Golden Boy began life as a drama, written by Clifford Odets for the Group Theater in the 1930s. It espoused a sense of gritty realism, which matched the philosophy of this new dynamic group. Made into a film with William Holden (making his debut) and Barbara Stanwyck in 1939, Golden Boy was rewritten as a musical in the 1960s, with a book by Odets, music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Lee Adams, as a specific vehicle for Sammy Davis, Jr., who was already a star. Just before the first rehearsal, Odets died. After a delay, William Gibson helped to rewrite the book. In 1964, the Broadway show went on to polish Sammy Davis' stardom.
This re-worked musical, for which composer and lyricist Charles Strouse has written five new songs, opens with a dynamic Prologue titled, "Workout Song." Led by Frank Mastrone, who plays Tokio, the head trainer, it is thrillingly staged, with fighters sparring against a black background. (Later, Mastrone also impresses in a poetic new piece, "Butterfly."). Then, although there are moments along the way, it is three long hours until we have something else to be excited about.
Ten minutes before the finale comes the requisite fight scene between Joe Bonaparte, the naive and egotistical young fighter, portrayed by an eager young Rodney Hicks, and Frank Lane, the older, champion, played slickly by David St. Louis, followed by Doug Eskew's show-stopping rendition of "Everything Can Be Lovely In The Morning." Eskew was Big Moe in Five Guys Named Moe, and he's wonderful as Joe's father, who despairs of his son's desire to fight as opposed to his going to the medical school to which he's been accepted. I will never forget Sammy in the 1968 London production. However, but for his dazzling performance and a beautiful young dancer named Lola Falana, the show was slim to say the least, with only two memorable songs: "This is the Life," and "I Wanna Be With You."
Here, even Strouse's additional songs and lyrics, sung and danced by a mostly vibrant cast; jazzy arrangements by Strouse and musical director George Caldwell; Willie Rosario's exciting choreography that punctuates the boxers' tempi; David Gallo's elaborately stunning set, a series of black angles dramatically lit from the 16 spokes of a wheel hanging from the ceiling (designed by Robert Wierzel); and appropriate costumes by Paul Tazewell, cannot overcome the inherent weakness of this work. Golden Boy lumbers with a redundant and dated message, an unbelievable premise, and a meandering score. Hicks as Joe has a hard time sustaining this long part, particularly in the love scenes. He is not helped by Nana Visitor, who can neither sing nor act in the part of Lorna Moon, Joe's white love interest. Harriet D. Foy and Milton Craig Nealy develop real-life characterizations as the Jeffersons, Joe's sister and brother-in-law. Their spirited and ironic performing of "Natural African Man," a charming new song, is one of the highlights in an otherwise tedious evening.
