was problematic.

Standout songs in the show are "A Normal Life" in which Matt sings to Bill to explain why he allowed himself to be seduced by DeDee. It's a beautiful and poignant "I Want" song which is capped by one of the funniest lines in the show (No worries, no spoilers here). Lucia and Bill's duets "Destiny" and "Rightful Name" are also top notch. I've been told that "Rightful Name" is one of the songs also being replaced. The song is a turning point in the show for both Bill and Lucia, so it will be interesting to hear how they've reworked that scene. The other two standouts were "Not Tom" - a duet between Bill and Matt, and "See Only Me" which is sung by Carl and Lucia.

If you're noticing that the song titles give away the "point" or ultimate emotion involved, you're right. The journey that Cohen's lyrics takes us on though are often fun, endearing, clever and sharp. That's not to say you'll leave the theater singing most (if any) of the score. But it services the characters and scenes well. In fact, the opening number of Act II, "Dead Ex-Lover" is one of the best 2nd Act openers I have seen in a long time. Again - no spoilers included...

The Performers:
Kerry Butler as DeDee Truitt has taken on a role unlike anything she has done before. In fact, DeDee is about as far away from Penny Pingleton as one could get and Butler handles the dark nature with precision. It would be easy to try and make DeDee likeable, perky and cute - thankfully not a pitfall Butler nor Roth (who directs) has made. While fun and engaging to watch, she remains a relatively unsympathetic character - but hey, that's what DeDee wants the audience to see. Butler also manages to grab a hold of the audience from the opening number and not let go until the final chord is played at the end of Act II serving as both teen and narrator for the show. DeDee's acerbic wit and constant use of expletives show off Butler's range well.

John Bolton as Bill Truitt captures the nuances of the character with even the simplest of gestures and vocal inflections. His emotional range is tested to the limits in this production ranging from complacent, mourning and lost to glib, charming and forceful. His Bill is different in nature that Martin Donovan's (who portrayed the character in the film) in that Bolton allows Bill to BE affected by his surroundings rather than keeping his level of energy at a constant level. It works and brings true heart to the character. Bolton voice shines in "Not Tom."

Karen Ziemba as Lucia Dalury...Ok, I'll say it - recreating a character in which Lisa Kudrow (dare I say) flawlessly portrayed this tightly wound school "marm" could not and would not be an easy task. Karen makes the part her very own. Like Butler, Ziemba shines in a role that couldn't be further from the ones she currently has on her resume. There's a lot going on in Lucia's head at all times and Ziemba manages to convey those thoughts with a raised eyebrow, a cocked smile and the buttoning of a sweater. The chemistry on stage between her and Bolton make their scenes a treat to watch as they both convey they strengths and weaknesses.

David Burtka as Matt Matteo sings "A Normal Life" and "Not Tom" with tremendous heart and conviction. Burtka's voice is well suited for Cohen's score. As the temporary object of DeDee's affections he plays the scenes well (who could forget "Rub a Little Lotion") and provides the necessary eye candy for the audience that the role requires.

Jeff McCarthy as Carl Tippett does the most with his character that he can. That's not to say he or the role is bad, only that one wishes there was more for him to do. Of course, he does get to sing the wonderfully crafted love song, "See Only Me." In "The Opposite of Sex", McCarthy shows his versatility as a singer and actor, playing both comedy (his timing is impeccable) and touching romantic love interest for Lucia.

The ensemble includes
Joe Mandragona as Jason Bock plays the pierced punk with every bit of charm as the character requires. The scene between the characters Bill and Jason both in the bathroom at the beginning and later on outside Bill's house prove that Mandragona is one to watch in the future.

Ian Scott McGregor as Randy Cates (and a slew of other characters) is a treat to watch. Starting off as the bible thumping "boyfriend" of DeDee and also as an LA Waiter in the number "You Are Going Back To Indiana," McGregor makes each character unique and memorable.

Donna Vivino (fresh off the tour of Hairspray) also deftly plays a slew of characters and adds a flair and zest to all of them. Unfortunately for the audience, she's not given enough stage time.

Parting Thoughts
As I stated above, "The Opposite of Sex" is still very much a work in progress. For a comparison, the show had its first performance (and full run through) the same day Brooklyn (which opens tomorrow 10/21) played its first preview on Broadway. "The Opposite of Sex" is in good shape. There's still a journey the show needs to take (and not just the 3,000 miles across the country). Act I is what needs the most work - making it more even. I'd also like to see more character development for the Carl-Lucia-Bill relationships and also Bill-Matt (and the character only spoken of, "Tom".)

Fortunately, Roth and Cohen seem to be committed to making the show the very best it can be before we see the curtain go up in NYC. And isn't that what an out-of-town tryout is really for?

Performances of The Opposite of Sex are Tuesdays through Saturdays at 8:30 p.m., and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., with the final performance on Halloween, Sunday, October 31, at 7:30 p.m. Performances are at Magic Theatre (Fort Mason Center, Building D, Laguna at Marina Blvd., San Francisco). Tickets are available at (415) 441-8822 or online at www.magictheatre.org.

For more information, pictures and video clips: http://www.magictheatre.org

Click here to read an interview with Cohen and Roth.


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