Encore Michigan

Mason Street sizzles with Fosse moves

Review June 28, 2014 Sue Merrell

Just when you thought the summer was finally getting warm enough, Mason Street Warehouse in Saugatuck cranks it up a few degrees with a sizzling dance revue, “Steam Heat.”

If you like the smoldering, dramatic choreography of Bob Fosse, you’re going to love this show. All the elements are there: the splayed hands, the shoulder shrugs, the bent knees and wrists, bowler hats and white gloves. As the title suggests, there are a few moments that rattle the pipes or let the steam hiss, but mostly the show chugs along relentlessly keeping the stage warm, cozy and entertaining.

Mason Street artistic director Kurt Stamm has created the show as a sort of biography of the iconic Broadway choreographer Bob Fosse. Stamm borrows heavily from “Fosse,” the 1999 Tony Award-winning show on which Stamm served as associate director. But he has compressed the lineup, reimagined a few numbers and added a few power-packing pieces.

Like “Fosse,” “Steam Heat” opens with “Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries,” but right from the start the Mason Street production has a different kind of sizzle. Melanie Waldron pulls the audience in with a seductive intimacy that builds to roof-raising power, for a four-alarm, full-steam-ahead opener.

My favorite number of the evening was “Big Spender.” Originally from the musical “Sweet Charity,” this number was also featured in “Fosse,” but Stamm reimagines the presentation with the whole ensemble, not just the female members, standing at the bar to lure in customers. Music director Jamie Reed keeps the beat extra slow to squeeze all the punch out of every note, every word, every finger flick. Definitely another steam-hissing moment.

In the second act, “Mein Herr,” (from “Cabaret” and “Fosse”) scorches with even more intensity. Mackenzie Warren delivers a biting vocal performance while she and the other ensemble members writhe against their chairs with pipe-clanging power.

Stamm includes a wonderful interpretation of “Mr. Bojangles,” (from “Dancin'” and “Fosse”). Netanel Bellaishe, who provided many fine dance performances during the evening, portrays a stooped and aging Bojangles who imagines himself doing dance moves that are accomplished with ballet grace by his shadow, Taurean Everett, while Este’Fan Kizer sings the familiar song.

The show also includes some Fosse “musts,” such as “Rich Man’s Frug” (from “Sweet Charity” and “Fosse”). Statuesque Lauren Sprague provides the head-spinning, pony-tail whiplash moves, while the ensemble bends backwards for the aloof, cigarette-accented parade that has become so symbolic of ‘60s society.

Stamm added several numbers that were not included in “Fosse,” such as the playful “Real Live Girl” and “There’s Gotta Be Something Better than This” (from “Sweet Charity.”) The high point of his additions juxtaposes Warren singing “Funny Honey” from “Chicago” while Waldron sings the counterpoint with “Maybe This Time” from “Cabaret.” The songs blend very well, musically and thematically, to express the irony of love.

With a few exceptions, such as the blue and white baseball uniforms for the “Shoeless Joe Ballet” at the beginning of Act II, most of the costumes are sleek black that won’t detract from the graphic shapes Fosse’s dance moves were designed to create. Todd Engle’s set design of shiny aluminum geometric patterns fits in perfectly, including a sailboat-shaped rolling piece that serves as transparent video screen  as well as portable ladder.

So if your summer isn’t steamy enough, head on over to Saugatuck and enjoy the sizzle of “Steam Heat.”