Review: ‘Sweet Charity’ brings self-acceptance to SU Drama
Review: 'Sweet Charity' brings self-acceptance to SU Drama
Life can lead you to bad luck, or “to the fickle finger of fate” as Charity Hope Valentine says in Sweet Charity. But often those bad times lead us to realizations that we never thought we could have known. Syracuse University Drama Department’s Sweet Charity brings the theme of self-acceptance and optimism to life in its vibrant and beautifully choreographed production.
Adapted from an Italian screenplay by Frederico Fellini, Tullio Pinelli and Ennio Flaiano, the show follows Charity Hope Valentine, a girl who just wants to be loved, in New York City in 1966.
From her dancing to singing, Katarina Kelly, who plays Charity, can do it all. She reveals a shy humor and naïve portrayal of Charity, but also a sense of empathy and encouragement toward others and herself in times of struggle. But Charity often gives more of herself to others than what she receives back, as it is first seen in her relationship with her so-called boyfriend Charlie (Dylan Knight Weaver), who uses her for her expenses and bluntly ends their relationship by pushing Charity into a fountain.
Charity’s life is filled with many characters, especially at her job working as a dance hall hostess at the Fandango Ballroom. In the swingy and sultry number “Big Spender,” the alluring dancers are shown offering a “good time” to customers. Among the group of dancers are Charity’s confidantes, brassy New Yorker Nickie (Stella Schwartz) and sassy Helene (Olivia Lacie Andrews), who offer Charity advice about her love life.
But what would a story of a girl looking for love be without love interests?
The first prospect comes to Charity as she runs into film star Vittorio Vidal (Jay Owens) and his lover Ursula as they storm out of the Pompeii Club arguing. When Ursula refuses to go back in with Vittorio, he takes in an eager and pleased Charity. McKay Marshall, the show’s swing, took over Charli Bush’s role of Ursula on Thursday night for an impressive performance.
Inside the club, the ensemble, led by the incredibly talented dance captain Rachel Langetieg, performs the most iconic dance number, the “Rich Man’s Frug.” A vigorously moving and distinctly unique pop dance, this number is the only choreography in the production that was reconstructed to be the original Bob Fosse choreography, which was taught by Lloyd Cullbreath, legacy teacher, of The Verdon Fosse Legacy.
Unfortunately for Charity, Vittorio is just another encounter in the night. Although she stuns Vittorio with her truthfulness, he is deeply in love with Ursula, who arrives at Vittorio’s apartment to apologize and they make up.
The next day, Nickie, Helene and Charity fantasize about life beyond the Fandango Ballroom, dreaming about alternative careers in the wonderfully hopeful song “There’s Gotta Be Something Better Than This.” Charity decides to seek wisdom and education at the 92nd Street Y where she gets stuck in an elevator with a very odd and claustrophobic, but very sweet man named Oscar Lindquist (Sammy Haines).
After helping him get over his fear, the two are rescued from the elevator. Oscar and Charity start to date for the next couple of weeks, and all is well except for the fact that Charity has not shared her real career with Oscar.
One night at the Fandango, Charity becomes repulsed by her job as a dance hall hostess and quits. She meets with Oscar and finally reveals where she really works, thinking that this is the end of their relationship. But Oscar reveals that he already knows and does not care because he wants to marry her. Elated that someone finally loves her, Charity packs a suitcase labeled “almost married.”
After a farewell party at the Fandango, Oscar announces he cannot marry Charity because he cannot stop thinking about the other men that Charity has been with. Oscar asks Charity if they can compromise and still see each other, but Charity finally makes a decision for herself. She decides to be on her own, knowing she wants someone that accepts her for all that she is.
Sweet Charity shows us how our aspirations and dreams do not always pan out, but like Charity, we can continue to live “hopefully ever after.”
is a freshman studying magazine, news and digital journalism at Newhouse.
