“Forever Dusty” at New World Stages Book by Kirsten Holly Smith and Jonathan Vankin Directed by Randal Myler Reviewed by Joseph Verlezza Theatre Reviews Limited
There is more than one reason to see “Forever Dusty” the new musical now playing at New World Stages. First and foremost are the songs made famous by the legendary Dusty Springfield who broke stride and followed a controversial career in the music industry. Next is listening to Kristen Holly Smith who brings to life the voice, style, and image of this iconic songstress. Last but not least is the stunning performance of Christina Sajous as Dusty’s longtime companion Claire whose vocal turns shatter the stage. All of this is supported by a fully capable and talented cast and makes for an enjoyable evening of entertainment.
On the flip side, there are also problems with the musical which need to be addressed. Because “Forever Dusty” is performed in ninety minutes with no intermission, there is little time to create a substantial book. As a result, the dramatic force of Springfield’s troubled life suffers, as do the actors who try to portray this biography with a script of short vignettes strung together with the singer’s megahits. This possibly contributes to some melodrama and overacting in order to stress some important points. Although the narrative may be informative there is not enough substance to allow the audience to become emotionally involved with the characters.
What make this show worthwhile are the musical performances of this small cast and talented musicians. Ms. Smith captures the spirit of Dusty Springfield’s vocal style and admiration of the Motown sound. Her voice is strong, clear and gutsy, seizing the emotional quality reminiscent of that era. Ms. Sajous is electric with her first solo “Tell Him” and keeps the vocal sparks flying throughout her performance. Her vocals are incredible packing a surge of energy into every lyric that shatters the stage and leaves the audience wanting more.
This critic’s suggestion is to lengthen the show and concentrate on a better script or shorten it to a tribute concert with some informative chatter, in a cabaret setting. But for now go and enjoy an entertaining evening of music and nostalgia.
FOREVER DUSTY
Presented by Leslie Brockett, Jorja Fox. Jane Gullong, and Sandalphon Productions (Eva Price Executive Producer) at New World Stages/Stage 5. Book by Kirsten Holly Smith and Jonathan Vankin. Directed by Randal Myler. The creative team includes Wilson Chin (set design), Nancy A. Palmatier (costume design), Richard Dibella (lighting and projection design), Paul Huntley (wig design), and Matt Kraus (sound design).
WITH: Ashley Betton, Benim Foster, Sean Patrick Hopkins, Jonathan C. Kaplan, Christina Sajous, Colleen Sexton, and Kirsten Holly Smith.
All performances of “Forever Dusty” are at New World Stages/Stage 5, 340 West 50th Street (between 8th and 9th Avenues), New York, NY and run on the following schedule: Monday @ 7pm, Wednesday @ 2:30pm & 8pm, Thursday & Friday @ 8pm, Saturday @ 2:30pm & 8pm, Sunday @ 3pm. Tickets are $79.00 and $69.00 and can be purchased at the New World Stages Box Office or by visiting http://www.foreverdusty.com/. There are special performance times and ticket prices for the holiday: be sure to check with the box office for a complete schedule.
Permalink | Posted by David Roberts on Sunday, December 2, 2012
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