Dead Accounts

Playing at the Music Box Theatre located at 239 West 45th street. The play runs for two hours with one intermission. It is schedule to run until February 24, 2013.

Norbert Leo Butz won two Tony Awards in 2011 for “Catch Me If You Can” and in 2005 for “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels”. He made his Broadway debut in “Rent” (1996) as Adam Pascals replacement.

Katie Holmes made her Broadway debut in 2008 in “All My Sons”. She is known for her television role in “Dawson’s Creek” from 1998-2003.

Jayne Houdyshell was nominated for a Tony Award in 2006 for “Well”. She won a Theatre World Award and an Obie for “Well” in 2004. Jayne received a Tony Award nomination in 2011 for “Follies”.

This is playwright Theresa Rebeck’s third Broadway play. Last year’s comedy “Seminar” starred Alan Rickman. Her first Broadway play was “Mauritius” in 2007. She has written for the television shows such as ”NYPS Blue”, “Law and Order Criminal Intent” and “Smash” Theresa has won the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award and Peabody Award for her work on “NYPD Blue”.

Jack O’Brien is the director. He has won three Tony Awards and has been nominated for seven other Tony’s. He has won five Drama Desk Awards. Jack won the Tony’s for Hairspray (2003), Henry IV (2004) and “The Coast of Utopia” (2007). He won the Drama desk Awards for “The Piano Lesson” (1980), “The Invention of Love” ((2003), “Hair Spray” (2004), “Henry IV” (2004) and “The Coast of Utopia” (2007).

The time is the present; the setting is Cincinnati, Ohio.

Lorna (Katie Holmes) is in the kitchen of her parent’s home. Her brother Jack (Norbert Leo Butz) shows unexpectedly with several pints of ice cream. Lorna can’t figure why Jack has shown up. He lives in New York City with his wife Jenny (Judy Greer).

Their mother Barbara (Jayne Houndysell) is worried about her husband. He is in pain trying to pass a kidney stone.

Jack invites a high school friend to the house. Paul (Josh Hamilton) has a crush on Lorna. He asked her out in their senior year in high school, she refused him. He hasn't had the nerve to ask her out in thirteen years even though they talk on the phone all the time.

Jack is so hyper. He’s carrying around four bottles of medicine in his pockets which we assume is causing him to be this way.

Jenny shows up in the second act. We find out Jack’s wife is divorcing him. He has embezzled 27 million dollars from the bank he worked at. “Dead Accounts” are accounts of people that have died and no one has claimed the money.

It is a quirky play. There are many subplots which take away from the main story; there are so many questions that are not satisfied about the characters.

This is Norbert’s play. He is over the hill, hysterical in the role.

Jayne and Josh both look and act so natural in the role. It is as if they were acting out their own life. Both do a job well done.

Katie seems in some scenes to be over acting the facial expressions and her voice comes out shrill. If she relaxed more I think she would do well in the role.

I liked the way they handled the changing of the scenes. The light would dim; the actors would clean up the props. They would go to the cabinets for different props and clothes. The stage would go dark and when the light came back on the actors were in a different place or not on stage at all.

The set design was done by David Rockwell. He was nominated for a Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Circle Critics’ Awards for “Hairspray” (2004). He was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for “The Rocky Horror Show” (2001)”, “All Shook Up” (2005) and “Legally Blonde” (2009) “.

It’s a fun show but may not appeal to everyone. Some things will go over visitors to New York City head. Norbert makes remarks about the city that only a New Yorkers will enjoy.

Review by Rozanna Radakovich.

Photos by Annazor.

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