By Jennifer Mustoe
It is cold and dreary outside, the world is imploding during an election cycle–but the good news is that The Grand Theatre in Salt Lake City, Utah has brought an antidote with their completely hilarious The Musical of Musicals (the Musical!). Do. Not. Miss. This. Show. The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!) book by Eric Rockwell and Joanne Bogart, Music by Rockwell and Lyrics by Bogart, is a rollicking amalgamation of several musical genres based on the one plot of: beautiful blonde woman can’t pay her rent; handsome man may or may not be able to save her by paying the rent because that would tie him down emotionally; dastardly landlord who wants to marry (or in one case kill) her; wise older woman who can give her advice plus a narrator.
Stage and Musical Direction and choreography by Jim Christian has created a hysterically funny piece, and it’s so flawless that the average theater goer wouldn’t necessarily recognize how perfectly all the working parts fit and function. Every performer has amazing voices, darling or sexy or over-acted (purposely) movement, and spot on acting talent. Scenic Design by Keven Myrhe is a multi-level minimal set that is moved to stage each “play”. Lighting by Seth Miller, Sound by Derek Walden, Wig and Make Up design by Lindsea Garside, and fabulous costumes by Shannon McCullock create the flawless environment for this over the top comedy spectacle. Jonathan McDonald on the piano is a player in this piece as much as an actor (see what I did there?) and his skills on the keyboard and his smiling face are a direct asset to this production. I’d never been in this space, the black box at the back of the main stage and it is lovely and cozy with great acoustics.
“Corn”, patterned after Rodgers and Hammerstein‘s musicals, starts the show off right. From the honey-voiced hunky cowboy Big Willy (Kaden Caldwell) belting out the opening number, rhapsodizing about corn, we are ready to be entertained. June (Garside) is the sweet innocent blonde who can’t pay her rent. Garside’s lovely, lilting voice, and wonderful nuanced acting and dancing are a delight. Mother Abby (Karin Gittins) is the helpful older woman who has some spunk left in her, for sure. Gittins is marvelous, and her voice? Wow–what a range. Bad guy Jitter (Jake Trumbo) is devilishly funny. Narrator Luke Hardy helps us keep up. “Corn” uses every trope from Rodgers and Hammerstein and if you’ve watched their musicals (my mother’s favorite, so I’ve seen them all multiple times), the play on words, the corny plot line (see what I did there again?) had the audience laughing. About 15 minutes into the show, my cheeks started hurting, I was smiling so much.
“A Little Complex”–patterning Steven Sondheim–was very fun for me, but a little confusing to my daughter-in-law, who has only seen Sondheim’s Into the Woods in movie form. She still got it, but I’ll say right here in my review, being familiar with the different genres enhances the production. But if you don’t even know how to spell Rodgers and Hammerstein or have never seen a Sondheim musical–never fear. You’ll still laugh your guts out. In “A Little Complex” (an understatement if there ever was one), Jeune is played by Becca Lemon, Jitter is Michael Scott Johnson, Billy is Nick Morris, Abby is Breezy Bassett, and Narrator is Britty Marie. In true Sondheim style, the songs are difficult to sing, have the same odd rhythm, and its almost Kafka-esque in its staging and costuming make “A Little Complex” dark–it is. But in the funniest way. Again, the word play and all in fun jesting (or is it mocking?) is delightful.
“Dear Abby” is representing the flashy, big number shows from Jerry Herman. A parody of Herman’s most famous musical, Hello Dolly, Junie Faye (Garside), Mr. Jitters (Trumbo), William (Luke Hardy) all applaud and suck up to Aunt Abby (Marie), and Narrator (Caldwell) chimes in when needed. This was by far my daughter-in-laws favorite and she was laughing so hard, I thought she’d pass out. But everyone was laughing that hard. Marie as Aunt Abby is so funny in this, and all her fans onstage are just as hilarious, while we in the audience rolled in the aisles.
After the intermission, we are treated with “Aspects of Junita”, we are treated to all you can pack into a piece patterned after Andrew Lloyd Webber prolific and often dismissed body of work. From Evita to Jesus Christ Superstar to Phantom of the Opera to Joseph and the…, “Junita” is almost painfully funny, with Johnson as Phantom Jitter (and the big reveal under the mask made us scream with laughter), Lemon as Junita, Caldwell as Bill, Gittins as Abigail von Schtarr, and Trumbo as Narrator. By this time, all players have been in various pieces, and their synergy to hop into each role is outstanding. This is a tight group of talented actors and it is wonderful to see them work so well together.
We finish Musical of Musicals (The Musical!) with “Speakeasy” patterned after Kander and Ebb‘s Cabaret. Morris is Jitter, Marie is Juny, Hardy is Villy, Gittins is Fraulein Abby, and Garside is Narrator. This has as much sexy spectacle as you can imagine, but the caricature nature of “Speakeasy” keeps it funny and not nasty, if you get my meaning. If this show is rated for PG-13, this would be why, but it is not offensive at all. As with the rest of MoM(TM!), it’s played for laughs.
The Grand Theatre’s Musical of Musicals (The Musical!) is a fast-moving, hilariously funny show that I probably will go see again, something I rarely do with all the talent and opportunity in this area. If you are blue and need a pick me up, go see this show. If you are already doing pretty great, go see this show. I could see nary a flaw in this frantic and talented-packed show and was so filled with delight as I drove home, I knew I needed to laugh this hard again soon. The only thing I didn’t like about this show is that it ended at all. I wanted more and more and more.
The Grand Theatre presents Musical of Musicals (The Musical!) book by Eric Rockwell and Joanne Bogart, Music by Rockwell and Lyrics by Bogart.
Grand Theatre, Salt Lake Community College, 1575 South State, Salt Lake City, UT 84115 (park in the back off of Kensington)
February 13- March 7, 2020 7:30 PM Wed-Sat, 2:00 Saturday matinees
Tickets: $12-23
Contact: 801-957-3322
The Grand Theatre Facebook Page
Musical of Musicals (The Musical!) Facebook Event
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