Review of ATC’s Production of Backwards in High Heels
by Marc Hansen
Just like the career of the famous 30’s Hollywood starlet Ginger Rogers, ATC’s production of season opener Backwards In High Heels, detailing the life of said actress/tap dancer, has its ups and downs. Certain aspects, such as the dancing and tap dancing, are beyond excellent, though the musical lacks purpose as a whole. Still, Backwards In High Heels should appeal to the older crowd, who were alive to experience the trajectory of Ginger Roger’s fifteen minutes of fame.
As previously stated, Backwards in High Heels is the life story of famous actress and tap dancer Ginger Rogers (Anna Aimee White), from a hopeful teenager in suburban Texas to a serious, accomplished professional on the Oscar-winning stage. The play hits all the major events in her life, including her famous legacy and union with fellow master tap dancer/actor Fred Astaire (Matthew LaBanca) and her five failed marriages (hilariously sped through in the song “Fine Romance”).
As always, the production values were excellent and I loved the set of the film set (but I’m a sucker for those kinds of things, being a film aficionado myself). There were also some really neat tricks being done with only two spotlights for lighting during “Baby Face“. And while there were no standouts in the cast, White’s voice was surprisingly powerful in “But... When?” after not having shown as much potential earlier. The music was hit-or-miss, like the play; sometimes it was standard and mundane, but there were some really catchy, standout numbers and productions, including the ridiculously fun “We’re in the Money.”
The main problem with Backwards in High Heels though is that it’s more just a series of events than a story. There seems to be no purpose or theme to the writing; at least I have no idea what it could possibly be trying to say, and suspect that its creation was purely on the basis of making a biopic (in stage format) of Ginger Rogers. And on that front, it’s the same old stuff you’ve seen before - typical ambitious young adult with big dreams in the 1920’s making it in the business, beyond all the odds and doubt. We already know the story, so when Jack Culpepper (James Patterson) tells Ginger Rogers she needs a plan B in case she doesn’t make it, we know she doesn’t, because we already know she does. And when Ginger’s mother (Heather Lee) tells her she’s making a huge mistake marrying Jack and that she’ll be back, we know she will. You could make this argument about any true story/biopic, but the problem in Backwards in High Heels is we don’t get inside Roger’s head or understand her better. We simply watch her life play out, making the play less interesting when we already know all the beats.
The play is mostly lightweight, as it has to be, because there’s no central dramatic theme, except for an overplayed subplot between Ginger and her mother, apparently thrown in to make up for a lack of conflict. In fact, the musical (which is also about half an hour too long) is at its best when it’s just lightweight and reveling in fun. Thank goodness, though, that Backwards In High Heels is on stage (and not film). If it weren’t, we would miss the musical’s ultimate high point in person - the opening number and tap filled “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off.” In this fabulous opener, White and fellow cast members LaBanca, Patterson, and Benjie Randall indulge in an amazing array of tap dance shoe harmonies, truly proving where their talents lie and how underrated this art form can be, as I’m sure Rogers would agree.
Overall Grade: C+
