‘Goin’ Hollywood’ @ WaterTower Theatre
—Jan Farrington
It isn’t only the main characters of the spanking-new musical Goin’ Hollywood who get to time travel: it’s the audience too, who have the fun of feeling they’ve been swept back into the Golden Age of Hollywood musicals that starred Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Cyd Charisse and many other legendary performers.
WaterTower Theatre pulls in some great talent for this world premiere. Some faces are local favorites we’re happy to see again; others come with Broadway and regional theater credits they more than live up to.
WTT producing artistic director Shane Peterman noted on opening night that the creative team had been working on the show “since before the pandemic”—and now, finally, tonight was The Night. Stephen Cole’s book and lyrics are smart and snappy, with a sort of vaudeville-ian vibe. David Krane’s songs come in recognizably vintage styles, and do a good job helping us know the characters. I didn’t go out humming the tunes, but in the moment they were fun and/or telling, and an effective part of the forward motion of the story.
Here’s the situation: Grumpy New York musical writing team Alice and Garson (Allison Whitehurst and Brian Hathaway) have had some success in New York—but wish they’d been around for the great days of the 1940s and 1950s, when the movie studios were cranking out musicals by the dozens. In a surprising coincidence, Alice wishes she could travel back to that time, while having lunch in a replica of the train that carried wannabee movie writers and stars from the East Coast to the La La Land of Hollywood.
And poof! It’s the late 1940s, a time that turns out (like every era before or since) to be part light, and part darkness. Yes, the movie opportunities are wonderful, but…the reality of the postwar paranoia about Communists in the movies (corrupting American values on the sly) is in full swing. Outspoken Alice and Garson are liable to get themselves in hot water unless they learn to chill—a capacity neither seems to have.
Gabriel Barre directs this big show with a sure hand, music director Lawrence Yurman keeps the singing clear as a bell (the excellent band up on a balcony holds its own, but never overwhelms the singing), and choreographer Ann Nieman is on the ball all night, pulling excellent performances from both the stars and the small ensembles referred to as Street Singers, Wonderlads, Waiters, and so on. Bob Lavallee’s set designs quietly provide atmospherics, as do Samuel Rushen’s lights, and especially his excellent projections. And Sarah Mosher’s costumes—particularly for the women, and for the male ensembles in their natty tailored togs—made me wish I could sail out in a wonderful skirt and a pair of dreamy high heels.
The plot goes about where we expect, with some interesting wrinkles and curveballs along the way, mostly involving the influence of the notorious House Un-American Activities Committee (or “HUAC, HUAC,” as the chorus warbles sweetly at one funny moment). But mainly, I will remember the many standout performances of the show. Brian Hathaway is terrifically engaging as Garson, whether in whimsical or feisty mode, and he’s got a great way with all kinds of songs. Whitehurst’s Alice is smart, pretty, and fierce as she fights levels of sexism she didn’t quite imagine (“The Only Woman in the Room”)—and her clarion voice is a treat. As AJ, the studio rep who mentors them, Cooper Grodin handles his conflicted, complicated role very well, and amazes us with his big voice in “Too Smart” and other numbers. Jocelyn Hansen, another strong singer, plays Nancy Karinski, studio employee and rockin’-the-boat union organizer. And local favorite Stan Graner gives L.B. Mayer an intimidating stare that makes everyone else feel…well, intimidated.
Kudos to the creatives and to WaterTower for taking on this major commitment. Goin’ Hollywood is a show with lots of promise and plenty of fun to be had—and with a dynamic cast like this working their socks off, the sum total of the musical adds up to a pleasantly retro experience.
WHEN: July 19-30, 2023
WHERE: WaterTower Theatre, 15650 Addison Road, Addison TX
