Latest production at Lyric Stage Company fumbles

"It's not a religion. Devotion isn't enough." So says a professional musician to an amateur musician of a career in the music business, in the Lyric Stage Company's new production of The Gig. Unfortunately, a lack of devotion to this point turns Douglas J. Cohen's musical adaptation of Frank Gilroy's film of the same title into another "decent but predictable" musical (which, incidentally, is what can make the genre so irritating).

To its credit, however, the play does have some very good moments, musical numbers and an array of great one-liners. The play even has a great plot with very accessible characters: six guys with typical vocations who get together once a week to "jam." When they get an opportunity to play for an audience _ a "gig"_ they decide to give it a shot. Their motivation is two-fold: they want to have the experience of playing a live show and they want to see if they really are any good.

When they get onstage, it is bliss. As the band-leader Marty says, "It's better than you could've ever imagined." But when their amateur status is revealed and they are told to pack it up, the band heads home feeling dejected. As band member Jack says, "The truth hurts." In typical musical theater "happy ending" fashion, the guys decide that the music is what matters most and they end the show with a happy, energetic musical number that sends the audience on its way with a stupid smile on its face.

But to end the play joyously is unfair to the story, because this story is better than that. These guys are amateurs, and they were given the opportunity to get a glimpse of the life of a musician _ the feeling of performing onstage, and they loved it. When they are fired, they have to face the realization that music is not their life and they will not be able to spend their lives playing music for people. Instead, they are condemned to a life of suburban mediocrity _ the life of a dentist, a used-car salesman, or a real estate agent.

Yet, the ending is not altogether depressing, either. Rather, it is, or at least can be, a realistic blend of joy and sadness. While the band's love of the music may always be present (as it is in the final number), every time they now meet to "jam," they will be painfully reminded that they are not playing for an audience and utterly conscious of their inescapable amateur status (whereas before they may have still had their pipe dreams).

This ending reveals the true picture of most Americans today, who give up their dreams for their responsibilities and thus are left to deal with their realities _ though they usually do this by dreaming. In this story, however, these men have had the opportunity to put their dreams to the test and reality has cut them down. But in some ways, this experience is good for all of them because it allows them to face their lives more truthfully, focusing on their realities rather than their dreams.

Despite the director's, and to a degree the playwright's, oversimplified interpretation of the story, the plot's merit still emerges in this production as the actors generally do a good job of telling the story. As used-car salesman and band leader Marty, Chip Phillips delivers a great performance by understanding that his role as "salesman" extends to more than just used cars. He convinces the guys to do the "gig" by telling them to do something for themselves, but then he turns the same demand back onto himself and effectively develops a three-dimensional character.

Peter Edmund Haydu, as Jack, the pianist, is also impressive. He matches the intensity of Phillips as they fight for control of the band and control of each other, but at the same time share some great moments together.

Paul Farwell and Peter A. Carey add pretty strong performances in addition to their strong vocals. In contrast, however, Brian De Lorenzo, Benjamin DiScipio and Brian Robinson, while displaying maybe the best vocals, lack a bit in the acting department, as their characters were very one-dimensional and they were obviously much more comfortable singing on stage than speaking.

John Davin, who played the Hotel owner Abe Mitgang, and Kathy St. George, in her role as the fading star Miss Ricki Valentine, gave the show some very refreshing comedic moments. St. George's musical number as Miss Valentine leaves the audience in an uproar as she sings about her "hiatus" from singing spent in "detox." Similarly, Davin keeps the audience going with his non-stop so-cheesy-they're-funny jokes and quick one-liners like "The average age of this room is deceased."

Yet, for all the show's humor, the fact that the end tries to, in the typical musical manner, wash over the realities and issues presented by the story keeps this production from being anything other than another "decent but predictable" musical with the slight advantage that it has the potential not to be. But, then again, so do a lot of musicals, if only they would let go of the need for that last note to be so ostensibly uplifting.