Crazy for You

Musical (1992)
Music and lyrics by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin
Book by Ken Ludwig
Director / Choreographer: Angelique Ilo
Music Director: Ken Clifton
Original Choreography by Susan Stroman
Ogunquit Playhouse
Ogunquit, ME
June 13 – July 13, 2024

Scenic Design: Adam Koch; Lighting Design: Richard Latta; Costume Design: William Ivey Long; Sound Design: Daniel Lundberg; Wig/Hair & Make-Up Design: Roxanne De Luna

With Max Clayton (Bobby Child), Sally Struthers (Lottie Child / Patricia Fodor), Taylor Aronson (Polly Baker), Delaney Bailey (Patsy), Jim Borstelmann (Eugene Fodor), Jack Doyle (Everett Baker), Peter Kendall (Lank Hawkins), Tony Roach (Bela Zangler), Angie Schworer (Irene Roth), Alexandria Van Paris (Tess), Faith Jordan Candino (Mitsy), Matthew Carter (Moose), Nicholas Cunha (Mingo), Emma Driver (Elaine), Kaleb Jenkins (Sam), Naomi Kakuk (Margie / Dance Captain), Trent Kidd (Pete), Michael P. Korner (Billy), TJ Kubler (Jimmy), Kyle Laing (Custus), Abby Linderman (Sheila), Kaylee Olson (Vera), Kurt Phelan (Wyatt), Brett Rawlings (Junior), Anne Marie Snyder (Louise), Landon Zwick, Alli Bossart

Bobby (Max Clayton), an unsuccessful actor, tries to get in a show under the great impresario Bela Zangler (Tony Roach), but has no luck. Bobby has a fraught relation with his mother, Lottie Child (Sally Struthers), who wants him to take on the job of seeing that a disenfranchised theater in Deadrock, Nevada, somehow under her financial thumb, is put to rest. Bobby travels to Nevada from New York and immediately finds himself in the presence of Polly Baker (Taylor Aronson) who runs the theater. He is immediately taken with her and decides to switch hats from financial messenger of death to rekindling impresario. Wanting to help Polly re-ignite the theater, Bobby, who is having no luck with Polly on his own terms, dresses up as the great Zangler and somehow enlists a New York cast to come and help Polly’s theater get off the ground. Gradually, Polly falls for Bobby as the faux-Zangler, when who should turn up in Nevada searching for his old company but Zangler himself. Polly doesn’t realize there are two Zanglers on hand, and everything gets completely confused. Meanwhile, Irene (Angie Schworer), Bobby’s old and rich girlfriend from New York, pursues him in Nevada while Lank Hawkins (Peter Kendall), an unpleasant saloon owner, seeks to reinforce his connection with Polly. Farcical and wonderful developments occur and eventually, predictably, and happily, it all works out.

The book for this show, masterfully written by Ken Ludwig, pulls together some themes from various shows that the Gershwins had actually written back in the day, notably Girl Crazy (1930), but some others as well, including Oh, Kay (1926), which had a book co-authored by the famous British comic writer P.G. Wodehouse. By amalgamating and separating the narrative from the originals, Ludwig made it possible for a whole array of Gershwin songs to be included here. And what a Gersh-fest this is! So many of the greats are present and they are positioned artfully in the narrative in such a way to embellish the engaging, though quite ridiculous, story.

This is a terrific production overall, with masterful staging, wonderful singing, acting and dancing, and a high level of energy throughout.

In the main role of Bobby, Max Clayton does a wonderful job from all angles. He moves beautifully, all his gestures articulate and expressive, and he has the smilingly pleasant demeanor that makes his leading-man anchor hold firmly. But perhaps his greatest exemplification of wit is in his impersonation of Zangler, which he pulls off adeptly and convincingly. When both Clayton as Bobby playing the fake Zangler and Tony Roach as the actual Zangler come together in the second act and do a hilarious mirroring scene, the roof comes off the house. Both Clayton and Roach carry the gag off exceedingly well, extracting from the extended ruse all the comic juice as it possibly can. They are both terrific and their work here is just one of many examples of Angelique Ilo’s capacities as director and choreographer.

As Polly, Taylor Aronson has considerable fire and pizzazz, and though perhaps a touch less of a dancer than Max Clayton as Bobby, certainly acceptable. The array of female dancers who do fill out the roster are just terrific and the dance choreography by Angelique Ilo is also magnificent.

Sally Struthers, a frequent visitor to the Ogunquit stage, earns her funny points convincingly with her spot-on portrayal of the abundantly wealthy and insistently obnoxious Lottie Child, mother of Bobby, and also has a very entertaining turn as Patricia Fodor, who comes with her husband, Eugene (Jim Borstelmann), to remote part of Nevada in order to write a travel guide. It’s a very funny plot twist, and Struthers is very amusingly sharp and pointed in her delivery in that role as well. It’s great to see her do her thing.

The backstage orchestra is wonderful and Ken CLifton’s music direction impeccable; we get a little peek at them via video during the curtain calls.

My wife, not particularly a musical theater fan, and, to boot, an outdoor enthusiast who is hard put to go to any matinee while the sun is shining, did come to this one and enjoyed it to the hilt. It’s a terrific production, full of energy and wonderful stagecraft.

Overall: Well worth it!

– BADMan (aka Charles Munitz)