Dan's Papers - August 15, 2008 - Review: Show Boat at the Gateway Playhouse

If you come away from this production without having some of Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein's glorious songs running through your head, you must have been asleep. Gateway's new production of Show Boat is spectacular. The costumes recreate the beauty and elegance of the 1920s and the scenery brings to life the world of the showboats that brought song, dance and corny plays to the folks living along the banks of the Mississippi River at the beginning of the twentieth century.

The stars of the show, though, are the wonderful songs performed by what could well be the best collection of voices that Gateway has put on the stage in the last 20 years. "Ole Man River" will always be associated with the legendary Paul Robeson. Dan W. Tullis Jr., who has a long history in films and on TV, has one of the most incredible true bass voices I have ever heard. The packed house on opening night roared their approval when this intensely moving song came to an end, requiring him to reprise part of the song as an encore.

Tommy Wazelle, as the dashing Gaylord Ravenal, sang like tenors are supposed to sing. Beautiful diction and liquid tonal qualities that made us say that we could sit and listen to him all night. If there was any justice in show biz, he would be starring on Broadway. Jillian Louis, as Magnolia Hawkes, the love of his life, has a very good voice, so when they sang the wonderful duets, "Only Make Believe" and "You Are Love," it truly was romantic. Isabel Santiago, as Julie was passionate and brought to life the worries of so many women as she sang "Can't Help Lovin' That Man" and later in the show "Bill," another song in the same plaintive vein.

Show Boat was the first musical where black and white actors really shared the stage on equal terms, and, within the play, the terrible aspects of segregation, such as the crime of miscegenation and the "N word" are integral parts of the story. There are two choruses, one black and one white - the total mixing of races in stage musicals still wouldn't happen for a long time to come. Both choruses are great and the choreography by Michelle Weber makes a vibrant kaleidoscope of color and really adds to the show's pace and drive.

The music of Show Boat ranges from the exuberant to the sad. Joe's wife Queenie, played by Cynthia Cobb, stirred the emotions of the audience with the powerful song "Misery."

Frankly, the book of the show is not that great. Years skip by because the action covers some 50 years and toward the end of the show it seems that Capt. Andy, played with great aplomb by Robert Lydiard, is rushing to cover the last 20 or so years in a few words.

Show Boat is one of the all-time great American musicals and the music and lyrics are still wonderful. It is very doubtful if any of the musicals of the past decade will be worthy of revivals in another 80 years, but Show Boat and others from those golden days when Broadway musicals reigned supreme, are truly timeless.