The Book Of Merman

The Book of Merman is playing at St. Luke’s Theatre located at 308 West 46th Street. It runs ninety minutes with no intermission. It is an opened ended show being performed Saturday evening and Sunday matinee.

Elder Shumway (Nicholas J. Pollina) and Elder Braithwaite (Kyle Ashe Wilkinson) are Mormons. They are knocking on doors to bring the word of god to people. Most of the doors they ring, are slammed on them. One time the person came to the door naked.

When they knock on a pink door, Ethel (Carly Sakolove) invites them in. She thinks they are selling magazine subscriptions. Shumway thinks she is Ethel Merman, that’s her name. He has a crush on her and carries her biography with him. Shumway says he wants to go to New York City so he can act. Braithwaite talks him into finishing his two years passing the word of Mormon. He tells him he will go to New York City with him.

In the end Ethel comes out in a different wig and tells them her name is Ethel Merman but not the famous one. She felt more confident being her then her real self.

One problem is you have no idea when or where it takes place. Or maybe they want you to think maybe its 1983 and Ethel Merman is still alive.

Kyle Ashe Wilkinson has some nice facial expressions. Carly Sakolove has a beautiful singing voice. She can belt out a song.

It’s a cute show. If you are looking for a fun (silly), show this is it.

Review by Rozanna Radakovich.

Photos by Annazor.

To read a candid interview with the cast, scroll down to the left for photos. Click on photos for this and other shows.