NEW YORK >> Broadway has been bustling with diversity en route to tonight’s Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall (7 p.m., CBS).
Consider: A man plays a woman to get work as an actor; three Chers share portrayals of the pop diva; The Temptations pump out hits and woes aplenty; a sunny musical chestnut takes a dark turn; a millennial musical touts a pill that brings popularity; Cole Porter ditties are darn hot again; and mythic Greeks prance in the underworld.
Plus King Kong growls. And, yes, “Hamilton” still rules.
Here are recapitulations of 10 shows I caught last month:
SEE IT …
‘TOOTSIE’
What: An unruly actor unable to land gigs puts on a dress, heels, wig, lipstick and mascara and lands a role as a soap star actress. This, while rustling feministic feathers.
Why go: Santino Fontana is Michael Dorsey/Dorothy Michaels and sings convincingly and beautifully as a he and a she. Michael-as-Dorothy falls for Julie Nichols (a superb Lilli Cooper) for a bit of conflicted guilt. Fontana should earn a Tony Award, but will he accept as a he or a she? Director Scott Ellis’ tuneful “Tootsie” rolls and pops with charismatic charm, as Michael/Dorothy tap dances in sequined red gown and heels at the final curtain.
‘OKLAHOMA!’
What: Director Daniel Fish’s reboot of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s beloved classic is dark and brooding, an artistic tornado uprooting all things traditional. Curly (a frisky Damon Daunno) is more rocker than balladeer, Laurey (a black actress, Rebecca Naomi Jones) struggles to decide who to go picnicking with, Curly or Jud Fry (Patrick Vaill, seething with sexuality), while Ado Annie (Ali Stroker, freewheeling wheelchair-bound actress) is coy with Will Parker (an adorable James Davis) though she frolics with Ali Hakim (a hilarious Will Brill), her Persian suitor.
Why go: This is not the picnic of productions past. The orchestrations by Daniel Kluger are folksy and funky, with a band of musicians fiddling and strumming amid the action. If you get hungry, join the lines at intermission for a free serving of chili and cornbread.
‘HADESTOWN’
What: It’s Greek mythology with a modern spin, with a rock-blues-pop score set seemingly in the French Quarter. Two love stories meld: dreamers Orpheus (Reeve Carney, Peter Parker in “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark”) and Eurydice (Eva Noblezada, Kim in “Miss Saigon”); and King Hades (Patrick Page) and his wife Persephone (Amber Gray). Eurydice goes to the netherworld, Orpheus descends to find her; Persephone spends spring above ground, but rises for a conjugal visit with Hades.
Why go: It’s seductive, absorbing and totally inventive, a concoction by Anais Mitchell. Hadestown is hell, and hell’s a-poppin’ here. The hypnotic rush of soul and blues by Hermes (a silver-suited, sleek Andre De Shields) and the Fates (a vox populi trio with Jewelle Blackman, Yvette Gonzalez-Nacer and Kay Trinidad) keep the joint jumping.
‘KING KONG’
What: Filmmaker Carl Denham (Eric William Morris) hires actress Ann Darrow (understudy Jennifer Noble replaced Christiani Pitts in the performance I saw), in a predictable caper where special effects abound.
Why go: King Kong, a 20-foot-tall, 2,000-pound behemoth with a gargantuan roar, is a supersized animatronic puppet/gimmick/theme-park-type attraction created by Sonny Tilders and manipulated by a team of 14. Kong’s glistening, lifelike eyes, tell the story — alternately sad and furious — as ambition runs amok.
‘THE CHER SHOW’
What: It takes three to share the tales and tunes of Cher: a youngish Babe (Micaela Diamond), a mid-range Lady (Teal Wicks) and the diva Star (Stephanie J. Block, who hits all the right buttons). Sonny Bono (Jarrod Spector) and Bob Mackie (Michael Berresse) show up in Jason Moore’s musical biography of the superstar, a mix of the awkward and the awesome.
Why go: Block is luminous and luxurious (check out “Believe,” twice) and she puts on the ritz with perfection: the body language, the moves, the vocal textures sum up the beloved Cher. Though Cher’s life is sanitized, there’s plenty of dandy eye and ear candy.
‘AIN’T TOO PROUD’
What: The Temptations are Motown royalty, still active as a performing combo, surpassing the reign of Michael Jackson, Diana Ross and the Supremes, and Smokey Robinson and the Miracles. It’s not just my imagination; the Temps have logged 14 No. 1 hits, with 42 hitting the Top 10, with two dozen members over the decades.
Why go: This is a life-and-times revelation. Derrick Baskin as the even-keeled leader Otis Williams is the foundation; the group dynamics are magical. Director Des McAnuff brings his “Jersey Boys” creds to the plate, supported by Sergio Trujillo’s slick choreography. Get ready for a soulfest.
‘BE MORE CHILL’
What: Will Roland (Jeremy Heere, in a star-making turn) is a loner hungry for popularity, destined to secure a super-computer pill to “be more chill.” The Squip, played by Hawaii’s Jason Tam and emulating Keanu Reeves in “The Matrix,” is the conduit to nirvana. An in-joke, targeting the milieu of social media and technology.
Why go: “Michael in the Bathroom,” by Will’s buddy Michael Mell (an outrageous George Salazar) is cult favorite — and the show’s signature tune. And Christine Canigula (an effusive Stephanie Hsu) radiates gleeful energy. Not a bad pill, after all.
‘KISS ME, KATE!’
What: Kelli O’Hara (as Lilli Vanessi) and Will Chase (as Fred Graham) are a match made in Broadway heaven, in this straightforward revival of the sparring ex-spouses staging Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew.” It’s a comfy outing, enhanced with nostalgia — Cole Porter’s enduring music.
Why go: “So Darn Hot,” one of the sizzling choreographic signatures, says it all. Dated but delightful.
‘HAMILTON’
What: Lin-Manuel Miranda’s megahit still has performance wattage, from leads to ensemble members. The hip-hop music, swirling around Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, and the cast maintain the high-water-mark of the original.
Why go: Former Hawaii resident Marc delaCruz is in the ensemble, understudying A. Ham and also gearing up as the King George understudy. “Hamilton” is the gold standard of Broadway success, with a weekly take over $3 million.
SKIP IT …
‘BEETLEJUICE’
What: A musicalization of Tim Burton’s black comedy, which starred Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis, this wacky but underwhelming mounting is a tale of two Alexes: Alex Timbers directs with horror house glee and Alex Brightman (“School of Rock”) stars as the ghoul of bad dreams. Oversized sand snakes and elongated arms with huge hands are house-of-horrors attractions.
Why to avoid: It’s a noisy mess, though the score includes the familiar singalong, “Day-O.” Neither funny nor scary enough to visit this deadly adobe.
And that’s “Show Biz.”
Wayne Harada is a veteran entertainment columnist. Reach him at 266-0926 or wayneharada@gmail.com.
