‘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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