On The Record

Reviewed by Holly Bartges

The Garner Galleria Theatre celebrates the life and music of “The Voice,” “The Chairman of the Board,” the Man himself: Frank Sinatra. For 60 years Sinatra turned vocal music upside down and sideways. Up until he came along, orchestra treated vocalists almost as an afterthought. Introducing phrasing, he brought the vocalist to center stage, and music has never been the same since.

Andrew Samonsky and Ashley Brown from Disney’s On The Record Photo by Joan Marcus

On the record, Disney spells magic. On the record, Disney spells guaranteed fun. On the record, even Mickey Mouse can make a mistake every now and then. On the record, Mickey should have been there.

The Disney musical On The Record currently playing at the Temple Buell Theatre indulges itself with a good many “could-of’s” and “should-of’s,” underestimating their magnetic following.

On The Record could-of been wondrously, magically charming. It could-of been a summer highlight. It could-of been the talk of the town. It could-of been, but it’s not. As long as it stands in its stark, sterile, too clean recording studio atmosphere with black costumes, singing songs with Muzac cadence, On The Record won’t be anything but a disappointment.

Disney had the idea everyone loves the Disney songs and would be thrilled just to hear the music no matter how it was presented, but they forgot one small item. The beloved Disney songs are nothing without the Disney characters that so magically bring them to life. Had it not been for the extraordinary characters most of these songs would never have been heard.

A little boy sitting immediately behind me on opening night plentifully asked some five minutes into the production, “Is Mickey Mouse coming out?” I couldn’t hear what his father said. The little boy’s voice will haunt me for a long time. His tone is the song I will remember most about On The Record.

Featuring 60 songs from several Disney animated films including: Cinderella, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, The Lion King, Sleeping Beauty, Alice In Wonderland, The Jungle Book, Aladdin, Peter Pan, and The Little Mermaid spanning 75 years, Disney set itself down in a recording studio with eight vocalists who ran through the songs as though trying to keep up with Lance Armstrong on the Tour de France. Divided into 15 Sessions, each with a specific concept, across the boards the themes lost their way in the shuffle.

The cast features Ashley Brown, Brian Sutherland, Kaitlin Hopkins, Andrew Samonsky, Leo Ash Evans, Meredith Inglesby, Keewa Nurullah, and Ian Rhodes. No doubt they are probably all accomplished artists, but what they were given to work with, doesn’t give them opportunity to showcase their talents.

Directed and choreographed by Robert Longbottom, there is basic dancing with no choreography, and with some of the actors there is little dancing.

During the second act, there is a smidgeon of what might have been with a short video of The Beauty and the Beast to accompany “Be My Guest,” sung in Japanese, French, German, Swedish, and English highlighting the fact Beauty and The Beast has been translated into 28 languages. If there is a highlight to On The Record, this is it, but it lasted only a few short minutes.

It is difficult to imagine Disney could be dull, but dull is exactly what fits On The Record.

Longneck microphones looked like they were aluminum giraffe rejects for The Lion King. The orchestra sitting in cubicles in two huge rolling towers takes the edge off some of the boredom with having the musicians in full sight. Even so, with the context, the music lacks pizzazz, and character.

Character. That is what is needed. Not one character, but several. Forget the recording studio. Who would want to buy a CD of these fast paced songs anyway?

If Mickey and Minnie Mouse had emceed this program, if a video of all of the Disney movies had been put together, a truly wonderful, memorable, magical story could have been told that would charm the socks off that haunting voice belonging to a small boy, who by the way didn’t return after Intermission.

Deciding to dress the cast in black until the Finale when they all appear in red is slightly too little too late. On The Record begged for color. Considering they are at a recording studio, the fancy sequined outfits are definitely in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The simulated corrugated wall covering wrapped around the stage proved to provide some of the most interesting moments with colored lights throwing intriguing shadows, which, of course, had absolutely nothing to do with Disney or Disney songs.

It is almost inconceivable that the “Powers That Be” at Disney would consider the existing concept to be a fun, enthralling, delectable, delightful experience. It is almost inconceivable Denver Center Attractions would even consider booking this Disney pabulum debacle without pizzazz, charm or magic.

Mickey Mouse could have been there. Mickey Mouse should have been there, and Disney could still make money. If that is indeed what Disney wanted to do.

Somewhere there is a thin storyline surrounding the characters recording, but far too tissue paper thin to consider, much less talk about. There are slender moments when one thinks, “Oh, there must be a story here,” but the moments fade quickly.

If the thought behind On The Record is that people who love Disney will love the music no matter what form it comes in, are sadly mistaken. The music did not make the characters, the characters made the music.

I’m with the little boy with the plaintiff voice, “Is Mickey Mouse coming out?” He could, and he should.