Review - Far From Heaven

I'd be hard-pressed to find a more accurate musical theatre representation of the idealized fantasy of 1950s suburbia than the lovely Kelli O'Hara in a lovely housedress singing in her lovely soprano of her enrapturement with her lovely life via Far From Heaven's opening song, "Autumn in Connecticut." It's a magical height from which she will surely descend in Richard Greenberg (book), Scott Frankel (music) and Michael Korie's (lyrics) enrapturing new musical drama that features a gorgeously textured score and the actress' finest New York performance to date.

Based on the 2002 film, O'Hara plays Cathy Whitaker, a sweet and happy housewife raising two energetic, well-adjusted kids (believably played and well sung by Jake Lucas and Julianna Rigoglioso) who walks in on her handsome corporate go-getter husband Frank (Steven Pasquale) passionately kissing another man. Frank's self-hatred for being unable to control his homosexual urges drives him to depression, alcohol and at least one fit of violence against his wife.

Feeling lonely and helpless, Cathy finds comfort in a friendship with her new gardener, Raymond (Isaiah Johnson), a black man. Though they do start sharing unspoken romantic feelings, they're also well aware of the consequences that even just being friends will incur. When word spreads around Cathy's WASPy upper middle class neighborhood that they were spotted together, it becomes a scandal with violent repercussions.

Because the central character spends much of her time watching things happen around her rather that instigating action, O'Hara spends a good deal of time singing of emotions Cathy bottles up, making for an intimate, introspective evening. If the musical falters a bit it's in that the two men in her life aren't written as completely. Frank's battle with what he perceives to be his demons is well played and powerfully sung by Pasquale, but the character is drawn too heavy-handedly to evoke empathy. Likewise, Johnson does fine work but his quiet and sensitive Raymond is more of a functional character in need of some edgier textures. Nancy Anderson is terrific as Cathy's suburban sophisticate best friend who disapproves of the company she's been keeping, as is Quincy Tyler Bernstine as her unobtrusive housekeeper/nanny, a black woman who is fully aware of the limitations of the community's racial acceptance.

A twelve piece orchestra, quite large for an Off-Broadway non-profit, plays a versatile score that ranges from lilting chamber melodies to hard-driving jazz to supper club Latin, climaxing in dramatic ballads that take full advantage of O'Hara's acting skills and soprano. The lyrics are realistically plainspoken and well-crafted, particularly in a touching musical conversation where Cathy's second grade daughter admires her mother's beauty and worries that she isn't pretty enough for boys to like her.

Though the musical contains a scene where Cathy and Raymond talk about a Miro lithograph, scenic designer Allen Moyer seems to have taken inspiration from Piet Mondrian, with his backdrop of black-framed squares and rectangles selectively containing Peter Nigrini's projections. The large industrial-looking moveable set pieces are designed similarly but they don't quite mesh with the elegance of director Michael Greif's staging the way that Catherine Zuber's stylish period costumes do.

Far From Heaven is one of those ambitious musicals whose flaws are minor compared with its beauty. Off-Broadway musicals continue to outclass those on Broadway for showing what the art form can achieve.

Photos by Joan Marcus: Top: Kelli O'Hara and Isaiah Johnson; Bottom: Steven Pasquale and Kelli O'Hara.

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