In 1970, when COMPANY first appeared on Broadway, George Furth and Stephen Sondheim solidified a new genre of Broadway musicals: the concept musical. This was a show without traditional plot construction, such as boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy wins girl back. Instead, audiences meet Bobby on his 35th birthday and watch him interact with the various married couples and single women in his life. In many ways, he is the least developed character in this wonderful musical. As the constant observer, he mostly listens and reacts to those around him rather than initiating actions. Consequently, we get to know those people far better, at least initially, than we know Bobby. But each interaction makes an impression on him which moves Bobby from being the perpetual bachelor into a man ready to share his life with the right woman.
This is truly an ensemble piece and director Jeffrey Lesser has assembled a pretty strong troupe of actors to revolve around Bobby (James Owens). We meet Harry (Jason Ayestas) struggling to stay sober and his wife, Sarah (Sonia Reaaavis), always on a diet. Peter (Luis Salcido IV) and Susan (Joyanne Tracy) his adorable Southern Belle of a wife, seem to be the ideal young couple. Then there’s David (Jason Mannino) and Jenny (Christina Harrell), normally on the square side, until Bobby brings some marijuana for Jenny to try for the very first time. We meet Paul (Samuel Moffatt) getting ready to marry his long-term girlfriend, Amy (Heather Joy), who is suddenly getting cold feet. We meet 3 of the women Bobby is or has been dating: the somewhat out-there Marta (Vanessa L. Smith), the resigned and practical Kathy (Imani J. DeLeon) and April (Nicole Kennedy) the not-so-sharp flight attendant. Lastly, there’s the older and very wealthy Joanne (Barbara Kerr) and Larry (Grant Wheaton), husband number 3 (or is it 4?).
The score by Sondheim is sharp, sophisticated and witty. It’s the perfect match for Furth’s amusing collection of long-time New Yorkers and those not so sold on the city as home. Several members of the cast stood out in their deliveries of the score. Ms. Joy’s rendition of “Not Getting Married Today,” is, pardon the pun, pure joy. It is as fast as any I have heard, yet every word rang out clarion clear. Ms. Smith gives Marta’s “Another Hundred People” a real sense of power and conveys the chaos and complication of living in the crowded and always-bustling place that is New York. Lastly, Barbara Kerr’s Joanne nailed every zinger she delivered and belted out an immensely powerful “Ladies Who Lunch.” Brava!
The relatively small size of the stage does provide some traffic congestion, especially at the top of both acts when all the couples are on stage together. But the sharpness of Furth’s book and Sondheim’s score shine as brightly today as they did at COMPANY’s premiere, 54 years ago!!!
COMPANY is playing at the Revolution Stage Company now through December 22, 2024. For tickets or more information visit their website at www.RevolutionStageCompany.com