Signature Theatre has put together an elegant and entertaining evening with its current production of Stephen Sondheim's "Putting It Together," the regional premiere of the Cameron Mackintosh Broadway musical. Director Eric Schaeffer has re-created the production which marked his Broadway directorial debut.
The show follows the romantic exploits of two couples who gather for a cocktail party, and the performers sing several well-known songs from previous Sondheim musicals. Jane Pesci-Townsend shines in the Wife's role, with Bob McDonald as her husband. A Helen Hayes Award-winner for last season's "Side Show" at Signature, Sherri Edelen is perfectly brilliant in the role of the Younger Woman. Proving to be a versatile area performer is Ty Hreben, as the boyfriend of the Younger Woman, who last appeared in Source Theatre's "The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told," when he wore considerably less clothing in the Garden of Eden.
Pesci-Townsend steals the show when she mocks Edelen's rendition of "Lovely" from "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" and makes wonderful comedic use of her Rubensque figure to bump Edelen into the orchestra pit. Pesci-Townsend is in top form in her portrayal of an embittered wife in the moving and difficult number, "Ladies Who Lunch," from "Company," as an oversexed mistress of the house in "Everybody Ought to Have a Maid" from "A Funny Thing . . .," and as an altar-shy bride in "Not Getting Married Today" from "Company." As always, Edelen is a bright, sunny and polished presence on stage throughout the evening.
"Putting it Together" is a showcase for the female performers, who perform to perfection in several show-stopping numbers and hilarious comedic bits of physical business, while the men mainly stay in the background as handsome set dressing. While Hreben and McDonald are competent performers, they are not the stars of this show, nor do they command the stage as well as the women.
Sporting hip eyeglasses and a funky spiked hairdo, Jason Gilbert, as the wry Observer, undoubtedly holds the monopoly on "quirky" in this town. But, after about one minute, quirky gets very boring. And then his grating speaking voice, piercing robotic gaze, and tiresome one-dimensional and flat characterization makes you want to reach for the remote control and change channels.
Kudos to lighting designer Michael Phillipi, who has crafted a beautiful environment to accompany each number, and the lights often shift subtly and inventively during the numbers to emphasize the changing mood of the piece. Music director Jon Kalbfleisch leads a top-notch four-piece orchestra that never hits a wrong note. "Putting it Together" is a memorable evening of Sondheim classics and several perfect performances.