Dogfight

I loved DOGFIGHT, the original film by Bob Comfort starring River Phoenix and the remarkable Lilli Taylor so I had high hopes for the musical version by the hot new team of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul currently running at the Second Stage Theatre. I'm happy to say I loved every minute of it. Set in San Francisco in 1963 we meet a group of brash young  marines on the night before they're shipped to Vietnam as they organise a cruel event called the Dogfight where they compete to find the ugliest girl to bring to a dance.

Eddie Birdlace (played by Derek Klena) meets the shy and ungainly young waitress Rose Fenny (Lindsay Mendez) and talks her into coming out on what turns out to be her first ever date.

When Rose realises she is the butt of Eddie's joke she is shattered and walks out. But Eddie has been touched by Rose and awkwardly tries to make amends. They attempt to make a connection before Eddie is shipped overseas next morning, possibly never to return.

Joe Mantello's staging, David Zinn's set and costumes and Chris Gattelli's choreography place the focus on the wonderfully talented cast and the production is especially blessed by the presence of  the superlative Lindsay Mendez in a star making turn.

 I hope the show has a long life beyond this initial off-Broadway season.