Tavis Kordell and Matt Loehr Photo by Matthew Murphy

While this blast-off show is based upon Billy Wilder's film of the same name, bookwriters Matthew Lopez and Amber Ruffin have made certain changes. Marc Shaiman composed the music and wrote lyrics with Scott Whitman. Mary-Mitchell Campbell and Darryl Archibald are pivotal for supervising music and Kristy Norter is music coordinator. Director/choreographer Casey Nicholas is responsible for jazz, pizzazz, and some full-throttle pacing. It's a total challenge to keep still in an orchestra seat as the beat instantly permeates.

This stage show takes place in 1933 at the end of Prohibition, not four years earlier as in the movie. We have Joe (Matt Loehr), a saxophonist, and Jerry (Tavis Kordell), who plays double bass, on the run from the mob. They are unemployed and have a problem with a club which will not allow Jerry (for racial reasons) to perform while Joe is welcome. They sing "You Can't Have Me (If You Don't Have Him)." What's obvious is that these guy are swift, spirited dancers. They happen upon Sweet Sue (Tarra Conner Jones), who leads an all-women jazz band. It's important to know (as anyone familiar with the movie realizes) that, during "Vamp!," Joe is suddenly Josephine and Jerry is disguised as Daphne. The duo join the band. Take a moment, as you observe, to acknowledge Gregg Barnes for nifty costuming. And there's the Cheetah Club bad guy Spats (Devon Goffman) from whom Joe/Josephine and Jerry/Daphne flee. Spats is a murderer.

Joe falls, head over heels, for a sweet singer named Sugar (Leandra Ellis-Gaston). Ellis-Gaston has a compelling voice which she demonstrates on three solo numbers, "A Darker Shade of Blue," "At the Old Majestic Nickel Matinee," and "Ride Out the Storm." Meanwhile, the very wealthy Osgood (Edward Juvier), arriving on stage before intermission, sings "Poor Little Millionaire." Later, he wows everyone with a dulcet "Fly, Mariposa, Fly" in the second act. The action has shifted from Chicago to San Diego whereupon Osgood is intrigued with Daphne. Joe feels he might have to be truthful with Sugar, who has ambition herself to become a movie star. There's much more, as well, to this high octane musical production. It all concludes on the upswing with the two final rousing company numbers: "Tip Tap Trouble" and "Baby, Let's Get Good."

The brilliant Wilder film starred Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis, Marilyn Monroe, and Joe E. Brown. The new stage presentation came to Broadway late in 2022 and the national tour commenced in Schenectady, New York last September. The current ultra-talented performance group shines throughout. Specific cast choices work exceptionally well. For example, Tavis Kordell appears to be so much taller than anyone else on stage and that includes Matt Loehr. The contrast in body type, alone, is fairly hilarious. Both of these actors are exquisite tap dancers. Leandra Ellis-Gaston is someone to watch. She made her Broadway debut as a cast member in Tina: The Tina Turner Musical. She recently commented that she has wished to play Sugar since she saw Some Like it Hot workshopped in New York before it arrived on Broadway. The very natural Ellis-Gaston, who wears a variety of dresses costume designer Barnes provides, is poised, versatile, and entirely convincing.

Not one moment goes to waste as this musical, multi-layered in theme, gets moving instantly when Sue and others introduce "What Are You Thirsty For?" It's a loud, brassy number that jumps at anyone who might still be settling into a their seat. The actors fuel the rest with assistance from a number of creative designers, including Scott Pask, whose many settings complement the proceedings. Casey Nicholaw, at the helm, drives this large collection of actors forward and they delightfully realize the show's potential. The performers tap, kick, swivel, gyrate, and slide with bursts of energy all over the stage.

Some Like it Hot runs through May 4, 2025, at The Bushnell, 166 Capitol Ave., Hartford CT. For tickets and information, please call 860-987-5900 or visit Bushnell.org. For information on the tour, visit somelikeithotmusical.com