Disco Dancing Dominates But Saturday Night Fever Offers Great Music Too

A torrid pace for the evening is set early in this new show at the Westchester Broadway Theatre as Jacob Tischler (Tony Manero), Joe Moeller (Double J), Raynor Rubel (Gus), and Christopher Hlinka (Joey) perform deft disco dancing steps with savvy, skill and athletic agility. The rest of the large cast of “Saturday Night Fever” responds to their lead throughout the play mixing dance and plot-related song.

Alexandra Matteo, playing Stephanie Mangano, is enchanting as a dancer and is a gifted singer too. In her speaking parts, she sounds much like Karen Lynn Gurney who played Stephanie in the famous 1977 Paramount Pictures movie. However, I grew up in Brooklyn—close to Bay Ridge where the play is set and I can assure you that Stephanie’s accent is far from a real Brooklyn accent.

Well known songs, popularized by the Bee Gees in the film’s soundtrack album, include Stayin’ Alive, If I Can’t Have You, What Kind of Fool Am I, How Deep Is Your Love, Night Fever and More Than a Woman.

The play’s director and choreographer is Richard Stafford. Ryan Edward Wise is the musical director and Sarah Buscaino is the assistant choreographer.

The cast includes Gianna Yanelli as Annette, Chris Collins-Pisano as Bobby C., Pat McRoberts as Monty, Sandy Rosenberg as Flo Manero, Ray DeMattis as Frank Manero. Isabella D’Erasmo and Hannah Moore alternate as Linda Manero.

The supporting cast members are Anthony Alvino, Josh Bates, Lauren Dalal, Michelle Dawson, Christopher DeAngelis, Walter Filmore IV, Brian Lego, Natalie Perez-Duel, Frankie Paparone, Kristyn Pope, Audrey Tesserot, and Charity Van Tassel.

In director John Badham's ‘Saturday Night Fever” movie, John Travolta, wowed audiences playing Tony. Travolta’s film role somewhat resembled his character Vinnie Barbarino in the hit television show “Welcome Back, Kotter.” Travolta was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for Saturday Night Fever but lost out to Brooklyn-native Richard Dreyfuss for his role in 1977 film, “The Goodbye Girl.”

In the TV show, Travolta played an Italian-American, high-school student who was envied by his male friends and adored by female ones at a fictionalized version of Brooklyn’s New Utrecht High School.

“Saturday Night Fever” will run until November 27, 2016 when it will be replaced by a holiday show; it returns on December 29, 2016 and closes on January 29, 2017.

Ticket prices range from $56 to $84 (includes meal and show). For reservations, call 914-592-2222 or go to
www.BroadwayTheatre.com.

The Westchester Broadway Theatre is located at 1 Broadway Plaza, Elmsford, NY 10528, 914-592-2268.

Photo: Jacob Tischler as Tony Manero. Photo by John Vecchiolla