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Contact My first exposure to Susan Stroman's choreography was the national tour of Kander and Ebb's And The World Goes Round, which is the only musical revue that I adore, so seeing Stroman's work in this amazing revue added another layer to give it such high praise. From there I was in the audience of various Stroman shows like Crazy For You, Big, and Showboat. Then in 2001 I sat at the St. James Theater on Broadway with my jaw dropping from amazement at her brilliant double whammy job of directing and choreographing The Producers. This past season I was again seeing a Stroman show on Broadway, but alas this was the ill-fated Thou Shall Not at the Plymouth theater. It was a major disappointment for it lacked focus and depth. Now I have just sat watching her 2000 Tony winner, Contact at the Music Hall. I must state that with no live singing, no true book, and being set to pre-recorded music, this is not, in my opinion, a musical, period. It is more of a dramatic dance piece with comic overtones. Having said this, Contact is both moving and resonant. The evening is set in three separate scenes, in three different time periods. All three deal with people trying to make some form of contact. Contact is filled with sensual sexuality, tenderness, and loneliness. The first scene is based on the 1768 painting "The Swing," by Jean-Honore Fragonard, with a version of the Rodgers and Hart classic, "My Heart Stood Still," by jazz violinist Stephane Grappelli. The scene focuses on a girl (Mindy Franzese Wild) on a swing who is attended by two men (Keith Kuhl and Dan Sutcliffe). It begins as a very innocent day of grapes, bread, wine, and a swing, but then becomes a very sexual ménage-a-trois that is both quite humorous and naughty. The number really belongs to Mr. Kuhl; his dance technique is just marvelous to watch. For the second scene we are at an Italian restaurant in Queens, New York, in the 1950s. In this sequence Stroman choreographs to the music of Tchaikovsky, Grieg, and Bizet. At the center of this scene is a couple, a foul mouthed, dominant and abusive husband played by Adam Dannheisser, and his shy, intimidated wife (Meg Howrey) on whom he vents, both vocally and physically. Dannheisser plays his role straight from the Robert De Niro school of Mafia overtones, which works perfectly. Dannheisser has sharp comedic timing, but also makes you feel uncomfortable on how he treats his wife; it's quite realistic. The wife fantasizes outside of her glum and bleak life into these hilarious dance sequences that show Stroman's great sense of humor. One of the funniest and most romantic dance sequences involves the headwaiter, danced to perfection by Gary Franco who creates a fully fleshed out character from dance. It should also be noted that Keith Kuhl shows his comedic flair as the greasy bus boy with thick glasses and one funny walk! But it's Howrey who is the star of this second scene, and she is a heart breaker. It's easy to see why the third scene (which is the entire second act) is saved for last, vwcause it is the best of the three hands down. We are now in New York City (present time) in which we observe an ad executive named Michael Wiley (Daniel McDonald) win his fourth award for a hit TV ad campaign. From there we see him go to his stark white apartment. A man who truly has nothing to show for his life, he attempts suicide. Not succeeding in this attempt, he goes into the dark night only to somehow ends up at a dark, kept away dance club, whereupon he sees a girl in the yellow dress (played by Dallas native Deborah Yates). We see him try so desperately to make contact with this goddess, in both hysterical and deeply sad attempts. This third scene is comical, dark, intense, and poignant. For music, Stroman uses such songs as Robert Palmer's "Simply Irresistible," Dean Martin's "You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You," the Beach Boys' "Do You Wanna Dance?," and Benny Goodman's "Sing, Sing, Sing" (the latter, a song that has already been used in two other recent dance musicals, Swing and Fosse). Daniel McDonald, who received a Tony nomination in Kander and Ebb's Steel Pier, also choreographed by Susan Stroman, gives a very praiseworthy performance as Michael Wile, a man who is very alone in the Big Apple. McDonald expresses heartwrenching pain in body, voice, and facial expressions. The actor has one heck of a hilarious dance sequence as well. McDonald possesses a gorgeous singing voice; it is such a waste not to hear him sing live. But, regardless, he is the focus of this second act, and with his amazing stage presence and performance-he never loses that focus or the audience. Deborah Yates received a Tony nod for her performance in this role on Broadway (she lost to fellow castmate Karen Ziemba, who portrayed the abused wife in the first act), so it is a rare treat it is to have her appear in a touring production. Yates is remiscent of Grace Kelly with gorgeous gams. Her dancing is fluid, flowing, and with this air of sophistication. As for the sensual chemistry between Yates and McDonald, well let's just say it fills the entire music hall, believe me. Also in this number are two suitors who compete for Yates' attention, Mike Jackson and Keith Kuhl. Jackson is a tall, goateed man who lifts Yates as if she were a cloud, but his sexual attack on her is electrifying. Kuhl is a tattooed muscleman who drips pure machismo and simply won't take Yates' "no" for an answer. Both men really give McDonald a run for his money to attract Yates attention. The entire company dances with polished professionalism, skill, class, and talent. After the mediocre and unbalanced dancing that came from the recent tour of Cats a couple of weeks ago, this company shows what unison choreography is. The numbers have boundless energy and commitment. The production values are also top notch. Thomas Lynch's sets are both tasteful and classic. My personal favorite is Michael Wiley's white apartment. William Ivey Long's costumes are light, airy and complement the bodies of the dancers beautifully. Particularly impressive are the blue, flowing chiffon dinner dress for Howrey and course the tight, glittery yellow dress for Yates. Peter Kaczorowski's lighting design is rich in color, and perfect "emotional lighting" for what is being expressed on stage. With a season of well known shows coming our way this summer at the music hall, Contact is a major breath of fresh air, for it is both artistically and emotionally satisfying. As someone who grows weary of the warhorse musicals being paraded over and over again, Contact replenishes your thirst for the new in abundance. Contact plays through June 16 at the Music Hall at Fair Park here in Dallas. Performances are Tues-Sat at 8 p.m., Sat and Sun at 2 p.m. 1st week: Sun at 8 p.m., 2nd Week: Thurs 2 p.m. Call 214-631-ARTS for tickets, or online at www.ticketmaster.com Contact |
