“When You Walk Through A Storm” has always been one of those overly-sentimental overdone songs that make me cringe … until I heard the glorious voice of Renee Fleming as Aunt Nettie singing it in the revival Lincoln Center of Carousel at The Imperial Theater. It was like hearing an angelic hymn. Never have I heard the song so beautifully sung. The 1945 musical was the second collaboration by Rogers and Hammerstein, their first after the astounding success of Oklahoma! Carousel is based upon Liliom, a 1909 play by Hungarian playwright Ference Molnar. The dark story tells of carnival barker Billy Bigelow who hits his wife. Desperate for money after learning that she’s pregnant, he tries to rob a local businessman but is foiled. Rather than be captured by the police, he commits suicide. After his death, he goes for judgment and gets the chance to return to earth for one day to help his daughter. Now a young woman, she is bitterly ostracized by other children for having a father who was a wife-beater and a thief. Joshua Henry (The Scottsdale Boys) stars as the arrogant Billy Bigelow, self-assured and cocky. Henry is attractive in a tight form-fitting shirt. He clenches his fists and physically shows his emotions. He has a magnificent strong voice and his rendition of “Soliloquy” brings tears to the eyes. In contrast is Julie, portrayed by the lovely, even-tempered Jessie Mueller, a Broadway favorite having starred in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical and Waitress. Mueller’s Julie shows patience and forgiveness and the temperament of a long-suffering wife. Although she doesn’t have the soprano range needed for songs like “If I Loved You,” her legion of fans won’t care. Fortunately, this revival seems more focused on the songs and the dances than on the story. The book feels weak and dated. Some claim that the wife abuse makes the story feel dated, but sadly, it remains all too prevalent. When characters say that Billy has beaten Julie, both Julie and Billy reject the idea, saying that he only hit her. Later, when Billy gets physical with Louise, the young daughter he’s returned to help, he slaps her hand. She says it felt like a kiss not a blow. The show’s weakness come from the dialogue of characters like Carrie Pipperidge, Julie’s best friend. Lindsay Mendez is in fine voice and gives a delightful performance as the naive outspoken Carrie. She is funny and a bit gullible. When she’s “hit” on by men, she seems totally unaware. The humor is like old-fashioned vaudeville. (Yet surprisingly, many in our audience did laugh.) Alexander Gemignani sings beautifully as Enoch Snow, Carrie’s intended. The inclusion of more dance numbers has added depth and texture to the musical. Justin Peck, resident choreographer of the New York City ballet, has created movements that “flesh” out the characters. Amar Ramasar, a principal dancer of the NYC ballet, plays Jigger Craigin, a menacing sailor who plans the robbery with Billy. Ramasar performs a marvelous character-establishing dance with “Blow High, Blow Low.” Director Jack O’Brien brings new energy to a wonderful classic. Despite weaknesses in the story, the singers and dancers make it vital and energetic. You will leave the theater humming . . . I did.
