Review: THE MUSIC THAT MAKES ME DANCE: THE SONGS OF JULE STYNE at the El Portal

THE MUSIC THAT MAKES ME DANCE: THE SONGS OF Jule Styne, which was performed at the El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood, is a fantastic show similar to “Old Friends,” the star-studded tribute to Stephen Sondheim. This marks the second triumph for co-creator-director-choreographer Scott Thompson, following his sensational “One For My Baby” at the same venue last year—which earned a number of BroadwayWorld accolades—not to mention the one-night victory of “Broadway Showstoppers” at the Saban back in November.

Celebrating the music of Jule Styne, the legendary Broadway songwriter who helped create classic shows like “Funny Girl” and “Gypsy” and songs like “Guess I”ll Hang My Tears Out to Dry,” “I’ll Walk Alone,” and “People,” THE MUSIC THAT MAKES ME DANCE is a breathless and dazzling song-and-dance greatest hits of Styne, including comedic tunes as well as torch songs, spanning a vast array of his book. There’s a timelessness to his works, which makes a gag about dating apps a little jarring, but that’s the only misstep in this otherwise glowing production.

Thompson clearly loves this music and his passion for it shows through, giving an infectious gleam that starts with the performers and bleeds into the audience as well. His choreography is inspired and there is a comedic brilliance that never falls flat while there is also a melancholy that is also never out of place. Barton’s arrangements are creative and invigorating, clearly not content to simply do retreads of beloved acts.

The orchestra, led by co-creator, music arranger, and conductor Fred Barton, is superb, in addition to the set design by Joel Daavid, the sound by Rafi Nalbantian, and the lighting by Nikki Belenksi, all acting in concert to set a mood as different as each act is. A special shout-out needs to be credited to Costume Designer Erica D. Schwartz. The outfits are absolutely stunning on both the women and the men, especially a flashy purple suit and a bright orange dress.

The seven performers lift equal weight, each as sparkling as the last, every one a star. Lana Gordon, who last brought down the house on the Debbie Reynolds Theatre stage in Thompson’s “One For My Baby,” blows the roof off with not just her talent but her sheer presence with covers of “Men” and “Just in Time.” With “I Fall In Love Too Easily” Rhett George displays a deep vein of melancholy, which is offset by his otherwise radiant energy. Anneliese Van Der Pol’s “Don’t Rain On My Parade” and “I’m Ready As I’ll Ever Be” remind us why she’s a headliner. The inclusion of a gay “Time After Time” duet between Nick Adams and Neil Starkenberg is gentle and romantic, both of whom show significant range. Angel Reda is a brilliant shot of adrenaline with “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend,” and 15-year-old Michael Zampino threatens to steal every number he’s in. But they’re at their best together, with their collective version of “People” and the finale—a greatest hits of the remaining greatest classics that didn’t make the show in full—being the showstoppers of the night.

Styne’s work (along with his various collaborators through the years, of course) is still electrifying and elegant, just as THE MUSIC THAT MAKES ME DANCE is. This show represents some of the best of Broadway (and some film) of the past century, but it is also forward thinking, making every act seem fresh. With original productions like this, the El Portal is revealing itself to be an underrated gem. My only regret about this show is that I can’t see it again for the first time.

Photos by Steve Moyer Public Relations

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