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‘An American In Paris’ – Music and Lyrics by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin. Book by Craig Lucas. Direction and Choreography by Rachel Bertone. Music Direction by Dan Rodriguez. Set Design by Cameron McEachern. Lighting Design by Frank Meissner, Jr. Costume Design by Emerald City Theatrical. Sound Design by Sebastian Nixon. At the Reagle Music Theatre, Waltham, MA, through August 18.
By Mike Hoban
Right from the start, from the wordless opening musical number, “Concerto in F,” it’s clear that An American In Paris will be unlike any other musical you’ve ever seen on stage. The balletic, bustling street scene of the City of Light is like a Jean Béraud painting come to life, and it’s visually and aurally gorgeous. It also sets the stage for the improbable romance between American GI/budding artist Jerry Mulligan (Jack Mullen) and Parisian shopgirl Lise Dassin (Samantha Barnes). Reagle Music Theatre artistic director Rachel Bertone (who directed and choreographed) and company deliver an exquisitely staged and imaginative rendering of this updated version of the 1951 MGM screen classic to the Robinson Theater in Waltham for a limited (two-week) run.
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The musical opens with narration by Jerry’s buddy Adam Hochberg (Jared Troilo), a Jewish-American GI and piano player/composer whose emotional scars from the war run far deeper than the wounds that have left him with a pronounced limp. It’s during the instrumental opening musical number that Jerry first spies the beautiful Lise, and, as in most musicals of the forties and fifties, he falls instantly in love (not lust, mind you). She disappears into the crowd, but they meet again when Adam invites Jerry to sketch the dancers at an audition where he is the accompanist for a new ballet. At the audition, Jerry meets Milo Davenport (Rebekah Rae Robles), a wealthy American art patron who promises to help him promote his work but whose interest in Jerry is not limited to his artistic talent. Lise shows up late to the audition, and Jerry, believing this is Kismet, begins pursuing her until she agrees to become his sketch model – with the hope that she will become much more than that. Unbeknownst to Jerry, Adam has also fallen hard for Lise, and both men are unaware that she is in a complicated relationship with Henri (Christopher Lewis), their wealthy new friend whom Adam is helping to develop a nightclub act that will enable Henri to escape his family business. The plot may sound a bit kitschy, but there’s actually a dark underbelly to the story, which incorporates numerous reminders that Paris has just been liberated from the Nazis and their French collaborators, and the wounds have not yet begun to heal.
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Even with an interesting narrative, An American In Paris is really just an ideal excuse to serve up the marvelous songs of George and Ira Gershwin, including American Songbook staples like “I Got Rhythm,” “‘S Wonderful,” “But Not For Me,” “The Man I Love,” “Shall We Dance?” and “(I’ll Build A) Stairway To Paradise.” These numbers are beautifully enhanced by the brilliant original choreography of Bertone and her associate director and choreographer Dustienne Miller (who choreographed the showstopping “Stairway To Paradise” number, where Henri imagines himself as a Radio City Music Hall headliner, complete with sequined showgirls and tuxedoed male dancers.) The choreography combines modern dance and ballet throughout, and this production is undoubtedly the most impressive work done by Bertone in her already impressive career, which has earned her multiple IRNE Awards for choreography and directing and an Elliot Norton Award last year for her choreography for Reagle’s production of Oklahoma!.
Bertone brings back the same creative team from that production, including Rodriguez, set designer Cameron McEachern, lighting designer Frank Meissner, Jr., costume designer Emerald City Theatrical, and sound designer Sebastian Nixon. An American In Paris also includes some of the lead actors from Oklahoma!, including Mullen, Troilo, and Robles as well as Carolyn Saxon and Jean-Alfred Chavier in the roles of Madame and Monsieur Baurel. But while Oklahoma! was a terrific and energetic rendition of the musical theater classic, this production of An American In Paris is an absolute work of art.
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Bertone has recruited a gifted group of young performers for this show, many of whom are students or graduates of Boston Conservatory at Berklee (including Mullen and Robles) and Long Island University (Barnes and swing Madison Flynn) to augment the seasoned actors. As Lise, the shop girl turned prima ballerina, Samantha Barnes is a real find. The actor’s every move has an ethereal quality, and her dance numbers, solo and with Mullen, are inspired, particularly her work in the 14-minute “symphonic poem”/ ballet piece, “An American in Paris,” that marks Lise’s debut as a principal dancer.
The diminutive Mullen has the athleticism of a Gene Kelly when he dances, particularly during the ballet sequences, and he even brings life to the “Fidgety Feet” number, which is not one of Gershwin’s more notable songs. And Mullen and Barnes have real chemistry onstage, highlighted by a prolonged and thoroughly convincing kiss when she finally succumbs to his charms.
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Boston’s leading leading man, Troilo, brings real depth to the character of the melancholic Adam Hochberg and, per usual, kills on the standards he shares with other cast members. His interpretation of “But Not for Me” (sung with Robles) brings down the house. Robles follows up her terrific performance as Ado Annie in last year’s Oklahoma! with another standout showing, and she seems mature beyond her years. Lewis’ tragicomic performance as Henri is solid, and he lights up the “Stairway To Paradise” number with his boundless enthusiasm. The ensemble work by the cast is remarkable as well, and they execute the dance numbers with the precision of the U.S. Women’s gymnastics team at the Paris Olympics. Kudos are also in order for the creative team, who elevated this production to the next level (lighting designer Meissner’s quick spotlight on Lise when she realizes she can’t marry Henri is genius). Dan Rodriguez leads a top-notch 20-plus piece orchestra, and unlike too many shows in the region’s theaters, the volume never drowns out the player’s vocal performances.
The phrase “must-see” has been diluted to the point of meaninglessness, but if you’re a musical theater or dance enthusiast, this one qualifies. It’s already soared to the top of my “2024 Best Of” list for Greater Boston musicals. Unfortunately, An American In Paris closes this weekend, but it’s not to be missed. For tickets and information, go to: https://www.reaglemusictheatre.org/
Very inspiring and insightful and so well written!!
Kudos to you, Mike