NINE IS A TEN AT THE KEN CEN
Following Broadway Center Stage‘s delightful production of Bye Bye Birdie, here comes a musical on the opposite spectrum in every way. Presented by The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Nine, the musical adaptation of Federico Fellini’s 1963 film 8 ½ now playing at the Eisenhower, is a spectacular, unforgettable production with an all-star cast, directed and choreographed by Andy Blankenbuehler of Hamilton fame.
Nine takes place in the mind and the memory of its Felliniesque protagonist Guido Contini (Steven Pasquale), a renowned Italian film director of the 1960s confronting a perfect storm of midlife crises — a script he can’t seem to write for a movie whose deadline hangs ominously over his head, a wife of twenty years who is asking for a divorce (all Guido thinks about basically is his romantic and business affairs with other women) , a movie star mistress threatening suicide if he doesn’t get that divorce and marry her, and a glamorous film diva who flatly refuses to star in Guido’s latest opus.
After three critically and financially successful films, his last few have been flops. Yet he has convinced film producer Liliane La Fleur to back his amazing new script – which he is yet to have an idea for, let alone a script, with shooting starting in under a week.
Carolee Carmello and Company
Charlie Firlik and Steven Pasquale
In a last ditch attempt to keep her from leaving him, he offers to take her to a high-end Venetian resort spa where they can try to rekindle the romance. She agrees, but not only does the press track him down there, so does La Fleur, who tells him she’s coming and can’t wait to see the script, which apparently takes place in Venice since he’s there. His mistress Carla keeps calling, the lead actress from his earlier films whom he most wants back isn’t sure it’s wise to re-couple, and other women keep pulling him in multiple directions. Will Guido’s charms help him to pull everything together, or will his juggling act cause his life to come crashing down?
Elizabeth Stanley and Company
Elizabeth Stanley and Steven Pasquale
This sparkling dynamic cast is made up of sixteen women (you gotta love that!) and only one man and one boy (Guido as a child, played by Charlie Firlik). Guido’s intricate relationships with the women in his life are vividly brought to life by diverse actresses, each delivering powerful performances that highlight their characters’ distinct personalities and significance in Guido’s world (Tom Watson‘s wig design and Alejo Vietti‘s mostly black costumes are not only idiosyncratic for each woman, but bellissimi as well). The chemistry among the cast members is a key strength of this production, adding layers to the show’s exploration of love, desire, and artistic ambition. The lone man, Steven Pasquale as Guido, offers a compelling, praiseworthy performance of both vocal and emotional depth.
Carolee Carmello
The base storyline of Arthur Kopit‘s book isn’t the center of the piece. Maury Yeston‘s score is one of the musical’s standout features, blending lush melodies with sophisticated lyrics (Yeston also composed Titanic, recently revived by Encores! in NY). The music captures the essence of Italian culture and the world of cinema, with songs ranging from the romantic and lyrical (“Unusual Way” sung by Shereen Ahmed as Claudia) to the playful and comedic (“Be Italian” sung by Lesli Margherita as Sarraghina). The score is rich in its variety and emotional depth, but it is far from simple, with many discordant moments, rapid-fire delivery, big ranges of notes in the same stanza, and more. Thus, there are ample opportunities for actors to showcase their vocal talents.
Steven Pasquale and Company
Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and Charlie Firlik
Derek McLane‘s set design of various playing levels and stairs, is simple but exquisite. Guido’s mother (a transcendent Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio) is able to observe her son’s escapades “from above” so she could later scold him as only an Italian mother can do. The upstage orchestra is used as a thread through which the story is told, as actors make exits and entrances between the instruments. The score, which seamlessly blends classical and contemporary styles, is performed with precision and passion by the orchestra and music director Lily Ling, who becomes an active player in the swirling cast of women when the music was more performative in numbers like “Folies Bergère” and “Be Italian.” It is fitting and beautiful to see each of the women also “conducting,” as it is the women in Guido’s life who pull the strings of his internal world. I found it especially appropriate that Sarraghina is the first maestro, since she was the first woman to open the sensual pathways of Guido’s brain.
Michelle Veintimilla
Blankenbuehler’s movement is often abstract, emphasizing the internal struggles of the characters over large-scale dance numbers. His choreography sways and swirls in the confusion of Guido’s mind, as does the white wispy drapery around the edges of the set, frequently used as props and wardrobe pieces. Guido’s mistress Carla (Michelle Veintimilla) alluringly wraps and unwinds herself in the drapery as she seduces him in “A Call From the Vatican.”
Steven Pasquale
Steven Pasquale and Lesli Margherita
The imagery of a white rose is used beautifully to tell how Guido came to be the man he is. Sarraghina took his innocence (and his rose) as a child. Guido gives roses his producer Liliane La Fleur (Carolee Carmello) who up until now has allowed his excesses to flourish through his art. In a commanding performance of “Folies Bergère,” Carmello works the audience as she moves about the aisle looking for the suitor who sent her white roses.
Steven Pasquale, Shereen Ahmed, and Michelle Veintimilla
Elizabeth Stanley
Pasquale’s voice is perfectly suited to the sumptuous and sometimes frenetic music of Yeston. The extremely quick patter songs performed by Pasquale and Jen Sese (as Reporter Stephanie Necrophorus) are astoundingly intelligible. Elizabeth Stanley as Guido’s wife Luisa delivers powerhouse vocals, grounding her performance with profundity. Pasquale strikes a perfect balance between artistic brilliance, smarminess, and boyish charm, which makes his character surprisingly empathetic.
Steven Pasquale and Company
With a stunning blend of intelligence, imagination and effectiveness, this remarkable revival of Nine at the Kennedy Center leaves a lasting impression. I give it a ten out of Nine.
Shereen Ahmed and Steven Pasquale
photos by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman
Lesli Margherita and Company
Nine
a Broadway Center Stage Production
presented by The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
ends on August 11, 2024
for tickets, call 202.467.4600 or visit Kennedy Center