Famed architect Mies van der Rohe used the phrase "less is more" to describe the beauty found in minimalist design, but the phrase has rarely made it into the Broadway houses that play home to the particularly American form of musical theater.
From the days of "Oklahoma" and "The King and I" to "Cabaret" and "A Chorus Line," the hit musicals usually all had big casts, big songs and big choreography.
But, once again, as van der Rohe said, sometimes "less is more." A prime example of that maxim arrived this week with "Once," the 2012 Tony Award winner for Best Musical that opened last night at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts.
To get a handle on "Once," think of "The Fantasticks" or "Next to Normal" or "The Last Five Years" that got a spectacular treatment by Milwaukee’s All In Productions last season.
The musical is based on a 2006 movie about an Irish boy who sings and a Czech girl who plays piano. Four years ago, it won a Tony for the Best Musical and a Grammy for the Best Musical Theater Album; before then, it had already won an Oscar for Best Song, the gentle "Falling Slowly."
That’s not a bad trifecta for a show that is simple, honest and full of emotion – not to mention it has some of the most entertaining musicians and actors you are going to see on stage in this, or any other, season.
And it’s little. Not so much in the cast of 13 performers but in style and demand. I didn’t have to sit in my seat and brace myself for big numbers. Instead of a tsunami of visual and sonic activity, this one is more like a gentle breeze on a summer day.
This boy-meets-girl story is special because, unlike so many variations on the simple story ("West Side Story," "The Fantasticks"), it’s not outside forces that are the barriers to love. Here, it’s the boy and the girl, unsure of this temptation, resistant to acknowledging what they feel.
Guy and Girl (those are the only names we have) meet in a music store where he is going to leave his guitar after suffering continued disappointment that nobody wants to hear his music. As he prepares to bolt, she discovers the chart for a song.
She sits at the piano, he begins to haltingly play "Falling Away" and, before too long, she’s accompanying him on the keyboard and singing background harmonies. It’s a beautiful and intimate start to the show.
He’s a boy ready to quit. She is a girl who has enough pluck for both of them. And with her pushing and pulling, he gets his mojo back and they begin to make sweet music. Real music. And the pairing of the two is magical.
The other side of their relationship isn’t nearly as smooth. He’s got an ex-girlfriend, and she has a runaway husband and a little girl. Deep down, they both know they are meant to be together, but the logic of love (if there is such a thing) overwhelms and keeps them at more than just an arm's distance.
The cast of 13 actors plays instruments ranging from a cello and violin to concertina and melodica, with a lot of guitar, ukulele and mandolin thrown in. It’s a magnificent performance that takes your breath away.
Sam Cieri stars as the Guy and Mackenzie Lesser-Roy as the Girl, and they are absolutely magnetic. He has a voice that has echoes of Merle Haggard and Ray Charles, and she sings like an angel. "Falling Slowly" may be the best-known song in the show, but toward the end when she sings "The Hill," it is a palpable and painful lament about what might be, what might have been. I watched her thinking of Edith Piaf, the French chanteuse who could wring a tear out of the driest of eyes.
The songs do not rail against the fates, but rather sound of resignation, that what will be will be no matter how deep the emotions being scorned.
"Once" is an unexpected play. While there were some sound difficulties on opening night, it is a show not to be missed. It's a truly unique theatrical experience and one I won't soon forget.
It is a perfect example of how simplicity and honesty are oftentimes the best way to draw a crowd into what you are doing.
"Once" runs through April 10 and information on tickets and showtimes is available here.
With a history in Milwaukee stretching back decades, Dave tries to bring a unique perspective to his writing, whether it's sports, politics, theater or any other issue.
He's seen Milwaukee grow, suffer pangs of growth, strive for success and has been involved in many efforts to both shape and re-shape the city. He's a happy man, now that he's quit playing golf, and enjoys music, his children and grandchildren and the myriad of sports in this state. He loves great food and hates bullies and people who think they are smarter than everyone else.
This whole Internet thing continues to baffle him, but he's willing to play the game as long as OnMilwaukee.com keeps lending him a helping hand. He is constantly amazed that just a few dedicated people can provide so much news and information to a hungry public.
Despite some opinions to the contrary, Dave likes most stuff. But he is a skeptic who constantly wonders about the world around him. So many questions, so few answers.
