'42nd Street' Dances Its Way to Success

“Think of musical comedy, the most glorious words in the English language,” director Julian Marsh says to burgeoning but reluctant star Peggy Sawyer in “42nd Street.” The Boston Conservatory’s production of this musical serves as a compelling, nearly infallible corroboration of Marsh’s lingual assessment.

The energy and sheer joy of the cast and orchestra is immediately palpable with the first rise of the curtain, revealing pairs upon pairs of synchronized tapping feet. While perhaps hewing a bit too close to the design and staging of the excellent 2001 Broadway revival, the Boston Conservatory’s production—which ran through March 8—is nevertheless an exuberant triumph on all levels.

The ultimate backstage musical, “42nd Street” follows ingénue Peggy (Riley Krull) as she attempts to get a part in a new Broadway show directed by the famous director Julian Marsh (Brennan Roach). As Peggy’s celebrity grows, the career of the leading lady Dorothy Brock (Lindsey Larson) fades.

“42nd Street” is one of the great, enduring musicals, but restaging such a successful production requires immense talent from both the cast and creative staff. The cast members need to pull off the triple threat of acting, singing, and dancing, while the creative team must produce the spectacle of a classic 1930s musical without letting it seem dated. In this production, both cast and creative excel at their respective tasks.

In a show where dance is the real star, the choreography must be seamless and expressive. It works well, then, that Michael Susko acts as both director and choreographer. Susko uses the whole stage in forming creative routines that hint at the Busby Berkeley origins of the show and are flawlessly integrated into the story. Even the waiters tap offstage when clearing set pieces from a restaurant scene. Particularly affecting is the tap ballet routine during the play-within-a-play performance of the song “42nd Street” by Krull.

Krull exemplifies the triple threat this show demands. Her character Peggy needs to naturally stand out in a line of chorines, “specks of dust on the stage” according to Marsh, and Krull does. Her performance as Peggy is never too naïve or calculating; she strikes just the right chord of vulnerability and wide-eyed excitement. As Roach sings the show-stopping “Lullaby of Broadway,” an ode to theater and New York City, Krull’s face becomes dreamy and adoring. Her love of performing pulses through every tap of her shoe and every note of her songs.

Roach’s Julian Marsh is the perfect balance to Peggy’s bubbly Broadway fever. Somewhat jaded and severe, Marsh can be an unlikable character in less capable hands, but Roach hits the exact note of susceptibility to keep his character appealing and interesting. Roach is a refreshing anomaly on stage, his gruff tones a welcome opposition to the glitz and glam and high-pitched chorus girl squeals.

The only disappointment in the cast is Steven Cardona’s Billy Lawlor. While Cardona’s dancing is acceptable, his acting and singing are not suited for this role. Great songs like “Dames” and “Young and Healthy” fall flat, Cardona’s too-weak tenor voice drowned out by the lovely orchestra.

The work of the fantastic ensemble sometimes suffers from technical glitches like delayed light cues, but overall their performance only adds to the dynamism of the show. In particular, Jennifer Cohen shines as Maggie Jones, a role that could read as too over-the-top but is instead played with just the right comedic timing and scene-stealing flair. Her introduction to the fantastic “Go Into Your Dance” is an absolute pleasure to behold.

“Go Into Your Dance” is but one of the many winning song and dance numbers in the wonderful score. All of these big songs are treats for both the eyes and ears, accompanied by spot on tap routines and flashy set pieces designed by Janie Howland. The true delight, however, is the music under the direction of F. Wade Russo. As the production moves from hit song to hit song, the cast members’ voices remain beautiful, but the orchestra steals the show from the very start of the overture. The score has never sounded fresher or livelier.

All in all, The Boston Conservatory’s “42nd Street” would make demanding director Marsh proud. Productions such as this are what give the Peggy Sawyers of the world the dream to star in a Broadway show. The chorines might be just specks of dust to Marsh, but as Peggy says: “Put all those specks together, you have something alive and beautiful that can reach out to a thousand people we’ve never seen before.” —Staff writer Ali R. Leskowitz can be reached at aleskow@fas.harvard.edu.