• PETER PAN
• Starlight Theater, Kansas City, Missouri
• September 17, 2024

“Peter Pan” needed more fairy dust

As the last show of Starlight Theatre’s Broadway season, “Peter Pan,” which is playing through Sunday, tries to take us on magical journey with a few pinches of fairy dust and some loud crowing. While the talented cast does their best to make it an unforgettable experience, “Peter Pan” the musical falls a little short of taking us back to Neverland.

It’s hard to believe how old the story is, but “Peter Pan” was first conceived as a play in 1904 by Scottish novelist and playwright, Sir James Matthew Barrie (1860-1937). In 1911, Barrie adapted it into novel form with the title “Peter and Wendy.” It was adapted as a musical several times including in 1950 with music and lyrics by legendary conductor, Leonard Bernstein. However, it was the 1954 Broadway adaptation with actress Mary Martin playing the title role that put it into the stratosphere, resulting in multiple television broadcasts which enabled generations across the country to see it.

The story of “Peter Pan” is well-documented so there is not a lot of need to delve into the storyline’s details. What is more important is a discussion of the touring production itself. On the plus side, Nolan Almeida as the title character and Hawa Kamara as Wendy displayed amazing vocals throughout the entire opening night performance. Cody Garcia as Captain Hook almost stole the show as the dastardly pirate villain. His red and gold costume also equally stood out and was perhaps the best of the production.

The dance sequences were largely in sync and some special effects, most notably a scene involving Pan interacting with his shadow, were captivating. Unfortunately, the set design was less than inspirational with little to no wow factor. The same was true for the costumes. The story itself was bland even though there are attempts to modernize some of the dialogue, which doesn’t suit the story all that well. While the cast did their best, “Peter Pan” was less than magical and needed a whole lot more fairy dust.

“Peter Pan” will run through September 22 at Starlight Theatre in Kansas City.  For ticket information, CLICK HERE.

• COME FROM AWAY
• Starlight Theater – Kansas City, Missouri
• August 6, 2024

In “A Streetcar Named Desire,” Blanche Dubois famously stated, “ I have always depended on the kindness of strangers.”   Now imagine there are 7,000 Blanche’s in a small Newfoundland town and you have the Tony nominated musical “Come From Away.”

Gander.  A small town whose airport was once one of the world’s busiest.  However, with the invention of newer and longer distance planes, it’s usually pretty quiet on Tuesday afternoons.  But today, September 11, 2001, is not an ordinary Tuesday.  Following the terrorist attacks in New York City, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania, the government has closed all airspace.  My current job at the time required me to drive directly past Kansas City International Airport and I remember thinking to myself how odd it was not to see, or hear, a plane taking off or landing overhead.  Over two dozen planes are diverted to Gander and, curing the course of the show, we meet the passengers and the townspeople on whose kindness they will depend.

Nominated for seven Tony awards, “Come From Away” is an uplifting story about the human spirit and the ability for strangers to come together.  We are introduced to several of the townspeople, including the Mayor, a worker at the local animal shelter and a news reporter on her first day on the job.  It’s business as usual until news comes of the day’s tragedy.  As if a switch has been flicked, problems that may have seemed major only hours earlier – school is about to start and the bus drivers are on strike – pale in comparison to how to feed, house and clothe 7,000 people.  The passengers are an eclectic mix – a British businessman, an experienced pilot and a gay couple, both oddly named Kevin, are among the stranded, doing their best to stay sane while basically unsure as to what has happened.  Once the word gets around, a lot of eyes are turned towards a passenger from the Middle East, and not sympathetically.  As the days begin to build up we learn their back stories and, for some, their futures.

I had the great fortune of catching this show on Broadway in September 2021, right after the 20^th Anniversary of 9/11.  It was the time of COVID and it was eerie to stand in line, wearing a mask, waiting to show your vaccination card before you get go into the theater.  But the show was amazing, as is this production.

The cast is outstanding.  Many of the featured players portray more than one character, with only a slight change or clothing or location to help you differentiate them.  That there was never a false moment in the show, or a “hey, that’s the guy that played Bubba” moment is a true testament to the talents of the cast.

The book is very well written, with humor added when needed, never gratuitously.  Even in song the events of the day are treated respectfully.  The big difference between Broadway and this production is that there is no intermission.  Also, after the curtain call the audience was introduced to Kevin Tuerff, one of the real life “Kevins” featured in the show, who speaks to the audience and takes questions promoting his PayItForward 9.11 foundation.

Up against the juggernaut that was “Dear Evan Hansen,” the only Tony award “Come From Away” won was for it’s direction.  Almost a decade later, “Come From Away” continues to resonate with audiences while “Dear Evan Hansen” has gone the way of many similar shows that caught fire then slowly faded.  This is a show that not only entertains but informs.  Don’t miss it.

On a scale of zero to five I give “Come From Away” ★★★★★

For more information on the PayItForward 9.11 foundation, click HERE. 

“Come From Away” continues at the Starlight Theater in Kansas City through Sunday, August 11^th.  For tickets to this engagement or future shows please click HERE. 

• MOULIN ROUGE! – THE MUSICAL
• Music Hall – Kansas City, Missouri
• July 29, 2024

An unforgettable experience!

After more reviews of theatrical productions than I dare to count, I can say unequivocally that the current Broadway touring production of “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” is one of the best I have ever witnessed. Currently running at the Music Hall in downtown Kansas City, “Moulin Rouge!” has everything you would expect from a production that was once the recipient of 13 Tony nominations and 10 Tony awards including Best Musical. Based upon the Oscar nominated 2001 film by director Baz Luhrmann, starring Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor, “Moulin Rouge!” is simply a show you will never forget.

Inspired by the nearly 135-year-old Moulin Rouge club in Paris, France, the musical is set in the year 1899 when an aspiring songwriter named Christian (Christian Douglas) arrives from Ohio. He encounters a pair of Bohemians in Toulouse-Lautrec (Nick Rashad Burroughs) and Santiago (Danny Burgos) who, after recognizing his talent, convince the young American to go to the Moulin Rouge with them. There, they hope he can audition a song in front of Satine (Gabrielle McClinton), the star performer and most sought-after courtesan at Moulin Rouge. The trio believes if she is impressed then it will increase their chances to get it approved by its charismatic manager, Harold Zidler (Robert Petkoff). However, when the ruthless Duke of Monroth (Andrew Brewer) enters the picture with deep pockets then the trio’s plan and love affair that sprouts between Christian and Satine becomes a bit complicated.

“Moulin Rouge!” is nothing less than bedazzling with its superb set design, not to mention its wonderful costumes. Its choreography is thoroughly entertaining as well with music that will encourage to hum or sing along. Like what Luhrmann did with the original movie, “Moulin Rouge!” interweaves pop music songs, including ones released since 2001, to create a unique theatrical experience. It also goes without saying how incredibly talented the show’s cast is. Douglas and McClinton shared terrific onstage chemistry with one another, and the cast clearly had a good time performing the show. If you are going to see just one Broadway show in your lifetime then “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” must be the one.

On a scale of zero to five, “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” receives ★★★★★

“Moulin Rouge! The Musical” will run through August 4 at the Music Hall in Kansas City, Missouri.  For ticket information, click HERE.  

• ROCKY
• Musical Theatre Kansas City, Shawnee, Kansas
• April 14, 2024

It’s my second favorite film of all time.  The story of a boxer and his million to one shot.  So, when I first heard a few years ago that ROCKY was coming to Broadway, I was ecstatic.  I never made it to NYC to see it, but a friend of mine sent me the Original Cast CD and I liked what I heard.  So I was happy to see that the talented people at MTKC was staging the show locally.

November 1975.  Club fighter Rocky Balboa (a well-cast Drew Starlin) is making his living as a “debt collector” by day and a club fighter by night.  As he tells his manager, Mickey (Rick Averill), “it’s a living.”  But he wants more.  More includes Adrian (Jasmine Hall,” the shy sister of Rocky’s best friend, Paulie (Chris Clements).  When the forementioned “million to one shot” lands in his lap, Rocky finds himself in the biggest fight of his career.

Based on the film script by Sylvester Stallone, with a book by Stallone and Thomas Meehan (the Broadway shows “Annie,” “The Producers,” “Hairspray”), ROCKY is a very faithful adaptation of the film, The actors on stage are accompanied by a pretty impressive multi-media background, giving even the simplest set a larger feel.  This is most evident during the final fight between Rocky and Apollo Creed (Shane St. James).

The songs, by Stephen Flaherty (“Seussical” and Lyn Ahrens (“My Favorite Year,” “Ragtime”) capture the emotion of the situations unfolding onstage.  The cast is strong, especially Mr. Starlin and Ms. Hall, who, rather then doing an impression of the original film’s actors, give the characters a sweetness and vulnerability that extends throughout the show.  And a special shout-out to Mr. Clements, who truly captures the mixed emotions felt by Paulie.

A few technical glitches aside, the presentation was smooth and the audience I was in cheered at all the right places.

On a scale of zero to five, I give ROCKY ★★★★

ROCKY continues at MTKC on Friday, Saturday and Sundays through April 28^th.  For tickets and more information, click HERE.

• CLUE – A New Comedy
• The Kauffman Center, Kansas City, Missouri
• April 2, 2024

Last week audiences at the Kaufman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City learned the answer to a mystery: Could the laughs from Jonathan Lynn’s 1985 movie adaptation of the game Clue work on stage?

It didn’t take Sherlock Holmes, Jessica Marple or even Beniot Blanc to know the answer was yes. Because Lynn’s movie had a single location and was set in roughly real time, it didn’t take much effort for Sandy Rustin, Hunter Foster and Eric Prince to make the tale work in another medium.

In many ways Clue is funnier live. Watching the cast scampering from a potential killer seems sillier on stage because there isn’t far for them to run. In addition, any fisticuffs that occur during the play seem amusingly innocuous. Greg Balla’s fight choreography ensures the struggles don’t stray into the sadistic or macabre.

Lynn’s storyline and much of his dialogue remains. A group of anonymous strangers have been lured to a mansion by a series for letters. Professor Plum (Jonathan Spivey), Mr. Green (John Shartzer), Miss Scarlet (Michelle Elaine), Mrs. White (Tari Kelly), Mrs. Peacock (Joanna Glushak) and Col. Mustard (Jon Treacy Egan) are not using their real names, and there is a good reason for it. All have managed to run afoul McCarthy-ite witch hunts in 1954 and have additional issues that would be golden for a blackmailer.

Their host, the butler Wadsworth (Mark Price), reveals that they are the victims of a blackmailer named Mr. Body (Alex Syiek). He appears and informs them his demands are going to increase. When the lights in the New England mansion go out, so does the chaos that ensues receives some help from Lee Savage’s sets, which morph into different rooms with interrupting the action. As a result the story leaps floors and covers more ground.

The original movie featured a dream team of character actors (Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn), but the current touring cast is up for the task as well. Shartzer and Elaine, in particular, seem to enjoy sinking their teeth into their roles and lead viewers to hope their characters aren’t the ones who made Mr. Body live up to his name. There are no intermissions in the current production, so the play is a test of the cast’s endurance, and they handle the demand of being “on” constantly effortlessly.

For fans of the game there are dozens of little nods to how a round of it would proceed. The weapons come straight for the box that Hasbro sells.

As of this writing, the current producing is in Cleveland, and audiences there are in for a treat. Clue manages to be a frothy delight despite the fact it involves fatalities. If the game Ais afoot in your city, you won’t have to be a Hasbro stockholder to enjoy the fiendish plot unraveling.

• “Mamma Mia!”
• Music Hall – Kansas City, Mo  
• March 5, 2024

Borrowing a phrase from the classic Alka Seltzer commercial, “MAMMA MIA!  That’s a spicy musical!”

What a totally enjoyable presentation for the 25^th Anniversary Tour celebration of the London premier in 1999.   The jukebox musical pulls you in from the opening notes and flows through the hits of ABBA one after another, and you know them all…of course you do, or you probably wouldn’t bother being in the audience.

The show presents the story of Sophie (Alisa Melendez) a young woman who has been raised by her single mother Donna (Christine Sherrill) on a Greek Island and who is planning her upcoming wedding.  Sophie has a dilemma; she doesn’t know who her father is, and to make matters worse, neither does her mother!

Donna is an aging “wild child” of the 70’s who, along with her two besties, Tanya (Jalynn Steele) and Rosie (Carly Sakolove) were once Donna and the Dynamos.   However Donna, after finding herself pregnant, has lived a quiet, reclusive life running a café’.   Sophia sneaks into her mother’s diary and discovers entries that may point to who the father could be…. Harry, Bill or Sam, all of which Donna had “intimate moments” with 20 years ago.   Sophie sends them invitations to her wedding without telling her mother…and as the guests begin to arrive for the wedding, all three men appear, and Sophie starts to deduce which one is her father.  Hilarity ensues.  All is well in the end and everyone finds what they were searching for.  The acting woven throughout the musical numbers is done well, show stealers for me were the Dynamo Girls, and Bill from the “dads”.

Musical highlights:   Dancing Queen, The Name of the Game, SOS, and of course Mama Mia.  But the curtain call encore is a rousing party montage of Mamma Mia, Dancing Queen, and Waterloo, with full ABBA style costuming, choreography and invitation for participation, and the audience at this performance sure did.

On a scale of zero to five I give “Mamma Mia!” ★★★★1/2

“Mamma Mia!” continues at the Music Hall in Kansas City through March 10th.  For tickets to this and upcoming shows on the tour please click HERE.

• TINA: THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL
• The Music Hall – Kansas City, Missouri
• December 5, 2023

I first fell in love with Tina Turner as a 15 year old boy after seeing her in the film “Tommy.”  I didn’t know I was in love until she rocketed back to stardom in the early 80s.  Then I was hooked.  I went to her shows, bought her albums and tried to devise a way to ask her to marry me.  My crush on her was so powerful that when she sadly passed away earlier this year, friends who I hadn’t heard from in years sent me condolence messages.  Which brings me to this week at the Music Hall in Kansas City where I attended opening night of TINA: The Tina Turner Musical.”

Opening with a gospel themed rendition of “Nutbush City Limits,” “TINA” is a nearly three-hour journey into the often tragic life of one of the most powerful voices in rock and roll history.

For those unfamiliar with the story, Anna Mae Bullick left her Tennessee home to join her sister Alline in St. Louis.  There she met Ike Turner a musician with a bad temper.  As the Ike and Tina Turner Revue, they toured the country, appearing in concert and on television.  However, behind the scenes, it was a living hell.

A show is only as good as its cast, and the cast of “TINA” was amazing.  Every character has a chance to shine, from young Anna Mae to the hard dancing Ikettes.  I apologize her for not naming the young actress who played Anna Mae.  There are two young ladies playing the roll and there was nothing inserted into the “Playbill” to tell me which one it was.  Whoever you are, young lady, you were amazing.

It’s a testament to the talents of actor Wildlin Pierrevil that, when he took his curtanin call as Ike Tuner, some in the audience booed him.  Not the performance, mind you, but Ike Turner the man.

There are also two actresses playing Tina Turner, and this performance featured Parris Lewis, who seemed to have absorbed Tina Turner into her DNA as she gave one of the best performances I have seen on stage this year.  Brava!!

I will warn readers who may hope to influence the younger generation with Tina’s music by taking them to the show, it does get a little dark thematically at times.  It’s well documented that Ike Turner was an SOB, and there are scenes of domestic violence that had the audience cringing.  However, it’s those early scenes that make Tina’s triumphs even sweeter.  She really was, as she sang, Simply the Best!

On a scale of zero to five, I give “TINA: The Tina Turner Musical” ★★★★★

“TINA: The Tina Turner Musical” runs in Kansas City through December 9^th.  For tickets to these or future shows, please click HERE.

To check out my interview with actresses Parris Lewis and Ari Groover, please clickHERE.

I must confess that as soon as I heard that the Broadway National Touring presentation of “To Kill a Mockingbird” was coming to Kansas City I knew I would be in attendance.

I first became aware of the story as a young man through the 1962 film version of Harper Lee’s novel, where I was moved by the Academy Award winning performance Gregory Peck, who plays attorney Atticus Finch.  I immediately went to the local library, read the novel, then read it again.  I’ve read it several times since. The Pulitzer Prize winner is my all-time favorite novel. The film is on my Top Ten Best Film List.  So, I was excited to see a live performance, with the role of Atticus Finch played by none other than Richard Thomas, forever remembered as John Boy Walton to my generation.

Even though I was anxious to see the show, I must admit that from the first moment Scout (played by Melanie Moore) took the stage, I suddenly felt uneasy.  Uneasy about how anything could top the film, or how could a new vision (by Aaron Sorkin) in any way convey the feelings generated by the novel.  I needn’t had worried. 

Richard Thomas was exceptional.   No one, for me, will ever be Atticus Finch more than Peck, and it’s obvious that Thomas understand that.  He brings his own experience to the stage, and it was spot on for this version.

Scout, Jem (Justin Mark) and Dill (Steven Lee Johnson) were very good as the three young children (and adults) who lead the audience on the show’s journey.  The entire ensemble cast played well, especially Ted Koch as Bob Ewell and Jacqueline Williams as Calpurnia.   The bonus highlight of the cast is that Mary Badham – who earned an Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Scout in the film version – plays the role of Mrs. Henry Dubose.    

The presentation is set as a series of flashbacks, taking the audience inside the trial of a black man, Tom Robinson, accused of raping a young white girl, and the subsequent horrific end to his life at the hands of a racists mob.  The story flows in and around the courtroom scenes, the children, and their efforts to get a look of the reclusive neighbor Boo Radley and of course, the climactic ending with an attempted murder of the Finch children, the death of Bob Ewell, and the end of the summer that changed their lives forever. 

In the end, I greatly enjoyed  this telling of “To Kill A Mockingbird.”  I would encourage everyone to read the novel, watch the movie, and if given the chance…. see this play.

On a scale of zero to five, I give “To Kill a Mockingbird” 4.5 stars.

“To Kill a Mockingbird” runs in Kansas City through October 29th.  For tickets to these and future performances, please click HERE.  

• JAGGED LITTLE PILL: the MUSICAL
• Starlight Theater,  Kansas City, Missouri  
• August 1, 2023

Reviewed by J. R. Deeter

It has been nearly 30 years since Alanis Morissette’s “Jagged Little Pill” album was released.  30 holds a strange mental impact on most people….you dread the fact when you turn 30…you’re now old.  The Mom & Dad kind of old, not elderly, but not a young person either.

I remember thinking when I first heard Morissette’s Grammy award winning songs that they were the stories of someone who had been hurt, deeply, and I couldn’t quite understand how someone so young could relate to the things I was hearing.   The musical “Jagged Little Pill” has put it all into a perspective that I never thought of.   The experience can relate to anyone, of any age.

I liked the fact that the show’s book, connecting Morisette’s songs, was written by Diablo Cody (2020 Tony award winner) and overall, it did flow easily.  What I didn’t care for was the cliché of the family members – mom is a drug addict, dad is a workaholic, the son is a pressured overachiever and the daughter is confused sexually.  That is not to lessen the impact of the subject matter and issues address by the story, they are legit and continue to be but it just seemed too forced on the viewer.

Another “get off my lawn” moment for me was the choreography of the supporting cast.  Why does everyone have to always be all herky-jerky in their movements ?  The one bright, shining moment was the number “Smiling” as mother Mary Jane, (Heidi Blickenstaff) suffers through searching for her drug fix, then progressing through her day, when suddenly everything flows intricately slowly in reverse, back to the house where it started.   That segment is the highlight of the show.

The remaining family cast members performed admirably, but the show stealer was Jade McLeod in the roll of Jo.

“Jagged Little Pill: the Musical” receives a total of three out of five stars. 

“Jagged Little Pill” plays at Starlight through Sunday.  For tickets to see this or future shows, please click HERE. 

• RAIN – A MUSICAL TRIBUTE TO THE BEATLES
• STARLIGHT THEATER – KANSAS CITH, MISSOURI
• JULY 21, 2023

I was 9 years old when the Beatles broke up, almost four years after the band stopped touring so I never had the opportunity to see them perform live.  As a child of the 1960s, I was swept up in Beatlemania.  The very first record I ever bought with my own money was the “Hello Goodbye” 45 single.  I have a couple of older friends that did see the band live, one of which grew up in Liverpool and had the band play his school dance, back when the lineup included Pete Best and Stu Sutcliffe.  I’ve seen Paul McCartney live many times, and it’s always great to hear him do a Beatles song, but I always thought that was the closest I’d ever come to seeing the band on stage.  I was wrong!

A musical/multimedia celebration, RAIN is a two hour journey through the adventures of the Fab Four, from their appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show’ to their final roof top concert.  Each song is performed flawlessly, both musically and vocally.  The show consists of four featured mjsicians – Steve Landes on vocals/rhythm guitar, Paul Curatolo (vocals/bas), Aaron Chazza (drums) and Alastar Mcneil (vocals/lead guitar).  Landes and Curatolo also handle piano duties.  They are joined by a very talented Mark Beyer, who handles the background instruments, including piano, strings and horns.    I look at him like Billy Preston.

If you are wondering why I don’t list Mr. Landes as John, Mr. Curatolo as Paul, etc it’s because that is not how they are identified in the program.  I know from doing research on a Beatles themed book that the lads are very protective of everything of theirs, including their names.  Over newsreel footage from the past, familiar quotes by the lads are heard, but they are recreated comments.  The boys are even protective of their voices.

Each member is outstanding on their instruments, with Mr. Chazza providing a perfect backbeat.  Mr. McNeil had the licks down perfectly, but was indeed playing the “quiet” Beatle as none of Harrison’s songs were performed.  I do see that a couple of Harrison’s songs are noted In the program, so maybe the set lists change nightly.  One thing that did catch my attention was that, even though “Paul” was playing bass left handed, when he brought out the acoustic guitar to solo on “Yesterday,” he was playing right handed.  Which to me, someone who plays guitar, is an amazing feat!  I’ve never heard of an ambidextrous musician before, but Mr. Curatolo excelled on both instruments.

RAIN runs through July 23^rd at Starlight Theater.  For tickets to these or future shows, please click HERE.

RAIN receives five out of a total of five stars!   

Finding a silver lining can sometimes be as difficult as finding a needle in a haystack. In the case of touring Broadway musical “Legally Blonde,” currently playing at Starlight Theatre in Kansas City, the vein of silver comes in the form of actress Carrie St. Louis who plays the lead, Elle Woods. A tremendous onstage talent with a powerful vocal range, St. Louis was joy to watch on opening night (July 7th). However, everything else about the production was plagued by flubs with dialogue, occasionally disjointed choreography, and an overall storyline that frequently broke away from its original core anthem of female empowerment.

Loosely based upon the 2001 novel of the same name by American author Amanda Brown, “Legally Blonde” was adapted for the silver screen that same year starring Reese Witherspoon, who reprised the role in 2003’s “Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde.” It was later adapted again in 2007 as a Broadway musical and received seven Tony nominations, although it did not win any.

Elle Woods (St. Louis) is a 4.0 GPA student at UCLA and a member of the Delta Nu sorority. She is giddy at the prospect of being proposed to by her longtime boyfriend, Warner Huntington III (Luke Hamilton). To her great disappointment, Warner dumps her and announces he is heading to Harvard Law School. Determined in an obsessed, borderline restraining order type of way, Elle follows Warner by managing to get into Harvard Law as well. From there, Elle must traverse the challenges of being a fish-out-of-water and overcoming the stigma of being a stereotypical California blonde.

The whole purpose of “Legally Blonde” was to promote a sense of empowerment. To show that women can do anything they set their mind too and shatter any glass ceilings in their way. The musical, though, often diverges from this inspirational legacy crafted by Brown. One such example, punctuated by a song called “Snap and Bend” does the opposite by presenting women as sexual objects who should use their sexuality to get what they want rather than their brains. Overall, the theme of female empowerment, which is so powerful in the film version, is derailed in the musical production by so many distractions that it becomes lost in the forest.

“Legally Blonde” will run through July 13 at Starlight Theatre in Kansas City.  For ticket information, click HERE

• JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR – 50^th Anniversary Tour
• Starlight Theatre – Kansas City, MO  
• June 20th, 2023

Review by J.R. Deeter

What’s the Buzz?   A Superstar for the 21^st Century

2023 marks the 50^th Anniversary of touring productions of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” and the current version presented at Starlight Theatre is a worthy take on the story of the Passion of Jesus Christ and his final week on earth as a man.

The talented cast, including Jack Hopewell as Jesus and Faith Jones as Mary, were very good, but in my opinion the two best performances were delivered by Elvie Ellis in the role of Judas, who gives an animated and passionate portrayal of the quintessential betrayer, and Grant Hodges booming voice as Caiaphas, the Jewish High Priest.

Musically, the well-known Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice score and songs flow, featuring a heavy emphasis on electric guitar over the lyrics which sometimes  made it difficult to hear the words at times, the exception being during Jones’ acceptable performance of “I Don’t Know How to Love Him.”  Unfortunately, Jones’ version pales in comparison with Yvonne Elliman’s emotion-packed rendition on the original soundtrack album, though to be fair,  no one ever will.

With a run time of just over 90 minutes, the pace is very quick as the story moves from one scene into another.  The choreography is excellent, with the ensemble cast moving fluidly about the stage with moves that gave the audience an exhaustive workout just watching.

On a scale of zero to five, “Jesus Christ Superstar” receives four stars. 

• TOOTSIE – the Musical
• Starlight Theater
• Kansas City, Missouri

While men often played female characters in the time of Shakespeare, it didn’thappen a lot in the late 20th Century.  Then came the 1982 film “Tootsie” which is often regarded as one of the funniest films ever.   The story:  Michael Dorsey is an actor who overthinks everything, from the smallest stage direction to the back story he has created for a character.  His reputation is such that he can’t find a job.  Until one day he puts on a dress and some makeup and is hired as an actress.   The rest, as the saying goes, is history.

Michael Dorsey (an excellent Drew Becker) is celebrating his 40th birthday with his two closest friends, former girlfriend Sandy (Payton Reilly) and his roommate Jeff (Jared David Michael Grant).  He is also celebrating his being fired from another show.  As he works with Sandy for an upcoming audition she has, he bemoans the fact that people don’t understand his talents.  When his agent tells him that no one will hire “him” he auditions for the role Sandy was up for and gets the job.  And the fireworks begin.

It’s had to believe that four decades after it premiered the ordeals of women working in male dominated roles continue.  As newly cast Dorothy Michaels, Michael has to deal with the sexism that exists in pretty much every aspect of his chosen profession.  However, that doesn’t stop “Dorothy” from interjecting her ideas into the new show – a musical based on the story of Romeo and Juliet, with Juliet survivng and falling for Romeo’s brother, Craig – from updating the time period to changing the costumes.  However, where Michael’s input would be seen as meddling, “Dorothy” has the support of the show’s femiale producer and soon the show is built around her.

“Tootsie – the Musical” won the Tony Award for its book, and deservedly so.  The story is altered enough from the film that it seems fresh, combining the best jokes from the film with some hilarious new bits.  The songs are well constructed and move the story along.

The show is well cast, with Mr. Becker pulling double duty as Michael/Dorothy.  Not only does he have to speak as both characters, but he has to sing also.  He is able to make both characters come to life as if you are watching two different performers.  Comedically the standouts were Mr. Grant as Jeff and Adam Du Plessis as Ron, the show director.

“Tootise – the Musical” continues in Kansas City through Sunday, May 21.  For tickets to these performances, or future shows on the tour, please click HERE.

• LES MISERABLES
• Music Hall, Kansas City, Missouri
• May 2, 2023

It is often referred to as one of the world’s most popular musicals.  And it is, with good reason.  In 1985, “Les Misérables,” a musical adaptation of Victor Hugo’s novel, premiered.  Full of brilliant music, amazing production design and a cast for the ages, the show became a phenomenon wherever it played.  That includes the current National Tour, which opened in Kansas City this week.

After 19-years of hard labor, Jean Valjean (Nick Cartell) is released from prison.  His crime?  He stole a loaf of bread to feed the hungry children in his family.  Free, but on parole, he clashes with one of his guards, the strict Javert (Preston Truman Boyd).  Once released, Valjean quickly steals again, but an act of kindness leads him to change his life.  And his name.  He becomes a prosperous businessman, but soon finds he will never escape the vengeful Javert.

I’ve seen the show a few times, but this is the first opportunity I’ve had to review it.  And where do I start?  From a fan’s perspective, it is pretty much the perfect musical.  Not a false note – no pun intended.  The show is scaled back some from previous tours, but it is still a spectacle in every sense of the word.

The show is carried by the performances and amazing voices of it’s two leading men.  Both Mr. Cartell and Mr. Boyd put their own touch on roles that have been played the world over, taking the familiar and making it their own.  They successfully mix raw emotions and musical skills in two extraordinary performances.  Other stand outs include Haley Dortch as Fantine, Christine Heesun Hwang as Eponine and audience favorites Christina Rose Hall and Matt Crowle as Madame Thenardier and her crooked husband.

To sum it up, this production of “Les Misérables” is an amazing night at the theater, one that you will never forget.  

“Les Miserables” receives a score of 5 out of 5 stars.

To read my conversation with actor Preston Truman Boyd, please click HERE.

“Les MIserables” continues in Kansas City through Sunday, May 7th.  For informtion and tickets for this and future shows, please click HERE.  

• ANNIE
• Kauffman Center, Kansas City, Missouri
• April 18, 2023

The first professional musical I saw was the first National Tour which came to Kansas City in 1981.  Reid Shelton, who had originated the role of Oliver Warbucks on Broadway, was in the cast along with future Tony Award winner Gary Beach, who played Rooster.  I had played the album endlessly for years so it was an amazing opportunity to see the show live.  42-years later, the show returned to Kansas City and I made sure I was there!

If you are not aware of the show “Annie” or the song “Tomorrow,” you definitely were not around in the late 1970s.  The show took the world by storm, running for an amazing 2,377 shows and was so popular that the name of the Alvin Theater, where the show ran, was temporarily changed to the ANNIE.  For those not familiar with the show, it tells the story of Annie, an orphan in depression-era New York City who lives in an orphanage with other parentless children.  The place is overseen by Miss Hanigan, a woman who really has no reason to be raising children.  When billionaire Oliver Warbucks decides to have an orphan spend Christmas with him, Annie is chosen.  The rest, as the saying goes, is history.

Like any musical, the show is only as good as the people in it, and here “Annie” did not disappoint.  From the ragtag orphans to FDR, they did not miss a beat.  As someone that knows the score by heart, I was pleased at how the performers made the songs their own, adding an additional pause or small nuance to familiar songs, giving the show a new, but familiar, feel. 

Among the standouts – Christopher Swan as Warbucks, Stefanie Londino as Miss Hannigan, Julia Nicole Hunter as Grace Farrell and, of course, Ellie Pulsifer, who plays Annie with a little more street smarts then usual.  I also enjoyed the comic performance of Aidan Ziegler-Hansen, who played radio host Bert Healey. At least I hope it was Mr. Ziegler-Hansen.  On the cast board it was noted that the role of Bert Healey was being played by a different actor.  I didn’t write the name down becuase I expected a little note to be inserted in the Playbill.  Unfortunately, non-of the Playbills had one and by the time the show let out the board had been taken down.  Mr. Ziegler-Hansen is listed as the understudy for the role so that is who I’m tipping my hat too.

In 1993 I caught an early performance of the short-lived “Annie Warbucks,” a sequel to the original show, with a cast that included Donna McKechnie, the original Cassie in “A Chorus Line.”  Though well received, the show never made it to Broadway.  Oh well.  Maybe Tomorrow…it is only a day away!

I give “Annie” 5 stars out of 5.  A fun night at the theater for young and old!

“Annie” runs in Kansas City through April 23rd.  For tickets to this or future shows, click HERE.

“Annie” plays kc through.  buy tix here.