On the Record

Fox Theatre

The first thing you need to know about Disney's On the Record is that it's a revue, not a traditional book musical. That means minimal sets and costumes, fairly simple staging, and only a hint of character and story. There are no elaborate stage effects and no actors dressed up as animals or household objects. The focus is on the music.

But, to paraphrase the Firesign Theatre in a vastly different context, it's really great music, Mrs. Preske. On the Record is a showcase for sixty-four exceptional songs from over seventy years of Disney films and animated shorts, from the silly cheerfulness of "Minnie's Yoo-Hoo" from the 1930 cartoon Shindig to the disillusionment of "Will the Sun Ever Shine Again?", from the 2004 feature Home on the Range. The songwriters whose work is on display here range from contemporary stars like Elton John, Phil Collins and Randy Newman to Tin Pan Alley veterans such as Ned Washington and Sammy Fain. Even head Mousketeer Jimmy Dodd gets a tip of the Mouske-hat when the "Mickey Mouse March" puts in a brief appearance near the end. Disney fans will also be happy to note that the team of Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, who were responsible for so many of the studio's hits, is well represented.

Director, choreographer and co-creator Robert Longbottom has devised a simple yet effective setting for this collection of musical gems. On a stage decked out like an Art Deco recording studio, a young and vibrant cast of eight - four principals and a backup quartet - sing, dance and clown their way through the evening. The leads are quickly identified as standard character types: Kristen the ingénue, Justin the leading man, Diane the diva and Nick the rebel with a motorcycle helmet. There's even a sketchy back-story about Diane and Justin renewing their friendship and Kristen and Nick getting together, but it doesn't bear close examination. Like I said, it's all about the music.

With so much music and such a small cast, everybody gets multiple chances to shine - and they all do. As Kristen, Muny veteran Ashley Brown grabs attention at the very beginning by walking alone on to the bare stage and singing a lovely a cappella version of "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes". Other highlights include Brian Sutherland and Andrew Samonsky's scat-singing duet on "I Wan'na Be Like You" (all the more impressive when you consider that they're up against memories of Louis Prima and Phil Harris), Kaitlin Hopkins' gleefully villainous "Poor Unfortunate Souls", and just about everything done by the backup quartet: Leo Ash Evans, Meredith Inglesby, Keewa Nurullah and Ian Rhodes. Nurullah, in particular, deserves special mention simply because this tour marks here professional debut - and an impressive one it is, too.

There's also a dynamite baritone sax solo by band member Dave Noland during "Pink Elephants on Parade" from Dumbo, a number which raises an interesting question: if Dumbo were being filmed for the first time today, would a song making fun of alcohol intoxication and its hallucinatory side effects have any chance of even being written, much less included in the movie? In the current climate of anal-retentive Puritanical hysteria - one in which even a cartoon sponge is accused of having a sexual agenda - I'd say the odds would be slim. As it is, I suspect Dumbo's status as a family classic is the only thing saving it from the wrath of the self-appointed Guardians of Public Morality.

But I digress.

Music adaptor David Chase has done a brilliant job of finding clever ways to combine similar songs into sets and medleys. The Act I finale is an especially inspired example, whipping up a comic tornado from some of Disney's most familiar "silly word" songs ("Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious", "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo" and son on). When combined with Longbottom's movement and choreography - which keeps the cast in almost constant movement - the result is a fast-paced and tuneful evening that moves quickly without ever feeling frenzied. Back on the visual side, lighting designer Natasha Katz makes extremely effective use of color to set the mood for each set. The smart use of color figures prominently in costume designer Gregg Barnes work as well, with everyone effectively in grayscale until the finale, in which everyone, including the band, is decked out in festive red and gold for exuberant performances of "The Bare Necessities and "A Spoonful of Sugar".

On the Record is definitely a family-friendly show, but it's not a kids' show, and younger tykes may find the lack of flash disappointing. Older children and non-Disney-hating adults, however, will find On the Record to be a delightful trip down Memory Lane. Given the current state of the world, that's not a bad place to spend a couple of hours.

Disney's On the Record plays the Fox through March 20th [2005]; call 314-534-1111 for tickets.

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