review by Jade Esteban Estrada
It's 1720 in the Caribbean Island of Jamaica. Do you know where your ship is parked? PYRATES! The Courtship Chronicles which recently played at Theater for the New City was inspired by a true story with lyrics and book is written by award-winning playwright Barbara Kahn and music by Jay Kerr. Overall, the result is an engaging evening of unique theatre showing off an impressive set, fabulous costumes and a lot of great acting from up and coming actors.
Theatrical works where the focal point is a lesbian romance are not as common as perhaps the male to male romance, which makes such a storyline refreshing from the start. The show was directed by Kahn and Lisa Marjorie Barnes and held a distinct loyalty to the style and time period that the audience seemed to appreciate.
The esthetically pleasing Andi Hogan plays the lead role of Annie Bonny, a pirate who has come to take over a ship at her first opportunity with her men. She's on the run from the government but takes it all in stride in true leading lady fashion. Hogan was well cast and commands the stage.
Although, the show was a musical, only a few cast members demonstrated vocal prowess.
Uzo Aduba who plays Belinda, a local Jamaican woman who has her own pub performed her songs beautifully and demonstrated huge vocal strength.
The lighting design by Stewart Wagner was exceptional particularly in "Cote d'lvoire" which featured Andrew Fitzgerald Graham in the role of Agibo who sings each song as if he's in Miss Saigon (which is how it should be).
Kerr's melodies are showcased nicely with numbers like "If Ye Mess Wiv Annie."
Tony Javed played Luis Lopez de Salinas and displayed a charming disposition especially when being courted by Pierre Devlin, a local merchant and Oscar Wilde-type fashionista played marvelously by Jesse Liebman who is a master of comedic dialogue.
What Hogan might lack in vocals she makes up for in her acting and her moving performance of "When He Looked at Me" is a good example of that. Liebman's "Nothing at All" was also an excellent performance, which relied on sheer acting skill. Bravo.
Nicola Barber plays the role of Mark, a woman who is passing as a young man to get on the ship with Hogan who she eventually falls in love with. Barber has a singing voice and acted believably throughout the show.
Carla Gant did a phenomenal job costuming the show. Hogan's transformation at the show's end was dramatic and wonderful to watch.
Mark Marcante did incredible work on the set design and created a ship worthy of any Broadway musical.
With a little facelift and the cutting of just a few songs, one would hope to see the revival of this production in another New York venue. One that has parking for a ship that size, of course.
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