Putting It Together: A Musical
Read-Through at MetroStage
By Joel
Markowitz
DCTheatreReviews
March 27,
2007
There’s great enthusiasm, hope, and excitement
at the first read-through of the new production of the Off-Broadway hit The Musical of Musicals at Metro Stage.
It’s Tuesday, March 20th at 4:30
PM. As I walk from the King Street Metro to
Well, with what I saw at the read-through, the
show should be a blast and hopefully, a big hit. I’m expecting local theatre
goers to howl loudly when they come to see the show at Metro Stage.
I walk into the theatre and am surrounded by
lots of dust, chairs piled up on the sides of the aisles, electrical chords on
the floor, cable wire strewn around, ladders and drills, lights and yellow and
blue panels leaning on the stage, which will comprise part of the set.
There is a long rectangular table with chairs
filled with the incredibly talented cast of Bobby Smith (who I loved this year in Caroline, or Change at Studio Theatre and
Girl In The Goldfish Bowl here
at Metro Stage), Donna Migliaccio (Helen Hayes Winner for her
pie-making performance as Mrs. Lovett in Signature’s Sweeney Todd and a nominee this year for Assassins at Signature as Sarah Jane
Moore) and Janine Gulisano-Sunday
and her husband-singer extraordinaire Russell
Sunday, (who I have seen perform in countless musicals at
Toby’s – The Dinner Theatre of Columbia), and musical director, Dan Kazemi,
who is sitting at the piano on the left side of the table.
With a cast like this, director Larry Kaye will have an enjoyable
time mounting this production. They are all pros and extremely musical.
Larry Kaye begins the read through by
introducing the cast, choreographer Nancy
Harry, Set Designer Allison
Campbell, Lighting Designer Terry Smith, Costume Designer Erin Nugent. (Sound Designer Steve Beano was not present). Larry
asks the cast if they had reviewed the script and score, Janine, Donna and
Russell nod "yes," while funnyman Bobby Smith responds, "Yes, I
looked at it once!"
Dan proceeds to lead the cast in vocalizing
and warm up exercises. Hearing the cast warm up with
"Meow-Meow-Meow-Meow-Meow-Meow" and "He-He-He-He-He-He’s"
is, well, ear bending, but the beautiful tones that follow the "meows and
He-Hes" by this vocally talented cast, brings
shivers up and down my spine. I am so excited because I know then that this
cast is going to be the best singing cast the show has ever had.
Larry next has the cast mark changes he has
made to the script (which the creators have approved) and explains who would be
saying and singing the changes. And then the singing of the very funny score
and reading of the very funny book begins.
I’m not going to give the humor of the book
away, but suffice it to say that this cast hits all the right
notes and are superb comedians and comediennes. Donna thrills the
attendees with some incredible vocal wonders. Carolyn and I applaud wildly and
hoot when Donna hits these notes. Merman would have been proud!
The director explains to his cast his
philosophy: "I will not put an actor in a scene where the actor isn’t
comfortable," and vows to "bring out every comic moment in this
script." (or else! Just
kidding.) And I know that this cast will deliver because this show is
perfectly tailored to their vocal and comic abilities and talents. They are
perfectly cast.
After a quick dinner break in the lobby, where
the cast munches on sandwich wraps and chicken wings and cookies, set designer Alisson Campbell shows a scaled down model of her set.
"I am trying to find a surprise or a moment that has a surprise in every
scene." Some of these surprises are unveiled, but I won’t divulge them to
you. Costume designer Erin Nugent shows sketches of her costumes and explains
that there will be 15 second costume changes which will occur offstage. (Look
for kimonos, bath robes, glasses, some pretty formal outfits to be worn by the
cast).
It’s 8:30 PM and I have to leave to catch
the metro. Of course, I get lost for a while until a patient and understanding
pedestrian shows me the way and walks me to the Braddock Street Metro. I just
miss a train and wait another 20 minutes when a Blue Line train gets me to
Metro Center, where I transfer to The Shady Grove Red Line train and arrive
back to my condo- The Gallery- one block from The White Flint Metro at 10:15
PM. I review and update the notes used for this article, and as I heat up some
soup in the microwave, I happily recount the funny lines of The Musical of Musicals and smile at the
great cast that will bring it to life at Metro Stage from April 12-June 3rd.
Alright! Alright! Here’s a snippet
from the show’s parody of Rodgers and Hammerstein:
"That was a delicious clam dip
Eating it made us glad.
We know they were minced, but we’re convinced
That some of them clams were bad.
Our stomachs hurt, our bladders are full
We drank too much champagne.
That was delicious clam dip
But some of us got Ptomaine!"