New York City
Some people are born to be onstage, and after seeing HAM: A Musical Memoir at Theater 511 at Ars Nova, it's obvious that Sam Harris is one of them. Audiences may remember him from the first season of the 1980s hit TV show Star Search, during which he sang his way to stardom with his rendition of "Over the Rainbow" and nailed the win, or from his numerous albums and roles on Broadway. In this musical smorgasbord, based on his 2014 memoir, Harris' gives a personal, intimate performance, directed by Kinky Boots' Billy Porter, that's as hilarious as it is poignant.
In his opening number, Harris offers us some tasty slices of his quirky life events, like the time he performed at Carnegie Hall and, about to take an encore, locked himself out of the building. Then, he and piano accompanist Todd Schroeder take us tunefully through Harris' budding-Broadway-star youth in Oklahoma, where he began to release his inner thespian in shows like South Pacific and plays like The Miracle Worker, in which he fought hard to play, but ultimately did not get, the role of Helen Keller. Harris attributes his true musical awakening to his experience with an elderly woman at an African-American church; his performance here, during which he convincingly embodies this life-altering benefactress, is one of the show's highlights.
But the charcuterie board of his life is not all applause and hilarious anecdote. Harris delves into the darker parts of his journey to stardom: his struggle with his homosexuality in a religious-minded community, his attempted suicide, his difficult relationship with his father, his relentless conviction that something was wrong with him. He and Porter gauge these scenes not only to illuminate Harris' teenage struggles but to add texture to the show as a whole. His story and choice of brief musical selections also shine light on the challenges of being gay in America during the '70s and '80s — challenges that fellow gay Gen Xers will certainly relate to.
It's easy for an autobiographical show like this to get self-congratulatory and a little schmaltzy. Fortunately, Harris and Porter steer clear of those pitfalls by keeping the pace brisk without dwelling too long in the shadows. Reid Thompson's simple scenic design — a single door with a glittering pig on one side — serves as the symbolic life portal through which Harris frequently steps. Matt Berman's lighting heightens both the show's glitzy and emotional moments, making the small stage of Ars Nova feel bigger than it is.
Of course, Harris' performance does that too, but it's the intimacy of the theater and of his story that gives the final savory glaze to this thoroughly entertaining show. Yes, Harris is most definitely a ham — and he knows it. It's hard to imagine him anywhere else but onstage belting out Judy Garland numbers. But his journey is also inspirational and unique, magnified by his final selection, his touchingly performed signature song, "Over the Rainbow." By the end, we feel like we've just watched someone we've known for years give a performance to a bunch of old friends.