The romanticism of grifters has been present in musical theater since before Harold Hill proclaimed “Ya Got Trouble” in “The Music Man. It is hard for anyone to resist charm and charisma, even when it is all part of a ruse to bilk some starved-for-something-to-believe-in townspeople out of their cold, hard cash.
Unfortunately, in the case of the musical “Leap of Faith” — on stage at Cleveland’s Blank Canvas Theatre — a clumsy storyline and superficial lyrics overshadow the hardworking, enthusiastic cast and prevent the audience from becoming true believers.
The 1997 comedy-drama film of the same name, starring Steve Martin and Debra Winger, was met with mixed reviews, as was the musical adaptation when it premiered on Broadway in 2012, closing after only 24 previews and 20 performances. The storylines are similar, but Janus Cercone teamed up with Warren Leight to adapt her script for the stage, tweaking some plot points and adding and redefining some characters.
When Jonas Nightingale, a part-time faith healer and full-time swindler, comes to the Midwest town of Sweetwater with his sister, Sam, and their Angels of Mercy, they pitch their tent and invite everyone to their revival in hopes of trading in a few fancy miracles for a few fancy bucks.
Standing in their way is Sheriff Marla McGowan, who is determined to keep Jonas from getting his hands on her townspeople’s money — and especially from using her son, Jake. We learn that a car accident has claimed the life of Marla’s husband and has left Jake physically disabled.
However, Jonas and Marla are attracted to one another and realize they both need to face certain things about their own lives to take that leap of faith to find honest happiness.
The unfortunate issue with this musical is that there seems to be no time for any of the characters to truly evolve. As a result, the relationships and chemistry between the characters seem forced. Major plot points happen too quickly, while others feel underdeveloped.
Also, some of the songs in Alan Menken’s score are entertaining, but Glenn Slater’s lyrics are awkward in spots, and although they are meant to move the story forward, they do not really do it justice.
The good news is that Patrick Ciamacco, a veritable one-man band — he’s the show’s director, set and technical director and projection and sound designer — always utilizes the space in a creative way. And he has a good eye for how his set and projections can add some pizzazz to his productions. He also hit the jackpot with Sarah Clare and her fabulous choreography, which helps overshadow the problems with some of the songs. Matthew Dolan has a really tight group of musicians, but at times, they overpower some of the vocals.
Ultimately, this production lies in the hands of the cast, made up of talented and engaging performers, some of whom are more successful at making up for the lackluster story than others.Kate Leigh Michalski manages to find the heart and soul of Marla. She has an extremely natural quality about her, with a voice that is both lovely and colorful, and she uses her wry wit effectively to cover up her character’s sadness.
Shane Patrick O’Neill has the powerful voice to carry Jonas’ big, rousing numbers, but he falls short of hooking the audience. He never fully taps into the root of his character’s flaws and portrays a more superficial reverend, which makes it hard to feel enough empathy for him.
We connect most to O’Neill during his scenes with Colin Primrose, the only child in the cast. The latter more than holds his own as Jake, who blames himself for the car accident that killed his father. Primrose gives an honest and earnest performance, allowing for give-and-take between himself and his scene partners.
Amy Pilgrim’s strong vocals as Sam lend themselves perfectly to her songs, especially the duet “People Like Us” with Michalski. But her character never gets far enough beyond “angsty,” never quite unpeeling the layers needed for Sam to have enough likability.
Neda Spears has the spunk, the heart and the voice for the role of Ida Mae, although some of her upper register gets lost among the powerful ensemble voices. Kyla Burks is a standout as Ornella, Ida Mae’s daughter and loyal member of Jonas’ ministry. Burks’ fabulous voice gives the show the jolt it needs towards the end, and Ornella’s brass and confidence are a force to be reckoned with as her brother Isaiah, aptly played by Emmanuel Stewart, tries to get her and Ida to walk on the right side of the law.
Overall, while the production may not make us “Rise Up” as the inspiring opening number demands, kudos must be given to Blank Canvas for its constant effort to bring different material to the stage.
And in this case, the message of having faith in one’s self is a message worth receiving.
‘Leap of Faith’
Continues through July 22 at Black Canvas Theatre, W. 78th St.. Suite 211, Cleveland. For tickets, $25, call 440-941-0458 or visit blackcanvastheatre.com.
