PicksInSix Review: AN AMERICAN IN PARIS - Drury Lane Theatre
“‘S WONDERFUL! ‘S MARVELOUS!”
A post-World War II neighborhood along the Seine becomes a crossroad for lovers yearning for a new beginning through art, music and dance in Drury Lane’s sparkling and exuberant regional premiere of “An American in Paris.” Directed and choreographed by Lynne Kurdziel-Formato, the show is wrapped in the exquisite songbook of George and Ira Gershwin, and features the explosive performances of Leigh-Ann Esty as the young dancer Lise Dassin and Josh Drake as the artist/veteran Jerry Mulligan, who falls hopelessly in love with her at first sight.
Craig Lucas’s book, based on the 1951 Oscar-award winning film storyline, sets the show in 1945, a timeframe that exposes the ravages of war on its central characters. That in turn broadens the backstory of the relationship between the other men vying for Lise’s affection—composer Adam Hochberg (Skyler Adams) and singer Henri Baurel (Will Skrip)—and Milo Davenport (Erica Evans), the wealthy socialite who has her eye on Jerry. Add the sheer energy generated by the seamless incorporation of a wide range of dance styles—jazz, tap, modern and ballet—and the Drury Lane production of “An American in Paris” is a sweeping musical celebration of life, loss and love.
Esty, a gifted and accomplished dancer and enchanting vocalist who has performed the role in the national tour, exudes a buoyant, youthful innocence in the challenging, multi-dimensional role of the orphaned Lise, who is destined to be a prima ballerina. It’s easy to imagine each of the men in her life falling for her, and equally exciting to watch the powerhouse trio of Drake, Adams and Skrip sing and dance their way from companions to competitors with the exquisite Evans hovering perfectly around them.
The memorable score paves the way for big-time ensemble dance numbers including: “I Got Rhythm,” “‘S Wonderful,” “Shall We Dance,” “(I’ll Build a) Stairway to Paradise,” “They Can’t Take That Away From Me” and many more. Shining in supporting roles are Sawyer Smith as Mr. Z, a gem; Caron Buinis (Madame Baurel) and Neil Friedman (Monsier Baurel); and Cory Goodrich (Olga).
The clean lines of Kevin Depinet’s scenic design are awash in elegant lighting (Lee Fiskness) highlighting Karl Green’s stunning costumes against rich, colorful projections (Kevan Loney). It all comes together beautifully as the story within the story culminates with the “An American in Paris” ballet sequence, when Esty and Drake knock this show out of the park.
Spend an evening with this terrifically talented company—under musical director and conductor par excellence Chris Sargent—and you’ll be saying “Oui! Oui!” all the way home.
PHOTOS|Brett Beiner
DRURY LANE THEATRE
presents
AN AMERICAN IN PARIS
through March 29, 2020
100 Drury Lane
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181
(630) 530-0111
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