THE BAKER’s WIFE at the Classic Stage Company on East 13th Street

Bread is going to draw us into learning more about our next Broadway musical, a lalapalooza with a cast of over twenty featured players and an ensemble of gifted singers, all of whom are delighted to sing, dance, or yodel (they don’t really) to help us spin the story of the small town girl from rural France who has married an older gent of means who is about to become the baker in the provincial village to which they have both emigrated. She lends the name to the show with the music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a Book by Joseph Stein–all based on a film by Marcel Pagnol called “La Femme du Boulanger”. Don’t worry, “bonjour” is about all the French there is.

The cast (Mathew Murphy, Evan Zimmerman)

There is a great deal of story that follows this baker and his wife and the people of the village through their relationships. Love, betrayal, sexism, and faithfulness within the couples, and animosity and friendship between neighbors, and the struggle of body, mind, and spirit represented by the Marquis, the teacher, and the curate. You would miss all the fun if you let this production slip by.        

The music alone is a revelation, Charlie Alterman conducts tune after tune sliding forth from the luscious orchestrations by David Cullen that brings to mind a babbling brook.There are lapses but on the whole it is all refreshingly lush. I think you will want the recording of this show.

The female cast (Mathew Murphy, Evan Zimmerman)

At the performance that I attended, several understudies were on joining veterans such as Arnie Burton and Judy Kuhn. The lead role was sung beautifully by Savannah Lee Birdsong standing in for the star Arianna de Bose. The staging was craftily done in the theater in the round of the CSC by the team of Jason Weixelman with lighting well managed by Bradley King, and the sound design was aligned with the size of the space by Jason Crystal.

This popular production is running to the end of 2025 until December 21. The house is packed so look for seats early and share some seasonal joy with the audience.