"Come Fly With Me"

Apparently, Susan Booth became so enamored of the possibility to work with Twyla Tharp that she forgot the mission of her job - to bring dramatic theater to the Southeast. This production, beautifully designed , lit and portrayed, belonged with the Atlanta Ballet series. There simply is no coherent plot line to hang the vignettes on in order to call it a play. It is hard to believe this is what season ticket holders expect when they sign up.
And while you might expect the Chairman of the Board to be misogynistic, it comes as a surprise when Ms. Tharpe picks up the theme and places it gratuitously where it need not be.
I have heard no one speak of the artistic elephant in the room during the show - what in the world is Dave Brubeck's Take Five doing in the middle of this piece? In a show built around Sinatra, there is simply no reason for it to be there. It is as if Ms. Tharpe had already choreographed this years ago, and finally had a place to insert it. Eric Clapton's Layla would have made equal sense - great songs, with great movement, and apropos of absolutely nothing.
The dancers were outstanding, with particular delight in the role of waiter, beautifully executed. There were a number of lifts where the men seemed to be working harder than they should have, while others were effortlessly and beautifully done.
My bottom line: there were 70 minutes of wonderful work in an over long production better suited for a different series. My Way was simple, elegant, and magical. Much of the rest was outstanding modern dance choreography, executed brilliantly by a group of dancers put in the wrong place at the wrong time by the Alliance.
And a final note. I know their hope is to initiate premieres of shows that enter the American book, but it is hard to see how that is going to happen here. Broadway is the only place a cast this large with a band this big can make economic sense, and that is only if the audience buys into the premise that this is theater. That big band is not remotely replicable in small town America, and with tracks, this whole thing loses spectacle. I can't see how a producer is going to make a touring company of this make any economic sense whatsoever.