The Anthem – a Radical Retelling of Ayn Rand’s Classic

The Anthem, “a radical retelling of Ayn Rand’s classic novella,” is somewhat true to the spirit of Rand’s heavy handed 1937 tome. True, this show is, at best, a cartoony treatment of the source material but Gary Morgenstein (book), Jonnie Rockwell (music) and Erik Ransom (lyrics) have filled the show with a campy charm all its own. The Anthem’s best feature is its good-looking and athletic cast who, for a good deal of the show, literally hang off the rafters of the Lynn Redgrave Theater. There’s not an ounce of body fat among them. Even the elder statesman of the cast, Randy Jones of Village People fame, is in great shape, sings with a strong baritone and keeps up with director Rachel Klein’s disco-tinged choreography alongside the “kids.”