Sweet Charity is Full of Dance, Song, and Laughs at Artistry in Bloomington

I was a Sweet Charity virgin in the purest most poetical sense of the word. I was in for several surprises not the least of which was that the 1966 musical was based on the screenplay for Fellini’s Nights of Cabiria. I likewise, wasn’t aware that the book for the musical was by Neil Simon. Any time I’m experiencing a musical for the first time I try and go in cold, to let it work on me the way it would have for audiences when it first came out. So it’s always a surprise when you recognize a song or two that you didn’t realize came from the show. That happened with two songs in this show “Big Spender” and “If My Friends Could See Me Now“, but it’s filled with other catchy tunes as well. As fun as the songs are, the real attraction of this production is the dancing. Choreographed by Abby Magalee the casts moves will entertain even those for whom dancing isn’t a draw. There’s nothing like seeing a dozen or so performers all moving in perfect synchronization, and who isn’t impressed by a perfectly executed kickline. There were a couple of ensemble members who’s dancing really stood out as flawless, Jaclyn McDonald and Aliya Grace. I’m not hugely knowledgeable about dance and tend to enjoy it most as part of a musical, but I think I could happily while away a couple of hours watching those two dance so exquisitely.

No slouch in the hoofing department either is the star of the show Shinah Hey who plays Charity Hope Valentine. Charity is a dance hall girl who is constantly taken advantage of by the men she falls for. After being pushed in the lake in Central Park by her boyfriend who also steals her purse, Charity is saved from drowning reluctantly by a member of the crowd of people who gathered to watch her drown. This is the first taste of the humor that pervades the show. Charity takes it all in stride and this is the cue for the audience to do so as well. If you don’t take that “shrug it off and keep on going” attitude to heart, you may find yourself severely out of sorts by the end of the show. Shinah Hey is perfectly cast with a relentlessly positive energy and optimism crucial to making the character believable. Other outstanding members of the cast include the always hilarious Brendan Nelson Finn who first came to our attention on the Artistry stage in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. He plays Oscar who Charity meets when they get stuck in an elevator together and will become her love interest. Finn is a master at milking every ounce of humor out of any scene, whether verbally his exclamations of panic in the elevator, or non verbally his reactions and dancing during the song “The Rhythm of Life“. You don’t want to take your eyes off him for fear you’ll miss something. Adan Varela plays a famous movie star named Vittorio Vidal, he and Charity have less of a love connection but she coaches him in her ever selfless way to a reconciliation with his girlfriend. Varela has a jaw dropping moment when he begins to sing “Too Many Tomorrows” and you get your first exposure to his voice on his own. I thought I’d died and gone to classic movie musical heaven his voice is so full, rich, and what the girls used to call dreamy. Another ensemble member that didn’t get a large stand alone role but played multiple small parts was Quinn Lorez, who after a nice turn as Joanne in Rent at Artistry, brings to this an ability to punch each of her small roles with something to make them memorable, which is a great way to differentiate the characters and become an audience favorite, just the perfect amount of attitude.

This production was Directed by Laura Leffler who masterfully stages the show on what has become Artistry’s go to production design lately. Which is to have the band up stage and have the minimal set pieces, mostly just a few chairs, a door frame, and a table or couch that can be brought on and off quickly. I suspect this has been done in several of their productions over the last year or so as a financial savings, which I understand completely. I’m happy to have them spend less on costumes and sets if it means they can continue to maintain such a full orchestra. Music Director Isabella Dawis and the Conductor Anita Ruth continue Artistry’s legacy of exemplary musical performances. Leffler doesn’t let the lack of set make the show less dynamic, she uses various sections behind the band to add locales and create striking visual moments. Lighting Designer Shannon Elliott also assists with some clever lighting cues including creating the square of the elevator with a box of light shone on the stage floor. I had a great time with this show, enjoyed the singing and dancing and experienced another comedic performance I’m not likely to ever forget.

Sweet Charity runs through February 16th at Artistry in Bloomington. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://artistrymn.org/sweetcharity