The Sting
Paper Mill Playhouse, Millburn, NJ, April 11, 2018
Reviewed by Chip Deffaa for Cabaret Scenes
The Sting—starring Harry Connick, Jr. at Paper Mill Playhouse (through April 29th)—is the best new musical I’ve seen in several years. And Connick’s gifts are superbly showcased. His singing, his piano playing, his songwriting, his charisma… all contribute to a terrific evening. A wealth of talent-—both on stage and behind the scenes—is involved in this production, which feature a libretto (based on David S. Ward’s screenplay) by Bob Martin of The Drowsy Chaperone renown; and music and lyrics by Mark Hollmann and Greg Kotis (co-creators of Urinetown), with additional songs by Connick. Oh, there are a few things that need some fixing, which we’ll address shortly. But, I think the needed fixes will be relatively easy to make. And even if absolutely no changes were made, the show is still more entertaining than most shows on Broadway right now. It’s a winner!
The production ought to be transferred to Broadway just about as soon as a suitable theater opens up. (The most desirable Broadway houses are occupied right now.) The creative team can do a bit of tweaking in previews. This musical is impeccably cast. The direction (by John Rando) and choreography (by Warren Carlyle) are, for the most part, excellent. The basic story is superb. The writers have pulled off that near-impossible trick—transforming a movie that was perfect in its own way into a stage musical that retains much of what we loved about the film, while offering just enough that is new and different and delightful to fascinate us. And everything is served up with great showmanship and flair. Every year I attend the Tony Awards. I hope I eventually get to see this show and star nominated for Tonys—and win some. There is just so much to like here.
To start with, there is Connick. He is a bona fide star, and this role gives him his best theatrical showcase to date, by far. He’s magnetic. He commands the stage. He takes over a role played on screen by the great Paul Newman and quickly makes you forget about Newman. (No small feat, that.) He’s playing con man Henry Gondorff—who in this stage adaptation has shrewdly been turned into a piano-playing con man. And Connick seems born to play this role. He makes a most beguiling con man. (This role simply suits him far better than the roles he played in the Broadway revivals of Pajama Game and On a Clear Day You Can See Forever. It’s a perfect fit for his self-assured personality.) His singing voice has never been better. He plays piano in that fascinating, uniquely-Connick jazz style of his. He even gamely taps dances. He is interesting, whatever he is doing. He’s reason enough to buy a ticket.
But director Rando and company (Tara Rubin Casting, and Paper Mill producers Mark S. Hoebee, Todd Schmidt, and Patrick Parker) have brought us an exceptionally strong cast. J. Harrison Ghee is endearing in the second lead—and certainly sings well—playing fellow con man Johnny Hooker (the role played so deftly by Robert Redford in the film). The character of Hooker is now an African-American—which works just fine in the current script. And again, I quickly forgot about Redford; Ghee was not trying to do Redford; he’s his own man. This version of The Sting has its own feel from beginning to end, and it works well on its own terms.
I liked very much, too, the performances of Kevyn Morrow (as Luther), Kate Shindle (never better, as Billie), Peter Benson (the Erie Kid), and Tom Hewitt (Doyle Lonnegan). I didn’t find Janet Dacal, alas, too convincing as Loretta. (And I thought she got the score’s two weakest songs.) But, generally speaking, this is an unusually strong cast. Luke Hawkins’ dancing is a plus. And I got a kick out of the wise way that New Orleans trombonist Lucien Barbarin—long a featured sideman in Connick’s band—is utilized onstage, to add sly musical commentary. (I noted happily, too, the presence in the orchestra of jazz saxist Jerry Weldon, another longtime key member of Connick’s own band.)
Bob Martin deserves great credit for the book. He has retained nearly all of the wonderful plot twists and turns of the original film. And I scarcely thought that would be possible. (Usually plots get considerably simplified when films or straight plays are converted into musicals, and chunks of dialogue are removed and replaced by song and dance.) The storyline is absorbing. (The Sting has been one of my all-time favorite films since I first saw it on the big screen when it originally came out. It is so well-crafted, I was very apprehensive that any adaptation would likely be a disappointment.) The score is engaging. Beowulf Boritt’s set designs are fun.
And the choreography by Warren Carlyle is an enormous delight from start to finish. It’s the best choreography I’ve seen in a long time. Sometimes, he evokes wonderful old-time routines (like the stair-dancing that Bill Robinson was famous for, and Seymour Felix’s memorable choreographed cigarette-smoking business from the film Rose of Washington Square); he is at once making a nod to the era depicted and giving us something fresh and meaningful in context. The spirited hoofing we get to enjoy fits this story well.
I’m very glad they’ve retained so much of Scott Joplin’s sublime ragtime music. Joplin’s rags had a great deal to do with the success of the original picture, and they play an important part in this show, as well. I actually wish we heard a bit more of Joplin’s music. Ten different Joplin numbers are heard, at least briefly—but sometimes the snippets are too short to be properly savored. We finally get to fully luxuriate in Joplin’s music rather late in the show.
Joplin needs to be credited on the title page of the program; at present, he is credited only in a note underneath the list of the show’s musical numbers. That feels like an after-thought; insufficient. If the production is appropriating the best music Joplin created in his life—music that is essential to this show—he should also be properly credited on the title page. If they can find room on the page to credit the show’s press agent, hair/wig designer, and fight coordinator, they can find room to credit the musical genius that was Joplin.
The overall length of the show feels right. I wonder, though, if—at present—more time than ideal is being devoted to the set-up and less time than ideal is being devoted to the fantastic Big Con. I have a hunch the show could be improved a bit, that way.
I also think it would work better if we were less certain, as the story progressed, that our heroes were going to succeed. The more doubts we have about their possible success, the more tension can be generated, and the more satisfying the final payoff will be. One thing the film did better than this musical is doing at present is make us really worry that the heroes were not going to win. And that made the stakes higher. Paul Newman could, at times, project a certain vulnerability; we wondered if he was washed up, over the hill, if he could really pull it off. Now, I love Harry Connick, Jr. He’s a sensational performer. And he’s a most believable con artist. The problem is, he has “the guy most likely to succeed” written all over him. Once we get to know him a bit, we’re not only rooting for him, we’re SURE he’s going to win. He’s just got that air that inspires confidence. Anyone with good instincts would bet on him to succeed. If the script could be tweaked a bit to give us moments when we’re not so sure if he can cut it, it would raise the tension, and that would be a plus.
But, it’s great to see Connick on stage in a musical that is, overall, so very right for him. And surrounded by so much talent. And is just so much fun. I’d hurry back to see this show again, if I could. But, I have a hunch the run is going to sell out very quickly. On to Broadway!
