'Saturday Night Fever': Euripides Meets The Bee Gees

At its heart, “Saturday Night Fever” is a latter-day Greek tragedy. The flaws of the central character, Tony Manero, are shared by his buddies, and they stumble through the sometimes painful coming-of-age story. The haunting refrain of the Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive” opens the musical and telegraphs the message of the evening. “I’m goin’ nowhere … somebody help me …”

“Saturday Night Fever” at the Mac-Haydn Theatre in Chatham, N.Y., infuses the story of love and loss and discovery — even death — with palpable energy. Dionysius meets the disco. Sophocles struggles to be “Stayin’ Alive.”

As regulars at Mac-Haydn’s theater-in-the-round have come to expect, the music, the lighting, Artistic Director John Saunders’ staging, James Kinney’s choreography and the efforts of the production crew add up to a lively evening. This theater, after all, is a stage for musicals. People attend to be entertained. “Saturday Night Fever” more than delivers on those expectations.

Daniel Velasquez’s portrayal of Tony Manero is magnetic. Considering that the program indicates that Daniel is from California’s Orange County, his portrayal of the disco king from Brooklyn who has to confront his fragile humanity is laudable. This kid can sing and dance, and he is electric on stage.

The love triangle at the center of the story is presented with both passion and eloquent frustration by Velasquez’s Tony, Kate Zulauf as the aloof, conflicted Stephanie Mangano and Annette, played with poignant despair by Sophia Tzougros. Annette loves Tony. Tony loves himself and is captivated by Stephanie. Stephanie loves the imagined future of being a star in Manhattan.

There are several secondary plot lines that weave together to create the full picture of what Thoreau called “lives of quiet desperation.” Tony’s brother, Frank Jr. (Quinn Corcoran), has been idolized in the family since he was ordained as a Roman Catholic priest. When he returns home to announce his departure from the priesthood, his parents are devastated, while Tony realizes that he has been eclipsed as the “black sheep” of the family.

Tony’s pal Bobby, infused with tender vulnerability by Dan Macke, is unable to deal with the fact that his girlfriend, Pauline, played with elegant innocence by Laura Michele Erle, is pregnant and their mandatory wedding will force him into being a man.

There are moments of dramatic clarity, comedic insight and pure pathos — and there is unbridled, wildly energizing, flat-out fun dancing. The young troupe ignites the stage in every dance number. 

No matter which day of the week you see the play, you will surely end up with “Saturday Night Fever.”

“Saturday Night Fever” runs through July 23 at the Mac-Haydn Theatre in Chatham, N.Y. For tickets, call 518-392-9292 or go to www.machaydntheatre.org.