Reviewed by Tony Annicone
The 2024 Olympics this year are being held in Paris, and since everyone can’t be there, Reagle Music Theatre’s third show of their 55th season this summer brings Paris to the audience with their fantastic production of “An American in Paris,” the musical. This show is based on the 1951 movie of the same name, which starred Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron. I will give a synopsis since current-day audiences might be unfamiliar with this musical.
The story revolves around Jerry Mulligan, an American Army lieutenant who decides to stay in France after its liberation from Germany in 1945. Composer Adam Hochberg opens this show when he walks onstage and recounts his friendship with his fellow American friend, Jerry, who decides to stay in Paris to pursue his passion for being an artist. Adam narrates some of the show and steps in and out of scenes. He is a fellow veteran of the war who has been left with a permanent limp due to his injury. A mysterious girl accidentally runs into Jerry on one of the streets, he then proceeds to a lodging house where Adam helps him find a place to live. Henri Baurel, the son of wealthy French industrialists, shows up to rehearse a nightclub act he’s putting together with Adam. Henri’s afraid of his parents’ disapproval and wants to keep it a secret. The three bond in friendship as they imagine a brighter future. Adam takes Jerry to sketch dancers at a ballet audition, where he meets Milo Davenport, a beautiful but headstrong American philanthropist who is immediately impressed with Jerry and promotes him to the ballet company. The mysterious dancer, Lise Dassin, shows up, and a triangle ensues, not in the usual way, but with the three buddies all in love with the same girl. She is an impressive dancer who works at a perfume shop where Jerry delivers the good news about being hired for the ballet by Milo. Meanwhile, Henri tries to work up the courage to propose to his girlfriend while Lise writes a letter about who she should pick to love while. Adam falls more and more in love with her. The three men meet to talk about the woman they love, not knowing she is one and the same girl. Milo puts the moves on Jerry, they have a fling with each other. Complications ensue, and Jerry upsets the apple cart at a party. At another party thrown by Henri’s parents, Jerry and Adam’s feelings are crushed when they announce Lise and Henri’s engagement. Lise follows Jerry out to the garden to explain her conflicted feelings and tells him she doesn’t have the luxury of love like in the American movies. Milo, Adam, and Henri all overhear this conversation. When his parents find out about Henri’s nightclub act, his mother is aghast, but his father recognizes his talent and encourages him to follow his dreams. At the same time, Adam and Milo are heartbroken about losing the people they adore, but he realizes this new ballet must be a joyous undertaking instead of the gloom and doom of the past. The new ballet is “An American in Paris,” where Milo encourages Lise to envision the man of her dreams and bring her the right sentiments to conquer the role. The three men vow to always remember Lise and thank her for how she changed their lives. Director and choreographer extraordinaire Rachel Bertone takes us on a musical journey that stuns us with the acting and dancing of the cast all night long, and musical director Dan Rodriguez brings out the best in vocalists and musicians with this beautiful Gershwin score, winning them a well-deserved spontaneous standing ovation at the close of the show.
Rachel brings out the best in her cast by having them delve into their characters, giving them the heart and soul these roles need. On top of that, she choreographs such an incredible and breathtaking variety of dances and moments for her dancers that are electrifying, especially in group numbers like “I’ve Got Beginners Luck,” “Fidgety Feet,” “Stairway to Paradise,” and “An American in Paris” which is a 14-minute masterpiece of ballet performance. Brava! The Gershwin music is magnificently rendered by this talented cast and the fantastic musical direction by Dan with a phenomenal 21-piece orchestra. Aiding them in their enormous task is the fabulous set by Cameron McEachern, the marvelous lighting by Franklin Meissner Jr., the splendid sound by Sebastian Nixon, and the multitude of terrific and colorful 1940s costumes by Emerald City Theatrical Costumes run by Johnny Cagno and Brian Simons. It is the must-see musical for this summer season.
Leading this talented cast is Jack Mullen as Jerry Mulligan. He makes this role his own and captures your heart and admiration from start to finish. Jack is a triple-threat performer who can act, sing, and dance incredibly and transform himself into any role he plays. His first song is “I Got Beginner’s Luck,” where Jerry arrives at the perfume shop to tell Lise about winning the role in the ballet. It starts as a solo number that builds into a stunning group dance with umbrellas, hats, and canes that also happens in the second act with “Fidgety Feet,” which knocks your socks off, too, where they dance with chairs. “Liza” is where he convinces Lise to change her name for their portrait painting sessions in the park. The trio numbers with Jerry’s pals, Adam and Henri, are also standouts: “I Got Rhythm,” where Adam is writing a slow song that Henri and Jerry pick up the tempo and they do an incredible dance with the ensemble, “S’Wonderful” where the three of them sing about the girl they love which is one and the same and finally they look back on their love of Lise in “They Can’t Take That Away From Me” which leaves not a dry eye in the audience. The last two numbers are done in perfect harmony. Jack, an Elliott Norton award winner, delivers another award-winning performance in this show, especially with all his dancing numbers.
Samantha Barnes also shines as Lise, the mysterious French girl who French patriots took in during the Nazi occupation of France. Lise is very enigmatic at first, but once the audience understands what happened to her, they empathize with her dilemma. Samantha’s ballet dancing is magnificent from start to finish, especially the pas de deux in “American in Paris” ballet with Jack. Her solo number “The Man I Love” is emotion packed with the sympathic delivery it needs. Her French accent is perfect. Samantha is a senior at Long Island University and has a bright future ahead of her. Brava.
Jared Troilo is brilliant as Adam Hochberg, who has a permanent limp from the war, and it makes him morose and negative about everything. However, as his relationship with the other two men progresses and his unrequited love for Lise is explored, he becomes more positive and creates a joyous ballet for her. Jared’s strong baritone voice soars in the trio numbers, but he rips your heart out when he sings “But Not For Me” about everyone else having someone to love but not him. He gets a chance to display his dancing skills in “Stairway to Paradise.” Christopher Lewis, whom I last reviewed as Chad in “All Shook Up” in July, tackles the role of Henri Baurel and delivers the goods with his French accent, acting prowess, and strong voice all night long. The trio numbers are terrific, and his “Stairway to Paradise” stops the show with perfection in every note and dance step. The kick line that finishes the number off is breathtaking. Christopher delivers another fantastic performance and gets to act with his beautiful wife, Sarah Cammarata, for the 14th time.
The sexy philanthropist Milo is excellently played by Rebekah Rae Robles, whom I last reviewed as Ado Annie in “Oklahoma” last year. She commands the audience’s attention, whether she is trying to push Jerry’s painting career ahead with the opera company or whether she’s trying to entice him into a relationship with her. Milo pretends to be having a party at her apartment, but Jerry is the only guest. Rebekah’s seduction song “Shall We Dance” is beautifully rendered as she wins the day with Jerry, and they dance up a storm. However, Milo soon learns that Jerry only has his eye on Lise, but even so, Milo encourages Lise and gives pointers on how to perform the ballet perfectly. Rebekah’s second number, “But Not For Me,” captures your heart as she yearns to be loved. Milo realizes that money can’t buy love and encourages others to follow their heart’s desires. The performers playing Henri’s parent also do an excellent job in their roles. Carolyn Saxon plays Madame Baurel, Henri’s overprotective and serious-minded mother. She is also a board member of the Opera and is very happy when Lise is given the lead. She and her husband encourage Henri to propose to Lise. The character finally loosens up during “Fidgety Feet” in the second act, and Carolyn gets to belt out a line from “Embraceable You.” Jean Alfred Chavier plays Mr. Baurel, who, with his wife, was part of the French people opposed to the Nazi takeover of France. He feels it is time to loosen up and enjoy things they couldn’t in the past. After observing Henri’s performance of “Stairway to Paradise,” they both react differently. The mother is very disapproving of him becoming a performer because it is beneath their station. However, his father is astounded at his son’s talent and encourages him to pursue his dreams of show business. Since the audience hopes things end on a note of happiness, the audience finds out what Lise chooses to do before the final curtain falls. Will it be Henri, Adam, or Jerry? To find out, be sure to catch this phenomenal masterpiece of a musical at Reagle Music Theatre before time runs out. Kudos to the magnificent chorus members who dance and sing up a storm all night long and also dance as they move set pieces on and off stage. For tickets, go to reaglemusictheatre.org. Run do not walk to the box office before this show is completely sold out. It contains some of the best dance numbers I have ever seen. “An American in Paris” will enthrall you all night long.
AN AMERICAN IN PARIS (9 to 18 August)
Reagle Music Theatre, 617 Lexington Avenue, Waltham, MA
1(781)891-5600
