Sing Street – Book by Enda Walsh, Music and Lyrics by Gary Clark and John Carney. Directed by Rebecca Taichman; Choreography by Sonya Tayeh; Set Design by Bob Crowley; Costume Design by Bob Crowley and Lisa Zinni; Lighting Design by Natasha Katz, Sound Design by Peter Hylenski, Video Design by Luke Halls and Brad Peterson, Hair, Wig and Makeup Design by Tommy Kurzman, Music Supervision by Peter Gordeno and Kris Kukul, Music Direction by Fred Lassen. At the Calderwood Pavilion, BCA, 527 Tremont St., Boston through October 9th.
by Linda Chin
With Sing Street, the writers of the Tony Award-winning Once have once again created a lyrical love story set in Dublin that inspires us to go for our dreams and to express (and save) ourselves through music making and art. Set in the 80s, the new wave score by John Carney and Gary Clark may not be everyone’s cup of tea – and it’s not particularly memorable – but the emotional journey the outstanding ensemble of actor-musicians takes us on leaves a strong impression.
For sixteen year-old Conor Lawlor (Adam Bregman), who’s feeling asea from not only his parents’ marital and financial troubles but having to transfer to a new school mid-year, it’s infatuation at first sight when he sees a stunning young woman in a phone booth near campus, Raphina (Courtnee Carter). Encouraged by Darren (Diego Lucano), a new classmate who befriends him, he summons up the courage to talk to her, learns that she is a model looking for work, and invites her to perform in his band’s music video. Both the band and the music video don’t yet exist, but the phone number Raphina scrawls on Conor’s wrist is real, and Sing Street tells the story of how Conor makes good on his promise, acting on the dreams and feelings in his heart.
Unlike most musicals, there is no music for the first twenty minutes of the two-act, two-plus hours production, save for Conor singing a verse of a song a capella at Raphina’s insistence, or when he hangs out with his older siblings, Anne (Alexa Xioufaridou Moster) and Brendan (Donal Finn) listening to vinyls or playing chords on his big brother’s guitar, or the music that the school bully Barry (Jack DiFalco) blasts from his boombox. Also unlike many musicals, the acting is first-rate, attributable to Tony Award-winning director Rebecca Taichman’s (Indecent) strong eye for both detail and stage pictures and excellent casting choices. Broadway veterans Billy Carter (Dad), Dee Roscioli (Mom) Anne L. Nathan(classmate’s Mom), and Armand Schultz as the head of school, Brother Baxter. (Note: Boston-based stars Nacel Nacer and Leigh Barrett are understudies for adult roles). Also unusual for but a few musicals, the choreography is not siloed, but an integral, integrated part of the action. Even the set décor (many pieces on casters), are carefully passed from off-stage magicians to onstage actors and put into position with impeccable timing and ballet-like precision. For this dance fan, seamless storytelling incorporating simple set elements was the trademark of uber-talented Sonya Tayek’s (Moulin Rouge) choreography for So You Think You Can Dance contestants, so the dance sequences with the vintage couch in Sing Street have icon status.
With Darren’s (now the band manager’s) help, there isn’t much difficulty recruiting members of the “futuristic” band, including Eamon (Ben Wang) on keyboards, percussionist Larry (Elijah Lyons), Declan (Anthony Genovesi), Gary (Michael Lepore), Kevin (Gian Perez) on guitar. When the music kicks in, it is simultaneously hard-hitting and transcendent. The songs “Up” and “Drive It Like You Stole It” with Conor as the lead singer are phenomenally performed by the band; the young actor-musicians impressively play their own instruments. The numbers “A Beautiful Sea”, which showcases Raphina’s rich vocal range, “Girls”, which begins with the simple rhythms of Anne’s pounding fist, gets progressively faster and louder, then goes full-out, and the closing number “Go Now”, which gives Brendan the final spotlight, are highlights.
Sing Street was not without flaws, perhaps more a matter of personal preference than production quality. Some of the projections (that captured the lens of the videographer) detracted from the real-life action on stage, particularly in the intimate Wimberly Theatre. Also, a few songs seemed out of place in terms of the storyline; it wouldn’t be surprising if they are reworked or reordered before the hoped-for Broadway transfer. Overall, Sing Street is an evening of live theater that will lift you up and won’t let you down, the gift of a few hours to turn off your brain and open up your heart, and a reminder that the future is in good hands. And good news – the run has been extended to October 9th! For tickets and information, go to: https://www.huntingtontheatre.org/whats-on/sing-street/
