A series of conflicting dates meant I had to wait until December 17 to see this musical at the Classic Stage Company where it opened in October and was extended to run through December 17th. I didn’t anticipate much magic, for the show was chiefly remembered as the one in which Barbara Streisand made her debut on Broadway in a small featured role as Miss Marmelstein. Her performance was the talk of the town even though the cast included her future husband, Elliot Gould, as Harry Bogen and Lillian Roth as his mother. The novel by Jerome Weidman on which it was based graphically told the story of the driven Harry Bogen who was capable of love–but only for money and ruthless control. The product of the surge of immigration to the United States of European Jews in the 1920s, Harry was hardly the type of character to endear himself to an audience of musical comedy fans who were accustomed to melody and mirth in the musical theatre that entertained them. So Jerome Weidman’s novel was an unlikely source for a Broadway musical. But by the 1960s audiences had begun to respond to difficult material, and as far back as 1957 they had welcomed “West Side Story” and “New Girl In Town” and others that featured interesting counter-heroes and heroines. It certainly paved the way in the 1980s for “Sweeney Todd” and his fascinating vis-a-vis Mrs.Lovett.
But to return to this production at the Classic Stage Company. For starters, the director Trip Pullman and choreographer Ellenore Scott were not known to me, and they both brought the most original movement that serves the material brilliantly. And on the small stage and with what I assume is not a limitless budget, they have assembled an ensemble and principals that are without exception first class. To keep things moving and visually stunning, they have made use of their talented cast to move furniture, light lights, turn tables into beds, and generally make the basic tables and chairs serve as everything needed to back the cast in over twenty musical numbers with astonishing variety. Harold Rome wrote both music and lyrics, and though there are few single hit tunes, there are many impressive theatrical sounds with revealing lyrics that support exciting stage movement.
Miss Marmelstein is notably still there, and as belted out to us by Julia Lester she is still a major force. Santino Fontana is smashing as the highly demanding Harry Bogen, and Judy Kuhn is fine as his mother–a woman whose disappointment in her son is palpable. There is unity in the consistency of all the supporting cast and how easily these performers slip into and out of the Ensemble when needed. As an audience we stood as one to cheer them all at the final bows. Jerome Weidman, whose novel sired this powerful musical drama, would have admired his son John’ adaptation and the glorious score that now accompanies it.