Review: Arizona Broadway Theatre Presents CAROUSEL

The problem with Rodgers and Hammerstein's CAROUSEL lies in its waning relevance to modern sensibilities.

When it was produced in 1945, it had the composers' credentials and the success of their first musical Oklahoma, John Raitt's star power, Agnes De Mille's dance innovations, and the apparently appealing pitch about the power of redemption going for it.

It is possible for some of these elements to still play well as was the case in last year's minimalist and yet divinely inspired production by Mesa Encore Theatre. In this year's offering at Arizona Broadway Theatre, the ride is uneven, punctuated only by the stellar performances of Jeannie Shubitz, Jill-Christine Wiley, and Kathleen Berger and Jim Hunter's elaborate set design.

What nags, no matter the quality of the staging, however, is any effort to render forgiveness or sympathy to the luckless character of Billy Bigelow. Not these days when domestic violence has been a social scourge. Billy is the prototypical bully and chronic abuser, who, even when he wants to do right, steers wrong. This is not to say that, given the right performance, one might comprehend the pathos of the smug and smarmy carnival barker whose tough guy veneer hides a wounded life and whose fist lacks control. One might also then feel more viscerally the tension between Billy and Julie (Shubitz), the girl at the carnival, who catches his eye as well as his fist and becomes his bride. Such is not the case with Michael O'Brien's Billy. His strut and swagger seem too posed, and the duality of his persona lacks full definition.

What remains is a series of well-orchestrated vignettes featuring such classics as If I Loved You, Mister Snow, June is Bustin Out All Over, and You'll Never Walk Alone. Thus, regardless of the show's shortcomings, folks will leave with memorable tunes on the tips of their lips.

Arizona Broadway Theatre's production of CAROUSEL runs through February 14th.

Photo credit to Arizona Broadway Theatre/Mike Benedetto