42nd Street
Reviewed
By: Joe Blenkle / Sacramento Stage & Theatre
SS&T
Rating:
 
Director:
N/A
Cast:
Jennifer Cody, Carol Swarbrick,
Bobby Clark, Cathy Susan Pyles
Location:
Music Circus, Sacramento CA
Dates:
Aug. 9-15, 1999
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Julian Marsh (Patrick Quinn) invites Peggy
Sawyer (Holly Bosil) to "listen to the lullaby of Broadway" in a scene from the Music
Circus production of 42ND STREET, Aug. 9-15.
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In almost a yearly
tradition, Music Circus seem to build over its seven-show schedule to a monumental
conclusion that leaves the crowd in awe and wishing the season lasted
longer.
If this trend holds true, audiences are in for a treat the last
two shows of the season - Carousel and A Chorus Line - because this week's
production of 42nd Street is going to be hard to top!
Monday's opening night was a fabulous display of dancing,
costumes and comedy and treated the Sacramento audience to what may have been
one of the most talented casts ever to set foot on the Music Circus stage.
To put it simply, the dancing was electric and yet another
Music Circus newcomer dazzled the crowd with a talented display of singing and tap
dancing.
Holly Bosil takes on the role of Peggy Sawyer, a girl from
Allentown, PA who has traveled to New York hoping for her big break in show
business.
She's terrified at the prospect and arrives late for her audition for a new
musical called Pretty Lady, but after an impromptu dance session with some of the
girls, the director of the show, Julian Marsh (Patrick Quinn), adds her to the dance
line. The star of the show, Dorothy Brock (Alyson Reed), takes
an immediate dislike to the new girl and when opening night finally rolls around,
Dorothy and Peggy collide, literally, and Dorothy goes down with a broken ankle and
is out of the show.
At the urging of the entire cast, however, Peggy steps in to
save the day, accepting the lead roll. But now she must learn 25 pages of script, six
songs and 10 dance routines in only 36 hours before the show reopens in New
York.
Bosil, who has played the role of Peggy Sawyer before,
was terrific as the young dancer who must learn to have confidence in herself despite
her inexperience. Holly received a Drama-Logue Award in 1995 for her performance
as Peggy in Los Angeles and was in the European tour of
42nd Street in 1996 and
1997. She's an incredibly talented tapper and won the crowd over early in the "Gypsy
Tea Kettle" scene in "Go Into Your Dance."
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CAST OF "42ND STREET"
Andy Lee - Jennifer Cody; Maggie Jones - Carol Swarbrick; Bert Barry -
Bobby Clark; Annie - Cathy Susan Pyles; Billy Lawlor - John Scherer; Peggy Sawyer -
Holly Bosil; Phyllis - Trina Simon-O'Steen; Lorraine - Megan Sikora; Julian Marsh -
Patrick Quinn; Dorothy Brock - Alyson Reed; Abner Dillon - Zale Kessler; Pat Denning
- Bill Bishop; Thugs - Aaron Douglas Smith and Richard Bulda. Ensemble: Danny
Bergold, Richard Bulda, E. Clayton Cornelious, Jennifer Foote, Karen LaMarche,
Amber Owens, Megan Sikora, Trina Simon-O'Steen, Aaron Douglas Smith, Todd
Bradley Smith, Valerie Jane Smith, Christopher Windom. |
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Something clicked (besides the tapping) with this cast. It's really difficult to focus in on individuals when
42nd Street was such a team effort.
Everyone worked together perfectly in very complex dance numbers and the audience
was treated to a spectacle that will be hard to top in the final two shows of the
season.
Alyson Reed plays a convincing Dorothy Brock - a star
past her prime, but still in command of the show. Her "Shadow Waltz," an out-of-step
dance number using rear-projected lighting on draped fabric hanging down on all sides
of the stage set the tone of the production early on - hilarious!!!
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Alyson Reed |
She's a Tony-nominated actress for her role of Sally
Bowles in the Broadway production of Cabaret and has had numerous roles on TV,
including Chicago Hope, Jag and Party of Five. It's always a pleasure to see
an actress of her quality grace the stage under the tent.
Jennifer Cody, who played Julian Marsh's dance captain
Andy Lee - and who has appeared in two other productions this summer (West
Side Story and Bye, Bye, Birdie) - continues to delight the Music Circus audiences.
She's a lot of fun to watch in this production as she runs the dancers through their
steps and gets a chance to do some fancy footwork herself.
Carol Swarbrick as Maggie Jones (she co-wrote "Pretty
Lady") and Patrick Quinn's Julian Marsh (the director) were entertaining as well on the MC stage. Swarbrick played the role on Broadway and actually got her
professional start years ago at Music Circus. Quinn played Uncle Max in Sound
of Music on Broadway and has also had leading roles on Broadway in
Damn Yankees and Beauty and the Beast.
42nd Street performs in the Music Circus tent on the
corner of 15th and H Streets through August 15, Monday through Saturday at 8 p.m.
and Sunday at 7:30 p.m. Tickets range in price from $23-$40. For ticket information
call (916) 557-1999 or visit the Music Circus box office at 1419 H Street. Next up for the Music Circus is Carousel (Aug. 16-22),
starring George Merrick and Lauri Landry. Return to
Sacramento Stage & Theatre
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