Shortly before the world paused in 2020, 59E59 theater hosted Penguin Rep’s production of Cary Gitter’s play The Sabbath Girl. (Original review here: manhattandigest.com, the sabbath girl is a predictable but pleasant tasting comedy.) The standard tale of “boy meets girl but it might flop due to cultural and religious differences” was sweet as hamantaschen and equally as harmless.
Now, Gitter has returned to his source material and, with Neil Berg as composer and co-lyricist, has turned it into a brisk 95 minute musical of the same name . Once again, 59E59 Street Theater is staging the work, conceived and directed by Joe Brancato.
Virtually nothing has changed from the play version, except for the cast. (The only actor to appear in both productions is Lauren Singerman, who impeccably portrays the Jewish Orthodox, disapproving sister Rachel to leading man, Seth (Max Wolkowitz).)
One need not have seen the earlier iteration to enjoy the tale of Italian-American art gallery owner Angie (Marilyn Caserta), her doting Nonna (Diana DiMarizio), Angie’s conflicted flings with first class egotist Blake, and Orthodox Seth-- and Rachel, the woman in Seth’ s life whose faith interferes with family matters.
Drawing heavily from Fiddler on the Roof, this tuner doesn’t break new ground musically nor thematically. Instead, it revisits the common storyline of two people from different worlds uniting peacefully and lovingly. Four years ago, we needed to desperately hear and heed that message. Today, we still do. Perhaps that is why Gitter and his team decided to make these characters sing. After all, songs in musical theater exist to heighten emotion and convey feelings that can’t be merely spoken.
Berg’s score has some fine moments, particularly in Rachel’s spiritual powerhouse ballad, “Something Bigger than Us” and in Angie’s 'I want' song, “A Life in Art.” Both Singerman and Caserta have remarkable voices and commanding stage presence.
Lyrically the songs often tread into elemental territory:
I have a life that’s smart, I have a world that inspires me/I have a life with heart, it’s what I was meant to be. I’m suddenly feeling so free, I’m suddenly turning the key.
It can’t always be Sondheim.
Scenic designers Christopher and Justin Swader have created an economically and all-encompassing set that nimbly transforms into the art gallery, a knish shop, and two apartments. (If only New York City apartments had such range!)
The Sabbath Girl musical arrives in Manhattan at just the right time, providing a cool and poignant respite from an oppressively humid summer. It’s also a chance for theater lovers to catch an innocuous & cute show before the fall season ramps up next month.
The Sabbath Girl is now playing Off-Broadway at 59E59 Theater (59 E. 59th Street between Park and Madison Ave.) through September 1st. For tickets and information, click here: 59e59.org, the sabbath girl a new musical.
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