GLENS FALLS — The second act of the heartwarming yet forgettable musical “Tuning In” at Adirondack Theatre Festival surpasses the first act in both quality and length. This portion of the show features exceptional singing, engaging comedy, and stunning costumes.
However, it’s important to note that the first 80 minutes of the production are shockingly mediocre. It feels as though the evolution of musical theater over the past 60 years has been completely ignored. While it may not be a glowing compliment to say the second act is better than the first, it does offer more entertainment, moves at a faster pace, and prevents leaving the theater with a sense of dissatisfaction and wasted resources.
“Tuning In”
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
Where: Adirondack Theatre Festival at the Charles R. Wood Theater, 207 Glen St., Glens Falls
Running time: Two hours and 20 minutes, including one intermission
Continues: 2 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday and Tuesday, 2 p.m. Wednesday
Tickets: $25 to $49
Info: 518-480-4878 and atfestival.org/event
The decision by Miriam Weisfeld, the producing artistic director of ATF, to stage “Tuning In” is puzzling. Her previous choices, such as “The Hobbit” and “The Chinese Lady,” showcased her ability to select captivating productions. Additionally, “Pump Up the Volume,” which is Broadway-bound, further demonstrates her talent in recognizing exceptional shows. Therefore, it’s perplexing why she would choose a production like “Tuning In,” which is filled with clichés and uninspired songwriting.
During her opening remarks on Friday, Weisfeld mentioned that “Tuning In” was initially scheduled for the 2020 season, which was canceled due to the pandemic. It is possible that Weisfeld felt obligated to honor a commitment made by her predecessor, Chad Rabinovitz, who presented “Tuning In” at Bloomington Playwrights Project in Indiana while concurrently running ATF for seven years.
Once you become aware of the Rabinovitz connection, the overtly cheesy nature of “Tuning In” and its attempts to please the audience start to make more sense. However, this realization doesn’t provide much solace as you watch talented actors and musicians perform 25 songs and 22 costume changes in their efforts to save the retirement community and its radio station from an evil developer.
The main characters, portrayed by Joel Newsome, Erica Evans, Joy Hermalyn, Michael Marotta, Joel Blum, Gabrielle Lee, and Audrey Heffernan Meyer, bring undeniable talent to their underdeveloped roles. Nathan Mittleman excels in multiple roles as the young engineer, dance captain, and tap choreographer of the radio station. The ensemble, consisting of ATF alumni, also delivers commendable performances. Roberto Russo, credited in the cast list as the developer, is intentionally omitted from the program, which could be a deliberate choice considering the exaggerated nature of his villainous character. If his mustache were any longer, he would undoubtedly twirl it with maniacal laughter.
The music and lyrics for “Tuning In” were written by Larry Kass, a talented doctor and medical professor from Ohio with a passion for piano and old-time radio. His ability to quickly compose tunes is evident in his accomplishment of creating 25 songs for “Tuning In” in just one week. However, with a biography stating that he has written nearly 4,000 songs of different genres in the past three years, one must question the depth and quality of his compositions.
The book for “Tuning In” is attributed to Kass, his wife Sara, Ron Newell, and George Pinney, who also directed the production. Unfortunately, the involvement of these individuals does not seem to have improved the book, as it relies on stock characters, lacks proper structure, and features dialogue that borders on self-parody. With a slight exaggeration, a comedy, drag, or puppet troupe could transform “Tuning In” into a hilarious show worth watching.
