Smart Blonde
Tickets from $35 Buy Tickets
Cititour.com Review
It’s not just pop music superstars who are getting the bio-theatrical treatment these days. Take Willy Holtzman’s “Smart Blonde,” now at 59E59 Theaters, which examines the too-short, bittersweet life of the award-winning actress Judy Holliday. Like many of its current counterparts, the result is an entertaining if somewhat by-the-numbers work that covers a lot of ground (here in just 90 minutes) yet doesn’t do full justice to its subject.
However, also like many of its stage brethren, the show provides a very smart showcase for a great performer: in this instance, the incredible singer-actress Andrea Burns, best known for her supporting roles in “On Your Feet” and “In the Heights.” In the guise of Holliday, Burns gets to show off her priceless way with a wisecrack or put-down along with her remarkable ability to display raw emotional vulnerability. Further, while Holliday, nee Judy Tuvim, shot to stardom by playing the ultimate dumb blonde (Billie Dawn in “Born Yesterday,” which earned her the Oscar and her first Tony Award), the real Judy was a brilliant and highly intellectual woman who had to subvert her smarter side in order to succeed in show business, something Burns’ moving portrayal makes abundantly clear.
For example, as the piece chillingly reminds us, the only way Holliday escaped persecution during the McCarthy era – despite the fact that she was raised by and freely associated with members of the Communist party – was by essentially playing Billie Dawn in front of Congress. And ultimately, her inability to escape being typecast was almost as life-destroying as the breast cancer that literally killed her at the age of 44.
Holtzman sets the play – told primarily in flashback – at a recording session in December 1964, a few months before her death. The scenario, which probably isn’t factual, permits Burns to show off her remarkable singing chops, which are considerably stronger than Holliday’s. She performs mostly sections of songs rather than entire ones; some are standards that are meant to comment on the action (such as “What’ll I Do), while others are songs Holliday both wrote and recorded (“What’s the Rush,” “It Must Be Christmas”). Sadly, though, there’s nothing from “Bells Are Ringing,” the musical which earned Holliday her second Tony Award (although there is a scene where its lyricists – Holliday’s close friends Adolph Green and Betty Comden – come to her apartment to persuade her to do the show).
Indeed, a lot of Holtzman’s script features Holliday’s interactions with famous people from the film and stage – Marilyn Monroe even makes a cameo – and many of those scenes might be more effective in a better-cast production than the one provided by director Peter Flynn (Burns’ husband). Yes, Mark Lotito, Andrea Bianchi and Jonathan Spivey are all appealing performers; but they lack the necessary skill to each play numerous people and truly differentiate them. For example, Lotito feels and sounds almost identical as Holliday’s husband, David Oppenheim, and her long-time lover, jazz musician Gerry Mulligan, while Bianchi’s takes on Holliday’s pals Yetta Cohen and Ruthie are basically indistinguishable. (Her Betty Comden is pretty darn good, though!)
For all its flaws, though, “Smart Blonde” succeeds in two important areas. It leaves it audiences wanting to know more about Holliday. And above all, it provides proof (if any was needed) that Burns deserves to be front and center the next time she’s on stage!
By Brian Scott Lipton
Visit the Site
https://www.59e59.org/shows/show-detail/smart-blonde/
Cast
Andréa Burns, Andrea Bianchi, Mark Lotito, and Jonathan Spivey
Open/Close Dates
Opening 3/16/2019
Closing 4/13/2019
Theatre Info
59E59 Theaters
59 East 59th St
New York, NY 10022
Map
Comments
Sign up for our newsletter !