NYMT's "Play It Cool"; At Long Last Love

I just wanted to give a shout out to “NYMF’s “Play it Cool” which I saw yesterday (Sunday Oct.5). Since this recent theater season began with the lame [title of show] and through the awful “13”, I began to despair for a decent new musical. (This includes some of the crap I saw at ‘Fringe’ this year.) Then some friends talked me into seeing “Play it Cool” and I am so glad they did! With no set to speak of and simple costumes, this show relied on a superb cast and a terrific period jazz score to tell it’s slight story about the effects of homophobia on a small group of Hollywood types in the early 1950’s. Best was Sally Mayes as the lesbian owner of a small jazz club living in fear of being closed down by the police. This Broadway musical veteran was a real vocal standout. Her bluesy voice shook the tiny TBG Theater on 37th street. Also excellent was Josh Strickland as the young gay man not willing to play the Hollywood ‘straight’ game. The other three cast members were equally good.

What made “Play it Cool” so enjoyable, was that here is a small, but extremely smart show with a clear point of view and a very cohesive jazz score by Phillip Swann and Mark Winkler, well sung. Book wise, there were some problems that could use a little tightening up, but that’s a minor quibble. In contrast to the junk I’ve been seeing lately (with the exception of “Fela!”), this show gave me real satisfaction and pleasure as well as hope. I’m only sorry that yesterday was its last performance (as well as the end of this year’s NYMF) so I could have let other friends know about it. Oh well, that’s the nature of festivals.

One last thought about “Play it Cool”, is that while not as ‘full bodied’ a show, it was thematically similar and as professionally done, as “Yank”. If that gives you any idea of how good it was.