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The Pear Theatre isn’t typically known for producing musicals, but after attending its new production of William Finn and James Lapine’s Tony-winning “Falsettos,” I would argue that it should be. Billed as the Mountain View theater company’s first fully staged musical in its current location, the show offers outsized talent in an intimate space, and deserves bigger audiences.
“Falsettos,” which premiered on Broadway in 1992, was adapted from two one-acts by Finn (“March of the Falsettos” and “Falsettoland”). The story, with its first act set in New York in 1979, revolves around the self-absorbed Marvin (played at the Pear by Tyler Savin), who has come out of the closet and left his long-suffering wife Trina (Jen Wheatonfox) and young son Jason (Russell Nakagawa) to be with his lover, Whizzer (the always fabulous Brad Satterwhite). His psychiatrist Mendel (Kyle Herrera), meanwhile, soon develops feelings for Trina that are definitely not professional. Despite the ongoing hurt and lingering resentment, Marvin still desires a tight-knit, happy family, even as he risks winding up all alone.
The “Four Jews in a Room Bitching” (as the opening number proclaims), plus Trina, are the nucleus of the story (and in fact the only characters in the first act). In the second act, audiences are also introduced to two more — Marvin’s good friends and the “lesbians next door,” Angie Alvarez as no-nonsense physician Charlotte and Leah Kennedy as hopeful caterer Cordelia. The presence of Charlotte and Cordelia is welcome, but their late addition means we don’t get to know them as well as we’d like. However, they do serve as another example of how a family can grow and expand.
While much of the show is played for laughs, rooted in self-deprecating Jewish-American humor, and full of both witty lyrics and energetic physical comedy, it packs a true emotional punch, both from the relationship trials and tribulations as well as, in act two, the looming shadow of the AIDS crisis.
It’s a challenging endeavor, entirely sung through, and asks a lot of its cast. With the guidance of director Janie Scott and vocal director Dario Johnson, the Pear ensemble is more than up to the task. I was blown away by the quality of the singing, especially when delivered in gorgeous harmony, such as during Satterwhite, Savin, Alvarez and Kennedy’s “Unlikely Lovers.” Performances also shine in solo numbers, such as Wheatonfox’s absolute tour-de-force “I’m Breaking Down” (I’ll admit to being nervous she’d accidentally cut off one of her fingers, so furious is her way with a kitchen knife). Herrera, too, is wonderful in his role as the kindly, nerdy Mendel, and the sweet-voiced Nakagawa is adorable as little Jason, who forms warm bonds with his two pseudo-father figures, Whizzer and Mendel, while feeling estranged from his actual parents.
Part of the pleasure of a well-done musical comes from having live musicians, something that, unfortunately, is not always the case with smaller theaters. Happily, the Pear’s “Falsettos” includes a crackerjack “teeny-tiny band,” led by pianist Val Zvinyatskovsky, with percussionist Kyle Morgan, reeds player Asa Stern, and Ruiran Xun on synthesizer, providing a lush sound from just the four of them. In a sort of reverse orchestra pit, perched above the audience on a balcony, they deftly navigate Finn’s complex score alongside the marvelous singing cast on stage below.
The Pear’s black-box theater lends itself to flexible configurations, and in the case of “Falsettos” it’s arranged with the performers in the center, with rows of seats on either side, basketball-court style (indeed, audience members sometimes feel like they’re figuratively watching a sports match, and are sometimes literally, in the case of Wizzer and Marvin’s racquetball games).
This style of staging keeps visual interest and energy, as one never knows where the action will next happen, although it also means at any given time, half the audience may be looking at the performers’ backs and losing bits of their words. It also adds to the sometimes startling intimacy of the production, with the cast singing just a few feet away from audience members’ faces, and always offering a clear view of the rest of the audience on the other side.
The production, like its characters, has its flaws. The music, while delightful, overpowers the vocalists at times (especially, as aforementioned, while characters have their backs turned), and microphones occasionally cutting in and out don’t help matters. Over-long, the show drags a bit, with one song blurring into another (make sure to stretch and refresh at intermission).
Set and props are cleverly minimalistic, in the first half especially, when several boards and blocks are constantly reconfigured to represent various furniture. More kudos to the cast, who also serve as well-choreographed stage hands, responsible for rebuilding their set every few minutes. As the plot unfolds and the characters mature, the props and set pieces become a bit more evolved as well.
When it was first written and performed, “Falsettos” was no doubt boldly modern, with its depiction of everyday gay life. And though times have changed, it still feels more fresh than retro. While it depicts a specific time, place and culture, its themes – personal growth, relationship complications, identity – are also universal. The funny, frank “Falsettos” shows us that family ties – both of blood and of choice – come with pain, but also great beauty.
“Falsettos” runs through July 23 at the Pear Theatre, 1110 La Avenida St., Mountain View. More information is available at thepear.org.
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