“Mystic Pizza” now playing at the Paper Mill Playhouse, is a fun, upbeat, energetic rom-com jukebox musical which will have you singing along with iconic hits from the 80’s and 90’s including “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” “Manic Monday,” and “Hit Me with Your Best Shot.”
Based on the 1988 movie starring Julia Roberts, the show revolves around the lives and loves of three young working-class girls in Mystic, Connecticut in 1988.
The three girls, sisters Daisy Arujo and Katherine “Kat” Arujo along with their close friend, Josephine “JoJo” Barboza work at Mystic Pizza, a typical small-town pizza shop. The show opens with Barboza, brilliantly played by Deanna Giuletti about to marry Bill Montijo played by F. Michael Haynie, an incredible Broadway veteran actor.
But when it comes time for Barboza to say her vows, all she can hear is the priest stressing the permanence of marriage – and then she passes out before she can say “I do.”
We later learn that although she loves Montijo and he loves her, she has misgivings because she has bigger dreams and wants to do more with her life. She is afraid if she marries Montijo she will be stuck and her dreams will be snuffed out.
Meanwhile, we learn that Kat Arujo, the studious sister, played by Alaina Anderson has been accepted into Yale and is working to save money to attend, while her sister Daisy Arujo, played by Krystina Alabado is more of the party girl sister without much direction or ambition. Both Anderson and Alabado have gorgeous voices and fabulous stage presence.
Kat Arujo, who is only 18-years-old meets Tim Travers played by Ben Fankhauser, a Yale graduate who is a little older, and the two appear to be instantly infatuated. Their relationship develops until she learns something about him which devastates her.
Daisy Arujo begins dating Charles “Charlie” Gordon Windsor, Jr., a preppie type of guy from a very wealthy family. Trouble ensues when she is invited to dinner at his home.
Another story unfolding involves the owner of Mystic Pizza, Leona Silvia played by Jennifer Fouche, trying to sell it because business is slow, and she is older and wants to retire. Fouche gives a wonderful performance with the perfect touch of trying to run a tight ship at the pizza place and also being kind and watching over the girls. When the girls get wind of her plan to sell the pizza place, one of them has an idea which they hope will change Silvia’s mind.
April Josephine, Mia Gerachis, James Hindman, Michael James, Louis Pardo, Alyssa M. Simmons, Jake Swain, Zephaniah Wages and Rachel Kae Wirtz who make up the ensemble, all play multiple parts, and are all fantastic actors, singers and dancers. The period costumes by Jen Caprio worn by the actors remind us of the late 80’s as does the hair and wig design by Roxanne de Luna.
While all of these stories are playing out, in this fast-paced show, we are royally entertained with more than 20 songs, many accompanied by fabulous dancing with amazing choreography by Connor Gallagher.
The scenic design by Nate Bertone is stunning and becomes a pizza place, a nightclub, and other venues, depending on the props and lighting being used in the scene. It is so beautiful I actually gasped when I entered the theatre and saw the stage – before the show even began. There is also a band, elevated at the rear of the stage which adds to the rock’n’roll excitement of this show. The dramatic lighting design by Ryan J. O’Gara compliments the set.
Will Barboza and Montijo get back together? What is the secret Kat Arujo learns about Travers? What happened at the dinner with Daisy Arujo and her preppie boyfriend’s family? And finally, what is the secret plan one of the girls comes up with to save the pizza place, and will Silvia change her mind about selling it? Well, dear readers out there, obviously I’m not going to tell you because you should go see the show and have a most entertaining night out.
Based on the Metro-Goldwyn Mayer motion picture with story and characters by Amy Holden Jones, book by Sandy Rustin and direction by Casey Hushion, this show cannot miss. Besides being so much fun, it is also funny, charming, sexy and romantic. Make sure to get your tickets and don’t miss this hot show – playing at the Paper Mill Playhouse through Feb. 23.
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