Off-B'way Reviews: Joy A New True Musical; Rolling Thunder

Betsy Wolfe in Joy A New True Musical.
Credit: Joan Marcus

Joy, subtitled a New True Musical, Off-Broadway at the Laura Pels, is a serviceable enough product to entertain intermittently for two hours, but it’s basically a knock-off of stronger, more original female empowerment tuners such as Waitress, Wicked, Legally Blonde, and even Boop!, the recently departed cartoon fantasy. Based on the life of Joy Mangano, a struggling Long Island inventor who became a successful entrepreneur and media saleswoman through her Miracle Mop and other creations, Joy is fun and silly, but trods a familiar path lined with cliches. Note: Joy’s life also served as at the basis of a 2015 film starring Jennifer Lawrence.

Ken Davenport’s book is laden with stereotypes (chauvinistic execs, twangy Texans, fast-talkin’, flinty Long Islanders, 30-ish golddiggers matched with silver-chained daddies) and Annmarie Milazzo’s score heavily relies on generic tunes and unimaginative lyrics. But the game cast is professional and Lorin Latarro’s direction is brisk enough to hold our attention. There are occasional pops of wit and satire, but not to enough to push the show beyond just okay.

We start as beleaguered Joy (a commanding Betsy Wolfe) struggles to hold down her overflowing household. Not only is she putting up both her divorced, squabbling parents (Adam Grupper, Jill Abramovitz), but her ex-husband Tony (Brandon Espinoza) is bunking with Dad Rudy in the basement as Tony unsuccessfully tries to eke out a singing career. Joy’s mom Toots is permanently in her bathrobe and glued to the couch. Joy’s meager paycheck as an airline ticket clerk is the sole source of income, stressing her out and causing her to constantly miss soccer games and school events for her and Tony’s unhappy daughter Christie (Honor Blue Savage).

Jill Abramovitz, Honor Blue Savage, Brandon 
Espinoza, Jaygee Macapugay, and Adam Grupper
in Joy A New True Musical.
Credit: Joan Marcus

Joy has always had brights idea for gizmos which never panned out (realized in a musical number with a younger version of herself played by Nora Mae Dixon). Now she has a light bulb moment when she spills a glass of soda. Why not a mop that can wring itself out with the poor housewife user not having to bend over? Thus the Miracle Mop and a musical are born. 

There follows Joy’s against-the-odds sojourn to market her creation. She is pitted against  sexist QVC higher-ups (led by Charl Brown) and a Stetson-wearing villainous manufacturer named Cowboy Eddie (Paul Whitty) who attempts to purloin her patent. The former are given a rock alpha-male dance number complete with supposedly sexy hip thrusts, and the latter is joined by a chorus of central-casting cowboys (and a few token gals) in an intimidating hoedown. Choreographer Joshua Bergasse gives both numbers much needed energy.

More New Musicals and Plays

Ann Harada in Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella
Photo by Carol Rosegg

My reviews of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella, Passion, The Revisionist, and The Madrid were posted on ArtsinNY.com. All were somewhat disappointing, particularly Cinderella. Book-writer Douglas Carter Beane and director Mark Brokaw overthought the material and couldn't decide between a Disney or a snarky approach. Ann Harada, our beloved Linda the Stage Manager ("I ain't makin' no smoothies, bitch") from Smash, stole the show as the wicked stepsister. (OK she didn't really say that to Uma Thurman, but she said it with her eyes.) The 1965 TV Cinderella is the one I remember best. It used to come on every year and was a huge deal because it was in full color and they didn't have many elaborate musicals made just for TV. I remember watching it with the whole family including my grandparents visiting from Maine and getting to stay up till it was over at 9 o'clock.

Also I did a piece on flop Broadway shows for NewYork.com. I only included ten, but I'm sure there are many more you can recall.

More new musicals coming in--The Public Theater will be presenting a tuner version of The Fortress of Solitude, Jonathan Lethem's novel about two comic-book-obsessed boys growing up in 1970s Brooklyn. Itamar Moses (Back Back Back, Completeness) is writing the book and the songs are by Michael Friedman (Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson). The Public will present the musical during the 2014-15 season after it has played the Dallas Theatre Center. This is one of my favorite novels and it should be interesting to see how it translates to the stage with the comic-book elements.