NEW YORK—All decisions have consequences, yet the full effects of such choices are not always apparent until too late. “Harmony,” a long-gestating musical which recently arrived on Broadway, features music by Barry Manilow and book and lyrics by Bruce Sussman. The work shines a light on a now forgotten, but once world-famous singing group.
In 1927, Germany is reeling from the aftereffects of the first world war. Numerous political factions are vying for power, the streets are filled with protesters, and inflation is so high that a wheelbarrow of money gets you a slice of cheese. In the midst of all this, a newspaper advertisement brings together six men to form a musical group: Harry (Zal Owen), founder of the group; Lesh (Steven Telsey), a waiter from Bulgaria; Erich (Eric Peters), a medical student who can’t stand the sight of blood; Chopin (Blake Roman), a piano player/composer who works in a bordello; Bobby (Sean Bell), a rather intense bass-baritone; and Young Rabbi (Danny Kornfeld), son of a cantor, and originally from Poland. Chip Zien plays Rabbi as an older man, and also serves as the narrator of the show.
The first act zips by, with some wonderful song and dance numbers as the audience gets to know the group that will become the Comedian Harmonists. The combination of comedy and music is the result of last-minute desperation rather than any grand plan. Performing in subways and on street corners, the group eventually starts to appear in some of the less-fashionable nightclubs in Germany. With the help of a famous impresario (Zien), the group soon becomes wildly popular throughout Europe, and makes their U.S. debut at New York City’s Carnegie Hall in December 1933.
Running parallel to the Comedian Harmonists’s rise are the blossoming relationships between Chopin and Ruth (Julie Benko), a young woman excited about the possibilities for change in a new Germany; and Young Rabbi and Mary (Sierra Boggess), a more realistic sort who works in a tailor shop. Young Rabbi and Mary’s feelings for each other and what the future holds are explored via such numbers as “This Is Our Time,” one of several standouts in the score.
Just when the Comedian Harmonists seem to have the world by the tail, changes back home, including the rise of the National Socialist German Workers’ (also known as Nazi) Party, threaten to bring them down, particularly since several of the Comedian Harmonists are Jewish. Fiercely protective of one another and determined to stay together until things “blow over,” the group fights back the best way the can—via their performances. The savagely satirical “Come to the Fatherland” is a number that becomes part of their repertoire during appearances outside of Germany.
“Harmony” tells a powerful tale and hits all the right notes, both musical and emotional. Yet there are times it feels somewhat disjointed and rushed, especially in the much darker second act. This act feels more like snapshots of a story rather than something fully developed. Mr. Manilow and Mr. Sussman, who have worked on “Harmony” for 32 years, may have been too close to the material when it came to working on the final product.
Strong Cast
The entire cast is strong, with each of the performers getting their own moment in the spotlight. Mr. Zien, who plays multiple roles, is excellent as the glue that holds the story together. This stands out in the joy reflected in his face as he recounts the good times, or the angry impotence he feels when he remembers wrong choices he and group made when possibilities were still an option.
Beowulf Boritt’s sets, which make liberal use of mirrors, are very good, as are the costumes by Linda Cho and Ricky Lurie. Warren Carlyle’s choreographic work is completely on point. His direction is also good, but hampered by a book that is not as strong as it should be. Mr. Manilow’s score is excellent. Highlights, in addition to those already mentioned, include the comic “How Can I Serve You, Madame?,” the rousing “We’re Goin' Loco!,” and the haunting “Where You Go.”
“Harmony” tells a stirring, if somewhat uneven story about a group of people who remained true to who they were while the world was coming down around them. The title of the show also contains more than a bit of irony, as it becomes clear how a society without harmony will eventually be destroyed.
