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Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?
Book by John R. Powers
Music and Lyrics by James Quinn & Alaric Jans
Based on a Novel by John Powers
Directed by William Pullinsi
Choreographed by Stacey Flaster
Musical Direction by Margaret James
At The Theatre At the Center
1040 Ridge Road
Munster, IN
Call 219-836-3255, tickets $32 - $35
Wednesdays at 2 PM
Thursdays at 2 & 7:30 PM
Fridays at 8 PM
Saturdays at 8 PM
Sundays at 2:30 PM
Running time is 2 hours, 15 minutes with intermission
Through August 13, 2006
Classic Catholic school musical still scores high notes
William Pullinsi is a master at directing classic musicals, especially ones that he initiated at his Candlelight’s Forum Theatre in the 1980’s. Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up? ran for four and a half years there and it has had many remounts over the years in Chicago. The show is a staple with community theatres across America. The show is pure Chicago, pure 1950’s Catholic school and pure heartwarming crowd pleaser. I have not seen the show since I caught it at the Forum in the 80’s. I was surprised at how strong the material is. I can relate to the show’s authentic take on Catholic school since I attended St. Ferdinand Grade School from 1950-58 and St. Patrick High School from 1958-62 on the Northwest side of Chicago.
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John Powers’ book and James Quinn and Alaric Jans’ lyrics and music deftly capture the essence of growing up Catholic, guilt and all! The coming-of-age musical explores the trials and tribulations of being educated by the nuns with help from the conservative parish priests. From the strong emphasis on the catechism and the selling of fear of eternal damnation, the Catholic schools emphasized discipline and biased religious teachings. Sometimes I thing I’m still recovering from the damaged inflicted on me by the nuns.
Thankfully, Black Patent Leather Shoes takes a warmly nostalgic tone, emphasizing the agony and ecstasy of growing up Catholic. Eddie Ryan (the terrific boy-next-door fine-voiced Ryan Gardner) narrates the memory musical as he returns to St. Bastion’s to find his first love Becky Bakowski (Meg Miller).
We return to those early days with his class featuring Virginia (Kari Keillor), Felix (Ed Kross), Mike (Jon Cunningham), Nancy (Lauren Ashley Bishop), Mary (Dina DiCostanzo) and Louie (Jeffrey James Binney). Add terrific turns from the strong voice of Ann McMann, as Sister Helen, and funny turns from Iris Lieberman, as Sister Lee, and funny moments from James Harms, as Father O’Reilly, and the show is both accurate and cute.
Black Patent Leather Shoes’ score is a nice blend of Broadway, 50’s pop rock and strong ballads that depict the angst, fear and guilt of growing up. Tunes like “The Greatest Gift,” “Little Fat Girls” and “Cookie Cutters” aptly tell the kids story in song. The humorous “Private Parts” where the kids are told about the taboos of sex is a hoot!
Act two find the eight in separate Catholic High schools, one for the boys and one for the girls. The “Doo-Waa, Doo-Wee” tune led by Jeffrey James Binney and choreographed by Stacey Flaster demonstrates what a 50’s mixer was really about. Ryan Gardner nicely lands “I Must Be In Love.” The confessional scenes offer a cute take on Catholic guilt and forgiveness. The high school years are nostalgically presented and brought back many fond memories for me, especially the prom scenes. I too was stood-up hours before my prom.
We like and care about all the kids and we appreciate the discipline the nuns taught us. This musical gets us recovering Catholics rethinking those wonderful days. I’d venture to say that the “publics” could also relate to growing up during that conservative simpler time.
I can appreciate why this wonderful, slick show has endured for so long. It has warmth, heart and honesty. The tunes and the dances are also terrific. What’s not to like here? This is a true classic Chicago style musical with a classic boy meets girl, boys falls in love, boy loses girl, boys wins girl back structure. I guess I’m like Eddie when he self-reflects with the song “Late Bloomer.” The realism and comedy are nicely presented without offending anyone. I’m glad I saw this wonderfully sweet production. It is a surprisingly strong Broadway musical.
Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast
Date Reviewed: July 13, 2006
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