“New Girl in Town” at The Irish Repertory Theatre Music and Lyrics by Bob Merrill Book by George Abbott Directed by Charlotte Moore Reviewed by David Roberts Theatre Reviews Limited
NEW GIRL IN TOWN
When Anna (Margaret Loesser Robinson) arrives in New York City in 1926 to visit her father Chris Christopherson (Cliff Bemis), she arrives with more than a single valise. She comes from living with relatives in Minnesota and some baggage she would rather not unpack in New York. In Anna’s song “On the Farm,” she rehearses her horrific stay with uncaring relatives that resulted in a life as a sex worker in order to survive. Her psychological baggage includes the emotional scars from that experience and an understandable mistrust of significant relationships particularly those involving men.
That dogged determination to start over without anyone knowing about her past is thwarted by Anna’s relationship with the brash sailor Matt (Patrick Cummings) who is swept of his feet by Anna’s charm, honesty, and beauty. After being able to begin trusting again, Anna accepts Matt’s overtures and falls in love with him only to have her hopes of unconditional love marooned by her father’s love interest Marthy (Danielle Ferland). Jealous of Anna’s ability to find true love, Marthy “outs” Anna to Matt who is then incapable of understanding or accepting Anna’s past.
“New Girl in Town” develops the conflict between Matt and Anna with sustained grace and beauty. The themes in this late 1950’s musical are quite contemporary: Anna is unwilling to accept Matt’s judgment of her past and insists that “people have a right to change.” She is willing to lose him instead of losing her new identity and new life in New York City: she does not need Matt or any other male in her life in order for her life to have meaning. Additionally, the musical is the right choice for revival at this time in America’s history when its Scarlet “A” is displayed on the world’s stage. There is much in our past as a nation that needs to be reexamined, forgiven, and set to rest so the metaphorical ‘Matt’s’ can fall in love with this great nation again. Taking the trope/metaphor even deeper, each and every audience member can connect with Anna and Matt is his or her struggle with self acceptance and the ability to understand the need to receive and give unconditional and non-judgmental love.
The ensemble cast of “New Girl in Town” provides a refreshing perspective on Bob Merrill and George Abbot’s enduring and engaging musical and on Eugene O’Neill’s “Anna Christie” upon which the musical is based. Kudos to the entire cast and creative team for re-energizing a musical that deserves another look by another generation. Anna tells Matt when she hopes he can accept her for who she really is, “I done wrong things and I done right things: can’t a person change?” Easily, that could be the deep question asked by anyone or any entity seeking forgiveness and a fresh start. For Anna – and for all of us – the past is finished and gone: all things have become fresh and new.
It is easier to make a musical “bigger.” It is more challenging to take a 1957 Broadway scale musical and reimagining it for a smaller performance space. The creative team at The Irish Repertory Theatre has successfully done that reimagining. The new production currently running as part of the Company’s season is as effective, perhaps more so, than the 1957 Broadway production.
Produced by Ciaran O’Reilly at The Irish Repertory Theatre. Directed by Charlotte Moore. Music Direction by John Bell. Choreography by Barry McNabb. Set Design by James Morgan. Costume Design by China Lee. Lighting Design by Mary Jo Dondlinger. Sound Design by Zachary Williamson.
WITH: Cliff Bemis, Dewey Caddell, Abby Church, Patrick Cummings, Danielle Ferland, Matt Gibson, Kimberly Dawn Neumann, Alex Puette, Margaret Loesser Robinson, Amber Stone, and Stephen Zinnato.
ORCHESTRA: John Bell (Conductor/Keyboard), Jeremy Clayton (Reeds), Don Peretz (Percussion), and Nick Russo (Guitar, Banjo). Orchestrations by John Clayton.
All performances of “New Girl in Town” are at The Irish Repertory Theatre, 132 West 22nd Street (between 6th and 7th Avenues) through September 14th. Thursday September 13th at 7:00 p.m. and Friday September 14th at 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Tickets are $65.00 and $55.00 and can be purchased by caling the Box Office at 212-727-2737 or by visiting www.1stIrish.org
Permalink | Posted by David Roberts on Thursday, September 13, 2012
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