Kyle Riabko’s a big hit in the Big Apple
New York is big — and so are the reviews for Kyle Riabko’s off-Broadway show.
Less than two weeks after opening night, What’s It All About: Bacharach Reimagined, has been held over for a month and made the top 10 of New York Times theatre critic Charles Isherwood’s picks of the year.
The pivotal Times review praised the show’s “tightly woven tapestry of more than two dozen Bacharach songs.”
Two previous attempts to create a jukebox musical of the famous songwriter’s work failed. Not this one, Isherwood wrote.
“This artfully staged show brings a fresh vibe to a genre that has come to seem prematurely superannuated,” he wrote.
Riabko, who grew up in Saskatoon, created the show with David Lane Seltzer with the approval of Bacharach, who is calling it a “valentine.”
Riabko’s parents Mitch and Gwen spent a week in New York to watch previews of the show and attend opening night.
“It was pretty exciting. To some extent, it was a bit surreal,” Mitch said this week.
“THIS ARTFULLY STAGED SHOW BRINGS A FRESH VIBE TO A GENRE THAT HAS COME TO SEEM PREMATURELY SUPERANNUATED,” NEW YORK TIMES CRITIC CHARLES ISHERWOOD
They mingled with Bacharach at the theatre and again at the opening night party.
“He’s a very nice, quiet, reserved gentleman,” Mitch said. “He’s as proud as we are. He’s just tickled pink over this whole thing.”
Kyle’s parents are movie buffs who named their son after seeing Kyle McLachlan in Blue Velvet. At the party, McLachlan was seated between them. The two Kyles, who share the same management, have known each other for awhile.
“Nice man, very nice man,” Mitch said. “Everyone was so nice: no airs about them. And it’s nice to see the support everybody has for Kyle.”
The show features a cast of seven who play live, new arrangements of Bacharach tunes like Walk on By and What the World Needs Now.
The set is made up of old rugs and couches. Some audience members sit on stage.
“It kind of makes you feel like you’re in somebody’s rec room and listening to a bunch of kids making music — not unlike what Kyle and his guys used to do years ago in Saskatoon,” Mitch said.
Bacharach was moved to tears on opening night, joining the cast on stage, and it’s been nothing but joy ever since.
“Burt really liking the show, that meant the most for Kyle,” Mitch said. “It could really stop there. That’s what has made Kyle feel really great about this project.”
The only downside is that Kyle won’t be home for Christmas. He gets only two days off over the holidays. And with the show extended into February, it will be awhile before he’s back home.
“The nice thing about Kyle is that he just takes it all in stride. He’s very happy and very pleased but he’s still Kyle from Saskatoon,” Mitch said.