Review: A Week at the Mothership Part 2 – The Biggest Surprise of the Trip

OK I'm back and let's just dive right in for the rest of the amazing shows I saw in New York.

She Loves Me at Studio 54

And now for the most pleasant surprise of the trip, a wonderful, underdone old musical produced perfectly. "She Loves Me", also from Roundabout Theatre Company, follows two co-workers at a parfumerie who openly despise each other. But unbeknownst to each of them, the person they've each been developing a romantic pen pal relationship with is also the person they despise. If it sounds familiar it's been done a few times most recently in the film "You've Got Mail". But despite the enduring nature of the story this beloved tuner from Joe Masteroff, Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick has never quite been all that successful. People love it as do critics but it never catches fire. That is I hope until now.

True I should not comment too much on this one as it's still in previews but I'm sure they'll forgive me when I say that it's a practically perfect show and a love letter to old musical comedy. Director Scott Ellis has crafted the perfect tone for the piece and infused it with every ounce of fun without losing any of the heart or story. And I must mention a stunningly gorgeous and malleable set from David Rockwell.

And the cast is just as perfect. Zachary Levi as the stoic clerk and Laura Benanti as his new upstart co-worker are both romantic musical comedy gold. Benanti is of course in sublime voice but she also gets to show off her comedic chops here showing why she's one of my all time favorites performing today. And Levi manages to hold his own vocally against Benanti while still remaining loveable, funny and charming. And that's just the tip of the iceberg as we also have the incomparable Jane Krakowski as the sexy shop assistant, Gavin Creel as the shop lothario and so much more. And I have to mention a brilliantly funny turn from Peter Bartlett as a Bert Lahr-esque Headwaiter.

I could go on but just go see it and you'll understand. I guess I can't really give it a rating since it's in previews but if I could it would be a WOW. Too much fun.

For more information on "She Loves Me" visit Roundabout Theatre Company at www.roundabouttheatre.org.

Fun Home at Circle in the Square

What more can I say about last year's Tony Award Winner for Best Musical that I didn't already say in my review for last year's trip to the "Mothership"? Jeanine Tesori and Lisa Kron's stirringly beautiful musical "Fun Home" based on the autobiographical graphic novel from Alison Bechdel is still one of the most touching and soul invading shows I've seen and still makes me cry. So why see it again and write about it again? Because it's worth a second look and a second mention. It's that much of a WOW. And guess what Seattlites, the 5th Avenue Theatre just announced it's coming to Seattle at the end of next season. So, enjoy.

For more information on "Fun Home" visit them online at www.funhomebroadway.com.

Dot at the Vineyard Theatre

A new play from Colman Domingo? Yeah, that one had to get on my list. I've been a fan of his for years as an actor and so I wasn't going to miss one of his efforts as an author and he did not disappoint. "Dot" is a lovingly crafted tale of a family dealing with their Mother going through dementia and Alzheimer's all while they're trying to deal with their own lives. Equal parts funny and tragic this play shows the honesty and reality in Domingo's writing. The cast is wonderful especially Marjorie Johnson in the title role as she manages to convey so much with just a look making the plight of this woman so very clear to the audience even when it's not clear to the character.

A truly touching story and very deserving of a solid and tearful YAY.

For more information on "Dot" visit the Vineyard Theatre at www.vineyardtheatre.org.

The Woodsman at New World Stages

And finally I ended my trip with a touching story of how the Tin Woodsman from "The Wizard of OZ" became the way he was and how he lost his heart. Told almost entirely without dialog and with some beautifully simple puppets, the story follows a young woodsman Nick (James Ortiz) as he falls for the lovely slave Nimmee (Eliza Martin Simpson) and captive of the Wicked Witch of the East. But when the witch learns of their love she casts a spell of Nick's ax to ensure they can never be together.

The story is fairly simple but the storytelling is gorgeous with the ensemble transforming themselves into various items and animals with just sound and form and creating some of the best puppeteering on stage since "War Horse". And so I ended my trip with another lovely YAY of a show before heading home.

All in all it was a wonderful trip but I do want to end with a personal note about theater etiquette that some young ladies behind me at "The Woodsman" and I'm sure others need to learn. When you're in a theater, the moment is no longer about you. It's about what is going on up on stage. So turn off your phones and more importantly, turn off your voices. No one needs to know the revelation you just had, for example, that the Woodsman is giving his heart away. We all got there without you. And no one really needs to know that you feel the show is "so sweet" ... repeatedly. In any show, but especially in a show with no dialog, we don't need your running commentary. It's disrespectful to the actors and it's disrespectful to your fellow audience members who paid to see the people on stage tell us a story and not to be taken out of the story by your constant whispering. Keep your thoughts to yourself during the show and then talk about it afterwards. You earth shaking thoughts can wait. Thanks.

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