Tuesday, August 14, 2018

'Saturday Night Fever' recalls disco era

Tony Manero (Nick Bernardi, in white) leads the dancing in 'Saturday Night Fever." (Mark Kitaoka and Tracy Martin photo)

Broadway By the Bay pays tribute to the disco era with “Saturday Night Fever.”

This stage adaptation of the popular 1977 film starring John Travolta is set in Brooklyn in the 1970s, when disco was all the rage.

The central character is Tony Manero (Nick Bernardi), an aimless 19-year-old paint-store clerk who’s happiest when he’s dancing at the 2001 Odyssey night club.

The show features Bee Gees songs like “Stayin’ Alive,” “More Than a Woman” and “Night Fever,” all performed well by the large cast of principals and chorus.

It also features lots of well executed dancing choreographed by Nicole Helfer.

Despite the production’s strengths of singing, dancing and acting, it can’t overcome the shortcomings of the plot, which is trite and episodic.

It also has some faint echoes of “West Side Story” with the disdain shown by Tony’s Italian buddies and his father (Joe Hudelson) toward minorities like Puerto Ricans.

The show is directed by Joshua Marx aided by music director Alicia Jeffrey, set designer Kelly James Tighe, lighting designer Aaron Spivey, costume designer Tammy Berlin and sound designer Zak Stamps.

Running about two hours and 40 minutes with one intermission, “Saturday Night  Fever” will continue through Aug. 26 at the Fox Theater, 2215 Broadway St., Redwood City.

For tickets and information, call (650) 579-5565 or visit www.broadwaybythebay.org.



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