Theatrius
  • Now Playing
  • All Reviews
  • Writers
  • Reflections
  • Millennial Notes
  • Join Us
  • About Us
  • Search Icon

Theatrius

Theater Reviews—San Francisco and Beyond

“Crazy for You” Defies the Great Depression, at Bay Area Musicals, S.F.

“Crazy for You” Defies the Great Depression, at Bay Area Musicals, S.F.

November 18, 2018 bdhorwitz

The Gershwins & McCoy Deliver Delicious Dancing

by Evelyn Arevalo and Barry David Horwitz

Here’s a musical that illuminates 30s history. “Crazy for You” takes place during the Great Depression—even though it debuted in 1992, with songs by George and Ira Gershwin. You can predict the story, and still be surprised by the delightful dancing and excellent singing from Bobby Child, Polly Baker, Bela Zangler and all the typical Depression characters played by this superbly talented troupe.

It’s a musical about musicals, and the The Bank is foreclosing on the old rundown theater in the abandoned mining town of Bedrock, Nevada—dying out like our Rust Belt states, now. Bobby dutifully does his bitter banker mom’s bidding by delivering the foreclosure papers to the theater in the nearly abandoned town. He would rather be in NY dancing at Zangler’s Follies. Sounds like 2008’s foreclosures on people’s homes…

Conor DeVoe and Ensemble. Photos by Ben Krantz Studio

In place of New York, the brick building NYC sets twirl around revealing the wooden ramshackle dance hall and saloon of Bedrock. So here you have the contrast between the East and the West, between eastern banks and western poverty, very “Wizard of Oz.”

In the rundown Nevada mining town, like our own rustbelt cities of the Midwest, depressed Bobby Child (brilliant Conor DeVoe) discovers poverty and despair among the cowbys of the ghost town. Sexy Polly (lyrical Danielle Altizio) sings and dances her heart out in private. Bobby starts to woo her but she rejects him when she finds out he’s there from the Bank.

Conor DeVoe and Danielle Altizio

Director Matthew McCoy makes sure Bobby and Polly’s love connection leaves laughing and wanting more. “Crazy for You” is brisk and exciting and beautifully paced. The songs come from an old Gershwin musical and includes old favorites like “Embraceable You.”

Bobby disguises himself as the great Bela Zangler from NY and begins to woo Polly with a new song and dance—the revival of the old theater, to make the money to save the old theater.

Posing as Bela Zangler, Bobby turns Polly into his Bella amore. Soon the whole town is dancing and singing, and they are throwing a show to get the money to beat the Bank. No need to tell the rest of the story, it’s all there in the beautiful songs of George and Ira Gershwin, the amazing tapping feet of Conor DeVoe, and the love that defeats the whole darned Depression.

Danielle Altizio and Conor DeVoe

“Crazy for You” by George and Ira Gershwin, directed by Matthew McCoy, book by Ken Ludwig, musical direction by Jon Gallo, by Bay Area Musicals, at Alcazar Theatre, through Sunday, December 16, 2018. Info: bamsf.org

Cast: Danielle Altizio, Conor DeVoe, Morgan Peters, Tony Michaels, Mary Gibboney, Paul Plain, Charles Evans, Sean McGrory, Danielle Cheiken, Zoe Swenson-Graham, Leslie Waggoner, Alyson Chilton, Katie Baritell, Laura Morgan, Lucas Brandt, Mitchell Mosley, Jean-Paul Jones, Patrick Brewer, Brendan Looney, and Jesse Cortez.


Musical, Plays
Dance, George & Ira Gershwin, History, Musical Theatre, revolution, Romance, The Great Depression

Post navigation

NEXT
“Everything Is Illuminated” Sheds Light on WWII Ukraine, at Aurora, Berkeley
PREVIOUS
“Wizard of Oz”—Charming Stage Pictures, at Berkeley Playhouse
Comments are closed.

Menu

  • Now Playing
  • All Reviews
  • Writers
  • Reflections
  • Millennial Notes
  • Join Us
  • About Us

BLM

Black Lives Matter

Subscribe for upcoming reviews!
Loading

Current Shows

  • “Pride and Prejudice, The Musical” Enchants with Sass & Satire—at Ross Valley
  • “Clue” Melds Mystery & Comedy into Entertaining Adventure—at SF Playhouse
  • “Donna”: Intimate Interviews Celebrate Trans Triumphs—On Screen
  • “Fannie”: Sixties Spirituals Pave Path to Freedom—at TheatreWorks
  • “’Tasha” Tackles Raw Racism—at 3Girls
  • “Tea Party” Brews Up a Cup of America—at The Strand
  • “A Raisin in the Sun” Explodes with Drama and Power—at 6th Street
  • “Cambodian Rock Band” Deserves Its Standing Ovation—at Berkeley Rep
  • “Cambodian Rock Band” Mixes Nostalgic Hits with Terror—at Berkeley Rep
  • “Fun Home” Seduces with Strong Songs & Sultry Sass—at Berkeley Playhouse
  • “Anything Goes”: It’s Delightful, It’s Delicious, It’s De-lovely—at 42nd Street Moon
  • “SIX, The Musical” Celebrates Women’s Freedom & Individuality—at BroadwaySF
  • “Fun Home” Bursts with Love & Feeling—at Berkeley Playhouse
  • “Dear San Francisco” Wows with Kaleidoscopic Acrobatics—at Club Fugazi
  • “Justice” Sings the Story of Three Supreme Women—at Marin

About us:

If you want to see the best plays & performances around the San Francisco Bay or beyond, read our reviews. We promise to give you a true report on the best shows.
Bay Area Critics Circle

Barry David Horwitz, Editor of Theatrius, is a Voting Member of the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics' Circle, SFBATCC. Follow us on: facebook.com

© 2023   All Rights Reserved.