NEW YORK—On paper, the Broadway musical “New York, New York” has the makings of a sure-fire hit. Yet for all its possibilities, the show has too many storylines shoehorned into what should be a more focused and intimate piece.
A Straightforward Plot
The show’s main protagonists are Jimmy Doyle (Colton Ryan), an Irish American piano player with a fiery temper and love for the bottle, and Francine Evans (Anna Uzele), an African American singer who previously toured with the USO. Jimmy carries survivor’s guilt because medical issues kept him behind a desk during the war while his brother died in combat.The Cost of Big Dreams
The show certainly has enough material to work with. However, David Thompson’s book, co-written by Sharon Washington, adds in too many situations, which ultimately dilute the entire effort. There’s Jesse (John Clay III), an African American trumpet player washing dishes to make ends meet; Mateo (Angel Sigala), a Cuban immigrant who dreams of being a dancer like his mother (Janet Dacal); and Alex (Oliver Prose), a Russian violin player who hoped to study with renown music teacher Madame Veltri (Emily Skinner). Madame Veltri meanwhile is desperately hoping her son, reported missing in action, will still return home.We meet several other characters who come in and out of the story: such as a girl who wants to become the “Japanese Ginger Rogers” and a young man who wants to box professionally. (It’s also clear that the creative team wishes to present New York as a cultural melting pot.)
“New York, New York” explores the importance of coming to terms with reality and the need to balance what you really want in life with the cost of going after your dreams.
While all of the characters are interesting enough to intrigue the audience, almost none are fully developed. This is a weakness particularly evident in the relationship between Jimmy and Francine. While the two clearly have feelings for one another, Francine’s sudden agreement to marry the more impulsive Jimmy just feels off, especially since she has always appeared to err on the side of caution.
Elsewhere, the Alex and Madame Veltri storyline, while interesting, could easily have been dropped without any detriment to the show.
A Great Score and Set
The score by John Kander and Fred Ebb, with additional lyrics by Lin Manuel-Miranda, is excellent. While the opening number (called Morning in New York in the program) falls flat, much better is “My Own Music,” where a group of restaurant workers sing about what they’d really like to do with their lives. “Quiet Thing” is a surprisingly poignant ballet by the normally garrulous Jimmy. With “Light,” the residents take in a sunset, and “But the World Goes ‘Round” is perfectly delivered by Francine. There’s also the crowd-pleasing title tune, which serves at the capper for the show, although that one does get a bit too loud at points.Ryan is fine as Jimmy, a guy whose heart is ultimately in the right place, if only he can keep his temper under control. Uzele is appealing as Francine. She’s determined woman with a plan, until life gets in the way. Clyde Alves is fun as Tommy, Jimmy’s best friend and comic relief, though it would have been nice if this character, along with many others, had more of a backstory. Prose and Skinner add some poignancy as Alex and Madame Veltri, two lost souls who bond over music.
The sets by Beowulf Boritt are excellent, giving off a spacious yet crowed feel of the city, particularly when showing the neighborhood where Jimmy and Francine live.
Susan Stroman’s choreography is on point and enjoyable. However, her direction is often less so, as she’s unable to bring the overall story into a much needed, sharper focus.
You’ll leave “New York, New York” with a good feeling, and humming the title tune, yet likely thinking the show never reaches its full potential.
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