“Some Like It Hot” revives the exhilarating, high-energy dance breaks that musical theatre lovers crave.
The 2022 musical is based on the 1959 movie by the same name starring Marilyn Monroe. Many of the original details of the movie are included, like the time frame and the social issues that are addressed, including racism and transgender visibility.
This musical, centered around the Prohibition era, gives light to what an “alcohol free” America looks like…with lots of alcohol of course!
Consistently filling the audience with bursts of laughter, including these reviewers, “Some Like it Hot” lives up to its musical comedy description. Combining the original source material with a fresh set of jokes worked well to keep the audience entertained and created many unexpected moments of comic relief.
This comic relief was a great way to create a balance alongside the stressful situational irony the main characters encounter. After witnessing a mobster murder, Joe (Matt Loehr) and Jerry (Tavis Kordell) need an escape route.
Naturally, they start crossdressing in order to tag along with an all-female band on their way to California, led by their lead singer Sugar (Leandra Ellis-Gaston).
Ellis-Gaston electrifies the stage, embodying her character Sugar with a fierce independence and sultry charm. Her performance is equal parts playful and powerful, making it impossible to look away and leaving the audience in anticipation of her next step.
A sense of community and love among the girls forms when Josephine, Joe’s female alter ego, covers for Sugar when she is caught with a flask.
Another supporting performance is given by Edward Juvier as Osgood, a lovesick millionaire. In his heartfelt declaration he reassures Jerry, in his female persona Daphne, that love transcends fear and her other insecurities.
When the mobsters reach San Diego near the end of the musical, a wild, cartoonish chase sequence straight out of a classic screwball comedy bursts out on stage. This sequence calls back to the beginning of the show when the characters ran away from the mobsters in the first place. In a brilliantly staged dance break, our beloved and not so beloved characters dash through a maze of doors, weaving in and out with impeccable timing. The runaway sequence is pure Broadway magic with fast and frantic charm.
The Tony Award-winning musical is currently on tour, with upcoming stops in Tucson and St. Louis. Some like it hot—so don’t miss your chance to see it while it’s sizzling! You can catch it in Tempe, Arizona before the final curtain on Sunday, Feb. 16 at ASU Gammage. Tickets are currently available here.