Sarah, Kinda Hot and Tall

As the title character in Sarah, Plain and Tall, Becca Ayers joins LaChanze and Daphne Rubin-Vega on this season's list of perfectly attractive actresses cast as "the plain one" or even "the ugly one" without much being done to tone down their good looks. It's rather disheartening to hear a character described as someone no man would ever want while you've been thinking, "Man, she's way out of my league."

But enough about my personal insecurities.

Though billed as "a family musical" appropriate for ages 8 and above, Sarah, Plain and Tall, receiving a fine revival at the Lortel courtesy of Theatreworks/USA, is so well-written, tuneful and sensitively interpreted that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone just looking to see a good musical.

Based on the book by Patricia MacLachlan, with music by Laurence O'Keefe, lyrics by Nell Benjamin and a book by Julia Jordan, Sarah, Plain and Tall is a warm drama that touches on some uneasy issues that arise when a family must adjust after the mother's sudden death. The audience, when I attended, was filled with pre-teens and tweens who seemed attentive and enraptured throughout, but parents may want to consider a pre-show discussion with younger children regarding one or two of the subjects addressed.

The story begins in 18^th Century rural Kansas, where young Anna (grown-up actress Kate Wetherhead) has been raised to be the "woman of the house" after her mother died giving birth to her little brother, Caleb (Gene Biscontini). She loves her brother, but can't help resenting him for the loss of both her mother and her childhood. Being a child herself, she makes some very cruel remarks to the boy in the opening scene, but then tries to comfort him with a lullaby their mother used to sing.

Their father, Jacob (Herndon Lackey), is a stern, but compassionate man overworking himself to keep his family feed. He's also lonely for adult companionship, of course, so when neighbor Matthew (Kenneth Boys) explains how he found a pretty, little mail-order bride by taking out a newspaper ad, Jacob splurges sixty cents and writes up one of his own. In a seacoast town in Maine, his words catch the eye of the newly-married Maggie (Heather Ayers – yes, sister to Becca Ayers), who sees this as an opportunity to rid her home of her outspoken, unmarried sister-in-law, Sarah.

After a series of introductory letters, Jacob invites Sarah to come to Kansas for a "four week trial period." But when she arrives, he's disappointed by her appearance and thrown by her ambitious, independent spirit. Insisting on learning to ride the wildest horse and tending to farm work deemed inappropriate for women, Sarah is not what Jacob expected at all. And although Celeb is excited to have a maternal figure around, Anna resents the attempt to replace her mother.

It all works out in the end, of course, but bookwriter Jordan, following MacLachlan's text, doesn't make it easy. Anna's ill feelings regarding her mother's death are dealt with realistically and with genuine sensitivity. Issues of gender roles, loneliness and understanding those with different upbringings are also handled well. Though the growing attraction between Sarah and Jacob never goes beyond handholding and one kiss, it's played out in a very grown-up manner. In one scene, after the children convince Sarah to put on a pretty dress and a tight corset to make herself more attractive to Jacob, she lashes out at him for making advances based on her new appearance. The score's best song, "Is It Me You Want to Kiss?", addresses the issue of women wearing uncomfortable clothing just to please men.

But the score of the 75-minute, intermissionless musical is full of highlights. Benjamin and O'Keefe are very adept at using musical scenes to briskly cover long stretches of plot, with music that is generally bouncy and tuneful and lyrics that intelligently tell the story.

In the title role, Becca Ayers is definitely tall. She's also indestructibly spunky, taking on each personal rejection by Anna and Jacob as a challenge to win their friendship. Quirky and good-humored, she's a fine example for the kids of someone who's not afraid to be who she is. The chiseled-faced and rugged Herndon Lackey keeps Jacob sympathetic despite his unemotional manner. As a man trying to shield his children from his own pain, he can be gruff and demanding, but there's never any doubt that he's a loving, protective father. Watching Jacob gradually give himself permission to feel tenderness toward another woman is a joy to watch in this beautiful portrayal.

The twenty-something Kate Wetherhead is perfectly believable as the young, troubled Anna, overcoming her anger and personal fears. I don't know if "bitchy" is a proper word to use when reviewing a family musical, but she's very funny, in a bitchy way, singing the title song about Sarah's shortcomings. Gene Biscontini plays closer to his own age, as Caleb, and gives a solid, well-sung performance. Heather Ayers and Kenneth Boys add dashes of good humor, each playing two small roles.

Michael Fagin's modest, but attractive set design is used with a fine fluidity by director Joe Calarco, who keeps characters and furniture flowing in and out at brisk pace. Chris Lee's lighting supplies some lovely affects and Anne Kennedy's costumes are appropriately simple and evocative of the period and locale.

Like Sarah herself, there isn't much outward flash in Sarah, Plain and Tall, but what's inside is golden.

Top photo of Becca Ayers by Jean-Maris Guyaux

Bottom photo of Gene Biscontini and Becca Ayers by Joan Marcus