He was known as the "world's greatest entertainer," and in 1927 starred in "The Jazz Singer," the first talking motion picture. With a career full of music and drama, Al Jolson certainly knew how to entertain his fans with song and dance. He wowed crowds all the way up to his death in 1950.
But for many unfamiliar with Jolson's body of work, "Jolson & Co.," a new musical produced by MusicalFare, offers an entertaining and enlightening take on one of the most famous names in show business history.
A three-person cast portrays the many characters in Jolson's personal and business life. As an ensemble, their enthusiasm is very promising. The cast complimented each other well, and although some of the jokes were expired, they got the older members of the crowd laughing.
John Fredo, an Artvoice Artie Award-winning local actor, plays the title character with tremendous stage presence. Portraying the women in his life is Kathy Weese, whose distinctive voice made it difficult to differentiate between the many roles she plays. This didn't take away from her acting ability though; she has impeccable sense of timing. Louis Colaiacovo rounds out the cast, playing the various male roles. Colaiacovo also has great acting ability and was quite comedic throughout the production.
The first half of the show was entertaining, but not without some dry spots. At one point it became more entertaining to count how many times Jolson spit when singing songs like "You Made Me Love You" and "The Red, Red Robin." Annoyingly, Jolson would also break out into a rendition of the same song repeatedly.
While some areas of the first act were disappointing, the second act picked up quite a bit, and was very humorous. The cast played off each other well, leading to some great comedy. There were points in the show when the audience was uproariously laughing, with tears in their eyes.
The portrayal of the many people in his life - his women, his wives and his managers - by only two other actors sometimes made it difficult to keep track of characters, but the use of a news radio talk show as the basis for the narration made it easier to understand the series of events, as well as Jolson's own personal outlook on the scene previously reenacted.
Overall the show was a great success, but there were a few minor setbacks, like the first act's repetitious songs and scenes, which caused even those closer to Jolson's generation to take a quick nap.
The theater's air might have lingered with the potent scent of a grandmother's perfume, causing a slight nauseating feeling throughout. But as they say, the show must go on.
"Jolson & Co." is onstage at the MusicalFare Theater, on the Daemen College campus on Main Street in Amherst, through Oct. 12. Discounted student tickets are available at the box office, or by calling 839-8540.
Photo: Meredith Forrest Kulwicki
