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A CurtainUp Review
What's it All About? Bacharach Reimagined

"People my age know his name as something floating in the ether but don't understand the breadth of his accomplishment... We're inviting you to our basement while we jam out. Oh, and by the way, we just happen to be obsessed with Burt Bacharach." — Kyle Riabko, creator/arranger/singer/musical director.
What It's All About
Front Row: Nathaly Lopez, Laura Dreyfuss, Kyle Riabko; Back Row: James Williams, James Nathan Hopkins, Daniel Woods, Daniel Bailen (Photo by Eric Ray Davidson).
What's it all about? It's about dusting off Burt Bacharach's songbook and presenting it to younger audiences with updated arrangements, seven wildly talented musician/singers and a first-rate creative production. Judging from early audience responses at the New York Theatre Workshop, the 90-minute revue, What's It All About? Bacharach Reimagined, flows.

Kudos to Christine Jones and Brett Banakis who designed a curiously quaint setting. It's worth arriving a bit early just to look at the rugs covering the theater walls, remindful of a late '60's smoky basement. Sofas along the sides offer seats to a few audience members, guitars hang on the back wall and two loveseats are perched high on either side with vintage lamps scattered around the floor.

After a short introduction by singer/guitarist/arranger Kyle Riabko ( Spring Awakening ), it's nonstop songs— recognizable but rejuvenated with folk, soft rock and hip hop updates, and mostly set in streamlined vignettes. Director Steven Hoggett ( Once ) keeps things fluid with two revolving platforms and creative vocal and instrumental transitions. The 20-something cast is precisely stylized in their moves and positions, pushing sofas and instruments around the stage and positioning themselves for the next song.

At the top of the show, the darkened theater is filled with a full-volume piano pasticcio of classics and jazz, rising and racing until stage lamps slowly flicker on and Kyle Riabko is on stage. After a few signature rhythmic chords, his gentle "Anyone Who Had a Heart" draws the other six players and singers one at a time from the sides, back and various sofas. The look is '60's or '70's but the sound is today.

Two vague love stories evolve, mostly through pairing and mixing songs. Outstanding are "Message to Michael," "On My Own" and "Do You Know the Way to San Jose" — gassed up and ready to go. Most songs are deconstructed, reassembled and highlighted with interspersed theme tags like the recurring "What's It All About?" and "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head." An electric guitar pokes in with "When you get caught between the moon and New York City" ( Arthur ).

One creative segment begins as Riabko lovingly enfolds Laura Dreyfus in his arms as he strums his guitar, followed by the unplugged ensemble, cynically wondering, "What's It All About?" Always evident is the Bacharach touch of unusual phrasing, syncopated rhythms and jazz harmonies.

The project was conceived by musical director and arranger Riabko with David Lane Selter. Riabko has a light voice (used especially effectively in his soulful "A House is Not a Home") and strong guitar chops. He is undeniably the head man of the skilled ensemble. Those not mentioned earlier include Daniel Bailen on bass, James Nathan Hopkins on keyboards, guitarist. Daniel Woods and James Williams on percussion. The females, Dreyfuss ( Once ) and Nathaly Lopez, are main vocalists. Lopez gives one of the more powerful vocal renditions with "Don't Make Me Over."

Adding to the atmospheric scenic design, lighting designer Japhy Weideman enlivens and rejuvenates the Bacharach music while sound effects by Clive Goodwin add drama to the ballads and theatricality and humor to the more upbeat tunes. The cast is casually dressed in Andrea Lauer's young vintage look.

While I hoped they would not end the show with the obvious salute to friendship, "What The World Needs Now is Love," that's just what they do in an energetic mash-up. Then, surprise! A quick return for a fresh and quirky "What's New, Pussycat?" But wait. . . the show is still not over. As the audience exits the theater they are greeted on the street with the cast strumming ukeleles to the lilting "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head," a delight for everyone, including passer-bys.

This is a show that's ideally set in this small theater. The energy and intimacy achieved inside and outside New York Theatre Workshop makes the production as special as the reinvigorating of some of the most popular hit songs of the era.

What's it All About? Bacharach Reimagined
Music by Burt Bacharach, Lyrics by Hal David and others
Directed by Steven Hoggett
Cast: Daniel Bailen, Laura Dreyfuss, James Nathan Hopkins, Nathaly Lopez, Kyle Riabko, James Williams, and Daniel Woods
Musical Arrangements and Direction: Kyle Riabko
Scenic Design: Christine Jones and Brett Banakis
Costume Design: Andrea Lauer
Lighting Design: Japhy Weideman
Sound Design: Clive Goodwin
Production Stage Manager: Lindsey Turteltaub
Running Time: 80 minutes. No intermission
New York Theatre Workshop, 79 East 4 Street, between Bowery and Second Avenue
Tickets: Starting $85. At www.nytw.org
Tues-Wed. at 7pm; Thurs-Fri. at 8pm. Sat. at 3pm and 8pm. Sun at 2pm and 7pm.
From 11/19/13. Opens: 12/5/13. Closing: 1/5/14--extended, closing 2/16/14
Review by Elizabeth Ahlfors based on performance 12/2/13
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