Good for you if you've seen the award-winning musical Six, either on Broadway or on tour. But that show proves to be soooo 2021 when compared to three bold, female-centric new musicals currently reigning over the NYC theatre scene. They've also been nominated for multiple New York critics' awards in recent days, with potential Tony Award nominations pending for two of them later this week.
Teeth, adapted from Mitchell Lichtenstein's generally acclaimed but definitely challenging (especially if you are male) 2008 film, recently had its world premiere at Playwrights Horizon. The movie's plot involving a teenage girl who develops a rare case of vagina dentata hardly screams out "musical material," but co-writers Michael R. Jackson (of A Strange Loop and White Girl in Danger fame, both of which I loved) and Anna K. Jacobs ran with the possibilities they perceived.
Their graphic yet humorous adaptation follows the film closely until the final third, when it becomes an over-the-top, dystopian tale of newly-empowered women avenging themselves against men... by chomping off their penises and making them obedient zombies! Jackson's lyrics for songs with such titles as "Modest is Hottest" and "According to the Wiki" are typically clever, and the musical is well supported by Sarah Benson's direction and Raja Feather Kelly's choreography. Jeremy Chernick's special effects, which include a climactic onstage inferno, are also worth noting.
Sorry for the short notice, but Teeth did close yesterday after being extended twice. I'm hopeful it will have a robust life in regional and/or community theaters in the future.
Choreographer Raja Feather Kelly also has a sizable hand in Lempicka, the truly stunning musical that just opened on Broadway. It is inspired by the dramatic life of early-20th century painter Tamara de Lempicka, about whom I knew very little when I entered the Longacre Theatre. I exited the theatre 2 ½ hours later thoroughly enlightened, inspired and entertained.
A revealing book and stylistically diverse songs, both co-written by Carson Kreitzer and Matt Gould, depict the title artist's journey from Revolution-era Russia to Paris through World War II. She ultimately ends up elderly and unknown in 1970's Los Angeles. Lempicka was married to a man, with whom she had a daughter, but also enjoyed relationships with women. Last but not least, she became and is remembered today as a groundbreaking painter.
Director Rachel Chavkin (an award winner for both Hadestown and Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812) applies her typically bold, engrossing style to this bio-musical. Kelly's choreography is stylish and energetic, although the use of dance struck me as fairly constant and overly busy during the first half of act one. The actors, however, are the true stars here, which is as it should be. Star Eden Espinosa was out of the performance I saw due to illness but her standby/understudy, Mariand Torres, was sensational even though she reportedly had little full-show or full-cast rehearsal time beforehand. Amber Iman, as Lempicka's model/lover Rafaela, was no less potent. Other standouts among the hard-working cast were Andrew Samonsky, George Abud, Natalie Joy Johnson and, of course, Tony Award-winner Beth Leavel in a couple of roles. Leavel reduced the audience to tears with her beautiful 11 o'clock number, "Just This Way."
It's a bit early to know how Lempicka might fare long-term. Successful musicals not based on a movie, a book and/or a political figure are pretty rare nowadays. A significant number of Tony Award nominations on April 30th would help raise its profile. I certainly wish this important, exciting show a long run on Broadway, on tour, and beyond.
Suffs is the other estrogen-fueled, newly-opened Broadway musical. Its title is short for suffragists, those early-20th century American women who fought for the right to vote when only men were allowed to do so. Readers of a certain age may have previously learned about them via the "Sufferin' Til Suffrage" Schoolhouse Rock cartoon and song.
This new musical was written by singer-songwriter Shaina Taub, who also headlines the all-female and non-binary cast (taking a cue from last season's Broadway revival of 1776) as real-life suffragist leader Alice Paul. Taub doesn't have the most commanding stage presence but plenty of dramatic electricity is provided by her fellow cast members Nikki M. James (a Tony winner for The Book of Mormon), Jenn Colella (a Tony nominee for Come From Away) and others. I also applaud director Leigh Silverman for casting some disabled actors.
Suffs is a more traditionally scored and staged production than the other shows reviewed here, which perhaps makes it more crowd-pleasing. I expect it to make a strong showing when Tony Award nominations are announced tomorrow. Taub's songs are serviceable if not particularly memorable save for the climactic "Keep Marching." Ditto re: Mayte Natalio's choreography. I highly recommend the show, though, as both a valuable history lesson and a pleasant theatre-going experience.
Reverend's Ratings:
Teeth: B+
Lempicka: A
Suffs: A-
Reviews by Rev. Chris Carpenter, resident film and stage critic of Movie Dearest and Rage Monthly Magazine.
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