"Movin' Out" comes to Toronto!

nytheatre.com review
Julie Congress · May 25, 2005

Movin' Out is a new musical conceived, choreographed, and directed by Twyla Tharp based on 24 classic Billy Joel songs. It tells the story of six lifelong friends, told over two turbulent decades (from the '60s to the '80s). The review below is brand new, based on a recent visit to the show.

This is what theatre is supposed to be. The music of Billy Joel, the choreography of Twyla Tharp, and the skillful ensemble of dancers make Movin’ Out a thrilling theatrical experience. It’s energetic, exuberant, and utterly invigorating.

Movin’ Out tells the story of five friends in 1960s suburbia. Eddie, Tony, and James are three good-natured high school guys looking to make their mark on the world. James is going steady with Judy, and they decide to get engaged. Eddie’s going out with Brenda, but she soon ends their volatile relationship, and she and Tony fall in love. Then the guys head off to Vietnam and James is killed in action. Eddie and Tony come home, but their lives—along with Brenda and Judy’s—are totally changed. The remaining four try to put their lives back together, but they are lost and damaged, particularly the self-destructive Eddie. However, after this rocky period, they are all able to turn their lives around and begin the next chapters in their stories.

All of this is expertly told without any dialogue. Twyla Tharp’s rich, inventive choreography and direction, coupled with the catchy, powerful songs of Billy Joel, clearly articulate everything that’s going on—not just in terms of plot, but emotions and characterization as well. The show begins with “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant” which sets the scene for what’s to come. Dozens of classic Billy Joel songs follow, and they are ordered so as to progress the story. Some of the most memorable numbers are “Captain Jack” in which the drug-addicted Eddie has pretty much hit rock bottom; the evocative, haunting flashback to Vietnam, “Goodnight Saigon”; and a sequence of “River of Dreams,” “Keeping the Faith,” and “Only the Good Die Young” in which Eddie finally learns to live again after his Vietnam experience.

Movin’ Out is about starting a new part of your life, about moving on. This doesn’t mean you have to forget your past, just that you need to live in the present. The theme is expressed most clearly in the final song, “I’ve Loved These Days”: “So before we end (and then begin) / We’ll drink a toast to how it’s been.” But the message is clear throughout, and the universality and importance of this idea makes Movin’ Out more than just a good time, but a thought-provoking piece of theatre as well.

The set, designed by Santo Loquasto, and the lighting, designed by Donald Holder, are creative and powerful and fully utilized in the production. Costumes, designed by Suzy Benzinger, expertly show the progression of each of the characters (as well as, quite helpfully, allowing us to instantly recognize each of the friends).

Nearly three years into the show’s run, every member of the ensemble is still extremely talented and enthusiastic. All five leads at the performance attended were played by understudies (Marty Lawson as Eddie, Melissa Downey as Judy, Meg Paul as Brenda, Chris Body as Tony, and Eric Otto as James) and I was utterly amazed by them. Body and Paul fully embody their conflicted characters, and the chemistry between the two was palpable. Among the ensemble members, Karine Plantadit-Bageot has phenomenal dancing ability and tremendous attitude and charisma, so that your eye is always drawn to her. The band, which perches on a moveable platform above the stage, also had an understudy pianist/lead vocalist—Henry Haid’s electric voice rang out passionately and impressively. This is my second time at Movin' Out: it seems like no matter who you see on stage in this company, you will be galvanized by their excellent work.

Indeed, the entire show is loaded with energy. Yet during “River of Dreams,” the entire company came to life as never before. Marty Lawson, dancing Eddie’s jubilant redemption, exploded into high gear, and the excitement—on stage and throughout the audience—was spectacular. What's astonishing is, the same kind of thing happened the first time I saw Movin' Out, during "Captain Jack."

So, if you haven’t seen Movin' Out—go see it! And if you have, go see it again—it’ll be just as vibrant and engaging as before, but in a new, surprising way.