Sweet Charity is the story of Charity Hope Valentine, a dance partner for hire in a sketchy dance hall in New York City. Charity has a big heart and a long list of failed relationships. When we meet her, the latest man on the list of lovers pushes her into a fountain, robbing her of the money she saved for furniture for their new apartment. Charity all but gives up when she meets Oscar, a shy neurotic man who finds Charity almost instantly mesmerizing, once they get out of the elevator they are stuck in.
Let me start by saying that I don’t normally go to shows and review them on opening night but due to my schedule this was the only night I could see this show. When a show first opens, their are still bugs to work out.
The character Vittorio Vidal did not seem to fit the rest of this show. I expected this character to return at some point but when he never did, I felt confused. I’m not sure why the writers of this show even introduce the character other than maybe to show that movie star romances are not real, however, this movie star ends up living happily ever after... I think. Again this was a very confusing part of the show.
Danielle Lang plays the heroine in this production. I have no frame of reference for this show so I took this character for who I saw portrayed on the stage. I didn’t particularly like Charity until she meets Oscar. Danielle was beautiful and likeable but I had the feeling that Charity is supposed to be a more dynamic woman. I would have preferred less dance numbers for this actress and more character development.
Laurie Sullivan & Sara Ruth Joyner play Charity’s coworkers and roommates. These two actresses turn out an incredibly heartwarming performance in the second act with Baby, Dream Your Dream. The piece is comedic with layers of emotion that these performers pulled off with ease.
Buddy Fales joins in during the last number of the first act as Oscar Lindquist. To be honest, I wasn’t engaged with this musical until this point. Neither the storyline nor the songs seemed to resonate with me until Oscar makes his entrance. Buddy’s ability to be neurotic and charming won me over the instant the elevator stops. This actor has a keen sense of comedy and his own physicality. I was heartbroken to see this character give up on his relationship with Charity but I felt it made for a more compelling story and while he may not be the hero, Buddy left me with a soft spot for Oscar. Bravo, sir!
It was lovely to watch this enthusiastic cast put forth a valiant effort to bring such a large show to life. Congratulations on your opening and I look forward to your next production.
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