Movin' Out

Dance St. Louis at the Fox Theatre

When I opened my program for Movin’ Out, the first thing I noticed was that there were two separate casts of principal dancers. One – the group reviewed here – plays Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Saturday and Sunday matinees; the second plays all other performances. Why the double casting? Two hours later, the answer was clear: because anyone who wasn’t born on the planet Krypton couldn’t be expected to dance these demanding roles every night and live to tell the tale.

Although officially described as a “dance musical”, Movin’ Out is, in fact, a ballet. The story, told in dance and mime and amplified by Billy Joel’s occasionally cryptic lyrics, follows five friends from high school, through the Vietnam War, and into adulthood. Couples break up and re-form. One of the five – James - loses his life in the war. His friends Eddie and Tony come back physically intact but psychologically traumatized and must work their way back through drugs and nightmares to reconciliation with their partners Judy and Brenda and a hopeful reunion in the final scene.

Director and choreographer Twyla Tharp is famous – or infamous – for pushing dancers to their limits, and in Movin’ Out she has given the cast steps that are not only evocative but also breathtakingly athletic. Fortunately, these dancers were more than equal to the challenge. Both principals and ensemble members showed class, sass, precision and energy that were infectious. More than once the audience broke out in spontaneous applause after an especially superhuman solo turn or brilliant ensemble piece.

Leading the troupe in the role of Brenda (the “queen of the prom” from “Scenes from and Italian Restaurant”) is Holly Cruikshank, who was so impressive in Contact here back in 2001. I referred to her back then as “a marvel of grace and poise” and see no reason to change that now. Whether she’s strutting her stuff as a New Woman in “Uptown Girl” or reconciling with the charismatic David Gomez as Tony in the elegantly erotic “Shameless”, Cruikshank is at the top of her form.

Equally impressive is Ron Todorowski in the demanding role of Eddie, who runs a gauntlet of emotional changes in the course of the evening. His portrayal of Eddie’s descent into drugs and madness in “Captain Jack” and “Pressure” is as demanding physically as it is harrowing emotionally, but he pulls it off with aplomb.

Julieta Gros shines as the anguished widow in “The Stranger” (the chorography for which owes something to Agnes DeMille’s work for Oklahoma and Brigadoon) and has a wonderfully tender duet with Matthew Dibble as the doomed James in “Just the Way You Are”.

Heading up the band, which sits atop a 20-foot high platform at the back of the essentially bare stage, is singer and pianist Darren Holden (Matt Wilson on Wednesday and Sunday evenings and Saturday matinees), who captures the essence of Billy Joel’s performance style without ever descending into simple impersonation. The band is tight and multi-talented, doubling as back-up singers in Joel’s doo-wop homage “The Longest Time”. And, yes, the show is amplified; but the sound is clear, generally free of distortion, and just loud enough to have the desired impact without making your ears bleed.

Whether you want to call it a “dance musical” or “rock ballet”, the bottom line is that Movin’ Out is a don’t-miss evening of scintillating dance and a fine showcase for the work of one of America’s most gifted and under-rated songwriters. It runs through May 9th [2004] at the Fox; call 314-534-1111 for ticket information.

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