Review: ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S TELL ME ON A SUNDAY at FreeFall Theatre

A rarely done musical, Tell Me On a Sunday, features music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Don Black. “...Sunday...” is primarily a one-woman show, and most notably made famous by Bernadette Peters and Marti Webb. In this 70-minute One-Act Song Cycle, we meet an ordinary English Girl who, from Muswell Hill, finds herself traveling to America in search of love. Her misadventures begin in New York City, see her traveling to Hollywood, and finally back to Manhattan, where it all began.

Tim Rice originally concevied the idea as a series of television shows with his then songwriting partner, Andrew Lloyd Webber. However during its conception, Webber decided to search for a new lyricist, as Rice was found to clearly be creating the piece for Elaine Paige, with whom he’d been having an affair. After becoming impressed by Don Black’s Bar Mitzvah Boy, Webber decided to move forward with Black as the new lyricist for “...Sunday.”

Rice originally had the heroine placed in the U.K. and it was Black who decided she should emigrate to the United States. The concept was intended to be finished in time for the Sydmonton Festival in 1979, and Black began feverishly writing lyrics for some of the music Webber had already composed. Together they cast Marti Webb, who at the time was portraying Eva Peron in the matinee performances of Evita.

The Synopsis tells the story of an English girl arriving in New York City and explaining to her friend how she does not wish to become a “career woman” or a user of men. She soon discovers she has been cheated on by her current beau, finding herself displaced in her current situation, she picks up and leaves. Soon she meets Sheldon Bloom, a big-time Hollywood Producer whom she soon follows to L.A. The girl soon finds her way back to Manhattan, as she chooses not to be a “Trophy Girlfriend.”

Soon, she meets a salesman, whom has also once again been sharing his time with other women on the side. The girl then finds herself in the arms of a married man, and for awhile is content with their situationship. The man proclaims he is leaving his wife for her, and in this moment the girl realizes two things, that she never truly loved him, and that she has been using him this entire time, and broken her sought-after vow. Suddenly all we see is the girl alone on the stage, and hopefully returning to the ethical woman she always sought out to be.

The cast, the creative team, and overall the company involved in bringing this rarely- produced gem to the stage, deserve all the accolades, as they have created bar-none one of the most exquistely produced productions I have seen in some time.

Starting at the top with Hansen Scenic’s stunning set design. I am always in awe of the exceptional work in scenic elements produced in this space, but the set design for Tell Me On a Sunday, is on a whole other level. Coupled with Mike Wood’s elite lighting design elements, working seamlessly to evoke the same emotion as our ingenue. Breathing new life into the world of the characters at every turn, and creating a living breathing reality that provides a heartbeat to the already moving narrative. Top-notch technical elements delivered here to the highest of standards.

Artistic Director, and subsequently the Director of the show, Eric Davis wears many hats here. As a Director, the story is presented by the finest of hands and the most exceptional eye for detail. No stone unturned, allowing the story to breathe on its own and create a uniquely sobering and moving experience at the same time. Expertly paced and sharp as a tack, Davis pull out all the stops here. In the areas of Video, Costume and Properties design, the elements work hand in hand to evoke the emotion in her story. The video wall and landscape it creates is a work of genius and is a marvel to witness in person. The costumes are bright and help achieve the personalities of the characters down to the finest of details. Properties allow the story to propel forward while giving the performer a reason to portray distinct parts of the story.

Michael Raabe does amazing work as the show’s Music Director, leading a live band and bring the most out of his performers. Never once is the band overpowering the performers, and they fall perfectly in time together each step of the way.

For our cast of performers, no one deserves more accolades than the ever exceptional Julia Rifino. Always magnetic every time she is on stage, this performance, this role, takes her repertoire to a whole new level. She is truly a star here, and the 70-minute vocal rollercoaster she takes us on, is truly a stunning work to experience. You have never seen Julia like this. A true star of the highest honor, and one I was lucky enough to experience its grandeur.  Her vocals are exceptional and for me, her strongest performance of her career. This show, this experience, this moment in time, was written for her!

As our Ensemble, Maiky Ayala, David Tanciar, and Mark Wildman help bring the story to life and hold it together as it travels along. Never speaking and always being in the moment from start to finish is a hard feat to endure, and the men in the story do some truly exceptional work. Special shoutout to the exceptional tap dance talents of Mr. Wildman, one of the standout moments of the show.

I love the concept of the show, highlighting one woman’s journey through love, life, and memory, and at its core, ethics and letters home. This musical designed as a memory, but set in real tim,e is a truly moving experience. Set to undeniably exquisite choreography by Leann Alduenda, Tell Me On a Sunday is unlike anything you will see, and or have seen in some time.

freeFall Theatre always stays true to its mission, and allows the audience to “Escape Awhile...” even if only for 70 Minutes. So if you are in the mood for something different, a short escape, or a truly remarkable story of one woman’s journey through love, then find your way to freeFall Theatre. An experience, a moment frozen in time, and solidified in my memory and hopefully yours, the exceptional cast/creative team of Tell Me On a Sunday, creates something truly remarkable and altogether beautiful. We all need a little love in our lives, perhaps now more than ever, and in this story, a sobering realization that it just might be there, closer than we ever expected.