Review: Fleet-Footed Ensemble Fuels Fabulous 42nd STREET

It's all about the chorus kids in 42nd STREET, the latest national touring company to come through town. And these kids have talent and energy to spare. Better act fast, though, because this Broadway in Chicago offering will be shuffling off to Buffalo -- or wherever it's headed next -- faster than their dancing feet can rip through a new pair of tap shoes.

Perhaps a two-week engagement is all the cast can handle before it needs a break. Tap-dancing at break-neck speed for eight shows a week can't be great for the joints. But it's great for the audience at the grand Cadillac Palace Theatre, a fitting venue for this old-timey show-within-a-show musical extravaganza that tells the tale of a small-town girl making her way to New York to get her big break in showbiz.

It's 1933, and Broadway is feeling the effects of the Depression. Onetime superstar producer Julian Marsh (Matthew J. Taylor) has high hopes that his big new production, "Pretty Lady," will put him back on the map. He rehearses his chorus kids like dogs -- but they love it, it's showbiz! His star, Dorothy Brock (Kaitlin Lawrence), isn't so young anymore and can't dance, but her sugar daddy, Abner Dillon (Mark Fishback), is footing the bill for the show, so darn it, Marsh will work around her limitations.

Peggy Sawyer (Caitlin Ehlinger), all fresh-faced and naive in her white gloves, lilac suit and matching hat, is late for auditions, but as luck would have it, they need an extra girl! And when Dorothy breaks her ankle, all the chorus kids agree that Peggy should step in and do the part so the show won't have to close. Another stroke of luck!

Yes, it's all very golly-gee corny, but the actors are so earnest, albeit over the top, that it isn't bothersome, because this show is all about the dancing. From the opening curtain -- which in a clever tease gives the audience an extended peek at the dancers' legs before raising all the way up -- the chorus puts forth a tireless performance in one bombastic production number after another.

It's a non-Equity show (non-union generally means much smaller budget), but you would never know it. The talent pool and the precision tap-dancing in this tour are top-notch. The same can be said for all the behind-the-scenes work. The attention to detail is outstanding, from the distinctive set design to the beautiful costumes that hark back to 1930s Busby Berkeley films. And I would be remiss to not mention the excellent pit orchestra under the direction of J. Michael Duff.

If you're a dancer of any age, or even if you just appreciate dance, this is a great show from which to glean inspiration. The opening-night audience didn't waste time getting on their feet during the finale, and were then rewarded with an extra post-show number. Bravo to director Mark Bramble and choreographer Randy Skinner. Fun stuff.

42nd STREET runs through March 20 at the Cadillac Palace Theatre, 151 W. Randolph. Running time: 2 hours, 30 minutes, with one intermission. For tickets ($19-$85), call (800) 775-2000; BroadwayInChicago.com; Ticketmaster.com.

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