Masquerade Theatre once again is offering its pocket edition of a big-league Broadway musical -- in this case, City of Angels, 1990's Tony winner as best musical.
D. Fahleson / Chronicle Allison Sumrall and Luther Chakurian offer strong performances in Masquerade Theatre's production of City of Angels. |
Naturally, one doesn't expect the lavish production values and high gloss of the Broadway original or the fine touring company (headed by Broadway veterans Jeff McCarthy and Stephen Bogardus) that gave the show's memorable Houston premiere in 1992.
Still, director Phillip Duggins manages a generally resourceful reduction, almost a concert treatment with minimal settings and costumes, stressing the writing and performances. Given unusually strong writing and the spirited efforts of a youthfully raw yet gifted cast, a no-frills City of Angels still earns its place in the spotlight.
One of Broadway's brightest achievements of recent years, City of Angels remains that rarity -- a completely original musical and one in which the book predominates.
Librettist Larry Gelbart (A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, M*A*S*H, Tootsie) crafted one of the smartest of all librettos, right up there with Forum, Little Me and How to Succeed.
His affectionate tribute to 1940s film noir juxtaposes the travails of detective writer Stine with the exploits of his hard-boiled gumshoe hero, Stone. Stine is in Hollywood struggling to turn his book City of Angels into his first screenplay as egomaniacal producer Buddy Fidler instigates a string of increasingly damaging changes.
The detective yarn unfolds as Stine writes it: Stone, hired by a femme fatale to find her missing stepdaughter, finds himself first the target of goons, then the patsy in a trumped-up murder charge.
As Stine caves to Fidler's demands, Stone talks back to his creator, demanding he show some spine and stand up for their integrity.
The script brims with wry commentary and dialogue wonderfully evocative of that distinctive tough talk found in pulp fiction.
The nifty score is by Cy Coleman, one of the Broadway's greats (Sweet Charity, On the 20th Century, Barnum, The Life), paired with bright young lyricist David Zippel (this was his Broadway debut). Snazzy melodic hooks, intricate rhythms and Modernaires-style harmonics abound in Coleman's most jazz-inflected score, while Zippel's clever lyrics match the knowing nature of Gelbart's libretto.
While the songs initially seem to take a back seat, the score rises to its big opportunities, especially in its centerpiece, You're Nothing Without Me, the creator vs. creation duet of Stine and Stone.
Other standouts are: the smoky ballad With Every Breath I Take; the snappy What You Don't Know About Women; It Needs Work (wife Gabby's critique of Stine's lame apologies); You Can Count on Me, a strong hard-luck-gal character number for Oolie and Donna (the same actress playing fall girls in both "real life" and the movie; and Funny, Stine's climactic solo of angry/ironic reflection.
Duggins has staged some scenes more broadly than necessary (especially those involving a smarmy crooner and a vengeful cop). Yet his emphasis on speed and punch usually works; the deadpan parody of the movie scenes sharpens as the performance progresses.
Duggins may have chosen Angels as a vehicle for Masquerade mainstays Luther Chakurian (Stine) and Ilich Guardiola (Stone), both of whom unleash their customarily powerful voices (Chakurian impressively so in some especially demanding solos). Chakurian stresses Stine's hangdog resignation as he struggles to find the gumption to fight back. Guardiola brings a cynical bite and clenched-jaw delivery to his worldly P.I.
Allison Sumrall projects wry humor and snap as been-around secretaries Oolie and Donna, with a showstopping You Can Always Count on Me. Kaytha Coker manages to be both sultry and sensible as Gabby and Bobbi (respectively Stine and Stone's main love interest), strong in her vocals on With Every Breath and It Needs Work. Rebekah Dahl makes a polished femme fatale as Alaura and Carla; she delivers some of the script's best zingers with flair.
Katharine Randolph certainly looks every inch the naughty runaway heiress. And albeit a tad broad, Dan Rutzen (as Stone's policeman nemesis) and Kory Kilgore (as the ambitious crooner) score in their key songs and scenes. Anita Butt (piano), Mark Prause (bass) and Doug Herrington (percussion) play Coleman's cool score with swing and style.
