Review of “Finian’s Rainbow” (St. James Theater ‘09-‘10 season

By Susan Granger

Undoubtedly, there’s “Something Sort of Grandish” about this timely revival of E.Y. Harburg/Burton Lane/Fred Saidy’s glorious 1947 musical about a fantastical plan to harvest a pilfered pot of gold. In the newly adapted book by David Ives, it’s become an acquisitive social satire with a sprinkling of folklore and lots of sumptuous songs.

    As the story goes, Finian McLonergan (Jim Norton), a whimsical, blarney-filled Irish immigrant, and his wistful daughter Sharon (Kate Baldwin) arrive in the fictional state of Missintucky with the fabled treasure he’s stolen from the leprechaun Og (Christopher Fitzgerald). Passing through tobacco-rich Rainbow Valley, they befriend Woody Mahoney (Cheyenne Jackson), his graceful, mute sister Susan (Alina Faye), who dances her dialogue, and the racially mixed sharecroppers, while confronting bigoted Senator Rawkins (David Schramm), whom Sharon inadvertently turns into a black man (Chuck Cooper) so he can experience discrimination firsthand. Not surprisingly, under the spell of “That Old Devil Moon,” Sharon falls for Woody, libidinous Og plaintively laments, “When I’m Not Near the Girl I Love” and pompous Senator Rawlins is enlightened.

    By cleverly casting both a white actor and a black actor as the Senator, director/choreographer Warren Carlyle artfully avoids the original version’s now-politically incorrect use of blackface. Wily, mischievous Jim Norton, bewitching Kate Baldwin, charming Cheyenne Jackson, impish Christopher Fitzgerald and their exuberant cohorts are sensational, particularly Terri White’s showstopper “Necessity.”

    One of my favorite childhood memories is sitting backstage with my friend, Bonnie Logan, while her mother, Ella Logan, and David Wayne performed “Finian’s Rainbow” at the Los Angeles Philharmonic. I was dazzled then – and even more so with this current production. Bravo!