After the city of lights fell under the Axis of darkness, World War II’s legacy colored the lives of those in Paris, including the American veterans who decided to stay after helping to defeat the Nazis.
“An American in Paris” first captivated audiences when it hit the screen in 1951.
Now, that Hollywood magic prances onto the Herberger stage with Arizona Broadway Theater’s “An American in Paris,” but its inconsistent pacing sometimes makes this dance hard to follow.
Luckily, creative set design, fantastic choreography and lively performances prove that ABT has what it takes to translate Hollywood thread into stage gold.
The show begins with pessimistic Adam (Michael O’Brien) describing his story in abstract terms that build intrigue. Despite his brief words, however, ABT’s production begins with more showing than telling.
We see American soldier Jimmy Mulligan (Andrew Ruggieri) strolling through Paris and spotting the intriguing Lise Dassin (Rebecca Shulla).
Then a swarm of dancers storm the stage, and a prolonged dance sequence starts off the play on a somewhat strange note: characters frolic through a variety of different scenes at such a fast pace that it’s hard to tell what’s going on.
The large cast twirls around the stage as they maneuver between different short scenes throughout Paris: they stand in line for bread, weave throughout the barricades, and then oust a Nazi in the streets.
Throughout it all, Lise darts on and off the stage, and Jimmy follows, hot on her heels. The two are anchors throughout the slightly disorienting start; as hard as it is to follow, it serves a purpose in artistically representing the fast-paced chaos that consumes a city that’s been through Hell and back.
Scenic designer Aaron Sheckler makes use of barricades, which serve as a reminder of World War II while providing an artistic method to translate the passage of time between scenes.
Perhaps the most charming aspect of the stage design is the use of a gorgeous, three-dimensional border shaped like the Eiffel Tower. Choreographer Kurtis Overby deftly maneuvers the dancers throughout the stage, ensuring that the scene never feels cluttered, even when most of the ensemble is on stage.
Many dance scenes are full of people, but they all move in unison, keeping the energy up during the musical sequences.
Unfortunately, the script left the leads, Jimmy and Lise, a bit too vague to enthusiastically root for.
In the first few scenes, Jimmy isn’t as fleshed-out as his friends Adam and Henri (Michael Brennan), who are immediately characterized as opposites: Henri’s an optimistic, aspiring singer while Adam’s the jaded, sharp-tongued composer.
For the first few scenes, Jimmy smiles and supports his friends, but he doesn’t fully develop into his own character until he meets Lise: only then do we get to see how fun-loving, quick-footed and romantically pushy he can be.
Luckily, their magnificent dancing makes them captivating when they move to the swelling music. The chemistry that doesn’t quite light a spark when they speak bursts into flame when they drop their words and express themselves with their dancing. Ruggieri’s acrobatic athleticism is remarkable: he effortlessly cartwheels off of props and leaps high into the air, an energetic reflection of Jimmy’s youthfulness.
Shulla is his perfect counterpart, with soft and delicate movements that portray Lise as the epitome of elegance. Effortlessly she prances around on the tops of her toes and contorts her limbs into difficult positions made all the more impressive by her fluid grace.
When the two of them dance, it’s clear how in sync the two are, making their romance more believable than if “An American in Paris” left out their dancing sequences and left only their speech.
In terms of dialogue and personality, the supporting characters stole the show.
Although Adam scoffed at his friends’ optimism, his inner goodness shone through his desire to make music for Lise, and he and Henri’s back-and-forth dialogue made for some of the funniest moments in the show.
In Act II, he and Milo (Beatrice Crosbie) sang “But Not For Me,” a song in which he was given the last line, and boy, did his vocal delivery leave it on a memorable note. Literally: his voice silenced the theater with the power and sorrow with which his last line was sung.
On a lighter note, Henri was hilarious in his song “Stairway to Paradise,” perfectly portraying a nervous performer through awkward body movements and a slightly cracking voice. Crosbie stole the show when she glided through the stage in a variety of sparkling outfits.
With her clear, confident voice and dazzling jewelry, she was arrestingly charming and easy to root for, especially during her song “But Not For Me” near the end of the play.
“An American in Paris” is a beautifully sung and excellently choreographed demonstration of this story’s versatility. Through gorgeous costume designs by Savana Leveille, lovely lighting by Karyn Lawrence and captivating dancing by its cast, ABT’s performance proves that this story is just as eye-catching and heart-touching on the stage as it is onscreen.
Contact the reporter at sosulli2@asu.edu.
