SANDY — As a theatre critic and patron, it’s been interesting to watch Hale Center Theatre in Sandy this year. With their large stages and loyal patrons, it’s fascinating to see them have a season with four local, even national premieres with the last coming up this Fall with the US premiere of The Magician’s Elephant. It takes guts to try out new material and challenge audiences and talent with something other than the same safe shows we see time and again. That said, I know I’ve been more forgiving on these shows than many of my friends, and admit they have all been mixed bags. Workshopping shows is how they forge their path to broadway. However, audience for HCT productio prices understandably expect a certain level of finish and quality to what they are seeing given the cost to attend. The newest regional premiere at Hale, The Nutty Professor, by Rupert Holmes and music from Marvin Hamlisch is fun and may win over those who haven’t been happy with the premieres so far this season.
The Nutty Professor plays at HCT through August 17. | Photo Credit: Leavitt Wells
The Nutty Professor is based on the movie, but in this case it is the classic 1963 version of the film starring Jerry Lewis. Some audience members may be more familiar with the 1996 version starring Eddie Murphy, which added a weight element to the story that is not in the classic film, nor is it in the musical. It’s notable because this musical is the last score written by Hamlisch before he passed away in 2012. You can largely feel the pedigree behind The Nutty Professor, and with a little more polishing, it could be a healthy Broadway hit.
The production at Hale has a wonderful cast with Spencer Jackson Hohl doing stand-out work as our lead professor Julius Kelp. It’s a challenging role because he has to play both the nerdy Kelp and the suave and cool Buddy Love, sometimes within the same song, even the same line. This makes it a very physical performance. Think of it as kind of a comic version of Jekyll and Hyde. Hohl is one of our best local talents, and in some ways worked better as Buddy than the nerd Kelp. This may be because I loved his recent performance as Mr Darcy in Pride and Prejudice at the Parker, and while there was some carry-over in my mind (Darcy is no nerd!), he captured the transformation between nerd and lothario effortlessly.
Photo Credit: Leavitt Wells
Arielle Groves has a lovely voice playing the buttoned-up love interest Stella Purdy, and she does what she can with a rather one-note role. Sella’s character is the one the writing team could punch up if they are refining the musical for Broadway. We don’t get enough of an arc for her falling for either Buddy or Kelp, and that hurts the chemistry and overall love story. Groves does, however, get one really good song called “While I Still Have Time” where she sings about taking the moment and not waiting for tomorrow for good things to start. The song is in the second act, and this is one of those bottom-heavy shows where all of the good songs are in act two.
My other favorite song came from Buddy singing “Everything You’ve Ever Learned is Wrong.” Another fun moment comes when supporting character Miss Lemon sings “Step Out of Your Shell” with Buddy, and this was made especially memorable because Lemon is played by Jennifer Parker Hohl, Spencer Hohl’s real-life mother. I love when companies can bring real-life family members together for parts. It often adds a layer of enjoyment and chemistry to the performances.
As is always the case, the spectacle and production for The Nutty Professor at Hale is top notch. Director Dave Tinney and scenic designer Jenn Taylor have worked together to use the many-leveled stage to their best advantage, adding a 1960s flair wherever they can. I especially loved the design of Kelp’s lab with beakers in bright colors, both as props and on the walls/backgrounds. It was also neat that they worked in actual experiments with beakers overflowing into the storytelling, making the whole experience immersive.
Photo Credit: Leavitt Wells
The costumes from designer Joy Zhu also deserve praise, especially the purple tea-length ’60s inspired dresses in the scenes at The Purple Pit. While Buddy’s suits in these scenes are sparkly and make an impact, I would buy one of those dresses if I could! The hair, wigs, and makeup by Krissa Lent are also perfect for the time period, especially for Miss Lemon with that bouffant hairstyle you need for the ’60s.
As mentioned above, Stella’s character and her attraction to both Kelp and Buddy could be developed and made more believable. The songs in the first act need revision to be more memorable if the creators want this to go to Broadway. There is still plenty to enjoy in this current production at Hale Center Theatre in Sandy. In the end, it has a nice message about being yourself. The performances are cracking fun, and the 1960s aesthetics are eye-catching and memorable. I’d say The Nutty Professor is an experiment worth your time.
