Souvenir: Judy Kaye is Pitch Perfect in a Touching New Comedy

Those who know me (and even more who don't know me) know I spend a lot of time at a West Village piano bar named Marie's Crisis. It's the kind of place where anyone who loves musical theatre can gather 'round the piano and sing showtunes. Nobody's ridiculed for being off-key or out of tempo. Loving the music is all that counts. Many of the regulars get to sing solos. Some are pros with Broadway credits and some are far, far away from ever making a living in musical theatre, but everyone's treated with the same respect. Sometimes I hear, "Oh, I went there once and it was painful. All those people who can't sing singing at the top of their lungs." But that's what it sounds like when you're just listening to the music. They're not listening to the joy.

Florence Foster Jenkins put a lot of joy into her singing. Years ago I came across her album, Florence Foster Jenkins: The Glory (????) of the Human Voice at some thrift store or another, and it still holds a proud place in my record collection. She was a wealthy socialite in the 30's and 40's who had a great passion for classical music and loved to sing at social events.

Unfortunately she had no ear for pitch and a bombastic sense of musicality. But those in her circle, mostly out of politeness, would compliment her voice to the point where she decided to hold a small recital for charity. Patrons did their best to muffle their laughter and, in a freak show sense, the recital was such a success that she would hold several sold out concerts a year. Her album was such a smash hit, mostly for its comic absurdity, that she was invited to perform at Carnegie Hall in a sold-out solo concert that turned away over 2,000 hopefuls waiting for cancellations.

Stephen Temperley's new play Souvenir is an affectionate salute to the fascinating story of this unique artist. Not only does it contain some of the funniest scenes in town, but I'd call it easily the most touching play of the year. And Judy Kaye's performance as Ms. Jenkins should be remembered as one of the highlights of her grand career.

The story is told in flashback, from the point of view of her long-time accompanist, Cosme' McMoon. Though at first he thought she was either delusional or insane, McMoon stayed with her for 16 years. She paid him very well for doing little work, leaving him time to write his own music. Gradually, a professional trust and affection develops between the two and the play focuses on his attempts to protect her from the laughter and his growing admiration for her passion and generosity. Eventually he begins to question why we appreciate singers who duplicate the pitch of the music, but consider it ugly when a singer deviates from it.

What makes Temperley's script so effective is that Ms. Jenkins is never held up to ridicule. She asks for no personal glory. She performs only because people ask her to do concerts as charity functions and she truly believes that music is a gift that must be shared. We, as an audience, may laugh at her rendition of Mozart's "Queen Of The Night's Aria", but only because we know she can't hear us. The afternoon I saw the play, audience members were audibly aghast at moments when it appeared that Ms. Foster's dignity had been challenged, having developed the same protective affection for her as her accompanist.

In the central role, Judy Kaye is no less than perfect. Elegant and gracious, her Jenkins is every bit the serious artist, although given to occasional bursts of charming schoolgirl giddiness. Without a shred of diva in her, she is the most lovable presence currently gracing the New York stage. And when she sings... oh, my. She isn't just bad. She's fascinatingly bad. I can't begin to describe it except to say that even when she's at her worst, you cannot help loving this woman.

And I've hung around enough piano bars in my day to especially enjoy the performance of Jack F. Lee as Cosme' McMoon. Although there are certainly more accomplished actors than Lee, whose long theatrical career consists mainly of being a musical director and conductor, there are few who come with his inherent authenticity. Hunched over the piano in a sport jacket and white goatee, looking every bit the aging hipster, Lee barks out "I don't do requests!" while artfully mastering the syncopation of Gershwin's "Crazy Rhythm", a song that Temperley uses as a sort of leitmotif.

As of this this writing, Lee spends nearly the entire show seated at the piano with a script of the play in front of him, something I didn't notice until late in Act I. This probably accounts for the hesitant manner in which he speaks many of his lines, although I was able to accept that as a character trait. Unfortunately that character trait tends to make a few scenes drag a bit and limits director Vivian Matalon's staging options. But the damage is minor.

The designers contribute a great deal to the dignified manner in which Ms. Jenkins is treated. R. Michael Miller's set is a mostly bare stage with a simple proscenium, made to look like a recital hall. Tracy Christiansen's costumes and wigs are elegant and tasteful and Ms. Kaye's solos are softly and lovingly lit by Ann G. Wrightson.

The idea of a play about a tone deaf woman singing classical music may not seem especially universal in the scheme of things. But how many of us have mimed in the mirror to our favorite CD? How many joyously dance around our apartments only when we're sure nobody can see us? Souvenir is for all of us whose passion for the arts far exceeds our capabilities. Florence Foster Jenkins may have seemed like a fool to some, but in Souvenir she is worthy of our cheers and a heartfelt "Brava!"

Photo by Carol Rosegg

For more information visit yorktheatre.org

For more from Michael Dale visit dry2olives.com

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