Gary Waldman & Jamison Troutman, theater producers, presented THE LIFE, a musical by Cy Coleman, Ira Gasman & David Newman at the Atlantis Playhouse, W. Palm Beach, FL (2004-2005) ... the following is a review published in the South Florida Tribune, June 23, 2004 ...
Sensational New Musical showing at Atlantis Playhouse
By Al Price - TIMES ENTERTAINMENT WRITER
One of the great musicals of this -- or any -- season is the Broadway musical, "The Life," now showing at the Atlantis Playhouse. This 13-time Tony Award nominated musical was the hit of the Broadway 1997 season and earned accolades from the critics. At the time it was beaten out by “The Titanic” and “Chicago” but deserved to win as Best Musical – which it got from the Drama League and the Outer Critics Circle.
Producers Gary Waldman and Jamison Troutman fulfilled a dream for this show and have taken a giant step forward with this significant production for their small theater. The show never toured and has never been seen in South Florida.
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| Nadeen Holloway in THE LIFE at the Atlantic Playhouse |
“The Life” was written by Cy Coleman (“Sweet Charity” fame) with lyrics by Ira Gasman and has some 25 driving songs about the degradation on Times Square and 42nd Street in the ‘80s when pimps and prostitutes worked the streets. The music is brassy, jazzy and luscious and has a multi-ethnic cast of spectacular performers with exceptional voices that will thrill you.
The story is performed with stunning power and musicality. It’s about Sonja (Nadeen Holloway), a veteran hooker, who has seen better days and bemoans the wear and tear of her life with “The Oldest Profession” and her 15,000 tricks. Then there’s the younger Queen (Jeanne Lynn Gray) with her lover and pimp, Fleetwood, who dreams of power as he sings “A Piece of the Action” and she sings “Oh, Daddy, You Got Me.” He picks up the destitute Mary (Elizabeth King) with the help of hustler Jojo (Dean Swann) who sings “Easy Money” and the provocative “Use What You Got.” They’re at the bus station looking to turn Mary into a hooker.
Queen, resentful of Mary taking her man, Fleetwood, falls under the spell and control of Memphis (Carl Barber-Steele), a mean abusive pimp who sings the earlier dynamic showstopper “Don’t Take Much” and demands Queens work off $6,000 for a dress he gave her. He brutally sings and threatens her with its “My May or the Highway.”
Meanwhile Mary is being groomed for pornography and prostitution, which she readily accepts. It all comes to a tragic confrontation between Fleetwood and Memphis that Queen and Sonja can’t stop.
The show is full of show-stopping numbers that has audiences jumping out of their seats. Every song moves the action forward, and few musicals have the guts and grit of this production. The dark graffiti wall staging by Matthew Decker and the excellent accompaniment by Phil Hinton’s synthesized piano and recorded brasses give the production its full due.
The show has everything in humor, pathos and defiance. Waldman should tour it to other regional venues where a great show like this deserves to be seen.
“The Life” is at the Atlantis Playhouse, 5893 S. Congress Ave., Shoppes of Atlantis at the intersection of Lantana Road and Congress Avenue. It runs through July 11. For tickets, call (561) 304-3212.
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