City of Angels
My thoughts on City of Angels or…music, movies. and mystery
I remember falling in love with the Tony winning City of Angels the first time I heard Cy Coleman’s jazzy score and David Zippel’s beyond clever lyrics. I was instantly transported to the 1940’s era of film noir and when I finally got to see a bus and truck tour in the early 1990’s, I was a goner. Larry Gelbart’s witty book cemented my love for the musical.
It’s hard to believe, but I have not seen a production of City of Angels since then. Leave it to the fearless, fierce, and formidably talented women of Upright Theatre Co. to end that long drought. This musical is an ambitious undertaking for any theater, but to produce it in Upright’s intimate space is seemingly impossible. Enter fearless, fierce, and formidable Director Natalie Burkhart who along with Music Director Devon Harper, Choreographer Whitney Morris, and Scenic Designer Hayden Casey stages a production that is entertaining and semi-immersive with an enthusiastic and talented cast.
Stine, a novelist, moves to Hollywood to adapt his books into movies and the story moves back and forth from the colorful world of Hollywood to the black and white world of the movie. Stine’s detective creation is named Stone, and he becomes Stine’s alter ego as the fictional character chases danger and romance in a film noir while Stine struggles with the Hollywood system. There’s so much going on in this musical where most actors play two or more parts that you have to fall into the rhythm of the show and pay attention to get every twist and turn. And there are many. It’s complicated (Google it) but great fun and, of course, there will be a Hollywood ending.
The leading men are Maxwell Skaggs as Stine and Joshua Wilson as Stone. Both men have the skill, charisma, and voices to pull off these demanding roles and their best musical moments come when they duet in “You’re Nothing Without Me” and its reprise at the end of the show. It’s a musicalized interior monologue and the tune that will stay in your head.
Chelsea Schmidt is perfection as the seductive, glamourous Alaura. Schmidt, channeling Veronica Lake, Lauren Bacall, and a hint of Rita Hayworth, is the epitome of the 40’s femme fatale. She has beautiful, soft vocals and is brilliant in the double entendre filled “Tennis Song” duet with Wilson. Together they prove that a song doesn’t have to be explicit to be sexy.
The commanding voice of Tim Bass makes him an excellent Buddy Fidler, the movie producer. Bass echoes the great studio execs of the past. Fidler is charming in his own bombastic sort of way and he’s a control freak of the highest degree. Bass inhabits him masterfully.
As Stone’s secretary and right hand woman Oolie, Robbie Fernandez is a gem. She’s the self-professing “second fiddle” in love with her boss but resigned to be a spinster. Her song “You Can Always Count on Me” is a highlight of the show.
Also gems are Samantha Infante as Bobbi who delivers a sultry “With Every Breath I Take” and a delightful “What You Don’t Know About Women” duet with Fernandez and the seductively sheet clad Mallory of Jacy Schoening who scores big with the sensuously enticing “Lost and Found.”
Adrian Villa, a talented singer and actor, delivers all the threatening goods as Lieutenant Munoz in the upbeat, Latin flavored “All Ya Have to Do is Wait.”
Gifted actors Bradley Langan, Jordan Kuzmack, Freddie Penn III, Bailey Lund, and Kyle Morris play countless parts in the musical and keep them all distinct in skillful performances.
My favorite moment in the show occurs at the top of Act II when Jaquailyn Martin as Jimmy Powers, backed by the superb jazz quartet Angel City 4 that includes Jill Baker, Ellie Nunemaker, Nathanael Clark, and Dan Shimon, croons “Stay with Me.” Martin has one of the most incredible voices I’ve heard in a long while and brings show stopping charm and humorous attitude to the character. He is jaw droppingly good.
I admired the way Hayden Casey’s set design differentiated the two worlds of City of Angels aided by Mia Lindemann’s lighting and there are great forties costumes from Theater Threads & More. A special shout out to Conor Clark who built those two murphy beds.
It was a real treat to be a able to see City of Angels once again with such a fine cast and adapted so well for the space. Congratulations to Director Burkhart and her team who make City of Angels a helluva good time.
