Mark Kitaoka
Arts & Entertainment
Megan McGinnis plays Jerusha Abbott in “Daddy Long Legs.�
Dream team With sharp writers and an enchanting pair of actors, ‘Daddy Long Legs’ has legs indeed by Jeanie K. Smith
T
heatreWorks’ emphasis on new stage work is a real boon for our community, putting us on the map nationally as a destination for artists looking to create the next great American play or musical, and bringing together theater artists in a supportive, creative environment. Occasionally the combination is just right. Writers, composers and production team unite to show what’s really possible with the magic of theater. Such is the stuff that “Daddy Long Legs� is made of. This new musical weaves its magic
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THEATER REVIEW right into our hearts and minds, and is definitely one of the best surprises of the theater season so far. The lineage here has all the right stuff. Composer Paul Gordon did the music and lyrics; he’s best known to TheatreWorks audiences for the recent hit “Emma.� John Caird, who co-directed and adapted “Les Miserables,� among many noteworthy award-winning shows, wrote the adaptation, and also directed this world-premiere production. It was Caird’s wife who recommended Jean Webster’s 1912 novel “Daddy Long Legs� as the next project for the duo. Webster’s novel and the musical chronicle the coming of age of orphan Jerusha Abbott (Megan McGinnis), who is mysteriously financed for a full ride to college, after showing some early prom-
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ise with her writing. Her benefactor chooses to remain anonymous and silent, but Jerusha can never be silent, writing lengthy, colorful letters each month to her “Daddy Long Legs,� as she nicknames him. As she blossoms from a girl into an educated and accomplished young woman, she writes and writes, and her relationship with “Daddy� grows, even though it’s a one-sided conversation. Or is it? The conceit of the novel, in which we hear only from Jerusha through her letters, is altered in the musical to allow us to see and hear her benefactor and would-be suitor, Jervis Pendleton (Robert Adelman Hancock). Jerusha of course doesn’t know that the attractive young man and her “Daddy� are one and the same, but we do, and that’s part of the fun and the intrigue, seeing the relationship unfold by fits and starts, and wondering how it will turn out. If you’ve read the book, of course, you know. The novel itself is witty, bright, philosophical by turns, and filled with sharp observations on life and society, especially on matters of disparate wealth and its effect on people. Caird has done a great job of keeping these delightful details alive, as well as illuminating the warm heart at the story’s core. Gordon’s lyrics also capture the bouncy and erudite language of budding author Jerusha in humorous rhyme. The two have shaped the engaging monologue of the novel into a wonderful dialogue between two appealing characters. What brings the project to life, however, are the remarkable performances given by McGinnis and Hancock, as the only performers on stage. The entire show rests on their shoulders, and they are both stunning in their roles, delivering the goods with ease and aplomb and enchanting modesty. McGinnis has the voice of an angel, perfectly suited for this role,
FIFTY-FOURTH SEASON 2009-10 BOX OFFICE 650.424.9999 Tickets online at WBOpera.org
Der FreischĂźtz
Carl Maria von Weber
in German, with English titles
will Love triumph?
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Lucie Stern Theatre 1305 MiddleďŹ eld Road Palo Alto
February 19, 21, 27 and 28, 2010 JosĂŠ Luis Moscovich conductor
Yuval Sharon director
Paula Goodman Wilder Ben Bongers Peter Graham Gregory Stapp Eric Coyne David Hodgson Patrycja Polushowicz Joaquin Quilez-Marin and
Yannis Adoniou’s KUNST-STOFF Dance Company
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