No Doubt About It

The New York theater’s poster boy for November is playwright John Patrick Shanley; after all, he’s on more posters than any one else. With three of his plays being produced by three separate theater companies, Shanley is having his own unofficial Signature series. The first two plays to open this month were the boldly creative Sailor’s Song, put on by the LAByrinth Theatre Company at the Public, and the revival of the emotionally powerful Danny and the Deep Blue Sea at Second Stage. They are entirely different from each other — and the third play, recently opened at the Manhattan Theatre Club, is sharply different from these two. Shanley’s sensationally ambiguous new play is called Doubt. Of course, it’s wildly impressive that Shanley has had major productions of three of his plays in NYC during the same month, but that’s nothing compared to the extraordinary achievement of having three great plays produced simultaneously.

Doubt is the story of Sister Aloysius (Cherry Jones), the principal of a Catholic school. She believes that a popular priest in her school, Father Flynn (Brían F. O’Bryne), is a child molester, but she has no proof. At any cost, even the destruction of her own career, she intends to protect the children. But what if she’s wrong? An intense and resonant piece of theater, Doubt offers no easy answers. Every revelation can be interpreted in at least two different ways.

Shanley has written a play inhabited by plain-spoken people, but there are so many layers of reality to these characters that we soon realize there’s nothing plain about them at all. The performances of Jones and O’Bryne are standouts in this young season. Adriane Lenox is shattering as the mother of a young boy who may or may not have been molested. Heather Goldenhersh, as Sister James, is effective as an innocent nun and teacher who gets caught between her principal and her priest. John Lee Beatty’s set design gracefully changes from a locker room into an office and then into a courtyard. Doug Hughes’s direction is exquisitely simple and sensitive. This is a terrific production of a terrific play — no doubt about it.

********************

A Good Musical for Kids: No Kidding!

Musicals designed for kids are becoming more and more visible — and viable — in New York City. Their cachet has certainly increased in that one of the creators of the children’s show Cam Jansen (closing this weekend at the Lambs Theatre) was the creator of the hit cult musical Bat Boy. We’re speaking of the hot and hip Laurence O’Keefe. With his partner Nell Benjamin, O’Keefe wrote the book, music, and lyrics for Cam Jansen, turning the popular children’s book series by David A. Adler into a lively and engaging musical comedy.

There’s nothing you won’t guess about the plot of this somewhat modernized version of the Nancy Drew stories, but the show’s appeal is less about the story and more about the sure-handed musical theater elements that drive the entire production. The music is catchy, the lyrics have charm, and the songs propel the story. Luke Hegel-Cantarella’s set design is sophisticated, giving the production a sense of polish that will appeal to adults. By the same token, the direction of Gordon Greenberg is fast-paced but warm, allowing the actors to inhabit their parts.

And the cast is exceptional. As Cam (short for Camera), a young girl with a photographic memory, Kate Wetherhead is most appealing; vulnerable but never cutesy, she has a sweet sound. The playful Miguel Cervantes gives a winning character performance as Cam’s best friend, Eric. Farah Alvin plays the spoiled, popular girl Linda with conviction, while Jamie LaVerdiere and David Josefsberg are impressively versatile in multiple roles. Still, it’s Jill Abramovitz who all but steals the show as a drama teacher and Cam’s ditzy Aunt Molly. Abramovitz stood out in Junie B. Jones (another children’s musical) earlier this season, and it’s great to have her back on stage.

********************

Andrea: Thou Swell

Andrea Marcovicci’s deep and abiding love of Fred Astaire imbues her new show about that icon at the Algonquin Hotel’s Oak Room with enough warmth to take the chill out of any winter’s night. Combine the appeal of Astaire’s unmatchable talents with Marcovicci’s unmatchable charm and you’ve got — well — a perfect match.

Nobody in cabaret imparts a history lesson like Marcovicci. She tosses off nuggets of information about Astaire with theatrical flourish, giving us a loving snapshot of the man behind the legend. Besides the wonderful storytelling, there is also the fact that Astaire introduced more hit songs than any other movie star in Hollywood. So Marcovicci also gets to sing one great number after another, but what makes her the “Callas of Cabaret” is that she also acts one great song after another. Her phrasing is brilliant and her acting choices are unerring. She reinvents familiar songs like “They Can’t Take That Away From Me” (George and Ira Gershwin) and “One for My Baby” (Harold Arlen/Johnny Mercer), making it clear once and for all why they are standards. She is royally supported by her musical director, Shelly Markham — who, like the late Wally Harper, is a master accompanist — and Jered Egan on bass. The glam Marcovicci — wait till you see her wardrobe! — will continue to sing Astaire at the Oak Room through December 30.

********************

The Full Monty

We are thrilled to report that Carolyn Montgomery is presently performing the best show of her career. Like Jeanne MacDonald, who came into her own a few years ago, Montgomery seems to have taken a leap forward as an entertainer. Her show at the Duplex, Akimbo, is that rare but always hoped-for mix of great material, incisive interpretations, and shining personality.

A particularly appealing aspect of this show is Montgomery’s display of her musical comedy chops. She’s performing a lot of fresh and funny material that’s not often done in cabaret and she puts it over with style, including a dicey send up of “Fever” called “Beaver.” Other comic highlights include “The Letter Song,” by Eric Lane Barnes, and “Michael Jackson’s Nose,” by Rusty McGee — the latter admittedly not new but still somehow timely.

In addition to the comedy, Montgomery dives into deeper emotional waters in ballads such as “In Whatever Time We Have” (Stephen Schwartz) and “My Son” (Rupert Holmes). The patter that pulls all of this material together is stylishly crafted and delivered with vivacity. Musical director Rick Leonard is the next generation’s Shelly Markham; his arrangements are elegant and perfectly support the star. It’s always a pleasure to watch a cabaret artist bloom — and Montgomery is now in full flower. Akimbo can be seen again at the Duplex on Sunday, November 28 at 7pm.

********************

[To contact the Siegels directly, e-mail them at siegels@theatermania.com.]