By Richard Pacheco
“Motherhood, the
musical” is a merry romp into the world of motherhood with all its joys, trials
and tribulations. This spirited ensemble
cast is seething with energy and talent. This makes for a shared onstage
charisma that is unreliable and delightful.
There is no plot, but it really doesn’t seem to matter that much for
this fun musical revue.
The so called
story is framed around a baby shower for a first time mother, hosted by three
of her closest friends, all mothers with vast experience in these matters.
These pros are amused by the first timer’s assumptions about the nature of
motherhood and what it will mean to her life.
The three friends
come from different backgrounds. Brooke is an attorney and mother who’s smart
and saucy as she balances her careers as mother and lawyer with skill and
humor. Barb is a stay at home mom with all that entails and she is down to
earth and realistic about what she does and how it is perceived. Tasha is a recently
single mom, trying to adjust to those difficult circumstances and all it means
to her. What all this means to the productions is loads of fun, sometimes sassy
and raunchy, at other times full of sentiment without gooey sentimentality.
The cast is talented
and vibrant. Everyone of them has an excellent singing voice and terrific stage
presence. They work very well together
merging their talent and sheer assurance and vigor to the highest levels.
Lisa Manuli is
Amy, the soon to be surprised first time mother to be. Ms. Manuli is energetic
and poised as the late pregnancy stage mother to be. She is a terrific mixture
of unbridled enthusiasm and inexperience. She sings “I’m Having A Baby” with
liveliness and conviction. In a totally
change of pace, she becomes her own mother for a song, Grannyland” and is charming.
Becca McCoy is
wonderful as the confident, smart mother/lawyer Brooke. She can be outrageous
and touching by turns. She is perky and zesty, like a spicy sauce. She is outrageous, hilarious and magic in “The
Kids Are Finally Asleep.”
Jewel Lucien is a
delight as newly single mother, Tasha. She is saucy and spicy, with an great
singing voice. In a song like “Every Other Weekend,” she is poised and amazing
with sheer vocal range and finesse. She is also excellent in “Minivan.”
Mary Kathryn Kaye
is fun and down to earth as Barb, the stay at home mom. She is brisk and
sincere and she bounds across the stage honestly assessing her role as stay at
home mom. Singing “Mommy, Mommy, Mommy” she is utter delight, something to
relish. Singing “Danny’s Mom” she is touching and endearing.
Together, they
make magic going far beyond the non existent story line. The songs her are pure
fun, alternating between full of sentiment to raunchy and saucy. There is some
great ensemble singing here as well. They are always right on the mark with
their oomph and their impeccable singing voices. Their take offs on songs like “How Great They
Were” ( with the music of”The Way We Were”) about the state of their breasts
after children are raunchy and pure fun. “Costco Queen,” is another gem about
shopping at Costco. The take off on “Good Lovin’” called Good Drugs is a hoot.
Lisa Shriver
directs with aplomb and gusto. She keeps it all moving merrily along with her
choreography as well which is bright and breezy. Musical direction by Johnny Rodgers is
precise and perky.
Together they
bring an often raucous wit based on experience within the script to life
vividly. It is sheer delight despite its
lack of plot and story, the motherhood references and targets for humor are
well worth it. It merrily romps along from feeling like the size of a minivan to actually
driving one, to mothers and mother-in-laws when you are pregnant to sex. All of
it done with flair, unbridled exuberance and a remarkable ensemble cast that
never fails in talent or sheer energy. This was brought to you by
the same folks who last year brought to Trinity Repertory’s, “Menopause,” last
year, GFour productions.
It will continue
at Trinity until July 1. All tickets are $44. You can go online to: https://tickets.trinityrep.com/Online/default.asp?BOset::WSseatSearch::Query::Clause::10::value=Motherhood
or call the box office at: 401-3514242.
There are discount for more than ten tickets.
