FANTASY FOOTBALL:THE MUSICAL?

There's a good reason for the question mark that is included in the title of FANTASY FOOTBALL: THE MUSICAL? which was part of the New York Musical Theater Festival. It's a 90 minute show that meanders for a good half hour before it decides on what it wants to be-and even then it isn't quite certain. David Ingber's musical introduces characters in a haphazard manner, shoots off jokes that rarely hit their marks and features an on-stage band that was so loud the cast had to shout to be heard; especially in scenes that feature musical underscoring. Didn't conductor Brian Usifer know this was musical theater, where lyrics and dialogue are used to propel the plot and not be overwhelmed by excessive percussion?

This is sad, because there is enormous potential here. The idea was clever, the topic fresh, and most of the cast was engaging. It just doesn't pull together in its present state. Ingber and his creative team have to realize that the tone of a show has to be set within the first five minutes of the playing time. Perhaps that's what they were trying to achieve with the ESPN fantasy sequence that opens the piece. Very possibly this didn't work for me because of the overbearing band. It truly was impossible to hear the lyrics and dialogue at that point. Who were the characters? What direction was the plot taking?

The story, ostensibly based on fact, concerns the creation of the money-making Fantasy Football teams. Ben Steinfeld played Matt Berry, a college grad who seems doomed to life as a receptionist while living in a basement apartment he shares with his mother and brother. Paul Benedict was consistently entertaining as the brother. Steinfeld was effective in his role, as is Jeff Nathan as his friend Stoner. However, their lawyer friend, Jacko, is played by Rob Hinderliter and he is the most outstanding singer/actor of the trio. He commands the stage with every appearance and his excellent singing voice is shown to great advantage several times throughout the production.

After a lengthy stint in the current revival of THE FANTASTICKS and an appearance in the debut of John William LaChiusa's GIANT in Washington, DC, Nick Spangler brings outstanding vocalizing and charisma to his performance as Bill Simmons, the bookie who plays a key role in the Fantasy Football scheme. Although Nancy Rene Braun's choreography was minimal, Spangler executed it with manly grace. (Gosh, wouldn't he make a fine Tony in WEST SIDE STORY?) Spangler's rendition of "Sports Is My Religion" is one of the show's highlights. It would have been even more satisfying if Spangler had been given another song to show off his impressive baritone.

One of the production's biggest disappointments was Christine Pedi in the role of Mrs. Berry. The role is clearly identified as being Jewish and the character utters at least one Yiddish expression, but Ms Pedi does nothing to flesh out the character's genetic roots. That is not to imply she should speak with an accent, but the woman should virtually breathe her ethnicity. It doesn't happen here. Hence, when she calls her son ‘bubelah", the word seems totally incongruous. This is extremely disappointing for someone who has seen Ms Pedi's sterling work in Forbidden Broadway where she created a multitude of fine characterizations. Here it seemed as though she was just dropping in to pick up a paycheck. Although Kay Medford and Mae Questel are no longer with us, one can only imagine what someone of their ilk would have done in the role of Mrs Berry.

The Jewish jokes that were scattered throughout the script mostly hit their marks. However, those about Christianity fall flatter than leftover latkes. This is sad because one of the subplots in this musical pertains to Christian music. Didn't Ingber realize that one of the first rules is to write from experience? It is very obvious that the author's only familiarity with Christian denominations is a few visits to ALTAR BOYZ. It shows, and although Sam Tedaldi tried valiantly to bring her character to life, she didn't find one moment of truth in her. This is not Ms Tedaldi's fault. The writing's to blame here. Ingber is out of his milieu in these segments and if this show is to go on to further productions, the writer might consider making her character a tree hugging naturalist or and extreme feminist. Those professions might ring truer than what was on stage in the NYMT production.

Emily McNamara showed off a fine folk-quality singing voice as the love interest of Bill Simmons. She also handled her book scenes very nicely.

In a number of roles, Nick Sullivan proved to be a constant pleasure to watch. His most precious characterization was as Aaron Tweedy, the producer of Christian rock concerts. With an accent reminiscent of Bruno Tonioli, Sullivan created a lecherous hypocrite.

One hopes that author, composer, lyricist Ingber will look at his work critically and re-evaluate what worked and what didn't this time around. It seems as though that may not happen because at the performance that was being reviewed here, Ingber sat in the audience laughing loudly at his own jokes, without a pad or pencil visible for note taking. Re-writing is certainly required and the entire vehicle is in need of focus.

Much of the score is quite enjoyable but Ingber might give a listen to Mozart's LE NOZZE DI FIGARO, where several characters sing simultaneously to grand and glorious effect. In FANTASY FOOTBALL:THE MUSICAL? there are characters who sing simultaneously but the effect is utter cacophony. Maybe the question mark really belongs in the title because audiences were trying to comprehend what the heck the lyrics were..

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