DOUBLE VISION DONE RIGHT

A stellar cast, stylish staging, and a
jazzy score make this rarely produced
musical well worth revisiting

Ben Jacoby

Despite winning six Tony Awards and eight Drama Desk Awards when it premiered in 1990, City of Angels is rarely produced. It’s a demanding show, requiring multiple settings and a large cast. Ogunquit Playhouse’s production, directed by Hunter Foster, rises to the challenge with confidence. Set in 1940s Hollywood, it opens with a masterful, wordless prologue in which Stine types his novel, sees it become a bestseller, and heads to California to adapt it for the screen.

Meghan Olivia Corbett, Sam Foti, Ben Jacoby, Aaron Michael Ray, Rick Faugno

Parallel storylines present writer Stine’s personal life and struggles with Hollywood. Stone, the hard-boiled private detective at the center of Stine’s novel, is a man of principle who resists temptation in the face of corruption and greed. In the world of the play, Stine’s narrative is real, but his story and that of his fictional character are intertwined.

Tony Yazbeck and Ben Jacoby

Ben Jacoby as Stine and Tony Yazbeck as Stone are both excellent, providing just enough differentiation and overlap between the men to make their complicated relationship interesting. At times, the novelist and his creation resent one another; by the end of the show, they are united against a common enemy: movie producer Buddy Fiddler (Stephen DeRosa) and the Hollywood machine that distorts Stine’s creation, turning his sharp-edged noir into a confusing, message-less mess.

Stephen DeRosa and Ben Jacoby

Larry Gelbart‘s witty book is packed with memorable lines and double entendres (“L.A., truth to tell, is not much different than a pretty girl with the clap”). Cy Coleman‘s cool, jazzy score is perfectly suited to the 1940s, while Coleman and David Zippel‘s playful lyrics rival Cole Porter. The noir story-within-the-story spins a tale of seduction and betrayal; meanwhile, author Stine struggles to find integrity and self-knowledge.

Lili Thomas and Tony Yazbeck

The extensive double-casting works especially well among the women. Alysha Umphress is terrific as Bobbi, Stone’s unrequited love, and as Stine’s wife Gabby, who is on to her philandering husband. Danielle Wade pulls off Donna, Stine’s mousy Girl Friday, and Oolie, her brassy fictional counterpart. Like Stine and Stone, the women mirror and complicate their double roles, revealing how Stine incorporates elements of their personalities into his characters. It’s a comedy and a hall of mirrors, but it’s possible that the process of creating these female characters allows Stine to deepen his understanding of his wife and save his troubled marriage.

Alysha Umphress, Tony Yazbeck, Omar Lopez-Cepero

The Ogunquit version features fresh choreography by Jennifer Rias, along with scenic design by Nate Bertone, lighting by José Santiago, and video and projections by Bryce Cutler, all of which keep the multilayered story moving with remarkable clarity. The show is filled with delightful surprises. For example, when Stine revises something he’s written, the actors walk backward through the deleted scene and deliver their lines as unintelligible words pronounced backward—an impressive and hilarious achievement that occurs just often enough to be funny.

Ogunquit’s production isn’t simply a revival. Under Hunter Foster‘s assured direction, and with a freshly edited book (approved by Gelbart’s estate), gorgeous LED projections, a winning cast, a fantastic score, and virtuosic choreography, this delightful production proves that City of Angels remains as smart, stylish, and entertaining as ever.

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photos by Nile Scott Studios

City of Angels
Ogunquit Playhouse
10 Main St. in Ogunquit in Maine
ends on August 22, 2026
2 hours and 35 minutes with intermission
for tickets (from $40), call 207.646.5511 or visit Ogunquit

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