1995 production, but a new cast and new director make this latest
endeavor a fun evening of theater. Split into two sections - "March of the
Falsettos," set in 1979, and "Falsettoland," set in 1981 - the play
examines the lives of a group of people who are so interconnected that it takes a great
deal of explaining.
Let's try: Marvin is the ex-husband of Trina and is now the lover of Whizzer. Marvin's
psychiatrist is Mendel, who falls in love with Trina and marries her, becoming stepfather
to Marvin's son, Jason. Catering Jason's bar mitzvah is next-door neighbor Cordelia, lover
of Dr. Charlotte, who will become Whizzer's doctor when he develops AIDS. |
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In a generally strong cast, John-Michael Zuerlein is
something of a standout as Mendel. Zuerlein displays a
strong singing voice and a flair for comedy. Of course, the show, which contains more than 40 songs, requires strong voices, and each member of the cast comes through well. Brett Foster gives a strong performance as Marvin, the controlling, sometimes angry father who is trying to balance his relationship with Whizzer and his relationships with Trina
and Jason.
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Photo: Brett Foster, Left, Ryan Rubek and
Lisa Kliewer-Lind star in "Falsettos." |
| Foster's singing is fine, especially in the final number, "What Would I Do?" The
reliable Michal Simpson is good as always as Whizzer, the athletic, refreshingly easygoing
half of the duo. Simpson, who also directs, may provide the evening's musical high point
with his rendition of "You Gotta Die Sometime," a touching number late in the
show.
In the first act, Lisa Kliewer-Lind gives a
hilarious rendition of "I'm Breaking Down," as Trina tries to cope with her
unexpected life, chopping vegetables in an increasingly obsessive manner while swigging
wine.
As Jason, young Ryan Rubek displays a good singing voice.
Jason is a large role, especially for so young an actor, but Rubek rises to most of the
show's challenges. He definitely has a knack for comedy, and a duet with Zuerlein,
"Everybody Hates His Parents," is a real crowd-pleaser. (In the first act's
closing song, Rubek and Foster also provide a sweet moment.)
Rounding out the cast are Liz Heim and Danielle Smith as
Dr. Charlotte and Cordelia. Heim and Smith handle "Something Bad Is Happening,"
the second-act song that shifts the focus from lighthearted Jewish and gay humor to the
AIDS crisis.
Praise is due music director D. Laureen Pickle and the
show's "teeny tiny band," as the program puts it, for nice work in a show that
seems to be 95 percent musical numbers.
The show occasionally seems dated, more due to some of the
memorable AIDS dramas that followed it than any defect in the script. But that doesn't
dilute the power of the production's message, which more than anything else is about the
enduring power of familial love - and the changing definition of "family" - in
the face of tragedy.
A SNAP! spokesman said about 60 people attended
Saturday's opening performance.
Falsettos
- What: SNAP! production of a musical by William Finn
and James Lapine
- When: 8 p.m. Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays through Feb.
28, 1999
- Where: Jewish Community Center, 333 S. 132nd St.
- Tickets: $15 general admission, $10 students and seniors.
- Information: 342-9053
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