Feisty '42nd Street' taps local talent
WCT shuffles off to success with '30s era musical
Director Julian Marsh (Rick Richter) tries to lure Peggy Sawyer (Patty Neuhoff), whom he fired, back to the cast of “Pretty Lady” as she waits at the train station.
In the musical by the same name, "42nd Street" is called "naughty, bawdy and gaudy."
The Waukesha Civic Theatre's version of the show, however, is actually quite nice, hardly bawdy and replete with tasteful sets.
The show is a simple story of a small town girl, Peggy Sawyer (Patty Neuhoff), who comes to Broadway with lots of talent and dreams of becoming a star. She winds up in a show, "Pretty Lady," whose director is the famously dictatorial Julian Marsh (Rick Richter). When she butts heads, literally and figuratively, with the show's irascible star, Dorothy Brock (Tracie Brah), she's fired, only to be rehired when the star can't go on.
"42nd Street," set in 1933 during the Busby Berkeley era, has a lot of dancing – tap-dancing. And to put on a successful production, you need some good tappers. WCT's "42nd Street" features a fine core group of dancers for smaller numbers and, for the big production numbers, the rest of the cast holds their own.
WCT also does a great job with the well-known production numbers: "We're in the Money," "Shuffle Off to Buffalo," "Lullaby of Broadway," "42nd Street."
The curtain rises on "We're in the Money" to glittering green and white costumes, huge coin props, dangling verdant jewels and lots of great tapping. Another great number is "Shuffle Off to Buffalo," which includes a pink wall of several train berths, each occupied by a pair of singers. The scene, which features Paul Burkard as Burt and Ellen Jenders as Annie, is absolutely charming.
Another requirement for a successful "42nd Street" is some strong glue. And that means someone who can play Julian Marsh with a convincing combination of arrogance, ambition, forcefulness and dedication to his cast and crew. His charges are at once awestruck and afraid, yet would donate a kidney to the man. As Marsh, Richter embodies all those traits and is especially effective when he must convince Sawyer to return to the show.
Neuhoff plays Sawyer with wide-eyed innocence but plenty of spunk and really comes alive on the tap numbers. Brah as Brock sets the right tone for the role of the demanding diva as she struts about, making demands left and right. Both Neuhoff and Brah have fine voices and paired nicely for "About a Quarter to Nine."
Corey Richards gives WCT another stellar performance – after a great turn as the psychologist in "Miracle on 34th Street." As Billy Lawlor, the show's leading man, Richards steps higher, turns sharper and fills the stage with more confidence than anyone else. His pitch perfect tenor even has a bit of Rudy Vallee in it to set the show firmly in the '30s.
Karin Cunningham, who directed WCT's "Miracle on 34th Street," gets lots of laughs with her portrayal of Maggie Jones, one of the writers of "Pretty Lady."
Kudos also to wig master Anthony Mackie, who gave the girls some nice tight waves and bobs plus vibrant hues for their trip back to the days of Busby Berkeley.
IF YOU GO
Who: Waukesha Civic Theatre
What: "42nd Street"
When: Through May 24
Where: Margaret Brate Bryant Civic Theatre Building, 264 W. Main St., Waukesha
Tickets: (262) 547-0708, www.waukeshacivictheatre.org
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