The following may not sound like the compliment it’s meant to be, but mull it over: The Panama Hattie revival that ends the York Theatre Company’s Musicals in Mufti tribute to Cole Porter does entertain; but even as it offers an indisputable plus, it simultaneously presents hard-and-fast proof for why the 1940 musical isn’t a hot candidate for reviving elsewhere—now or, perhaps, ever.
One explanation is that in terms of plot there isn’t much going on besides the worry over whether singer Hattie Maloney (Klea Blackhurst), headlining at a Panama City boite, will be approved to marry upper-class Nick Bullett (Stephen Bogardus) by his boss, Whitney Randolf (Gordon Stanley). Approval isn’t a cinch, either, after Randolf mistakenly believes Hattie is responsible for embarrassing him at a public event.
The brassy Hattie—the role was written for Ethel Merman, don’tcha know?—is also disliked by snobbish Leila Tree (Casey Shuler), who also has eyes for Nick. For the secondary couple that musical comedies habitually incorporated at the time, stiff-upper-lip Vivian Budd (Simon Jones) doesn’t pursue flirtatious Florrie (Anita Welch) as breathlessly as she pursues him. Three sailors called Woozy (Jay Aubrey Jones), Windy (Garen McRoberts), and Skat (Joe Veale) are ubiquitous.
Additionally, there’s a German terrorist sub-sub-plot that might resonate with today’s headlining-clutching terrorist threats but doesn’t. Bookwriters Herbert Fields and B. G. DeSylva’s refer to the war in Europe that the United States had yet to enter, but involving Hattie as self-appointed counter-terrorist goes by quickly, is confusing, and palmed off as something of a joke, at that. Yes, there are a few genuine giggle-inducing jokes but not really enough.
One of the two pressing reasons to see—and hear—Panama Hattie is the Porter score. The suave composer-lyricist’s clicks here include the perky “I’ve Still Got My Health” and “I’m Throwing a Ball Tonight.” There’s the adorable “Let’s Be Buddies,” which Hattie sings when ingratiating herself with Nick’s 8-year-old daughter Geraldine (Kylie Kuioka)—and Geraldine joins right in. Then there’s “Make It Another Old-Fashioned, Please,” during which Hattie instructs a bartender to, among other things, “leave out the bitters.” She’s bitter enough for the straight rye she settles on. (A few songs from the original score have been dropped and, praise be, nothing is interpolated for familiarity’s sake. Deniz Cordell is the musical director at the piano; David White is on bass.)
The song list is notable for not including any of the deeply impassioned songs for which Porter usually found a place in any storyline. He could almost always conjure a love song to jump from the stage onto the charts. Here he doesn’t. “Make It Another Old-Fashioned, Please” is the closest, but while notable, it isn’t quite “Just One of Those Things” or “So in Love” or “Night and Day” or “In the Still of the Night.”
The other strong reason for a Panama Hattie visit is Blackhurst. She’s the obvious and best choice to take on a Merman role today. For some time she’s been performing Everything the Traffic Will Allow, her terrific homage to the iconic La Merm. A smart performer, Blackhurst knows enough not to indulge in an impersonation. After much evident study she trusts herself enough to convey the Merman spirit, the Merman chutzpah, the Merman vocal thunder, the Merman quality.
The reality of the Musicals in Mufti series is that the cast has five days to prepare an entire show. Then the show must go on, whether the 29-hour rehearsal period is anywhere near sufficient. So cheers to director Michael Montel and choreographer Trent Kidd (working with 13 cast members of varied dancing skills) for making this Panama Hattie as close to a sleek finished product as it is.
In terms of musical comedy history, Panama Hattie is the fourth Porter-Merman collaboration. The previous three were Anything Goes, Red, Hot and Blue, and Du Barry Was a Lady. (Fields and DeSylva also supplied the Du Barry Was a Lady book.) The fifth—and last—of the Porter-Merman outings was Something For the Boys in 1943, when the United States was very much in the war.
There’s no arguing that the final two are the lesser of the five teamings, but for Porter and Merman idolaters both are worth knowing this much about, especially if accompanied by another Old-Fashioned or, better yet, another double Old-Fashioned, please.
Panama Hattie opened October 27, 2019, at the York Theatre and runs through November 3. Tickets and information: yorktheatre.org
