South Street

A Pasadena Playhouse presentation in colaboration with Kathleen K. Manley of the musical in 2 functions with book by Craig Carlisle and music and lyrics by Richard Addrisi. Directed by Roger Castellano. Choreography, Dana Solimando Cloe - Maria Eberline Johnny - Brent Schindele Sybil - Valerie Perri Based on the old pop hit, Philadelphia's "South Street" is "the hippest street around the very best street/To possess a ball along with you.Inch Not within the tuner of the identical title in the Pasadena Playhouse. The fabled thoroughfare circa 1997 is really a generic, conflict-free fantasyland indicated by random hugs and unmotivated high spirits. It cannot happen to be simple to craft a show by which literally nothing happens for 135 minutes, but that is the singular accomplishment of librettist Craig Carlisle and songwriter Richard Addrisi. Carlisle particularly is asleep in the switch. The threat of eviction hanging over "Sammy's Place," an old firehouse, drives (for insufficient a much better word) the storyline (for insufficient a much better word). But he will not make any effort to dramatize what kind of joint it's, or why we ought to worry about its fate. Rather, we are requested to instantly accept like a adorable pseudo-family a number of stock, stick figures (jovial sexless bartenders vulgar cougar repressed nerd sassy waitress) whose pleasure in each other peoples company we lack context to talk about. Guidos and Guidettes drift out and in, dutifully shedding pointless exposition and awful jokes within their wake. Additionally they sing regarding their emotions: "We are doing all rightOrWe have ample time." "Salami and cheese/I think you will be pleased." "Perfect pair/Friggin' riches." If your theater party designed a consuming bet on going for a shot whenever Addrisi ponied up a genuine rhyme, all could leave "South Street" fit they are driving. The brand new proprietors desire to build the Boobie Bar and Deli (Hot Women and Cole Slaw) on the website. Disasters! But once we learn within an achingly lengthy act one flashback to 1980, Sammy's Place started existence like a gentlemen's club (although one with pole dancing as unerotic as Disneyland's It is a Small World). The area would certainly be coming back to its roots. This can be a crisis? Never fear, it's resolved as carelessly as it is setup. A hopelessly underbaked romance is shoehorned in, together with talk (along with a song) about "searching towards the rabbit within the moon." Also many high fives, and a lot of beaming patrons pointing at one another as though to express, "I am along with you, sister you heard right, my pal.Inch Space precludes sufficient thought on the mannequin within the easy chair, or even the number where a soubrette announces she's "class/Being released of my asspirations." "South Street" is really peculiar, its words so banal and helmer Roger Castellano's pacing so off, the experience becomes almost endearing, such as the showpiece pageant "Red-colored, Whitened and Blaine" in "Awaiting Guffman." An unusual dissonance is produced when everybody available online for is attempting so difficult with such truthfulness, as the material is lounging one aromatic egg to another. Heroine Cloe (Maria Eberline) systems some misconception having a by-the-amounts energy ballad congratulating herself for conquering all of the struggles we have neither seen nor learned about. Eberline, such as the relaxation from the cast, struggles manfully to market the 80s-pop-inflected tunes as though they possessed market price.Sets, Andy Walmsley costumes, Kate Bergh lighting, John Monahan seem, Julie Ferrin orchestrations, Don Sebesky music supervision Andrew Sotomayor musical direction, Michael Borth. Opened up Sept. 25, 2011. Examined Sept. 28. Runs through March. 16. Running time: 2 Hrs, 15 MIN.With: Anika Bobb, Ezra Buzzington, Nigel Columbus, Matthew Patrick Davis, Susann Fletcher, Benjamin Goldsmith, Sylvie Gosse, Andy Scott Harris, Jim Holdridge, Kat Liz Kramer, Scott Kruse, John Massey, Jacqueline Nguyen, Stefan Raulston, Tom Shelton, Peter Siragusa, Cassie Silva, Hannah Simmons, Ali Spuck, Lowe Taylor, Estevan Valdes, Harrison Whitened, Corey Wright, Darlene Zaltman. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com