Wonderful Town

Reviewed by Julio Martinez
Dorothy Chandler Pavillion
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In the late 1930s, Ruth McKenney wrote a series of short stories that were published in the New Yorker and revolved around her sister Eileen. The stories eventually morphed into a book, My Sister Eileen, a Broadway show, Wonderful Town, and two films.  Wonderful Town was written by Joseph Fields and Jerome Chodorov, based on their stage play, with lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green and music by Leonard Bernstein.

This past weekend LA Opera mounted Wonderful Town as a staged concert reading featuring Tony winners Faith Prince and Nikki M. Jones as Ruth and Eileen respectively.

The plot focuses on the plight of two unworldly sisters from Ohio, Ruth and Eileen Sherwood, who have moved to New York’s Greenwich Village in search of fame and fortune and are swiftly bombarded by a series of misfortunes and a plethora of wacky characters. The story is narrated by the Manhattan Tour Guide (Roger Bart, another Tony winner who takes on other roles with a quick change of hat). Script adapter and director David Lee has honed the work so that little lost from a fully staged production; he’s aided by Han S. Kim’s quirky rear stage projection design and the adept choreography of Peggy Hickey. 

Seated in front of the full orchestra, the ensemble and chorus stay fully invested in their roles, — especially Prince who turns Ruth’s lament, One Hundred Easy Ways to Lose a Man, into a mini comedy act. Jones melodiously demonstrates Eileen’s propensity for short attention-span romance with A Little Bit in Love.  The supporting performers also step up. Marc Kudisch brings depth to magazine editor Robert Baker in his uneasy reactions to Ruth (A Quiet Girl),  and Julius Aks easily embodies football star Wreck, who suffers between-season blues (Pass the Football). 

Bernstein’s quirky melodies and off meter rhythms were on adroit display in the show’s opening number, Christopher Street. Other impressive renditions included the orchestral All Around New York, Conversation Piece sung by a quintet, the jazz-tinged Swing, and the show’s closer, Wrong Note Rag, sung by Ruth and Eileen. Choreographer Hickey makes ample use of limited space in the all male Conga! and the ensemble dance routine, Ballet at the Village Vortex.

LA Opera has demonstrated its versatility in taking on a pure Broadway musical comedy. The undertaking has served to spotlight the orchestra for their handling of Bernstein’s adventurous score (a predecessor to his even more ambitious Candide in 1954 and West Side Story in 1957).  The only acoustical drawback to the proceedings was the disadvantageous placement of the strings section of the orchestra, which made them sound as if they were playing in another room, separate from the woodwinds and brass.

Dorothy Chandler Pavillion, 135 N. Grand Avenue,  downtown Los Angeles, Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m., Sun., 2 p.m., though Dec 5; (213) 972-8001 or www.laopera.org/tickets.  Running time: 2 hours and 30 minutes with an intermission.