It’s Pride Month, so I wonder how some of the folks in Florida are celebrating. There’s the governor who won’t allow any colors that aren’t red, white, and blue to light the state’s bridges in an obvious attempt to snuff out any Pride-theme lighted rainbows. An Axios article released on the first day of Pride month pointed to Florida as “the least gay-friendly state.” And on a more personal note, an acquaintance of mine actually posted a picture of an American flag on one of their social media posts, with a caption that read: “My PRIDE flag.”
I just wish the governor and my acquaintance and anyone else who may share their sensibilities would venture to Stageworks to see the current, stunning production of FALSETTOS. Maybe they would change their minds, or in regards to my acquaintance, remove their social media post. Not that that would actually happen, but as FALSETTOS teaches us, we must always have hope.
FALSETTOS, with music and lyrics by William Finn and a book by Mr. Finn and James Lapine, is a sung-thru musical (with 43 songs) set in New York City at the end of the 1970s and the start of the 1980s. In it, Marvin, the protagonist, is trying to balance his life now that he left his wife, Trina, for another man, Whizzer. Marvin’s young son, Jason, at first disengaged to the whole Marvin-Whizzer drama, actually becomes friends with Whizzer. But when Whizzer and Marvin break up and then Trina marries her quirky psychiatrist, Mendel, Marvin becomes upset to the point of striking his wife.
In Act 2, it’s the dawn of the 1980s, and the whole family is trying to make plans for Jason’s bar mitzvah while, unbeknownst to them, a new disease that seems to target gay men lurks on the horizon ready to spark tragedy across the nation.
Love, loss, family, Jewish identity, gender roles, and gay life (and death) during the Reagan era are just some of the themes touched on by this exquisite show. Watching it is akin to going through photo albums and scrapbooks of your own life at a specific time and place; there are snapshots of sadness, joy, frustration, and reconciliation. It’s howlingly funny many times, and unbearably heartbreaking at others, but always full of life with characters that we, the audience, come to love and embrace and try to protect. We know them, and for many of us, we are them, even if our real-life circumstances greatly differ.
For the uninitiated, FALSETTOS may sound like heavy stuff—and at times it is—but it is also so f**king entertaining and moving, always punctuated by necessary humor, that we never turn away from it. We smile or cry or nod our heads, and it’s so riveting that it becomes one of the fastest two-and-a-half hours I can recall.
William Finn’s music and lyrics call to mind his work on A New Brain and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (especially the “I Love You” song), but they stand on their own. For instance, the first song, “Four Jews in a Room Bitching” is a rollicking opening number, featuring the four male characters saying the word “bitch” more times than the f-word is spoken in Pulp Fiction. And “The Baseball Game” is one of the show’s very best numbers, the adults watching a little league game and singing at such a fevered pace.
The cast in the Stageworks production is extraordinary, each member carrying their equal share, even those that don’t appear until Act 2. This is truly an ensemble piece, but the individual performances deserve their own special shout-outs.
As Marvin, one of musical theatre’s most demanding roles, the charismatic Jonathan Van Dyke is a marvel. He’s not always the most sympathetic character, but we root for him, and his heartbreak at the end is both beautiful and sad. This is a part where someone as talented and strong as Mr. Van Dyke is needed. He’s the heart of the show, its soul, and he brings 100% to every moment.
As Marvin’s young boyfriend, Whizzer, Troy Ochoa-Rowland is a wonderful find. He’s both sturdy and laidback, with a bright smile that can melt hearts (he certainly melts Marvin’s). He’s like a proto-slacker, and you see why Jason is drawn to him as a mentor. And his final moments will eek out tears from even the crustiest of homophobes.
I wondered what brought Marvin and Whizzer together in the first place, not just their ages but their vast differences in their lifestyles. “I was rich, he was horny, we fit like a glove,” Marvin sings. Marvin wants monogamy, but Whizzer enjoys sleeping around. But we see their camaraderie, their love, both physical and emotional, from cooking to playing racquetball. Mr. Van Dyke and Mr. Ochoa-Rowland have a nice chemistry together, and when they sing, “I would kill for that thrill of first love,” we believe it.
As Jason, Sam Sobel is a prodigious talent, an eighth grader who stands toe to toe with the more seasoned performers. We see his character’s journey, not just a little boy on stage. We see him react to the other characters, even when it’s not his line (something that is not easy for young performers to always do). When he meets his father’s boyfriend for the first time, his facial expressions says everything. Mr. Sobel is a major force, smart and funny, nailing his lines with aplomb. And he sings marvelously in such numbers as “My Father’s a Homo” and “Miracle of Judaism.” My only suggestion is that he stops fiddling with his shirt while onstage; I didn’t know if this was some sort of misguided character choice, or just a tic of the young actor, but it’s something for him to work on.
And now for a “shout out to the lesbians next door!” As Marvin’s neighbor, the incomparable Jaime Giangrande-Holcom is splendid as Charlotte, an intern who starts seeing trends in her hospital where “bachelors are sick and frightened” and it’s only getting worse as AIDS (not specifically named in the show because it wasn’t called that in 1981) takes its hold of an entire generation of gay men. Her “Something Bad Is Happening,” ably aided by her partner, Cordelia, wonderfully played by Abby Daner, is chilling.
Ms. Giangrande-Holcom is like the glue that holds the show together in Act 2. There’s a little moment late in the show, where she hides Jason from view of his mother while he sneaks a taste of champagne; it’s a specific instance like this, with her facial expression of both amusement and mischief, that makes the show (and especially her) so much fun to watch.
I’m sure you all have seen Meg Ryan’s famed faked org*sm scene in When Harry Met Sally, followed by the old woman saying, “I’ll have what she’s having.” Well, that’s what I felt after experiencing the ball of energy called Ricky Cona as Mendel in FALSETTOS: I’ll have what he’s having. Part Seymour Krelborn, part Leonard Hofstedtar, Mr. Cona’s Mendel can say more with the click of a pen than most actors with a full monologue. But he also carries the serious moments, giving us a full human being, not just a comedic caricature.
As for Heather Krueger who plays Trina: I propose that Ms. Krueger should appear in every local musical; this is one law we can all agree on. She’s an absolute wonder as the emotionally bruised wife of Marvin’s. It’s worth the show’s price just to hear her sing the line, “God, I’ll try!” in “Trina’s Song.”
And her rendition of “I’m Breaking Down” is one for the ages. If you’re looking for one of my favorite musical numbers of the year, played to the hilt by a brave performer, then go no further than this moment, when Marvin’s wife is reeling over their divorce. “I’m a queen, he’s a queen,” she sings. “Where is my crown?” At one point, she starts chopping a banana with a knife; but it’s almost like, seething with anger and frustration, she’s actually castrating it. She even simulates a hand job using a faucet, an action that could not be found anywhere on my FALSETTOS bingo card.
The vocals, including the harmonies of this group, are off the chain and wonderful, thanks to music director Xander McColley. He plays the keyboard and leads the other marvelous musicians, which include Diana Belcher on reeds, Lance Norman on drums, and Megan Zeitler on second keyboard.
A nit-pick for the Anachronism Police: A character reads from an OUT magazine with RuPaul on the cover, a prop that is clearly seen. The prop masters and mistresses should try to use vintage magazines when dealing with period pieces because a) RuPaul didn’t become a household name until the early 1990s, and b) OUT magazine didn’t exist at all until 1992, eleven years after the action of FALSETTOS.
Anne Tully’s minimal set works wonders: White furniture moves around, acting like pieces on a giant chessboard (complete with numerous chess squares on the floor). This works because chess is a major theme in the musical (Jason is tinkering with a chess set all the time, and a key moment in the show involves a life-changing chess match between Marvin and Whizzer). Karla Hartley’s lighting design and Deborah Lastinger’s costumes (appropriate for the ‘70s and 80s) add greatly to the show.
The pixelated backdrop showcases various colors, from the rainbow-themed NYC skyline in Act 1 to the ominous red in the AIDS-themed Act 2. Sometimes the backdrop resembles a game of Lite Brite, which obviously works with the time period.
Director JL Rey guides a beautiful production, where the cast, the crew, and the musicians come together as one to create theatre magic out of some of our history’s darker days.
As in life, there are no heroes or villains in FALSETTOS, just human beings. Flawed, overbearing, emotional, caring, lustful, disdainful, maddening, doomed with hope, and very funny.
Yes, celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride with all of the parades and festivities you have planned; it’s great that the Tampa-St. Pete Pride is one of the largest in the state. But make sure to celebrate it at Stageworks as well. With FALSETTOS. It will break your heart, yes, but it will also make your day and perhaps even your life.
FALSETTOS at Stageworks has three more performances: Today (Saturday, June 22 @ 2:00 PM and 8:00 PM, and tomorrow (Sunday, June 23) @ 2:00 PM.
PHOTO CREDIT: STAGE PHOTOGRAPHY OF TAMPA
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