For years, Peter Allen was mainly known for being married to Liza Minnelli, back when she was mainly known for being Judy Garland’s daughter. The Boy from Oz tells the story of his life from well before the marriage until his death at age 48. Allen, of course, was a performer and songwriter from Australia. (As a friend of mine once had to point out, the title of the show does not refer to his former mother-in-law’s most famous film about the wizard.) He won an Oscar for the theme to the movie “Arthur”, and if that doesn’t ring a bell, try the line, “When you get caught between the moon and New York City.” Of course, there’s always “I Go to Rio.”
Is all this worth a jukebox musical? In this case, the story is more interesting than the average show of that genre. Currently on the boards at Stages, it stars David Elder as Peter, who was born Peter Woolnough in the outback of Australia. Opening night, the young Peter was Ben Iken, who alternates with Simon Desilets. Elder, like the rest of the cast, doesn’t seem to have much of an Australian accent, but he gives us an Allen as vigorous as the original, dancing and singing and having a swell time. His younger self, courtesy of Iken, is almost as zippy and clearly a charmer.
The distaff side is spread pretty equally among Mom, Judy Garland and Liza. Mom, Corrine Melancon, seems a cliche at first, but in the second act comes into her own with a couple of fine numbers to claim her place. Michelle Ragusa, a Stages newcomer, is Judy Garland, and, while not doing a true Garland impersonation, has the strong delivery and the gestures. She sells it all with plenty of elan. Liza comes to us via Caitlyn Caughell. She has some really funny lines, unexpected, like many of the zingers in the script, but she doesn’t seem to get much beyond the unsure-of-herself kid that we first meet.
The story line is fairly singular. After all, who wouldn’t want to know what Garland was like as a mother-in-law? But besides the two big numbers we mentioned, there’s not much material from the Allen oeuvre that’s particularly memorable. Appropriate, yes, but basically fluff. It’s a show that depends heavily on the performers. Fortunately, they deliver, frequently in spades.
Unlike many similar shows, it’s balanced between the two acts. Ragusa’s Garland shines in the first act. In the second act, Melancon playing Allen’s mother steps right up and claims her place. So don’t think it’s okay to leave at intermission. For another thing, the last number is totally Busby Berkley-worthy with Brad Musgrove’s band of elves putting out more spangles and feathers than Halloween in Las Vegas, and folks strutting down stairs courtesy of James Wolk’s scenic design. Director Michael Hamilton gets it all right; the weakish score isn’t his fault.
Allen addicts will love this fizzy summertime treat. And for the rest of us, it’s hard to resist “I Go To Rio” as a postmortem spectacle.
The Boy From Oz
through June 30
Stages St. Louis
Robert G. Reim Theatre
111 S. Geyer Rd., Kirkwood
314-821-2407