THIS WON’T BE THE “LAST DANCE” FOR SUMMER
Well over a year ago I sat comfortably in the MANDELL WEISS THEATRE on the campus of the University of California San Diego (UCSD) for one of the initial previews of LA JOLLA PLAYHOUSE’s production of SUMMER: THE DONNA SUMMER MUSICAL. While I did not judge it fair to review such an early performance of a multi-million dollar effort, I do wish to reflect on its prognosis since it has been running for quite some time on Broadway.
The look of the production was stunning in La Jolla. Robert Brill, with able assistance from the projections of Sean Nieuwenhuis, rocked the distinctive disco look amazingly well. Likewise, Paul Tazewell succeeded wholly and completely with the period costuming. In addition, Howell Binkley dazzled with the disco lighting. Even Charles G. LaPointe absolutely embellishes all the players with his full array of wigs. No doubt, outfitting an entire female ensemble with male wigs must have been an exciting challenge.
The musical direction by Ron Melrose crossed all the t’s and dotted all the i’s. And the sound design of Gareth Owen resonated, bringing all through the pearly gates to disco heaven.
Des McAnuff’s smart, conceptual staging easily captured the era while also giving the enterprise a contemporary flair. In addition, Sergio Trujillo’s choreography moved cleverly in tandem with those distinct disco rhythms.
All three ladies sharing the role of Donna Summer couldn’t have been finer: La Chanze, Storm Lever and especially, Ariana DuBose as “Disco Donna”. A star is born! The supporting players were satisfactory, yet not able to bring it to the next level. Meanwhile, the thrilling female ensemble flitted effortlessly through those precision dance numbers, yet their stature on stage read too diminutive in order to communicate the male gender on occasion.
So, why did the ever dwindling numbers of the New York press have so many issues with the show? IMHO, collectively, they were attempting to send a verdict to producers and creatives out there in the workplace: enough already with the jukebox musicals!
Even though two of the three leading ladies received TONY nominations, where were the nods for the technical creatives?
And the omission of Sergio Trujillo, in particular, was bewildering. No nomination? Well, at least the dance establishment in New York, responsible for the Chita Rivera awards, tried to make amends. Sergio was not only nominated for his dance achievement with SUMMER, but he also was named the winner of this prize.
The core failing of the show, though, was the book by Colman Domingo, Robert Cary and Des McAnuff. Ms.Summer’s messy life included scene after scene of domestic trauma. In La Jolla there didn’t seem to be a build to an increasing unraveling of stability.
Based on the financial records published in PLAYBILL, it seems to me that the Broadway show is not long for this world unless the Nederlanders owe Tommy Mottola, the high-powered record executive and the lead producer, a few favors. It’s likely, instead, that there will be a non-union production that tours the country, recoups the Broadway investment and provides a great deal of entertainment for the masses as its ”Last Dance”. There are quite a few of us throughout America who have fond memories of the disco revolution as it exploded on the scene in the Seventies and Eighties!
Update: 1/6/19 Closed on Broadway with plans for a national tour.
pc: Joan Marcus
Theatre Curtain Calling…Reviewing the Situation
