Book and lyrics: Scott Bradley; Music and additional lyrics: Alan Schmuckler. At: About Face Theatre at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave. Tickets: 773-327-5252; www.aboutfacetheatre.com; $20-$45. Runs through: Jan. 5
Once again, About Face Theatre is utilizing multi-award-winning gay icon Liza Minnelli to help queer up the holidays with a remount of the musical We Three Lizas. Only this time, We Three Lizas at Stage 773 has been thoroughly revamped over its debut version last year at the Steppenwolf Garage.
The basic notion of Liza Minnelli appearing in the various guises of "Liza Was," "Liza Is" and "Liza Always" is still intact and obviously inspired by Dickens' Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future from A Christmas Carol. But those who caught We Three Lizas last year will note how the cast has been streamlined down from 11 to eight people, and how a number of new songs by authors Scott Bradley and Alan Schmuckler have been introduced into their thoroughly revised script that is rightly centered more around its fictional Scrooge-like gay designer known as Conrad Ticklebottom ( Scott Duff ).
Many of these changes are for the better, though We Three Liza still has some plotting quirks. Gone is Sean Blake's extremely enjoyable, if overpowering, bitchy drag queen Mystique who appeared as both the "Queen of Wishes" and the future persona of Liza. Now the powerhouse-voiced Bethany Thomas has taken over the role of Liza Always who appears as an all-knowing and sparkly puppet eye-ball.
The supporting cast also get to take on a number of starry cameos in addition to their listed program roles, including such luminaries as Grace Jones, Andy Warhol and Lorna Luft. Author Bradley has also surrendered his role last year as Liza Is to Mark David Kaplan, offering him a golden opportunity for a hilarious drag performance.
And then there the amazing performance of Danielle Plisz as Liza Was, showing Minnelli in her effervescent prime in the 1970s with her razzmatazz Bob Fosse-styled moves and duo of great backup dancers played by John Francisco and Andrew Swan. They all move in fabulous synchronicity to choreographer Patrick Andrews' angular and slinky choreography.
However, the move of We Three Lizas to the far-less-cozy Thrust space of Stage 773 also has its drawbacks. In particular, its muddy acoustic makes many of the song lyrics indecipherable at times.
The opening number is also slightly disorienting, with a trio of bearded fates ( similar to the three witches of Macbeth ) opening the show and confusingly appearing to an increasingly desperate Conrad Ticklebottom and his harried lesbian designer assistant, Reggie ( Dana Tretta ), and the no-nonsense auditing consultant, Donna ( Sharriese Hamilton ).
But if one can get past the inauspicious beginning and the occasional garbled lyric, We Three Lizas most definitely rewards with its message of being true not only to one's creative impulses, but to the loved ones around you who offer support and encouragement. We Three Lizas may not be the only queer take on a holiday classic this season, but it certainly is one of the most improved.