The glitz of Sin City meets the razzle-dazzle of Broadway in HONEYMOON IN VEGAS, the new musical that Ben Brantley of The New York Times calls "A classic, with a revelation of a score," cheering "You know you're listening to the sound of success."
Honeymoon in Vegas tells the story of Jack Singer, a regular guy with an extreme fear of marriage. When his girlfriend Betsy puts the pressure on, Jack finally pops the question and they head to Sin City for a whirlwind wedding weekend. But when Vegas wise guy Tommy Korman catches a glimpse of the stunning bride-to-be, and notices her uncanny resemblance to his late wife, he does everything possible to break up the romance and get his own second chance at love.
Stage and screen star Tony Danza ("Who's the Boss?," "Taxi"), Tony nominee Rob McClure (Chaplin), and Brynn O'Malley (Annie) star in this uproarious Broadway premiere with a book by Andrew Bergman (screenwriter of the hit film Honeymoon in Vegas), music by Tony winner Jason Robert Brown (The Bridges of Madison County, Parade), direction by Gary Griffin (The Color Purple), and choreography by Denis Jones (Legally Blonde). Bet the house on this insanely funny new musical full of skydiving Elvises, sexy chorus girls, red-hot romance... and really cold feet.
The rambunctious new musical 'Honeymoon in Vegas' is old-fashioned and proud of it. A big orchestra pumps out a brassy, melodic score that nods to Sinatra's ba-da-bing days...Plus, come on -- Tony Danza's in it! If only parts of the story didn't cross the line between old-school and antediluvian...Director Gary Griffin keeps things moving at a fast clip and often inventively, and the tunes by Jason Robert Brown...have a catchy momentum...Things start dragging when Tommy enters the picture. Danza is game, crooning his way through a couple of Chairman of the Board-style ballads. He even pulls off a decent soft shoe. But his limited range of facial expressions undermines the comedy...the show owes a lot to McClure's tireless efforts. He's spectacularly limber -- watch him uncoil upright from a sitting-down position -- and his open, honest face makes us forgive, or at least overlook, Jack's stupidity. If this 'Honeymoon' hangs on, it'll be in large part thanks to him.
This is, of course, an old-fashioned musical comedy, a genre not known for its progressive values. And the warm-centered tone of 'Honeymoon' is never crass or sleazy. Still, this thing badly needed the safety of some chronological remove, especially given that it's women who buy most of the tickets to shows like this. It may seem like a weird transition to now say that much of 'Honeymoon' is artful, but it's true. Brown's songs are packed with big-band energy, as if in tribute to old Vegas with all its good jobs for union musicians. Moreover, many of his lyrics are extremely amusing...In the lead role, McClure brings charm, energy and comic chops (when not overplaying). And then there's Danza, who is so clearly thrilled to be standing onstage. He's a fair singer and, all things considered, a classy tapper...'Honeymoon' would have been better off with a sharper satirical scalpel, something closer to that of Mel Brooks or 'The Book of Mormon'...You can see bits and beginning of a potential edge...But in the end, the show does not want to go there.
2014 | Broadway |
Original Broadway Production Broadway |
2017 | West End |
West End Concert Production at London Palladium West End |
Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
---|---|---|---|
2015 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical | Nancy Opel |
2015 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Lyrics | Jason Robert Brown |
2015 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Music | Jason Robert Brown |
2015 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Orchestrations | Don Sebesky |
2015 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Orchestrations | Larry Blank |
2015 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Orchestrations | Jason Robert Brown |
2015 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Orchestrations | Charlie Rosen |
2015 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical | Scott Lehrer |
2015 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical | Drew Levy |
2015 | Drama League Awards | Distinguished Performance Award | Rob McClure |
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