From My Hometown, a buoyant musical filled with almost 40 R&B hits of the 1950s and '60, makes its triumphant return to Milwaukee. This is the third time since 1998 that the musical makes its appearance in the cozy Stackner Cabaret. The cabaret is the smallest of the theaters operated by the Milwaukee Repertory Theater. Cabaret audiences sit at tables, relaxing with drinks and desserts during the show.
The show debuted at Milwaukee Rep in 1998 and then traveled across the country. It had New York Off-Broadway runs at the Kirk Theater (2003) and the Gramercy Theater (2004). The current production of From My Hometown keeps the same plot: three young African-American men sing and dance their way to stardom. They first meet near Harlem's Apollo Theater, where they have come to audition for a precursor to TV's "American Idol." None of them is selected for the show, and thus starts their odyssey in this crowded and lonely city. The men are named informally after the places where they were raised: Philly, Detroit and Memphis. This signifies that the characters are really less interesting than the legacy of R&B music. So within this loose framework, the R&B hits keep rollin' along. The original opening tune, "From My Hometown," is a snappy way to get things going. The choreography is as slick as the songs, with all three men demonstrating excellent dance moves. Of course, they also take a moment to quickly run through the dances of the day, including the pony, watusi, jerk and mashed potato. But the music rules, from such well-known hits as "Chain Gang," "Working in a Coal Mine" and "Tobacco Road." Detroit (Maurice Murphy) hits a high point with his rendering of "Lonely Teardrops." Philly (Mykal Kilgore) does a nice star turn with, "Me and Mrs. Jones." But Memphis (Jonathan Butler-Duplesssis) has most of the juicy tunes, from a sexy, sassy rendition of "Walking the Dog" to "Try a Little Tenderness." When the three guys sing together, their silken harmonies are wonderful to hear. The musical is directed by Kevin Ramsey, who also contributed some of the choreography. A playwright as well as a director, some of Ramsey's other creations have graced the Stackner Cabaret, such as the memorable, "Sam Cooke: Forever Mr. Soul." Another memorable aspect of From My Hometown is the clever use of lighting and simple props to change the mood from one number to the next. However, one's sense of disbelief is shattered when the guys "find" identical wigs and hats for one number. The show has a lot going for it. Its mix of 20 percent dialogue to 80 percent songs seems about right. This time, the show's music is completely pre-recorded (the last production included a pianist). One guesses that budget cutbacks are the reason for eliminating the live music, although the absence of an onstage piano does give the actors more room to navigate the small stage. Finally, the show's upbeat ending gives the audience a good feeling at the end of the night.
