THE HANGOVER REPORT – Kander & Ebb’s (& Miranda’s) NEW YORK, NEW YORK is a flawed yet satisfying love letter to the Big Apple

Clyde Alves, Colton Ryan, and Anna Uzele in “New York, New York” at the St. James Theatre (photo by Paul Kolnik).

Last weekend, I attended the highly anticipated new musical New York, New York at the St. James Theatre. Loosely adapted from the 1977 film of the same name (starring the Liza Minelli and a young Robert DiNero) and set in New York City during the teeming era following World War II, the show – which features a patchwork score by Kander and Ebb (with additional lyrics supplied by none other than Hamilton mastermind Lin-Manuel Miranda) – charts the interweaving stories of young musicians as they hustle to establish and make a name for themselves in the big city.

In essence, the musical is a love letter to the Big Apple – for better or worse. In its obsessiveness to celebrate and animate iconic locales throughout the city, the stage version of New York, New York occasionally takes its eyes off of the plot, leaving its various character threads to resolve themselves pretty much during the final 15 minutes of the show (the flawed book is credited to David Thompson and Sharon Washington). In its attempt to overload the show with multiple storylines, the work calls to mind the muddled storytelling of last season’s equally overstuffed Paradise Square. Nevertheless, I had an enjoyable, even satisfying night at the theater, and the film’s two big numbers – “But the World Goes ‘Round” and the indestructible title song – are emphatically put over, both by the strong-voiced Anna Uzele. Ironically, the musical’s most effective moments come from songs written for other Kander and Ebb musicals, namely “Marry Me” (originally penned for The Rink) and “Quiet Thing” (written for the Liza Minelli vehicle Flora the Red Menace).

Helming the whole endeavor is director/choreographer Susan Stroman, a legend in her own right. Despite the unevenness of the character development, her dance-heavy staging features a bevy of eager triple threats, starting with Colton Ryan’s vocally and dramatically impetuous performance, which personifies the restlessness and volatility of the city that never sleeps. Mr. Ryan exudes the kind of danger and edge that I wish more fully permeated the production. Last but not least, Beowulf Boritt’s designs look like a million bucks, complete with a series of postcard-worthy backdrops.

RECOMMENDED

NEW YORK, NEW YORK
Broadway, Musical
St. James Theatre
2 hours, 45 minutes
Open run

Categories: Broadway, Theater

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