A Catered Affair
Music and lyrics by John Bucchino
Book by Harvey Fierstein.
Reviewed by
Brad Hathaway |
Issued June 2008
Running time 52 minutes over 18 tracks
Packaged with notes, synopsis, lyrics and 11 pictures
PS Classics PS-864
List Price $19.98
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A gentle short musical has produced a gentle short
disc that captures its charm and accurately reflects fine performances by
Faith Prince, Tom Wopat and particularly Harvey Fierstein. The score by
newcomer John Bucchino takes on most of the task of telling the story, and
there are no distractions from that story. No big chorus numbers that
interrupt the flow. No dance breaks. No star numbers that exist primarily to
give a name performer a moment in the spotlight. Indeed, of the three names
above the title, only one has a number that sears. That is a number for Tom Wopat and it feels entirely appropriate, for his character is a long
suffering quiet type who keeps his emotions under wraps. Only through song
can the audience get a chance to really feel what is simmering under his
surface, and Wopat does a smashing job of it. |
Storyline:
In the Bronx in 1953 a taxi driver and his wife face a
conflict over how to spend the bereavement benefit they will receive because
their son has been killed in action in Korea. The payment plus their savings
could buy a half interest in the taxicab or a large wedding and banquet for
their sole remaining child - but not both.
Bucchino has been getting ever increasing attention over
the past decade. Not only has he had his songs recorded by a list of well
known names (from Audra MacDonald to Barbara Cook) he's received awards in
the names of a who's who of songwriting: The Fred Ebb Award, The Kleban
Award, the Jonathan Larson Award, the Johnny Mercer Songwriting Award, and the
Richard Rodgers New Horizons Award. His intensely personal, often humorous
songs have been making an inroad in the cabaret circuit. Now, with this
musical, he's demonstrated a capacity for building a solid score that feels
unified while ranging in tone and tempo over a span of emotions.
The voice of Harvey Fierstein permeates the
piece, and not just the unmistakable raspy vocal quality that is so well
known from his turn as Edna in Hairspray. Not only does he star as
the uncle who resides on the family's living room couch, he wrote the book
for the musical based on a movie script by Gore Vidal which was itself based
on a teleplay by Paddy Cheyefsky. It exudes the sensibility that made both
of his most successful playwriting efforts in the past so distinctive: La
Cage aux Folles for which he wrote the book based on the French play,
and Torch Song Trilogy.
As a small and delicate, one act musical with a cast of
ten of whom only five are on stage very long, the score is called upon to
provide some of the heft audiences expect when paying the prices now charged
on Broadway. (This show's top ticket price: $119.50!) One way it
accomplished that was the work of legendary orchestrator John Tunick. He
makes a ten-member pit orchestra sound rich, full and deep. If you are
the type who listens intently to a full recording a number of times,
dedicate one of those times to just paying attention to the sound of the
supporting orchestra.
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