By Harry Forbes
“BOOP! The Musical” may not be one for the ages, but for now, I’d say this candy-colored concoction based on the adorable cartoon creation of the 1930’s Max Fleischer shorts is mightily entertaining. And it serves beautifully as a star-making vehicle for leading lady Jasmine Amy Rogers who wins all hearts with her delightful, perfectly judged portrayal.
She’s a fine human embodiment of the animated Boop -- eschewing the trademark voice of the cartoon’s Mae Questel (and others who voiced the characger in a Helen Kane little girl voice) -- but offering her distinct vocal charm. She excels in all departments, a genuine triple threat. Sabana Majeed’s hair and wig design (spit curls and all) help with the impersonation. Rogers maintains Betty’s innocence throughout, never breaking character.
Very like the 2023 “Barbie” film, Bob Martin’s generally amusing book aims to make a case for the heroine’s relevance for today: her spunkiness, resourceful, versatile, and kind, and with a bit of a contemporary feminist perspective. But never in the heavy handed tiresome way of so many like-minded projects these days.
Martin gives us a Betty who’s weary of her black and white existence in the 1930s cartoon world, so she uses her inventor Grampy’s time travel device to be transported to the here and now, a world full of wondrous color. (The contrast between the black and white world of the past and the colorful present runs throughout the show, creatively embodied by Gregg Barnes' costumes and David Rockwell’s scenic design.)The Act 2 opener “Where is Betty?” is a witty visualization of that contrast, as the cast dances in costumes, color on one side, black and white on the other. (Nods to Fleischer's original renderings show up periodically in Finn Ross' projection design.)
Where Betty finds herself is smack dab in the middle of Comic Con in present-day New York, where she is befriended by teenaged Trisha (Angelica Hale) who, as it happens, has always idolized Betty Boop, and she takes the transplanted Betty under wing. Almost immediately, Betty falls for Trisha’s sometime babysitter Dwayne (outstanding Ainsley Melham), an aspiring trumpet player, who naturally falls for her himself.
Rounding out the present day principals are Anastacia McCleskey as Tricia’s supportive aunt Carol who’s campaign manager for Erich Bergen’s oily politician Raymond Demarest running for mayor.
Veterans Stephen DeRosa and Faith Prince have some bright moments as Grampy (from the cartoon world of ToonTown), and his old flame Valentina with whom he reunites these many years later. Providing periodic diversion in the black and white world are Aubie Merrylees and Ricky Schroeder as Betty’s frantic director and his rather overly devoted assistant. And I mustn’t forget Betty’s little dog Pudgy, delightfully and unobtrusively manipulated by puppeteer Phillip Huber.
Music producer David Foster has fashioned a mostly traditional sounding score (with Susan Birkenhead’s expert lyrics), which is not 1930s pastiche as you might expect, but stylistically appropriate. The Betty-Dwayne duet, “Why Look Around the Corner” is a charmer, but there are lots of catchy tunes including Valentina’s “A Cure for Love” and her duet with Grampy, “Whatever It Takes.” Even the Demarest gets a good number, “Take It to the Next Level,” as he tries to make his lecherous moves on Betty.
Betty’s eleven o’clock number, “Something to Shout About,” wins sustained applause.
Director/choreographer Jerry Mitchell keeps things moving at a brisk, masterful pace, with plenty of invigorating dance numbers throughout.
(Broadhurst Theatre, 235 W 44th St; BoopTheMusical.com)
Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman © And tag @MurphyMade and @EvZMM:
(l-r) Jasmine Amy Rogers (Betty Boop) and Ainsley Melham (Dwayne)
Print this post
0 comments:
Post a Comment