Michael Dale's Martini Talk: Spain & Crossing Brooklyn

A hearty bravo to Transport Group for once-again proving that those who complain about the American musical being a stagnant art form are just seeing the wrong musicals.  Bookwriter/lyricist Laura Harrington and composer Jenny Giering tackle the tricky subject of post 9/11 stress related disorder in their adventurous and often beautiful musical, Crossing Brooklyn.  Though the effort is sometimes more exciting than the on-stage results, director Jack Cummings III's graceful production neatly patches the occasional rough spots in this romantic story of trudging through a relationship's lowest point.

Des (Jenny Fellner), was a 1st grade teacher at a school nearby the World Trade Center when the planes hit.  Her experience in getting her students safely out of the area to a place where their parents can pick them up has left her emotionally scared and for months she's been spending her days cloistered in her Brooklyn apartment, only going out to do volunteer work at Prospect Park and occasionally visiting a café on the way, though she usually needs help in working up the courage to walk inside.  The thought riding the subway or crossing her beloved Brooklyn Bridge to walk into Manhattan again horrifies her.

Her husband A.J. (Bryce Ryness) has been as patient and understanding as he can be while living with a wife who has become emotionally and physically distant., though he struggles with the temptation of the attractive bookstore clerk (Blythe Gruda) who has been flirting with him.  Also a grade school teacher, A.J. has developed a special bond with a precocious student (J. Bradley Bowers) who lost his father in the attack.

The light touch in which all involved handle the subject of Des and A.J.'s struggle is what makes the evening especially moving.  Harrington's conversational words wisely never mention specifics about that day and Giering's music is expressive chamber jazz/pop exquisitely orchestrated by Mary-Mitchell Campbell.  Sandra Goldmark's set consists of nine metal school desks on the floor and many suspension bridge cords hanging from the ceiling, all reconfigured by the cast under R. Lee Kennedy's lights to represent numerous settings.

The hour and forty-five minute piece is performed with no intermission or applause buttons and though that's an artistically pleasing choice it also emphasizes a certain lack of texture.  I'm not suggesting the addition of comic relief, but I could have used bit of humor and a couple of livelier melodies to give a break from the sadness of the drama.  But with Fellner and Ryness leading a strong singing and acting ensemble, Crossing Brooklyn is still a heart-tugging experience.

Meanwhile, there is no truth to the rumor that the George and Ira Gershwin Estate plans legal action against Spring Awakening lyricist Steven Sater for copyright infringement in regards to their 1931 song "Blah, Blah, Blah."

With all due respect to playwright Jim Knable, he's gotta come up with a new title for Manhattan Class Company's current offering at the Lortel. Spain...  it just sits there, not giving any indication of how funny, whimsical and wildly charming his romantic comedy is.  How about something like My Favorite Conquistador?  Or something sexy like Hot Tapas?  But okay, for now we have Spain, and just like Smuckers the contents are so much more delicious than the name on the label.

Director Jeremy Dobrish's storybook production has adorably geeky Annabella Sciorra playing Barbara, whose husband left her for "some slut with a boob job,"   Barbara is obsessed with a certain Iberian country and though she's never been there, she carries romantic images of, "The soul of Spain.  Roosters. Flamenco.  The sweet sea small of Barcelona."  Well, who should turn up on her couch one day but an actual Spanish conquistador (a very funny Michael Aronov, seething with bravado).  Though her imaginary visitor represents everything she despises about Spanish history and men in general ("Conquering.  It is a great feeling.  Meeting uncivilized people.  Killing them, making them your slaves, what not.... We go places and name them.") she is charmed by his swagger and gets so carried away by his brute alpha maleness that when hubby John (Erik Jensen) returns to patch things up she thrusts the Spaniard's sword into him. Before being brought to trial, Barbara manages to escape to the 15th century, where her conquistador is now a humble and sensitive peasant who cares about a woman's org*sm.

Lisa Kron appears as several male characters, most noticeably as a Mayan Ancient who appears through the giant framed mirror in Beowulf Boritt's apartment set and offers Barbara cryptic advise.  The hilariously subtle Veanne Cox plays Barbara's best friend, named Diversion, and by the play's end is looking majestic dancing in a pink flamenco dress by costume designer Jenny Mannis.

Knable's trip through Barbara's psyche after an emotionally painful experience may not come to any profound conclusion, but it's a very funny and engaging excursion.

Break a leg to Clay Aiken as he prepares to join the Broadway company of Spamalot.  Actually, I hear that putting new actors into Spamalot is quite easy.  They just push them on stage and tell them to just repeat everything the audience yells out.

Michael Dale's Martini Talk appears every Monday and Thursday on BroadwayWorld.com

Top photo by Carol Rosegg:  J. Bradley Bowers, Bryce Ryness, Blythe Gruda and Jenny Fellner in Crossing Brooklyn; Bottom photo by Joan Marcus: Annabella Sciorra and Michael Aronov in Spain

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