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Senior Critic Joey Sims has been busy catching shows around time. Here is what he thinks of three shows currently running Off-Broadway.
A WALK ON THE MOON
An intriguing political potency lurks on the edges of new musical Walk on the Moon, a mostly soft, reassuring bit of nostalgia-bait now running off-Broadway at the Laura Pels Theatre through August 22.
Based on the 1999 film led by Diane Lane, Moon has been smoothly translated to the stage by original screenwriter Pamela Gray. Set in the summer of 1969, it centers on a Jewish housewife, Pearl (Talia Suskauer) who falls into an affair with free-spirited bohemian Walker (Sam Gravitte) over a summer in the Catskills. Discovering a new side to herself, Pearl is lured by the call of the nearby Woodstock festival—as is her daughter, Alison (Sophie Pollono), who is traversing her own journey of self-discovery and rebellion.
The show’s relaxed setting of a modest bungalow in the “Borscht Belt,” comfily conjured by Tal Yarden’s charming set and Ricky Lurie’s vibrant costumes, makes for a pleasant theatrical world to spend time in. Gray’s narrative takes its sweet time getting started, yet these leisurely early scenes have a quiet poignancy. The lifestyle of Pearl and her television repairman husband, Marty (Max Chernin), is a modest one; the Jewish comforts of the bungalows offer like-minded community, for a people still unwelcome in certain spaces.
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Gray’s book conjures this social and cultural milieu with an unfailingly soft touch. Refreshingly, there are no heroes or villains in her narrative. Marty, for all his failings, is an essentially decent and honorable man, albeit a product of his times. And Pearl’s desperate need to escape is equally sympathetic, particularly in the context of a young marriage forced by unexpected pregnancy. The shifting social tides of the ‘60s also find an easy, unforced resonance with present day political upheaval. It is a time defined by radical optimism, and a younger generation beaten down by horrors who still dare to imagine a better future.
Sadly, Gray’s strong adaptation and director Sheryl Kaller’s crisp staging are both let down by AnnMarie Milazzo’s merely serviceable music and lyrics. The songs often feel like unwelcome interruptions to Gray’s sharp dialogue, and the music struggles to land any similar emotional blows. At times I even wished I was watching a play adaptation of Gray’s film, rather than a musical.
Only one of Milazzo’s numbers stands out: the scorching second act opener, “Ba Ba Ba Dah (Fine),” a stream-of-consciousness solo capturing Pearl at a wild peak of excitement and horniness. The tremendous Suskauer sells the hell out of this number, and is remarkable throughout, delivering a star-making turn. Suskauer’s work always feels deeply, heartbreakingly honest, even as Walk on the Moon succumbs to schmaltz in its final scenes.
MUSIC CITY
Midway through the first act of Music City, a rollicking new country musical that’s more enjoyable than it has any right to be, the story slows for a gentle moment of reflection.
A soft light envelopes the Wicked Tickle, the fictional honky-tonk East Nashville bar where Music City makes its setting. Bar owner Wyn (Julianne B. Merrill, also the show’s music supervisor) takes over on the keys, serenading us with a dreamy take on “Alone With You” Audience members are lured up from out of their seats, joining the cast members in a slow dance on all sides of St. Lukes Theater, here lovingly transformed into a bar environment by scenic designer Clifton Chadick. As Merrill sings, and the dancers sway, I am genuinely transported.
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Music City is strongest at moments like this one, when the music and the vibes take over. The show’s actual narrative leans on well-worn cliches: two down-on-their-luck brothers who hit it big, then struggle within the dark underbelly of the music industry. Peter Zinn’s book is solid enough when he hitting the obvious beats, but falters when he attempts anything more ambitious—an out-of-place second act sojourn into the military-industrial complex brings the show’s momentum to a screeching halt.
But the music is the main attraction here, and songwriter J.T. Harding has adeptly repurposed his bevy of country hits (he’s written for Keith Urban, Blake Shelton and Kenny Chesney, among many others) for the stage, all of them crisply presented by director Eric Tucker. (Minimal choreography, by John Heginbotham, is mostly distracting.) And the performers sing the hell out of every single tune, particularly lead pair Stephen Michael Spencer and Lauren Pritchard, who show off both a pair of incredible voices and a natural, near-effortless chemistry.
CAMPING
What’s the longest you’ve held a torch for a lover? Just kept on waiting, oh so patiently, for the day they might be ready?
In Victoria Lynne Barclay’s devastating new play Camping, Ari (Colby Minifie) has carried that flame for childhood friend Brit (Alice Kremelberg) over two plus decades. Life went on in the meantime, of course. Both women got married, each to mediocre and useless men. And both have children, adorable little ones whom they love and despise. A lot of life happened, most of it disappointing. But the two keep on circling back to the same shitty green tent, the one where they lost their virginity together at 15. (To the same guy. He took turns—with one condom.)
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Camping is a brutally honest dissection of sexuality, patriarchy and sublimated desire, presented by Colt Coeur and acted to perfection by Minifie and Kremelberg. This unchanging tent, gradually collapsing in on itself as it deteriorates, comes to represent the cruel stasis of two women unable to grow or change. (The claustrophobic set is by Krit Robinson.) If Barclay piles on the misery a bit too heavily at times—do both women’s lives need to land in such wretched places?—she mostly strikes at unbearable truths with agonizing precision.
A striking production, carefully guided by director Adrienne Campbell-Holt, manages to keep the action vibrant within one single enclosed space. Subtle costume changes (from Sarita P. Fellows) offer a huge assist, as does carefully evocative lighting (by Vittoria Orlando) that is often near-impercicipable yet so essential. But the passage of time is most palpable in the masterful physical work of Minifie, who transforms before our eyes between every scene. Minifie is a phenomenally gifted stage actress who, following time away on television, is once again gracing New York stages, having also dazzled off-Broadway last fall in The Wasp. May she never go away again.
A Walk on the Moon continues at the Laura Pels Theatre through August 22. Music City continues at St. Luke’s Theater through October 31. Camping continues at HERE Arts Center through July 11.
Didi Romero knows a thing or two about portraying powerful women from history.
The multi-talented singer, dancer and influencer broke out with her celebrated stint as Katherine Howard in the megahit Six The Musical — first with the show’s 2022 U.S. National Tour, then assuming the role on Broadway for an acclaimed nine-month run.
Romero is back on the New York stage this summer in Giulia: The Poison Queen of Palermo, a world premiere musical written by and starring pop-country sensation Jennifer Nettles. The GRAMMY and Emmy Award-winner takes on the title role of Giulia Tofana, a 17th-century apothecary who begins dispatching abusive Italian men with her special brew.
Romero faces off against Nettles as Duchessa, a rich woman of high society who demands Giulia’s services. In response, The Duchessa receives an answer she is unfamiliar with: “No.” This featured clip from the Giulia rehearsal room provides a glimpse of Duchessa's response in Romero’s powerhouse solo number, “Always Get What I Want.”
Theatrely spoke with Romero about portraying Duchessa, working with Nettles, and why we need more shows about “female rage.”
Tell me about Giulia: The Poison Queen of Palermo and your character of Duchessa.
This is a magnificent story written by the one and only Jennifer Nettles, who is an astonishing songwriter. It is a story about female rage, and about what the world could be like if men weren’t so scared to give women power. It is based on a true life woman, Giulia Tofana, who was a hero for a lot of these women. She is a topic of debate nowadays, and I’m so ready to hear what everybody has to say about it. And I’m ready to fight.
Duchessa is a rich and powerful figure who considers herself separate from most of the women in this story.
She is a loner, almost, who really can’t relate with everybody else. She has the power already, she has a lot of money. It didn’t come from work, and it did not come from sweat and blood—it came from, probably, a lot of tears. Sadly, because women back then didn’t have any choice whatsoever other than to reproduce and get married. So she followed along with that, but she didn’t really have a choice. And that’s not her fault! Which is why she makes the decisions she makes.
And those decisions…well, Duchessa is not exactly the hero of this story.
Definitely not the hero. If I met a woman like Duchessa, I would definitely want to debate with her. But you can’t really blame her for it. She’s just a little spoiled brat. She always gets what she wants!
“Always Get What I Want,” is your big number in the show, which we’re featuring with a video from the rehearsal room. But of course, as Duchessa is saying, “I always get what I want,” that is not what’s happening in the moment.
I don’t think anyone says no to Duchessa. She is a very charming, beautiful woman who has always gotten her way. And in this musical, you get to see one of the first times she doesn’t. And you get to see her…upset! And you don’t want to get Duchessa upset, because she can make some crazy, crazy decisions.
It’s one the most contemporary numbers in the musical. It’s a lot of fun. The girls [in the ensemble] also have a lot of fun, I feel it in the room whenever we’re doing that number. It’s like we all transform into Duchessa.
Tell me about the score Jennifer Nettles has written for this show.
Jennifer has spent more than seven years writing this piece. The songs are brilliantly written. She got some bars! She is so creative, and so imaginative. The music has a lot of different bits and pieces of different genres, but it still keeps the texture of 17th century Italy. There’s a lot of woodwinds and violas. It’s so cool.
You are familiar with telling a period story through a contemporary musical lens. How does Giulia feel different from the task of playing Katherine Howard in Six?
Six The Musical is way more contemporary than Giulia. With this show, we’re still singing down, but the texture of 17th century Italy is very present. You are literally transported into that time.
How does this story still resonate today?
I’m so happy I can be part of shows that tell these women’s stories, from the women’s perspective. I love being part of a musical where I can relate to everything on the page. One of the things Jennifer mentioned was, the decisions that are being made in the world right now—women didn’t make them. So this is a story about our perspective. You are going to listen to us now, because we have a lot of things to say.
We need shows with more female rage in them, we do. Female rage is the most aesthetic thing in the world. It is the sexiest thing to see women be their true, authentic selves on stage.
And we need more women doing crimes!
I think so too!
Giulia, The Poison Queen of Palermo is now in previews at Perelman Performing Arts Center. Buy tickets here.
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It was announced today that SNL alum Chloe Troast will write and star in the new theatrical experience Pepper Slit: Live In Her Living Room directed by comedian Sam Blumenfeld. This four week engagement will begin performances at the East Village Basement on Tuesday, July 21 with an opening night set for Thursday, July 30.
The cast for PEPPER SLIT will include Sam Blumenfeld, Tej Khanna, Gus Laughlin, Jamie Linn Watson, and music director Charlie O’Connor. Surprise special guests will be announced shortly.
Pepper Slit’s theatrical experience blends music, nostalgia, and delusion into an unforgettable comedy spectacle. Each night, only 35 guests are invited to the stage and screen legend, Pepper Slit’s personal home to experience a night of party and performance that New Yorkers thought was outlawed back in ‘71.
"’Pepper’ is a woman that lives inside me and has probably lived there my whole life. At age 11, my favorite Broadway show was Follies – a classic preteen tale about the decay of female beauty and fading fame within an unscrupulous industry of vaudeville and burlesque. I was obsessed with Liza, Bernadette, Elaine Stritch, Carol Burnett, Eartha Kitt, Little Edie, Cher. Divas of stage and screen. ‘Pepper’ is an amalgamation of all these things plus a newborn baby. She has been everywhere, done everything, is wistful, entitled, crass, yet somehow innocent. She is a live wire and an open wound with an enormous story to tell,” said Troast.
The design team for PEPPER SLIT: Live in Her Living Room features Rodri Hernandez Mtz. (scenic design), Cha See (lighting design), Brandon Bulls (sound design), Ricky Reynoso (costume design), and Cass Fawcett (production stage manager). Regular People serve as general managers for the production and marketing and advertising services.
Tickets for PEPPER SLIT are on sale now and are available at www.pepperslit.com.
