How do I write about the story when there is no story? Instead we have a sassy and saucy non-stop revue of the best of Kander and Ebb. And it is driven by five multi-faceted performers who move through their performances with grace, aplomb, and a great deal of happy!
Before we wander too far into The World Goes ‘Round, who are Kander and Ebb? Well probably two of the most accomplished writers of Broadway shows whose names you don’t know or can’t remember. Fred Ebb is the lyricist in this partnership and John Kander is the composer. And they have written a great number of Broadway Musicals including Cabaret, Chicago, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Zorba, and Fosse among many others. And the iconic song, New York, New York. Side note: You might want to brush up on the lyrics of New York, New York before you go. You can thank me later.
As I said earlier, there is no story here and there are no characters either. But that doesn’t mean that we won’t recognize the musical genres, musical eras, or the roles being represented by our five intrepid performers. So the devil is in the details here and director and choreographer Kelly Faulkner has left absolutely nothing to chance. Every moment is full of action and pathos and music and dance. The five actors seem to tag team out into the spotlight and take a solo turn at one of the songs presented. But don’t focus on just that star turn as the complete support cast will be up to something in the background, even when they aren’t in a supporting role out front with the star. And then there are some amazing moments when the entire ensemble just melts into a sublime choral voice.
And don’t be fooled for a second that Faulkner has presented us with a recital of popular song. With the mugging, slap stick, duets, cross support, and free dancing, The World Goes ‘Round owes a lot more to vaudeville than to Broadway. And to step back again, I said that there weren’t any characters, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any types. Costume designer Robert Sharon has costumed all seven performers on stage as recognizable caricatures. And Sharon may have clad them in costumes closer to their own personalities rather than their roles? I will go into more detail below. I have kept you waiting long enough to hear about the actors.
Let’s start with the sidemen! Stage right, your left, is the very remarkable Brett Ryback on the upright piano. Dressed in garb reminiscent of an olde time saloon pianist in dress shirt with garters on each arm and a straw boater, Ryback, as the lead accompanist is the driving force and the show wouldn’t be quite as powerful without him. And he has no easy task as he has to move from genre to genre and tickle the keys softly at one moment and then pound out a more percussive round the next. And his comrade in arms, drummer, Michael Reilly is equally challenged. Working from stage left, your right, on a relatively small trap set, Reilly too has to move through the various styles and rhythms, moving from sticks, to brushes, to mallets…and he does it without seeming effort. A veritable Charlie Watts here…and I bring that up because he is wearing a to die for Rolling Stones tour t-shirt. Well, maybe I was the only who coveted such a thing. But if you are careful you will notice that Reilly and Ryback have a few gestures and hand signals to make sure they kick off the next tune on cue!
Well, who is that man in the tuxedo? That would be RJ Christian. His musical instrument is clarinet and he is particularly adept! Easily portraying the mood of each piece, he too gets that jazz, and melancholy, and joy in the music. And I think he slipped some klezmer bits in there as well. But his main instrument is his voice. When he is in the mid and low tones of his vocal range, his voice is luscious.
And what exactly is a Parisian mime doing here? With his striped French shirt, black beret, and mime makeup, Joe Kinosian actually does go beyond song and dance and has some moments of loose-limbed moves and dance steps that have that mime vibe. And adopting this persona also lets him effectively act out a wide range of emotions, from sad to funny to? Kinosian’s main instrument here is saxophone but at times he slides Ryback off the piano stool and takes charge at the upright. Kinosian’s side gig in The World Goes ‘Round is musical director and arranger, so he deserves extra credit recognition for the success of this show.
Paula Gaudier is our lady in silk…and as smooth as silk as she moves around the stage. She may have a bit of chanteuse hiding behind those smiles and she is just a joy to watch perform. Certainly a warm and engaging presence. Her instrument of choice here is guitar.
That lady with the flute may not be exactly what she seems. And she’s not. Tiffany Topol starts out looking all classy and uptown until…in typical showgirl fashion she tugs off her dress to reveal that she’s the quintessential showgirl. And Topol plays the loud and brassy showgirl at times but it looks like she has the soul of a dancer as well. Fluid and agile and fleet of foot I could see her across the street in The Nutcracker. But that physical presence and sure footed elan are perfect for the role. For a little side fun, see if you can keep track of how many garters she wears during the show.
In a far more simple frock, for me something that my mother may have worn, Jillian Louis steps right out with a voice that just dominates the stage even when she is singing that first sad and distant song. Louis’ voice is also the one you hear strong and bright and out front on the ensemble chorus pieces too. Her singing is definitely the gemstone of the evening.
But the instruments listed above aren’t all of the music. Every one of our five actors also touch a ukulele of one type or another at least once during the performance. There are glockenspiels and melodicas and any number of percussion instruments wielded from wood blocks to triangles…oh and I forgot the whistles…there are whistles. Which brings me up to one more accolade:
I have no idea how scenic designer Em Allen and stage manager Jade Bruno managed to keep track of all of the chairs and props and musical instruments. There is a myriad of items to manage and have in the right place at the right times. But their efforts are amazing and certainly worth at least this mention.
The World Goes ‘Round: The Songs of Kander & Ebb runs from now through October 25, 2026 in the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre’s Stackner Cabaret. More information here! And ticket information here! The Stackner has a delightful restaurant, so make reservations to dine before the show.
Extra Credit Reading: The Program
Approximate Running Time:
2 hours and 15 minutes with one intermission