Every celebrity should be so lucky as to have his biography written if not by his mother, then by his publicist. Danny Kaye, entertainer extraordinaire, lucks out in "Danny and Sylvia: A Musical Love Story," with lyrics provided by Bob McElwaine, who between 1953-59 served as Kaye's personal manager, confidante and publicist. (McElwaine's previous theatrical credits include a commission to musicalize Herman Wouk's "Marjorie Morningstar," which effort was subsequently vetoed for production by the novelist. The music was composed by Bob Bain, who played lead guitar with the big bands of Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman and Bob Crosby, and is known for his guitar stylings in the original "Peter Gunn Theme." ) "Danny and Sylvia" is an appropriate selection for American Century Theater's "Reflections" series, which develops new stage works on important 20th Century personalities and events.
Directed by Artistic Director Jack Marshall, the show is receiving full productions in two venues, Theater on the Run in Arlington, Virginia, and the Writer's Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Although the black box space is small at the Writer's Center, it easily accommodates the two actors and three orchestra members, who also participated in last spring's workshop. As is evident from the large-scale photos of Danny Kaye, Brian Childers bears him an uncanny physical resemblance. Although Childers earned the Washington Theater Lobby's Mary Goldwater Award for his performance, he lacks the charisma of his subject. Fortunate is the audience member who attended the Writer's Center's accompanying movie series and witnessed Kaye's manic performance in the 1949 "The Inspector General" and the swashbuckling comedy with music "The Court Jester," (1956) both of which illuminate his genius. Although the script leans toward promoting Kaye's talent above that of his wife, Sylvia Fine, Janine Gulisano, a charismatic powerhouse of musical theater talent, belies the playwrights' intention by giving the stronger performance.
As an aspiring female composer/lyricist/writer building a successful career during the 1930s-40s, Fine deserves kudos for meeting the challenge. She also channeled her considerable drive into serving as mentor and manager for Kaye, as well as composing his most famous songs, propelling him from vaudeville to his award-winning success in movies, stage and television, although with mixed results for their lengthy, if frequently rocky marriage. Although Danny sings "She's got a Great Head on My Shoulders," he eventually proves himself by earning raves with his critically acclaimed one-man comedy gig at the London Palladium.
Childers and Gulisano are provided enthusiastic accompaniment by Alvin Smithson (piano), John Hage (percussion), and Dave Burrelli (bass), under the musical direction of Tom Fuller. This fragile musical illuminates the dynamics of a power couple's tempestuous showbiz marriage in an era when today's frequent antidote of divorce was not condoned.
