Washington’s staid professional theater scene gets a swift kick in the pants thanks to the rock ’n’ roll ballet “Movin’ Out” at the National Theatre.
Featuring the hit songs of Billy Joel, this Tony Award-winning show is void of dialogue but rife with uptempo tunes and dance, dance, dance. More a rock concert than a musical, “Movin’ Out” features a full band jamming away in the scaffolding above the stage, with talented lead vocalist Darren Holden tickling the ivories as the “Piano Man” himself. Twenty four of Joel’s classics are in the show, including “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me,” “Just the Way You Are,” “The Longest Time,” “Uptown Girl” “Big Shot” and “We Didn’t Start the Fire.”
And where the music leaves off, the vision of preeminent New York choreographer Twyla Tharp comes in. Tharp, who came to Joel with the idea of marrying his songs with her imagery, conceived, directed and choreographed “Movin’ Out.” The result is a high-energy if not mildly hokey visual spectacle that will leave theatergoers toe-tapping out the door onto Pennsylvania Avenue once the curtain falls.
Leading the boogying bunch is the lively and commanding Ron Todorowski as Eddie, a prom-king tough guy whose perfect life falls apart with a trip to Vietnam and a resulting bout with drugs and severe depression. His girlfriend, Brenda (played by the leggy and lithe Holly Cruikshank, whose 6-foot frame has her standing literally and figuratively above her fellow cast members), breaks up with the brooding Eddie and instead falls for their friend Tony (David Gomez), who is looking for and can offer the kind of love that Brenda needs. Meanwhile, James (Matthew Dibble) and Judy (Laura Feig) are readying for marriage — until James dies in combat. His death hangs over the group as solders return home from battle and the friends try toget their lives back in step.
The plot is superficial, secondary to accompanying Joel’s melodic score and allowing the dancers to sufficiently strut their stuff. If there’s drama, it’s in the pained faces of Cruikshank and Todorowski as they twirl and spin with incomprehensible grace in demonstration of their grief. Todorowski passionately prowls the stage, sweat exploding from his hair and mouth as he completes a back handspring or moonwalks across the stage.
If you’ve come for eloquent prose, you’ve made a mistake. If you’ve come for a night of loud fun in motion, you’ll be awaiting an encore.
‘Movin’ Out’
The musical “Movin’ Out” runs through Dec. 23.
Venue: National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington
Performances: 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, 7:30 p.m. Sundays, and 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays
Tickets: $41.25 to $86.25
More info: 800-432-7780
