New show about biblical figure ‘David’ opens off-Broadway
When you think of the biblical figure David, what comes to mind? For me it’s Michelangelo’s colossal sculpture, perched on a pedestal in the Galleria dell’Accademia in Florence, Italy.
Do you think of singing and dancing? Well now you can, for a new off-Broadway musical tells the story of the giant slayer and king of Israel.
Set in 1000 BC, the show features book and lyrics by Martha Rosenblatt, Gary Glickstein and Albert Tapper, with music by Tapper. While there are a few good performances, “David” comes across as uneven and in need of some serious editing, clocking in at 21⁄2 hours (with a 15-minute intermission).
In the beginning, we see the old David (Timothy Warmen), and he’s ready to die. With the help of the prophet Nathan (Kenny Morris), David is looking back on his life, recounting the dramatic events that led to his rise from obscure soldier to warrior to lover to ruler.
The problem? It’s hard to believe Warmen is a leader. He comes across as whiny, and it grows annoying. Morris is not convincing as “the greatest prophet of our time,” but he does seem sincere as he points out David’s troubled past.
Now Ethan Zeph as Young David has charisma and a good voice. There’s a real star quality about him, and it’s easy to see that his character could one day rule.
What about the big moment when David slays Goliath? It’s talked about a lot, but there’s never a scene with Zeph taking on the big man. That would have been fun to see.
It’s also disappointing that more was not made of David’s relationship with Jonathan (Jacob Louchheim), who clearly loves him. There’s much more of a connection between these two young men than there is between David and Michal (Olivia Vadnais), Jonathan’s sister, who David ends up marrying. It’s another missed opportunity. Danny Arnold as King Saul has the best voice in the cast, and he gives it all during “I Do Not Hate Him” in Act II. The song is not great, but he handles it well and deserves the applause he receives.
None of the other songs stand out, although “Sodom and Gomorrah” seems like it was thrown in for fun. The cast seems to be having a great time as they sing lyrics like “They were depraved/not one was saved/on that boiling, oily shore they misbehaved/Oh, what a time!/primordial slime/While they spent their leisure on their backs/they lunched on aphrodisiacs.”
Director and choreographer Kyle Pleasant has highs and lows throughout the night. Scenic designer James J. Fenton and costume designer Ashley Soliman deserve recognition for their creativity and efforts under what was probably a tight budget.
In the program, AMT Theater says one of its goals is to make a difference in people’s lives. For instance, they aim to do children’s shows to get young people involved at an early age; to work with professionals outside the U.S.; and to encourage innovative new writers and directors. All of that is admirable, and I hope they succeed.
On the next page, Tapper says he wrote “David” along with Rosenblatt and Glickstein because David is his favorite character in the Bible.
“He’s a man of yesterday and today,” Tapper says. “His story will still be told 3,000 years from now.”
He also mentions the character’s strength, vulnerability, love of life. If there is another version of this production, that should be the focus.
As I left the theater, I was not humming a tune from “David,” but thinking that’s it’s been more than 10 years since I traveled to Florence to see Michelangelo’s masterpiece. It’s time to go back.
Go: “David,” through July 13, AMT Theatre, 354 W. 45th St., $65; amttheater.ludus.com/index.php.