Review Roundup: San Diego Rep's EVERYBODY'S TALKIN', Starring Alice Ripley & Gregory Jbara

San Diego Rep has enlisted Tony winners Alice Ripley and Gregory Jbara to star in the world premiere musical revue EVERYBODY'S TALKIN': THE MUSIC OF HARRY NILSSON. The world premiere production, conceived by Steve Gunderson and Javier Velasco, opened on May 30 and closes June 21, 2015.

Described as "the most famously anonymous composer and performer of our time," Harry Nilsson, was a two-time Grammy Award winner and legendary hell-raiser best known for "Everybody's Talkin' at Me," "Can't Live, If Living is Without You," "One is the Loneliest Number" and "You Put the Lime in the Coconut." Nilsson's special genius captured the imagination of Gunderson and Velasco to bring the world premiere musical event EVERYBODY'S TALKIN' to the Lyceum Stage. The duo has crafted Nilsson's repertoire into a song cycle that explores the journey from innocence to adulthood, through the many stages of life and love.

Let's see what the critics had to say...

James Hebert, The San Diego Union-Tribune: If a jukebox musical is a show that adapts familiar old songs to tell a fresh story, think of "Everybody's Talkin': The Music of Harry Nilsson" as a jewel-box musical. This enchanting world-premiere work at San Diego Rep dusts off diamonds from every last drawer of an underappreciated singer-songwriter's treasure chest, and strings them together on a wispy filament of modern-day fable...And while "Everybody's Talkin'" gives little context for the impetus to celebrate Nilsson, it succeeds on the strength of Gunderson's brilliant and intricate arrangements, along with the lead trio's appealing, very human performances and crisp renditions by music director-pianist Korrie Paliotto and her onstage band...But maybe the show's most sly and satisfying achievement is that it actually resembles a Nilsson song: A deceptively playful tale told with a great sense of melody, impish humor and flashes of searing passion. In short, "One" of a kind.

Jeff Smith, San Diego Reader: The arrangements are so intricate and so well performed they create an auditory tapestry - but a lengthy one, even for fans of Nilsson...The framing device appears to be a rehearsal. If so, it's an appropriately anti-lavish take on Nilsson's opus...So are they just themselves in rehearsal? Or playing characters with their names going from childhood through labyrinthine relationships to ultimate affirmation? Are they autobiographical? Not clear. That sometimes they emote and at others just mimic add to the confusion. The stage business lacks the score's sophistication. As do watery, cinemascopic videos: rising liquids, sometimes faux psychedelic, sometimes bloody wisps, always vague. The talent's certainly there. Tony Award-winner (Next to Normal) Alice Ripley commands the stage with ease, though at times she can overpower a song. Tony Award-winner (Billy Elliot) Gregory Jbara takes a more subtle tack, always to savvy effect (in particular "All I Think About Is You"), and local favorite Kurt Norby lends the show his elegant tenor.

Pat Launer, Times of San Diego: The big draw in the show...is its two Tony Award-winning stars: Alice Ripley ("Next to Normal") and Gregory Jbara ("Billy Elliot"). In truth, the two other singers, locals Kürt Norby and musical director/pianist/keyboardist Korrie Paliotto, are every bit as good...The first act, the 'coming together' part of the relationship between Ripley and Jbara's characters, though it featured the show's few comic numbers, feels turgid. It's hard to relate to or connect with these characters, who fare better in the second act, when they're miserable and singing ballad after ballad about love, loss, pain, anguish, anguish, despair and regret. There are some evocative images in the lyrics...there are some aching emotions and pleasant pop melodies. Most don't seem like songs for the ages, though. Both Ripley and Jbara are excellent performers who really know how to interpret and put over a song. He has a beautifully supple bass/baritone. She's a great belter, but her smoky, throaty alto is not always as orotund, or orally resonant, as it could be...The most outstanding aspect of the production is Gunderson's splendid musical arrangements, bracketing or melding songs, or setting them in counterpoint. Stunning work. But you kinda have to love Nilsson and/or revues to really grok this show.

Carol Davis, San Diego Theater Examiner: There were no less than 50 songs sung, performed and blended, but who was counting when you have the likes of Alice Ripley, ("Next To Normal") Gregory Jbara (Tony for his role as Dad in "Billy Elliot") and local talent, Kürt Norby, looking a bit awkward at times, belting out one tune after another to Nilsson's devoted fans. The number "Everybody's Talkin'" came at the very end of the evening while "One Is The Loneliest Number" opened the show and "I Can't Live" came somewhere in the middle of the mix. I will admit, that for me it was the highlight of the evening. I couldn't get over the high level of energy that went into that number as all three from the ensemble walked away emotionally spent...It was stunning...Both Ripley and Jbara, whose wonderful baritone voice not only entertains but speaks volumes, are on stage almost all night as is Norby, who is pretty much front and center on a high chair, mike in hand and doing what he does best, harmonizing. He has a great tenor voice that is much needed in the mix. And what can we say about Ms. Ripley, whose haunting voice had the urgency of many of the tunes she sang in her title role of Diana in "Next To Normal" for which she won a Tony.

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Photo Credit: Daren Scott

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