Review: “42nd Street” at the Woodland Opera House

If you’re a fan of all those old MGM musicals, or if you just like exciting theater, The Woodland Opera House production of 42nd Street, directed by Robert Cooner, is just the thing for you. From the moment the curtain rises—half way, showing a stage filled with tapping feet—through to the finale, it’s simply spectacular.

The plot is silly and formulaic, about a Depression-era girl convinced she has enough talent to make it on Broadway. Because she’s in the right place at the right time, she’s cast by the director (Scott Martin as Julian Marsh) to be in the chorus of his latest production.

The ins and outs of her becoming the star of the show with only a day to learn all the dialogue, songs and dance numbers are right out of a lot of those old musicals, but the plot is entirely incidental to the production itself.

The dancing is fabulous—and who doesn’t love tap dancing? The cast of 22 is led by Ernestine Balisi, as the ingenue Peggy Sawyer; Michael David Smith plays Billy Lawlor, the tenor of the show-within-a-show. Smith is a huge bundle of talent who sings, acts and dances up a storm.

Lenore Sebastian and Gil Sebastian are the two songwriters, who offer comic relief throughout.

If you ever wanted an excuse to cross the causeway to see what theater is like in Woodland, you’ll never have a better opportunity than this production.