My friend and I took in the matinee today, and we enjoyed it very much also. It is a trip down memory lane by Maurice Hines, assisted by some up-and-coming young tap dancers. At 72, he's still got it. I did expect more tapping, but at first you get mostly singing from Hines. He's chosen songs that play a role in the narrative. It's quite touching and sentimental. I also expected more about his father, especially considering that he was part of the act of Hines, Hines & Dad. But Maurice talks more about his mother's influence in getting them started in show business. Along the way are a couple of funny anecdotes, including the story of how the young brothers came to perform a wildly inappropriate routine. And as the story progresses, racial discrimination rears its head.
Also, I got the feeling a couple of times that certain events were somewhat glossed over, as when Maurice talks about a rift between him and Gregory that lasted 10 years. We never really find out what caused it. But this isn't really that kind of show.
Toward the second half of the show (roughly speaking; there's no intermission) we did finally get some terrific and explosive tapping, from Maurice and the Manzari brothers. I am happy to see a resurgence in tapping. It will be interesting to see how much tapping is done in Shuffle Along.
And as Bunnie mentioned, the nine-woman Diva Jazz Orchestra was spectacular. We stayed after the show and listened in amazement.
This is a limited run of 12 weeks at New World Stages and is directed by Jeff Calhoun. Maurice Hines is a treasure, and it's great to watch him demonstrate his craft close up. He didn't come out after the matinee, but my friend and I chatted with the Manzari brothers, and they were just lovely. They really seemed to appreciate the enthusiasm of the audience. If you can get yourself over to New World Stages, you're in for a good time! Running time is about 90 minutes.
Updated On: 12/27/15 at 11:09 PM
