LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE

William Finn said he would spend no more than 30 minutes at a time composing the score to the new musical Little MIss Sunshine, having it’s premiere at the La Jolla Playhouse, so the score wouldn’t be too complicated, I don’t think you’d ever hear Sondheim say that and for good reason, that’s the main problem of this musical laced with inherent problems. The score just simply isn’t good enough and Finn is a far more capable composer, he needs to spend much more time on it. There are a few readily identifiable Finn moments that show a glimpse of a fun idea.

Any show that takes place in a van on a road trip has it’s obvious problems for staging, director James Lapine is a smart & inventive man and keeps things constantly moving but when you’re trapped within a vehicle there’s only so much you can do.

Another inherent problem when musicalizing a movie is that you must cut out many scenes to make room for the songs, that is a major problem here, gaps that lead to incoherence and if you know the movie leaves you wanting certain scenes that aren’t there.

The capable but uneventful cast lead by Hunter Foster just doesn’t equal the quirkiness of the fine movie cast. Even the always wonderful Dick Latessa can’t equal Alan Arkin’s Oscar winning performance. Georgi James as Olive, the lead young actress just isn’t a strong enough actress or singer and borderlines being cloying. The only character who gets a chance to delve into character with the music is the son who doesn’t speak until 3/4 of the show when his rage erupts into a heart felt song (the strongest moment of the show) and Taylor Trensch shines with it.

The pivotal beauty pageant & Olive’s dance that the whole show builds to is wanting here. The show needs much more work but could be quirky fun. Little Miss Sunshine isn’t bad but it it just isn’t good yet.

DANGEROUS BEAUTY

Among the many things missing from the ew musical Dangerous Beauty, premiering at The Pasadena Plahouse, is danger or beauty. The mess that is onstage is a bad omen as the 1st production for the revived playhouse. This show about courtisans lacks any eroticism. The actors seem uncomfortable with sexuality. The highlight of the show is the set of Venice and the costumes, the good news ends tehre. The musical staging is a mess, the choreography is laughable, the acting is of community thetare caliber (led by Broadway actors Jenny powers & James Synder), their ability to speak the prose is amateurish. The score lacks sexuality or passion & misses depth of feeling and the book is a bore. I admit I haven’t seen the movie it was based on but if the board that chooses shows and directors for the Pasadena Playhouse doesn’t make far better choices it will disappear again quickly!

EMMA

Trapped within the garden maze that is the set of Emma, the new musical at The Old Globe in San Diego, is a charming musical but director Jeff Calhoun isn't talented enough to find it.  Every once in a while one of the actots tries something and the show glimmers despite of Calhoun's uninventive staging.  I admit I am not a fan of his and as usual he does nothing here, like most of his staging he just has people stand and sing, constricting any real action or emotion.  Most of the actors are very capable and have some moments but are kept down by the lack of creative directing.  There is so much upstaging & distraction onstage I don't know how he keeps working!  The music has some pretty melodies but the structure of the songs never go anywhere keeping it from ever soaring.  With a real director Emma could be a funny romantic show.

SPIDER-MAN TURN OFF THE DARK

A colossal bore. I thought if anyone had the imagination to pull off a Spider-Man musical it would be Julie Taymor. I trusted she would do it in a way that we hadn’t even thought of that would blow our minds, like she did with The Lion King, but I’m sad to say Spider-Man Turn Off The Dark is everything we were afraid it would be, obvious, like every spoof done of it, hip-hop dancing Spidey & swinging him around the theatre on ropes. Really? That’s what you put up for $70 million?!!!! There’s better flying in American Idiot. The book is incoherent and a complete bore. I could list all the stupidity in the show but it would go on forever. The show just looks cheap. I am embarrassed for her, we deserve better! Notice I didn’t mention the music because there’s nothing to say. Save your money, see something, anything else!