The Frank Loesser who wrote the songs for Where's Charley? seems an entirely different species than the Frank Loesser who two years later would write the songs for Guys and Dolls. Of course, the musicals' situations required different sounds, but it's still as if Loesser joined a gym and juiced on steroids. It's a big jump from "At the Red Rose Cotillion" to "The Oldest Established (Permanent Floating Crap Game in New York)."
42nd Street Moon is closing its season with a rare revival of Where's Charley?, a 1948 musical that was a Broadway hit but has challenged the curious listener to hear its songs. It opened during an ASCAP strike, so an original cast album was never recorded. Most of the songs were preserved for a 1952 movie version, but it has been withdrawn from television broadcast, and no VHS or DVD edition has been commercially released.
The musical itself is a curious bit of hokum, unsure of what degree of irony to bring to a story that harkens back to the 19th-century chestnut Charley's Aunt. English playwright Brandon Thomas was a contemporary of Oscar Wilde's, and there are occasionally parallels in the arch wordplay from each playwright. But Thomas was more about antic situations than dry wit, and librettist George Abbott's adaptation for the musical only occasionally seems to be sending up the source material, with results staying mostly mild.
Director Dyan McBride's production is a solid rendering of the material, never ceasing to be at least genial and occasionally pushing into more robust moments of music and comedy. At Oxford University, two school chums, Charley and Jack (Keith Pinto and James Bock), wish to court two proper young ladies (Abby Sammons and Jennifer Mitchell), but can only do so if a chaperone is present. The plan to employ Charley's visiting aunt, whom he has never met, as that chaperone is undone when she is delayed. He must disguise himself as his old auntie to provide cover for the courtship and to convince the damsels' sour guardian (Scott Hayes) to sign off on proposals of marriage. Of course, Charley cannot be both chaperone and suitor at the same time, with quick changes and confusions marking the comedy.
Loesser's score has several charming ditties, as well as a couple of clunkers (the title song is utter nonsense). "Make a Miracle" is an inventive love duet sung by Charley and his beloved Amy that exults in the wonders of coming 20th-century technology, while "My Darling, My Darling" is a song that will soon have you singing along in your head. And then there is "Once in Love with Amy," a song that turned into an audience sing-along during the original run, which is now scripted into the show.
There is one scene from the movie version easily accessible on YouTube that has Ray Bolger recreating his song-and-dance routine to "Once in Love with Amy," and his rubbery expressions and comic dance moves make it a delight. You need something of a clown in the title role, whether he is in or out of drag, which is not a quality that the very capable Keith Pinto possesses in the 42nd Street Moon production. He comes across as a tireless but serious actor who is mainly funny when the script will have it no other way.
All the leading players have competent connections to their roles without drawing any particular attention to individual performances. In addition to those mentioned above, principals include Stephanie Rhoads as Charley's actual aunt, John-Elliott Kirk as school chum Jack's impoverished gentry father, and Stephen Vaught in the dual role of a solemn butler and a flamboyant drama coach.
Choreographer Nancy Dobbs Owen manages to find some lively dance moves that don't push the cast beyond its limits. (If having Ray Bolger as the original Charley weren't enough, George Balanchine was choreographer for the Broadway production.) Music director Lauren Mayer is on stage providing strong accompaniment from the piano. Composer Frank Loesser is said not to have been particularly fond of his work on Where's Charley?, and it's unlikely many would fiercely argue the point. But it is easy on the ears, and if you like coming out of a musical humming a tune, there is an earworm named "Once in Love with Amy" waiting for you.
Where's Charley? will run at the Eureka Theatre through May 17. Tickets are $25 - $75. Call (415) 255-8207 or go to www.42ndstmoon.org.