Side Show

After watching this season of TV's American Horror Story, you might be suffering from circus-freak fatigue. You also may not think sideshow performers would make a very good subject for a musical. But you should really give the Broadway revival of Side Show at the St. James Theatre a try. This darkly beautiful production will send you humming its catchy score out onto 44th street.

Originally produced on Broadway in 1997, Side Show is the creation of composer Henry Krieger (Dreamgirls) and librettist Bill Russell. It is loosely based on the true-life story of Daisy and Violet Hilton, conjoined twins who starred in vaudeville during its twilight in the 1930s. Director Bill Condon has initiated major revisions to both the book and score, making those familiar with the original production feel like they're watching a whole new show.

Ghoulish carnival barker Sir (Robert Joy) invites the audience to "Come Look at the Freaks" in his traveling sideshow. He's got a 3-legged man (Brandon Bieber), bearded lady (Blair Ross), and dog boy (the adorable Javier Ignacio). The stars of his show are a pair of conjoined twins: Daisy and Violet Hilton (Emily Padgett and Erin Davie, respectively). Washed-up talent scout Terry Connor (Ryan Silverman) thinks he can turn the girls into a vaudeville hit with the help of song-and-dance coach Buddy Foster (Matthew Hydzik), but first he has to free them from Sir's domination.

Terry succeeds in liberating the sisters and making them the biggest act in vaudeville, but he needs some Kardashian-grade publicity to take their career to the next level. When Buddy proposes marriage to Violet, Terry sees an opportunity to bill their nuptials as the wedding of the century. He books an appropriate venue: the 50-yard line of the Cotton Bowl during the Texas Centennial. But will the girls ever be more than just a novelty act? Krieger and Russell guide us through this tale of fickle fame with a high-flying score and heaps of pathos.

Devotees of the original production might be dismayed by Krieger and Russell's slash-and-burn treatment: The first act farewell number "Say Goodbye to the Freak Show" has been softened to "Say Goodbye to the Sideshow." The forgettable "Typical Girls Next Door" replaces the rough but charming "When I'm by Your Side'' as the Hiltons' amateurish debut number. Most disappointingly, the vaguely offensive (and completely delightful) Egyptian folly "We Share Everything" has ceded to the more practical "Ready to Play," a song that casts the girls as bored heiresses and seeks to mask its ho-hum austerity with high-kicking chorus boys in glittering vests.

Still, many of the changes are welcome and help to elucidate what was previously a weak story with highly dubious character motivations. We're given a much clearer picture of the Hiltons' childhood in England and how they came under the custody of Sir. The ghastly and embarrassing second-act number "Tunnel of Love" has been rewritten to capture the excitement and angst surrounding the big Texas wedding. And finally, Buddy actually has a good excuse for his angst. The entire show is neatly framed by Todd Browning's 1932 MGM picture, Freaks, which starred the real-life Daisy and Violet Hilton.

As the sisters at the show's center, Davie and Padgett soar, particularly in their ready-for-radio power duets "Who Will Love Me As I Am?" and "I Will Never Leave You." Padgett is ultra-specific in her portrayal of Daisy as a poised pageant queen who behind the curtain is all business. As Violet, Davie is a bundle of nerves and emotion, the perfect foil for her type-A sister.

Silverman captures the essence of wheeler-dealer Terry and makes the whole audience sit up with his powerful second-act ballad, "Private Conversation." David St. Louis is heartfelt in his portrayal of the sisters' protector, Jake, but his voice sounds a bit congested. While the pitch-perfect Kelvin Moon Loh (half man/half woman) and the big-voiced Charity Angel Dawson (fortune teller) give standout performances, the whole cast is brimming with talent. Without a doubt, Side Show has the best-utilized ensemble on Broadway.

The production value alone is worth the price of admission. Paul Tazewell's costumes wouldn't look out of place in a Tim Burton film. The "freaks" are fully realized with the help of Dave and Lou Elsey's stunning special effects makeup. David Rockwell's foreboding wooden platforms are versatile enough to create vastly different playing spaces called for in the script, but are far less monotonous than the four moving risers that made up the original set. Under the direction of Bill Condon, the entire show excels through a visual cohesion that matches the grandeur of the score.

In the end, the positives outweigh the negatives. With spectacular visuals and heart-pounding music, Side Show is everything you could ask for from a great night on Broadway.