The tap dancing musical comedy “42nd Street,” which brought the 1930s to 2008, is showing through Sunday in the University Theatre by Sacramento State Department of Theatre and Dance.

The chorus and cast of 40 Sac State students acted, sang and tap danced for almost a full house on March 14, which was the opening night.

Similar to 1933’s film, 1985’s Broadway shows and 1999’s revival, “42nd Street” is a musical about a production of a play. A young and naive but extremely talented tap dancer and understudy named Peggy Sawyer journeys and grows from the chorus line to leading lady and stardom.

In the play Sawyer, after much trouble, gets added into her first Broadway show as a girl in the chorus line. “Pretty Lady” is her first and famous Broadway director Julian Marsh’s last production. Throughout the play, cocky, savvy, Broadway juvenile and female magnet Billy Lawlor tries to win over Sawyer’s heart.

The leading lady of Marsh’s play, Dorothy Brock is a rude, needy and a has-been but exceptionally talented singer. Torn between her love for Broadway and her ex-lover Pat Denning, Brock struggles in the production of “Pretty Lady.” He leads her to Philadelphia and coincidentally, “Pretty Lady” has its out-of-town opening in Philadelphia, as well.

While performing for the opening, Brock breaks her ankle because Sawyer bumps into her. After much debate between Marsh and the cast of “Pretty Lady,” Marsh begs Sawyer to be the leading lady. She accepts the offer after much hesitation, believing that Broadway is not for her.

After watching “Pretty Lady,” the audience falls in love with Sawyer as she falls in love with persistent Lawlor. Brock and Denning get married, and Brock praises Sawyer for her natural talent. It ends with Sawyer’s fame overshadowing famous Marsh’s play.

Subtly intertwined, humorous scenes include a scene toward the end where Marsh attempts to teach Sawyer how to act excited, loving and grateful to see her lover in “Pretty Lady.” Each time he taught her by kissing her, she became shy as if it was her first time and hysterical as if kissing a god.

Sac State English major Brad Bong, who played Lawlor, went through Sawyer’s struggles, innocent youth and triumph as he transformed into Lawlor and learned to tap dance for “42nd Street.”

“It was a huge stretch to get into this role because I am nothing like Billy Lawlor, and it’s not like any role I’ve ever done before,” Bong said.

Bong considered himself not of star quality, imperfect and modest.

Furthermore, Bong knew little of how to tap dance. After being cast in the musical in November, he took up tap classes along with rehearsals.

“Outside of rehearsals, I practiced every chance I got at home, at work and while grocery shopping,” Bong said.

Other members of the cast said they related to Sawyer because all they wanted was a chance to highlight their talent.

Dance and communication studies major Laura Lothian, who is a member of the chorus line, started dancing less than two years ago. “42nd Street” was her first full-length show at Sac State.

Theatre major Heather Kenyon, who played Sawyer, has tap danced since she was little.

“Growing up with a dream and then finally getting to achieve it” is how she related to Sawyer, Kenyon said.

During intermission of the March 16 showing, an audience member who went by the name Santa Steve couldn’t stop humming a song performed called “We’re in the Money.”

“It’s contagious,” Steve said.

The cast performed songs including “42nd Street,” “You’re Getting to Be a Habit With Me” and “I Only Have Eyes for You.”

“Not only was the stage presence really good, but I loved the costumes,” Steve said.

The costumes were conservative and colorful to reflect the days of the 1930s. All the girls in the musical wore wigs to reflect the hairstyles of the 1930s.

Associate professor of theatre and dance Ed Brazo directed and choreographed the musical.

Brazo said the musical required almost 300 costumes; costume designer Nina Sayuri Pinckard made about 200 costumes, some borrowed from California Musical Theatre and some rented.

The Season Planning Committee, which selects the following school year’s plays, chose “42nd Street” last spring as one of the four plays that students will perform.

“Each year, as of about three years ago, we started allowing students to submit titles of shows,” Brazo said. “’42nd Street’ was a student submission ? it was chosen as the best mix for our season.”

Brazo said there was an abundance of talented tap dancers at Sac State, which played a role in the decision.

Without Kenyon’s submission of the musical, it could have been possible that “42nd Street” would not have been shown.

After the musical was over each night, members of the cast in their costumes held hats at the entrance doors asking for donations, which were going toward student scholarships for the Department of Theatre and Dance.

Deur Julie Tcha can be reached at [email protected]

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