Broadway Bound? Part 1 With a Return Visit To Company

Ah, May. Blossoms may be blooming around Connecticut but that’s nothing like the shows that are bursting forth in New York City and that are now vying for Tony Awards and other end-of-season honors.

After a cautious fall with a limited amount of openings (with producers understandably still wary of covid restrictions), the floodgates of openings happened in the last few months..

To help as a guide for Connecticut theater-goers heading to Manhattan, here is the first part of my highly opinionated, short-and-snappy takes on shows I’ve seen. (I’ve already posted my deep-dive Variety reviews of the revival of “Take Me Out,” the new musical “Six,” the “Funny Girl” revival and the new musical “Mr. Saturday Night” with Billy Crystal .

“Plaza Suite:”: Husband-wife duo Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker make for a big box office draw in these three Neil Simon pieces, united only in the geography of a single hotel room. Parker is quite good in the opening playlet (though Broderick is a stiff in this one). The second piece is sadly dated and both try to keep this wan effort afloat. And the third has its moments of farce but Parker goes cuckoo here while Broderick shows a bit more energy. A few decent yucks but overall, just so-so. For star gazers.

Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker in “Plaza Suite”

“To The Girls:” Since closed. Gay stereotypes in Palm Springs. Wincingly bad. Could have been much better with a stronger editing eye, a deeper exploration on the LGBTQ+ generational divide and some taste.

“The Little Prince:” One of my least enjoyable times in the theater in years. Excruciating. Sort of a Cirque du So What and that snotty French whiff of aren’t-we-so-very-artistic (but really boring). Since closed.

“The Music Man:” Glorious revival of beloved show that is smarter and tougher than many people assume. Hugh Jackman brings his charisma to the role of Harold Hill and Sutton Foster may not be a high soprano but is still charming and the funniest Marion I’ve seen. I was verklempt during “The Wells Fargo Wagon.” Starry supporting cast is delightful (especially Jayne Houdyshell and Jefferson Mays). And Benjamin Pajak as Winthrop is adorable. Just one great time in the theatre. And the dancing is the best on Broadway. My can’t miss recommendation for the whole family.

“MJ”: OK, the dancing is swell thanks to director-choreographer Christopher Wheeldon and Myles Frost as Michael Jackson works hard and is….OK.. But Lynn Nottage just went down a few pegs in my book for the sanitized, by-the-numbers script. This is a jukebox musical in the most shallowest of senses. And yes the numbers are catchy (but strangely repetitive after a while) and hearing them again, I realized how so many of them were about nothing at all really,. just with some good hooks and a good dance beat. Entertaining enough if you hold your nose about you-know-what.

“Company:” I loved it. I didn’t like it. It was brilliant. It was lame. It was kind of all over the place. Patti LuPone is superb. Gender switch concept by Marianne Elliott works. Her Alice in Wonderland motif starts off really well but then is dropped. Big C-O-M-P-A-N-Y letters is a design gesture in lieu of imagination. “Side By Side By Side” was a bit of a mess as was “Tick Tock” (and I really don’t want to see Patti on the toilet seat). Matt Doyle is terrific in “Getting Married.” Jennifer Simard is simply hysterically funny and my fave in the cast. The divine Katrina Lenk acts well in the lead but is challenged in there big numbers,. I have mixed opinions on the overall production but if you’re a Sondheim fan, just go.

I returned to “Company” over the weekend and have to amend some of my original impressions, Slightly. First, the cast is even better than before, a tighter…er… company and with performances that are dazzlingly assured. Lenk is so much stronger and confident. Doyle’s performance still brings tears to my eyes in its brilliance. And Patti, god bless her, can get huge applause just by dangling her legs on a bar stool., The first act is still gangbusters. The two big ensemble numbers “Side By Side By Dide” and “Tick Tock” are still a clustered mess. But the overall concept of this lead character’s"dream journey seems to work better for me, though I still think the giant COIMPANY letters for one number is a weak scenic device. Overall, I liked it even more and my earlier (and current) reservations seem relatively minor compared to the joys I received this time around.

MORE TO COME IN PART 2