Amazing, creative, capitaving -- it's 'Movin' Out'

I love Billy Joel.

As a kid I spent hours and hours listening to my dad's Joel records. So Friday night's performance of "Movin' Out," the rock ballet/jukebox musical that uses only the pop hits of the piano man as its soundtrack, already had a lot going for it.

And the promise of hearing songs such as "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)," "Uptown Girl" and "Innocent Man" drew a big crowd to the Capitol Theatre, something I hadn't seen at the past Best of Broadway shows this season.

But the show, different from other musicals, also doesn't have any dialogue. Conceived by Tony-winning choreographer and recent Kennedy Center honoree Twyla Tharp, the show's action is purely in dance while the music is played by a band elevated above the barren stage.

This I wasn't too sure of. "Interpretive dance set to Billy Joel music?" I kept asking myself.

But no, it was absolutely amazing, creative and captivating.

In the show, high school sweethearts Brenda and Eddie split as the band sings, "Brenda and Eddie had had it already by the summer of '75," from the song "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant".

Meanwhile, fellow sweethearts James and Judy's love continues. Brenda then begins a romance with Tony before he, Eddie and James ship off for Vietnam.

This leads to one of the most heart-pounding scenes. As the band -- led by pianist/singer Jon Abrams -- plays an intense version of "We Didn't Start the Fire," a bellbottomed Brenda turns on and tunes out while the guys fight their way through the jungle.

James is killed in the war and Tony and Brenda have trouble reconnecting when he returns. Eddie also looses himself for a while before running into Judy and rekindling a friendship.

While the storyline isn't anything revolutionary -- five high school friends coming of age in Vietnam War-era America -- there is nothing conventional about the choreography.

It ranges from spirited, often funny, numbers ("Movin' Out" and "For the Longest Time"/"Uptown Girl"), to really graceful, beautiful scenes ("Just the Way You Are"), some quite violent dancing ("Big Shot"), and even a very strange, drug-induced scene ("Captain Jack") involving ... well, some seedy characters you don't normally see on the Capitol stage.

All drew big applause and people would often clap or let out an appreciative "whoo" during a scene.

While the entire cast -- who were still trapped in Seattle on Friday morning because of the weather -- were outstanding, dancers Ashlee Dupré (Brenda) and Lawrence Neuhauser (Eddie) stole the show.

Dupré is a commanding and daring dancer who can convey the whole spectrum of emotion through her movement. And Neuhauser's ability to leap five feet in the air and even dance on his hands while playing the tough guy with a soft heart made me an instant fan. I also loved the way dancer Adam Dulin-Tavares, who played Tony, could slide across the stage with a youthful glee.

Of course, the show ends on a hopeful note with the band -- and me, too, -- singing, "Cause the good old days weren't always good, and tomorrow ain't as bad as it seems," from "Keeping The Faith."

* Kim Nowacki is the Yakima Herald-Republic's arts and entertainment writer. She can be reached at 577-7680 or knowacki@yakimaherald.com.

* The next Best of Broadway series show is "The Pajama Game." Performances are at 7 p.m. on Feb. 13; and 2 and 7 p.m. on Feb. 14 at the Capitol Theatre, 19 S. Third St. Tickets are available through TicketsWest, 800-325-7328, www.ticketswest.com, or the Capitol Theatre box office, 853-2787.