An original musical is almost always a rough, potential thing, usually marked with all manner of rough spots, unfulfilled or overdrawn moments, uninspired songs and slack drama. “Stunt Girl” is, in addition to being continuously entertaining, as fully-realized, expertly constructed and produced a new musical as I've seen in a good, long time. It takes us to late 19th Century New York, a world where this independent, strong-minded and talented woman could break into the male-dominated world of journalism and use her sensationalistic “stunts,” undercover investigative reporting, to exercise her social conscience. Over the course of her astonishing life she falls in love with two men and makes several journeys from the depths of poverty and deprivation to the heights of wealth and social standing. A uniformly talented and invested cast, led by the wonderful Sarah Chalfy as Nellie, gives energetic, invested performances that charm and amuse with the period style and convince us with the authenticity of the individuals.
The songs, with clever and articulate lyrics by Peter Kellogg and accessible, dramatic and charming music by David Friedman, focus the action and clearly define the characters. Mr. Kellogg's book is particularly effective in keeping the first act fast-moving and fun and delivering a second act that substantiates the individuals and creates a depth and resonance to their lives. The entire show, excellently directed and choreographed by Steve Tomkins, defltly manages the very difficult balance between light, musical comedy entertainment and a story that's genuine drama, with people we believe and care about. While some may argue that the “book musical” is outdated, it's particularly appropriate to this story and this era and, as is rarely the case, matches the quality of the play with the quality of the songs.
With the opening number, newsboys hawking “That's the Headline,” we are immersed in the vivid, energetic street-life of late 19th Century New York, where eight daily papers struggle for the attention of their semi-literate, immigrant readers. As Joseph Pulitzer (John Patrick Lowrie), Nellie's boss at the New York World says in his opening number, the first and last rule is “Don't Bore Them.” Following that excellent introduction to time and place, we get the first introduction to character, to Nellie's of course, with the inventive and ingratiating “Tell Me What You Need”. From there she is sent on her first big assignment, to be institutionalized in the Women's Lunatic Asylum so she can write about the terrible conditions there. A career is launched, and the momentum of the first act traces her journey into the big world of New York journalism to the even bigger world she explores on a globe-hopping tour investigating international living conditions. During those years she falls in love with another reporter, Arthur (Dane Stokinger) and then with the incredibly wealthy Robert Seaman (Hugh Hastings) for whom she leaves the paper to marry.
The second act opens with her description of that life of wealth and privilege, “I'm in Hell”. When Robert dies she returns to reporting, doing battlefield correspondence from the trenches of World War I. Back at the World, she resolves her relationship with Arthur, as he resolves his with the ghost of Pulitzer. Both are really ghosts to Nellie. The finale is an equally brilliant balance to the opening number, at this time wondering, at the end of her life, about just what is and isn't “Black and White”. There is not a number in the show that seems superfluous, and every one is delivered with conviction and energy. Arthur, Pulitzer, her office rival Phoebe (an excellent Jessica Skerritt) and fellow reporter Howard Martin (Eric Polani Jensen) are all dimensional and compelling characters, and they populate Nellie's life with people as exciting, varied and influential as her adventures.
Much of the burden in this show falls on the lead, but in Sarah Chalfy's performance there's no sense of burden at all. With her indomitable spirit, bright intelligence and strong voice she makes Nellie feel like a natural woman with an extraordinary vivacity. When the second act allows the character to dive more deeply into the meaning of her life, she has already established enough real, substantive personal character to make her pursuit credible and engaging. This is a woman who might have some questionable values, but that only makes her a more complex person, and her purity of heart is affecting. With such strong characters to play off, especially John Patrick Lowrie as Pulitzer and Dane Stokinger as Arthur, Chalfy always made us care about her true heart and where it leads her.
“Stunt Girl” is given a beautiful physical production in this World Premiere, with a complex and inventive scenic design by Scott Fyfe, excellent lighting by Alex Berry and gorgeous costumes by Melanie Burgess. The Musical Direction by R.J. Tancioco is rock solid and perfectly in tune with the dramatic action.
More than anything, “Stunt Girl” is a marvelous reminder of how really well-made musical theatre can animate a story in ways that heighten both the story and the characters, can create an experience that allows us to understand and feel narrative in richer and deeper ways. When you have writers on this level of expertise, talent so abundant on stage, and production staff so passionate to get it right, the result is something genuinely magical. Extra! Extra! “Stunt Girl” is a breakout hit!
PICTURED ABOVE: Cast of Stunt Girl
PHOTO BY: Jay Kroh
