Broadway Musical 'Wanted' Struggles With Tonal Inconsistencies
A spirited but uneven historical musical fails to fully realize its ambitious premise.
1Long Road to Broadway
The musical Wanted finally reached Broadway after a twelve-year development process. Based on the real-life story of sisters Mary and Martha Clarke, the production draws from over a century of family lore. Despite its historical roots, the show struggles to balance its ambitious narrative with thin characterizations and uneven plot developments.
2Passing as White
Set in 1890s Texas, the plot follows two impoverished sisters who use their light skin to pass as white. They embark on a crime spree to fund the purchase of the cotton-producing land their mother, Tallulah, has worked for years. Their motivation stems from the cruel humiliation their mother faced while negotiating.
3Complex Romantic Entanglements
The sisters' criminal life leads to dangerous romances. Mary falls for the wealthy white landowner Jesse, while Martha pursues a connection with his Black servant, Elijah. These relationships are fraught with risk, as the women must hide their true identities while navigating the constant, looming threat of lynching in the segregated South.
4Musical and Tonal Shifts
The score, composed by Ross Baum, relies heavily on soaring gospel numbers that allow the cast to showcase impressive vocal talents. However, the show struggles with tone, oscillating between a lighthearted Bonnie and Clyde style and a more serious, unconvincing historical revenge fantasy that lacks the desired emotional payoff or narrative clarity.
5Questionable Character Choices
The inclusion of comic stock characters, specifically the maids Sissy and Flo, feels disconnected from the show's era. Their dialogue and tropes seem to teleport from a different time, serving primarily as exposition. These additions, combined with the sisters' questionable character arcs, weaken the overall impact of the musical's intended serious message.
6Visual and Stylistic Incongruities
Costume design by Emilio Sosa creates jarring visual clashes. While most characters wear period-accurate attire, lead characters appear in outfits reminiscent of modern fashion or Halloween costumes. These stylistic choices, alongside inconsistent Texas accents, suggest a lack of a unified vision, making the production feel disjointed rather than intentionally post-modern or stylized.
7Strong Cast, Thin Writing
Principals Solea Pfeiffer and Liisi LaFontaine deliver powerful vocal performances despite the limitations of their thinly written roles. Ledisi, portraying the mother, provides a stalwart presence that anchors the production. While the cast is well-equipped to meet the show's excessive vocal demands, they cannot fully compensate for the lackluster script.
8A Missed Opportunity
Wanted functions as a modestly diverting entertainment but ultimately fails to transform its intriguing family history into a compelling narrative. The production struggles to find a consistent voice, resulting in a missed opportunity to turn a fascinating bit of 1890s Texas lore into a truly cohesive and impactful Broadway musical experience.
Original article: Deadline — Broadway Musical 'Wanted' Struggles With Tonal Inconsistencies