Washington, DC — The In Series is wrapping up its short run of Swingtime! this weekend at the Atlas Performing Arts Center. A reprise of the show that concluded the Series’ 2009-2010 season, this edition of the original Tom Mallan show marks an improvement over its earlier, not-quite-ready-for-prime-time premiere. But the show still suffers from its didactic book and its insufferable central characters.
Swingtime! blends together the dying days of the Big Band era with the waning days of World War II. The U.S. was turning the tide in the European and Pacific theaters while popular music was quietly but inexorably towards new brands like be-bop jazz and Latin-flavored dance tunes.
Mallan’s musical drama—which he also directs—is a departure from the usual In Series cabaret-style evenings which generally take the audience on a whirlwind tour of a given musical decade or genre with suites of popular numbers tied together by plausible but gossamer-thin plots. Mr. Mallan’s approach, however, is more plot-centric. The music is illustrative and somewhat incidental. It’s meant to complement the plot, not dominate it. Unfortunately, Swingtime’s! labored book tends to creak with a wooden preachiness that leaves the audience longing for the next musical bit.
'Swingtime's!' swingin' radio broadcast.
Back row from left: Laura Lewis,
Tammy Roberts, and Pam Ward. Front row
from left: Vince Borrelli and W. Ellington Felton.
(Photo courtesy In Series, from last spring's
production.)
The Swingtime story arc initially appears to focus on the attempt of former bobby-sox idol Van Leonardo (Vince Borelli) to re-establish his popularity by headlining a new radio show in New York. But the heart of the play is dominated by the ruined life of Van’s former African-American partner, Joe Stuckey (W. Ellington Felton), who completely dropped out of the entertainment world in favor of a new career—sweeping floors after closing time in a seedy New York dive.
Joe’s got a chip on his shoulder, permanently—and justifiably—steamed over the predictably shoddy treatment of black entertainers of the era. The problem is, his relentless, unredeemable nihilism eventually wears thin no matter how sympathetic one might be to his plight.
Not content to push the racial angle alone, Mr. Mallen continues to gum up the multi-ethnic ante by allowing an obnoxious Latin entertainer, Xavier Prado (Alvaro Rodriguez)—amalgam of Xavier Cugat and Desi Arnaz—to horn in on Van’s show and ultimately replace him. And if that’s not enough, the playwright layers in a Jewish angle as well, embroiling Stuckey and Jewish entertainer Judy LeVon (Tammy Roberts) in a wrangle over anti-Semitism.
It’s all too much, really, ultimately overwhelming the show with a kind of endless angst that saps its spirit. Swingtime becomes less a look back on an epic, transitional era in music, art, and politics, and more of a sermon on how rotten we all were toward people who are different. But really, do we need another one?
Fortunately, there is the music, ranging from hit tunes the film tune “Sentimental Journey” to novelty songs like “Pistol Packin’ Momma” and the old soft-shoe number “Me and My Shadow.” The songs are delivered with gusto by a now more-polished cast, each of whom reprises his or her role from last season’s premiere.
In addition to fine performances by Mssrs. Borelli, Felton, and Rodriguez and Ms. Roberts; cowgirl singer Lynnette Buckston (Laura Lewis); Joe’s songstress wife Dorothy (Pam Ward); and Marshall Keys’ be-bop saxophone artist Giant Marquis, the show’s music is buttressed by a sharp jazz combo including pianist Jean Baptiste, bassist Ephriam Wolfolk, and percussionist Celso Lopez, occasionally abetted by Marshall Keys’ real-life saxophone riffs.
Swingtime! should have been a more interesting, more polished show the second time around. And indeed is was more polished. The musical performances are significantly improved from the show’s spring debut. Yet, still weighted down by Mr. Mallan’s unimproved book, this is a show that can’t really spring to life unless it goes back to rewrite.
Rating: * (One star.)
The In Series’ Swingtime! continues weekends through December 12 at the Atlas Performing Arts Center’s Sprenger Theater at 1333 H St. NE, Washington, DC 20002. For tickets and information visit the In Series’ website.
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