Review: THE FIRST GENTLEMAN World Premiere Musical at Torrance Theatre Company

The new musical The First Gentleman with Book and Lyrics by David Howard and music by Bret Simmons, is based on a screenplay written in 2005 when George W. Bush was the President, Hilary Clinton was the former First Lady, and Kamala Harris was the District Attorney of San Francisco. The original screenplay was a fanciful imagining of the most ridiculous things that might happen when the first woman was elected President and her family had to find their way into lives in the public eye. But there was no way to anticipate how the musical’s subject could become reality, given how close our country was to electing the first woman as our President… both in 2016 and 2024.

Kathryn Cassidy, the Governor of West Virginia, gets approched to run for President by Stanley Hershberg (Jeremy Palmer) and Ken Christopher (Tim Blake) as her husband Russell (John Dellaporta) and son Steven (Cody Dulmage) listen to their pitch. All production photos by Miguel Elliot

Created by the team that brought us Hay Fever The Musical and The Importance of Being Earnest: A Wilde New Musical, The First Gentleman attempts to be a classic fish-out-of-water musical comedy, set in the most iconic of American settings - the White House. But while it captures the grandeur and portent of the American Presidency, it’s essentially a story about an ordinary family negotiating the most extraordinary of circumstances - and ways in which the media machine contributes to how the world sees them.

Amanda Webb addresses the nation as the newly elected President Kathryn Cassidy

The large cast is led by John Dellaporta as Russell Cassidy who must figure out what it means to be The First Gentleman and Amanda Webb as his wife Kathryn Cassidy, the Governor of West Virginia, who gets convinced by Stanley Hershberg (Jeremy Palmer) and Ken Christopher (Tim Blake) to run for President. The family has little time to discuss the possibility before she is actually elected and they move into The White House with their 15-year-old son Steven (Cody Dulmage). In fact, the entire election process is skimmed over from the West Virginia Governor’s Mansion into the Presidential Bedroom at The White House before you can say “count the votes.”

The story is moved along with wonderfully-produced video animations and graphics designed by Gia Jordahl and edited by Ted Coonradt involving news broadcasts from Ameri-News, with Perry Shields as its head honcho Cliff Sadler always on the lookout for juicy stories about them to pull in viewership.

Thrown into a new high school in a town much different from Charleston, West Virginia, Steven meets Leah (Abby Probst) who shows him around on his first day. Their budding romance is often thwarted by two secret service agents (Patty van Empel and Guy van Empel) assigned to protect Steven from the media. But he does manage to visit Leah’s house where the two teens perform the tender “You Make Me Feel Almost Normal” duet.

But their later encounter during “Deviant’s Day” celebrating the “Plastic Family” he and Leah have created with a few friends, drives a wedge between them when Steven is forced to wear a suit and play the media game in D.C. instead. And eventually, Leah confesses she is more of a “Private Kinda Girl” rather than one who can accept the media constantly hounding them. 

The local crowd at McGinty's

But living “Under the Microscope” of public opinion begins to challenge the Cassidy family, leading to Russell going back home for a weekend to drink at McGinty’s, his favorite ale house, where his buddies Bill (Geoff Lloyd), Leo (David McGee) and the ensemble sing and dance their way through the country/western P-O-W-E-R, celebrating their new “in” at the White House. And as Act 1 ends, the trio sing how different life has become since being forced to live “Without You.”

Perry Shields as Cliff Sadler reacts to a news story proposed by Abby Carlson as Ameri-News Reporter Janice Barkley

Act 2 opens with Cliff needing to find the next great news story, telling his staff “The Deadline’s On” if they want to keep their jobs. But at least he insists on some truth being presented to him by his dedicated team, but the more salacious in content the better.

Russell finds Steven on top of a microwave tower and tenderly reminds his son that “Everybody” screws up now and then.

And with world events pulling Kathryn and Russell half a world apart, Steven gets into trouble for sharing his "Funniest Moments at the White House" video online - and then gets dumped by his girlfriend – resulting in the brokenhearted teen climbing on top of a microwave tower to end his suffering. But just in time, Russell finds him and tenderly reminds his son that “Everybody” screws up now and then. The two bond as they did in the past before politics and the media became such a huge part of their lives. It’s one of the most real and tender moments in the production – on its smallest set piece.

Supporting players of note include Cindy Shields, impeccably dressed by costumer Diana Mann, who shines in the spotlight as Lillian singing “Top of My Game Tonight” with other Presidential Aides Abby (Linda Borg), Connie (Jackie Siegle) and Sherman (Emmanuel Paredes).

As Ameri-News Reporter Janice Barkley, Abby Carlson's lovely voice and Stage Presence light up each scene in which she appears.

Director Glenn Kelman is to be commended for taking on the challenge of coordinating twenty cast members moving scenery and set pieces into place to create 22 set changes in 14 locations on such a small stage, as well as setting the timing of each Ameri-News video projection to forward the story. And to Music Director Jared Scott for doing his best to get so many non-singers to harmonize on-key, and Choreographer Kylie Christensen for diligently doing her best to mold what should be a big musical production into a space better suited for a small cast play.

Kathryn (Amanda Webb) worries her family is falling apart as her time is pulled to run the country.

But where the production falls flat is in the confusing content due to the simple songs and silly choreography that pop up at the craziest of times, usually when a serious topic is being discussed. Therefore while you are trying to focus on the characters and their stories, especially between a husband and wife and their 15-year old son as their world is turned upside down, your attention is pulled into farcical songs that will have you questioning whether this is just a satirical musical or a clever play that would have been much more interesting if the misplaced songs had been left on the cutting room floor. In other words, perhaps it would be best to turn The First Gentleman into a play rather than a musical trying to decide what it wants to be.

Would that this tender story about a family in crisis had been handled by its creators with more emotional depth throughout and not sink into a farcical and rather silly song fest. Even the big finale “History” felt overdone with so many cast members forced to fill every possible inch of space without the possibility of any movement beyond marching in a tight circle around the President and her once again tight-knit family.

The First Gentleman performances take place through June 27 on Thursday at 7 pm (followed by Q & A). Friday at 8 pm, Saturdays at 2 pm (6/20 & 6/27), Saturday at 8 pm, and Sundays at 2 pm at Torrance Theatre at 1316 Cabrillo Ave., Torrance, CA 90501. Tickets online at https://torrancetheatrecompany.com/the-first-gentleman, via email FriendsofTTC@gmail.com, or by calling the Box Office at 424-243-6882. And even though the entire run is sold out, there is always a chance of a few no shows. So arrive early and join the wait list before each performance.

This Summer Torrance Theatre Company is performing the BIG Broadway musical Frozen on the large stage at the James Armstrong Theatre in Torrance. And given the talent necessary onstage and in the orchestra, as well as the technical expertise needed to bring the scenic design, projections and puppets to life, it promises to be the type of production The First Gentlemen really ought to be in its future incarnations in larger theaters.

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