Girls Just Want to Have Fun – A Peek at Jerry’s Girls

 

Isn’t it amusing to think that the 12 damsels who trod the boards at Pittsburgh Playhouse’s Highmark Theater last evening weren’t even alive yet when composer lyricist Jerry Herman penned his string of hits for the Great White Way.

Yet the jejune student cast, all Gen Z I’d guess, acted, danced and sang like they were quite at home performing music that dates from 1960 to 1983. And they seemed to be having a wonderful time at it to boot.

Herman (1931-2019) wrote a dozen musicals for Broadway, plus five more for off-Broadway. Some, like Hello, Dolly!, Mame and La Cage aux Folles, were blockbuster hits. Others like Mack and Mabel and Parade not so much.

In 1981, Herman and Larry Alford created Jerry’s Girls, a review of some of his songs that was expanded three years later to include hits from La Cage aux Folles. The latter expanded review is what is now playing at the Highmark Theatre in Downtown Pittsburgh.

Jerry’s Girls opens with the entire cast on stage, dressed in black dresses with hem lines so high they would have made my grade school nuns blush and twirl their rosary beads a tad faster. Slipping with ease from this exuberant start into the next selection, Andrea Naibandian soloed in Just Leave Everything to Me.

Like all the songs in the review, Emmaline Naud’s projections  keeps the audience informed by posting the titles of the songs and musicals on a scallop-shaped  background, a crucial element to Naud’s set.

With nary an interruption, we get smooth glissandos from one song to the next, be they duets like Bosom Buddies (Jessica Carmona and Charlotte Jensen), trios (Tap Your Troubles Away, an invigorating tap routine from Mack and Mabel by Giavanna Marino, Jame Meske and Julianna Ramos) or ensemble pieces.

The array of vocal and choreographed talent is closely matched, although there are definite stand out moments such as Jamey Meske’s “I am What I am” from La Cage and Drew Dela Llana’s “If He Walked into My Life” from Mame.

Be prepared to experience a total of 33 songs in the evening in which the cast emanates a contagious feeling of fun that comes across even when the lyrics focus on more melancholic ballads (Daphne Riddle’s I Won’t Send Roses). The overall razzle dazzle experience is heightened by a mix of costume designer, Claudia Brownlee’ vibrant outfits, lighting designer, Nathan Phillips’ array of appropriately evocative hues and choreographer Kristiann Menotiades’ spirited dance creations.

Centered in the middle of the square runway configuration that envelops them is a seven-piece ensemble directed by Deana Muro on keyboard. Over the years, I’ve seen Ms. Muro’s name included in playbills in several theaters, but, due to my position in the audience, I was finally able to put a face to her name as I watched her in profile cueing in the musicians with the nod of her head and skimming her fingers over the keyboard with obvious delight.

I’d be remiss not to mention the other Leading Ladies I may have missed in this review. They all deserve credit for their fine, give-it-all-you-got performances including ensemble members Camani Campbell, Lexi Casey, Andrea Robles and Bee Walker.

Doing such a masterful job of organizing this jumble of musical joy is director Daina Michelle Griffith, who, coincidentally celebrated her birthday on opening night.

Girls May Just want to have fun, but Jerry’s Girls is something the fellas might get a kickout of too. I guarantee it.

Jerry’s Girls is at the Highmark Theatre at Point Park University, 350 Forbes Avenue in Downtown Pittsburgh. Through February 23. For tickets go to playhouse.pointpark.edu.