Conceived, designed, and directed by
John Haldoupis, After Sondheim, a new
musical revue, is a collection of songs from musical theater pieces by newer
and younger composer-lyricists. Haldoupis considers them possible successors to
Stephen Sondheim, the current king of American musicals. With three unlikely
exceptions, they all write both words and music for their shows. And variously
they all seem to be influenced by Sondheim. That’s as much connection as we get
in this songfest, performed by a fine group of local singer-actors.

Throughout the show Mark Alan
DeWaters plays piano and conducts Jeff Weil, percussion, and Reggie Devers,
bass, behind a scrim curtain to produce first-rate accompaniment and remarkably
full sound. As music director, he is also presumably to be credited with the
able arrangements and singers’ vocal polish. Haldoupis’ staging of the numbers
is varied and attractive, but if this entertaining concert were to be packaged
to play on tour, it would need smarter-looking costuming, makeup, and lighting.

The efficient set, however, frames projections of still and
moving pictures that are imaginative, evocative, and handsome. The fascinating black-and-white
Depression-era film of lower-class street life accompanying the Mother’s song,
“Back to Before,” from Ragtime seems
at times to be choreographed to Stephen Flaherty’s music and to illustrate Lynn
Ahrens’ lyrics.

But that theatrically effective moment illustrates one of
this show’s problems. Several songs need more information about context to have
much impact. And these illustrations have nothing to do with Mother’s song to
Father about the impossibility of getting back to a less troublesome, racial situation,
not just former times.

The other song from the
Flaherty-Ahrens lyric-music partnership, “The Human Heart,” is a pretty,
full-company number here, but without any of its dramatic point in Once On This Island. And, since I don’t
share the admiration many feel for another musical by separate artists, Violet by Jeanine Tesori and Brian
Crawley, I don’t think its inclusion a good choice — particularly as an act
one finale.

That, however, is the basic nature of
a revue: the various parts that make up its plotless composition will be
variously appreciated according to the audience’s individual tastes. Generally,
I think Haldoupis has chosen fairly wisely in order to showcase newer
musical-making talents; we are indebted to him for gathering these gems to show
us.

I was knocked out, for instance, by a classic blues number,
“How Did We Come To This?” by the enormously talented, but usually comical
Andrew Lippa. It’s a real discovery for me. My other favorite selections —
other than songs from the well-established Ragtime and The Secret Garden — are
excerpts from tick, tick… BOOM! (an
early show by Rent‘s Jonathan Larson)
and numbers from William Finn’s A New
Brain, though in fairness I should say that I’m familiar with them because
I saw an early version of that show.

A separate item, Finn’s disappointing
dirge in memoriam for the 9/11 tragedy, is better forgotten. And omitted. In
fact, as an evening’s entertainment, this overlong revue needs to trim off
about a half-hour. It doesn’t make much theatrical sense, anyway, to slow
things down to a crawl with three lullabies and a tragic memorial dirge
immediately before the brief, upbeat finale.

And, in fact, as an evening’s
entertainment, this overlong revue needs to trim off about a half-hour. It
doesn’t make much theatrical sense, anyway, to slow things down to a crawl with
three lullabies and a tragic memorial dirge immediately before the brief,
upbeat finale.

The entirely attractive, talented
cast are mostly familiar performers: Maureen Brainard, Cara D’Emanuele, Chandra
Downs, Ronald S. Herman, Jens W. L. Hinrichsen, Erin R. Koch, Kristy Kosko,
Jeff Miller, Dawn M. Sargent, Matthew Tappon. They deserve your attendance and
support.

After Sondheim,conceived, designed, and directed by John Haldoupis, plays at
Blackfriars Theatre, 28 Lawn Street, Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays and
Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 3 p.m. through
October 23. $22. 454-1260, www.blackfriars.org

This article appears in Oct 13-19, 2004.