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The stellar cast in this what's old is new again production far outshines the material itself.  Director Jack O'Brien is forced to fill almost 3 hours (including 2 intermissions) with action.  The problem is, the characters are big, the acting is big, the set is big - the cast is big - but the material just doesn't measure up.

Just look at this cast:  Nathan Lane (Walter Burns), John Slattery (Hiddy Johnson), Jefferson Mays (Bensinger), John Goodman (Sherrif Hartman), Robert Morse (Mr. Pincus), Dann Florek (The Mayor), Holland Taylor (Mrs. Grant), Sherie Rene Scott (Mollie Malloy), Micah Stock (Woodenshoes Eichorn), Dylan Baker (McCue), David Pittu (Schwartz), Christopher McDonald (Murphy) plus about 9 other supporting minor characters!  Just take that cast in. Wowza.

Now as for the material - it's a 3 act play - unfortunately.  Act I should be scrapped.  It's useless and unentertaining and mostly unnecessary background material that could be established in about 15 minutes.  Act II gets off to a good start, bogs down in the middle and goes out with a "BANG".  Act III picks up the action but drags it out in the end to a very un-dramatic ending.  In a nutshell, the material stinks and should be re-writtin/adapted.

Theatrically speaking - the comedy was top notch - the assemblage of such fine actors above are able to pull off the physical and over the top comedy.  Nathan Lane is at the top of the bill.  Unfortunately, he doesn't appear on stage until the end of Act II.  Interestingly, twice when Jefferson Mays entered the stage, he got entrance applause which you could tell was because the audience mistook him for Mr. Lane (as did I).  Everyone recognized John Slattery and he gave a top notch performance - as he was really the lead despite sharing the bill with Mr. Lane.  Too much newsroom chatter and nonsense.  Not enough Holland Taylor and Dylan Baker (with a strange agent).  There was just enough time of the uber-dreamy Micah Stock - but someone has to decide what to do with that accent he puts on.  It's all over the map.

This huge cast must be a big expense - and it's a big theater with tiny seats so hopefully the star power will boost the ticket revenues.  But it's an uphill battle these days.   I saw it on a previews discount and was pleased at the value.  Full price ticket to even this show would be a disappointment unless you're just a star-stalker who just sees anything with someone.

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

Wow!  And this was only the 13th preview performance.  That says a great deal all by itself.  What a huge risk this could be.  A new, technically and theatrically complex musical opening cold in New York - no out-of-town tryout.  Talk about a risky proposition for the producers and investors and not to mention the stars themselves - and there are a lot of them packed onto the stage at the Belasco Theatre.  Rest assured, my loyal readers, this one is going to be a great big Broadway hit!

Where to start?!  First of all, this show is based on Pedro Almodóvar's 1988 film by the same name.  By way of background, you have to know that the style is supposed to be a little cheesy.  It's a story presented in the telenovela style - colorful, over-acted, and generally bold.  Stop right there.  Translating that to the Broadway stage is a feat all in itself.  Mr. Sher (director), Mr. Gattelli (choreographer), and the entire production staff have taken on the challenge and presented those three characteristics back to us in virtually every aspect of the production - the lighting, the scenery, the video, the sets and the costumes.  That in itself is worthless with the wrong actors.  Inside those costumes, under those lights, and on the stage is a an eclectic collection of the most talented actors you might find assembled in one place today.  Patti Lupone, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Sherie Rene Scott, Laura Benanti, Danny Burstein, de'Adre Aziza, Justin Guarini, and Mary Beth Peil headline the massive undertaking and seem to defy the notion that there can only be one star in a show.  Each of them holds their own but together they are a powerhouse ensemble.  


Other than what was written into the script, I never felt any dueling divas on stage.  Each of them has their "moments" in the spotlight.  All of them complement each other.  Ms. Lupone has her bare stage moment in the spotlight along with a show's worth of light hearted Spanish diva moments.  Justin Guarini, in his Broadway debut,  proves he's got acting chops while getting the opportunity to showcase his amazing tenor voice.  Brian Stokes Mitchell fills the theatre with his perfectly pitched, powerfully melodic baritone vocals.  Laura Benanti might possibly be the next show stealing comedic actress of the season (ala Katie Finneran in Promises, Promises last season).  Sherie Rene Scott takes the lead as a  Brunette (most recently we saw her natural blond side in Everyday Rapture) and doesn't fail to entertain the entire show.  The entire cast works well together - constantly in motion, constantly in chaos and constantly on queue and pitch perfect.  

On a related note, I must also note that this is the first production to be staged at the Belasco Theatre after its extensive and first class renovation.  The wood paneled, marble clad and Tiffany stained glass filled theatre has been restored to its full glory and what a marvelous show to use as the vehicle to reveal the fine artistry conceived for theater impresario David Belasco in 1907. Technically speaking, I've never seen a more modern stage.  Digital lighting, video projection systems, hydraulics, extensive scenery fly-in capacity and a sound system to rival all others are among the many improvements that are clearly taken advantage of in this production.   


Does the show need some work?  Of course - no show is perfect out of the gate.  Nips and tucks needed here, choreography cleaned up there.  But at the 13th preview, this show and all its moving parts is far ahead of where most would be at this point.  Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown is cleared for takeoff and we get to enjoy the in-flight entertainment.

Everyday Rapture

A rare revisit of a show on my part - not by total choice, i might add.  This show had a fairly decent run at Second Stage Theatre last spring during which I paid it a visit.  Due to an "opening" in the Roundabout schedule and a stroke of fairly decent luck the show was granted a run on Broadway.

The story is mostly unchanged from the original - Small town girl with an overly-religious (flavor of the month = Mennonite) upbringing and generally racist/intolerant family wants to be a Broadway star.  Broadway here she comes... Broadway here she is!  Trouble is, the show is not really designed for a large Broadway stage, nor is the story very engaging.  It's basically still  a one woman show with a keyboard, guitar and drum set.  To fill the American Airlines Theatre they turned up the mics and put up lots of colored lights and background set filler.  Eamon Foley (broadwayislove2009@earthlink.net) is still a show stealing cutie.

I doubt this show would have made it to Broadway were it not for Megan Mullally's temper tantrum and subsequent abrupt departure from Lips Together Teeth Apart.  I thought the show was marginally entertaining off-Broadway, but for a repeat run - stay home and plan a trip to the beach this summer instead.

Everyday Rapture

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels