‘Rocky’ at Blank Canvas review: Admirable swing, but too few punches land

In his director’s note, Patrick Ciamacco says of the Blank Canvas Theatre that “much like Rocky Balboa, BCT has always been a bit of an underdog.” He goes on to say that he “would rather take a risk and do something new, knowing that we may get knocked down for trying it … but rest assured, we will be back up before we are counted out, to … take another risk.”

Ciamacco is true to his word, choosing his seasons with intention and providing a home for interesting material, obscure works and Cleveland premieres, as well as for diverse casts of actors taking their own risks and honing their crafts while bringing material to life. Sometimes these actors land their punches, and sometimes they miss.

The Cleveland premiere of “Rocky,” on stage at Blank Canvas, has some hits and some misses but also a lot of heart.

There probably aren’t many people who have never seen the 1976 movie “Rocky,” which catapulted Sylvester Stallone, its star (and writer), to stardom. You may have even shouted out a “Yo, Adrian!” a couple of times. But what may come as a surprise is that the character of Rocky Balboa is loosely based on real-life fighter Chuck Wepner, and the inspiration for the film itself comes from the night that Stallone, at a theater in Los Angeles, watched a dramatic fight between Wepner and Muhammad Ali that took place in Cleveland, and it prompted him to go home and immediately knock out a script for the film.

Fast forward to 2014, when this musical version of “Rocky,” with book and lyrics by Thomas Meehan and Stallone himself and music and lyrics by the famed Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, opened on Broadway. The reception was lukewarm, and the show closed after six months. It seems that the highlight of the Broadway production was the exhilarating, climactic fight choreography and special effects at the end of the show, overshadowing the love story between Rocky and the timid Adrian.

In the Blank Canvas production, however, that love story is the heart of the production and is what keeps us hanging in there through the 15th and final round.

The story closely follows the plot of the movie. Rocky (Michael Snider) is a collector for a loan shark, although his heart isn’t really in it. He likes to hang out at a boxing gym managed by Mickey (John Lynch), who doesn’t seem to want to give Rocky a break because he feels he is wasting his potential. The only bright spot for Rocky is a sweet, shy pet store clerk named Adrian (Carolyn Demanelis), who is his pal Paulie’s (Steve Brown) sister. When the opportunity to fight heavyweight champion Apollo Creed (Matt Deus) comes along, Rocky convinces Mickey to train him.

In the film, we are on the edge of our seats as tensions between Rocky and Apollo continue to simmer, and the training becomes more intense and exciting as we — quietly at first and loudly at last — root for Rocky to overtake the champ. Unfortunately, this production does not offer the same thrills. The tension between Rocky and Apollo and the chemistry between Snider and Deus are so crucial to this part of the story, and they simply are not there.

Deus has a smooth, rich singing voice, but his characterization of Apollo, based on Ali, has too much humor in his bravado and egoism with no aggressive edge. There is not enough push-pull between them and no building of an antagonistic relationship.

Fortunately, in other aspects of the story, the chemistry between actors is very much alive.

The character of Rocky is synonymous with Stallone, so it is hard to imagine anyone else doing the role justice, but Snider is a perfect casting choice. He brings a fresh kind of realism, vulnerability and strength to the character. His approach adds a different dimension and likability from the beginning, and his big voice handles his big songs with ease.

The doe-eyed Demanelis balances Snider’s larger-than-life persona with the quiet insecurity we expect from Adrian. And in the scene where she finally explodes at Paulie, she commands the stage without betraying her character with superficial anger. She manages to show us layers of anger, hurt, confidence, and tough love. Her voice is lovely and unique, tender and belty, and we are rooting for Rocky and Adrian as a couple, not just because the plot dictates it but because of the actors’ chemistry.

Other notable performances include Lynch, as Mickey, and Brown, as Paulie. They are both gruff around the edges, with a soft side, and can cover a broad range of emotions.

The ensemble is uneven in terms of acting and vocals, and in some cases they seem unprepared musically, missing some entrances and cues. But some of the actual score works against them, and very few songs, if any, are memorable.

Blank Canvas regularly makes the most of its small space by using innovative projections instead of bulky sets. This is the first time that the projections seem distracting in spots, like when Rocky and Paulie have projected flowers on their faces, or actors have a cityscape moving across their faces and bodies. Sometimes this effect is interesting, but it often it is jarring and takes us out of the moment.

So … does there seem to be a compelling reason for “Rocky” to be a musical? Not really. It would play well as a stage show, but the music, at least this music, gets in the way. But does this Cleveland premiere seem to be a worthwhile risk for Blank Canvas? Sure it does. It aligns with everything that Patrick Ciamacco so articulately stated about BCT and more: It is different, it has heart, it provides challenging roles for actors, and it is ambitious, providing the kind of technical challenge that Ciamacco and his team seem to love and meet head-on.

Blank Canvas always comes out swinging.

‘Rocky’

Continues through Dec. 16 at Blank Canvas Theatre, 1305 W. 78th St., Suite 211, Cleveland. For tickets, $25, call 440-941-0458 or visit blackcanvastheatre.com.