“Some Like It Hot” is a Wild and Crazy,...
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“SOME LIKE IT HOT’ at Fabulous Fox ’til March 9
“Some Like It Hot” is a Wild and
Crazy, Bright and Glittery Romp
by Pat Lindsey
What do gangsters, guns, tap dancing and men in drag have in common?…They’re all components of a joyfully daffy remake of Billy Wilder’s 1959 movie triumph, “Some Like It Hot.” When you see it, just sit back in your seat and wait to be entertained with high-energy tap dancing, big production numbers, sparkling costumes, good music and some slapstick silliness.
The original movie starred Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon, and Tony Curtis and basically an all-white cast. The new and improved musical has changed the lead character of Sugar to a beautiful black woman played by the multi-talented Leandra Ellis-Gaston. She shares the spotlight with a pair of struggling musicians played by Matt Loehr (Joe/Josephine) and Tavis Kordell (Jerry/Daphne), who put some different spins on the Lemon and Curtis characters.
The story begins in Chicago when the two Jazz Age musicians, Joe and Jerry, witness a mob murder and try to escape with their lives by disguising themselves as women and hitching a ride on a train to San Diego with the all-girl jazz band.. This is the basic framework of the original movie, but the added themes of race and gender identity in the musical give the characters more depth. The appearance of the very tall Tavis Kordell (Jerry/Daphne) in a dress is comical in itself, but as the story progresses, it is even funnier to watch him/her embrace his female persona and become more and more believable as a woman.
While Joe is pretending to be Josephine, he/she becomes a confidante and best friend to Sugar. Joe didn’t expect to fall in love with her, but he did, and that’s where shades of “Tootsie” pop into the plot. Meanwhile, his buddy, Jerry, is being pursued by the wealthy Osgood (Edward Juvier), who sings “Poor Little Millionaire” and “Let’s Be Bad.”
“Some Like It Hot” delivers big belting songs from everyone in the cast, but especially Sweet Sue (Tarra Conner Jones), the leader of the all-girl jazz band, and Sugar (Ellis-Gaston). They, along with Daphne (Kordell) and the ensemble, close Act I with a rousing chorus of “Some Like It Hot,” which is an excellent preview of what’s to come in Act II.
Act II dazzles with more terrific tap-dance choreography by Casey Nicholaw. It begins with “Let’s Get Bad” and ends with “Baby, Let’s Get Good.” Matt Loehr is tap dancer extraordinaire. He dances his way through this show, switching back and forth from male to female with many flicks of the blonde wig. My favorite number in Act II, though, is Daphne (Kordell) singing, “You Coulda Knocked Me Over With a Feather.” The vigor with which Kordell attacks his solos makes him a memorable character of this show.
All of this newfound fun and frolicking is based on a book written by Matthew Lopez and Amber Ruffin. Ruffin is known for her one-liners as a comedy writer for Seth Meyers and David Letterman. An outstanding creative team has given “Some Like It Hot” a new life. Don’t miss the finale. “Some Like It Hot” is playing at The Fabulous Fox now through March 9. Tickets are available through Metrotix at 314-534-1111 or visit The Fox box office.
High kicks and 1930’s style music and dance take you back to Chicago Prohibition circa in Some Like It HotBottom photos: Matt Loehr (Joe/Josephine) and Tavis Kordell (Jerry/Daphne),are the lead characters who go drag to avoid the Mob bringing them into a different Chicago world
For a complete list of the actors and main characters refer to Some Like It Hot casting story that ran last week and can be found in our recent Facebook feed posted a week before this review/update
