Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – The Kennedy Center stylishly revives Maury Yeston’s NINE headlined by Stephen Pasquale

• By drediman
• August 5, 2024
• No Comments

This past weekend, I took a field trip down to Washington, DC to catch the Kennedy Center’s highly anticipated revival of the Tony Award-winning musical Nine at the Eisenhower Theater. Presented as part of the center’s fantastic Broadway Center Stage series — which lavishly mounts beloved Broadway musicals for limited runs — the production has been directed and choreographed by three-time Tony-winner Andy Blankenbuehler (who is also a Kennedy Center Honoree). Based on Fellini’s 1963 film 8 ½, the musical tells the story of womanizing Italian film director Guido Contini, who suffers from a mental and emotional breakdown while preparing for his latest movie (i.e., a mid-life crisis of sorts). As he melts down during a spa getaway, the women in his life — past and present — infiltrate his psyche, which sends him further spiraling down the rabbit hole. 

Like previous Broadway Center Stage offerings, this revival of Nine features a top-notch cast led by the robustly-voiced and in-demand Stephen Pasquale in role of Guido. On press night, the cast was on point, giving vibrant performances that did the expertly-written material proud (the underrated score is by Maury Yeston; the sophisticated book by Arthur Kopit). The handsome Pasquale imbues Guido with charisma and an endearingly frenetic quality, nearly dispelling the character’s very apparent chauvinistic flaws; he also sings like a dream. But despite the centrality of the morally questionable character of Guido, the musical is at its most captivating as a celebration of strong, complicated women. As the filmmaker’s long-suffering wife Luisa, Elizabeth Stanley brings powerhouse vocals and a steely undercurrent to her portrayal. And as Guido’s two primary mistresses, Shereen Ahmed Ahmed brings quiet, mature gravitas as the introspective actress Claudia (her rendition of “Unusual Way” was simply gorgeous) and Michelle Veintimilla is seduction incarnate as the sexpot Carla. Perhaps even better are the older women in Guido’s life — Carolee Carmello all but steals the show as the film producer Liliane, Lesli Margherita is her typical larger-than-life self as young Guido’s “carnal instructor” Saraghina, and Elizabeth Mastrantonio brings tough maternal instincts in the role of Guido’s mother. Each has an opportunity in the spotlight, and suffice to say, they seize it.

Blankenbuehler’s stylish production eloquently unites the unsettled and layered musical — unsurprisingly — through kinetic movement and choreography, which functions as the dynamic physical manifestation of Guido’s thoughts and yearnings as they swirl inside his head. Instead of the spa in which the musical originally took place, the revival has been smartly re-set in the metaphorical movie studio of Guido’s mind (the color-drained lighting and set design are by Cory Patak and Derek McLane, respectively), giving the piece a more pronounced meta-theatrical quality that works quite well with the musical’s conceit. It was also a wonderful treat to hear Yeston’s rich score in all its glory as played by a full onstage orchestra (musical direction is by Lily Ling). In particular, the large production numbers — e.g., “Folies Bergères”, “Be Italian”, “The Grand Canal” — are masterfully and thrillingly realized, both musically and theatrically.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

NINE
Regional, Musical
The Kennedy Center
2 hours, 10 minutes (with one intermission)
Through August 11