Route 66 Amps Up 'High Fidelity'

In a theoretical world, taking a hit movie which has an fantastic soundtrack and turning it into a Broadway musical would seem like a no brainer. It has been done quite successfully for the last several decades. However, for as many critically and monetarily successful transitions from movie to musical, there have been equally as many failures. One of the most recent and biggest was 2006's High Fidelity...The Musical, based on the cultish hit John Cusak movie which had its epicenter in Chicago's own Wicker Park. The show opened and closed within a week and half and makes Carrie, The Musical look like a monster hit in comparison.

So one has to question the wisdom when a relatively new production company wants to revive what seems something that should not be resuscitated. But, Route 66 Theatre Company has done just that, with some surprising results. Temporarily taking over the space occupied by Tony & Tina's Wedding at Piper's Alley, director Peter Armster has done his best with what is decidedly a book with little direction and lyrics by Amanda Green that treat the audience like kindergarten students.

High Fidelity, for those who haven't seen the film, follows the life and love of Rob, a vinyl record store owner who, with his duo of misfit employees, mature at a rate a bit slower then mainstream. The film explores five relationships that show Rob's evolution and subsequent realize of how his past actions effected and affected his personal life and allows for redemption of the main character. The musical, on the other hand, shoves the relationships in your face with no sense of evolution and in the final sense, where the film shows a growth of emotion in Rob, the musical assumes we actually cared in the first place about the lead. The musical also follows the film's use of 'Top 5' lists for breakups, etc.

What Route 66 has done with High Fidelity...The Musical is probably the best interpretation that can be had with the material given. Stef Tovar, does a yeoman's job in giving Rob any type of character arch. Mr. Tovar, who delighted us with one the best performances this city has seen in On An Average Day, is several years to old for Rob and the Tom Kitt's score is a tad out of his range. However, his on stage chemistry with Tracia Small's Laura, makes this show worth seeing. There is an earnest quality when the two share their short scenes together that are both believable and at times heartwarming. If only David Lindsay-Abaire's book gave the audience enough deference to actually delve into and understand what makes the two click.

As Rob's two store employees, Jonathan Wagner and Michael Mahler give the show some comic lift, however, Wagner's homage to Jack Black grows a tad old too quickly. Mr. Mahler's vocal skills are of immense use as during several production numbers, he gets the cast back on pitch when they too often go astray. Michael Webber is clearly having the most fun on stage with his Dom Deluise inspired Ian, a guru who is as altruistic as sexually addicted.

Technically, there were major sound issues on the evening I attended the production, with microphones going in and out, and levels that at times made even the dialogue inaudible. Adding to that, breaking character and using microphones for the musical numbers may work in Spring Awakening, High Fidelity is in no way in the same league as far as style or substance as the former.

It will be interesting to watch other evolutions of this musical. With some major rewrites, the show could absolutely work as a one act, after hours club show, finding it's own cult following as did the movie. For now we are left with an immensely talented cast wallowing in the mire of a book that doesn't understand the fundamentals on character development.

High Fidelity.....The Musical, plays through October 4, 2009 at Piper's Alley, 230 North Ave., Chicago. For tickets and show times, please visit www.HiFiChicago.com