Director still 'Crazy' for classic Broadway tunes BY TOM CAIAZZA Staff Writer MATAWAN - Gershwin is taking a curtain call in Matawan this week. The Spotlight Players, a Matawan-based community theater company, is putting on "Crazy for You," a love story set to the music of George and Ira Gershwin at the First Presbyterian Church. The players called on veteran director Cliff Greene to direct the cast who range in age from 15 to 50 years. "Crazy for You" opens in Depression-era New York City. Bobby Child, played by Mathew Weisman, is a down-on-his-luck banker with Broadway dreams. When his mother, the owner of the bank where he works, sends him to Deadrock, Nev., to foreclose on a failing theater, Child meets Polly Baker, played by Kara Krichman, and falls in love. "He gets out to Deadrock, Nev., and it's a small, little dusty town that time has passed by, and he meets the daughter of the owner of the theater and falls madly in love with her on first sight," Greene said. But Child is once again doomed by his profession. When Polly finds out he plans on closing the theater, she refuses to return his affection. Child hatches a plan to imitate a famous Broadway producer, Bela Zangler, played by Richie Barella, and put on a show to save the theater. "This allows them to practice and we get to hear a couple of the big production numbers like 'I've Got Rhythm,' " Greene said. "All the while Polly is falling in love with Bela Zangler, who is actually Bobby Child." All goes well until the real Bela Zangler comes to Deadrock. "Now we have two Bela Zanglers and the comedy ensues," Greene said. The show includes many of Gershwin's most memorable songs, such as "Embraceable You," "Nice Work If You Can Get It" and "Someone to Watch Over Me." Greene wanted to do a show that was different from the last show he directed, the Players' spring rendition of "Bye, Bye Birdie." "It's a wonderful vehicle to highlight all these beautiful Gershwin songs," Greene said. Greene saw a production of the show on PBS and loved it, he said. Greene said that "Crazy for You" is the type of show that will leave audiences remembering the genius of Gershwin. "People need to be reminded of just how good the Gershwin numbers were," Greene said. "It's just beautiful music with a fun storyline ... and you can't possibly not walk out the theater humming at least one of the tunes. Greene said part of the joy was introducing Gershwin to a new audience of music lovers - the iPod generation. "It's wonderful whatever they are listening to on their iPods," Greene said. "But you know what? They need to hear Gershwin, too. To me, if the young ones come and walk away going, 'Oh, that number was fun.' Good. Then they can go back to their iPods, but for the moment, they've heard really wonderful music."