The BroadHollow Theatre Company picked a winner for their latest production. “My Favorite Year” is a musical comedy based on the screenplay that starred Peter O’Toole. Bearing a strong resemblance to a young O’Toole, Actor’s Equity member Tom Humbert makes the role of alcoholic “movie star” Alan Swann his own. He is believable for comedic dialogue but poignant as well, as in his rendition of the show-stopping song “If the World Were Like the Movies.”
“My Favorite Year” is narrated by Benjy Stone, warmly portrayed by Matt Sinese. Stone is a young writer on a 1950s television variety show, under-appreciated and under-used. He gets his big break when circumstances allow him to write a sketch for Saturday night’s live performance of the King Kaiser Show. The guest star of the week just happens to be Alan Swann, childhood hero of Stone, who escaped to the movies to avoid the pain of his father’s abandonment.
Unfortunately, for Stone, Swann is not the swashbuckler of his childhood memories, but an alcoholic has-been. It becomes Stone’s task to guide Swann through a week of rehearsals, get him through the live performance and, most importantly, keep him sober. Stone uses a variety of methods to do this, including taking Swann to Brooklyn for a hilarious family dinner celebrated in the lively song and dance number “Welcome to Brooklyn.” We meet Stone’s firecracker mom, Belle May Steinberg, endearingly played by Joan Rubinstein; his former featherweight boxer stepfather, Rookie Carroca, portrayed by David Groeger; Aunt Sadie (Pat Dillon); Uncle Morty (Gary S. Milenko); and countless other relatives, friends, and neighbors.
At the risk of omitting standouts in the very large cast, there’s adorable Rebecca Lynn Goldfarb as a dancing “Matchbook” for a commercial on King Kaiser’s show. Easily recognizable is Queens’ favorite Michael Wolf playing speechless comedy writer Herb Lee. Laura Wallace-Rhodes’ excellent direction, Steve McCoy’s musical direction, lively choreography by Kevin Wallace, period costume design by Joan King, and all others behind-the-scenes make this musical a seasonal winner.
Not to be missed is the 30-foot TV screen upstage center. It’s used throughout the musical as a running commentary. Amazingly, for the finale when the “live” show airs, the giant screen turns 1950s black and white, becoming a real-time TV monitor.
In one outstanding number, Gary Tifeld as King Kaiser and members of the ensemble perform a vaudeville-like slapstick routine that showcases the many talents of comedy writer Alice Miller (Jennifer Hope).
As Stone and Swann interact, we learn why one man drowns his sorrows in alcohol while the other hides his loneliness in comedy. Will they make it through King Kaiser’s show – as well as the rest of their lives? Catch a performance weekends through June 7, at the BroadHollow Theatre, 700 Hempstead Turnpike, Elmont. Call 516-775-4420, or go to www.broadhollow.org, for tickets.
As summer’s warm winds approach, there are still hot performances onstage. As always, save me a seat on the aisle.
