BROADWAY SNAP-SHOT,
13 December 1999
by Russell Bouthiller
MARIE CHRISTINE
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Audra MacDonald tried it once before, but this time around the belle of Broadway succeeds. In RAGTIME, her character failed to fully rid herself of the trials of motherhood. But, in the title role of MARIE CHRSITINE, Audra's basks in the glories of maternity and is not about to let anyone else take over. She'd just as soon see her little ones dead before she'd suffer such indignity. |
If all of this congers up images of Euripides' MEDEA, there is very good reason. MARIE CHRISTINE is a modern retelling of the Greek tragedy set in the Gay Nineties with original music and book penned by Michael John LaChiusa. Marie, the illegitimate daughter of a Creole father and a black West Indian mother, lives along the shores of Lake Pontchartrain just outside of New Orleans. One day, she encounters a white sea captain, Dante, played by the handsome Anthony Crivello, best known for his Tony-winning role in KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN. Though she first plays hard to get, in time Marie succumbs to his advances. The two soon defy the conventions of their respective societies and races and plunge headlong into the forbidden garden of romance.
Marie's brothers, Jean and Paris, are opposed to their sister's relationship with Dante. As her guardian, they feel compelled to point out that hers is a good life compared to most women of her color. They remind her of the problems their mother faced when she became involved with a white man. But, Marie Christine's love is far too strong and her situation far too advanced. She soon learns that she carries Dante's child and refuses to comply with her brothers' dictates. During a family celebration, Paris happens upon Marie and Dante attempting to make off with a valuable cache of her mother's jewels and a deadly battle ensues. In the blinding heat of frenzy, Marie kills Paris and the ill-fated lovers flee into the night.
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At the opening of Act II, five years have passed. Dante has returned to his native Chicago where racial prohibitions present a far more complex set of circumstances. He has embarked upon a career in politics while keeping Marie and their two sons in a shadowy, backwater section of town. He has grown distant and there is growing strife between them. Dante tells Marie of his plans to marry the daughter of a ruthless political boss and take his sons with him. Marie flies into a violent rage. Bewildered and betrayed, she refuses to give up either him or her sons. |
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Doomed by her past and fearful of her future, Marie pretends to concede to Dante's wishes. Using the voodoo sorcery taught to her by her mother, she kills Dante's new bride. When Dante confronts her for the last time, he realizes he is too late. When Dante rushes to confront her, he discovers that she has killed their own children, leaving Dante to live out his life with only his worldly ambitions to comfort him. Condemned to die, Marie Christine is well resigned to her shameful fate.
Whether or not you agree with the notion that we are about to end the millennium, MARIE CHRISTINE, stands without argument as one of the last newly conceived Broadway musicals of 1999. As we enter what will inevitably be touted as a new era, Michael John LaChiusa's New Age Opus Magnus may be the harbinger of things to come. Certainly, his score is currently regarded by some as a radical departure from the more conventional theatrical compositions of, say, a Frank Wildhorn or a Cy Coleman. Irreverent and experimental, this work is meant to evoke a response perhaps more cerebral than intuitive. As one of the "new breed" of composers, LaChiusa walks a fine line, somewhere between modern opera and the theatre of the avant-garde.
Written especially for Audra MacDonald, MARIE CHRISTINE is indeed challenging as a piece of musical tragedy. MacDonald, who earned Tony awards for each of her three Broadway appearances (CAROUSEL, MASTER CLASS and RAGTIME), provides her seemingly limitless vocal abilities for this demanding score. Audience members will find it difficult to strut out of the Vivian Beaumont Theatre, humming a happy tune. But, they'll remember MacDonald's performance as heartfelt and moving.
Under the direction and choreography of Graciela Daniele, the world of MARIE CHRISTINE is a doleful place. There are no bold flourishes of dance that serve to enliven the atmosphere. The themes of understatement and coolness present themselves in the grim scenic designs of Christopher Barreca and dark, muted costumes of Tony-Leslie James. Lighting designers Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer punctuate the atmosphere with methodically sharp shafts and defused washes. The able supporting cast spends the better part of the time on bleachers, occasionally chiming in like a Greek chorus. Brief moments of levity are provided by Mary Testa's character, Magdalena, whose vibrancy shines through in the dance hall turn "Cincinnati," early in the second act.
Director/Choreographer Daniele takes on the work of composer LaChiusa for the third time out at Lincoln Center. The two paired up for the productions of HELLO AGAIN and CHRONICLE OF A DEATH FORETOLD for which LaChiusa earned a 1997 Tony nomination. Daniele has earned ten Tony nominations of her own. Her many endeavors include such shows as ANNIE GET YOUR GUN, RAGTIME, THE GOODBYE GIRL, ONCE ON THIS ISLAND and THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD. Saturday and Wednesday matinees of MARIE CHRISTINE will be performed by Audra MacDonald's standby, Sherry Boone.
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