Long before composer Andrew Lloyd Webber became known for musicals about felines, an Argentine social climber and a Parisian phantom, he began his theatrical career with tales from the Bible. He and lyricist Tim Rice were commissioned by a British prep school to create a show for its student choir and the result was Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, based on the Old … [Read more...]
At the Wick, ‘Groucho’ tribute falls a little short of the Marx
When the incomparable Groucho Marx passed away in 1977 at the age of 86, he left behind a dozen classic movie comedies, kinescopes of 11 seasons of his TV game show, You Bet Your Life, and countless well-crafted or ad-libbed one-liners. In addition, there is An Evening with Groucho, Frank Ferrante’s one-man celebration of his comedy idol, which draws on each of the above … [Read more...]
Strong performances in Wick’s ‘Buddy’ hampered by show’s weak script
In 1989, long before the onslaught of singer-songwriter biographical musicals — of Frankie Valli, Carole King, Tina Turner, Neil Diamond, to name a few — hit Broadway, a show about bespectacled, 1950s rock ‘n’ roller Buddy Holly was created in England, where it ran an unfathomable 14 years. A year later it crossed the pond, as they say, and lasted a more modest six months … [Read more...]
Stellar ‘Carousel’ at The Wick reminds us what musicals used to be
When they say, “They don’t write ’em like they used to,” they are referring to shows like Carousel. The second collaboration of the landmark team of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, this musical drama packs an emotional wallop as well as a knockout punch of entertainment. True, it is a difficult show to pull off well, but you would never know that from the … [Read more...]
Wick’s ‘Fiddler’ stays with tried-and-true, and it works
Wherever the late Jerome Robbins is, he should be smiling down on the Wick Theatre. The Boca Raton stage company has mounted that perennial favorite, Fiddler on the Roof and, as the program acknowledges, Norb Joerder has reproduced Robbins’ original direction and Robert Abdoo has reproduced his original choreography. Many have tried to improve on Robbins’ deft, … [Read more...]
Ageless, universal ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ comes to The Wick
In the early 1960s, when the creators of Fiddler on the Roof were developing a musical about Tevye the dairyman and his rebellious daughters in 1905 Russia, they assumed it would have limited appeal. To their surprise, Fiddler was embraced by theatergoers far beyond the Jewish community, becoming at one point the longest-running show in Broadway history and an … [Read more...]
‘Bye Bye Birdie’ at The Wick: An appealing return to 1950s America
The world of rock ‘n’ roll was, pardon the expression, all shook up when in 1958 Elvis Presley put his hip-swiveling act on hold to enlist in the Army. But music’s loss was the musical theater’s gain, as Lee Adams, Charles Strouse and Michael Stewart used that news as their inspiration for their show biz-meets-Middle America satire, Bye Bye Birdie. Classically trained … [Read more...]
Irving Berlin revue sparkles at Wick thanks to stellar cast
Creative limitations can lead to positive results. Take, for instance, I Love a Piano, a revue built from the song trunk of pop composer-lyricist Irving Berlin which dates back to 1990, the year after he passed away at the age of 101. Applying to the Berlin estate for the performance rights of his musical library for a one-night AIDS benefit, the show’s co-creators Ray … [Read more...]
2023-24 Season in Theater: A post-COVID lineup full of promise
With COVID safely in the rear mirror and audiences back attending theater, the 2023-2024 South Florida season looks quite promising, with full schedules, numerous world premieres and several companies celebrating significant anniversaries. Here’s how the theater scene is shaping up, moving geographically from north to south. With its playhouse expanded, the Maltz … [Read more...]
Wick production winningly revives enduring charms of ‘Damn Yankees’
Baseball and musicals are two purely American institutions, so why not put them together, reasoned songwriters Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. The year was 1955, and they had just struck gold with The Pajama Game, so Broadway was eager to see what they would come up with next. Improbably — in the way that most ideas for musicals seem improbable until they work — they became … [Read more...]