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BRO AND SIS: Donny and Marie Osmond. (Kim Goodwin)
NEW YORK—More a show on Broadway during the holiday season than a holiday show, Donny & Marie–A Broadway Christmas shows why Donny and Marie Osmond have survived so long in the entertainment business (both are in their fifth decade of performing). From the moment they come out on stage, the two present a show that combines Las Vegas glitz, holiday cheer, nostalgia, and easy amiability.
Starting things off with a few standard holiday tunes, the two quickly move on to some decidedly hard rock numbers, while bantering in sibling rivalry shorthand (something that dates from their 1970s television variety show).
One of the pair’s best qualities is their ability at not taking themselves too seriously, something that immediately endears them to their already adoring audiences.
The two are actually on stage together for only about a third of the evening; each also has a solo segment. Marie goes first, with her section including video clips from her career. She sings “Paper Roses,” her 1973 number one country hit, and then demonstrates her versatility with “Would I Lie to You” (by the Eurythmics), “The Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy,” and Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “My Favorite Things.”
DONNY: Mr. Osmond relies on rock and pop songs, plus a fair amount of dancing. (Kim Goodwin)
She also took a bit of a risk with a Broadway medley, with selections from Gypsy, Cabaret, and Hello, Dolly! among others. She also performed “Pie Jesu” from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Requiem.
While Ms. Osmond’s singing was more than up to snuff, it was hampered by poor sound quality at times.
As for Donny, he stays mainly in the pop and rock genres, with songs that include a wonderful delivery of “Rock This Town” (by the Stray Cats), as well as a tribute to Stevie Wonder, whom he counts as one of his artistic idols.
Mr. Osmond looked back on his career as a teen idol (the hair!) with a medley of his early hits, as well a hard-driving turn with the lesser known Osmond Brothers’ song “Crazy Horses.”
Donny also did a number from the Broadway show Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, which he starred in for six years.
Also included during the evening were nods to Donny and Marie’s tenures on Dancing with the Stars, Marie singing “Blue Christmas” with someone she pulled out of the audience, and numerous clips showing highlights of Donny, Marie, and the Osmond family in various performances and television specials over the years.
MARIE: Ms. Osmond sings from several genres in 'Donny & Marie-Broadway Christmas.' (Erik Kabik)
Both Mr. and Ms. Osmond have tremendous stage presence, and if the show is not 100 percent perfect (perhaps a bit less reliance on video clips would be nice), they were able to give their audience a good time from start to finish.
The two are aided by an excellent onstage orchestra led by musical director Jerry Williams and helped by a strong team of dancers (Matthew Fish, Karl Hendrickson, Jermaine Johnson, Kelene Johnson, Makinzee Love, Richard McAmish, Jessie Thacker, Jaymz Tuaileva, Ashley Williams, and Ivy Michelle Williams).
Direction and choreography by Barry Lather is nicely focused, but at times, free-spirited. Set by Perry “Butch” Allen is fine, various costumes by Kirstin Gallo are very nice, lighting by Peter Morse works well.
Family-friendly, often middle-of-the-road fun, Donny & Marie–A Broadway Christmas gives the audiences exactly what they want, as well as making it more than a walk down memory lane. Odds are those seeing the show won’t be disappointed.
Donny & Marie–A Broadway Christmas
Marquis Theatre
1535 Broadway
Tickets: 877-250-2929 or www.ticketmaster.com
Closes: Jan. 2
Running time: Between 85 and 120 minutes, varies each night
Judd Hollander is the New York correspondent for the London publication The Stage.
