Authors: John Kander, Fred Ebb, Peter Stone and Rupert Holmes. At: Drury Lane Oakbrook, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace. Phone: 630-530-8300; $29-$35. Runs through May 17. Photo by Johnny Knight
Let's just start by saying that the 2007 Broadway musical Curtains is not up to the standards of composer John Kander and the late lyricist Fred Ebb's previous work.
Cabaret, Chicago and Kiss of the Spider Woman—The Musical each outclasses Curtains with more sophisticated song scores and better plotting.
That said, Curtains is still a must-see for any musical theater fan. Now receiving its regional premiere via a smashing production by director William Brown at Drury Lane Oak Brook, Curtains is a celebratory love letter to classic musical comedy.
Originally conceived by the late playwright Peter Stone, Curtains was completed by playwright/songwriter Rupert Holmes ( who also provided extra lyrics with Kander ) . The premise is loads of fun and insider theater jokes abound.
During the curtain call of a troubled Broadway-bound musical called Robbin' Hood ( a lame agglomeration of Annie Get Your Gun, the Lone Ranger and Oklahoma! ) , the terrible leading lady is killed on stage. The entire Boston Colonial Theatre becomes a crime scene, and Lt. Frank Cioffi of the Boston police force is called in to investigate.
But Cioffi is also a diehard musical-theater fan, so he becomes just as involved with fixing the troubled musical as he is in solving the murder. Plus, Cioffi falls head over heels for the ingénue and prime suspect of Niki Harris ( a fine and earnest Jessie Mueller ) .
On Broadway, the role of Cioffi won Fraiser star David Hyde Pierce an acting Tony Award. But after seeing Chicago actor Sean Fortunato comically inhabiting the role so naturally, you'll think that Pierce was probably miscast.
A rogue's gallery of theater types fill out the suspect list, each played to the comic hilt by the entertaining ensemble. Nancy Voigts is great as the brash producer Carmen Bernstein, crassly sparring with both her cheating husband, Sidney ( Jim Corti ) , and her defiant daughter, Bambi Bernet ( a very limber Nicole Hren, who executes Linda Fortunato's fun Agnes de Mille-spoofed chorography with the balletic Michael Parker Ayers ) .
More humor comes courtesy of John Reeger as the pompous director Christopher Belling and Paula Scrofano in the thankless role of awful star Jessica Cranshaw.
On the serious side, Christine Sherrill and James Rank beautifully play the divorced songwriting team of Georgia Hendricks and Aaron Fox. Their pained separation is reflected upon in the wonderful song "I Miss the Music," which can also be read as John Kander's own elegy for his long-time writing partner, Fred Ebb.
Curtains may ape other classic musical comedies ( and the film Singin' in the Rain ) too much to make its own magic, but you won't see a better professionally produced version of Curtains anytime soon. So make the suburban trek out to Oakbrook Terrace now.