Carnivorous houseplants. Homicidal barbers. Psychotic wives and mothers. Miserable lives lived in figurative and literal Hell. Sometimes it feels like there’s no place too dark or outrageous for contemporary musical theater. If presented well, with talent to match, audiences will embrace any “horror” and clamor for more. But sometimes what sounds like a scary plot (like a mad killer on the loose?) is packed with so much musical talent and yes, joy, that it defies classification. Unless one is looking for colorful, beautifully executed, concert-level escapist fun.
Best placed in the “escapist fun” category is 1992’s musical film, The Bodyguard, starring Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston: a dramatic, romantic, killer of a thriller, widely embraced by audiences, if not all critics at the time. Its action-packed plot line of an ex-Secret Service agent hired to serve as bodyguard for a superstar pop singer whose life is threatened by an insane stalker is peppered with violent blow-ups (both external and between these two dominant personalities who – you guessed it! – fall in love).
Still, one might assume, at least in theory, that this story is more suited for your typical action movie than a musical. Except for what made this movie so special was its real-life star, Whitney Houston, playing fictional superstar Rachel Marron whilst belting out Houston songs. World renowned numbers like her covers of “I Will Always Love You” and “I’m Every Woman,” Oscar nominated, “I Have Nothing” and “Run to You,” and “Queen of the Night.”
Houston was lauded for her acting debut but the spotlight stayed on her star-quality vocals featuring many of her most popular ballads, along with some newer disco-beat hits. The movie’s original soundtrack album went on to become the best-selling soundtrack of all time. It also won three Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year.
channels Whitney Houston in her role as megastar Rachel Marron in Slow Burn’s high-
energy, high-drama THE BODYGUARD: The Musical. Photo by Larry Marano.
I think it took too long to convert this “natural” movie musical into a live theater production. Still better late than never: After six years in the works, the stage version of The Bodyguard enjoyed a popular West End debut in 2012. The London hit musical was followed by recurring UK tours and international tours (with just one in the US in 2016), until always-on-the-lookout-for-lesser-known-fabulous-musicals Slow Burn Theatre Company chose to present THE BODYGUARD: The Musical as the closing highlight of their best-ever 15th Anniversary Season. (Until maybe next year… and yes, I do tend to repeat such accolades annually.) We now have the rare opportunity to get high on this thrilling, high-energy, expanded musical numbers-version of The Bodyguard, playing at Broward Center’s perfect sight-line-designed Amaturo Theater through June 22.
Our show opens with a bang! Literally. On a stark dark stage, framed by a mighty, pyramid-style fluorescent triangle, we witness premier Bodyguard Frank Farmer (Gabriell Salgado) take a shot at an Assassin (Timothy Mark Davis). The striking backdrop by scenic designer Nikolas Serrano grows only more impressive as the set suddenly lights up with hundreds of twinkling stars behind a glamorous concert stage where scantily clad in silver-and-black superstar Rachel Marron (Ta-Tynisa Wilson) performs “Queen of the Night,” surrounded by energetic, hot back-up singers and dancers. Thank you, Rick Pena, for your period-perfect, outstanding costume designs. We can already tell we’re in for a great night!
Slow Burn’s production – as always under expert direction by the company’s award-winning artistic director Patrick Fitzwater – features a book by Alexander Dinelaris based on the Warner Bros. film with a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan. In addition to dazzling stunt-laden choreography by Reynel Reynaldo, with dance captain Cat Pagano, in the live musical we get to experience a total of nine additional Houston megahits like “So Emotional,” “Saving All My Love for You,” “I’m Your Baby Tonight,” “All the Man That I Need,” and surprise encore closer, “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” that has everyone up on their feet. (OK, not a surprise now, but worth the advice of not running out right after the last bow.)
A storyline that centers around a world-famous pop star featuring, arguably, America’s most popular and beloved singer’s songbook, can’t be beat. Most lyrics are naturally inserted within the dialog or action. And if you have some great numbers left over…well why not just throw them into a rehearsal or live stage performance? At least that’s what I assume the writers did. In any case, it all worked perfectly, and don’t be surprised if you’re surrounded by rows of smiling bobbing heads, mouthing lyrics and tapping feet.
We can’t resurrect Whitney (who sadly passed just days before the musical’s London premiere). But we can fully appreciate the extremely talented attributes of our star, Ta-Tynisa Wilson. An American Idol finalist with Broadway and regional credits to her name, Wilson’s impressive vocals and dance moves, along with her dynamic portrayal of all sides of Rachel Marron – from stubborn celebrity to vulnerable lover and concerned mom – would earn Houston’s blessing from above. While Wilson’s powerful vocals often brought down the house in a frenzy of applause, here below.
Award-winning locally, and regionally in-demand actor Gabriell Salgado (also known for the 2010 TV series Blue Bloods and horror short, She’ll Come Back) makes for the sexiest, cool-headed and meticulous Bodyguard. Just don’t ask Frank Farmer to sing Karaoke. (Though his game effort did win our hearts.)
bodyguard Frank Farmer (Gabriell Salgado). But he’s worried their growing intimacy
might interfere with his life-or-death job. Photo by Larry Marano.
A great “hidden talent” – who sings secretly in “dumps” so as not to compete with the star in the family – is Rachel’s sister, Nicki, played and sung exquisitely by Lillie Eliza Thomas. Tired of always being in her sister’s shadow, Nicki gets herself in trouble by mistaking kindness for personal interest and crushing on the family’s protector, bodyguard Frank. But no one can outshine Thomas’s vocal and acting chops. We definitely notice her soulful renditions of “Saving All My Love For You” and “All At Once.” And when Nicki joins Rachel in duets, “Run to You” and “I Have Nothing,” these two up the musical angst ante so high, we could stand up and cheer!
In a typically unusual role for multi-tasker extraordinaire Timothy Mark Davis – otherwise known as an award-winning local actor, director, organizer, inspirational speaker, film maker… and for his “regular gig” as producing artistic director of New City Players – stars here as The Stalker. He’s perfectly cast – as even when concealed by a dark hoodie, we can’t miss his height. And when he’s revealed, sporting a fresh buzz cut for the role, Davis’s hyper-emotive, bug-eyed intensity chills us to the bone.
We can see why Rachel’s entourage is desperate to keep her safe – though at first they aren’t quite sure if the threatening letters that mysteriously appear in her dressing room are for real. Upon asking advice from the number one protector in the industry, they are assured that an insane obsessed fan really wants to kill their star and the fact that he’s managed to bypass their existing security is bad news. They don’t like what they’re hearing; especially Rachel’s current guard Tony, a role busy local favorite Michael Materdomini slips into with ease. He’s joined by active locals Jerel Brown as Bill Devaney and ensemble member Tanner Fults, who is literally all over the place, portraying Klingman, Douglas, Ray Court, and Jimmy.
It’s always fun to see where Slow Burn’s talented co-founder, actor/stage manager Matthew W. Korinko turns up in a show … and he does so quite often. This time I can’t imagine anyone else in the role of silver-tongued Sy Spector, Rachel’s publicist and manager, who’s far more concerned about his client’s earnings and reputation than her physical safety.
(Gabriell Salgado, right) don’t always agree on how to keep their celebrity client Rachel
Marron (Ta-Tynisa Wilson) and her little boy Fletcher (Jaxon Compas) safe. Photo by Larry Marano.
