What the world needs now is a feel-good musical and Some Like It Hot pulls out all the stops. From the opening number “What Are You Thirsty For?” performed by powerhouse vocalist Tarra Conner Jones in the role of Sweet Sue, you know it’s time to sit back and enjoy this rollicking cross-country adventure, currently at Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC), through April 27, 2025.
Based on the classic 1959 film written and directed by Billy Wilder, Some Like It Hot modernizes the tale of two misfit musicians and lifelong best friends who witness a mob hit and flee for their lives disguised as members of an all-girl band during the Prohibition era. There’s music, mayhem, and more as Joe and Jerry – as Josephine and Daphne – played masterfully by Matt Loehr and Tavis Kordell respectively – learn that pretending to be someone else can teach you an awful lot about yourself.
The songs are toe-tappingly tremendous and performed with heart and soul, with Kordell or Leandra Ellis-Gaston as Sugar, often taking center stage in what feels like an MGM musical come to life. The dancing is over the top from start to finish, most notably the choreographed chase scene “Tip Tap Trouble,” a fantastical farce involving moving doors on casters, colorful costumes, and sight-gags. The cast on opening night knocked it out of the park, leaving the audience breathless and applauding for more.
For fans of costume and set design, Some Like It Hot is a delight. The plot takes us along on a journey by train from Chicago and San Diego, with multiple stops along the way, each requiring 1930s ensembles and atmosphere in various settings and climates. From Sweet Sue’s signature finger waves hairstyle, to Josephine’s dowdy frocks, to hats and bia-cut dresses, nothing remains static in this action-packed romp.
Laughs aside, this musical comedy has plenty of heart, touching on themes including long-lasting friendship and loving others as we love ourselves, whether they’re wearing a dress or a suit. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and get on out to see Some Like It Hot at the Providence Performing Arts Center through Sunday. Learn more at PPACRI.org
–Elyse Major & Hugh Minor
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