A Pas de Deux for Six

Now and Then – Pride Films & Plays

Two young gay college students meet by chance at a weekly amateur variety show. The Fabulously Fabulous Open Mic Night is hosted by an outgoing guy named Greg, who fancies himself a comedian in the style of Don Rickles. In spite of never having heard him sing or play his guitar, Greg kiddingly introduces Daniel as the worst act of the night. Dan, dressed in bluejeans, boots, a white tee shirt and cowboy hat, sings “Solitary Man,” a lovely, moving ballad that he wrote after graduating from high school. Both the handsome young man and his personal song have a positive effect on Greg,  so he invites Daniel back to his dorm room. There, Dan plays Greg another of his compositions and the two end up sharing Greg’s bed for the night. The rest, as they say, is history, with the two young men forming a relationship that will last over forty years.

This original musical features a country/folk score and lyrics by Dennis Manning and a book by Ronnie Larsen. It tells the story of two men, focusing on the ups-and-downs of their relationship over the decades. It’s similar to the observation of a relationship as in Jan de Hartog’s play, “The Fourposter,” or the Tom Jones/Harvey Schmidt musical adaptation, “I Do, I Do.” There are, however, two unusual, inventive elements in this play. Larsen’s storyline isn’t linear, but bounces around in time. And, even more unique, Daniel and Greg are each played by three different actor/singers, all of whom frequently appear on stage both separately and  simultaneously. The musical becomes a kind of musical pas de deux for six actors. Each pair represents the couple at various stages of their lives: in their twenties, their forties and, finally, in their sixties. Throughout the two acts that comprise this musical drama, the six actors sing and speak directly to each other, with the middle-aged and older versions of Dan and Greg arbitrating disagreements and sharing wisdom from a life filled with knowledge and experiences.

This gentle, heartfelt new musical had its premiere almost exactly a year ago, near Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Manning and Larsen have announced plans to take their show to London’s West End this fall. So this Chicago presentation is only the show’s second production. It’s a very affecting piece, with some beautiful songs, all accompanied on guitar by the three actors portraying Daniel. There’s a bit of humor and a fair amount of angst that plays out during the musical’s 120 minutes, especially between the middle-aged version of Daniel and Greg. But this show is more like a work-in-progress than a finished piece of art.

Dennis Manning and Ronnie Larsen are certainly two talented, very sincere and kindly gentlemen. Their hearts are most definitely in the right place in sharing this story, which may contain certain autobiographical elements. The strength of this tender piece of theatre is most definitely Dennis Manning’s music, although the play could be shortened to a more effective 90-minute one-act if the unnecessary reprises were eliminated.

This musical doesn’t really break new ground or present any novel ideas. Its characters are well-known types, the arc of their story has been told before and their banal dialogue is familiar and overloaded with platitudes and cliches. The single novel element that makes this musical exciting is that the two characters are gay. Dan and Greg’s story could easily have been told about a heterosexual couple but, in making the characters gay, the musical is universal. It’s a validation of the fact that, as Lin-Manuel Miranda said, “Love is love is love.” However, Manning and Larsen could profit by bringing in an assistant director or another producing theatre artist to offer an objective set of eyes and ears with which to freshly fine-tune their musical.

The casting in this Chicago production presents another problem. With one exception, the lack of acting experience among this company is telling. The lines won’t sound genuine if the characters delivering them seem artificial. Acting is believing, and total honesty and a commitment in what your character is saying and doing is paramount to any good performance. Acting looks easy, but not everyone has the vulnerability to bare his soul and totally become another person on stage.

Carl Herzog is the standout of this cast. He’s had a lot of theatre experience in both musicals and plays, and it shows in every scene. Mr. Herzog understands that acting is more than simply reciting memorized lines and singing learned lyrics; in every moment on stage, the actor is living and feeling his character. The pain and frustration that drives Dan 2 to alcohol addiction is tangible. Whenever his Dan sings, such as the title song and “Fall in Love Every Day,” it’s from his heart. When Dan speaks it feels real. It’s as if Carl and Dan 2 are one and the same, with all of his character’s emotions channeling through the actor. And, like the other two performers who play Daniel, Carl Herzog is an accomplished guitarist. It’s great to see this multitalented, highly-respected Chicago thespian in another strong role.

As the other two Daniels, the show’s composer, Dennis Manning, provides most of the musical accompaniment for the show, as the more mature Daniel 3. Often perched somewhere atop Melquisdel Dominguez’s impressive, multilevel set, Mr. Manning passionately and impressively strums his twelve-string guitar, while singing his own lyrics and, sometimes, simply accompanying his fellow actors. Manning’s music clearly comes from his soul. 

Good-looking Will Fulginiti, a first-year student at NYU, brings his ten+ years of guitar-playing talent and songwriting skill to the role of Daniel 1. While this gifted, young musician sings well and plays with an impressive excitement and eagerness, Mr. Fulginiti doesn’t always appear to be involved in his scenes. As a result, Will’s dialogue often feels flat and uninspiring. But with songs like “Long Stem Red Rose,” “Captured” and “Look at Me,” Mr. Fulginiti shows his true talent.

The three Gregs in this production each have their own difficulties that they must overcome. Benjamin Walton’s Greg 1 simply lacks believability. He’s far too cutesy and way too flippant to be taken seriously. Greg’s instant attraction to Daniel 1 feels forced and the couple’s mutual affection occurs too suddenly. Greg’s immediate infatuation makes his character come off as a little too creepy. Partially this is a problem with the writing, but Mr. Walton doesn’t help us navigate these textual difficulties with his portrayal.

Alex Smith has the unfortunate task of having to play Greg 2 almost entirely as a one-note character. Forever angry or just  disgruntled, Greg 2 is disappointed in his partner’s lack of initiative. All Dan 2 wants to do is write songs and drink. Their relationship seems to be one-sided and stagnating; and, if it weren’t for the onstage presence of the older version of this couple, we might think their romance is doomed to failure. Fortunately, the inexperienced Mr. Smith is paired with Carl Herzog, so their shared scenes offer multiple emotional layers.

Skip Sams gets to play a few more colors in his scenes, although, having gone into remission from cancer, his Greg 3 is continuously preoccupied with his mortality. Everything Greg says reflects the love he still feels for Dan 3 and how much he wants to make sure his partner is provided for if the inevitable happens. His renditions of “I Remember Love,” backed by the other actors, is gorgeous. Mr. Sams is likable in this role and the audience pulls  for his survival; but from early on, we know where this story line is heading.

As a new, gay musical, this love story by Dennis Manning and Ronnie Larsen shows a great deal of promise. There’s nothing really earthshaking about the story itself, but it’s sincere, sometimes funny and often heartbreaking. The two characters could be infused with more dimension. The musical could easily be tightened to become a one-act and, without an intermission to break up the momentum, would be more emotionally powerful. Although it’s flavored with a lovely, folksy score, the show could stand to lose a couple songs or, certainly, most of its reprises. The initial relationship between Daniel and Greg needs a little more time to develop and the dialogue throughout could use some originality. But this musical fills an empty niche, especially for LGBTQ theatergoers, and most certainly deserves a look.

Recommended

Reviewed by Colin Douglas     

Presented July 10-August 11 by Pride Films & Plays at the Broadway, 4139 N. Broadway, Chicago.

Tickets are available in person at the box office, by calling them at 866-811-4111 or by going to www.nowandthenmusical.com or  www.pridefilmsandplays.com.

Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com