Review: SOME LIKE IT HOT at Olney Theatre Center

Traditionally, I would start with some kind of introduction that would quickly preview Olney Theatre Center’s regional premiere of SOME LIKE IT HOT. I’d like to do something different and start by pulling focus to the fact that this is the long-standing theatre’s first production in the “radically renovated” Bernard Family Theatre. If you ever had the chance to set foot inside Olney’s historic wooden structure pre-renovation, you’d realize not only what a gem it was (and remains) but also what a delicate balance this must have been for the organization. Renovating anything is not a small undertaking. Renovating historical buildings makes my head hurt to think about. This is an astonishing achievement for Olney.

Full disclosure: I work in nonprofit philanthropy, and I am admittedly biased. Still, I bring this up because I’d like to take a moment to acknowledge the generous donors and supporters who made this project possible. In today’s artistic climate, donors like the ones who made this dream possible are our collective lifeline. 

Whether individual, foundation, or corporate, the arts cannot and will not survive without this support. It’s thrilling to this development professional’s heart to see philanthropy celebrated so joyfully, as I had the chance to do on opening night. The energy in the room was palpable, and this project only happened because community members said “yes” and donated generously. Thank you not only to the Olney donors but to all of you out there who have ever gone above the price of admission for a nonprofit arts organization. Now on with the show. 

SOME LIKE IT HOT tells the story of two 1930s Jazz musicians, and accomplished tap dancers apparently, who witness a murder at the hands of the Chicago mob. Fearing for their safety, Joe (Jacob Tischler) and Jerry (Tavis Kordell) quickly flee the scene and search for a way out of this situation with both their lives and their instruments - a saxophone and an upright bass, to be clear. 

They catch wind of a band looking for new members before they head out on a cross-country tour, which seems to provide the pair with a way out. This quickly turns into an obstacle though, because it’s an all-female band. So, Joe thinks quickly, the pair don female-passing attire and do their best to fit in with their new bandmates. The ruse works well enough, and our main characters are seemingly out of harm’s way for the time being. 

Now performing their way across the country with this band en route to California, the two must not only keep up the ruse of their true identities but also navigate the comedic hijinks along the way. Almost Shakespearean in its comedy centered around concealed identities, there’s plenty of laughs and humorous situations. 

Of course, no self-respecting musical, old or new, is complete without a little romantic drama, and this is no exception. Joe falls hard for the band’s sultry singer, Sugar Kane (Montria Walker), but he cannot risk his safety by revealing his true identity. Joe is also somewhat of a playboy and can’t help but use his secret identity to his advantage to woo Sugar Kane. 

As for his partner-in-crime, Jerry (Tavis Kordell) has caught the eye of a wealthy bachelor looking for love - the sharp-dressed, cheery Osgood (Edward Juvier). Osgood believes he’s fallen in love with the band’s bassist, a striking woman named Daphne. Alarmed at first, Jerry eventually finds himself enjoying the attention of this suitor, and this quickly shifts from comedy to sincerity. 

A note here before we continue. Though this musical is based on the 1959 film, there were significant revisions and changes to the material before the show’s 2023 original Broadway run. For this production, HAIRSPRAY veterans Marc Shaiman and Scott Whittman paired with Tony Award-winning playwright Matthew Lopez and comedy writer Amber Ruffin to update the material for a new audience. As Lopez stated, “we don’t think men in dresses are funny, but we think idiots in trouble are always funny.” A perfect encapsulation of what’s at the heart of this comedy and where this adaptation diverges from the film.

Daphne’s journey is where the work of the contemporary creatives on the show really threads the needle, as we get a chance to explore the more nuanced ideas around gender identity and presentation in a show set long before these issues were discussed in the mainstream. While Joe’s alter ego, Josephine, is certainly a means to an end (in this case, to get the girl) and stays as such throughout, it’s Jerry’s alter ego, Daphne, that becomes more than a man wearing a dress to hide from danger. In fact, as Daphne says, it starts to become the identity that they feel most comfortable in. As Daphne asks Joe, and I am surely paraphrasing, “can’t you see that I’m finally happy?” 

This material has been around for nearly 70 years, so it’s not a spoiler to say the musical has a happily ever after ending that puts the proverbial cherry on top. While certainly not a thinking person’s piece, it’s refreshing to see a big, toe-tapping musical with catchy songs and production numbers not feeling completely problematic in 2026. This is harder to do than most people realize.

All of this being said, this musical is still far from perfect. After all, the premise of the show is two male-presenting characters putting on a dress to escape capture from the bad guys. One discovers a transformational identity while the other is arguably stagnant outside of what he needed to do to get the girl in the end. Still, there was clearly a good faith effort, and a good one at that, made here to repackage this material for a more progressive and more modern audience. 

Like the laughs that come quick and often throughout the piece, there’s no shortage of excellent performances to showcase this material. Tavis Kordell is the definition of a triple threat and weaves expertly through both Jerry and Daphne, and they inhabit both characters with an attention-grabbing presence. Both presentations show us what Kordell can do, and they’re dynamite. It’s no wonder, either, as Kordell recently toured the country performing the role. 

Lucky for Olney audience, Kordell is joined by fellow tour-mate and co-star Edward Juvier, who is exceptional as the suitor, Osgood. The show has several highlights when the two of them are on stage together, and they have wonderfully sweet chemistry. This is in no small part thanks to Juvier, who manages to play an ostentatious character with more charm and sincerity than you’d expect. 

As Daphne’s co-star and partner-in-escape, Joe/Josephine, Jacob Tischler settles into the role better as the musical progresses. He’s not quite as sharp with the comedy in the show's expositional passages in the early part of the 1st act, but he’s got the chops to create an interesting and compelling character arc by the end. It doesn’t hurt that he’s also a great tapper, much like Kordell. 

He’s unquestionably at his best when sharing the stage with the dynamic Montria Walker. As Sugar Kane, the part originated by Marilyn Monroe in the 1959 film of the same name, Walker makes easy work of the vocals and fills the newly renovated Bernard Family Theatre with her glorious pipes. “Darker Shade of Blue,” her jazzy 1st act number, is one of the show’s best, and Walker shines here. Still, she doesn’t quite have the edge or bite you’d expect from a character whose reputation is that of a woman who, shall we say, enjoys herself illegally in the era of Prohibition. She’s as sweet as her character’s name, and it’s not quite believable that she’d be the ringleader of rebellion among the other ladies in the band. 

One of the better parts of Walker’s performance is that she’s often on-stage with a dynamic and comical ensemble of bandmates. Jessica Bennett, Ariel Kraje, Karen Vincent, Kaya Julie Harrison, and Caroline Graham all bring their own unique flavors to the female band, and they can all dance well to boot. As the band’s manager and bar matron, Asleigh King is terrific as Sweet Sue. King is more often seen listed among the creative teams in productions across DC these days, but it’s a delight to see her shine here with ample vocal chops showcased in the opening number.

Rounding out the cast are delightful character turns from Greg Twomey as the head gangster, Spats Columbo, and Todd Scofield as Agent Mulligan. The latter especially deserves credit for his accurate yet exaggerated Chicago accent. Additionally, Jay Frisby, Nicky Kaider, Robert Mintz, and Nico Nazal round out the ensemble, portraying a variety of roles throughout. And, stop me if you’ve heard this already, they dance phenomenally well. 

Amidst all the glitz and glamor of the sets and costumes, there are raucous and wildly entertaining musical numbers, often with tap. Choreographer Karla Puno Garcia has put together masterful work here that takes advantage of ample talent in the ensemble, and there is no doubting this cast has much better cardio health than yours truly thanks to her. Frank Labovitz’s lavish period costumes are equally as impressive, especially the dapper outfits of Osgood. 

Though these elements are terrific, this is a production that relies on expert comedic timing. With physical comedy and wisecracks aplenty, timing becomes essential. On the production’s opening night performance, the pacing, and therefore the punchlines, were perhaps at around 80-85% of where they could be. There are several moments that will surely tighten as the company becomes more attuned to the audience reactions. Still, there’s a lot to work with all the way around here. 

If it weren’t for the reworked script, it would be difficult to distinguish this piece from many other Golden Age musicals of the same time period. However, with its compassionate and honest handling of nonbinary visibility, it elevates the piece beyond flashy costumes and big tap numbers. In fact, it’s hard to think of another musical in the mainstream that portrays a nonbinary character as such - one who completely finds themselves so truthfully and honestly that the other characters have no choice but to accept who this person is. It’s a positive outcome as trans and nonbinary communities continue to become more visible. 

Additional members of the creative team include: Christopher Youstra (Music Director), Ryan Douglass (Scenic Designer), Colin K. Bills (Lighting Designer), Matthew Rowe (Sound Designer), Alaska House Design (Projections Designer), Charlie Rosen & Bryan Carter (Orchestrations), Jerid Fox (Director of Production), Ben Walsh (Stage Manager), Jay Dews & Becky Reed (Assistant Stage Managers).

The musical is based on the MGM motion picture, “Some Like It Hot.” Music for the stage musical was written by Marc Shaiman with lyrics by Shaiman and Scott Whitman. The musical has a book by Matthew Lopez and Amber Ruffin with additional material provided by Christian Borle and Joe Farrell. 

Some Like It Hot runs from now until November 8, 2026. The performance runs approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes with one 15-minute intermission. 

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