REVIEW Billy Joel's characters tell musical story in 'Movin Out'

The dancers' moves will knock you out.
By DEBORA SHAULIS
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
PITTSBURGH -- Before you move out to see "Movin' Out" this weekend at Benedum Center, ask yourself a few questions.
Can you enjoy a musical that defies convention?
Are you willing to stretch your intellectual muscles and interpret elements of the story for yourself? Will you be comfortable listening to not the usual pit orchestra, but a full-fledged rock band perched above the stage?
If you answered affirmatively, this one's for you. "Movin' Out" features amazing choreography by Twyla Tharp, who's credited with the show's concept, and more than two dozen songs that were written by pop singer-songwriter Billy Joel (aka The Piano Man). There is no script. Plot lines are implied in Joel's musical storytelling (as performed Tuesday night by pianist and lead vocalist Darren Holden and band) and the dancers' energy and body language.
Phases
The order of songs takes us through moments in the lives of five friends over two decades. There are three phases to their stories: The idyllic post-World War II era, when they are young adults; the upheaval of the Vietnam War years; and their triumphs over personal struggles. "Movin' Out" fares much better at portraying the latter two stages than the first, which begins confusingly.
Many characters have been plucked out of Joel's songs, although Tharp has not been entirely faithful to his visions. Prom sweethearts Brenda and Eddie were introduced by Joel in his "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant." His lyrics refer to their marriage in 1975. In the show, Brenda breaks up with Eddie and falls for his friend Tony (from Joel's "Movin' Out" song) before the guys are sent to Vietnam -- fully a decade earlier.
Then again, Tharp's intention was to create something new using familiar tunes that Joel has been producing since the 1970s. (He wrote a few new pieces for the show, too.) She's done so while staying true to her own style -- a blend of classic ballet, modern movement and jaw-dropping twirling.
The lead roles of Brenda, Eddie, Tony and the Piano Man rotate among cast members. On Tuesday, which was opening night at Benedum, Iron City natives Ron Todorowski and Laurie Kanyok danced as Eddie, the flirtatious one, and Brenda, the partying kind. Both demonstrated amazing athleticism and grace.
Todorowski completed one stunning succession of spins after another throughout the night. Kanyok's strength was enviable as she lifted and shifted herself from splits to other positions during "We Didn't Start the Fire," which unfolded in a 1960s psychedelic setting. Blonde, expressive Kanyok also unleashed a furious shimmy in one of Tharp's nods to pop culture.
Ballet is a recurring reference point in the romance of James and Judy. James (Kurt Froman), a buddy of Eddie and Tony, proposes to Judy (delicate, doll-like Julieta Gros) before he and the others leave for Vietnam. Their joyful duet is set to "Reverie (Villa D'Este)" and Joel's tender ballad "Just the Way You Are."
shaulis@vindy.com