It’s wonderful to find such an expert iteration of an exuberant musical right in our midst. The joy of being an Angeleno, after all, is the ability to sample a wide range of live entertainments, from amateur to professional and everything in between. A Noise Within, in particular, has always been a bastion of excellent theatre.
Based on a film released in 1994, the musical version of A Man of No Importance, features the energetic music of Stephen Flaherty with lyrics by his collaborator, Lynn Ahrens. The libretto by Terrance McNally, adds humor to the poignant story of Alfie Byne (Kasey Mahaffy), a beloved Dublin street car conductor, who spends his lonely life with his sister, Lily (Juliana Sloan), as she endeavors to get him married so that she, too, can move on. Alfie’s only passion is his amateur theatre group, the St. Imela Players, where he stages the work of his idol, Oscar Wilde (David Nevell), who inconveniently often shows up to give Alfie advice. Alfie’s ambivalent sexuality comes to the fore when he meets Adele (Analisa Idalya), a winsome young girl who is perfect for his production of Salome’ and also his sister’s determination for him to wed. But, while his attraction to bus driver Robbie (CJ Eldred) remains hidden, in his midnight meanderings he meets Breton Beret (Jack Zubieta), who pushes Alfie into his identity crisis. Sounds perfect for a musical, doesn’t it?
Surprisingly, because the story is told with such heart through the interweaving of humor and musicality, we find ourselves firmly immersed in Alfie’s journey. The entire ensemble works seamlessly to pull together the kaleidoscopic transitions from scene to scene. But the musical wouldn’t feel half as lighthearted, without director Julia Rodriguez Elliot’s inventive, choreographic staging. Chairs arranged for a St. Imelda rehearsal dissolve and regroup to form Alfie’s bus, complete with steering wheel. And my favorite touch includes Salome’s famous dance of the 7 veils, now presented as a tap-dance.
ANW has the advantage, as a membership equity company, of developing long-standing relationships with actors and designers alike. We are the beneficiaries of the talents of resident artist Kasey Mahaffy as Alfie, but, also, most of the design staff, including Angela Balogh Calin’s costumes, Ken Booth’s lighting, Andrea Odinov’s dialect coaching and Kenneth Merckx, Jr.’s fight choreography. With A Man of No Importance, ANW has reached the apex of a new high for Los Angeles area production. Not to be missed!
A Man of No Importance continues at A Noise Within, 3352 E. Foothill Blvd., Pasadena 91107, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.; with matinees on Saturdays and Sundays at2 p.m. through June 1st, 2025. Tickets start at $51.50, with student discounted tickets at $20.00 available. For information or tickets call (626) 356-3100 or go online to: www.anoisewithin.org.
