The Unsinkable Molly Brown at HCT

Many years ago I had the opportunity to see the Broadway touring production of The Unsinkable Molly Brown with Debbie Reynolds in the title role. I don't really remember much about the show except for the fact that I was incredibly star-struck by Reynolds! Last night I saw a brand-new production at HCT that is more historically accurate than the original version and I enjoyed it even though it has a few issues.  This musical tells the story of Margaret "Molly" Tobin Brown (Kelly Coombs) and her life in the mining town of Leadville, Colorado, her marriage to the miner JJ Brown (Kaden Caldwell), her life in Denver after striking it rich with the discovery of gold in her husband's mine, her work as a social reformer, a champion of women's rights, and a labor organizer, and her ill-fated voyage on the Titanic. Brown's story is compelling and Coombs gives an energetic performance but I found the character to be incredibly static because she is the same irrepressible figure from the moment we meet her testifying before a Senate committee on the Titanic disaster to the final scene where she advocates for immigration reform after several Titanic survivors are refused entry into the United States. Her first big song and dance number is "I Ain't Down Yet" and absolutely nothing gets her down, even when Denver society rejects her and when her husband is unfaithful to her, for the entire duration of the show and I found it to be very one-note and exhausting to watch. The revised book by Dick Scanlan places all of the action during Act I in Leadville as Brown interacts with characters drawn from real life and I think it gets really bogged down (my mind sometimes wandered in between musical numbers). Conversely, I think events in Act II are rushed and I would have liked to see more about her time in Europe. Having said that, every aspect of the production itself is outstanding. As previously mentioned, Coombs is delightful and so is Caldwell, especially when he gets exasperated with Molly. My favorite songs are "I Ain't Down Yet," "Belly Up to the Bar, Boys," "Beautiful People of Denver," and "Share the Luck." The choreography in these songs is so much fun and the large ensemble execute it well. I was very impressed with how the sinking of the Titanic is staged because it features dramatic sound and light design. The costumes are wonderful, particularly all of Molly's highly embellished dresses in Act II. As is often the case with HCT, the set is amazing with elaborate pieces coming in from the wings, up from the pit, and down from the rafters. I especially enjoyed the mine and cabins in Leadville, the garden in Denver, the Brown mansion, and the lifeboat. Finally, the projections featuring historical photos and documents are fascinating and very well done. Having a postcard of the Titanic move from one LED screen to another to show the progress of the ship and then rip in half when it sinks is so clever! HCT does a great job with this show and, even though it has a few minor character development and pacing issues, I would definitely recommend it.  Go here for tickets but act quickly because many shows are already sold out.