The Right Message at the Right Time: 'Dave' at Arena Stage

A few weeks ago, I saw Dave at Arena Stage in Washington, DC. To say that I loved it would be an understatement. I had my doubts going into it that the creatives behind it could do one of my favorite movies justice. But after seeing what Tina Landau did to Spongebob, I had faith that she could turn Dave into something magical.

By hiring Drew Gehling to play Dave - the high school history teacher turned Presidential stand-in - they perfectly captured the awkward loveliness Kevin Kline played so well in the original. Gehling not only has a beautiful voice, but he's also a fantastic actor who played every note - whether it was nervousness, or utter confusion perfectly. I had wanted to see the musical before he was cast, but the minute he got the job, I knew he'd be perfect and I knew I'd be in the audience to see him.

Added to the perfect leading man, the creative flourishes were mind-boggling. It turns out crafty set design is Tina Landau's specialty. Gone was the neon bric-a-brac she imagined for Spongebob. In this instance, it was a circular stage that moved consistently to hide characters and other rooms in the White House. At times, the moving stage precipitated a quick change for Drew Gehling, who played two characters - the president and Dave. 

It took me seeing the two characters on stage twice, to remember that they were supposed to be played by the same actor. The moves and tricks were so flawless that I didn't question it at all. The songs and quick choreography also helped to add to the magic of a great show with a message of hope and fighting for what's right. You didn't have to work hard to see how perfect that message was for a show that was playing in the heart of Washington DC. 

In the end I walked out of the show silently hopeful that it would be playing Broadway soon enough, with plans in my head to see it again. The reviews weren't perfect but they weren't terrible either. I thought it was a shoe-in for one of the next Broadway houses. But as it turns out my Theatre ESP is on the fritz, and here's where I get confused in the logic of Broadway scheduling. 

Dave played to pretty much sold-out houses throughout its 6 week run. Meanwhile, Beetlejuice has yet to open at the National Theatre. They've cast it and started rehearsing (and yes I have tickets), but not a single performance has ocurred. So when news broke today that Beetlejuice would be opening on Broadway in March, I was utterly confounded. What if it bombs in DC? What if it can't capture the magic of the original? What if an "extremely profane" poltergeist is not what theatre fans want to see right now? And most of all, what about Dave? Or Moulin Rouge? Or Jagged Little Pill? Or one of the dozens of other shows that have actually played to sold out houses and fabulous reviews? Why don't they get their shot first?

Usually, I can see the chess pieces moving, but in this case I'm lost. I'm hopefully optimistic that the Beetlejuice cast and creatives deserve their spot. But for now I'm happy to just keep my fingers crossed for Dave and wish really, really hard that I'll get to see this beauty on stage again soon!