"Standby: The Musical" at the New York International Fringe Festival
“Standby: The Musical” at the New York International Fringe Festival
Music by Keith Robinson and Amy Baer
Book and Lyrics by Alfred Solis and Mark-Eugene Garcia
Directed by Marc Eardley
Reviewed by Joseph Verlezza
Theatre Reviews Limited
After many years and thousands of shows at the New York International Fringe Festival, the common denominator of performance success seems to fall into the “Hit or Miss” category: one experiences all levels of performance, production values and direction. That being said, go see “Stand By: The Musical” if you are so inclined but be forewarned that, like the actors on stage, you will spend 90 minutes waiting for something to happen. The theme is old and tired, the concept has been featured in earlier productions in a variety of genres that have been far superior (“It’s A Wonderful Life,” Steambath”, “Here Comes Mr. Jordan,” to name a few). Here, the lyrics seem trite and the music is less than memorable.
Unfortunately, the greatest achievement in this production, either by fault of the actors or the director, is the ability to portray each character with unabashed stereotypes, succeeding in making each of them appear shallow and pedestrian. The staging is stagnant and sophomoric. One exception to note is the performance of Jillian Gottlieb as Samantha, who seems to connect with her fellow travelers in “Limbo” (literally and figuratively) and avoid the aforementioned pitfalls: she delivers her musical numbers with exceptional vocal prowess. Additionally, Matthew Corr transcends the script and successfully renders the sensitive intelligent character of Andrew. As time passed viewing this production, I began to think I was on “Stand By” waiting for it to end.
Presented by The New York International Fringe Festival. Directed by Marc Eardley. Scenic and prop design by Marissa Bergman; lighting designed by Diana Bayne; musical direction by Keith Robinson and Rob Cookman; musical staging by Leasen Almquist.
WITH: Mike Bakes; Seth Blum; Matthew Corr; Jillian Gottlieb; Ashley Picciallo; and Michael-Anthony Souza.
All performances take place at The Players Theatre, 115 MacDougal Street in New York, NY. Tickets are available at www.fringenyc.org or 866-468-7619. $15 in advance, $18 at the door. Senior and Fringe Junior tickets available at the door for $10. Running time: 1 hour with no intermission.
Remaining Show Dates
Tuesday, August 14th @ 2:30 pm
Saturday, August 18th @ 12:00 Noon
Wednesday, August 22nd @ 5:00 pm
Thursday, August 23rd @ 7:00 pm
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 | Permalink | Posted by David Roberts on Sunday, August 12, 2012 |
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