Dames At Sea

On Broadway at the  Helen Hayes Theatre

 

I love a good old fashioned musical that is filled with lively song and dance and follows a corny storyline and that’s why I was delighted by Dames at Sea.  With all the dark themes and dark sets on Broadway today it’s refreshing  to sit in your seat and be dazzled with energetic and colorful song and dance numbers that are sure to please under the direction and choreography of Randy Skinner.  You can leave all you analytical tools at home and just sit back enjoy.

The action starts at the a theatre where  it’s opening night of Director Hennesey’s (John Bolton) Dames at Sea.  We meet the aging star of the show, Mona Kent (Lesli Margherita), with her larger than life voice and personality, and funny girl Joan (Mara Davi) another singer/dancer in the cast.  Enter the innocent, cute as a button, Ruby (Eloise Kropp).  She’s just off the bus from Utah with the clothes on her back and a pair of red tap shoes looking to become a Broadway Star.  It must be her lucky day because someone has just left the cast, and they need a replacement.   Enter sailor Dick (Cary Tedder - and yes Dick jokes follow) who returns with eyes for Ruby as well as her suitcase that was left on the bus, and who also just happens to be a songwriter (I told you it was corny).  His sailor friend Lucky (Danny Gardner), a former flame of Joan follows shortly.  The sparks begin to fly between the two couples, and they are going to need to find a way to keep Mona’s hands off of Dick (I told you).  Everything comes crashing down, literally, when Hennesey announces that the theatre is schedule to be demolished and the show won’t go on.   The sailors come up with an idea to save the show, and have it on their battleship.   All they need to do is convince Captain Courageous (also played by John Bolton), which turns out to be no problem at all when we find out about the past passions between the Captain and Mona.   Mona tries to kick Ruby off of the show out of jealousy, but soon it’s Ruby who takes lead when Mona gets a bad case of seasickness.   The show is a success, Ruby is a star, and everyone has a first mate.  Do you want to ask for whom the bell tolls?  In this case everyone.  Wedding bells, that is.  At the end of the day what you are going to get here is 17 not stop musical numbers performed by a terrifically talented cast.  Don’t miss this.  For tickets and more information visit http://damesatseabroadway.com/ and check for available discounts here.  -ThisbroadSway 10/29/15