by Mark G. Auerbach
The Berkshire Theatre Group’s summer season kicks off with the Pulitzer Prize winning musical Fiorello, at the Stockbridge campus’ Unicorn Theatre (through July 23). A cool evening and a full moon added to the ambience of a summer theatre night in The Berkshires.
It’s hard to remember a political campaign or an election cycle, where candidates actually had solid platforms, well-thought out solutions, ethics, and integrity. Fiorello, the award-winning portrait of New York Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia, and his rise to political power during and after World War I, deserves the accolades. It’s one of only nine musicals to win a Pulitzer for drama, and one of a trio of winners with
The ensemble of Fiorello. Photo by Emma Rothenberg-Ware.
political themes, joining The Gershwins’ Of Thee I Sing, and Hamilton for the well-deserved accolades.
The composer/lyricist duo, Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick provided Fiorello with a group of pop standards, as they did with later hits She Loves Me and Fiddler on The Roof (both of which are playing on Broadway in well-received revivals). When Fiorello opened in 1959, many theatre-goers remembered LaGuardia (who died in 1947). He was the mayor who read the funny papers on the radio when the newspapers were on strike. He was the mayor whose plane ticket said “New York” (even though there was no commercial airport in the Big Apple and flights went to Newark) who got the airport built which bears his name open.
Over the years, the musical Fiorello fell into the museum-piece category, rarely revived. Encores produced a concert version in New York in 1994, and again for its 20th anniversary (which co-starred Kate Baldwin, a musical actress who’s a regular at Berkshire Theatre Group. The Jerome Weidman and George Abbott book is well-crafted, and the Bock and Harnick score is classic.
The ensemble of Fiorello. Photo by Emma Rothenberg-Ware
Bob Moss’ direction serves the production well, and Evan Zavada’s music direction brings out the best of the score. Zavada is also on keyboards, accompanied by a violinist, which made me wish for fuller orchestrations and a larger pit band. Michael Callahan’s choreography, particularly for “I Love A Cop”(beautifully performed by Chelsea Groen as Dora and Dan Cassin as her cop) and the political hacks in “A Little Tin Box” was charm. Fiorello’s big razzle-dazzle number, “Gentleman Jimmy”, although well sung by Amy Welch, was flat on the footwork.
Carl Sprague’s set, which represented The Big Apple from 1915-1933, was simple and clever–a good match for the intimate Unicorn stage. David Murin’s period costumes were stunning, and Matthew E. Adelson’s lighting designs and Brendan F. Doyle’s sound designs enhanced the production. Adelson does a lot of work with the Five Colleges dance department, and he has a great way of lighting movement.
Fiorello showcases graduates of Berkshire Theatre Group’s Apprentice programs and community theatre productions, along with some recently graduated theatre majors. Austin Lombardi as Fiorello was a strong lead, and his second act reprise of “The Name’s LaGuardia” bordered on being a showstopper. Katie Birenboim as Marie, Rebecca Brudner as Thea, and Chelsea Groen were all solid in their solos. Rylan Morsbach, who gave a stand-out performance in last season’s production of The Homecoming, was a charmer. The ensemble made the Harnick and Bock songs, particularly the musical’s most famous waltz, “Til Tomorrow” a beautiful rendering.
Fiorello evokes an era when politicos cared about their constituents, and a time when Broadway scores had melodies that were melodic. The Berkshire Theatre Group production of Fiorello, low on special effects, is true to its script and score, and never feels dated. The performances of Austin Lombardi and Chelsea Groen ought to bring multiple smiles on a summer night.
The Berkshire Theatre Group presents “Fiorello”. Book by Jerome Weidman and George Abbott. Music by Jerry Bock. Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick. Directed by Bob Moss. Music direction by Evan Zavada. Choreography by Michael Callahan. Scenic design by Carl Sprague. Costume Design by David Murin. Lighting design by Matthew E. Adelson. Sound Design by Brendan F. Doyle. Through July 23. The Berkshire Theatre Group’s Unicorn Theatre, Stockbridge, MA. For tickets: 413-997-4444 or www.berkshiretheatregroup.org.
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Mark G. Auerbach studied theatre at American University and the Yale School of Drama. He’s worked for arts organizations and reported on theatre for newspapers and radio.
