MEF's Belated Rave Review of A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 2/14/05 at 9:53pm

SPOILER ALERT: Since the show has closed, I have dropped a couple of spoilers into my review, which I wouldn't normally do if the show were still playing.


One of the most lush and underrated musicals ever produced on Broadway, Arthur Schwartz and Dorothy Fields' "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn", based on the classic novel by Betty Smith, closed on Sunday night, after a five performance run at City Center, the season opener for their Encores!: Great American Musicals in Concert series. They do not dissapoint.

"A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" opens in the early twentieth century. Johnny Nolan (Jason Danieley) is a struggling singer in Brooklyn, New York. He is courting Hildy (the wonderful, but underused Nancy Anderson), whose best friend is the sweet and shy Katie Rommely (Sally Murphy). Mistaking her for Hildy, Johnny and Katie share a passionate kiss. From then on, it's love.

Katie lives with her high strung sister, Cissy (the fabulous Emily Skinner), and her current lover, who is named Oscar, but who she calls "Harry", after her first husband. Cissy does not like Johnny from the start, but that doesn't matter. Katie loves him, and won't hear a word about it. Within weeks of meeting, they are marrying and expecting a child.

In the novel, Johnny and Katie have two children: Francie and Neeley. When Johnny starts drinking and loses work, Katie retreats into her love for her son, while Francie is somewhat ignored, causing a rift between mother and daughter. In the musical, Neeley is gone, and Francie is the world to both her father and her mother.

Apparently, Sally Murphy loves to play the long-suffering wife. She made her name ten years ago playing Julie Jordan to perfection in the LCT revival of "Carousel". Since then, she has played a ton of supporting parts: the sweet and gullible shopgirl in "A Man of No Importance"; Madeline True's lover in "The Wild Party"; Tevye and Golde's daughter in the current revival of "Fiddler on the Roof". It's nice to see her back in a leading role.

Ms. Murphy's warm, gentle voice illuminates Katie. From the moment that she first opens her mouth to sing "Make the Man Love Me", a song that in itself is enough to make a football player bawl like a baby, you are hers. She never hits a wrong note, and acts beautifully. Also, and I always keep coming back to this, can you believe that she is 42? She doesn't look a day over sixteen.

Mr. Danieley's deep, booming voice fills the role of Johnny with both happiness and empathy. He was the ideal choice for this role, bringing his acting skills (which are considerable), his personality, and his charm. Somebody please, give this man a star vehicle. Preferably something he and Marin can star in together.

Emily, Emily, Emily. It's no secret that I'm a die-hard fan. She has the hardest role in the show, simply because there is so much expected of her. The role of Cissy was originated by Shirley Booth. Those are large shoes for anyone to fill, and she does a great job. You laugh your ass of during "He Has Refinement" and smile like a fool during "Love is the Reason".

As her latest Harry, John Ellison Conlee does a fine comic job. As Francie, Katherine Faye Barry makes a lovely debut.

"A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" ends on both a happy and a sad note. While working in Manhattan, Johnny has died. Several days later, Francie becomes the first person in her family to graduate from the eighth grade. Katie was too embarressed to go to the ceremony, knowing that she couldn't afford to give her daughter a bouquet of flowers. Imagine her surprise when Francie walks in carrying roses. Prior to his death, Johnny gave Cissy some money for the flowers, just in case he didn't make it. Francie gives her hard-earned diploma to her mother, and the embrace. As they have said so many times before, they are their own little world.

I am begging somebody to please record this production. Come on, Sh-K-Boom! You recorded "A New Moon". Let's introduce this show to a new generation! Updated On: 2/14/05 at 09:53 PM

[onceadancer2]

Posted: 2/15/05 at 9:44am

Thank you so much for the review of TREE. I'd also like to hear a new cast album for the show. Here's hoping!
Miriam

[sparky310]

Posted: 2/15/05 at 10:31am

I couldn't agree more.we should start a petition..and someone should contact the presidents office at City Center...who is up for that

[The Goat]

Posted: 2/15/05 at 1:05pm

MEF: It was a treat to see and hear "A Tree." Not a great musical, perhaps, but a heartfelt one with a good, solid score. The performers were well-cast and in excellent voice the night I saw it. I would also like to have a City Center cast album.

[The Goat]

Posted: 2/15/05 at 1:23pm

Oh, I have a P.S. to my last post--Why didn't someone warn me about sitting in the first row of the front gallery at the City Center. It's a bargain at $50 in terms of distance from stage (which isn't too bad), but that rail!! I'm tall, and I still had to lean forward or slump way down to peer through the bottom of the railing in order to see some of the action. These really are "partial view" seats (if you are actually planning on sitting back in them in a normal manner), and should be sold as such. I heard the people behind me complain about the rail also. So, I suppose row C of the front gallery is the first safe row to take. Caveat emptor!

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 2/15/05 at 2:00pm

Thank you for all of your kind words about my review. Yes, the gallery rail is a thing of legend. I'm up to petition for a recording of this production. While we're at it, let's get them to record last year's brilliant mounting of "Pardon My English".

[sparky310]

Posted: 2/15/05 at 2:36pm

rumor has it that railing may be removed in the next few years and replaced with something a tad less intrusive...so..MEF how do we start the petition

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 2/15/05 at 2:39pm

I do not know. Let's ask the people who started the PACIFIC OVERTURES, LA CAGE, and DRACULA petitions. We could write to Sh-K-Boom, since they recorded A NEW MOON.