Bullet Over Broadway (the Musical)

Given the success that Mel Brooks had with The Producers on Broadway, it only seems right that Woody Allen would try the same thing with his film, Bullets Over Broadway. Both deal with the subject of Broadway itself, and both were directed and choreographed by Susan Stroman.

The huge difference is that Brooks wrote original songs for his musical. Allen, perhaps without that gift, has chosen to use existing songs from the period the play is set--the roaring '20s. Thus, we have a sort of jukebox musical, before jukeboxes were invented. The result is a mixed bag--some laughs, mostly smiles, and some dead spots.

The musical is now in previews at the St. James Theatre, so perhaps changes will be made. I have a few suggestions. The plot is the same as the film: an earnest young playwright, in order to get his play on Broadway, takes backing from a gangster, with the condition that the gangster's moll, distinctly untalented, must have a part. The playwright agrees, but it turns out that the moll's bodyguard, a common street hood, has a better gift for dramaturgy than the playwright, who realizes that art is not as important as a human life.

So far, so good. The basic pieces are all there. Zach Braff, surprisingly strong of  voice, is the playwright. Helene Yorke, a sure-fire Tony nominee, is Olive, the talentless ditz (who is an homage to Judy Holliday in Born Yesterday and Jean Hagen in Singin' in the Rain). Marin Mazzie is Helen Sinclair, the diva role that won Dianne Wiest an Oscar, while Nick Cordero is winning as Cheech, the thug who has the soul of an artist.

But the effect just isn't the same as the film. Perhaps I would have liked this better had I not seen the film. Many in the audience clearly hadn't, as the notion of Cheech taking an interest in the play seemed a surprise to them (as did the scene in which he bumps off Olive in the play's interest). But Allen has changed lines to the detriment of the play. For instance, one scene has Cheech telling Braff that he burned down his school. Braff reacts with horror, but Cheech says that it was his science project. In the film, Cheech says to relax, it was Lincoln's birthday and nobody was there, which is funnier.

Also, by the rules of Broadway musicals, the story has to be moved forward in song. This only works sporadically. In the film, the part of the playwright's girlfriend (played by an unknown Mary-Louise Parker) was a small role. It has been expanded in the play, acted by Betsy Wolfe, who is a charming performer with a lovely voice. But the character just isn't interesting enough to have two solos. Also, the part of Eden Brent, played by Tracy Ullman in the film, is blandly played by Karen Ziemba, who has little do but hold a well-trained (or heavily drugged) Pomeranian.

The show-stopper number is in the first act. Olive flashes back to her earlier stage experience, performing an number called "I Want a Hot Dog For My Roll," a smutty song that is brought to exuberant life by Stroman, complete with four dancers in giant hot dog costumes. The other numbers pale in comparison, except for "Let's Misbehave," done by Yorke and Brooks Ashmanksas, who is wonderful as Warner Purcell, an actor with a compulsive eating habit. The sight gags of him getting fatter in each scene is silly, wonderful humor.

Ashmanksas and Yorke steal the show from Braff and Mazzie, while Vincent Pastore (Big Pussy from The Sopranos) is able as Nick Valenti, the gangster. Who knew that Big Pussy had a nice singing voice? But of course, he is Italian.

I did generally enjoy Bullets Over Broadway, though I would classify it as disappointing. The sets and costumes, by Santo Loquasto and William Ivey Long, respectively (both huge names in their fields) are terrific. The sets in particular are dazzling, such as a train car and a vintage automobile, or a theater proscenium with female statues that are actual actresses. The play is a visual feast, but not necessarily an aural one.

Of the new jokes that Allen wrote, I found one to be particularly funny, and just a bit shocking. When Braff admits to Mazzie that Cheech rewrote the play, she says that Irving Berlin keeps a negro boy in his closet that wrote most of his songs. I'll bet that somehow gets back to the Berlin estate.