The Bakers Wife

Paper Mill playhouse always pulls it off. Last nights production of The Bakers Wife was wonderful. The sets were beautiful,the staging was clear and the casting was terrific (except for the 3 nieces)
Alice Ripley is a powerhouse. Her voice soars. Meadowlark, the standard from the show, was as moving as the first time I heard it. Seeing her after the show was nice. She is gracious and kind, a surprise, now a brunette.
Max Von Essen is a gem too. He moves like Gene Kelly and has a pitch-perfect tenor that is ideal for his role. And not bad on the eyes.
I find all of Stephen Shwartz' shows to be missing something. In this one, the first act is great, then the second, well, there was nothing to say, and not much happening, so it turns out to be a lot of filler. He always has 2 or 3 great songs, and the rest of the show never registers musically. I felt the same way about Pippin. I need to listen to the original recording and see if that makes a difference.
Really great night of theater.