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Swing
2000 was a year in which the Tony committee really dropped the ball. This was the year of Contact,
Swing, Aida, The Dead, and The Wild Party. When the nominations for Best Musical were
announced, Aida did not make the cut. The Elton John musical received mixed reviews in New York,
but was a huge box office hit right from the get go on its opening weekend.
There was a lot of talk of how and why Contact (which has been described as a "dance piece
with music") got into the final four. It had no original score, no singers, pre-recorded music, and no
true book to speak of. Swing! does have singers, but also has no book and is just a combination
of known songs, sort of like a revue. Aida had a totally original score and a book based on the
famous opera.That Tony night Swing! walked away empty handed, Contact took the Tony for
Best Musical (which still is a topic of heated discussions between theater folk), and Aida won
three of its four nominations.
It is no secret that I am a major fan of Aida, so walking into the Majestic Theater last
night, I was ready to see what was so great about Swing! that it was worthy of the Tony nod for
Best Musical that Aida did not get. Two hours later, I had my answer.
Swing! is basically a two hour dance fest formatted around known songs from the music genres
of swing, big band, and jazz. There are little vignettes, like one that follows a couple meeting for a
date, but how they got there, why they are there, and how their date ends is not explained at all. In
fact, midway through act two this "story line" completely disappears.
While the dancing is visually appealing and some of it is simply remarkable, it does begin to wear
you down and becomes dull by the end of the first act. They've taken a fun idea and done their best to
stretch it out for two whole acts. Not helping are the same blocks of steps, movements, and
configurations in the choreography repeating themselves throughout the evening.
The use of swing music in abundance is also a test of endurance. It's obvious that the creators of
Swing! did not know where to take this piece at times. The musical truly gasps for air when the
finale is "Sing, Sing, Sing." This is same song that was used in 1999 as the finale for the musical
Fosse, and was far better executed and choreographed by the brilliant Bob Fosse and the dance
company of the musical salute to him than in Swing!.
Dance is an art form that shows visual emotion which can stir deep emotions from the audience.
Swing! simply does not have this kind of cathartic emotion to ride on. However the Swing!
cast does provide never ending exuberant energy in their performances all around.
The dancers provide the best moments of the evening; it is interesting to note that the women are
under five foot and the men are over five foot nine (this is a height requirement on the audition notice
for Swing!). They show such joy and excitement on their faces that it's easy to join in the fun and
enjoyment of what is being performed on the stage.
One of the dazzling dance techniques involves the male dancers throwing the female dancers into the
air as if they were as light as feathers. They throw the gals in the air, or twirl them forever, it
seems. There is also visual delight in seeing how these girls wrap around their partners and contort
themselves into unique positions.
Chris Boyd, Erin Davie, Clarolyn Maier, and Charles Statham are the cast members who sing the solos
and duets within the evening of music. All four have charming chemistry and excellent vocals for the
various formats of music: from classic Broadway to country to the inflections of jazz. Davie and Statham
provide the best laughs of the evening with their little skits that are sprinkled thoughout the show.
If I had to pick my favorite number of the evening, it would be "Cry Me a River." This is a duet
between Erin Davie and horn player Marshall Gilkes. While Davie sings, Gilkes plays back his horn as
though he is talking to Davie. This duet achieves wonderful humor from what happens between them as they
argue back in forth in voice and music.
Swing! has an eclectic mix of Jive, Latin Swing, West Coast Swing, Hip Hop Swing, and even
Country & Western Swing dancing. It even has a number with bungee cords that is delightful to watch as
the two gals hooked up to this gear are flung around in the air high enough to hit the lighting rigs!
Admiration must be paid to the superb jazz band on stage. These guys really make that music fly!
Their energy and even facial expressions add a lot to the evening.
Overall, while I did enjoy some the choreography, the dancers themselves made the evening for me.
They all do simply a magnificent job of keeping you entertained even though they have some lackluster
and bland material to work with. They are the true stars of the evening.
The Swing! played Dalls through March 17.
Swing!
National Touring Company
Dallas, Texas-Majestic Theatre
Original Production Supervised by Jerry Zaks
Broadway Production Directed & Choreographed by Lynn Taylor-Corbett
Choreography Recreated for the Tour by Kim Craven
Directed by Lori Steinberg
Scenic Design by Thomas Lynch
Costume Design by William Ivey Long
Lighting Design by Kenneth Posner
--John Garcia
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