Reviewed by Dr. Tiffany Knight Raymond, PhD and Theron Raymond (6 th grader)
The 2017 Tony-awarding winning musical Bandstand has its Pittsburgh Premiere thanks to Front Porch Theatricals. The music is by Richard Oberacker with book and lyrics by Robert Taylor and Richard Oberacker.
The musical is set in Pittsburgh-rival Cleveland in 1945 and follows a collective of WWII veterans who return home. This year’s 80th anniversary of D-Day was the inspiration for Front Porch to showcase this musical.
Bandstand opens with visual strength that anchors us in the horrors of war. Nameless soldiers crouch in defense, and the cacophony of war is amplified. The opening scene culminates in the collapse of a woman transformed from wife to widow. Director (and choreographer) Joe Jackson positions her in center stage as the war rages around her. Costume designer Michelle Nowakowski outfits her in a red dress. When she collapses upon notice of her husband’s death, the red fabric puddles on the floor, reminiscent of a pool of blood, visually mirroring her husband’s death. She is both one grieving woman and all of those touched by wartime loss.
Pianist Donny Novitski (David Toole) is one of those men in the foxhole. He returns home without his best friend, Michael, whose wife Julia Trojan (Marnie Quick) is that widow. Toole is magnetic. He is both vulnerable and assertive, and his vocals are as strong as his acting. Quick’s captivating voice manifests the tension of life marching on in the shadow of loss.
While all of the songs are powerful, the play’s most significant song is the opener: “Just Like It Was Before.” This song is sung stateside when the end of the war is announced in anticipation of the soldiers’ homecoming. We are painfully aware that the optimistic refrain of “it’ll be just like it was before” is a fantasy – and this refrain becomes a touchstone through the musical. It’s not the same for Julia or Michael or even Donny who struggles with survivor guilt and finding employment.
Donny forms a 6-man band to compete in a nationwide swing band competition that’s a tribute to the troops. He strategizes that a band composed of veterans could be a competitive advantage given the theme. The bandmembers represents a spectrum of strategies in combatting PTSD from insomnia to rigid control to addiction in an era when mental health was not widely acknowledged, and everyone wanted it to “be just like it was before.”
However, the band provides these veterans with an outlet, shared experience, and hope in their quest to win the competition. Keeping six band members straight can be a challenge, but director Joe Jackson ensures all of them shine and contribute. The sax player, Jimmy Campbell (Patrick Breiner), is a logic-driven lawyer, and drummer Johnny Simpson (Kamran Mian) is lovably loopy. Strait-laced trombonist Wayne Wright (Dylan Pal) still relentlessly assembles and reassembles his gun.
As choreographer, Jackson puts the ensemble at the forefront for the swing dance sequences. Their movements are stunningly crisp. They bring high-volume energy and joy to the show with each step that leaves the audience wanting to jump up and join the Bandstand.
-TKR, Ph.D and TR
Front Porch Theatricals’ production of Bandstand runs through August 25, 2024 at the New Hazlett Theater (6 Allegheny Square East, Pittsburgh, PA). Purchase tickets online at https://newhazletttheater.org/events/bandstand/.
