Theater Online - New York Theater Reviews

The election results may be in, but there is an all-out, go-for broke political campaign (with music, song and dance) being waged these days, a little off Broadway just above Seventh Avenue, at the Sage Theater. The spirited production entitled "The Ticket" revolves around a television show of the same name and candidates aspiring to be governor of an unidentified state.

From its opening, the potential for an entertaining evening-as well as some humorous and meaningful comments about the process in which we select the leaders who influence our lives- becomes apparent with engaging presentations of songs like "Dreamers" and "Take a Stand."

The multi-talented ten cast members (with seemingly limitless energy) are consistently outstanding in performing the eclectic and engaging score (Gary Bragg and David Demichelis) encompassing a broad range of musical styles-with smatterings of jazz, country, gospel and pop, in addition to adeptly executing Jacob Brent's felicitous choreography. Under the fine direction by Michael Raimondi of Eric Ottem's book, the principal players are particularly notable: the heroine Diane Johnson (Hope Harris), a charismatic liberal-friendly Republican; Blake Sullivan (T. J. Mannix), the nice guy teacher-friendly Democrat; a former baseball star Spider Brown (C. Mingo Long), the soulful and slick independent who belatedly tosses his cap in the ring; an aristocratic Victoria Johnson (Annie McGreevey), Diane's emotionally conflicted mother; and Australian-accented and appealing Nancy Reynolds (Julie Barnes), the TV studio hostess with ulterior motives.

As the play moves down the campaign trail, as with many real aspirants of office, the "entertainment" artifice is sustained while meaningful issues become fuzzy, as plot spins (regarding who's sleeping with whom) diminish what could have been a significant satirical strategy. Equally disappointing, for me, is the flip-flop but high-spirited good-feeling conclusion in which Diane leads the singing of the patriotic-minded "United We Stand."

Eleanor Roosevelt said, "Sometimes I wonder if we shall ever grow up in our politics and say definite things which mean something, or whether we shall always go on using generalities to which everyone can subscribe, and which mean very little."

Similarly, "The Ticket" could use a bit of theatrical development. As a candidate for offering fine entertainment, it is a front-runner; nevertheless, it assuredly could be a more profound winner as a musical if it would only "take a stand."