The World According To Micki Grant

I always love finding a hidden gem off off Broadway. The New Federal Theater in its new digs (or temporary, not sure) produced "The Life According To Micki Grant". Directed by Nora Cole, (I wasn't given a program), this musical focuses on the life of Minie Perkins, she became Micki by nickname and Grant after her first husband. "He was a good man so I kept his name," she tells us.

The show has incredible projection as well as lighting which virtually replaces the very plain staging in this musical. It also has four talented actors, three women and one man. I will call the three women: green dress, salmon dress and purple dress. All three portray this talented woman who wrote her first poem at 8 and had it published at 14. Grant would go on and write many songs for radio, theater and other singers.

"Micki Grant" for the first 50 minutes was very good; the last 30 minutes was slow at times, confusing at times and lost a bit on Grant's timelines as an artist. The musical would circle back to the past when the writing should have been bringing the plot near the end of her career. Instead, we get the "Working" musical, "Your Arms Are Too Short God"., her first commercial radio success in "Pink Shoe Laces" The reprise of the shows and her songs is too repetitive; instead it should have gone further in her biography.

As singers, the women are all talented, the green dress had a crisp voice, she brought a sexiness to her role; the purple dress at times had an operatic voice and other times, soulful. The salmon dress was the most diversified in that she was popish and more mainstream as a singer. The three blend well throughout the show as does the male actor. Although the male changes people and plays many characters, he is a terrific tap dancer and a singer.

If this musical can tighten itself up, it could be a well received show. As a musical it has fun, easy songs; good comedy at times and good choreography to it. The problem with it is that Grant's accomplishments are never explained enough, rather glossed over to some extent and then they are brought back up later in the show. The plot should be more compartmentalized and this would make the musical flow better.

............................................................................................................

Read my review of "Breaking The Story" coming out June 5th. Saw it this Friday night and there is a block till opening night which is scheduled for June 4th. In my review I go into detail about the actors, the direction, the sound and the skilled projection. Can Maggie Siff of Billions carry the show? Are the actors all good? Find out if I liked the writing, or not.

Today is "My True Love". This show takes place in the Village and is promising, but, we will see how good it is.

The normally quite summer months is having some shows coming both on and off Broadway. I am looking forward to "Empire" at The New World Stages. The World Stages is becoming fast the off Broadway house! Having several great shows over the last six years. it Rivals Signature, 59E59, Theater Row, The Cell and The Public as the epicenter of off Broadway! Oh Mary! will play end June, "Once Upon A Mattress" will play at the Hudson end July. This show transferred from City Center. "Forbidden Broadway" originally scheduled for Broadway, will play at Eric Krebs 555 Theater. "The Roommate" will play end August at The Booth Theatre.

#Broadway Bib, www.nimbusmagizine.org, Mann About Town, RPublications, Tony Awards, Obie Awards, Robert Downey Jr, George Clooney, Jessica Lange, Shakespeare, The Kit Kat Club, Hamilton, Once Upon A Mattress, Patty LuPone, Booth Theatre.