Review: ‘Some Like It Hot’ Audaciously Scorches the Pantages Theatre Stage

Get ready for a rollicking good time — Some Like It Hot, the Tony Award-winning musical comedy, is a joyous theatrical gem that sparkles with infectious charm and toe-tapping splendor.

Currently captivating audiences at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre through Sunday, August 17th, this high-velocity first national tour is a saucy, feel-good musical that scintillates the stage with not just scores of nostalgia, but strokes of a modern era. (The show returns to Southern California at Costa Mesa’s Segerstrom Center for the Arts from Tuesday, October 7th through Sunday, October 19th.) With its enlivening jazziness, blow-away choreography, and laugh-out-loud storytelling, Some Like It Hot transforms a classic into a celebration of self and sensibility.

Set in 1933 Chicago, Some Like It Hot follows “The Tip-Tap Twins” Joe, a saxophonist, and Jerry, an upright bassist, who accidentally witness a mob hit and flee disguised as women (with a hysterical “backstory”), joining an all-female band en route to Hotel del Coronado and San Diego, the goal being to escape to Mexico. With Joe becoming “Josephine” and Jerry adopting “Daphne” (in lieu of Joe’s recommendation of “Geraldine”), they dive into a whirlwind of romance, self-discovery, and hilarious antics while dodging gangsters. Packed with big-band tunes and guffaw-inducing zingers, the musical reinvents the 1959 Billy Wilder film with a contemporary twist that has the audience nodding approvingly and cheering supportively.

While the iconic film with Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, and Jack Lemmon leaned on sharp dialogue and black-and-white charm, this stage version bursts with colorful flair and bold themes of friendship and acceptance amidst some duplicity and close calls. The score swings with sentiments that evoke 1930s speakeasies skirting Prohibition, and the book by Matthew López and Amber Ruffin infuses the story with wit and heartfelt moments, swapping Florida’s beaches for a glamorous California setting that glows with possibility.

The principal cast ignites the proceedings with indisputable talent and charisma. Matt Loehr as Joe/Josephine is a comedic dynamo, effortlessly switching between his anxious self, a mother-hen-like lady musician, and a side-splitting Austrian screenwriter Kip to disarm the leading lady with Hollywood aspirations. Tavis Kordell, as Jerry/Daphne, delivers a performance that is both hilarious and moving, embodying the character’s journey to self-acceptance with warmth, tireless determination, and authenticity. The juxtaposition between the dubiousness Jerry feels in “Vamp!” and the radiance that emanates from “You Coulda Knocked Me Over With a Feather,” when Daphne’s newfound confidence and shout-it-from-the-rooftoops liberation is captured, is a sight to behold and, of course, a credit to the humanity Kordell brings.

Leandra Ellis-Gaston shines as Sugar Kane, bringing a sultry voice and almost enigmatic presence that crafts a unique, star-chasing dreamer far from Monroe’s shadow. Ellis-Gaston’s soulful rendition of “A Darker Shade of Blue” and “Ride Out the Storm,” a bounty of belting passion, blends vulnerability and ambition, giving Sugar a compelling depth that lingers.

Tarra Conner Jones commands as the intensely likeable Sweet Sue, the band’s fierce leader who lays down the law (“no boys, no booze”) and whose powerhouse vocals and sassy presence, in conjunction with razor-sharp banter (i.e., rip-roaring wisecracks about Josephine appearing to be near-elderly), anchor the show’s boisterous spirit. In fact, Jones’s dynamic delivery in the opening number, “What Are You Thirsty For?,” not to mention the title song, sets a jubilant, if not empoweringly defiant, tone for Some Like It Hot‘s homage to bucking expectations. As the band manager Minnie, Devon Hadsell gets the best out of her sporadically reappearing role and the running joke that her executive functioning skills are not quite at the level they should be.

Edward Juvier’s Osgood Fielding III is a sublime eccentric, characterized by quirky hip-swaying on a luggage cart, whose adorable pursuit of Daphne brims with warmth and humor, particularly in “Let’s Be Bad,” a song appropriately borrowed from Smash. Juvier’s playfulness in south-of-the-border scenes, revealing a dual identity and a love of butterflies (“Fly, Mariposa, Fly”), makes Osgood’s bond with Daphne not just endearing but rejoiceful. As the clear-cut antagonist, Devon Goffman’s Spats Colombo is just the kind of gangster one might want to see get his comeuppance but not before being made to dance to the tune of justice. And Jamie Laverdiere’s Agent Mulligan is precisely the fast-acting member of law enforcement that is Spats’s equal.

The ensemble is extraordinary — kicking, spinning, flapping, and slapping from one end of the stage to the other, driving the show’s exhilarating dance numbers with a zest that culminates in a breathtaking cat-and-mouse, tap sequence where doors are slammed, outfits are abruptly changed, and danger is just barely averted as the main characters, bellhops, and mob men criss-cross, taking turns chasing and being chased, evoking howls of appreciation from attendees.

Behind the scenes, director and choreographer Casey Nicholaw crafts a vibrant display of rhythm and farce, blending intricate movements with cheeky theatrics that sustain the musical’s energy; needless to say, it’s easy to see why Nicholaw’s choreography was honored with a Tony.

Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman’s Tony-nominated score (and lyrics) is loaded with catchy melodies, from heavy blues to brassy showstoppers, brought to life by a phenomenal orchestra. The duo’s clever lyrics in “You Can’t Have Me (If You Don’t Have Him)” weave themes of unity into a memorable tune.

Scott Pask’s Art Deco sets whisk audiences from smoky Chicago clubs to trains and the sun-drenched California coast, while Natasha Katz’s radiant lighting and Gregg Barnes’s costumes — earning another Tony for the production — shimmer with stylishness. But more than just mere aesthetics, it should be noted that Pask’s fluid set transitions keep the pacing lively, while Katz’s affinity for purposeful saturation enhances the show’s upbeat ambiance, and Barnes’s period-perfect attention to detail, from flapper dresses to sharp suits, amplify each character’s odyssey. The creative team’s seamless collaboration conjures a world that feels both retro and thrillingly new.

The musical’s flow balances rapid-fire antics with heart-rending moments, allowing arcs to register palpably even in the middle of gut-busting laughter enhanced by spicy one-liners. The orchestra, under Mary-Mitchell Campbell and Darryl Archibald’s music supervision, delivers every note with gusto and vibrancy. From sizzling saxophone riffs to bold flourishes, the music pulses with vivacity, complementing the overarching message on treating those, even ones who identify differently, with respect.

Overall, Some Like It Hot at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre is a tap-dancing, touching triumph that blends classic Broadway magic with brisk, all-embracing storytelling. Its stellar cast, dynamic choreography, and exuberant music underscore an evolved take on the 66-year-old movie where sweetness and heat peacefully co-exist. This is a tune-packed, sensitive, and stirring spectacle that will leave audiences humming, grinning, and ready to dance out of the theater.

Cover image caption: (L-R) Tavis Kordell and Matt Loehr in the first national tour of Some Like It Hot. Photo by Matthew Murphy.

For more information and to purchase tickets to Some Like It Hot at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre (through August 17th), visit broadwayinhollywood.com.

For further information and tickets to Some Like It Hot‘s run at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa (October 7th through 19th), visit scfta.org.