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A CurtainUp Review
Encores! Concert Version of Of Thee I Sing
By Elyse Sommer
| Wintergreen for President! He’s the man the people choose Loves the Irish and the Jews. --- the Chorus |
Victor Garbor as President John Wintergreen.
(Photo: Joan Marcus) |
Like Herbert Hoover who was in the White House when this show opened at the Music Box, our current Wintergreen has made American voters more disgruntled than devoted. And so, old-fashioned and silly as it is, Of Thee I Sing still has plenty of sting. Most importantly, the Gershwin Brothers' score is as thrillingly diverse as ever, embracing everything from ballads to songs perfect for ballroom and tap dancing, to Gilbert and Sullivan-like patter songs.
I was a bit on the fence about seeing another revival so soon after the Papermill invested this musicalized political cartoon with great wit and humor. But my qualms faded as fast as the reputation of a politician caught with his hand in the public till when the Encores! presidential and vice-presidential candidates were announced: President Wintergreen to be played by Victor Garber, too long the theater's loss as a musical performer and television's gain as a master spy; and Jefferson May, of I Am My Own Wife fame, nominated to be the vice-presidential version of Mr. Cellophane, Alexander Throttlebottom. Any remaining trace of been there-done that vanished the minute Paul Gemignani stepped on the podium and his superb orchestra began playing the show's thrilling overture. I was caught right up in this sophisticated, fitting finale of the Encores! season.
Garber may be a bit old for the part but he's still handsome and debonair. His rich tenor is in good shape, so he's just fine as the man who is big on presidential bearing but short on the smarts. Wintergreen's credentials are underwhelming but his smartypants advisers are determined to put him in the White House. Their scheme to get him elected has nothing to do with terrorism or weapons of mass destruction but fixates on a national beauty contest -- the winner to be the future First Lady. But as George W. Bush switched from catching Osama bin Laden to satisfying himself with Saddam Hussein and terrorists generally, Wintergreen rejects the sexy contest winner Diana Devereaux (Jenny Powers) in order to wed a corn muffin baking office assistant named Mary Turner (Jennifer Laura Thompson).
The silliness --and fun -- is racheted up in the second act, when the Wintergreens are ensconced in the Oval Office but haunted by the ghost of the litigious Southern belle. Seems she's a descendant of Napoleon which threatens U.S-French relations and also Wintergreen's presidency. Naturally, this shines the spotlight on the heretofore fly on the wallpaper vice-president Throttlebottom.
To coordinate cast of thirty-five with very little rehearsal time, takes some doing but under John Rando's pacey direction the entire cast is at its vocal and humorous best. Jefferson Mays is a droll nonentity, with his vocal talents falling into the sprech-singing category. Jennifer Laura Thompson is likely to be everybody's favorite muffin baker and Jenny Powers is a riot and a half as the disgruntled Devereaux. Contributing mightily to the well-timed foolishness are Michael Mulheren, Lewis J. Stadlen, , Jonathan Freeman, Eric Michael Gillett. David Pittu zestfully chews the scenery as the French Ambassador. Jeffry Denman and Mara Davi lead the ensemble in choreographer Randy Skinner's peppy song and dance sequences.
John Lee Beatty has masterfully evoked the political atmosphere, with the orchestra in the middle of an upstage and downstage playing area. Thus the musicians function as the guests at the ceremony that has the Supreme Court Judge simultaneously and hilariously conduct Wintergreen's swearing in and wedding, and as the rest of the Senate at the Impeachment hearings. There are even two drop-down chandeliers and the mostly black, white and red costumes by Toni-Leslie James further help to make this production a treat for the eyes as well as the ears. Too bad Of Thee I Sing dances and sings for so few performances.
| Of Thee I Sing Music & Lyrics by George and Ira Gershwin Book by George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind, Directed by John Rando Music Director: Paul Gemignani Concert Adaptation: David Ives Cast: Victor Garber (John P. Wintergreen), Jefferson Mays (Vice President Throttlebottom), Jennifer Laura Thompson (Mary Turner), Jonathan Freeman (Senator Lyons), Erick Devine (Senator Jones), Michael Mulheren (Fulton), Jenny Powers (Diana Devereaux) Lewis J. Stadlen (Lippman), David Pittu (the French Ambassador), Wayne Duvall (Gilhoohey), Jeffry Denman (Sam Jenkins); also Eric Michael Gillett, Holly Holcomb, Todd A. Horman, Fred Inkley, Jay Lusteck, Ian Knauer, Raymond Jaramillo McLeod, Marcus Nance, Nina Negri, Greg Stone and Jacqueline Thompson. Set Design: John Lee Beatty Cosume Design: Toni-Leslie James Lighting: Paul Miller Sound: Dan Moses Schreier Music Coordinator: Seymour Red Press Running Time: 2 hours plus intermission City Center (212/763/1205). 6 performances from May 11 to 15, 2006 Elyse Sommer review of May 12th performance |
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Musical Numbers
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Act One
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Act Two
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