What do you get when you mix toe-tapping dance moves, bold and beautiful voices that resonate across the stage, a love triangle, a little bit of ambition and a lot of heart and soul?
I’d say Arkansas Repertory Theatre‘s 2013 season debut, “Pal Joey,” which opened at downtown Little Rock theater last week.
This 1940 Broadway musical reincarnation– directed by the Tony award-winning Broadway director Peter Scheider– stars the hard-bitten nightclub performer Joey, played by Clifton Oliver, alongside the oh-so-witty piano player Ted (Jonas Cohen). The sassy, and classy, Linda, played by Stephanie Umoh, is one half of Joey’s love interests– the other is the very pretentious, uber-rich Vera Simpson, played by Erica Hanrahan-Ball.
With a fresh take on the classic, which was also a popular 1957 film starring Frank Sinatra, Schneider explores the themes of morality, race, class and the timeless relationship between power and love.
As the production gets started, the theater’s orchestra can be seen playing the rich jazzy score behind the red transclucent curtain; they double as the house band for a nightclub in Chicago. This is where charismatic and troubled romantic Joey takes center stage despite the club owner’s apprehensiveness to allow an African-American performer to sing.
You see, at this time, skin color was still an issue in many parts of the country — a theme that plays a big role in the story, particularly with his relationship with white socialite Vera.
At center stage, you see Joey’s strong attachment to music and his ambition to own a nightclub, something he achieves by becoming a pawn of Vera (introduced later) and betraying every one else around him, including Linda, the woman he falls for after meeting in a nearby diner.
It’s a whirlwind of emotion from song-to-song when you see his constant balancing act of his career and two love affairs.
The audience gets a taste of the glamorous club life with Ted, Joey and the house performers Val (Jordy Lievers), Trixie (Elise Kinnon) and Gladys (Danielle Erin Rhodes) with “Chicago/You Mustn’t Kick It Around,” especially because of the female trio’s sparkly and intricate ensembles, which take on a life of their own with their colorful feathers and rhinestones.
Even Vera’s sophisticated outfits — silk robes, structured dresses and all– stand out and further enhance the realism of the period-production.
As for the music, I was captivated by “The Lady Is a Tramp” — it’s the very moment we are introduced to Vera and we really see the true talent of all five actors, including Ted, who was a new character written for the production.
This scene-stealer lights up the stage with his endearing personality, modest sensibilities and strong musical capabilities, particularly during “Sing for Your Supper,” where he and Joey play off of eachother’s vocals with each verse.
But the delightful music, written by Rodgers & Hart, is what really keeps us on our toes. Songs like “Sing for Your Supper,” “Nobody’s Heart” and “Glad to Be Unhappy” — all plucked from the duo’s original catalog — offer a fresh addition to the classic tale.
The question “What Is a Man?” seems to sustain much life in the play from beginning to end — it’s the very first question Ted asks us in his beginning monologue and is the underlying theme throughout each act as Joey juggles his love for two women, while trying to keep his club — which is funded by Vera — running successfully.
Joey’s high energy with every dance move and interaction with characters keeps the show fast-paced and moving. Although his jealousy is revealed when others seem to steal the spotlight (Gladys and Ted), we feel a powerful connection with him, enough for us to really want him to be successful in his endeavors.
Bottom line: This reimagined production of the 1940 Broadway classic shows the intense power struggle of keeping your identity in a mixed game of love, morality and race. It shows us that keeping a healthy life balance can be a little difficult, especially if love, a little money and ambition is involved.
There is plenty of time to see the show. It runs until Sept. 29.
Purchase tickets for the remaining shows online here, call (501) 378-0405 or visit the box office at 601 Main St. in Little Rock.