Some Like It Hot is Broadway's hottest new musical comedy, composed by Marc Shaiman with lyrics by Scott Wittman. It's loosely based off the 1959 film by the same name. Some Like it Hot is set in the 1930s during the prohibition era. After musicians, Joe and Jerry get in trouble with the mob they make a quick escape by disguising themselves in drag. They are trying to keep it low-key when a big opportunity arises that they just can't pass up.
Between the setting design, lighting design, and music, the show elicits a classic flair. The setting is elegant with the luscious red curtain that hangs in the speakeasy and the subtly sparkly hotel lobby. The set fits the style of the music well; jazzy, upbeat, and energetic.
The entire show reminded me a lot of Broadway musicals from around 2010. Possibly because the music was written by the one and only, Marc Shaiman. Shaiman wrote a number of songs for the 2012 television show, Smash, hence why his music is so reminiscent of the 2010's (at least to me and that felt comforting).
Speaking of Smash, it was a nice surprise to see that Shaiman reuses the song, "Let's Be Bad" that was originally used for Smash. It was clever of the creative team to incorporate it. Despite the fact that it's used for two vastly different musicals, it works perfectly in this context. It's a way to reel the audience back into Act 2. The lyric, "let's prohibit Prohibition!" serves as a reminder of the time period and its cool that this lyric works for both a musical that takes place in the 30s and 50s. The use of the repeating lyric,"some like it hot" in this song leads me to believe that Shaiman is a mastermind who had a plan to transform "Some Like It Hot" about 10 years in advance and he thought "why not save time and write 1 song for 2 musicals". Imagine being clever enough to write 1 song for 2 paychecks. It was a nice touch to call the finale "Let's Get Good", which is nearly the opposite of the song. It was sort of like a genius way to write a reprisal that also closes the show.
I'm not typically a fan of dance heavy shows because it can get boring when 90% of a musical is dancing. However, I really enjoyed the tap dancing in this show. It added more energy to the show and it fit well to the beat of the music. It was a nice use of Christian Borle's talent as we don't see him dance very often. Casey Nicholaw's hard work does not go unnoticed. Nicholaw's choreography is always so joyous, it never fails to make me smile. If you look closely, one can clearly identify his style, like many can with Fosse.
I enjoyed the lighting as it coordinated with the white, bright blues, vibrant purples, and pastel yellow colors that can be found in the costume design. The lightning design was really strong, perhaps stronger than the set. I would have liked the set to be even more extravagant to match the lighting. Even though the name of the show is "Some Like It Hot", I thought it was interesting how the designers strayed away from using warm colors to light the stage. I think that was a good choice as darker colors are typically associated with evil or depressing things. The cool tones brought out the costumes.
I also loved the casting choices that were made. The cast was diverse and it was important that the character of Joe/Daphne was portrayed by someone trans. J. Harrison Ghee (he/they) was a good pick as he has a background in drag (Kinky Boots). I commend J. Harrison Gee for their skillful acting. It was amazing to see the portrayal of Joe versus Daphne. They were like two entirely different people, yet both played by Ghee.
Unlike other musicals that center around characters who preform in drag, (Tootsie, Mrs. Doubtfire, etc...) this show did not make presenting as the opposite gender the butt of every joke. Or any jokes for that matter. This show still found a way to be funny and light hearted without hurting transgender people in the process. Shocking, I know. I'm happy to report that this musical did not sweep LGBTQ+ representation under the rug. The representation wasn't hidden under layers. It was upfront and unapologetic. The kind of representation that is always needed on Broadway. The kind of representation that should become normalized in every industry, not just theatre. This is sure to give LGBTQ+ people hope, especially as this musical has a happy ending, which can be an uncommon thing for queer stories. This show empowers everyone to be who they want without judgement.
There were a few moments that stuck out to me in particular. One being when Joe (Christian's character) asked Jerry/Daphne, "what do you want me to call you?". Joe is extremely respectful when Daphne comes to a big realization. Although Joe is not a perfect guy, he never mistreats Jerry/Daphne. He never treats Jerry/Daphne any differently and that is touching in itself.
Another moment that stuck out to me is when Jerry explains that people should be able to choose a name for themselves that they like. This is a clear reference to people who are transgender that pick out a name for themselves to make them feel comfortable and/or to align with their [newly found] gender.
The last moment that stuck out to me was when Joe continuously refers to J Harrison Ghee's character as "he", but then Joe quickly corrects himself and uses the pronoun "she". This could possibly be a reference to Rent because Mark does the same when discussing Angel.
Not only did the show have great transgender/queer representation, it had feminist aspects to it as well. It highlights women starting their own band, being themselves, and following their dreams in a time when this was wildly unacceptable. It was fantastic to see two amazing woman, Adrianna Hicks and NaTasha Yvette Williams take on such powerful characters. They are forces to be reckoned with!
One wouldn't expect this show to have references to things like transness and queerness because of its classic vibe, but that's what makes it special. This is a show that all types of audiences can enjoy. It's safe to say this show was a win for representation! On top of this, the music is a hit and the book still manages to keep things fresh by diverging from the original script.
P.S. I'M KICKING MYSELF... LIN MANUEL MIRANDA WAS AT THE EXACT SAME SHOW AS ME. DAY AND TIME. AND I DIDN'T SEE HIM!!! ALSO CHRISTIAN IF YOU'RE READING THIS I LOVE YOU AND PLEASEEEEE COME OUT OF THE STAGE DOOR NEXT TIME.
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