Man, Woman, Psyche and a Rock

REVIEW: Up Here

BY Ryan M. Luevano

Songwriters Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez at their home in Brooklyn. Photo Credit Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times.

The La Jolla Playhouse is the home for the new musical Up Here written by the brilliant power couple in show business, Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. Just when you think the classic boy-meets-girl, boy-loses-girl, boy-gets-girl-back musical plot is passé, Up Here takes this concept and completely turns it on its head giving it a fresh contemporary reimagining.

Up Here is best described as a “Romantic Comedy Musical” because as much as there is singing, the book and scenarios ooze with the romantic comedy inclinations that we all know and love. We follow the life of Dan, the computer repairman who falls for Lindsay, an extroverted t-shirt designer—that’s the story. There’s even a secondary couple, Lindsay’s brother Tim and his boss Tina. So what makes this show’s plot different? The added surprise is Dan’s consciousness is manifested on stage by an ensemble of actors and takes an active part in the drama, while transporting the audience into the surreal vortex of his mind. Dan’s consciousness is divided between good and evil, creating an additional layer of conflict as these two realms of his mind are in consent battle throughout.

Matt Bittner, left, Betsy Wolfer. Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy.

The interjections of actors that portray Dan’s mind function like a Greek chorus at times, but also take a more active role as they interact with each other and Dan. Wearing fun out-of-this-world costumes (body suits, punk rock outfits, and various other wacky clothing), the characters of Dan’s mind standout as aliens to the real world. Also functioning as the dance ensemble of the show, the ensemble often expresses themselves in dance reflecting Dan’s thoughts or emotions. This brings back the traditional ballet sequences in musicals in an interesting contemporary way. Seasoned choreographer Joshua Bergasse expertly conceives all the movement in the show. His choreography gives the show breath, movement and flight adding to the visual kaleidoscope that is Up Here.

A scene inside the brain of Dan. Photo Credit Matthew Murphy.

Simply put, the book, music and lyrics are fantastic. These three elements blend perfectly into one another, so much so that you don’t really know where the dialogue stops, and the music and lyrics take over—everything is seamless. Robert Lopez’s music does not disappoint. His score is fresh and fun, bringing songs from various genres: pop, rock, jazz and musical theatre archetypes, all while maintaining the unity of the score. The lyrics are funny, poignant, witty and dramatic. No lyrics that stand out more than any other, they are so appropriate that they belong only to the moment in which they are sung. The book is engaging and entertainingly full of relatable characters and drama that unfolds at a steady pace, with the exception of the scene with the little boy and the rock – although cute, they seem to stifle the drama.

The cast in this production functions like a well-oiled machine. Everyone is fully committed to the goofiness and drama that this show offers. At any moment you can see the face of any actor and see how much they love this show and are representing a full embodiment of their role, whether big or small. The protagonist of the show Dan (Matt Bittner) is the “everyman” in everything that he does and everything that gets done to him. Bittner carries this show with ease and performs all the music with passion and purpose. His full tenor voice surpasses the demands of the material and maintains a conversational style throughout. His partner, Broadway veteran Betsy Wolfe, is a perfect match as she portrays the lost and unrestrained Lindsay with conviction. Her beautiful mezzo-soprano voice offers a compliment to Bittner and together they sing the Lopez duets with unmistakable heart and soul.

Matt Bittner, left, Betsy Wolfer. Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy.

WHAT ABOUT THE MUSIC DIRECTOR?

Aron Accurso takes the helm of his new musical as piano and conductor. He expertly leads the cast and the 9-piece orchestra in this production. Watching him in action from my seat I could tell that he knows the music of this show with metronomic precision, every beat is accounted for and communicated to the musicians and the cast with clarity. He is a master of the piano/conductor role as he balances leading the music and playing keyboard when necessary. His nimble playing is equally precise and musical.

The first draft of Up Here was completed in summer 2007 and now eight years later the first full production is here at the La Jolla Playhouse where my guess is its journey is just beginning. Anderson and Lopez know musical theater and with this show they prove that they know where contemporary musical theater is going—Up Here is certainly on the forefront of that. Enter the mind at the La Jolla Playhouse and see Up Here while it’s still here.