'Movin' Out'

"Movin' Out"
Pantages Theatre | September 17, 2004
Music and Lyrics by Billy Joel
Choreography by Twyla Tharp
(dance/musical)

Loud and flashy a few words that pop to mind when it comes down to describing “Movin’ Out,” the new show by Billy Joel and Twyla Tharp whose national tour just opened in Los Angeles. But you’ll have to adjust a few expectations before you head in to see the show. Despite what the show’s producers and marketers would like you to think, “Movin’ Out” isn’t really a musical. It’s more of a noisy rock-n-roll concert that just happens to feature a narrative ballet at the front of the stage.

An on-stage band is blasts covers of Billy Joel songs (blasting them quite well, mind you, with lead pianist/vocalist Darren Holden doing a far more than passable imitation of Joel’s voice). And too complete the package, there is rock-concert lighting, with shafts of light racing back and forth across the stage space and colored spotlights across the auditorium.

Oh, and about that narrative ballet – it’s supposed to be the heart and soul of the show. In the environment "Movin' Out" is presented in, the balelt gets virtually lost in all the pizazz; it flies by in the blur of noise and lighting effects that much of the opening night audience seemed to enjoy more than the Tharp choreography anyway. That ballet, of course, provides the story, structure and reason d'etre for “Movin’ Out.” Tharp uses Joel’s songs as accompaniment, while the songs’ lyrics and subject matter are thematically – though not directly – related to what is happening in the story.

But you wouldn’t quite know the story just by watching the show. The ballet’s story turns out to be quite complex, and the show exists more as a collection of vignettes lacking sufficient narrative exposition in between to connect the dots. The only solution is to read the synopsis in the program booklet: audiences are duly advised to do so before the show starts.

The story is set in 1960s America, right as the draft is shipping off young men to Southeast Asia for the Vietnam War, and revolves around five high-school friends: Brenda and Eddie, who are the popular but relationship-troubled king and queen of the prom. Judy and James, two sweethearts who are prepared to get married right after graduation, and finally there is Tony, an unattached, rebellious type with energy to burn.

The draft takes Eddie, James and Tony away to war, while Brenda and Judy to wait anxiously at home. Only Eddie and Tony return, broken and confused, while Judy mourns the loss of James. The remainder of the show deals with the aftermath of the war on the individual characters and on their relationships.

Each of the dances that make up the whole evening take on progressively more of the story. Bits and pieces of plot are fleshed out in musical numbers. Tharp draws the emotion and drama out of each scene through the music used for the particular scene, or through the types of movement she has chosen for the choreography - and the results can be quite brilliant, provided you know what is going on.

The choreography is a mixture of ballet, modern and social dancing. There’s the elegance of ballet to indicate innocence for Judy, which turns more angular and ragged as she anguishes over James’ death. For the men, there is very athletic, approaching gymnastic leaping and tumbling which exudes young optimism. Occasionally, though, the choreography lapses into gimmickry, with the dancers just jumping around doing tricks. Though the audience on opening night seemed to applaud the loudest during these numbers, they were the least interesting to watch after Tharp’s much more sensitive use of movement elsewhere.

The talented cast of dancers provided a high level of sexiness and energy to the proceedings. Holly Cruikshank, toweringly tall and attractive, was a remarkably talented Brenda, bringing spunk to her role, while providing heartfelt emotion elsewhere. As Judy, Julieta Gros impressively plowed through the dancing’s technical challenges while keeping a firm grasp on the drama of the story. As Eddie, Ron Todorowski resorted to athletic tricks to get through the night. David Gomez was a bit too clean-cut for a rebellious figure in the role of Tony. The lead dancers alternate with another cast for matinee performances, due to the demanding choreography.

Adding to the rock-concert feel of the show, Friday’s opening night performance had Billy Joel himself walk onto the stage at curtain call to give an impromptu 2-song mini concert. But even without him for rest of the run, the show will suffice.

"Movin' Out" is playing at the Pantages Theatre, 6233 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, through October 31. For more information, visit www.broadwayla.org.