Friday 5: 5 Replacements I Missed

5 Replacements I Missed 

Since you asked, we are bringing back our Friday 5 feature! Broadway Games fans, not to worry, we'll have those on alternating Fridays.

This week, I'll get things going again with a look at five replacement performances I am still regretting!

1. Betty Buckley in Song and Dance

Any time I get to see her perform, I always leave the theater better off than when I arrive. I was particularly smitten with her in The Mystery of Edwin Drood, so when she left that show to replace Bernadette Peters in Song and Dance, I knew I had to get tickets. I mean, I was sure her "Tell Me On a Sunday" and "Capped Teeth and Caesar Salad" would be epic and life changing. Well, I had tickets for the first Saturday after the show closed...

2. Darren Criss in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying!

As a huge fan of this musical, and this production, I had to see it again, and when he was announced to replace Daniel Radcliffe and make his Broadway debut, I had to be there! Well, a short run (less than 3 weeks) and bad weather at home scrapped those plans, and I missed him...

3. Nick Jonas in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying!

Okay, so I missed Darren, I couldn't miss Nick! Heck, I saw him on Broadway before he was anyone famous...he was just a little boy when I caught him as Chip in Beauty and the Beast. In the intervening years, he got a wee bit more famous, so I knew he'd be great as J. Pierpont Finch. Apparently, a lot of others did, too, since tickets were hard to come by...

4. Reba McEntire in Annie Get Your Gun

My love for Reba has been a long affair. Her TV comedy is still one of my comfort shows, and I enjoy her music, too. I am not a fan of Annie Get Your Gun, per se, but videos of her now legendary turn as Bernadette Peters' replacement really have me kicking myself for missing her...

5. Lola Tung in Hadestown

So, I discovered her in the series The Summer I Turned Pretty, where she is quite a charming and captivating actor. When it was announced she'd be in Hadestown, I was very curious. Nothing from her show indicated that musical theater might be part of her repertoire, but why not? Alas, her pretty short run and a crowded season of new shows to see conspired against my return to the Walter Kerr Theatre...

Share: What are some replacements you regret missing? Did you see any of the above, and if so, did I miss out? Tweet me, IG me, Threads me! (all @jkstheatrescene)

Play It Again: Jekyll and Hyde's "This Is the Moment"

 Play It Again:

Jekyll & Hyde's "This Is the Moment"

For this new series, Jeff has invited me to choose some classic Broadway show tunes and compare versions of these songs from several different cast recordings. Wherever possible, I’ll link to the songs on YouTube, where I listen to most of them myself.

This week I consider four versions of a contemporary classic, the stirring power ballad “This is the Moment” from Frank Wildhorn, Steve Cuden and Leslie Bricusse’s Jekyll & Hyde. Sung by Dr. Jekyll as he prepares to conduct his fateful experiment, the song succeeds in conveying his intense excitement by virtue of Wildhorn’s trademark crescendo-driven music rather than the generic lyrics. (As discussed below, both of these were improved as Jekyll & Hyde was developed from concept album to Broadway show.)

My overall favorite version is marked with two stars (**); one star (*) is used to indicate that a particular version stands out in terms of singing, orchestra, sound, or other miscellaneous qualities. (For the first time, each of these stars goes to a different recording!)

ORIGINAL CONCEPT ALBUM (1990) - YouTube

Jekyll: Colm Wilkinson

*SINGING: This seems like the kind of song that Wilkinson was born to sing, with a steady build from sweet and soft vocals at the start to a classic powerhouse ending. Although I don’t exactly love some of his little eccentricities - like squeezing several vowels into the first syllable of “moment” - he definitely sets a passionate standard that others haven’t quite matched (even if he still sounds exactly like Jean Valjean). 

ORCHESTRA: The arrangement, for the most part, has the feel of an ’80s holdover. Its smooth-jazz-like piano and bass parts, combined with a steady drum beat and string section for support, would feel right at home on a Whitney Houston album. Only at the end, when some brass is added for the musical climax, does it truly feel like musical theater.

SOUND: The sound is good but not great; the balance between vocals and musical accompaniment is fine, but there isn’t much depth to the sound.

MISCELLANEOUS: As might be expected, the song is not quite in its final form on this concept album; the three subsequent versions have notable changes in their lyrics and music, all for the better. 

On the lyrics side, the clumsy phrase “momentous moment” is heard (only in this first version) immediately after the much more agile wordplay of “this is the time/when the momentum and the moment are in rhyme”; the lyricists definitely needed to choose one or the other, and they kept the right one. Another awkward couplet, “this is the hour/when I can open up tomorrow like a flower,” was likewise excised. And the words were just punched up a bit in a few other places; for instance, the third line here, “this is the moment when I know I’m on my way,” became the more precise “when I send all my doubts and demons on their way.”

On the musical side, this version lacks the bridge heard in the subsequent tracks (“for all these years/I’ve faced the world alone…”); instead it has another lyrical variation set to the melody of the chorus. This short bridge, though not particularly interesting on its own, is effective in breaking things up and setting the aural scene for the high-octane climax; without it, we hear the same music too many times in a row and it loses some of its impact.

** “THE COMPLETE WORK” (1994) - YouTube

Jekyll: Anthony Warlow

SINGING: Warlow comes close to matching Wilkinson’s range and power, but in the end (literally and figuratively) falls just a bit short. Actually, Warlow is even more effective in the song’s more tender first verse, where he conveys an almost whispered urgency; it’s only in the final crescendo where Warlow doesn’t quite reach the same heights - but, let’s face facts, that’s the part that most of us care about.

ORCHESTRA: This is still a very easy-listening, pop-influenced arrangement, tinged with a heavily synthesized sound at the beginning of the song. As the song progresses, though, this version does incorporate a more active string section and more assertive brass to enhance the song’s signature build towards the money note.

*SOUND: Quite good, with a more immersive feel and subtle but satisfying stereo effects.

MISCELLANEOUS: The revisions noted above have all been implemented here, and after this there aren’t any major changes in the song’s music or lyrics. These improvements - as well as the much better sound and orchestrations - are the reason I picked this version overall, despite the fact that I slightly preferred Wilkinson’s vocal interpretation.

ORIGINAL BROADWAY CAST (1997) - YouTube

Jekyll: Robert Cuccioli

SINGING: Cuccioli gives a fine Broadway-level performance but is lacking in the kind of personality that can sell a rambling song like this one. Wilkinson, Warlow, and even (to a lesser extent) Maroulis have a distinctive vocal style that one can latch onto; Cuccioli’s competent, vibrato-heavy delivery would be a good fit for a traditional romantic lead but doesn’t quite work for this song.

*ORCHESTRA: The orchestration here is very ’90s Broadway, perhaps with a tinge of Disney mixed in, and I mean all that as a compliment. There are now lovely horn/woodwind touches to fill the gaps between sung phrases from the beginning, as well as dramatic transitions enunciated by tympani and low strings. The brassy climax is particularly exhilarating, accentuating the little dissonances between the final chord progression and the singer’s held note. 

SOUND: I’d say this sounds just about average for a Broadway cast album from the past few decades - well-balanced but not particularly crisp or sparkling.

MISCELLANEOUS: This version definitely feels, for the first time, like a song from a musical rather than a pop album - something that can drive a story forward through the sheer force of the music.

REVIVAL CONCEPT ALBUM (2012) - YouTube

Jekyll: Constantine Maroulis

SINGING: Considering how disappointed I was when I saw the Broadway revival of this show, a production which starred Maroulis and grew out of this recording, I actually think he does a nice job here. He’s probably doing the most acting of any of the four singers, with little vocal touches to convey anguish and excitement. That being said, his voice is simply not in the same league with Wilkinson or Warlow.

ORCHESTRA: There’s a definite return to the piano-driven pop feel of the earliest versions, at least in the first half of the song, but this time it does have a more up-to-date feel. In the more orchestral second half, I enjoy the leaping horn part, as well as the churning strings accompanying the bridge.

SOUND: Pretty good, but the balance is tilted a little too much towards the vocals for my taste; some orchestral details are lost in the louder parts.

*MISCELLANEOUS: This version includes the longest and most interesting instrumental introduction, with majestic brass instruments intoning the song’s signature musical theme above shimmering strings.

REVIEW: Stereophonic

Review of the Sunday, May 12, 2024 matinee performance at the John Golden Theatre in New York City. Starring Will Brill, Andrew R. Butler, Juliana Canfield, Eli Gelb, Tom Pecinka, Sarah Pidgeon and Chris Stack. A new play by David Adjmi. Original songs by Will Butler. Orchestrations by Will Butler and Justin Craig. Scenic design by David Zinn. Costume design by Enver Chakartash. Lighting design by Jiyoun Chang. Sound design by Ryan Rumery. Directed by Daniel Aukin. 3 hours, 5 minutes including one intermission.

As we always do after seeing a new show, Mike and I spend the hours following talking about it. Who did we like/not like? What did we think of the script? The technical elements? The direction? Did we enjoy the show and would we want to see this again? And so it was after seeing the epic new play, Stereophonic. I wish I could take back my initial thoughts.

You see, my initial thoughts were pretty straightforward. There's no doubt it's an important new work - a slice of life played out naturally, realistically. But it is way too long, not helped by pauses that would make Pinter squirm, and pretty self-indulgent as far as the length to content ratio. The music, such as it is, is good, not great, and frustratingly incomplete. I'd trade about a half hour's worth of pauses, for another two or three more full songs.

Then something interesting happened. Like I do with all of my favorite productions, I couldn't stop thinking about it, going over and over the events of the play and the tortured artists that inhabit the recording studio we are looking into like voyeurs, or maybe Rolling Stone reporters. Normally, when I don't much care for a production, I gather my thoughts, write a review, then forget about it. In this case, the fact that I am writing this nearly a week after seeing it says a lot. 

David Adjmi's play, comedy-drama-life study all at once, offers one of the most objective points of view I've ever seen. Events and people are presented, warts and all without commentary. Nearly every character takes a turn at being both the protagonist and antagonist as the unnamed band comes together to create their second album in the mid-1970s. On the verge of huge success, they want to expand their artistry, but want to insure future acclaim and popularity. Though their goals are common, the way each wants to achieve them causes discord, threats, artistic tantrums, and, ultimately some great music. And that is the drama. Adjmi has created a play that creeps up on you. All of the mundane details pile on - life is happening on stage as it would in life, and he sets us up to get to know these people without thinking about it; the big events in this process of creation are as much a surprise to us as they are to the characters. The specificity of this situation (and its obvious parallels to Fleetwood Mac making their seminal album, Rumours) brings out amazing universal truths. The word brilliant gets thrown around a lot these days (I use it too much myself), but this really is. 

Director Daniel Aukin deserves much credit for the success this is enjoying. A million tiny details add up to sweeping moments. Each small point leads to huge revelations. And all of it has been directed to appear effortless and true to life. One of the things that Aukin does is allow (force?) all involved to have extended quiet times - those pauses that I found so maddening, but now find to be crucial to the bigger picture. Not only are silences realism at their most basic, they also serve several purposes. The artists get to be in their own heads. They get to digest events, plot ways to push their individual visions for the album, and plot against each other or with each other. And we get to take a moment to digest what we are seeing and how we feel about it.

The recording studio setting by David Zinn is so authentic with its deep oranges and browns, you can practically feel the shag carpeting squishing between your toes, and the rough earthiness of the macrame pillows on your skin. Jiyoun Chang's expert lighting subtly tells us where to look, and shows the passing of time, both short and long term. Enver Chakartash's cavalcade of 70s fashions are spot on (the platform shoes are killer) evoking period and character perfectly. The technical star of this play, though, is Ryan Rumery, whose sound design is flawless. He captures every word in front of the booth and behind it, and the music, too.

If ever there was a play cast that deserved a Best Ensemble Tony Award, it is this one. I can't imagine it without any one of them. Andrew R. Butler charms as the knowledgeable if socially inept assistant engineer, Charlie. For a role that hinges on his ability to be unremarkable and unnoticed, it is difficult not to watch his every move. The other engineer, Grover, is a wonderful character, a fake-it-til-you-make-it type with a wisdom that is necessarily hidden, and beyond his years. Eli Gelb both enchants and commands with this deceptively complex character.

The band, a maddening mix of battling egos, insecurities and artistic vision is perfectly, expertly brought to life by a beguiling quintet of triple-threat performers. This iteration of the band includes "original members" Simon, Holly and Reg, three Brits, and now two Americans, Peter and Diana, all five together now for their second album. They create sparks in the studio and in each others' lives. No short cuts here, these actors sing and play their instruments like rock stars. 

As Simon the drummer, Chris Stack delights with his failing restraint at odds with his artistic pragmatism. Juliana Canfield's pixie-like demeanor and unrestrained enthusiasm endears and her talent as both singer and keyboardist is remarkable. Over the course of the play, Reg, the troubled guitarist, falls victim to the success and excess of rock stardom, and as played by Will Brill is both a cautionary tale and empathetic wonder. The explosive relationship between Peter and Diana gives the whole thing its bite, as their troubles threaten to tear each other apart, and destroy the band. Ultimately, that turmoil may actually be what gives the band its biggest success. These are complicated people, and thankfully they are in the more than capable hands of Tom Pecinka and Sarah Pidgeon. Both are exciting to watch and listen to; their chemistry is palpable, and both made me long for even a few more minutes with them. It may be a cliche to say these people make beautiful music together, but it is nonetheless true.

Speaking of the music, Will Butler has composed several numbers that capture the sound of the time, and still somehow appeal to today's sensibilities. (The era-perfect orchestrations are by Butler and Justin Craig.) As played onstage, we really only see the full genesis of one song, "Masquerade," and a fair bit of two others, but they serve the play perfectly, being both integral to the plot and the need for full songs secondary. The deservedly lauded cast recording serves as a terrific companion piece. 

Looks like the band - despite the turbulent gestation, or maybe because of it - made an amazing album after all.

📸: J. Cervantes

REVIEW: The Who's Tommy

Review of the Saturday, May 12, 2024 evening performance at the Nederlander Theatre in New York City. Starring Ali Louis Bourzgui, Allison Luff, Adam Jacobs, John Ambrosino, Bobby Conte and Christina Sajous, with Reese Levine and Olive Ross-Kline. Music and lyrics by Pete Townshend. Book by Pete Townshend and Des McAnuff. Additional music by John Entwistle and Sonny Boy Williamson II. Scenic design by David Korins. Projection design by Peter Nigrini. Costume design by Sarafina Bush. Lighting design by Amanda Zieve. Sound design by Gareth Owen. Choreography by Lorin Latarro. Direction by Des McAnuff. 2 hours 10 minutes including intermission.

My first exposure to The Who's Tommy was in 1993, when I entered the then bright yellow St. James Theatre, determined to see all of that season's new musicals. Unlike everyone else, it seemed I was the only person in the audience completely unfamiliar with the ground-breaking rock opera. Their collective excitement swept me up, and soon we embarked on the amazing journey of Tommy Walker and his messed up family. I was awestruck by the pulsating, dramatic score and the thrilling staging by Des McAnuff and visceral choreography by Wayne Cilento. At home, I drove everyone around me crazy with my repeated listening of the cast recording, and I was basically obsessed with the Pinball Wizard.

When it was announced that McAnuff was again staging the show, I was instantly excited, and couldn't wait to see it all again on Broadway. At last it happened - the idea that it would have a new-ish concept and a more modern staging had me very curious. Would I fall in love with Tommy all over again?

No. 

This time around, there's a bizarre framing device of starting in "The Future," a dark, dystopian view of today (?) ...later than that? Black clad automatons and adult Tommy stare us down and don VR helmets (I think). With a flare of bright light, we are suddenly in the past - World War II era Britain. My mind immediately calculated that at the start of the show Tommy would be at least approaching 80 or more. Then, after I got myself back to paying attention to the show, it felt more familiar. Tommy is traumatized - probably more by his parents screaming in his face, "You didn't SEE it! You didn't HEAR it! You didn't FEEL it!" Lest anyone get too offended, it is clear that despite the un-PC (though period accurate) taunts of his community, Tommy is not deaf, dumb or blind, nor is he autistic. He is a trauma and abuse (mental, physical and sexual) victim. More troubling these days should be the notion that his gifts are exploited, his local fame becomes a sickening example of media attention and misguided global hero worship. He can't escape it even if he wants to. Then we are back to the future and those militaristic automatons are in an aggressively tight line (think police advancing on protesters) advancing toward us and singing in increasingly ominous volume. Cheap ploy to force a standing ovation aside, those final moments aren't as exhilarating as they are disturbing.

To give credit where credit is due, when McAnuff and his team settle on a concept, they commit 100%, no matter how misguided unfortunate the choice. The entire creative team is on the same page from Sarafina Bush's uniform-like costumes, to Amanda Zieve's CAT scan-like lighting (sweeping bars of light are a constant - and overused - element), and Peter Nigrini's overused and disquieting projections, to David Korins' uncharacteristically unremarkable (drab, dull) settings. What is remarkable is that for all the flash and bang, the whole thing looks cheap. And ready to box up and tour, where it will still look cheap.

Anyone who knows me (or if you read enough of this website) knows that I love dance-y shows. Fosse, Dancin', Movin' Out, etc. thrill me. This season's Illinoise is 90 minutes of non-stop dancing - I could have gone for twice that. But Tommy is...how do I put it? Over choreographed. Lorin Latarro should win awards for sheer volume, but the dancers are often so frenetic, so overblown, that they become an amorphous blur. At some point, I gave up on trying to fully engage with the hard-working ensemble. I was simply worn down by the excess. I'm not sure whose purview the use of completely black clad cast members to move scenery and to lift Tommy so as to make him and surrounding furniture "fly" falls under, Lotarro or McAnuff, but no matter who made it happen, it was unattractive and very distracting. At some point, these figures ended up with leather S&M masks and face coverings that looked like silver balls (yes, I get the reference) that are more disturbing than they are effective.

Though there is some debate about the level of synthesized music, by and large, Pete Townshend's score remains exciting and emotional. And the company is stacked with vastly talented singers, who only occasionally overindulge in the current trend of Idol styling. The cast recording will be terrific. Their acting is more of a mixed bag. As Tommy's parents, Allison Luff and Adam Jacobs, sing their roles just fine. Their duet "I Believe My Own Eyes" is a highlight. But neither of them give off much of a loving vibe, nor even the necessary desperation that would cause them to do what they do as their son grows up. 

As Uncle Ernie, John Ambrosino is creepy enough, I suppose. He has that groomer/child molester leer down pat, but his crucial number, "Fiddle About" falls flat due mostly to the fact that he is never really close enough to the young boy to feel even remotely dangerous. (In the original, Uncle Ernie never literally fondled Tommy, either, but there was no doubt about what was going on.) Similarly, a miscast Bobby Conte is more smart ass than menacing bully, and even more unconvincing as a teenager. Finally, as the Acid Queen, Christina Sajous is also miscast, out of her depth and not nearly mysterious, sexy or "druggy" enough. It pains me to say that, as I've been a fan of hers since American Idiot.

This production's main asset is a significant one: Ali Louis Bourzgui, who, in his Broadway debut, is impressive. Vocally, he is aces - powerful and soulful and, importantly, never excessive. Despite the ridiculousness of a lot of what he's been asked to do, he is always compelling and expressive. He has more than earned his 2024 Theatre World Award. How wonderful to be there at the beginning of his career.

Much of the blocking and choreography is very regimented, frequently militaristic. The cast seems to move in predetermined linear formations, and the antagonists cause disruption to those smooth patterns. If the idea is that they are pin balls moving around a machine and the bad guys are the bumpers, then maybe McAnuff deserves more credit. I hope that is the case, even if it is sloppily executed. But mostly, this Tommy is so disappointing, I don't even care.

📸: M. Murphy, E. Zimmerman

REVIEW: The Outsiders

Review of the Saturday, May 11, 2024 matinee performance at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre in New York City. Starring Brody Grant, Sky Lakota-Lynch, Joshua Boone, Brent Comer, Dan Berry, Emma Pittman, Daryl Tofa, Kevin William Paul and Victor Carrillo Tracey. Music and lyrics by Jamestown Revival and Justin Levine. Book by Adam Rapp and Victor Carillo Tracey. Based on the novel by S.E. Hinton and the motion picture by Francis Ford Coppola. Scenography by AMP featuring Tatiana Kahvegian. Costume design by Sarafina Bush. Lighting design by Brian MacDevitt. Sound design by Cody Spencer. Projection design by Hana Kim. Special effects design by Jeremy Chernick and Lillis Meeh. Choreography by Rick and Jeff Kuperman. Direction by Danya Taymor. 2 hours 30 minutes, including one intermission.

I have to admit that I went into the Jacobs Theatre with a mixture of excitement and dread. Excitement because I would be seeing one of my all-time favorite books come to life in my all-time favorite medium; dread because I would be seeing one of my all-time favorite novels come to life in my all-time favorite mediums. Great expectations can lead to big disappointments - I have had that happen enough times that the dread has become a muscle memory. But my dread went away the minute Brody Grant began speaking the famous first line of S.E. Hinton's classic young adult novel, The Outsiders. At once I was brought back to my own turbulent teen years - angst filled and feeling alone and misunderstood. The story of the Greasers struggling to keep their place in a world totally against them was coming to life in front of me, and I was transported. Now, as a musical, this story is not only loyal to its origins, but has been thrillingly expanded into a tale of family (blood and chosen), loyalty, and growing up. Lest you think this is a family-friendly romp, don't be fooled. This is epic drama, violent, gut-wrenching and sobering. 

There is a youthful, no holds barred feeling that pervades this production far beyond the story itself. From top to bottom, onstage and off, the cast and creative team is largely made up of artists making their Broadway debuts or their Broadway musical debuts, peppered with some that have recent experience on the Main Stem. That thrill of newness is in the air from curtain to curtain. 

Under the carefully focused and alternately cinematic direction of Danya Taymor, the show simmers until it boils over into physically epic moments of theatricality that film simply cannot capture; so, too, are the emotional highs and lows, which are both broadly presented and profoundly intimate. The raw, combative hyper-physicality of the Taymor's staging and choreography of Rick and Jeff Kuperman are never less than riveting, and brilliant.

The creative team is fully on board using their elements to supplement and unify this unique vision of the beloved novel. The lighting, sets, costumes and effects (sound and visual) work together to extend the themes in singularly theatrical ways. The moody ebb and flow of Brian MacDevitt's lighting and Hana Kim's projections guide where to look and how to feel in truly exciting ways. In a piece about class - the haves and have nots - Sarafina Bush's costumes easily identify who's who. The special effects are elemental - including rain and a building fire - by Jeremy Chernick and Lillis Meeh - and further the aesthetic impact for audiences. All of this is creatively encapsulated on AMP's "scenography" (featuring Tatiana Kahvegian), an ever evolving, rarely still unit set, supplemented with cars (!), a flexible flooring surface, and various levels of playing space. At first blush, it seems as bland as Midwestern Oklahoma, but time after time, the fully integrated staging of creating different scenes with the lift of a car hood, rearrangement of planks, tires and cinder blocks is a breathtaking visual feast.

As wondrous as all of that is, the emotional work done by Adam Rapp and Justin Levine's sometimes spare, sometimes funny, always poetic book not only does Hinton's novel great service, but smartly expands the story to include multiple viewpoints and a deeper dive into the feelings and motives of the central family. You come away from the musical knowing much more about everyone than either the book or the beloved film. Levine is also instrumental in the shaping of the score, working with Jamestown Revival (Jonathan Clay and Zach Chance) to create a 60s-ish sounding score of country style and Broadway mash ups. The solid score ranges from exciting group numbers ("Grease Got a Hold," "Friday at the Drive-In"), to character solos ("Runs in the Family," "Soda's Letter") and power ballads and duets ("I Could Talk to You All Night," "Hopeless War," "Stay Gold"). And the scoring for the rumble is as epic as the scene itself.

The youthful exuberance of the cast is fascinating and infectious. As a group, the Socs (the haves) are presented largely as a unified, entitled gang, literally moving in unison and almost always in some sort of offensive formation. That is not to say, however, that each one hasn't created unique characters. They have. Featured leader Bob, as played by Kevin William Paul, is despicable in his arrogance, prejudices and womanizing ways. Mr. Paul still makes the character compelling and always interesting. His girl (and eventual Greaser ally), Cherry, is portrayed with a perfect mix of flirtation and sweet earnestness by Emma Pittman.

The Greasers (the have nots) are a larger part of the story, and so we are naturally given more about them to understand. For the musical, a female gang member, Ace (Tilly Evans-Krueger), an Anybodys type, if you will, has been added, and she is terrific, probably the ensemblist of the entire season. Two-Bit (Daryl Tofa) is playfully athletic. But it is gang leader, Dallas, that stands out under the imposing figure and demeanor of Tony nominee Joshua Boone, who skillfully maneuvers his character through a seesaw of menace and vulnerability. His final moments - including the stirring anthem "Little Brother" - are gut-wrenching. I look forward to seeing much more of him in the future.

Within the Greaser gang is a family - the Curtis brothers - closer due to a tragedy that has left them orphaned to fend for themselves. As such, the eldest, Darrel, has become an ill-prepared father figure. His pain, self-doubt and abject fear are palpable in the stoic hands of Brent Comer, who sings and acts with a passion. Sodapop, the outwardly carefree, silly brother (played at our performance by Dan Berry, an excellent singer and charismatic presence) offers moments of cathartic levity and sweet moments as the story dictates. Their youngest brother, the bookish Ponyboy and his best friend, Johnny Cade, are the center of the novel, film, and musical.

Diminutive and scared by his own shadow, Johnny is sweetly rendered by Tony-nominee Sky Lakota-Lynch in a performance that you can't keep your eyes off of. Full of ticks and a small voice, it is the way he portrays the inner strength of the character that fully endears. Brody Grant, as Ponyboy, has really earned his Tony nod in a mammoth role that is acutely emotional, astoundingly physical and vocally demanding. You never doubt any aspect of his performance including his angst and ambivalence as a young teen, the crushing weight of a difficult life, and his desire to leave it all behind by escaping to the movies or in the pages of his beloved Great Expectations. Mr. Grant is a natural with immense prospects; the theater world and more are his for the taking. Great expectations, indeed.

In a season full of possibilities, The Outsiders joins a list of shows rising like cream to the top. There are no weak elements here. This one is the real deal, destined to become a classic, just like its source.

📸: M. Murphy