BOOP! – Spit Curls and Glitz
Betty Boop is not a touchstone for most theater-going audiences, thus the juggernaut of advertising and editorial. Ms. Boop arrived in 1930 as part poodle in a series of animated shorts called Talkartoons. Her floppy ears became earrings and the flapper jazz singer was born. Unlike live peers, Betty worked – at unlikely, sometimes dangerous jobs. Still, she was the bee’s knees in terms of sexuality until The Hayes Code.
Betty Boop Comparison of Betty Boop in the pre-Hays Code era (from “Betty Boop’s Ker-Choo” in 1933) to Betty Boop after the Code (from “Musical Mountaineers” in 1939) – Public Domain
In a familiar trope of crossover worlds, Betty (Jasmine Amy Rogers), needing a vacation from public demands, escapes to 2025 “reality” by way of a nifty, Rube-Goldberg-like machine built by Grampy (Stephen DeRosa). The black and white heroine arrives at – wait for it – Comic Con, immediately surrounded by ersatz fictional creatures and, wonder of wonders, Color! (A pedestrian song follows.)
Betty (Jasmine Amy Rogers) and The Company
Jasmine Amy Rogers has just the right, light speaking voice; she’s a fine singer. Innocence and perkiness epitomize the cartoon. It’s always a pleasure to see what Stephen DeRosa will pull from his bag of eccentric aspects. Grampy is elfin, just quirky enough not to upstage.
Much to her surprise, Betty is recognized by Trisha (Angelica Hale), a bright, insecure teenager who admires the character’s pluck, independence, and confidence. In fact, she’s fully attired in Boop merchandise. Betty is literally picked up off the floor by Trisha’s brother, jazz trumpeter, Dwayne
(Ainsley Melham). Sparks fly. While Trish knows she’s befriending a pen and ink drawing, Dwayne
assumes he’s smitten with a real girl.
As Trisha, 17 year-old Angelica Hale is a poised stage presence with a powerhouse voice. Watch her smoke! Ainsley Melham (Dwayne) offers a grounded everyman. The artist is graceful and croons well.
Angelica Hale (Trisha); Faith Prince (Valentina) and Stephen DeRosa (Grampy)
Trisha takes wide-eyed Betty home for a change of clothes (a smidge more prim) and girl talk. They meet her guardian, Aunt Carol (Anastacia McCleskey), who’s being exploited by smarmy mayoral candidate Raymond Demarest (Erich Bergen) i.e., all the ideas are hers. When Betty’s arrival is discovered by the public, he endeavors to use her as well. A proverbial chase around the desk ensues. Clearly Raymond is unfamiliar with Boop shorts or he’d anticipate getting hit over the head with a lamp.
Like Melham, McCleskey is naturally credible. We hear just a bit of her lush R & B voice. Erich Bergen’s Raymond is misogynistic and egotistical. The actor offers droll attitude and reaction, grand vocals and, loped dancing reminiscent of Tommy Tune.
Meanwhile in the 1930s, Betty’s film production team, Oscar Delacorte (Aubie Merrylees) and Clarence (Ricky Schroeder) begin to panic. Their world, after all, was created for Betty. What if they can’t find her? Merrylees makes the most of his apoplectic character.
Erich Bergen (Raymond Demarest) and Jasmine Amy Rogers (Betty)
Grampy and marionette dog Pudgy (Puppeteer Phillip Huber), who could look more like original art, travel to 2025 looking for Betty. First stop is a visit to his flame of 40 years ago, Valentina (Faith Prince). Grampy hasn’t aged, she has making them more suitably matched. Love is rekindled. Veteran Prince is game if a bit stiff and works well with DeRosa.
Amazingly brand ambassadors have come up with a contemporary story. Bob Martin’s book, however, evinces none of the froth of Drowsy Chaperone.
We see every penny lavishly spent and the cast is sterling, but it doesn’t make up for songs that all sound the same and their uninspired lyrics. Where are quotes from the comic? Where are period colloquials? Where, in fact, is humor? I suspect the musical will do well on tour where Broadway flash might be sufficient.
Ainsley Melham (Dwayne) and Jasmine Amy Rogers (Betty)
Director/Choreographer Jerry Mitchell keeps the show humming with energetic production number after production number, but also adroitly helms two-handers. Characters are defined.
Black/white/grey costumes (Gregg Barnes) in Betty’s world are 1930s accurate and fun as is glitzy, production number, apparel. Those which are literally black/white/grey on one side and hot color on the other- front to back are extremely clever. Why is it then, that a jazz club number finds dancers in muddy prints weighing down buoyancy?
Projection design by Finn Ross is garish instead of cheerily cartoonish.
Photos by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman © And tag @MurphyMade and @EvZMM
BOOP!
Book – Bob Martin, Music – David Foster, Lyrics -Susan Birkenhead
In association with Fleischer Studios
Based on characters created by Max Fleischer
Directed and Choreographed by Jerry Mitchell
Broadhurst Theatre
235 West 44th Street
