Review: Dancing stars in Paper Mill Playhouse’s ‘Take the Lead’

The Paper Mill Playhouse has yet another hit with the world premiere musical “Take the Lead.” Brimming over with energy, I could not take my eyes off this visually captivating and stunning show.

“Take the Lead” is based on the true story of Pierre Dulaine, a professional ballroom dancer who brought ballroom dancing to New York City public school students to help them with their confidence and social skills. Dulaine’s story was also the inspiration for the 2006 movie of the same name starring Antonio Banderas.

“Take the Lead” showcases the cast’s dancing skills, some of whom are award-winning ballroom dancers. Bravo to the director and choreographer Christopher Gattelli and co-choreographers Maria Torres for ballroom dance and Jennifer Weber for hip-hop. The dancing is the star of this show.

With book by Robert Cary and Jonathan Tolins, and music and lyrics by Elliah Heifetz and Zeniba Now, “Take the Lead” is a fictionalized account of how Dulaine began teaching ballroom dancing in public school classrooms.

Early in the show we meet an overworked interim principal of a New York City high school, Arianna Rey, played by Adrienne Bailon-Houghton. When Dulaine played by Tam Mutu, walks into the school to return a backpack he found, Rey is busy making phone calls, desperately searching for a substitute teacher to do a last-minute fill-in for an art class. When Dulaine hears this, he offers to be the replacement – but by teaching ballroom dance. With no other option, a skeptical Rey agrees and when the original teacher does not return, Dulaine continues teaching the class.

Mutu is a perfect Dulaine and projects an air of confidence, a passion for dance and a warmth and approachability that eventually help him win over the students. Bailon-Houghton is wonderful as an overworked interim principal who sincerely cares about her students and their lives.

When Dulaine first meets the students, they do not want anything to do with him – or ballroom dancing. These are inner-city, mostly Black and Brown kids and they say they think ballroom dancing is just for White people. They like hip-hop. Little by little Dulaine gains their trust, they learn new forms of dance – while incorporating their own moves – and eventually are good enough to enter into a competition. But there are many twists and turns along the way.

Little by little we learn the back stories of some of the characters. There is the blooming romance between La Rhette played by Savy Jackson and Rock played by Vincent Jamal Hooper. Jackson’s voice is beautiful, and it is fun to watch as she and Hooper go from enemies to caring for each other. Their chemistry is palpable and the audience roots for them to fall in love.

Grace Slear plays Caitlin, an Upper East Side girl who was never comfortable with the snobby set and finds her place among the public-school kids in Dulaine’s ballroom dance class. She is fun to watch as she suffers through her relationship with her super snobby hyper-critical mother, Mrs. Buford, played by Gaelen Gilliland, who is trying to get her daughter ready for her “coming out” at the traditional Cotillion Ball. Much to her mother’s shock, she falls in love with a public-school boy of color who is nicknamed Monster, played by SeQuoiia. His nickname, Monster, sounds scary but is from a harmless, silly face he
made in his younger days.

Jonalyn Saxer is fantastic as Morgan, an Upper East Side snob, who looks down on the public- school kids. Salome Smith who plays Gucci, one of the students, has a powerful voice and a fabulous sarcastic dead-pan delivery. Speaking of which, there are very funny and entertaining one-liners during this fantastic show and I literally laughed out loud many times.

Rounding out the cast are gifted actors/dancers Matthew Risch, Eric Ascione, Brandon O’Neal Bomer, Megan Elyse Fulmer, David Jennings, Dillon Lehman, Natalia Nieves-Melchor, Kevin Trinio Perdido, Ryan Raffloer, Deon Releford-Lee, Stephanie Sosa and Christian Whan.

One of the most accomplished ballroom dancers in the world, Tatiana Seliverstova, originally from Moldova is also in the ensemble. Watching her is
like watching poetry in motion.

The ballroom dance costumes by Jen Caprio are glittery, sparkly, flowy and compliment the dancing. The sets by Paul Tate DePoo III are simple and mostly just background, as the dancing, singing and costumes are the eye-candy in this show. However the many chandeliers, along with the dramatic lighting by Justin Townsend and Nick Solyom in the competition scene help create the magic.

“Dancing Classrooms” is the name of the program Dulaine started in 1994 as an introduction to ballroom dance in New York City which to date has brought dance to over 700,000 young people all over the world.

For more information about “Dancing Classrooms” visit dancingclassrooms.org. The award-winning documentary “Mad Hot Ballroom” also tells the true story of Dulaine’s career.

“Take the Lead” will be at the Paper Mill Playhouse through April 27.

  Paper Mill Playhouse, Take the Lead