Welk's '42nd Street' has Broadway polish

By: CHARLENE BALDRIDGE - For the North County Times | Wednesday, June 15, 2005 1:04 PM PDT ∞

Just as one forever associates the musical "Rent" with the death of its creator Jonathan Larson, one continues to associate the musical "42nd Street" with the death of director/choreographer Gower Champion.

Champion's timing was a bit better than that of Larson, who died the day "Rent" opened in previews. Champion died the very day of his show's Broadway opening, Aug. 25, 1980. The company had just taken its 11th bow when producer David Merrick came out of the wings and said, "This is tragic." Everyone laughed, thinking he meant the triumph just witnessed. "No," he said. "This is tragic. Gower Champion is dead."

The spirit of Champion ---- wistful, can-do and energized ---- hovers over the dynamite "42nd Street" currently playing at Welk Resort Theatre. The dancing, singing "kids" are super, leggy and adorable, and they sound "swell" ---- a term frequently used in the period piece set in the Depression era.

Peggy Sawyer, the ingenue who comes from the ranks to play the leading role in the musical-within-the-musical, is portrayed by Nicole Werner, a student in San Diego State's musical theater program. She is chipper in her blond Sutton Foster wigs, sings all the notes, taps with the best of them, and has a certain appeal. Perhaps later in the run she'll find and turn on the indefinable "it" lacking in the eleventh hour.

Other leading roles are played and sung so well that they are bound to satisfy even the most experienced musical theater fan. If this were a world-premiere musical bound for Broadway, one might even say there are some performances worthy of a Tony Award. Director/choreographer Jon Engstrom was an original ensemble member in Champion's "42nd Street." He knows the steps, imbuing the Welk production with heart as well as authentic Champion touches.

Old-timers and late-night TV-watchers have seen the 1933 film based on Bradford Ropes' novel. Four of the Harry Warren/Al Dubin hit tunes ---- "Shuffle Off to Buffalo," "You're Getting to Be a Habit With Me," "Young and Healthy" and the title song ---- were in the classic film. Warren composed nine more songs, including "Lullaby of Broadway," "About a Quarter to Nine" and a knockout torch song, "I Know Now," for the 1980 stage premiere.

The role of Anytime Annie, played by Ginger Rogers in the film, is played by New York University graduate Kathryn Venverloh, who displays amazing musical theater chops. Locals have seen her only in straight dramatic roles. Among the female show-stoppers is Erika Amato as the aging ingenue, Dorothy, who carries the torch for a guy named Pat (Jesse MacKinnon) while consorting with her sugar daddy (Ralph Johnson, very funny fuddy-duddy), who's financing the show. Amato's rich, low voice throbs with feeling. The dynamic, energetic Katie Wilson does a bang-up job with Maggie, who is the writer/composer of "Pretty Lady," the musical that all are rehearsing.

Excellent male performers are Jacob ben Widmar, a sweet-voiced Billy Lawlor; and Jamie Torcellini, who brings weight, savvy, humor and dancing expertise to the role of Andy, the "Pretty Lady" dance captain. Also chalk one up for Andrew Husmann, who portrays stage director Julian Marsh with a wearied detachment that puts one in mind of the Dance Captain in "A Chorus Line," another show about showbiz that's rife with dancing.

Costumes, supplied by Theatre Company in Upland, are ravishingly spectacular and look great on all the performers. Sound, lighting and scenic elements are fine and kudos to music director Justin Gray's five-member pit band, especially trumpeters Steve Dillard and Jack Houghton, who played not a clunker all night.

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