Following its world premiere at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Center Theatre Group’s production of Amélie, A New Musical is now onstage at the Ahmanson Theatre through Jan. 15 before heading to Broadway in March. Direct from her award-winning run in Hamilton on Broadway, the production stars Phillipa Soo in the title role, a much-loved character from the five-time Oscar-nominated motion picture written by Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Guillaume Laurant, which starred Audrey Tautou as Amélie Poulain and Flora Guiet as young Amélie.
The musical opens as characters pop out of a photo frame embedded in the stage curtain, and then follows the mesmerizing journey of the inquisitive and charmingly shy Amélie who turns the streets of Montmartre into a world of her own imagining, all the while secretly orchestrating moments of joy for those around her. After discovering a mysterious photo album and meeting a handsome stranger (Adam Chanler-Berat), Amélie realizes that helping others is easier than participating in a romantic story of her own, until it happens to her of course, making her everyday world seem all the more magical. The basic theme of the story is to always live your own life to the fullest rather than through the lives of others, a message each of us needs to remember to truly fulfill our dreams.
Along with Phillipa Soo and Adam Chanler-Berat, the cast features the charming Savvy Crawford as Young Amélie, along with Emily Afton, Alyse Alan Louis, David Andino, Randy Blair, Heath Calvert, Alison Cimmet, Manoel Felciano, Harriett D. Foy, Maria-Christina Oliveras, Tony Sheldon, Jacob Keith Watson and Paul Whitty, all of whom add a touch a whimsy to the many characters they portray.
The fanciful production is directed by Tony Award winner Pam MacKinnon, with a book by three-time Tony Award nominee Craig Lucas, lyrics by Nathan Tysen and Daniel Messé, musical staging and choreography by Sam Pinkleton, musical direction by Kimberly Grigsby, vocal arrangements by Kimberly Grigsby and Daniel Messé, orchestrations by Tony Award winner Bruce Coughlin, sound design by Tony Award nominee Kai Harada and projection design by Drama Desk Award winner Peter Nigrini. The production is entertaining although it does seem a bit long as it runs without an intermission, and the songs are cute but basically forgettable once you leave the theater. Perhaps by the time it gets to Broadway, the running time will be lessened and storyline tightened, which it desperately needs.
The production features scenic and costume design by Tony Award winner David Zinn, and trust me, his brilliantly creative designs enhance every single moment of the production. Set pieces move easily from the inside of her apartment and many other Paris locales, including the Café des 2 Moulins, a real place located at 15 Rue Lepic, Montmartre, Paris, where Amélie works. With co-lighting design by Tony Award nominee Jane Cox and Mark Barton, the many stylized set buildings transform into closets as well as many other entrance and exit doors during the production. And during the evening street scenes, the building windows and skyline are lit beautifully to create a real sense of the City of Lights.
Tickets for Amélie, A New Musical run from $25-$150 and are available by calling 213-972-4400 or online at CenterTheatreGroup.org.
