“Straight Dave” not straight enough with a mid-style Pet Shop Boys’ orchestration!
For those not in the know, here's the synopsis of the musical "Closer To Heaven" according to Wikopedia:
The story is narrated by retired rock icon and actress Billie Trix, who otherwise has a fairly small part in the story. The opening number, "My Night", is sung by Billie and the rest of the cast, and is used to introduce the characters.
Shell Christian, is going to see her estranged father, Vic Christian, for the first time in years. Vic, who is gay, left Shell and her mother during her childhood, and now runs a successful gay club in London. Meanwhile, Straight Dave, who has just arrived from Ireland, is working as a bartender at Vic's club, although his ambition is to be a dancer at the club. After seeing and speaking to her father, Shell meets Dave, and they immediately fall in love.
Record producer Bob Saunders is a friend of Billie Trix and a regular at Vic's club. He sees Dave dancing and decides he wants to sign him for a boy band he is forming. He makes an offer to Dave, who has no interest in signing; however, Saunders continues to pressure Dave into working for him.
Dave meets and falls in love with drug dealer Mile End Lee, who deals at Vic's club. Shell is devastated when she discovers that Dave is gay, although part of her has suspected it all along. Meanwhile, Vic discovers Lee dealing drugs in his club and confiscates the drugs. Lee is worried he will be killed for losing the drugs.
At this point, everyone gets high on ketamine - Shell is still upset about Dave, Lee is worried about being killed, Dave is frustrated that Lee has withdrawn from him, and Billie, a habitual user, needs no excuse. Unfortunately, Lee has a drug overdose and dies. At Lee's funeral, Dave sings a song, "For All of Us".
A few months later, Dave is apparently back on the road to success and sings "Positive role model" to end the show on a high.
Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe wrote the lyrics and music while Jonathan Harvey wrote the book. It’s NOT just a “Pet Shop Boys Musical” as some of the ads and Dallas reviews read, but a “Pet Shop Boys/Jonathan Harvey Musical”. Just wanted to clear that up lest anyone forget.
The moment I walked into Dallas, Texas' Kalita Humphreys Theater, the immense scope of the stage struck me. Grand, beautiful and a blend of Caligula-ized night life extravagance. The acting, singing, staging and direction were all nothing short of incredible. Morgana Shaw as “Billie Trix” absolutely ruled every moment she was on stage: powerful, cheeky, witty and funny. Jason C. Kane as club owner “Vic” brought a strong, powerful element to his character, both in voice, movement, physicality and absolute power. Lee Jamison Wadley as Vic’s daughter “Shell” was perfect in both her singing and acting. Those three were my favorites in the cast of characters.
The weak link in the production and not because he’s a bad actor by any means, but just miscast was Coy Covington as sleazy record producer “Bob Saunders”. Part of the problem I saw from looking up Coy’s story is that “Closer To Heaven” is his 30th production with Uptown Players. While that’s all well and good, I feel he got the part because of his being an integral part of the company and NOT because he was the best actor for the role. In his bio, he wrote, “Coy vigorously thanks Bruce (director), Craig (exec-producer), Jeff (exec-producer), John (choreographer), and Adam (music director) for the opportunity to be a part of this intriguing project and for casting me as a dude.”
INTRIGUING PROJECT? That alone tells me Coy isn’t clued in to the majesty of “Closer To Heaven”. Also, being cast as a “dude” reveals to me that Mr. Covington isn’t used to playing a manly man. I got some news for you Coy. DUDE, you ain’t the right DUDE to play a DUDE, DUDE!
Coy Covington just didn’t have the physicality to bring the dangerous, worldly, crass character of Bob Saunders fully to life. To be totally blunt, Coy, the actor brought a nelly quality to the role that got snickers from the audience and that is a very, very bad thing because the character of “Bob” is meant to be serious, sexual, rough, tough and powerful. Coy was none of those things. A terrible, terrible choice. That is NOT to say that Coy Covington isn’t a great actor because he is. It’s just someone dropped the ball thinking he could play “Bob Saunders”. Personally, I think Coy should have been given the job of creating wig and make-up designs for the show, like he’s done for many other Uptown productions. And, to be honest, I could have played a much better “Bob Saunders” than Coy. Much, much better, but that’s another story entirely.
From the first musical note of opening number “My Night”, I was very, very worried and on a musical level, my worst nightmares came true. The music was nowhere near loud enough and stayed that way for the entire musical. The producers, director, music director and sound designer obviously haven't seen "Rock of Ages" a similar club style musical...the straight version. If they had, they'd know what volume and loudness really means! I felt embarrassed for the cast, ensemble and dancers as they performed each number, especially the ones with wondrous choreography by John De Los Santos. I could hear the actors moving about the stage over the music and that is absolutely unacceptable. I was absolutely stunned at how low the music actually was. How could this happen? Where were the director, producers, choreographer, musical director and sound designer during rehearsals? Didn’t they hear what I heard? A muted and low sound, worlds away from the explosive, emotional, synthesized orchestrations created by Pet Shop Boys on their stellar soundtrack “Closer To Heaven” and in the original UK production.
What was I to expect though? As producer Craig had told me over the phone the day of the opening, the production were given bare bones orchestrations of the tracks from the PSB camp and their musical director, Adam C. Wright had the impossibly daunting task of having to recreate the incredible, complex and detailed musicology of Pet Shop Boys. Throughout the Uptown Players musical, the music sounded very Midi-like and amateurish on many layered levels which did more of a disservice than a service to Pet Shop Boys’ songs. We’re dealing with the Pet Shop Boys very strong sound, which in the hands of someone that doesn’t have access to the latest technology like PSB does, will fall flat. And, musically speaking and ONLY musically speaking, Uptown Players version of “Closer To Heaven” fell very, very flat. Stunningly so.
The number one problem lies with Adam C. Wright. His background is classical and jazz. On top of that and more important, is the fact that he wasn’t a fan of Pet Shop Boys before being handed the job of musicalizing “Closer To Heaven”, meaning he didn’t know their immense, lush, gorgeous, rich, dance infused, beautifully programmed synth based catalog other than Liza Minnelli’s album, “Results” that PSB wrote and produced much of.
WHAT? No! No! No! No! Adam C. Wright, while being a wonderful music director is sssoooo NOT right for the job as he is isn't clued in to the complex musicality of Pet Shop Boys. Adam said in a Dallas Voice article on “Closer To Heaven” and PSB: “The extent of my communication with them (Pet Shop Boys) was through their Twitter updates. I’d love to learn more about how they program and write.” Okay, here's the deal. If you want to learn how Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe write and produce, don't bother contacting them so much as they're incredibly busy. Contact their reps, manager, agent and get the contact info of their co-producer Stephen Hague as well as their programmers Chris Nightingale, Pete Gleadall and Chris Zippel as well as their engineer Graeme Stewart, James Brown and mix engineer Bob Kraushaar. Through all of them, you’d have been able to learn all you need to know to recreate the BEST Pet Shop Boys score ever! None of that happened though and at the end of the day, music director Adam C. Wright was completely wrong for the job. If you’re not a Pet Shop Boys fan and you're not already completely clued in to their sound, history and the sheer complex genius of their work, you have no business trying to re-creat the Pet Shop Boys music, style and sound for the musical.
I vividly remember the opening of Act Two when the instrumental "Hedonism" filled the Humphreys Theater with angelic imagery floating about the stage through lighting effects. The music as done by Adam C. Wright and his "band" backstage didn't live up to the original music on the "Closer To Heaven" soundtrack CD or the original UK production. To be honest, it sounded too simple and amateur in the type of keyboard/sounds used and arrangement. That's a testament to the complexity of Tennant and Lowe's musical talent and genius. They play and arrange so well and have masterful programmers that weave all the sounds into an unparalleled sound. To try to do it yourself as Adam C. Wright did, is like trying to recreate a Picasso or Rembrandt. It's just not possible. For those interested, here's a link to purchase the original Pet Shop Boys soundtrack: "Closer To Heaven":
http://www.amazon.com/Closer-Heaven-Shop-Jonathan-Harvey/dp/B00005RDD4
Musically speaking, I see a failure not just on Uptown Players part, but also on the powers that be behind the contractual things in place with the original production of “Closer To Heaven” as written by Jonathan Harvey and Pet Shop Boys. It’s obviously written in the contract that when other production companies throughout the world take on “Closer To Heaven” to perform, that they NOT be given the original instrumental tracks of “Closer To Heaven” as created by Pet Shop Boys.
When the musical premiered in the West End in London, a massive strength to the production was the music of Pet Shop Boys, not just their lyrics, which were also perfection. The rich keyboard driven arrangements and programming as done by PSB brought you head first into the modern, gay, club world of “Closer To Heaven” and the absolute pristine perfection of the danceable and groove drenched soundscape as created by Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe lifted the musical up to a gorgeous level that only PSB could have created. You could expect no less, though. After all, Tennant and Lowe had written, arranged, programmed and produced, along with legendary producer Stephen Hague (Pet Shop Boys, New Order, etc,.), each and every song, so it had a definitive Pet Shop Boys sound.
And, while the songs were by Pet Shop Boys, to have the musical have it’s U.S. Premiere by the bold and talented Dallas Theater group, Uptown Players but yet NOT let them use the original sound recordings as the rich sonic backdrop does damage to the story, production and legacy of “Closer To Heaven” and that is more than unacceptable…it’s disappointing, depressing and saddening.
If I had been a producer on the production, I would have told music director Adam C. Wright, “Absolutely not. The sound’s just not right. Go back and do it again. Make it as close to the Pet Shop Boys sound as possible, if not exact.” And, if Wright didn’t have the type of keyboards he needed to recreate the PSB sound, I would have invested in whatever he needed to make the sound right.
I also would have told director Bruce R. Coleman and sound designer Virgil Justice: "Turn the music up…WAY UP! I want theatergoers to feel like they’re in a dance club, not a library! Haven’t any of you seen “Rock of Ages”, the musical that takes place in a Sunset Strip rock and roll club? It’s booming! Make it happen here as well!”
And, lastly, I would have asked that Coy Covington, who played “Bob Saunders" be replaced: “He doesn't have the physical, rough qualities the character needs to possess to be truly sleazy, dangerous, menacing and worldly. No offense to the actor but he’s got to be replaced. If I’m a producer on this, I want it to be as perfect to honoring what Jonathan Harvey and Pet Shop Boys created as possible. I'm laughing at Coy and that's not the way "Bob" should come across at all.”
Jeff Rane, one of the executive producers wrote me the following:
"They do not send any orchestrations or even music along with the script. Both the vocal parts and the orchestrations had to be created from a piano book of the songs they send and provide. It is my understanding that this is the music that was used for the London production as well as theaters have live orchestras and don't/can't use tracked pre-recorded music. I'm guessing they don't want it to be like a PSB concert since its not the PSB. Adam used their CD to create the orchestrations from the piano book provided. We tried to get the music as loud as we could while still hearing the words."
Jeff obviously didn't read up on the original production or watched the YouTube clip from the original production of "Closer To Heaven" called "My Night". If he had, he'd know that the music received by him was NOT what was used, the original London production WAS pre-recorded and the music of that production DID sound like a "PSB concert". That was the original intention. Here's the link to the YouTube clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ouzdT5H6p0
“A Pet Shop Boys Musical” may be true to the extent that the songs are written by them, but we’re not dealing with a normal musical with an orchestral score that any professional orchestra can create to note for note perfection. We’re talking about a Pet Shop Boys created score that done by anyone else, will be average at best and at worst, laughable, as I’m afraid Uptown Players version in a MUSIC sense steers dangerously close to. As a matter of fact, there were a couple moments during “Closer To Heaven” when the MUSIC caused me to laugh and shake my head in sorrow.
That in no way means people shouldn’t go see Uptown Players production of “Closer To Heaven”. On the contrary, the musical as a whole is an amazing night out of song, dance, acting, staging, direction and story. I just feel that on a MUSIC level, I was thoroughly disappointed. But, then again, I’ve listened to Pet Shop Boys since 1986 and followed their rich and deep musical career throughout their entire journey. I have high expectations and for the U.S. Premiere, MUSIC-ally speaking, those expectations were not only not met, but crushed.
Now, on a positive note…for those going to see the musical that don’t know or listen to the music catalog of Pet Shop Boys, you won’t be as disappointed as I was. You will notice how unconscionably low the music is and may notice how amateur-sounding the music arrangements are at times but don’t let that stop you from enjoying every single other aspect of the musical production which is exceptional.
When it comes to the story of “Closer To Heaven”, I have some concerns. Was the name of lead character “Straight Dave” meant to be ironic? If so, cool. I get it. If it was meant to be serious, then naming Dave “Straight Dave” was wrong as he’s obviously not straight.
The character “Straight Dave” was nowhere near “straight” enough. One of the things that attracted me so to the musical, besides Pet Shop Boys’ genius and fierce soundtrack, was the story of “Straight Dave” coming into the gay night life, club world that is “Closer To Heaven”. Being “straight” myself and as a DJ/VJ, having been a part of the gay club worlds in both Dallas and more recently Los Angeles, I identified with “Straight Dave” and looked forward to seeing how a gay playwright would create his world.
For me: “Straight Myles”, I’m proud of doing away with small minded, homophobic, fear based ideals and looking at people and communities as just that…people and communities. Yes…I get hit on by men at the clubs and such. How are they to know I’m straight before they know me? And, sometimes, even when they find out, the flirting continues but that’s just part of human nature. We are all, after all, sexual creatures.
I know who I am and that’s a heterosexual or “straight” man who doesn’t find men physically attractive in a sexual sense at all. Zero. Nada. That doesn’t mean I’m not so wrapped up in my hetero-masculinity that I can’t (out of fear) say if a man is handsome or not. I always get a kick out of straight guys who say, “How would I know if he’s good looking. I’m straight.” All I say to that is “bollocks”. For me, and in an intimate, sensual, sexual sense, I’m only interested in women. That’s what works and feels comfortable, natural, pure and home for me.
Now, back to “Straight Dave”. On his journey to stardom, he begins, not unlike in the musical “Rock of Ages” as a worker in a club. Only in this musical, it’s a gay club run by “Vic”. While working there, he meets Vic’s daughter Shell, who at first thinks he’s gay. Who wouldn’t? What straight guy actually works in a gay bar? Take it from me, it can happen. After all, I have and do DJ in gay clubs. Remember, people are people. How they live their lives is their business and to be respected.
Anyway, in a very short time, “Straight Dave” and “Shell” fall for each other. Okay. Everything’s going along nicely. Then, “Mile End Lee”, a gay drug dealer enters the picture. Selling to club-goers, he meets “Straight Dave” and an attraction between the two of them happen. Okay. I can buy it. Just because Dave is “straight” doesn’t mean a sense of attraction can’t happen. It happens all the time in real life. A certain charm and energy from someone else can be attractive no matter if you’re straight, gay or whatever. Even, when “Straight Dave” and “Mile End Lee” end up in the bathroom to do drugs, getting high, leading Lee to seduce Dave in the stall, performing a private act on Dave, I can see the possibility of that happening in a one-off kind of way to a “straight” guy who’s in a high state of mind.
However, when “Straight Dave” cheats on “Shell” by going to bed with “Mile End Lee” and falling in love with him, I kinda had to draw the line. It’s like wait a minute. Take it from me, “Straight Myles”…This Dave character is so NOT “straight”. I veer about as far off the normal heterosexual path as a “straight” guy can go but with the storyline of “Straight Dave”, he’s driven off the cliff. Truly “straight” men do not have sex with and fall in love with other men. In an intimate scene between “Straight Dave” and “Mile End Lee”, Lee tells Dave after being called beautiful, “Blokes don’t go around calling other blokes beautiful”. Well, I wouldn’t go that far Lee, but what I’m sure of is that “straight” guys don’t go around having SEX with other men…especially if the man is supposedly “straight”. This kind of sexual diversion made me wonder why Dave was ever labeled “Straight Dave” in the first place as it’s very obvious he’s not. Trust me, I know what I speak because I’m actually “straight” and have never fallen in love with and wanted to have a sexual/romantic relationship with a man. On the flipside, like “Straight Dave”, I’ve found myself in the gay world, DJing and working to make a career spinning music for others and some $$ to make ends meet.
“Mile End Dave” ends up dying, leading “Straight Dave” to weep and sing, “For All of Us”, reprising the title track, “Closer To Heaven” before ending as a newfound pop singer with “Positive Role Model”. While that’s a near perfect way to end the story, I was disappointed and dumbfounded with the leaving of “Shell” in the background to collect dust. Storyline dropped. Out of sight, out of mind, I guess. NO! “Straight Dave” loved “Shell”. Take it from me, “Straight Myles”, if the exact same storyline had happened to me, being “straight”, I’d have been like the “Prodigal Son” and come home to “Shell”, unbreaking her heart and showering her with my love, body and soul. That’s what a truly “straight” guy would have done. Not the way “Straight Dave” ends things. By getting back with “Shell”, the love story has a happy ending. Then, at the end, when “Straight Dave” sings “Positive Role Model”, it would make much more sense to see “Vic” (Shell’s father), dancing along with his career success!
Earlier in the musical, “Vic” sees “Straight Dave” in the bathroom stall with “Mile End Lee” on the club cameras, going to confront him and banishing him from his daughter. Why would “Vic” be dancing and singing for the success of “Straight Dave” at the end after what Dave did to his daughter? Actually being a “straight” man in the gay night club scene of Los Angeles, I don’t by this “Straight Dave” storyline. It’s just NOT “straight” or hetero enough. Why call the character “Straight Dave” then unless it was meant to be ironic? It’s obvious “Straight Dave” is anything but. At least from this “straight” man’s perspective. And, I’ve got years of life experience to draw on for my conclusion. Very few other truly “straight” men can honestly say that.
To end things, “Closer To Heaven” is a must see. Choreographer John De Los Santos did an exceptional job, making sure all the ensemble and dancers filled out the stage quite beautifully with fluid movement, grace and sensuality. The acting was superb, even down to the British accents. The direction was spot on perfect with full use of the multi-level stage. And, while the Uptown Players have a problem on their hands with the MUSIC they were forced to create for the musical with the sound being wwwaaayyy to low, which hurts the legacy of not only the musical but the songs themselves, everything else in the musical by the cast and crew (with the exception of Coy Covington) is more than closer to heaven...it's heavenly and should be highly applauded.
As for the music, Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe…AKA Pet Shop Boys, need to change up the contractual music side of “Closer To Heaven” and have their management provide the EXACT instrumental studio tracks as used in the original production of “Closer To Heaven” to future theater companies throughout the world who want to put on the musical. Otherwise, it’s not a “Pet Shop Boys”/Jonathan Harvey musical in the pure and true sense of the word and doesn't showcase the club world of the story to its full and originally intended effect. It waters it down and that's not a good thing at all.
One more thing to note, I was surprised at the similarities between "Closer To Heaven" and "Rock of Ages". Both take place in the nightlife worlds: "Closer" in gay clubland, "Rock" in a heterosexual Sunset Strip rock and roll club in the late 80s. Both have a lead: "Drew Bowie" in "Rock" and "Straight Dave" in "Closer" that work in lowly positions at the club and aspire to be singers/stars. Both leads fall in love with a woman: "Shell" in "Closer" and "Sherrie" in "Rock" at the club. Both musicals have a narrator of sorts: "Rock" has "Lonny" while "Closer" has "Billie Trix". Both musicals involve club owners and sleazy record producers and a cast of characters that work at or frequent the bar/club. Both musicals are full of song and dance that takes place in the bar/club. Both have happy endings with the leads achieving their dream of becoming a singer. It's almost like Chris D'Arienzo, who wrote the book for "Rock of Ages" (or someone else close to him) saw "Closer To Heaven" at the Arts Theatre in London during its original 2001 run and basically "borrowed" many, many story elements as created by Jonathan Harvey to create the book/story of "Rock of Ages". There's just way too many similarities.
"Closer To Heaven" plays October 1 - 24, 2010 in Dallas, Texas
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