Theater: “Show/Boat: A River” @ NYU Skirball
Fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly, I gotta love one musical/till I die. Tough call for me, but if I had to pick one, among the top choices would be “Show Boat,” the Kern-Hammerstein musical that will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2027.
The score, the “message-y” book, both film versions (1936 and 1951), the troupes of actors who bring it all to life—“Show Boat” has been a part of my consciousness since we played a medley of the tunes in high school concert band.
So it is curious why Target Martin Theater wanted to mess with something that was a classic and create “Show/Boat: A River” at NYU Skirball. (Note: the company identified as “experimental” in the program and that should have been my clue.)
The original “Showboat” and subsequent revivals dealt with racism, which reared its ugly head aboard the Cotton Blossom, an entertainment boat plying the Mississippi during the late 19th century. In this production, to drive home the racism point even harder, several actors, both Black and white, wear sashes around their neck that say “White.” Also on the bare-bone stage are two doorways; one has a sign that says “white,” the other sign that says “Black.” Obvious much?
Subjects such as miscegenation, gambling and adultery that were dealt with in earlier productions are here too. Unfortunately, every time the action gets serious, it is interrupted by the Captain Andy character (Steven Rattazi) who slips in a non-funny, Borscht-Belt-style Dad joke.
In Act Two, several of the characters, including Magnolia Hawkins (Rebecca Vega-Romeros) and her husband, the caddish Gaylord Ravenal (Philip Themio Stoddard) leave the ship and dry-dock for greener pastures in Chicago. Their marriage has ended due to Gaylord’s gambling addiction. Similarly, Julie (Stephanie Weeks), who was kicked off the boat in the South for miscegenation, has been deserted by her white husband Steve (Edwin Joseph). Both ladies seek work in a Chicago nightclub singing “colored songs.”
Adding to the confusion is that the cast members play multiple roles, some male and some female. This is nothing new in modern theater but with 13 actors changing from gender to gender and costume to costume faster than you spell “Mississippi” correctly, keeping track of the action becomes a chore.
On a positive note, the score is as luscious as ever and the cast members deliver each song well. I particularly liked Vega-Romero as Nola, Themio Stoddard as Ravenal, and Alvin Crawford as Joe who sings “Ol Man River.” Caitlin Nassema Cassidy also provides comic relief as Ellie.
The vocal arrangements are by Dionne McClain-Freeney, and the orchestrations by Dan Schlosberg are surprisingly rich for a band of just six players, including conductor.
For a welcome change of pace, the original’s somewhat minstrelsy numbers are interspersed with a real African folk song, “Dumisa,” sung gorgeously by Temídayo Amay and a choir.
In short, “Show/Boat” gets a B-plus for effort, and a somewhat lower grade for execution. And speaking of grades, NYU’s Skirball Theater offers free admission for NYU students. So kids, if you’re not watching the inauguration next week, go and soak up the music. Even mediocre Kern/Hammerstein is better than no Kern/Hammerstein.
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