By S. Mayren
If you’ve never been to the Empress Theatre in Magna, Utah, Oquirrh Hills Performing Arts Alliance’s production of 42nd Street is the perfect excuse to get yourself there. This is a lighthearted and enjoyable musical, which first premiered in 1980 and was written by Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble with music by Harry Warren and lyrics by Al Dubin. It is based on the novel by Bradford Ropes and inspired by the 1933 film adaptation. Having grown up loving the film, I was very excited to once again be transported back to the 1930s through the old-style Broadway song and dance in this classic tale of a small-town girl with big Broadway dreams.
The show opens when the curtain rises to show the talented feet of the ensemble members shepherded onstage by the dance instructor Andy Lee (Milo Marsden). From the very first number, “Audition,” the tapping is more than impressive. Andy Lee takes the auditioning girls through a tap routine, and step after step they keep his pace proving their hoofing ability.
Peggy Sawyer, played beautifully by Stephanie Benson, comes to New York with the hopes of joining a Broadway chorus. She gets nervous, though, and ends up missing the audition. When she walks in late, she meets the handsome flirt, Billy Lawlor, (Christian Harvey) who talks her into dancing and singing with him.
Benson is Peggy. Her facial expressions and body language convey the exact emotions and thought that Peggy experiences through the course of the show. She is excellent at bringing this charming character to life.
Harvey’s performance as Billy is perfection. Harvey shows off his singing chops as he leads the ensemble through “Dames,” a number about beautiful girls being the reason to see a show. Old-fashioned values and misogyny of the song lyrics aside, Harvey and the gentlemen of the ensemble are quite charming with their smooth vocals and seamless steps.
Nathan Metcalf plays Julian Marsh, the director Peggy auditions for, who hires her on the spot. Metcalf is a stunning performer. I’ve had the privilege of seeing Metcalf perform several times, and I am always blown away by the quality and timbre of his voice. His honey-like voice makes “Lullaby of Broadway” a standout number, which is the key number to convince Peggy, and the audience, that Broadway dreams are worth holding on to.
Robbi O’Kelley and David Nichols play the writers of the show, Maggie Jones and Bert Barry, who are key to talking Julian Marsh into hiring Dorothy Brock (Alyssa Powers) as the lead. O’Kelley and Nichols play these characters with impeccable comedic timing and character choices. They are so fun to watch.
The most exciting number of the show has always been “We’re in the Money,” and this production did not disappoint. Cassie Hurt-McLarty, with her excellent character voice and animated gestures, is the perfect choice to play Ann “Anytime Annie” Reilly. She ushers in the other girls, Phyllis Dale (Sienna Weir), Lorraine Flemming (Brittany Weidauer), and Peggy (Benson), and they start the number in rags. Then out come giant dimes and a chorus full of sparkling green dresses and tap shoes (exquisitely choreographed by Judy Cook Binns, Sarah Bringhurst, and Amy Bodily). The highlight of this number is the center dime-piece choreography performed by Harvey. He is followed by the ensemble, who matches him step for step to create a truly awe-inspiring number.
Another standout number is “Quarter to Nine,” where Benson and Powers match each other flawlessly with their angelic singing. Thanks to the music direction of Jeanette Hansen, all of the big ensemble songs are well-rounded with tight harmonies and balanced voices. The rest of the show is filled out with excellent comedic timing and stage direction (Amy Bodily) in the form of the characters of Pat Denning (David Pack), Abner Dillon (Rick Hendricks), and Oscar the piano player (Ty Whiting).
The set design is done by a team of people: Paul Walbom, Jessica Fee, Amy Bodily, Terry McGovern, Michelle Groves, Devin Johnson, Maria Fredirckson,and Alex Richardson. The result is incredible, to say the least. The floor is painted to look like a New York skyline, the walls like brick alleyways and billboards, and there are street signs that light up just like 1930s Broadway. I particularly enjoyed the shadow box creation for the “Shadow Waltz Sequence” number. In addition to the set, the sound (Anthony Swanson) and technical design (Tanner Lindsay) leave nothing to be desired. The look of the show is finished brilliantly by the properties designer, Justina Spencer.
The director (Bodily), assisted by her associate director, Alexander Richardson, has truly created a stunning production in her interpretation of 42nd Street. You don’t want to miss this story that reminds us of the magic of theatre and the beauty of chasing our dreams. There is some mild language in the show, so use your best judgment when taking younger viewers. 42nd Street runs at the Empress Theatre in Magna through September 14th.
Empress Theatre and the Oquirrh Hills Performing Arts Alliance Present 42nd Street, Bookby Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble, Music by Harry Warren, and Lyrics by Al Dubin.
Empress Theatre, 9104 W. 2700 S. in Magna, UT 84044
August 30-September 14, 2019 on Fridays, Saturdays, and Mondays at 7:30 PM, September 7, 2019, 2:00 PM, and September 12, 2019, 7:30 PM
Tickets: $12
Contact: 801-347-7373, empress@empresstheatre.com, empresstheatre.com
Empress Theatre Facebook Page
42nd Street Facebook Event
0 Comments