…offers tender moments, two dozen of the pair’s greatest hits and a sobering glimpse at the backstage paradox of Lorenz Hart. Mark Saltzman’s new musical at the Colony is much more than a revue, masterfully capturing not only the wit and melancholy of Hart’s lyrics but also the angst of his closeted, alcoholic adult years. Harry Truman once said, “The only thing new in this world is the history you don’t know.” ‘Falling for Make Believe’ offers something very new indeed. So where and when is this show’s second production? I want to see it again. In its premiere at the Colony, directed by Jim Fall, it already had been streamlined to a fast-paced length that many shows reach only in their second or third productions. Although Mark Saltzman’s book has its own “make believe,” it hews much closer to the truth than previous fictional depictions of Hart. ‘Falling for Make Believe.’ Musicals that piggyback on existing scores by the greats don’t get much better than this glimpse into the closeted life of Lorenz Hart and his very platonic and sometimes stormy relationship with his composing partner Richard Rodgers. It’s the preface to a man, on how we met, that the world can never forget.ĭon Shirley, LA Stage Times, Best of 2013 LA Theater You can’t help but be awed and swept away by the music, and mourn the loss of such a tremendous talent…‘Falling for Make Believe’ is to be commended for telling the story of one of Broadway’s most notorious romantics. It’s a compassionate tale simply wrought that doesn’t over-sentimentalize its subject but offers a thoughtful look at the price of genius and one poet of Broadway’s gift of words. This gem of a new musical contains some of the best theater music ever written, showcased by the surprising story of the man who wrote the lyrics. If you’re not familiar with Rodgers and Hart, it’s a great introduction if you are, you’ll be, well, beguiled again. If you’re anywhere near Southern California, by all means go see ‘Falling for Make Believe.’ Here’s hoping it will be performed elsewhere soon as well. It’s ultimately the numbers, overseen by musical director Keith Harrison and choreographer Lisa Hopkins, that drive Saltzman’s affecting narrative, sold by the accomplished ensemble …superbly effervescent …audiences should be bewitched. That is a delight, since the score uses the writing team’s beloved hit songs.Ĭhicago Cabaret Magazine More Great Things about Falling for Make Believe I’m happy to report Skokie Theater has a real winner with their biographical musical Falling for Make Believe based on the lives and works of Dick Rodgers and Larry Hart…Playwright Mark Saltzman sketches a scenario that tells the true tale (based on sound scholarship, in this writer’s opinion), which allows the story to be told in song. The show is worth seeing not only to remember Larry Hart’s life, but also to remember his glorious, clever lyrics put to Richard Rodgers’ sublime music, whether these songs are new to you or they are old friends. What I did not expect was a moving, poignant play exploring the complicated relationship between the legendary musical theatre team of Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart. I expected an evening of American Songbook classic songs. We do get the hits, starting with Bewitched, but the show is as revelatory and disturbing as it is accessible and polished, a portrait of creative genius that is well worth seeing. Wonderful… tantalizing… a chance to get to know more about Rodgers and Hart, and a showcase for some of their beautiful songs, many of which have become parts of the Great American Songbook and classics for the ages.įalling for Make Believe packs in so many songs by Lorenz Hart and Richard Rodgers, it’s easy to assume the show is a merely hit parade for the legendary team. Reviews from the June 2022 Chicago Production Falling For Make Believe Lorenz Hart, His Life, His SongsĬritical Acclaim for “Falling for Make Believe”
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