Clueless, The Musical
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Cititour.com Review
Is the next great Broadway musical currently on stage at the Pershing Square Signature Center? As if. As it happens, the New Group’s presentation of “Clueless, the Musical,” the quasi-jukebox adaptation of Amy Heckerling’s beloved rom-com isn’t even the next “Mean Girls.”
Despite the obvious love and effort being put into it by Heckerling, who not only adapted her 1955 screenplay but wrote dozens of brand-new clever lyrics to such ‘90s pop hits as “Torn,” “One of Us,” and “U Can’t Touch This,” “Clueless” ends up as little more than a pleasant diversion. True, the spirited cast gives both the script and the songs their all, under Kristen Hanggi’s lively direction, all the while popping in and out Beowulf Borrit’s ultra-clever set while executing Kelly Devine’s joyful choreography. But it’s hard to stay completely transfixed to the show’s fairly thin plotline, especially since it’s been stretched to its limits, thanks primarily to more musical interludes than the show really needs.
Actually, that’s not the whole story. The show may turn out to be the launching pad for the next great musical theater star: Disney Channel favorite Dove Cameron (who first made an impression on me as Amber von Tussle in NBC’s “Hairspray Live”) is everything you’d want and more as spoiled yet sweet rich kid Cher Horowitz. She’s got amazing pipes, superb comic chops and looks fabulous in every one of Amy Clark’s dazzling designer-inspired costumes. She’s definitely got the Gucci game going on.
Cher, as fans of the film will recall, is a modern-day variation of Jane Austen’s Emma, a girl so involved in fixing other people’s lives that she can’t really see that love is staring her in the face – the one belonging to her nerdy, ex-stepbrother Josh (Dave Thomas Brown, appealing enough, but not quite matching the ultra-cuteness of his film predecessor Paul Rudd.)
Often aided by best bud Dionne (the delightful Zurin Villanueva), Cher meddles in the lives of everyone around her: from geeky new schoolkid Tai (Ephie Ardeema), whom she steers away from stoner soulmate Travis (an excellent Will Connolly) in favor of the seemingly more suitable Elton (a fine Brett Thiele) to lonely teachers Mr. Hall and Miss Geist (Broadway vets Chris Hoch and Megan Sikora), and even, in small doses, her widowed/divorced father, Mel (also well played by Hoch) whose bark is loud and whose bite might be even worse.
And, somewhat sadly, Cher’s one attempt at making her own life, by trying to forge her own romantic relationship with new classmate Christian (Justin Mortelliti), falls by the wayside quickly when he proves to be gay. (Cher is clueless is more ways than one; when Christian mentions how handsome he thinks Tony Curtis is, its not-so-hidden meaning doesn’t really register.)
Yet even if “Clueless” wears out its welcome long before it ends, you gotta be a little sad to say bye bye bye to Cameron. Indeed, I don’t want to wait too long before getting another chance to witness this twentysomething dynamo on stage again. How am I supposed to live without her?
By Brian Scott Lipton
Visit the Site
https://thenewgroup.org/production/clueless-the-musical/
Cast
Ephie Aardema, Lori Alan, Sara Andreas, Gilbert L. Bailey II, Dove Cameron, Will Connolly, Danielle Marie Gonzalez, Tessa Grady, Talya Groves, Chris Hoch, L'ogan J'ones, Darius Jordan Lee, Justin Mortelliti, Brett Thiele, Dave Thomas Brown, and Zurin Villanueva
Open/Close Dates
Opening 11/20/2018
Closing 1/12/2019
Theatre Info
Pershing Square Signature Center
480 West 42nd Street
New York, NY 10036
Map
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