The Great American Mousical
The Legacy Theatre
By: Karen Isaacs - Jul 24, 2024
Are you a Broadway musical fan? Do you have children or grandchildren visiting? The Legacy Theatre has a delightful entertainment on stage, not only for those groups but anyone with a sense of whimsy.
The Great American Mousical combines imagination, gentle satire and fine production values. The show runs through Sunday, July 28.
Some background: It began as a book aimed at preteens written in 2007 by Julie Andrews and her daughter Emma Walton Hamilton and illustrated by stage designer Tony Walton, Hamilton’s father. In 2012, a musical version of the book was presented at Goodspeed’s Terris Theatre in Chester, directed by Andrews.
Andrews once again returns to Connecticut to direct a revised version of the show. It’s now a 90-plus-minute intermission-less romp through musical theater history. The direction reveals her sure hand, not only with the material, but the musical theatre trophe.
The plot is simple; a Broadway theater is about to be demolished while in the basement, a company of mice rehearses their own “musical.”
It may be Andrews’ name, or it may be that there are plans for the show, but a top-notch cast has come together. Tony-winning choreographer Christopher Gattelli is on hand, as well as three-time Tony nominee set designer Anna Louizos, Broadway lighting designer Michael Gottlieb and others. The cast includes more well-known Equity performers than usual at a small theater.
The result is a high-quality production; it shows what even Legacy’s very small stage can achieve. The production includes a seven-person orchestra.
Don’t expect to see actors dressed as mice; it is merely suggested with tails and hair or wigs that hint at mouse ears.
Each mouse is named after a well-known Broadway musical character, from Curly (Oklahoma!) to Hysterium (A Funny Thing on the Way to the Forum) to Emile (South Pacific), Harold (The Music Man), Sky and Miss Adelaide (Guys and Dolls), and others.
In addition, some of the songs are clever recalls of famous Broadway tunes. You will identify references to “Trouble” from The Music Man, “Tomorrow” from Annie, “Adelaide’s Lament” from Guys and Dolls, “Hello, Dolly,” plus a song comprised totally of Sondheim references. Composer Zina Goldrich and lyricist March Heisler have also created original songs that sound as if they should come from a famous show. You don’t have to be an expert on musical theater to have a good time identifying the references. The audience on the night I saw the show was delighted and often applauded when they recognized them.
A highlight was a reference to the famous arm-swinging choreography in the “Hello, Dolly” number. Of course, costume designer Louizos provided the requisite red dress and hat.
The plot is a typical backstage story with the temperamental diva (Miss Adelaide), the patient but frustrated director (Emile), the intern (Pippin), the backstage Lothario (Sky), the leading man (Curly), and other cast members. When Miss Adelaide succumbs to a piece of cheese in a trap, it looks like the show will have to be canceled. But Henry, a non-theater person, comes to the rescue when she ends up in Brooklyn, and together, they find their way back to the theater, just in time for the big finale.
Miss Adelaide is the star of the show and Ann Runolfsson is terrific. Runolfsson was the standby for Andrews in the Broadway production of Victor, Victoria, as well as appearing and touring shows from Phantom of the Opera, to Les Miz and The Secret Garden. Her soaring soprano voice is infectious.
As the director, Emile, David Garrison unfortunately does not have a solo. It’s too bad because he has a long list of musical credits on Broadway and in opera. David Beach, another Broadway veteran, plays Henry, the Shakespeare quoting mouse, a role he played in the original 2012 production.
Each cast member has some fine moments. I particularly liked Hayden Elefante as the intern, Pippin, Zach Williams as Sky, and Thomas Beebe as Hysterium.
Michael Price, Goodspeed’s retired producer, provided advice to the Legacy staff on the production; the current leadership, Donna Lynn Hilton and David B. Byrd, was also thanked for cooperation and assistance.
Visit LegacyTheatreCT.org for tickets.
This content is courtesy of Shore Publications and Ziip06.com