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[REVIEW]

A Musical Treat

New Jewish eatre’s Jerry’s Girls celebrates the music of Jerry Herman, creator of hits Hello, Dolly! and La Cage Aux Folles

Written by TINA FARMER

Jerry’s Girls

Written by Jerry Herman. Directed by Ellen Isom. Presented by the New Jewish Theatre through Sunday, December 18. Showtimes vary by date. Tickets are $52.97 to $63.78.

You may not instantly recognize the name Jerry Herman, but it is quite likely you are familiar with his work. As a composer and lyricist, he’s responsible for some of Broadway’s most memorable shows from the 1960s into the ’80s. His biggest hits, Hello, Dolly! and La Cage Aux Folles, are Tony-winning pop-culture touchstones, and many of his songs reach far beyond the world of musical theater.

The New Jewish Theatre celebrates Herman with a thoroughly enjoyable revue that unfolds like the popular musical variety shows of the ’60s and ’70s. Though there’s a bit of dialogue, the two-act show is primarily a pageant of song and dance, delivered by a wellbalanced quintet featuring Kelsey Bearman, Molly Burris, Christina Rios and the mother/daughter pairing of Lisa and Greta Rosenstock. Directed and choreographed by Ellen Isom, the show is a heartfe r e o a ro fic a en .

The quick-paced Jerry’s Girls revue features ensemble numbers interspersed with solo performances, and each member of the quintet has at least one moment where their considerable talents shine. Act one opens with an ensemble piece, “It Takes a Woman,” which sets the tone for an evening fi e e ce ona ar on e . More that just simple chords, the voices bend around and counter each other, occasionally veering into purposeful discord that beautifully resolves without distracting from the melody line, such as in the hopeful “Put on Your Sunday Clothes.”

The ensemble pieces are lively with fun choreography, plenty of props, humor, and even an une ec e en a ca received tap number. “Hello Dolly!” includes a hilariously spot-on impersonation of Carol Channing by

From le : Kelsey Bearman, Lisa Rosenstock, Greta Rosenstock, Molly Burris and Christina Rios take the stage in Jerry’s Girls. | JON GITCHOFF

rr an c o e e fir ac a an . ere are e era e en ed medleys, including tributes to Vaudeville and the movies that add humor and interest while showca n er an con era e e . e e f a a e Folles Medley” serves as the show’s ran fina e c a ca e off Herman’s illustrious career.

Solo performances are thoughtfully sprinkled between the en-

[REVIEW]

Holiday Fun

Westport Playhouse’s production of e Twelve Dates of Christmas is a funny, relatable look at modern love

Written by TINA FARMER

The Twelve Dates of Christmas

Written by Ginna Hoben. Directed by Lee Ann Mathews. Presented by the Westport Playhouse through Friday, December 23. Showtimes vary by date. Tickets are $34.

Life is seldom like we see in the movies, and particularly not those popular holiday romantic comedies that proliferate this time of year. While Ginna Hoben’s comically relatable, if not quite believable, Twelve Dates of Christmas frequently reminds us of this point, the funny show might just make you wonder whether real-life rules apply to the holiday season.

Mary, played with natural ease and flawless comic timing by Jennifer ThebyQuinn, is your typical, happily engaged single woman living in New York City. A struggling actor, she sometimes has to work service-industry gigs. But she’s getting by and very happy to be heading home to Ohio for Thanksgiving — with her fiancé, which means no more struggling to find a date for family events. No more well-intentioned gossip from her mother. No more awkward introductions to single men by her busybody Aunt Kathy. And no more motivational pep talks from her perky younger sister.

Mary’s life is finally perfect, or something much closer to perfect than singlehood. That is, until her fiancé calls and says he can’t go with her for Thanksgiving because he’s really sick. Unfortunately, Mary is about to learn that the truth is a bit different than what she was told. On Thanksgiving morning, Mary and (it seems) everyone she knows, except her family, sees her fiancé kissing his coworker on live TV during the Macy’s Day Parade!

Before she has time to process the shock of the moment, her parents, sister Sally and Sally’s perfect boyfriend Ted burst through the front door to announce that Sally and Ted are engaged. Naturally, Mary breaks down. The family tries to support her. Sally gives her a rousing pep talk at the gym, mom shares the news with the best of intentions, and Aunt Kathy grabs the opportunity to set Mary up with the “perfect” guy during her annual eggnog party. The guy turns out to actually be pretty fantastic, but the timing is not right, so Mary heads back to the city. And with this simple framework, a year of dating and self-discovery begins.

Theby-Quinn is naturally sympathetic and hilariously compelling as Mary. She finds a way to connect to the truth in each date and personal revelation without being showy or overt. Director Lee Ann Mathews does a great job by giving ThebyQuinn a solid framework and constraints to fill in, then letting the performer’s wellhoned talents shine. Their partnership is strong, smoothing out problematic moments such as the oft-mentioned refrain that this story is “too much like a romantic comedy to be believed.”

While not an instant classic, The Twelve Dates of Christmas is a charming, often-laugh-out-loud-funny take on navigating modern holidays as a single person. Theby-Quinn is relatable and personable, with a keen sense of empathy and drop-dead funny characterizations of the important people in Mary’s life. For good, clean holiday fun, grab some friends, a drink and enjoy! n

semble numbers, and there are a number of individual highlights. “Just Leave Everything to Me” from Lisa Rosenstock showcases er ran e an oca e re. o e e an r r n e ca e “Before the Parade Passes By” may bring a tear to your eye, and she and Rosenstock connect perfectly in “Kiss Her Now,” a touchingly pleasant duet. Greta Rosenstock’s bright midrange shines in “Wherever He Ain’t” as well as the full-ofgood-wishes “Shalom.” In addition to her comic turn as Channing, Burris commands sympathy in the plaintively sad “I Won’t Send Roses.” Bearman’s “I Don’t Want To Know,” with piano accompanist Cullen on the accordion, reverberates with a lovely dissonance.

Filled with a sense of nostalgia for the once-popular variety musical show, Jerry’s Girls earns vigorous audience applause not simply for the tunes but for the quality of the voices delivering them. Director Isom and the performers lean into the harmonies and nostalgia of a variety show to deliver a satisfying musical revue with a touch of your grandparents’ era and style. n