CURTAINS at Runaway Stage

The verdict: There's a lot of murderous fun (ouch! did I really say that?) at Runaway Stage's "Curtains"

It is opening night of a new Broadway-bound musical and nefarious deeds are afoot. The show - "Robbin' Hood of the Old West" - is a rollicking retelling of the Robin Hood saga set in frontier Kansas. The show's star, the notoriously untalented Jessica Crenshaw, drops dead during the final curtain calls, setting off a murder investigation involving the entire company. The Boston police arrive and end up confining the entire cast and crew in the theatre while the investigation proceeds. Mix a multitude of suspects, a bit of blackmail, some fractured and tortured romances and, oh yeah, a show that badly needs fixing before it moves to Broadway and you have "Curtains," the recent Broadway musical making its Sacramento debut at Runaway Stage.

"Curtains" is the final collaboration between renowned Broadway writers John Kander and Fred Ebb, the team that produced such classics as "Chicago" and Cabaret." Based on an original book by Peter Stone, "Curtains" was actually completed following the death of both Stone and Ebb, and Rupert Holmes was brought in to finalize the script. It debuted on Broadway in 2007, garnered several Tony nominations (and a win as best actor for David Hyde Pierce), and ran for a couple of seasons. It is that most rare of animals in today's world - an original musical not based on a movie, play or TV Show. It seems to be a rare treat these days to go to a show for the first time and not know what is going to happen because you've seen it in some other medium in the past.

There is a lot going on in "Curtains," and for the most part it all works. The talented actors gave it their all, the premise was cleverly conceived and the songs were enjoyable. The resident orchestra, led by James Lohman, did its usual outstanding job. There was just that pesky little bit that didn't that kept the experience from being truly enjoyable. As one of the characters says about the show-within-the-show "It's kinda lackluster. It lacks... luster."

But, first, the good stuff, and there was plenty of it. As Detective Frank Cioffi, the Boston homicide detective investigating the backstage murder, Darrell Strohl may be a bit understated to carry the show. But he plays the role with sincerity and a puppy dog earnestness that manifested itself anytime he got to be near his real love, the theater and its denizens. And he gets extra bonus points for the show's excellent choreography.

One of the strong casts' standouts was Andrea St. Claire as the amusingly innocent Niki,who strikes up a romance with the Boston detective while somehow constantly implicating herself in the murder (what was with all those fingerprints, anyway?). Ms. St. Claire and Mr. Strohl show convincing chemistry as their budding romance blossoms, and their extended second act song and dance to "A Tough Act to Follow" was a high point. The always enjoyable Liliian Baxter plays Carmen Bernstein, the show's coarse but driven producer, who is determined to see the show move to Broadway despite the pesky inconvenience of an ongoing murder investigation and the cast's indifference. Like Mr. Strohl, Ms. Baxter performs double duty, as she also designed the show's outstanding costumes.

Kate Richardson and Dan Masden play the former songwriting team of Georgia and Aaron. Both are outstanding singers, and Mr. Masden's performance of "I Miss the Music" in the first act is perhaps the show's finest musical moment. Kris Farhood, as Carmen's ditsy daughter Bambi Bennett, also has some nice moments throughout.

Stealing almost every scene he appears in, however, is Michael McElroy, who plays renowned British director Christopher Belling, who prowls and prances and delivers his lines with flamboyant Britishy abandon. McElroy's enthusiasm was apparent, and he often seemed to show up just in time to breathe new life just when the show started to drag.

Much of the genius of "Curtains" (and I use the term "genius" guardedly, as the show's frequent high points are often offset by sections that drag and by a too complicated plot) lies with the homages to and ripoffs of classic musical theatre tropes. Their "show within a show" bits were especially right on, with the songs perfectly spoofing such Broadway classics as Oklahoma, right down to a rousing chorus that spells out the name of the state and finishes with a loud "hurrah!" They also had some fun with Broadway's obsession with "Stunt casting" - the doomed Jessica Crenshaw is apparently a TV star devoid of Broadway-worthy talent ("She just has tits," is how the producer Carmen Berstein sums up Jessica's qualifications). And there was a little bit of the old 'let's put on a show in the barn' theme running through the production, as Detective Cioffi, while trying to crack the murder case, also sets out to solve the crime that is "Robbin' Hood."

I will be honest that, despite all the good stuff I've just mentioned, I really wanted to like "Curtains" more than I actually did. There were too many moments when the show seemed to drag. For such a light bit of entertainment, the running time was far too long, and I found myself quietly checking my watch throughout the second act. The dense plot seemed to include too many elements that were neither fleshed out nor brought to a satisfying conclusion - the eminently talented Scott Woodward was pretty much wasted in the role of Bobby Pepper - his character's entire motivation for his actions throughout the show were revealed in one brief line that I nearly missed, as it was delivered almost in passing. And some sub- sub-plots were barely hinted at, although they seemed to have quite a bearing on the overall plot. I came away thinking the entire show would have benefited from one final re-write - maybe it needed a real life Detective Cioffi to work out the final kinks.

("Curtains", directed by Bob Baxter, is playing at the 24th Street Theatre, 2791 24th STreet, from July 9 through August 1, 2010)

Cinderella at Runaway Stage

The verdict: It's Cinderella (if you think that's a good thing, I'm sure you'll enjoy the show)


A riddle to begin this review: how are Superman and Cinderella alike?

Any comic book fan can tell you what the fundamental flaw is in the Superman story: that it's impossible to believe that nobody ever realizes that mild mannered Clark Kent is, in fact, the man of steel. I mean, come on, right!? It's not like he's adopted any sort of disguise (and don't get me started on the little curl of hair that drops down his forehead when he's in Superman mode...like that's gonna fool anyone).

Anyway, after watching two tellings of the Cinderella story in the course of one weekend (Into the Woods at Sutter Street and Cinderella at Runaway Stage), it suddenly dawned on me that this story suffers from the same failure of basic logic. So, the Prince attends the ball, dances the night away with Cinderella, falls in love with her, but then doesn't recognize her the next day when he goes around trying to find the maiden who's foot fits the glass slipper? Right, what a dunce!

But, OK, it' a fairy tale. I get it. So on with the review.

Runaway Stage's Cinderella repeats the current conceit of having males play the wicked stepsisters in drag. It's a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, and this show is no exception. Jesse Larrosa and Daryl Clark play the two evil sisters with scene-chomping abandon, and the crowd loved it. I laughed right along with them, although ultimately I wondered why?

One thing is certain about this show: Katie Veale was born to play Cinderella and she was ably complimented by Scott Woodard as her Prince Charming (well, technically, Prince Christopher, but why quibble?). Ms. Veale is a delight - lovely and innocent, able to portray Cinderella's basic goodness but also to show an inner depth that is very attractive. Woodard and Veale make an exquisite couple, and are the clear standouts in the cast. Which takes me back to the original point, about the males-in-drag approach to storytelling. Why bother? Why distract from such an attractive cast with tall, dorky men playing annoyingly cloying women? Obviously, for laughs.

And the audience loved it. So, again, why quibble?

Cinderella is a typically strong RSP offering. The cast, top to bottom, is very good. The resident orchestra really shines. The pacing is brisk and the singing excellent.

And you get to see a couple of large, ugly stepsisters upstaging the story and the lead actors.

So, if you like that kind of thing, by all means, go see it.

Into the Woods at Sutter Street Theatre

Verdict: Against all odds, this show lives happily ever after.


Sutter Street Theatre may well be in contention for the title "the little theatre company that could". I mean, let's face it - the idea of tackling Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods had to be considered somewhat daunting for the Folsom company. How would they accommodate the relatively large cast on Sutter Street’s tiny stage? How would they create sets expansive enough to give the impression of deep dark forests, tall towers and angry roaming Giants? How would they manage to harness the complex Sondheim arrangements and where would they find the singers to deliver the demanding songs?

Those were certainly questions in my mind as we made our way down to Folsom. I'd been to exactly one previous show at Sutter Street, the decidedly less ambitious Hats last year, but the memory of that performance didn't fill me with confidence that they'd be up to the challenge of Sondheim.

But you know what, I think they pulled it off. How? It starts with the cast, an impressive collection of Sacramento theatre veterans (Ruth Phillips, Lauren Miller and Michael Coleman, to name three), and talented youngsters and complementary players. Add to that a friendly atmosphere and the appreciative audience enjoyed the whole experience. Certainly that cast and its talents overcame the obvious drawbacks of the place - mostly the lack of stage real estate and the disconcerting absence of live musical accompaniment.

Into the woods is a little piece of Sondheim brilliance in which several well known fairy tale characters - including Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack (of beanstalk fame), and Rapunzel - cross paths in interlocking stories with a Baker and his wife and the not so neighborly Wicked Witch who lives next door. It's an intricately plotted and orchestrated bit of briliance that perfectly does what an overstuffed musical like All Shook Up fails to do: make you care about each of the characters.

There were four standouts in the talented cast: Lauren Miller as the Baker's Wife, Stephanie Zito as Cinderella, Stephanie Lawson as Little Red Riding Hood and Mark Ettensohn as Cinderella's Prince. Ms. Miller brought to the role of the Baker's Wife an outstanding singing voice and a believable sense of long-suffering Weltschmerz that was affecting and effective. Her scenes in act two with Cinderella's Prince were comically poignant. Ms. Zito as Cinderella, by contrast, was all optimism and practicality. Ms. Lawson's Red Riding Hood had a youthful air of optimism and resiliency, rebounding from repeated misfortunes with believable spunk. Finally, Mr. Ettensohn's Prince was all preening and vapid arrogance, infusing his character with all the self-importance and entitlement that comes from a life of indulgence and privilege. The song Agony and it's second act reprise has always been a particular favorite of mine, and Mr. Ettensohn and his brother, Rapunzel's Prince (played by a too-young-for-the-part Jacob Goodyear) delivered it with gusto.

Director Susan Mason keeps the parts moving briskly, and the pace never lags. The staging includes very creative use of props and scenery, although I'm not sure they ever truly succeed of evoking the threatening oppression of the woods. At times the action does appear cramped, particularly during ensemble numbers featuring the entire cast. Actors are often forced to squeeze past other actors as they weave around the square trees and other set pieces, unavoidably bumping into or barely missing each other. At those moments one is pretty acutely aware of the cramped space and small stage.

But, as I said above, by and large this is an impressive accomplishment and I highly recommend it.

All Shook Up at Woodland Opera House

The verdict: Sit back, fix yourself a peanut butter and banana sandwich, and enjoy a frivolous night of theatre

A musical like All Shook Up really has no good reason to exist. It's not like the songs of Elvis Presley were crying out to be re-imagined as harmony-heavy ensemble numbers in a Broadway show. And let's face it, rock classics like "Jailhouse Rock," "Blue Suede Shoes" and, yes, "All Shook Up" are not improved when given the Broadway show-tune treatment.

The plot is silly; the dialogue, on paper anyway, is ridiculous. Try this line, spoken by one character to another in the show, on for size:

"I dig hot art. And I dig hot women. And when I find a hot woman who digs hot art I say 'Hot Diggity!'"

Ouch.

And yet...

Somehow, when presented by an enthusiastic cast of performers, the show works – and by “works” I mean it delivers a fun time with a lot of laughs. Even the line I quoted above gets a good laugh when presented by Chad, the Elvis-like roustabout who has descended on a cloistered town with a talent for getting a rise out of repressed women and broken jukeboxes alike.

Although it features the music of Elvis Presley, All Shook Up is neither a biography nor a tribute to the King. Rather, the songs are used to tie together a thin plot that is part Twelfth Night, part Footloose and part Grease. It centers on the aforementioned Chad (Lafras le Rax), who rides into town on a deteriorating motorcycle and meets Natalie, the pretty mechanic played by Amber Jean Moore. Natalie is immediately smitten with the newcomer, but her feelings are unrequited. So pretty Natalie dons a hunting cap, creates a beard with a smear of engine grease, and reinvents herself as man’s man Ed. Her plan is for Ed to get to know Chad as one of the “guys”, and convince him that Natalie is the girl for him.

Natalie/Ed’s plan is complicated by Chad’s subsequent infatuation with the town’s new museum director, Miss Sandra (Whitney Roeder), who of course rejects him for Ed (really Natalie), who in turn is loved by Dennis (Elio Gutierrez), the town’s nerdy would-be dentist. If this all sounds complicated, it gets worse. We are asked to follow and care about no fewer than ten main characters, most of whom are either secretly, foolishly or confidently in love with another character. The plot twists are predictable and, of course, all is resolved happily in the end. Other key denizens of this befuddled town are Mayor Matilda (Nancy Agee) who is determined to stamp out all sin and degradation in town; Sherrif Earl (Steve Mackay), the Mayor's mostly wordless enforcer; The mayor's military-school attending son Dean (Eric Alley); Natalie's widowed father Jim (Jeff Nauer); the feisty bar owner Sylvia (Priscilla Harris) and her rebellious daughter Lorraine (Megan Sandoval). Wooey!

As Chad, Mr. le Rax is almost right. Tall, with a airy confidence and a goofy manner, he doesn’t bring quite the level of sexual power the role obviously calls for, but he is entertaining. His singing voice is good, but not powerful enough to override the fairly loud rock music emanating from the strong orchestra, so that his performances are sometimes over-matched by the music.

That is not a problem for the gifted Ms. Moore, who is plucky and engaging in the role of Natalie/Ed. One of the negatives of having so many leads is that we get to hear too little from those, like Ms. Moore, who ought to be offered more of a chance to shine. Her Act II performance of the heartfelt “Fools Fall in Love” is one of the show's highlights, and it would have been nice if she'd been given a few more moments in the spotlight.

Another standout performer is Megan Sandoval. Every time she appears, Ms. Sandoval simply lights up the stage (note to self: next year’s New Year’s Resolution is to stop using clichés like “lights up the stage”). Whether leading a vigorous tap-dance to "That's All Right Mama" (and where, but in a Broadway musical, could one even remotely fathom the idea of tap-dancing to "That's All Right Mama?"), belting out "It's Now or Never," or enthusiastically shouting out "It's the Roustabout!" every time Chad makes an appearance, Ms. Sandoval is endearing and fun to watch.

The songs of All Shook Up range from the familiar to the obscure. Any show associated with Elvis would almost have to feature "Can't Help Falling in Love" and "Jailhouse Rock." But some of the more effective performances were of songs that were less well known. The plaintive "It Hurts Me," sung by a distraught Dennis, and the lovely "There's Always Me," sung by the heartsick Sylvia, are good examples of lesser-known songs that are movingly delivered. "Can't Help Falling in Love" is one of the more familiar songs that does receive a very impressive treatment, closing act I with the entire ensemble blending from positions surrounding the audience - it's powerfully performed.

So would I recommend All Shook Up? Sure. I mean, if you're looking for a mindless but entertaining romp, look no further (and I'm not one of those who thinks mindless entertaining fun is a bad thing). It won't leave a lasting memory or change the way you think about theatre (or about Elvis), but you'll laugh a lot and I bet you'll have a good time.

Reefer Madness at Artistic Differences, April 2 - May 2, 2010

The verdict: See it; enjoy it; don't think too much about it!

Artistic Differences, the young Sacramento theater company, promises to be the home of "the best musicals you've never seen." Certainly Reefer Madness, the latest Artistic Differences offering, which opened last week, lives up to the second part of that slogan. I'm guessing not many people have ever seen this particular musical - and probably not many have seen the schlocky cult film upon which it is based. Whether it is one of the "best" musicals you've never seen? Well, that can be the topic of some spirited discussion. There is no question, though, that the audience thought it was one of the best and funniest things it had ever seen, judging from their rather over-the-top reaction to virtually everything that happened on stage.

Reefer Madness is a campy and entertaining spoof of what was a campy and entertaining film. The talented cast gets as much out of its one-joke premise as possible, but it does wear a little thin at times. Of course, any musical about marijuana starring an actor named Brad Bong obviously can't take itself too seriously, and there's no danger of that here.

The show takes the form of one of those 40s-era public service movies about the dangers of marijuana. It starts with a stern-voiced authoritarian lecturer (Jes Gonzales, who then plays several other roles throughout the performance) admonishing the audience about the dangers of marijuana. One of the humorous angles of the show is that Mr. Gonzales, in character, also presents the usual 'turn-off-your-cell-phones' speech before the action properly begins, but in language that reflects his early 20th century knowledge of technology.

The aforementioned Mr. Bong is very good in the lead role of Jimmy Harper, all-American boy turned murderous drug fiend. But it is Kelly Daniells who really shines as his fresh-faced girlfriend Mary Lane (couldn't they have just named her Mary Jane and been done with it?!). Ms. Daniells is a remarkably talented young lady, and her own brief, drug-induced transformation from innocent school girl to sex-crazed dominatrix is probably the show's humorous highlight. Reefer Madness' energy and entertainment level picks up whenever Ms. Daniells is onstage, and lags a bit when she's not.

The rest of the cast is also strong - but these are not roles that call for subtle character development. If you like to see actors who chew the scenery, spit it out and then chew it up again, this is the show for you. The leading scenery-chewers are Tony Wichowski as Jack, Joshua Glenn Robertson as Ralph, and Bevin Bell-Hall as Sally - three denizens of the town's cannabis-scented den of iniquity. Wichowski, who was so good in Runaway Stage's recent production of the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, shows his range as the domineering and soulless owner of the marijuana den, who recruits high school kids as his customers and delights in turning them into drug-crazed junkies. Robertson is a giggling, scene-stealing ham and Bell-Hall his slutty co-conspirator. Jessica Goldman is the junkie-with-a-heart Mae, whose attempts to show compassion for the addled Jimmy only earn her beatings and humiliation.

And if that's not enough, Ian Cullity shows up (unbilled, curiously) midway through the first act as Jesus, if Jesus were a 50s-era Vegas performer. His "Listen to Jesus, Jimmy" is a highlight of the first act, as is Mr. Bong's performance of "The Brownie Song" in the second.

Ultimately, the show is a kick, I'll give it that. There are questions that I think we're supposed to care about - will Jimmy find release from the insidious hold of demon marijuana? Will he continue to sink into the depths of sin and degradation? Will sweet innocent Mary Lane succumb to the tempting weed's siren song? Will Mae break free of her twin aditctions - her boyfriend Jack and his easy access to marijuana? But that's all sort of just window dressing for the antics going on on-stage.

I found myself wavering as the show progressed. I was really into it at first, then it got a little too convinced of its own cuteness, but then the rollicking musical numbers drew me back in again. Finally, the performances - particularly of Ms. Daniells, but also Mr. Bong, Mr. Wichowski and Ms. Goldman - won me over. I really enjoyed Reefer Madness - and I applaud Artistic Differences for staging it. While it may not be one of the "best" musicals you've never seen, I'm pretty certain it will be one of the most bizarre, memorable and enjoyable musicals you have seen.

Alter Boyz at Runaway Stage - March 2010

The verdict: Fun cast doing its best with the material at hand

So they tell me Altar Boyz is a gas; a rollicking send-up of the boy band phenomenon mixed with a good-natured but humorous take on religious sensibilities. Or something like that.

I guess I just don't get it. Maybe I'm not in the target audience. I was already out of college in the era of 'N Sync and Boyz II Men, and the appeal of such sappiness always eluded me. So maybe what Altar Boyz is best at at eludes me as well, since I don't get the premise they are sending up. I can and do appreciate the harmonies of the songs, and the skill on display is impressive. But interest me? Keep me involved in the "plot" or the story? Not so much.

Alter Boyz was one of this past summer's selections at Sacramento's Music Circus, which was the first time I saw it. I didn't enjoy it. Not for any religious objections - the night we went several seasoned theatre-goers walked out during one of the early numbers (a rap number about Jesus' various miracles) muttering under their breath about sacrilege and abomination and eternal damnation (or so it seemed). Not being particularly religious myself, I found nothing objectionable in the content. But by the end of the relatively short production (it is presented as a single act without intermission) I found myself envying the early departures.

When it turned out that Runaway Stage was doing the show as part of its 2010 season, I didn't plan to attend, but relented at the last minute, deciding to give the show a second chance. Maybe it would grow on me. My experiences with RSP's shows has been largely positive (see my recent review of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee), so maybe I'd have an awakening and see the light (please forgive all the religious imagery - it seems somehow appropriate in the present context).

I will say this - I enjoyed the show a lot more at RSP than I did at Music Circus. The energetic and talented cast infused the show with such good will and fun that it made it much more, um, bearable to sit through. I still can't say that I enjoyed Altar Boyz very much, and I can't imagine being talked into seeing it a third time, but RSP did a pretty good job of bringing it to life.

The show takes place in real time, as the five members of the Altar Boyz (Matthew, Mark, Luke, Juan and Abraham - the latter an incongruous Jewish member) close out their national tour attempting to save souls and harmonize to the word of God. Each of the members has a distinct personality, which comes into clearer focus as the concert wears on. The conceit of the show is that the group has a technologically miraculous "Soul Sensor DX-12" that scans the audience and determines how many souls are in need of saving. It's a somewhat forced gimmick, in my opinion,and one which, try as they do, doesn't really generate the emotional heft it is supposed to.

Doing their best with this iffy material are five very talented performers. Scott Woodard, as Matthew, the group's leader and driving force, is typically strong and shines in various featured songs. Joseph Boyette, as Mark (who I recently praised in my review of The Producers at Davis Musical Theatre Company) stands out again as the sexually conflicted Mark. His performance on the ballad "Epiphany" is one of the really funny moments in the show. He draws out the words "I... am..." and the entire audience knows the next word is going to be "gay," but of course it isn't.

RSP regular Benjamin Herrera plays Luke, the group's tough guy with the checkered past, and he manages to generate sympathy for his crotch-grabbing bad boy, particularly with his comic discussion of his past, stressing his "EX-AUS-TION." Peter Giovanni play Juan, an orphan hoping to find, as he tours as an Altar Boy, his lost birth parents. This story line results in what could have been a touching moment, but is undone by Mr. Giovanni's tendency to overplay his emotional reaction to some personal news.

Finally, Tyler Robinson plays Abraham, the lyrically gifted Jewish member of the group, whose motivations for joining and touring with the Altar Boyz is never really made all that clear. Mr. Robinson is very gifted, however, and is a standout performer in the show.

The pacing is, typical for RSP, fast and frenetic, which is a good thing. The onstage band is tight and impressive. The cast is talented and energetic. But, somehow, the whole is much less than the sum of the parts.

Tick Tick Boom at New Helvetia Theatre

The verdict: An outstanding cast brings Jonathan Larson's autobiographical tale to life, and raises questions about what might have been

Having seen Jonathan Larson's two most significant contributions to American Musical Theater - Rent and Tick Tick Boom - on back to back weekends, one can't help but ask a few questions:

First, just what did the world miss out on because of this talented auteur's early death (Larson famously died from an undiagnosed heart condition just prior to the first public performance of Rent in 1996).

Second, would he have found a way to bring his unique but very time-and-place-bound world view to a broader story? Surely, after Rent, Larson would have been ready to move beyond the story of frustrated bohemians in New York trying to find their voice and their purpose.

And third, how eerie is it that premature death plays such a prominent role in his work? Both shows feature characters who's life potential is unnaturally cut down (or will be shortly) by early death.

Unlike Rent, with its sprawling story of over-lapping loves and relationships, Tick Tick Boom is a more intimate and focused. But both shows cover much of the same ground. The comparisons to Rent are inescapable (again, having seen the two shows on consecutive weekends, those comparisons are perhaps more inevitable in my case than they might normally be). Both shows feature lead characters who are struggling to find their creative voice in the face of poverty and the world's indifference. Both feature characters dealing with disease and near-certain death. Both feature central relationships that falter in the face of life's pressures. And both feature an improbably upbeat turn at the end (moving as it is, Mimi's miraculous resurrection in Rent is less believable and 'real' than Jon's unexpected phone call from a certain beloved Broadway composer near the end of Tick Tick Boom).

Tick Tick Boom focuses on one character - an aspiring Broadway composer named Jon (the show is admittedly autobiographical, and Jon in the play is meant to represent Jonathan Larson). Jon is played by the extremely talented Tristan Rumery, who just a couple of weeks ago was brilliantly playing addled hippie speller Leaf Coneybear in Runaway Stage's 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. He is ably aided by Nancy Zoppi, who plays his girlfriend Susan and by New Helvetia Theatre's founding artistic director Connor Mickiewicz, who plays Jon's roommate and best friend Michael.

All three actors are outstanding in this production. In the play Jon is on the verge of turning thirty, and he is struggling with his lack of commercial success, with his girlfriend's desire to move away from New York and to settle down somewhere "near the ocean," and with his envy of his best friend's suddenly upwardly mobile turn in life. Rumery plays him with a nice mix of doubt, insecurity and determination, even as he is buffeted by various setbacks and interpersonal struggles. Rumery is also a great singer, and puts emotion into Larson's often demanding vocal requirements.

Zoppi is truly outstanding, not only as the playful but earnest Susan, but also in a host of other fleeting parts. Both Zoppi and Mickiewicz often step into other roles to move the story along, and Zoppi shines as the ingenue Karessa and as Jon's chain-smoking agent, among other roles. I found her particularly engaging as the leader of the brainstorming session at Michael's market research firm, coaching the co-workers (which included, humorously, the members of the onstage band) as they tried to come up with a marketing strategy for a new fat substitute (Jon's breakthrough suggestion: Chubstitute!). Watching her spouting marketing cliches in an overly self-important manner, I couldn't help thinking "I know that woman!"

Mickiewicz is also excellent, but with fewer opportunities to shine. The singing of all three actors was outstanding, and the harmonies were spot on and impressive. The band, under Graham Sobelman's direction, was also outstanding.

The set was spare. The company effectively uses some elements of its black box set up, including turning the walls and floor, at various times, into chalkboards upon which the cast writes and paints with multi-colored chalk.

For those familiar with the more pervasive and popular Rent, much of the score will sound familiar. Larson has distinctive sound, but he effectively uses rock music to deliver his vision (and true rock music, too, as the lead character points out early on in the show). The opening number "30/90" and the playful "Green Green Dress" are highlights, and the humorous "Therapy", in which Jon and Susan explore their inability to communicate with each other, is truly brilliant.

Tick Tick Boom isn't exactly new in its subject matter - Sondheim's Company, to cite one example, covered much of the same ground more effectively - but, thanks to this impressive cast and band, it tells an engrossing story in an effective and entertaining way. And it is fascinating as a glimpse of Jonathan Larson's development into a powerful storyteller. It underscores the tragedy of his early death, and, taken together with Rent, can't help but force you to wonder what might have been.