The KeyBank Broadway Series touring production of ‘The Band’s Visit’ simply feels good
Imagine if you will that you are on a boat on a large calm body of water. It is a warm late summer evening and a glorious sunset is about to begin. As the sun slowly dips behind a dramatic curtain of clouds and the boat gently rocks you experience an exquisite peace of mind like none you have ever experienced in your life. All is right with your world at this precious moment.
This is close to the feeling you will have if you are one of the fortunate ones to witness the KeyBank Broadway Series touring production of The Band’s Visit with music and lyrics by David Yazbek and book by Itamar Moses now on stage in the Connor Palace at Playhouse Square in Cleveland, Ohio. It is story full of warmth, compassion, love and acceptance.
Eight members of the Alexandria Egypt Ceremonial Police Orchestra have arrived at Tel Aviv’s central bus station. The year is 1996 and the group is expecting to be met by a representative of a local Arab cultural organization who arranged their next day concert at Petach Tikvah.
With no representative in sight, the group’s leader, Colonel Tewfiq Zakaria (Sasson Gabay) decides to take matters into his own hands. He tells one of the members, Haled (Joe Joseph), who is the most well versed in English, to purchase bus tickets so that the group can be on their way. At the ticket booth his Egyptian accent gets in the way and the youth ends up with eight tickets to Bet Hatikva which is an isolated desert outpost far from the Jerusalem suburb where the concert is actually scheduled.
It is nearly dark as the band arrives at their wrong destination. Near their drop off point Tewfiq meets Dina (Chilina Kennedy) the owner of a local eatery. With broken English being their only means of communication she manages to convince the group that not only are they in the wrong town but there is no bus until the next day. She then offers to feed and put up the band members with various employees and friends of her. Over the course of their one night stay various back stories emerge as the band members and towns people become acquainted in friendship.
As a Broadway musical this show garnered a 2017 Obie Award, a New York Drama Critics Award for Best Musical and 10 Tony Awards including Best Musical and with good reason. It is a show with everyday people in ordinary circumstances showing extraordinary acceptance of each other. It is a quiet show devoid of politics with the main emphasis being people helping people.
Veteran actor Sasson Gabay does a terrific job as the soft spoken Colonel Tewfiq Zakaria. He is the type of man that if you found him lost and confused would immediately take out to dinner and into your home for the night. Chilina Kennedy as the fire brand Dina is a powerful woman who lives her life on her own terms and nobody elses. Joe Joseph as the bon vivont ladies man of the group offers up superb comedic skills. His smooth as silk singing voice is wondrous to hear. Lastly there is Mike Cefalo as the “telephone guy” who has camped out for a month at the town’s pay phone waiting for his distant girlfriend to call. His solo number of “Answer Me” tears at your heart. It should also be mentioned that all of the band members play their own instruments with amazing skill. There is also an unseen orchestra adding to the sound.
Special mention must also be made of the creative stage set of Scott Pask with its seamless transformations of town to interiors including a roller disco. Tyler Micoleau’s lighting gets high marks for its subtle nature and while the sound design of Kai Harada is subdued in fitting with the show, the audience was quiet and attentive so that everything could be plainly heard. The show is expertly directed by David Cromer.
Every so often a show comes along bringing its own special magic to the stage. This is such a show. Lasting only 100 minutes with no intermission it is probably the best theater time you can experience. Bring someone you love to share in the magic.
The Band’s Visit runs through November 24, 2019 in the Connor Palace at Playhouse Square in Cleveland, Ohio. For tickets and information visit www.playhousesquare.org, call (216) 241-6000 or visit the Playhouse Square Ticket Office located in the outer lobby of the State Theatre.