by George Wachtel

The recent musical Contact raised the question of what is a Broadway musical. With not one spoken word, Contact told three involved stories through fluid and dramatic choreography. Now comes Twyla Tharp, who has fashioned a coming-of-age story – through dance – around Billy Joel’s impressive canon of popular music. This time, however, the music is live, as Michael Cavanaugh spends the night at the piano doing a fairly good impersonation of Mr. Joel, with the orchestra behind him blazing Joel’s tunes. That’s all these young, brash dancers – some of whom are known from their past work with Tharp and major dance companies – need to set the stage on fire. Watching the bodies fly at Movin’ Out, I thought about the choreographer Michael Kidd who had a reputation in the 50s (Li’l Abner, Guys and Dolls, Can-Can) for creating steps so outrageous that dancers sometimes considered them dangerous. Tharp’s choreography is often that breathtaking.

So what is a musical? I’ll leave that for the Tony Award committee to decide in the spring. But I do know the answer to the question: What is entertainment? Movin’ Out.

Recommended for ages 12 and up.

George A. Wachtel is President of Audience Research & Analysis, a market research firm in New York City which specializes in live, film and visual arts research. He has been taking his daughter, Amanda, to Broadway shows since age two-and-a-half.