Pretty Woman: the Musical is now at the Philadelphia Academy of Music until January 16, 2022. Renowned Broadway star Adam Pascal is billionaire Edward Lewis and Becca Suskauer (who assumed the role of Vivian Ward at the last minute) was The Pretty Woman on opening night of the run. Everyone in the cast was exceptional, and this musical cannot and should not be missed. 

 

How special is it that our actors and actresses bravely step out onto our stages, night after night, with the rampant Covid epidemic raging. CNBC reported that there are one million new cases of covid 19 daily in the United States. Take advantage of the blessing afforded us by the Kimmel Center’s Broadway Philadelphia season.

 

Besides Mr. Pascal and Ms. Suskauer in their starring roles, there were many other excellent star turns by the estimable supporting cast which included Jessica Crouch, Kyle Taylor Parker, Matthew Stocke, Alex Gibbs, and Matthew Vincent Taylor as the irrepressible minx Giulio. 

High points in the musical were the frequent episodes of comic relief deftly handled by Matthew Vincent Taylor. He was outstanding in the male ballet at the hotel. Also of note, his Giulio bent over a bit too much for a bellhop. He displayed an inviting derriere many times for the audience’s benefit. 

 

Pretty Woman: the Musical benefitted by a live band in the pit, and an exceptionally committed cast. Only minor points can be said to not work perfectly. The opening number “Welcome To Hollywood” was rousing, but a bit too loud to hear the singers. Trust the excellent singers to hold our attention rather than drown them out. Another issue was the long wait for Adam Pascal to finally remove his shirt. Many in the audience hungered for his creamy, dreamy flesh to bathe their eyes with his masculine splendor. 

 

A curious plot twist was when Edward takes Vivian to the opera. Which opera does he take her to? La Traviata. Good heavens. Talk about a potential source of frisson. For those unfamiliar with the plot, Violetta, a beautiful, successful courtesan, foolishly chooses to love a handsome, young hot-blooded youth from the countryside named Alfredo. True to his namesake, he is as creamy, delicious, and destructive to Violetta’s world as pasta Alfredo is to a ketogenic diet. His monstrous father tracks down the lovebirds and convinces Violetta that she is a worthless whore not good enough to touch the horse manure on his virgin daughter’s boot. Violetta obeys, ditches Alfredo, dies in poverty with Alfredo and dad coming just in time to see her die from tuberculosis, syphilis, and out-of-control A1C. Not exactly what a sensible man would take his reformed street walker to enjoy, we would think. Thankfully, the entire opera sails over her head. Maybe because she is wearing a $300,000 necklace that hypnotized her. 

 

Fear not! This modern-day Cinderella ends happily for all except the evil lawyers. 

 

Tango your way to The Academy of Music to see Pretty Woman: the Musical right now. 

 

To purchase tickets, call 215-893-1999 or online at www.kimmelculturalcampus.org .