Crossroads Live presents PRETTY WOMAN The Musical. Book by Garry Marshall & J.F. Lawton. Music and Lyrics by Bryan Adams & Jim Vallance. Based on the Touchtone Pictures motion picture written by J.F. Lawton. Original Broadway Production Directed and Choreographed by Jerry Mitchell. Choreography Recreated by Rusty Mowery. Direction Recreated by DB Bonds. Music Supervision, Arrangements, and Orchestrations by Will Van Dyke. At the Emerson Colonial Theatre, Boylston Street, Boston, through March 3, 2024.
By Linda Chin
Once upon a time in Hollywood, sometime in the 1980s, a handsome corporate raider named Edward Lewis, in town to close a business deal, meets a very pretty woman named Vivian Ward at her “office” on Hollywood Boulevard. Vivian and Edward (Ellie Baker and Chase Wolfe play the now iconic roles made famous by Julia Roberts and Richard Gere) are from very different walks of life. Edward’s upbringing included prep school, polo matches, classical music, and opera, and he is wealthy, a billionaire, in fact. She doesn’t have a steady job, can barely make ends meet, and never finished high school, but is street smart – more adept at driving a stick shift than Edward, who admits that his first car was a limousine – and making small talk with people in the 99% than Edward, who has much less exposure and EQ.
An initial one-hour payment for Vivian’s time (where she drives his fancy 7-speed dual-clutch transaxle Lotus to his posh penthouse in a Beverly Hills hotel, she assures him that he doesn’t need to seduce her – she’s “a sure thing” – and they make small talk) extends into the entire evening and then they negotiate a deal for six days of her time. He is guaranteed an escort for his full schedule of social events, and she is guaranteed rent money for the cockroach-infested flat she shares with her best friend (they settle on $3000). And then he’ll let her go. It’s a win-win situation, a sure thing, for them to each get what they want (which is not a complicated romantic relationship). Until Edward, who finds “something about her” free-spirited nature, smarts, earnest, and bubbly personality, and who makes him feel a sense of “Freedom” he’s never experienced, becomes enchanted. He falls for Vivian – line, sink, and hooker.
People who are fans of the movie (99% of the audience, by my estimate) will be familiar with the plot, the iconic lines, and the iconic costumes, which track closely with the movie version.
Vivian/Baker looks great in the signature blazing red blazer over a cropped top and hot-pants outfit that exposes her killer abs, the lacy black dress she wears to dinner at the French restaurant, the chic white suit, and black hat she purchases on Rodeo Drive and the red ball floor-length gown that she wears to the opera.
There are some updates and some surprises in the musical adaptation. Instead of a giant wad of cash, it’s a credit card with an unlimited spending limit that Edward gives Vivian for the Rodeo Drive shopping spree. Adam Du Plessis plays several characters played by multiple actors in the movie version: Happy Man, Beverly Hills hotel manager, shop salesman who sucks up to wealthy customers, pop-up orchestra conductor, and is “a Dream” in each role. Of course, the dance numbers by the spirited ensemble are dazzling throughout (original Broadway choreography by Jerry Mitchell and recreated by Rusty Mowery), including Connor Kabat, who also plays hotel staffer Giulio with charisma and comedic timing to spare, is a terrific dancer and a total delight to watch. Du Plessis and Kabat dancing the tango together was priceless.
Sarah Wang is also a versatile performer in the ensemble, but as Violetta in La Traviata – in the show-within-a-show opera scene – stuns the audience with a sensational soprano solo that soars to the ceiling of the Emerson Colonial theater. A recent graduate of BU’s College of Fine Arts, this Boston tour stop must be a special one. Kudos also to ensemble member Lauren Esser and swing Channing Weir (understudies for Vivian’s best friend Kit Du Luca) for making the opening night performance of the Boston tour stop a seamless one.
If you’re looking for an escape from the doldrums of everyday life, wanting to feel the feels of a feel-good rom-com and modern fairy tale, Pretty Woman the Musical is a pretty sure thing to Put a Smile On You Yeah Yeah. Runs through March 3.
