Crazy for You soared at Montgomery Blair

by Helen Sitar of Winston Churchill High School

submitted to backfence.com

Bobby (Isaac Arnsdorf) meets Polly (Alec Garrin) in Deadrock, Nevada

Ten glittery, giggling, tap-dancing girls spill out of a New York taxicab, prance into the street, and sweep a tired banker away from his mediocre life. Sounds like every businessman's great escape to stardom? It's actually Montgomery Blair High School's gleeful production of "Crazy for You."

Premiering on Broadway in 1992, "Crazy for You" was a new classic, incorporating much of George and Ira Gershwin's long celebrated music into one show. In his typical farcical style, Ken Ludwig fills the script with mistaken identities, unrequited love, and cheeky lines. The story is of Bobby Child's comedic quest to avoid the nagging of his disgruntled fiancee and disparaging mother, who runs the family banking business. Mrs. Child sends Bobby to Deadrock, Nevada to foreclose on a bankrupt theater. Out west he finds himself committed to winning the tough heart of cowgirl Polly Baker, whose father owns the property, by saving the theater.

Polly Baker (Alec Garrin) is the only gal in her one-horse town, and she knew how to keep all the men in line--until smooth Bobby Child (Isaac Arnsdorf) stumbled into her life. With her haughty hands on her hips and shoulders thrust back, Polly refuses to be wooed by Bobby's fancy footwork and pleading smile. Garrin's soft singing voice revealed Polly's softer side, while her physical aggressiveness, despite her petite stature, proved her vigor.

Disguised as Hungarian producer Bela Zangler, Arnsdorf made the audience laugh with his over the top accent and perfect immitations of the "real" Zangler (Russell Ottalini). Getting drunk side by side in "What Causes That?" the two Zanglers mastered the comedic timing and synchronized movements required to make the song a hysterical hit.

The cowboy trio got the audience's feet tappin' with their lively rendition of "Slap that Bass" with Zack Rothman as Moose playing a standup bass while dancing. In the delightful songs "Can't Be Bothered Now" and "Nice Work If You Can Get It," the tapping Follies girls performed Jessica Harris' cutesy time-appropriate choreography with sheer enthusiasm and gleeful hand waves.

The incredible two level Deadrock, Nevada set was double sided, allowing rapid, lights-on set changes from indoor to outdoor scenes. And several colorful, stage sized painted canvases quickly unfurled from the ceiling to illustrate the Zangler theatre's front or the Gaiety Theater's domed ceiling.

Although the full pit orchestra at times overpowered the singers' voices with their strong notes, and some dialogue was lost to low microphone volumes, the energy and enthusiasm of the actors always prevailed.

Dedicated to please, the students of Montgomery Blair enthusiastically undertook Gershwin's challenging music and played up the comedic delight in "Crazy For You."