Yes, dear readers, in case you were at last Wednesday’s
performance of the smart and snappy cabaret revue,
What’s Your Problem, playing Wednesday nights at
Rose's Turn, and were wondering who was that one
person who applauded when performer/lyricist Hector
Coris asked, “Are there any straight men here tonight?”,
that was, in fact, me. For although most of the show’s 18
songs dealt with aspects of gay life, he want to assure us
(me?) that the evening would be straight-friendly. Indeed,
several of lyrics were about popular straight male subjects
like enjoying Broadway showtunes, weekending on Fire
Island and the swell of pride one feels during Fleet Week.

The score by Coris and composer/arranger/accompanist
Paul L. Johnson is a fast and funny grab bag of peppy
tunes and joke-laden lyrics that are lighthearted and jovial,
having silly fun with its topics without ever letting the
quips get nasty. Character clown Coris is joined vocally
by fresh-faced juvenile Eric Martin and sassy belter
Suzanne Adams. The three of them sound great together
and all shine individually in material that nicely plays
their contrasting comic styles.

Photo: Suzanne Adams, Eric Martin and Hector Coris

Coris is hammy, show-biz fun playing broad roles like a Brokeback Mountain cowpoke, singing the joys of reading Blueboy and listening to ABBA on the ranch, a 50’s pop idol warbling of his “Chelsea Boy” (“His contacts are the brightest blue.”) and a giddy gay man confessing, “Str8 Men Go Str8 to My Heart.” (“A runway, he knows, is for planes, not for clothes / But give him five shots and it’s anything goes!”)

He and Martin duet on the evening’s only song parody, borrowing one of Jule Styne’s Gypsy melodies for “If We Were Gay Married”. (Their wedding cake would be 8% carbs and Harold Prince would direct the ceremony.)

Martin’s solos, performed with a pleasing tenor and flippant charm, include a sparkling Noel Coward parody, “Thanks For a Lovely First Time, Mr. Wilby” (Do I really need to explain that one?), a musically Kurt Weill-ish exploration of reality TV and a Latin number reminiscent of “Down Argentine Way” toasting “Flamin’ Fire Island.” (“The fun you’ll remember, but names and faces not so much.”)

Adams is a gifted comic playing self-effacing humor in a style that may remind you of greats like Rose Marie and Kaye Ballard. Her dimly-masked romantic frustration, shining through a slightly too-sunny smile, perfectly serves funny songs like “Every Single Girl (Should Have a Homo)” and “Lowering My Standards”, but her showstopper, utilizing her knack for farce and a versatile range, is the wildly frenetic diva spoof “Crossover Queen.”

Director Colette Black nimbly steers the show from zanier bits to verbal wit with a fluid touch, providing fun staging for numbers like the Andrew Sisters style salute to Fleet Week. Heck, it’s an achievement just coordinating smooth entrances and exits for three performers on that tiny Rose’s Turn stage. The pacing is brisk and the comedy lightly zings.

The past couple of years have seen quite a few politically minded musical revues in New York, all of them critical of the current administration. And as fine a tradition as political satire may be, in a predominantly liberal city like New York these shows tend to separate the country into “us” and “them.” That’s why it’s always great to have a charming and funny show like What’s Your Problem? around. It’s the kind of entertainment that can be enjoyed by Democrats and openly gay Republicans alike.

Remaining performances of What’s Your Problem? are on April 19 & 26 at 7PM and April 29th at 9PM. Call Rose’s Turn (after 4PM) at 212-366-5438 for reservations and information.

Michael Dale, BroadwayWorld.com
Long before word "Metrosexual" was coined, popularized and subsequently beaten into the ground, Michael Dale began chronicling his mad adventures as a straight boy living in a gay world over at http://www.dry2olives.com. The buildings which once housed the 5 off-off Broadway plays he penned have all been destroyed or turned into a Starbucks, but his name remains the answer to the popular trivia question "Who wrote the official play of Babe Ruth's 100th Birthday." The Village Voice once said Michael "panders to the nervous giggles of the closed-minded." Let's hope they all visit this site often.

The distinguishing characteristic of the musical comedy revue What's Your Problem?, written by Paul L. Johnson (music) and Hector Coris (lyrics), is not that it's a gay-themed show (although this is indisputable) but, rather, that it's so consistently entertaining. That's no small accomplishment when you consider that it contains one solid hour's worth of original material. There are some clunkers mixed in with the winners, of course, but the general level of quality is very high.

Every number in the show is more or less comedic. Some are up-tempo, some are ballads, but all are intended to make the listener laugh or, at least, offer a wry smile in recognition of some sharp, satific observation. Because there are no (forgive the expression) "straight" numbers -- i.e., romantic or dramatic songs -- to be found here, one might expect the revue to become thematically redundant. Happily, it avoids that pitfall thanks to the widely varied subject matter covered by the material. For example, one song slyly suggests that "Every Single Girl (Should Have a Home-O)," while another is an exuberant celebration of "Fleet Week."

Johnson's music has charm and plenty of bounce; but given the style of these songs, it's fair to say that they live or die in their lyrics, so we're happy to report that Coris displays a sassy sense of humor. From the darkly funny "Find It In Your Heart," about a knife rather than love, to the rousing "In Heaven (They Sing Nothing But Showtunes)," the lyrics are playful and consistently amusing.

What's Your Problem? features a cast of three solid performers. Coris is one of them, and he's particularly adept at putting over his own material. Eric Martin brings an easy, unforced style to the comedy, while Suzanne Adams provides plenty of brass and belt; she does an especially terrific job of delivering one of the revue's best numbers, "Lowering My Standards." Collette Black's no-nonsense direction of all this delightful nonsense keeps the show moving at a quick and pleasing pace.