The Off-Broadway Theatre Review: Mama I’m a Big Girl Now!
By Ross
Back in 2003, long before this blog was even a sparkle in this mama’s eyes, I convinced my crew of theatre-goers that we just had to buy some front mezz tickets for a new Broadway musical called Hairspray, that was based on John Waters’ 1988 film of the same name. With music by Marc Shaiman and lyrics by Shaiman and Scott Wittman, I had a gut feeling it was going to be fun, and even though it had yet to even start previews, we bought a bunch of tickets 3rd-row center in the front mezzanine for a performance of this musical a few days after opening night. And boy, did I call it. Our pack had the best time, falling in love with every song, dance move, and performer gracing that stage. It starred the Tony Award-winning Harvey Fierstein in the part of Edna, a role that was portrayed by Divine in the original film, who was simply divine in the stage role counterpart. But, it was new-comer Marissa Jaret Winokur who stole the legendary show as Tracy Turnblad, the young teenage girl from Baltimore who follows her dream to dance on The Corny Collins Show, that ignited some social change within the system when she champions the show’s racial integration.
So to have the opportunity to see Winokur reunited with her Hairspray costars from that original production; Laura Bell Bundy (Broadway’s The Cottage) who played Tracy’s nemesis, the selfish resident queen bee of The Corny Collins Show, Amber Von Tussle; and Kerry Butler (Broadway’s Beetlejuice; Mean Girls) who played Tracy’s slightly kooky but lovable and devoted best friend Penny Pingleton; in the cabaret show, Mama I’m a Big Girl Now, how could I say no? And once again, it was exactly the right call (so spoiler or surprise there).
The effervescent and thoroughly enjoyable cabaret show begins with the three musical theatre stars coming alive larger than life to remind us all just how wonderful they all are and were in those parts with a fantastic revival of the title song. Gracing the stage in more sequins than one would think possible, thanks to production designer Chadd McMillan (Off-Broadway’s IT! A Musical Parody), the show expertly guides us through the highlights of each of these three performers’ careers with loving care, but also with a big wink, a sly grin, and magnificent vocals at every turn. Bundy, unfortunately, was hampered on the night I went with an off-balanced mic from the get-go (my friend said there was “too much treble“), which made my body impulsively lean forward each time she sang solely with her body mic. Luckily for us all, she did many numbers with a much better hand-held microphone that really let us hear her as well as the other two.
The three each unpack the beginning, middle, and current place in regards to the roles portrayed, some of the roles they missed out on, and a whole lot of personal commentary on love and family that added a sweet layer. But the heart of this show really lies in the wickedly wonderful musical repertoire that was delivered with all the vocal gusto you can imagine, thanks also to the music direction of Andrew Byrne (Broadway’s Les Misérables). The three channel legendary songs from shows like Gypsy, Merrily We Roll Along, and Grease, to name only a few, backed beautifully by singers: Carla J. Hargrove, Mitchell Gerrard Johnson, and Margot Plum, sharing anecdotes of their time spent on and off the stage performing the iconic numbers delivered.
It’s truly a remarkable and pleasurable experience, having the opportunity to sit back and listen to the wonderful Bundy jumping in and singing strong a series of songs from Legally Blond, a show I never saw (beyond streaming the stage production), as well as a song from Ruthless, mashed up hilariously with a Britney Spears song. Oops, she did it again, as Bundy also brought her comic chops to a well-sung rendition of Wicked‘s ‘Popular‘, delivered devilishly delightful to Winokur as she discusses her experience with a personal styling makeover pushed on her by the producers of Hairspray.
Winokur’s voice is as big as the room, filling the space with every well-delivered song she sings, like the crowd-pleasing ‘Some People‘ to her opening number from Hairspray, ‘Good Morning Baltimore‘, a part that she seemed born to play. Her ‘I Can Hear the Bells‘ was a blast, especially as we watched her working hard to deliver the song while being overcome with laughter as she watched an audience member (who seemed to be a polished stage actor/friend of one of the ladies) take on the mannequin role of teenage heartthrob Link Larken (a part originated by Matthew Morrison), posing as hard on stage as one can imagine. Yet, sometimes she seemed to be working a bit too hard to land the humor alongside her impressive and distinctive vocals, possibly because her resume isn’t as diversified as the others. But when she holds true to herself and doesn’t force the issue, her voice and stage presence are second to none. No wonder she won a Tony Award for her role in Hairspray.
But then there is Butler who was, for me, the true gift of the evening, showcasing a spectacular voice at every turn, but also gifting us with just how brilliant of a comedic actress she truly is. She knows precisely how to play up the moment to just the right pitch and level to make it work. Her delicious homage to the Disney princesses, starting with Belle from Beauty and the Beast to The Little Mermaid, which she recorded for Ashman and Menken when it was coming to fruition, was as heavenly as can be. But I must say her ‘Somewhere That’s Green‘, as always, wowed me like no tomorrow, as well as her fabulous song from Beetlejuice and her duet with Bundy on Wicked‘s ‘For Good‘.
The three vocal powerhouses eventually took a seat on some stools to relay a few more personal and impactful stories about partnerhood, love, and motherhood, while also trying to be a performer on the stage. It was cute and engaging, this ‘Baby Face‘ ‘Mom Medley‘ moment, but I must admit, like the guy sitting in front of me who was doing amazing hand choreography to every musical number sung, I was happy and excited when they returned to the main topic of this joyful cabaret show and sang a rousing, enlivening rendition of Hairspray‘s magnificent ‘You Can’t Stop the Beat’. This is what we were all in attendance for, to watch three wildly and wickedly talented women sing their hearts out so we could forget our troubles and be happy, even if it only lasted the ninety minutes we spent with these talented souls at the New World Stages in New York City. Mama I’m a Big Girl Now! is exactly what the musical theatre junkie doctor ordered during these dark and upsetting days after the election, and I was reborn, taken back to the joy I felt every time I heard these ladies sing since 2003.
