My brother and I went to see the new off-Broadway holiday show"Striking 12" the other night at the Daryl Roth Theatre. I'd call it a musical but it might be more accurate to describe it as a band onstage that acts out -- through songs and stories -- the tale about a grumpy New Yorker who isn't up for New Year's this year (oh, and with a little Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Match-Seller" thrown in for a good measure).
The band is GrooveLily and although I'd never heard of them before, they're a likeable pop-rock trio who have a good rapport and the right amount of chemistry to get the audience into what they're doing. It helps that the keyboardist, Brendan Milburn, and violinist, Valerie Vigoda, are husband and wife -- and the drummer, Gene Lewin, adds a touch of warmth and comic relief to keep the story moving along. The play was apparently inspired by the band's desire to spend an entire holiday season in one place ("let's put on a show!") -- and you really have to credit them for being able to come up with a set of original Christmas songs that are instantly accessible and memorable ("Hey Santa!" by Carnie and Wendy Wilson is the last time I can remember a pop band pulling this off, back in 1995).
If you're looking for an off-the-beaten-path holiday show this winter, "Striking 12" strikes just the right balance between corny holiday schmatlz and East Village hip.
No comments:
Post a Comment
All comments must be signed.