REVIEW: Movin' Out at Baltimore's Hippodrome

I remember the shock when the first two Tony Awards were announced in 2003.  The awards, for Best Orchestrations and Best Choreography, went to Movin' Out, that crazy jukebox musical/dance show that no one really knew how to categorize.  The shock was because many thought Hairspray would sweep that year.  Well, from what is on display at the Hippodrome for the next two weeks, it is crystal clear why Hairspray lost those Tonys.  It is also very clear why Movin' Out did not win Best Musical.

First of all, it should be said up front that this musical is not for everyone.  If you want laughs and linear story, this is not for you.  If you want a family night out, this is definitely not for you – yes, Billy Joel's songs are still relatively squeaky clean, but their interpretation (direction and choreography by Twyla Tharp) is at times graphically violent and sexual.  If you are a Billy Joel fan, and would mind that the advertised "24 classics" are mostly snippets or classical interludes instead of whole songs, this show isn't for you.  And, if you enjoy your ballet with the soothing tones of a huge orchestra, save your pennies.  Judging from the bewildered faces at intermission, I'd bet that the vast majority of the Opening Nighters had no idea what hit them.  I'll also bet that most of them thought they were getting the Billy Joel version of Mamma Mia!

No matter how familiar you are with the Joel oeuvre, you will be totally lost if you don't take a few moments to read the brief summary of the acts provided in the Playbill.  Briefly, that story is of Brenda and Eddie, James and Judy, and Tony (characters from the classics "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" and "Movin' Out") and how their relationships break apart and come together against a backdrop of the Vietnam Conflict.  (Trying to figure out where "My Life" and "Uptown Girl" fit in yet? The former isn't in the show, and the latter is there as a number for Brenda).  The opening number, "It's Still Rock n' Roll to Me" has nothing whatever to do with the story, and I guess it is in there to "break us in."  By that I mean, letting us know from the get go that our eyes will be seeing complex dancing, but it will be incongruent with what our ears will be hearing- the loud (and I mean LOUD) rock rhythms.  The effect is rather jarring – it reminded me instantly of that old show, Solid Gold, where the scantily clad buff dancers pirouetted and slithered around in ballet moves to the sounds of Madonna and Culture Club.

So what do you get when you see Movin' Out?  You get some of the best sung, best orchestrated pop music of the 20^th century, and the best dancing that quite possibly has ever graced a Broadway stage.  (If I could explain what a die-hard Fosse fan I am, you'd understand the magnitude of that last statement.)  And the fact that this is a national tour, filled with cast members from the Broadway production and Keith Roberts, Broadway's original Tony, speaks to the quality and depth (and loyalty) of Team Tharp.  These dancers must know how lucky they are to be able to dance these steps and that there really is no other game in town.  Tharp and her design team have created the perfect frame for the dazzling, fluid stage pictures the dancers create.  There is virtually no set (effectively minimalist, designed by Santo Loquasto), little spectacle (save for a cute red sports car), and except for the American flag (a symbol throughout the program) nearly all of the props are pantomimed.  The costumes (designed by Suzy Benzinger) and the lighting (designed by Donald Holder) tell more about the characters and places than 50 pages of dialogue and stage direction could.

Juxtaposition of images and ideas are what makes this show meaningful and definitive for this genre of musical.  Near the opening, the parade of citizens is both expected and impressionable – first the time step of a parading Marine unit, followed by the youthful innocence of a group of cheerleaders, which sets up a similar but more ominous and terrifying positioning of 3 young men fooling around, strutting their stuff in the devil-may-care way cocky male teens do, in front of a fence, behind which new recruits are drilling their marches and combat moves.  In Act One this staging reaches it zenith with "We Didn't Start the Fire" where we are harshly reminded that the 60's brought with it many extremes – innocent "good girls" and high "hippie chicks" sharing the stage says it all.  They then give way to a breathtaking Vietnam/>/> sequence, which, like the times it portrays invokes feelings of anger at young lives lost, and the sheer magnitude of what we are seeing is jaw-dropping.  In a wordless 7 or 8 minutes, this said more about that war than the entire musical Miss Saigon did.  In Act Two, as the characters try to make lives again, two sequences in particular show the complexity of people and a nation on the mend.  In "Big Shot," Tony and Brenda try to rekindle the flame they put on hold after his drafting.  Of course, she got on with her life, and he is scarred from his experience.  The result is a violent, sexy, heartbreaking pas de deux.  As danced last night, by Laurie Kanyok and Keith Roberts, the number stopped the show.  "Keeping the Faith," a showcase for the considerable talents of Rasta Thomas (as Eddie) and the ensemble (all potential leads), explodes off the stage with such energy and passion that even the most anti-ballet man in the audience had to be impressed.  There are really no suitable words of praise for the dancing in this show – none are positive or strong enough to fully capture the greatness of the choreography or the dancers.

The lead dancers must be exhausted after this show, which is likely why it is double cast and they rotate (schedule below).  Laurie Kanyok, a leggy blonde, is an impressive dynamo, with the trust of a nun – she is literally thrown around the stage from floor to maybe 10 feet high and back again, and her acting is flawless.  A simple c*ckof the head or knowing smile say so much.  Rasta Thomas, who garnered applause (his spinning is simply amazing) throughout his routines, is a mesmerizing presence, and a potent combination of virile, athletic masculinity and the deepest of emotions.  His tortured conscience is subtly and effectively evoked.  Keith Roberts, a Tony-nominee in a role he has had off and on for the last 3+ years, shows no signs of complacency.  His performance is deep, nuanced, superbly danced and as fresh as if it were new.  He is equally adept at portraying the growing pains of adolescence as he is portraying the terrifying reality of a war hero.  And the lovely grace, innocence and quiet intensity of Julie Voshell as Judy provides the emotional core throughout.  A testimony to the high level of quality of this corps, Ms. Voshell is the understudy for the role.  She is proof positive that no matter who you may see in any role, no one in Movin' Out will disappoint.

The same can be said for the quality of the musicianship.  What you get here is better than any original recording – the presentation of these classics is amazing in its balance of theatricality and the basic driving rock and roll style that the music demands.  As sung by Darren Holden, you get the Billy Joel sound mixed just right with the drama of what is being played out below him.  And the band?  They are veritable virtuosos of electric guitar, sax, keyboards and percussion.  Their sound is magnificent.  Shelves of awards, constant airplay and a successful career spanning 4 decades is testimony to the quality of Billy Joel's music itself, and anything I could possibly say would come across as trite or redundant.  The sustained standing ovation and wild screams of the delighted masses are a testimony to the entire show.

So, if the show is that excellent (and it is), why would I say I can see why it lost the Best Musical Tony to Hairspray?  Movin' Out would have caused the Tony voters to admit that a so-called jukebox musical is a legitimate one.  (See how well Jersey Boys does this year.) And Movin' Out demands a lot of its audience and none of it easy.  But it is worth the extra work, trust me.

 

The Double Casts of Movin' Out:

The cast for presented review plays Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday Evenings and Sunday Matinees.  They are: Rasta Thomas (Eddie), Laurie Kanyok (Brenda), Keith Roberts (Tony) and Darren Holden (Piano/Lead Vocals).  The alternate performances – Wednesday, Friday Sunday Evenings and Saturday Matinees are with the following: Brendan King (Eddie), Dylis Croman (Brenda), Stuart Capps (Tony), and Matthew Friedman (Piano/Lead Vocals).  The roles of Judy, James and Sergeant O'Leary/Drill Sergeant are played at all performances by Julieta Gros, Eric Otto and Joshua Bergasse respectively.  The ensemble also plays all performances.

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