REVIEW: Sweet Charity

What a curious but well-executed production on all fronts

One of the joys of writing about theatre is the opportunity to see classics that are new to me. SWEET CHARITY is a musical by Cy Coleman, Dorothy Fields, and Neil Simon. It's perhaps most famous for its choreography by Bob Fosse, which the director and choreographer of this production, Diane Lala, uses to great effect. As she mentioned in our podcast interview, some of these numbers are so iconic that you just need to leave them be.

It's a quirky script featuring a spunky female lead ("Hope Charity Valentine") played to perfection by Grace Rusnica. We follow her ups and downs - mostly downs - in life and love. No matter what adversity she faces, she perseveres. Despite the melancholy events plaguing our heroine, it's a hopeful show. The performer cast as Charity must be funny, relatable, and unique - but not annoying or "too much." Somehow, Rusnica finds all the right notes, both literally and figuratively. Her dancing is impeccable, her comic timing is zingy, and in her hands, Charity is endlessly endearing. I can't gush enough about this performance.

Of course, a show like this only works with a supporting cast, a fine director, and excellent technical people to execute. Lala (assisted by senior Nate Jones) is at her best here, finding the perfect rhythms with humor and pathos. It is one of the best-acted shows I've seen her direct. Her bread and butter is dance - and the numbers land in the sweet spot. Fosse, if not done well, can be cringy. But the ensemble gets the camp despite being so far removed from the 1960s setting.

Standouts include Madison Mosley and Eliza Levy as "Helene" and "Nickie," two dance hall hosts jaded by the world. Josh Devine, the understudy who went on opening night, played "Herman," the brutish boss of the club, and did a fine job. Stanislav Przedlacki nails the accent and the rich vocals of "Vittorio Vidal," the lovesick movie star who can't unattach himself from Gracie Annabelle Parker's "Ursula." Together, they have great chemistry. Benjamin Cheng nails the neurosis of Oscar, finding the right beats and singing beautifully.

My favorite song in the show is "Rich Man's Frug," and Annalese Fusaro shows how versatile she can be as the dance captain and one of the Frug trio (along with excellent dancers Nick Gundrum and Coty Perno.) Sean Polk II is a joy to watch as "Daddy Brubeck" during the spirited group number "Rhythm of Life." Annika Jonker maximizes her scene as "Rosie," the newest girl to join the ranks, by bringing innocence to the role - a good mixture of Charity's hopeful nature and the cynical Nickie and Helene.

Rounding out the cast are Andy Bakun, Ryan Behan, Grace Capless, Brian Cheung, Monique Churchill, Ry Dever (out opening night), Indya Lincicome, Tomi Newman, Makayla Shipe, Jackson Reagin (also out opening night), and swings Gabe Raskind and Arden Allmon who performed opening night. (Wayden Wagoner and Grace Baker are the two other swings.)

Joshua Gallagher has designed a functional set that appears minimalistic until you realize how multifaceted it is. Three large towers are moved around the stage, becoming restaurants, the dance hall, a master bedroom suite and closet, an elevator, a Ferris Wheel, and more. It's quite creative, and the crew moving the towers on and off the stage are also musical theatre students (Hannah Bourgois, Dominic Carroll, Jack Haroutunian, Jonathan Hobbs, Sydney Short, and Maya Sharma.) Baron Leon's lighting effects on the towers and stage kept the story in focus, while William Meckstroth’s media design adds context and clarity to the narrative.

Clara Cavins's costumes evoked time and place with flair. Claire Bonnette's makeup and wigs transformed some of the cast, who I'm reasonably familiar with, in genius ways that sometimes caused me to squint in order to figure out who was under all that hair. This show sounds good, despite missed mic cues and other technical issues, because Ian Axness, the musical director and conductor, ensured that the words being sung were enunciated, the harmonies pure, and the orchestra on point.

This, like many musicals, is not a brief show. Clocking in at every bit of two and a half hours, Sweet Charity - thanks mainly to Charity's unwavering optimism - held the audience at rapt attention, rooting for her every step of the way. It reminded me of why I fell in love with theatre in the first place; I'm rooting for everyone involved - cast and crew - to succeed.

SWEET CHARITY runs through Saturday night at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Tickets and more can be found here.