Christopher Smith

Pulling everything together is actor Major Attaway in the lead role of King Arthur. With a pedigree across TV and theater — his chief Broadway credit includes a turn as The Genie in “Aladdin” — Attaway is at times an avuncular and even courtly Arthur, capable of being both imperious and soulful.

Vocally, as the middle period Allie, Alysha Deslorieux has perhaps the cast’s most impactful voice. It’s fitting, since her character has the show’s warhorse number, the second act “My Days” and her sonic belt speaks to her background as Eliza in the Broadway production of “Hamilton.”

Instead of the usual crash-bang upbeat closing number, which basically guarantees a protracted standing ovation and multiple bows for the leads, the show has a quiet ending, then the “Shucked” ensemble come out together, bow, and up come the house lights.

It’s important to stress that dance and music are the show’s key attributes because overall “Some Like it Hot” is saddled with an inconsistent book and stodgy scenes, especially in the first act.

The reason this show truly does live up to its title, is “Neil-Then,” aka, the amazingly voiced Nick Fradiani. Biographical jukebox musicals on tour inevitably lose steam when merely adequate casting serves up a bland approximation in place of superstar performance. But Fradiani, a 2015 “American Idol” winner who took over this role at the end of its Broadway run, has an astonishing instrument, impossibly close to the real Diamond in his 20th century vocal prime. Fradiani’s baritone — “gravel wrapped in velvet” is how an early character describes the Diamond voice — has the pitch and power to deliver. Leading the musical ensemble, whether it’s the boisterous “Cherry, Cherry,” the full-throated, stately “I Am … I Said” or that yearning, powerhouse “Solitary Man” … song by song, Fradiani makes no missteps.

A sensory dazzle, ‘Life of Pi’ is the rare non-musical on the Costa Mesa stage, a wonderfully realized mounting propelled by stage craft at its most magically absorbing. Derived in part from a 2001 novel, and the 2012 worldwide hit movie, ‘Life of Pi’ charts a 17-year-old’s perilous journey on a Japanese cargo ship with his zookeeping family. They, along with animals in tow, depart from political chaos in India for a new life in Canada. The craft sinks in a huge storm and Pi is cast into the Pacific Ocean. Good news: he gets on a 20-some-foot lifeboat. Bad news (for him, but terrific for audiences): he’s not alone. And his castaway shipmate has marvelously oversized whiskers, formidable fangs and a ravenous appetite.

The 1977 musical delivers its usual charms while director Jenn Thompson keeps the sentimentality in check.

The touring musical features all the elements that made the 1985 film beloved, but its mundane score fails to land.

Katerina McCrimmon displays vocal and comedic chops as Fanny Brice, a role made classic by Barbra Streisand.

Beyond its glittering wealth of songs, “MJ” gets an unreserved rave for its dances and dancing. One would hope that casting an adult Michael who can dance is paramount — more about Jamaal Fields-Green, Tuesday night’s “MJ,” below — but the stellar ensemble is an MVP collective.