Sweet Charity
Tickets from $95 Buy Tickets
Cititour.com Review
If you could see her now, in her 1960s-style lavender minidress and awful blonde wig, looking at least a decade younger than she is, and proving once again that she is one of musical theater’s truest triple threats. The her, of course, is Tony winner Sutton Foster, and you will probably have to leap to the box office immeditely if you want any chance to see her in the New Group’s utterly captivating re-imagination of the classic 1966 musical “Sweet Charity” at the Pershing Square Signature Center.
As the shockingly romantic and none-too-bright dance hall hostess Charity Hope Valentine, Foster is often literally front and center of this minimalized revival, smartly directed by Leigh Silverman, and designed with great ingenuity by the practically peerless Derek McLane (sets), Clint Ramos (costumes) and Jeff Croiter (lighting).
Unsurprisingly, Foster brings her patented all-American optimism (with just a dash of occasional cynicism), to this difficult and iconic role, making Charity the girl we root for, even when we know there will be no happy ending (even if the script is by jokemeister Neil Simon – based on the film “Nights of Cabiria” by Federico Fellini).
More importantly, Foster brings her equally flexible voice and legs to the often-bare stage, allowing her to perfectly land such beloved Cy Coleman-Dorothy Fields songs as “If They Could See Me Now,” “I’m a Brass Band,” and “Where Am I Going?” as well as brilliantly execute Joshua Bergasse’s complex, tap-and-ballet-inspired choreography (which is far different than the dances created by original director/choreographer Bob Fosse).
Yes, this is not your father’s “Sweet Charity,” a fact that extends far beyond its decided unFosseness. For one thing, it’s performed on a thrust stage, with some audience members practically in the cast’s laps. And that’s a cast of only 12 performers, many of whom play multiple parts.
The main exception to that rule is Shuler Hensley, who is remarkably sympathetic (and in typically gorgeous voice) as Oscar, the neurotic, ultra-sweet and painfully naïve man who falls for Charity after they’re trapped in an elevator together. High praise also goes to the pitch-perfect Asmeret Ghebremichael and Emily Padgett as Charity’s good-yet-harder-hearted coworkers Nickie and Helene. (Working in tandem with Foster on “There’s Gotta Be Something Better Than This,” they’re a terrific trio, as well as proving to be a dynamic duo duetting on the wonderful “Baby, Dream Your Dream”.) And for tackling all three of the other major male roles, the unbelievably versatile Jose Perez deserves some kind of award.
Theatergoers familiar with the show will also notice that Silverman has made the show a bit darker in tone than some earlier incarnations, and the show’s ending is even more ambiguous than before (primarily through moving one major song). True, it’s also not as lavish as its Broadway forebears (maybe that will change if it gets to Broadway (and some audiences may rightly lament some of Bergasse’s choreographic changes. (Sadly, neither “The Rhythm of Life” or “Rich Man’s Frug” pack the same punch as they have before.)
Still, if you love this material and/or a fan of Foster’s (which should cover most of musical theaterland), I urge you to be a big spender in order to spend 2 ½ hours at the Linney Theatre. You will definitely have fun, laughs, good times – and possibly shed a tear or two.
By Brian Scott Lipton
Visit the Site
http://www.thenewgroup.org/sweetcharity.html
Cast
Yesenia Ayala, Darius Barnes, James Brown III, Lori Ann Ferreri, Sutton Foster, Asmeret Ghebremichael, Shuler Hensley, Sasha Hutchings, Donald Jones Jr., Nikka Graff Lanzarone, Emily Padgett, Joel Perez, Cody Williams, Ryan Worsing
Open/Close Dates
Opening 11/2/2016
Closing 1/8/2017
Box Office
212-279-4200
Theatre Info
Pershing Square Signature Center
480 West 42nd Street
New York, NY 10036
Map
Comments
Sign up for our newsletter !