The Long Island Advance

A Life Of Gold Records And Fame

Donna Summer’s life was a glamorous arc of pulsating hit records that raised the roof in clubs and discos of the ‘70s and ‘80s. Her journey was surrounded with lights and glitz, but the woman embodied much more than that. “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical,” which debuted recently at The Gateway, provides a glimpse of that life through 22 of Summer’s rousing songs and storytelling through the three stages of Donna: Grace Capless as teenage Duckling Donna; Afra Hines as Disco Donna; and Renee Marie Titus as Diva Donna, all Broadway and international stars.

Summer, who died in 2012 from lung cancer, wanted a musical about her life. That happened when it hit Broadway, in 2018. And now it’s here on a Bellport stage.

How do you fit someone’s amazing life into a couple of hours? And it was an amazing ride of talent, persistence, and guts dealing with ownership of her gift, the men in her life, some great, some awful; record producers—same there; lonely nights in hotel rooms; mother’s guilt and standing up for herself. That trajectory is played out with poignancy and intelligence as the three Donnas step into their eras and in between, providing clarity to her story with thoughtful dialogue.

It works seamlessly under the direction of Jenny Laroche, herself a Broadway baby, as is choreographer and assistant director Kyli Rae.

When Renee Marie Titus as Diva Donna appears in the first scene (18 women blast out, some with musical instruments), she announces, “I want the next couple of hours to be something you remember. If you want to sing along, go ahead. And if you want to dance, go ahead.”

Someone from the audience yelled out, “I love you!” and the show took off.

It didn’t start in the disco, as Diva Donna (Titus) says. It started in Summer’s childhood living room, with a yearning young Donna (Capless), who’s unsure. There’s an encouraging support system as the three Donnas review her life, and in this scene she’s told, “Remember what happens to ducklings. They become beautiful black swans.”

“On My Honor” is a beautiful rendition with her family as a chorus, portraying her uncertainty and devotion to family.

There are 22 mostly shoulder-shaking, feet-tapping numbers sung with power and conviction by all three women, Titus, Hines, and Capeless, who embody them with fabulous dance moves and gestures. There just aren’t enough superlatives to describe these three women. It’s as if they embraced their roles channeling Summer.

When Summer records “Love to Love You Baby,” that sexual, sensuous song (“If my father heard this he would explode,” Hines says as Disco Donna,), Hines lays on the floor becoming her character, emulating Marilyn Monroe singing in a breathy, ethereal voice. John Rochette, as Casablanca record producer Neil Bogart, is perfect as the slick, arrogant record head who pushes her, sometimes in ways she rebels against. Donna is in Germany, where she first established herself, when she learns it’s a blowout hit.

But “MacArthur Park” was what brought her front and center.

Hines’s range is amazing as the three Donnas pump it out for that one while the audience cheered.

Some of Summer’s issues are touched on: really abusive men, the lawsuit against Casablanca Records, a suicide attempt. But there are a lot of triumphs, including an enduring love with Bruce Sudano, played with amazing chemistry and voice by Carmine Mastrokostas (you can feel the heat here).

Okay, I defy you to stay still during “Bad Girls,” “She Works Hard for the Money,” (Summer relates that she encountered a tired attendant in the ladies’ room who told her she worked two jobs to make ends meet when she wrote that song), “Hot Stuff,” and the finale “Last Dance.”

Donna Summer was a beautiful, kind woman with an insistent ambition that drove her to achieve great fame, which she balanced at the end. Kudos to the over 20 in the cast, some who played dual roles, as well as the orchestra. They all, like Donna herself did, raised the roof in this production.

Smithtown Matters

Summer: The Donna Summer Musical at The Gateway is Hot Stuff!

Summer: The Donna Summer Musical is chockful of great songs, upbeat dance numbers, and dazzling costumes. The book is by Colman Domingo, Robert Cary, and Des McAnuff, and the music and lyrics are by Donna Summer, Giorgio Moroder, Paul Jabara, and others.

This biographical jukebox musical opened on Broadway in 2018 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theater and featured over 20 of Summer’s well-known hits, including “She Works Hard for the Money,” “MacArthur Park,” and “On the Radio.” This moving tribute to the “Queen of Disco” highlights Donna Summer’s meteoric rise to stardom and her struggles with substance abuse, suicidal thoughts, and haunting childhood memories. Summer’s deep faith in God ultimately became her saving grace.

Under the astute direction of Broadway veteran Jenny Laroche, this polished production features a spectacular trio of talented performers, each portraying the celebrated Disco Diva during various stages of her life. Grace Capeless as Duckling Donna, the pre-teen version of Summer, captivated the audience every time she stepped onstage. Afra Hines was riveting as Disco Donna, a young woman experiencing her first taste of fame and fortune. Renee Marie Titus gave a tour-de-force performance as Diva Donna, the mature, insightful, wise woman that Summer became.

The show opens on a high note with Renee Marie Titus strutting her stuff and singing her heart out to “The Queen is Back.” She showcased her stellar vocals with her heartfelt delivery of the gospel song “I Believe in Jesus.”

Grace Capeless delivered a memorable performance as Duckling Donna, displaying her strong acting and vocal skills throughout the show. This young, multitalented performer already has an impressive resume, including Broadway credits! I loved her renditions of “I Remember Yesterday” and “Pandora’s Box.” Capeless also portrayed Mimi Sudano, Donna’s oldest daughter, perfectly playing this part.

Afra Hines’s depiction of Disco Donna was spot-on. Hines is a superstar in her own right, and her sensual dance moves and powerhouse vocals were highlighted during the hit song “Bad Girls.” Carmine Mastrokostas delivered a convincing and charismatic performance as Bruce Sudano, Donna Summer’s devoted husband. The onstage chemistry between Mastrokostas and Hines set the stage on fire. Their “Heaven Knows” duet was one of those magical onstage moments that stay with you long after you exit the theater.

Christian Brailsford gave a noteworthy performance as Andrew Gaines, Summer’s loving but strict father. Renee Marie Titus aced her dual role with her moving depiction of Summer’s mother, Mary Gaines. John Rochette, as Neil Bogart, the head of Casablanca Records and Donna’s mentor, and Jessica Lorion as his business-savvy wife, Joyce Bogart, were believable in their respective roles.

Kudos to the multitalented company Maggie Bergman, De’Ja-Simone Crumpton, Nichole Forde, Anthony Garcia, Haley Hannah, Gigi Lewis, Jessica Lorion, Michael Marrero, Melissa Mattos, Jade Milam, Victoria Price, Nia Simone Smith, and Dan Teixeira.

There is essentially no set, just fabulous prop designs by Brittany Loesch that bring each scene to life. The outstanding original costume design by Janine Loesch added greatly to the show’s overall success. “Last Dance,” a showstopping finale, had Diva Donna, Disco Donna, Duckling Donna, and the whole company flaunting their fabulous costumes, much to the audience’s delight.

A special shoutout goes to the creative team with Hair and Make-up by Emma Estelle Beneck and Lighting Design by Kim Hanson. The impressive rain effect during “I Love You” with the Sound Design by Jonah Verdon and Projection Design by William Milligan is worth the price of the ticket. Under the guidance of Des McAnuff and Sergio Trujillo, Kyli Rae recreated the original Broadway choreography for The Gateway stage.

Heaven knows you should drop everything and get tickets for Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, the hottest show of the 2023 summer!

The Theater Guide

Summer: The Donna Summer Musical – Gateway Playhouse – Theatre Review

Dim all the lights, sweet darling, ‘cause the Summer: The Donna Summer Musical has cast all the disco glitter onto the Gateway Playhouse stage. Based on the book by Coleman Domingo, Robert Cary, and Des McAnuff, this musical disrobes the glitz from the Donna Summer we know and shares less known layers of her life and humanity. Jenny Laroche, director, channels her Broadway credits into the fabric of this show, resulting in an enthralling production and opening weekend.

The musical tells the tale of a vivacious, gospel-singing little girl from Boston who overcomes obstacles to achieve her rank as the veritable Queen of Disco. As the universality of any good story demands, Donna’s success is only met after conflicts within and outside of herself, from her relationship with God, to taking the reins of her career and life. Grace Capeless, playing Duckling Donna (Donna Summer as a child) steals the first Act. Her vocals were impressive, demonstrating range, control, and gorgeous tone and runs in “On My Honor.” However, Capeless’ delivery of “Pandora’s Box” was simply heart-shattering. The emotionality of her facial and vocal expressions in conjunction with the lyrics and plot left the audience holding its breath.

After a strong takeoff in the first Act, the second soared to maximum altitude. Many of Summer’s quintessential disco hits are in the second Act, which left the audience whooping and clapping in anticipation after only the first few identifiable notes of their favorite songs, like “On the Radio,” “Bad Girls,” and “She Works Hard for the Money.” Here, Afra Hines, as Disco Donna, thrived and electrified the theatre. She bent her voice to replicate the well-known clarity of Donna Summer’s, and as she held the long notes it was clear she wasn’t letting go until she was good and ready. “She Works Hard for the Money” was one of the most memorable numbers, with Hines revealing her roots as a dancer with perfect leg extensions and dizzying turns, all while serving serious face as she fought her music executive. The costumes, staging, and overall choreography—well-executed by the ensemble with energy—contributed to this being a standout number among many fabulous numbers. Though, the music cannot be left out of the discussion, and Renee Marie Titus as Diva Donna was the pilot here, belting out the song with a vengeance. From opening to finale, Diva Donna was someone I wanted to befriend. She narrated the show with warm grace in vocal delivery and mannerisms in that way only a queen can, having conquered the world. Although a true diva has nothing left to prove, Titus left her soul on the stage performing “Friends Unknown,” baring the kind of spirit and emotion that can only leave an audience in awe.

A musical is typically only as strong as its music, so Summer’s proven hits give this show a headstart. The orchestra propelled it and had the audience restraining itself from dancing in the seats. The duos, trios, and larger group numbers were gushingly harmonious. Capeless, Hines, and Titus blended beautifully, as did Carmine Mastrokostas (Bruce Sudano) and Hines in “Heaven Knows,” who were magnetic in music and body movement. In addition to the music, you can’t have a true disco without the perfect outfit and simmering lights. Costumes by Janine Loesch and lighting by Kim Hanson encouraged the audience to feel like we were on the dance floor throughout the show.

Empowering for a myriad of reasons, Summer showcases the talent of multiple black women: director, featured actresses, ensemble members, and more. To say that representation matters is overgeneralizing and understating such a significant need across many societal planes. In this, Summer was a greatly appreciated showcase of a more authentic Donna Summer, stripping back the hyper sexualization, glamour, and even the curated, shiny, fun, disco masks, to reveal a textured life—one that is vulnerable and honest. And though the raw beauty of this production is the shirking of the facade, there is plenty of fun and levity to be had, maybe more so knowing the pathway to get there was earned after jumping Summer’s hurdles with her. It makes the finale, seeing Duckling Donna, Disco Donna, and Diva Donna standing elevated at the forefront of the stage singing “Last Dance,” all the more euphoric.

Dan's Papers

"The Gateway's Summer: The Donna Summer Musical is an absolute blast for fans of the icon, but even for those unfamiliar with her story or music, it's an entertaining exploration and celebration of the disco diva."

Broadway World

Review: SUMMER, THE DONNA SUMMER MUSICAL at The Gateway

Bellport's beautiful Gateway Playhouse certainly has another hit on their hands with their current offering of Summer, The Donna Summer Musical. The energetic production of the Tony nominated musical runs through July 16th and is wonderfully directed by Jenny LaRoche. You will definitely find yourself dancing in your seats as encouraged by the wonderful people who brilliantly portray the music icon.

As with a typical biographical musical, we follow Donna on her rise to stardom and all of the up's, down's, and in-betweens that come with it.

Masterfully created by Coleman Domingo, Robert Cary, and Des McAnuff, the score is an incredible collection of Ms. Summer's biggest hits including "On The Radio", "MacArthur Park", "Bad Girls" and many more. On a side note, those who saw the show on Broadway will probably remember that it was a one-act production. For this production, The Gateway smartly decided to break it up into two acts. The enthusiastic audience was more than amenable to this as I overheard plenty of people gushing about the show during intermission.

Heading up the cast are three fabulous people representing Donna Summer at different stages in her life.

Grace Capeless adorably portrays Duckling Donna, Donna in her pre-teens. The spunk and zeal that radiates from Ms. Capeless is truly gripping. Afra Hines stunningly portrays Disco Donna. You'll adore Ms. Hines' performance of "Love To Love You Baby" which brings roaring applause. And Renee Marie Titus thrillingly portrays Diva Donna. One thing to note about Ms. Capeless and Ms.Titus is that they both have additional roles, so it's important to pay attention as they switch pretty suddenly. Ms. Capeless also portrays Mimi, Donna's daughter, and Ms. Titus portrays Mary, Donna's mother. I really could go on and on (and on and on!) about the incredible cast, but just know all of them are truly exceptional.

On the clever creative team, Kyli Rae splendidly choreographs the talented, large cast. The spectacular costumes by Janine Loesch are also top notch with sparkles galore elevating the 70's vibe. Of course, it is always thrilling to see a live orchestra, this one expertly led by Music Director Anthony Brindisi. Add in Jonah Verdon's sound design and Kim Hanson's lighting design and you will find this is truly a visually stunning production.

And so, The Gateway's Summer, The Donna Summer Musical is certainly a must see this beautiful Summer season (See what I did there?). A gripping story, a groundbreaking music icon, and the gorgeous Gateway Playhouse for a great night of theatre.