For folks who think local theater has gotten too repetitive, has Santa Rosa’s 6th Street Playhouse got a show for you. Groundhog Day: the Musical.
Based on the popular 1993 film starring Bill Murray, it’s running (and running, and running…) in their GK Hardt Theatre through Feb. 23.
The show, with a book by the film’s co-writer (Danny Rubin) and music and lyrics by Tim Minchin (Matilda the Musical), opened in London’s West End in 2016 and was followed by a somewhat cursed (and brief) run on Broadway in 2017.
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. TV weatherman Phil Connors (Nelson Brown, alternating with Garet Waterhouse) is less than thrilled with his assignment to cover Punxsutawney Phil’s world-famous annual weather prediction. A bit of an egotist (and narcissist, and misogynist), Phil takes his frustration with his stalled career out on his producer, Rita (Michelle Pagano), his cameraperson and the residents of the town.
Trapped in town by a blizzard, Phil retreats to his B&B and buries himself under the covers. He awakes the next day to find it isn’t the next day; it’s the same day. The same thing happens again the next day, and the next, and the next. His initial confusion turns to delight in discovering he can get away with anything as everything just resets every morning.
That delight soon turns to depression as he grows bored with the situation. He finds himself actually trying to reach out and connect with people, especially Rita. How will he ever get out of this endless 24-hour circle of life?
Love, stupid.
The show, directed by David Lear, is a bit darker and more “adult” than I remember the film being and, despite some silly, amusing and inventive bits of comedy and stage magic, is really not for younger audiences.
It really benefits from the performances of its talented leads. Brown has just the right amount of smarm before eventual charm, and Pagano grounds the show with her down-to-earth performance.
There’s a lot of musical theater talent filling the diverse ensemble, including David Bradbury, Ted Smith, Katie Foster, Sam Minnifield and Mary Gannon Graham.
While the music is mostly—dare I say it—forgettable, it’s delivered with vigor under the musical direction of Lucas Sherman and a seven-piece backstage orchestra.
Groundhog Day: the Musical is no classic, but it will bring some light to these ever-growing dark days.
‘Groundhog Day: the Musical’ runs through Feb. 23 in the GK Hardt Theatre at 6th Street Playhouse, 52 W. 6th Street, Santa Rosa. Thurs-Sat, 7:30pm; Sun, 2pm. $29–$56. 707.523.4185. 6thstreeetplayhouse.com.
