Yankeefan Takes in SESSIONS

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 7/28/07 at 6:43pm

Get thee to the Peter Jay Sharp Theater (the secondary stage at Playwrights Horizons) so you can experience SESSIONS, the most charming and fun off-Broadway musical since Spelling Bee.

It revolves around the lives of the members of a group therapy session and their shrink. You've got the guy who wishes he was Bob Dylan, the billionaire who wants his dying father's love, the fighting married couple, the abused housewife, and, of course, the sexy blonde in red (what show is complete without one?) who tries to seduce the good doctor, who is undergoing his own crisis of faith.

Albert Tapper's music is peppy and melodic, even though it seems like he went to the Steven Sater school of lyric-writing. His book is at times too story heavy, at other times too predictable, but you can't help but laugh at jokes like "Dr. Yehuda Christian of Columbia Presbyterian Hospital." Steven Petrillo's direction is fast paced and very upbeat, great use use of the tiny space.

3 understudies on this afternoon, all their first time going on. Kudos to them (Al Bundonis as Dr. Peterson, Joseph Kolinski as Baxter, and Kristin Maloney as Mary) for making it look especially effortless. Though the ensemble is uniformly great, Amy Bodnar stands out as the lady in red.

They recorded an album the other day, should drop by the time the show closes on August 25.

More kudos to the staff of the Sharp Theater, for keeping all the old people under control until they let everyone into the theater 10 minutes before showtime. The crew was soundchecking the understudies, and you all know how annoyed people as close to death as the patrons can get.

[jordangirl]

Posted: 7/28/07 at 7:12pm

I agree. I saw it a few weeks ago with a tdf ticket...and was still front row center. I had a really good time!

Definitely worth going to see.

LOL at the older patrons. You could seat that theatre in less than 5 minutes if you had to. :) I think we were about 10 minutes out when I saw it too. No understudies...I think just technical stuff.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 7/28/07 at 9:01pm

PS: I love my SESSIONS stress-ball.