BWW Reviews: Delivering Open-Throttle Fun, An Exuberant Cast Brings THE LIFE to Life at 54 Below

Cy Coleman and Ira Gasman's musical The Life explores the human flotsam and jetsam of Times Square in the 1980s--prostitutes, pimps, dealers, runaways, the seedy, lost and desperate. And, of course, this being a musical, some have hearts of gold. The Life began Off-Broadway in 1990 at the Westbeth Theater and moved to Broadway in 1997, garnering three Drama Desk Awards and Tony Awards for Lillias White and Chuck Cooper.

On Sunday evening (5/17), 54 Below presented a concert version of The Life as part of its 54 Below Sings series. Musically Directed by Jesse Vargas (also on piano), with a tight, hot band (super brass), this resurrection featured three original cast members--Katy Grenfell, Bellamy Young, and Felicia Finley. The cast sunk its teeth into this score with gusto offering 15 songs that reminded us of the show's pith and sass. Intermittent narrative sketched the storyline. Few of those onstage were acting, but everyone sang up a storm.

Glee's Telly Leung (left in photo, as "Jojo") opened with "Use What You Got," in confident pop mode with which he continued through several group numbers. Leung fared best in "People Magazine" because the song didn't require the aura of sleaze missing elsewhere. Marcus Paul James (right in photo, as "Fleetwood") followed with "A Piece of The Action," another strong vocal lacking characterization. James is also physically stiff for this kind of material, a pity as his voice is not. There's a flicker of movement in "Easy Money" and warmth for "We Gotta Go," but "Fleetwood" never appears.

Ciara Renee (center in photo, above, as "Queen")--the only performer on book--followed with "He's No Good." The artist has a really interesting contralto with vibrato on the back end of long notes. Especially in duets, her voice is extremely distinctive. Renee exerts fine control, restrained or letting fly with seamless definition. Here was a credible persona. "We Had a Dream" and "We Gotta Go" expressed the kind of pain only the exhausted wounded can feel.

Raena White (far left in photo, as "Sonja") made a laudable effort to embody loose sexuality. Whether leading the chorus of ladies (Finley, Grenfell, Marissa Rosen, and LaDonna Burns) or singing as Queen's friend and mentor, she had her feet planted in Times Square. White delivered the show's centerpiece song "The Oldest Profession," which came to life when she moved--bending in, bending over, flicking a hip, and miming sarcasm. She has a BIG, round edged, R & B voice. The room went wild. Unfortunately, I had just seen the song's originator Lillias White two nights before and so missed experience and humor the latter expressed.

JC Montgomery (center in photo, above, as "Memphis") was flat out terrific. The artist's quiet flash and cocky attitude packaged deep, resonant vocals suffused with danger. A hand in one's pocket never seemed so right. Phrasing was masculine, suggestive, his hands (again, a real surprise) mesmerizing. A growl seemed to rise from the depths; laughter was sinister.

Bellamy Young (right in photo, above, as "Mary"), who drew large crowds of young women ostensibly from her role on television's Scandal, was adorable. Wide-eyed innocence embodied in "People Magazine" (with Leung) heightened to make "Easy Money" (with Leung and James) obtusely joyful and naturally flirty. Young has the kind of clear as a bell voice and appealing looks that describe musical theater's fresher leading ladies. Stories about the original production were delightfully ingenuous.

Felicia Finley, who tonight was in the chorus, also contributed wry anecdotes from Broadway.

The high-energy group delivered open-throttle fun. No one's looking for fully developed personifications, but lyrics and character context should be reflected in performance.

Musicians: David Cinquegrana--Guitar, Brian Holtz--Guitar, Shannon Ford--Drums, Jay Webb--Trumpet, Grey Riley, Dylan Heany--Reeds, Paul Arbogast--Trombone.

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