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What does one write about Prince on
Broadway, at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, a
production of the Manhattan Theatre Club? The esteemed
director/producer deserves a tribute for his
magnificent achievements and contributions to
the Broadway Theatre for seven decades. Unfortunately,
this production was not it. He brought outstanding
musicals like West Side Story, Follies, Fiddler on
the Roof, Cabaret, Showboat, and The Phantom of
the Opera to the Broadway stage, and many
other delightful musicals. In this production, nine
competent singers sing a potpourri of selections from a
number of these shows, under the direction of Harold
Prince, and the co-director and choreographer Susan
Stroman, with a book by David
Thompson and new songs, arrangement, orchestration
and music supervision by Jason
Robert Brown. Some were pleasant to listen to, but
one wondered why many of the most remarkable songs were
missing, and other less memorable songs were included,
and one, especially, was in bad taste. All nine
performers come on stage as Prince to mention moments in
his professional life. For a musical, this one has
little choreography, except for The Right Girl, a
solo, danced by Tony
Yazbeck. Among the singers, Chuck
Cooper stole the show with If I were a Rich Man,
as Tevye, from Fiddler on the Roof and Ol' Man River,
as Joe, from Showboat, but many of the voices were loud
and harsh. Hal, you deserved better!
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If Only...,
by Thomas
Klingerstein, at the Cherry Lane Studio Theatre,
takes place in a living room in a townhouse in New York,
1901. A black man (Mark Kenneth
Smaltz) pays a visit to a white married lady (Melissa
Gilbert), with whom he had a unfulfilled romantic
encounter 36 years previously after the American Civil
War. They talk. They read books aloud. It is a slow
moving dull 85-minute play. The four member cast (photo
below), which includes an adorable 6-year old
actress Korinne
Tetlow, are fine, under the direction of Christopher
McElroen. We toasted the cast with a glass of
prosecco at Fifty restaurant, 50 Commerce Street, to
celebrate their opening.
Distinguished costume designer William
Ivey Long was honored on his 70th birthday (and he
only looks half his age!) with a caricature at Sardi's.
The largest crowd of friends and colleagues that I have
ever seen at a caricature unveiling came for William. He
deserves it. David
Henry Hwang spoke about William and Laura
Osnes sang a song for him and restaurant owner Max
Klimavicius presented him with the caricature (photo
below). Among the the many guests were Chairman of
the Shubert Organization Philip
Smith, legendary Broadway producer Elizabeth
Ireland McCann, playwright Christopher
Durang, Kennedy Center Honoree Carmen
de Lavallade, Broadway star Karen
Ziemba, New York Post theatre columnist Michael
Riedel, director/set designer Tony
Walton, and many others too numerous to mention.
With hors d'oeuvres and an open bar, it was a delightful
occasion
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