By Alan Jozwiak
That old expression “When pigs fly” is meant to suggest that something will never happen.
This advice is given to musical theatre kids as they aspire to put on a show that will amuse and amaze an audience.
Howard Crabtree’s When Pigs Fly shows how wrong this advice can be. NKU is producing this rarely produced gay comedic romp, which won the Outer Critics’ Circle and Drama Desk Awards and is all about making a life on the stage actually happen.
It Was the 90’s…
I saw the original off-Broadway production in 1996 on a New York arts tour while a student, so I really was excited to see this production. While I do not remember much of the plot, I do remember it being great fun with over-the-top outrageous costumes the likes of which I have not seen since.
Director Michael Hatton also saw that same production (it was his first experience with New York City theatre as a teenager) and is faithful to the frivolous, flippant, and frolicking nature of that production. Hatton has his performers act on a mock proscenium stage, complete with curtain and footlights, which spans across one half of the Aronoff Center’s 5/3rd Theatre (This production is off-campus because the NKU theater building is in the final stages of renovation. The new space should be ready for NKU’s next production of Anything Goes in November).
Performers in “Howard Crabtree’s When Pigs Fly”
Hatton brings together five wonderful, strong male performers to put on this musical review. Playing the titular role of Howard Crabtree (writer and costumer) is Charlie Norman. Norman’s sense of innocent energy is wonderful. He is also a great singer and dancer who brings great heart to the musical number. Finally, Norman has a great sense of humor and timing. He is able to milk the great befuddlement his character faces as he fights against the expectations of his high school guidance counselor Miss Roundhole (played by Jathan Briscoe) who wants him to consider a career in plumbing, garden supplies, watch repair, or chicken farming.
Howard’s catty coworker who constantly complains about the non-professional nature of the production is Bodie Moore. Moore is a strong singer, who does a wonderful job with the campy elements of the show. Moore has the central role within the number “Coming Attractions with Carol Ann” and does a great job being, at turns, catty and super serious while costumed in outrageous clothing.
The rest of the ensemble–Mark (Mark Schutzman), Jathan (Jathan Briscoe), and Luc (Luc Vandenbroek) all have their strong moments to shine. Schutzman does a great job with the three Torch Songs talking about the unattainability of some fairly famous people (I won’t tell who for fear of spoilers). Jathan shines as Miss Roundhole, and he provides backup in several numbers. Vanderbroek is also a strong backup singer who has lots of moments to own the stage.
Costumes are a MUST-SEE
The sixth character in this musical revue are the costumes, skillfully created by NKU Costume Designers Cat Schmeal-Swope and Missy J. White. There are some amazing costumes for the numbers (such as with the songs “Wear Your Vanity With Pride” and “Over The Top”). Because part of the delight of seeing this show is to be surprised by the costumes, I won’t go into details for fear of spoilers. I first came across Cat Schmeal-Swope’s work with the costuming done for the Carnegie’s production of Beautiful: The Carol King Musical. This work builds on the success of that production and makes Schmeal-Swope a force to contend with in the category of costuming.
In Conclusion
Overall, Howard Crabtree’s When Pigs Fly is a fun dynamic show that is sure to be an audience-pleaser. My only quibble with the show is that sometimes the breaking of the fourth wall by Howard and the other performers sometimes fell flat. I chalk this up more to the script, since it is surprisingly complex while also being very funny at the same time.
Tickets
Howard Crabtree’s When Pigs Fly runs September 27 to October 6, 2024 at the Fifth/Third Theatre black box at the Aronoff Center for the Arts. Click here for ticketing information.
