Revelry on repeat: Paramount Theatre's 'Groundhog Day: The Musical' a four-star winner
“Groundhog Day: The Musical” - ★ ★ ★ ★
Without a shadow of a doubt, the Paramount Theatre in Aurora has a Broadway-caliber winner with “Groundhog Day: The Musical.” And the perfect timing of this joyous Midwest premiere goes beyond opening around its namesake winter holiday.
Originally a beloved 1993 film comedy, “Groundhog Day” is famous for its fantasy premise: An arrogant TV meteorologist gets trapped in a time loop where he relives Feb. 2 over and over. So it's no wonder that during the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic, countless commentators cooped up in quarantine likened their lives to “Groundhog Day.”
Now that vaccinated audiences can attend live theater, “Groundhog Day: The Musical” hits a very relatable sweet spot. And director Jim Corti's wowing staging not only illuminates the material with a stellar cast, the eye-popping production design is a technological marvel with rotating turntables and beautifully animated projections.
Danny Rubin co-wrote the original “Groundhog Day” screenplay with the late filmmaker Harold Ramis, but he was smart to ensure his 2016 stage adaptation goes beyond being a carbon copy of the film. And songwriter Tim Minchin, already famous for “Matilda the Musical,” is a clever collaborator with his quirky introspective songs that give the performers so much to chew on.
Alex Syiek makes a marvelous Paramount Theatre debut as weather forecaster Phil Connors. Not only are Syiek's vocals strong, he believably takes you on the leading man's roller coaster emotions of sarcastic arrogance, annoyed befuddlement, Machiavelli scheming, suicidal angst, and eventual hope and happiness.
From a storytelling standpoint, Rubin and Minchin arguably should have kept everything from Phil's perspective. But the authors expand “Groundhog Day” by giving extra musical insight to a wider range of other major and minor ensemble characters, and audiences are richer for it.
In particular, the associate producer Rita Hanson (a wonderful Phoebe González) becomes a much more fleshed-out character beyond being the “romantic interest.” Rita's disappointments with dating and contemplating Phil's plight are all incisively given in song.
Corti expertly marshals not only the talented cast but also the brilliant design team.
Scenic designer Courtney O'Neill's geodesic-domed backdrop not only symbolically suggests an entrapping snow globe, it's also the perfect canvas to soak in projection designer Mike Tutaj's amazing cinematic visuals. One moment you're seeing shots of Woodstock (where the film was shot) standing in for Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. And the next moment you're on an alcoholic joy ride along a dirt road with Phil and his new drunken acquaintances.
Jordan Ross' costumes help define each character, and they're also unsettling when the color seeps out to telegraph Phil's severe depression. Greg Hofmann's lighting design is also full of flash and romanticism to match each mood.
All these elements add up to make the Paramount Theatre's “Groundhog Day: The Musical” a must-see. Don't be surprised if you find yourself forgetting that you're in Aurora and not in a Broadway theater, since the show really is that good.
Location: Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora, (630) 896-6666, paramountaurora.com
Showtimes: 1:30 and 7 p.m. Wednesday, 7 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday, 3 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 1 and 5:30 p.m. Sunday; through March 13
Running time: About two hours, 40 minutes including intermission
Tickets: $36-$79
Parking: Area pay garages and street parking
COVID-19 precautions: Proof of vaccination. Masks required at all times, regardless of vaccination status.