I went to the workshop of "Wise Guys" last night and all I can say is WOW.

I loved it. Now, I really can't wait for the full scale Broadway production. Sam Mendes addressed the audience before the start of the show explaining that we would be seeing the first act and about 25 minutes of the second act "So we will finish up with the last 20 minutes of "Carrie." Get ready for the pig's blood. He explained that things were still being put in and taken out, more in than out. And there would be a very short intermission between the two acts.

I had heard that they are reworking the first act, so the first act they did last night is probably a little different than the one the previous post talked about and it's probably different from the one that will hit the stage. Another thing that I heard they had been contemplating was doing the show 90 minutes no intermission. I'm not sure that it will fit like that. I dont' think they can get it down to 90 minutes, just the part I saw took more than 90 minutes and there is still a chunk of it missing.

In deference to Phaedra's request I will try and include as much detail as possible. I don't think there is necessarily a big air of secrecy surrounding the show. I just think that it feels that way because the workshop has been limited to the current subscribers of the NYTW, so that automatically limits who will get to see it and leaves the general theater public wondering what's going on.

As it said on the piece of paper serving as the program, "WISE GUYS is loosely based on the events in the lives of Addison Mizner(1872-1933) and Wilson Mizner (1876-1933)." The Mizner brothers were very different in temprament. Addison Mizner was an architect largely responsible for the eclectic look of Palm Beach and Boca Raton. He was the more practical and responsible of the two, and according the article by Sondheim (which I just re-read) a closeted homosexual (and realizing that, it casts a whole new light on one of the numbers for me). Wilson was a gambler, con-man and drug addict, a real party boy always looking for the easy score and a womanizer. There is more information about them on the web, I'll include the link to Sondheim's NY Times Article about the show at the bottom of this message or you can go to www.sondheimreview.com/news.htm for more info about the show.

I was surprised when I heard that Nathan Lane was playing Addison and Victor Garber was Wilson. I've always pictured Nathan as more of a con man. Physically however it makes sense.

And the casting works. Really works. Nathan has his character nailed. He was terrific. He should get a nomination out of this. Victor was very good as well. Now, I will admit one of my prejudices upfront right now, I love Victor Garber. I would watch him read or sing the phone book if they sold tickets. I dont' think Victor has as good a handle on the heart of his character yet, but I feel like he's thisclose.

The rest of the cast covers all the other parts, and none really leaped out at me except for Michael Hall as Paris Singer. He was very good playing off of Nathan Lane in the second act. I think the character of Mama Mizner needs a little more shading to her yet, she's obviously partial to her younger son Wilson (a significant plot point in this), but I can't decide yet if it requires more subtlety or less in the performance.

I really like the structure. The show is setup like a vaudeville act. It starts out with Addison and Wilson doing a vaudeville routine and important parts of their lives are played out as little vignettes in between. What's neat is that the vaudeville type song "Wise Guys" which opens the show is a song about great partnerships in history and and their partnership as brothers. Each time they segue back into the vaudeville routine the song is reprised, but each time the friendliness of the number deteriorates a little as the brother's relationship deteriorates as the story goes along. The story itself touches on universal themes, sibling rivalry, ambition, finding your way in the world, you really don't need to know anything about the Mizner's to really appreciate it.

The music is great. I went with a friend who is a huge Sondheim fan and had been somewhat disappointed by Passion. She found a lot of Passion's score derivative of his other work. Here that is not the case. It all feels fresh and new. I'll tell you about the numbers, but please forgive me, they did not give you names of the numbers so I have to make them up or guess my best. I'll try not to give too much plot away (not that it really matters).

The first number: "Wise Guys" - Addison & Wilson. This is part of the Vaudeville number that introduces the Mizners and explains a little about them. I had the opportunity to read this in the script a couple months ago. It's a funny number, but, some of the jokes go by a little too quickly.

2. "It's in Your Hands" - Papa Mizner (William Parry). This song takes place on Papa's death bed. It is his charge to his two sons (in their early 20's) to be bold and make the future their own. The song is vaguely reminiscent of some of the music in Assassins.

3. "My Two Young Men" - Mama Mizner (Candy Buckley) Mama sings this song to the boys. You begin to see their different interpretations of their father's charge. Addison says they'll go out and get jobs. Wilson's response is "A job? A job? You mean a job?" They start to fight and Mama sings this song which talks about her two sons and how different they are, one to bring her joy (Wilson), one to keep her honest (Addison).

4. "Gold"/"Alaska" - Prospector (Kevin Chamberlin), Addison and Wilson. A prospector crosses into the scene singing a short interlude about finding Gold in Alaska and getting rich quick. Addy and Wilson decide to go to Alaska together to find their fortune. Mama sends them off telling them to bring her back a souvenir. The Alaska song is very funny and is sung while they mine for gold and question why they came there. Of course they do find some... which leads to...

5. "The Game" - Wilson. Wilson and Addison waiting for the next boat back to San Francisco get involved in a poker game, a very funny scene. This is the scene that really starts the division between the brothers. The song "The Game" is Wilson explaining it's not whether you win or lose but the excitement of the chance, of playing that matters.

6. "Wise Guys" reprise - Addison and Wilson. The vaudeville act returns with the brothers being a little less civil and generous towards one another.

7. "Next to You" - Addison and Wilson. This is a ballad that has Wilson and Addison back home and vying for Mama's attention with stories of their trip.

8. "On My Way" / "Souvenir" - Addison and Ensemble. This song tracks Addison's journey around the world to find his fortune. He goes from Hawaii to Bombay to Hong Kong to Guatemala City to New York. Failing to find a job he can do well. But every place he goes he buys Mama a souvenir and puts it in his trunk. The song is really two songs "On My Way" sung by Addison and "Souvenir" sung by the ensemble in the style of whatever country he is in, fit together as Sondheim does so well. Addison winds up in New York where he realizes he has no place to put all this stuff and decides to build himself a house and discovers he wants to be an architect.

9. "Stay Right Where You Are" - Wilson, Myra Yerkes (Jessica Molaskey). "Stay Right Where You Are" is Wilson's winking seduction of Myra Yerkes a potential client of Addison. Wilson trys to show him how to charm his way to the big score. It's a terrific number for Victor. Hey, I was seduced.

10. "Willy - King of New York" - Playwright (Brooks Ashmanskas), Boxer (Ray Wills), Gangster (Clark Thorell) and Myra. Back to the Vaudeville - this is a vaudeville type number by the people who Wilson has managed to screw over, but boy what a ride it was.

11. "Wise Guys" reprise - Addison and Wilson. Becoming less cordial all the time.

12. "A House for Mama" - Addison. This is a sweet little song for Addison, ever the dutiful son, brings Mama to live with him and promises to build her a house. The song keeps getting interrupted by calls from Wilson breaking another promise to Mama.

13. "Isn't He Something?" - Mama. Mama sings Wilson's praises for his adventurousness and flair for living. Although he doesn't sing a note, Nathan just breaks your heart in this scene, he's so hurt by this.

14. "Wise Guys" reprise - Addison and Wilson. Now it's all insults and recriminations.

End of Act One.

Act Two -

15. "Wise Guys" reprise - Addison by himself.

16. "Florida Land Boom/ Get Rich Quick" - Real Estate Agent (Kevin Chamberlin). Sort of a reprise of the prospector's bit in the first act, exhorting the latest scheme.

17. "Paris' Dream" Paris Singer (Michael Hall). Paris Singer, heir to the Singer Sewing machine fortune, explains his dream to Addison on the train to Palm Beach Florida. The number didn't completely work for me. But it did introduce and explain the character of Paris.

18. "Where Have You Been All My Life" - Addison, Paris and Ensemble. This may be my favorite number. It was very funny, very up. It's a big, bold love song... to a business partner. Although after re-reading that Sondheim article, and the bit about Addison being a closeted homosexual, I think the undercurrents I was feeling add a whole new dimension to the song. Borne out, I think by some subtle acting in the next scene.

19. "Make it Through the Night" - Addison. Addison is now flush with success. Wilson walks in half dead and completely down and out. After they fight, he collapses. Addison sings this ballad to Wilson promising to look after him. This number needs some work still. I think they just put it in that night.

This was where they ended.

I loved the show. I can't wait to see it in full on the stage. Nathan Lane is really wonderful. He makes you laugh and breaks your heart. I'm still discovering things about the show as I think back on it.