HEAR THE BEAT OF DANCING FEET IN CHARMING '42ND ST.'.Byline: Evan Henerson Theater Critic AS LONG AS you can buy into its ``no business like show business'' iconography, the revival of ``42nd Street'' - back around the Southland as part of a Theatre League tour, is worth some oohs and ahhs and more than a few smiles of recognition. The production doesn't have - or need - big stars: The actors playing the director, diva and fresh-faced ingenue in·gé·nue also in·ge·nue n. 1. A naive, innocent girl or young woman. 2. a. The role of an ingénue in a dramatic production. b. An actress playing such a role. are all unknowns. The actor playing the director knows how to be hard, bullish and even dashing; the diva shrill and put upon. Melody Davi, a Peggy Sawyer on the petite side, works those tap shoes like she belongs at the front of the line, not buried inside Buried Inside is a metalcore band from Ottawa, Canada. Influenced by early metalcore bands such as Acme, One Eyed Prophecy, Union of Uranus, as well as countless East-Coast USA and Quebec hardcore bands, they formed in 1997. it. And the chorus line itself is super. Much to be admired is Douglas Schmidt's evocative scenery (gotta love those giant dimes), the glittery costumes of Roger Kirk Roger Kirk was a Radio Presenter who mostly presented for Radio stations in Yorkshire. He started his interest in radio at Hospital Radio Tunbridge Wells and then landed a job as a "tech-op" for the BBC. and the general show-within-a-show savvy that director Valerie Gardner Rives Language Rive (plural : rives) is a French word meaning "bank" (of a river). Geography Rives is the name of several places: France Rives is the name of 2 communes in France:
Not that the plot is of much consequence here, but backstage at rehearsals of Julian Marsh's (played by Ron Smith) new Broadway show ``Pretty Lady,'' the chorus is tapping, the comic relief is pratfalling, and the diva, Dorothy Brock (Natalie Buster), isn't doing much dancing. Because she stinks at it. Plus, she's distractingly in love with a disreputable dis·rep·u·ta·ble adj. Lacking respectability, as in character, behavior, or appearance. dis·rep vaudevillian vaude·vil·lian n. One, especially a performer, who works in vaudeville. vaude·vil  lian adj.Noun 1. named Denning (David Grant) who Marsh wants on the first train to anywhere-but-here. Allentown, Penn.'s Peggy Sawyer, meanwhile, blows into town too late to audition for ``Pretty Lady,'' but because she's plucky pluck·y adj. pluck·i·er, pluck·i·est Having or showing courage and spirit in trying circumstances. See Synonyms at brave. pluck , talented and has fate on her side, she slips into the chorus. Then Dorothy breaks her ankle during tryouts, and only one person can save the show and those hundreds of jobs. Guess who we mean. In this road incarnation, Rick Conant is re-creating the original musical staging by Randy Skinner. It's charming, lively and brisk, and there's something pretty darned darned adj. Damned. Adj. 1. darned - expletives used informally as intensifiers; "he's a blasted idiot"; "it's a blamed shame"; "a blame cold winter"; "not a blessed dime"; "I'll be damned (or blessed or darned or infectious about Marsh trying to woo Peggy back to the show by getting his entire company to pour into Philadelphia's Broad Street Station to sing ``Lullaby of Broadway.'' Numbers like ``Go Into Your Dance,'' ``You're Getting to be a Habit With Me,'' ``We're in the Money'' and ``I Only Have Eyes for You'' - even performed without much context - are still crowd pleasers. What else can I say? ``42nd Street'' is simply that kind of show. Evan Henerson, (818) 713-3651 evan.henerson(at)dailynews.com 42nd STREET - Three stars Where: Pasadena Civic Auditorium, 300 E. Green St., Pasadena. When: 8 p.m. Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday; through Sunday. Tickets: $21 to $45. Call (213) 480-3232. In a nutshell: Those feet can dance, which is all that really matters. |
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