Danny and Sylvia: The Danny Kaye Musical, playing at St. Luke’s Theatre in New York, is a charming though abbreviated glimpse into the lives of entertainer Danny Kaye and his award-winning lyricist wife, Sylvia Fine. Starring Brian Childers as Danny and Kimberly Faye Greenberg as Sylvia, this musical is an entertaining introduction to the talented star of movies such as The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, The Court Jester, White Christmas, and Hans Christian Andersen.

While the two actors play their roles admirably, the musical is disappointing in its brevity. It merely glosses over their early lives together, without really touching on the genius of their pairing, their tempestuous relationship, or the inspirational career Danny Kaye enjoyed for decades.

Although he does not sound exactly like Danny Kaye, Mr. Childers’s portrayal embodies all the physicality and musical style of the late entertainer. I thoroughly enjoyed his treatment of some of the classic Sylvia Fine numbers: “Tchaikovsky”, “Anatole of Paris,” and “Melody in 4F.” Just like Kaye, Childers fully engaged the audience in singing along and participating in “Ballin’ the Jack” and “Minnie the Moocher.” His treatment of “Minnie” also reminded us that not only was Danny a gifted comic, he was also a fine singer.

Ms. Greenberg’s portrayal of Sylvia Fine painted a perfect portrait of a brash and ambitious New York career woman of the 1930’s and 1940’s. She has the perfect look for the time period and seemed authentic in the role. While her musical numbers were good, they had a touch of the melodramatic, and were not as entertaining as the numbers Childers pranced through.

As portrayed in the musical, Sylvia was going to have to choose between a career of her own or a life of marital bliss, but in hooking Danny Kaye she found a way to have it all. She was the mastermind behind Danny’s rise to the top, a fact which no doubt engendered resentment in the male half of the team. Danny subsequently left Hollywood, where Sylvia called all the shots, to perform on his own at the London Palladium. And although he was a success at the Palladium, it was while he was in London that he realized he was better with Sylvia at his side. The pair reunited in London, with conditions that limited Sylvia’s involvement in Danny’s career. Sylvia also told Danny that she was about to have a baby. As the couple is preparing for their future as a family, the show abruptly ends.

Article Author: CindyC

Cindy's interests include books, music, charitable work, musical theater, the arts, Hugh Laurie, and House. She is now a member of the Connecticut Critics Circle.

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