Right out of the box, let’s note that this musical is exceptionally well done with fine production values and a sensational cast with numerous honors from past Broadway performances.  As a bit of an intro, this revival of a 1962 musical opens in the Garment District of Lower Manhattan in 1937.  Young Harry Bogen who would become a user and abuser (played by an absolutely fitting and believable Santino Fontana) performs menial tasks, but he aspires.  Aided by considerable chutzpah and good luck, he opens a dress making company with two partners.  But success is not enough. His greed and gluttony lead him to crises and decline.

Our American Theatre Critics Association conference was fortunate to host a panel discussion of five creatives from this musical, and the tremendous insights the panelists offered form much of the basis for this commentary.  Some attributions below are inexact, because multiple participants chimed in on many issues.

Central to the revival was John Weidman, son of Jerome Weidman, who wrote the original book and the novel on which it was based.  John revised the book, emphasizing that there must be a reason for a revival, so that while the time and place of the story remain, sensibilities speak to 2023 rather than 1962.  For instance, in the earlier era, anti-heroes often went unpunished, whereas today’s audience would expect the perpetrator to pay a price.  And while Harry is a con man from the outset in 1962, John cleverly makes him a more appealing character to begin with, which brightens the show’s empathy and allows for a character arc.

David Chase adapted and arranged the music, which is full of appealing, exotic Jewish harmonies, but without any breakout songs.  He and others of the team scoured the Yale University archives of the original musical to try to gain further insights.  Among other contributions by Chase, he found two songs that did not make it into the 1962 final production.  Creating a patchwork, alternating duet from them between the devoted girlfriend, Ruthie (played as sweet and optimistic by Rebecca Naomi Jones), and the gold digging back door mistress, Martha (highly talented actor/singer/dancer Joy Woods).  This piece shows contrasting perspectives and becomes one of the musical highlights of the show.

The original story lacked inherent kinetic drive, and playing on a small thrust stage cluttered with sewing tables induces further physical limitations.  Choreographer Ellenore Scott was brought in, and she introduced swirling character movement among the tables and had them shoved aside in a couple of instances to allow hora and ballroom sequences that add tremendous vitality to the mix.

Director Trip Cullman drove the overall artistic vision and brought all the pieces together.  Among other aspects that he attended to was the depiction of the agency that the five women in the story possess – all in their own special way.

The final contributor to this process was Producing Artistic Director Jill Rafson, without whom there would be no production.  In her second year at Classic Stage Company, this was her first production decision – a bold one that appears will be a good one.

The narrative is replete with Jewish and Garment District tropes, but they are not overdone so that the more universal themes of family, faith, and integrity are allowed to come through.  Actually, the title is both a trope and a misnomer.  The common refrain about never paying retail never enters into the picture.

Rather, the theme of the story relates the sometimes devious behavior and corrupted values of many people whose success is measured by money, notoriety, and power.  Songs with indicative titles – “The Sound of Money” and “You’re a Pitcher or a Catcher” suggest this matter.  And a sad recurring theme is that you have to step on people to get to the top.

The creative decision to make Harry a suffering youth who initially is clever without dishonesty is perhaps the most important change in the revision.  He is able to capitalize the company because two righteous women believe in him as a decent and enterprising individual before his moral compass fails – Ruthie and Blanche (a decisive Sarah Steele), the wife of a future partner of Harry’s.  Another desirable quality that Harry has is his loyalty to his mama and his generosity in bringing her gifts and trying to make her happy.  Yet, mama (an austere and insightful Judy Kuhn) was the first to sense when Harry was going astray, and she was willing to share her concerns with the more gullible young women.

The final female of note runs interference for Harry, his secretary Miss Marmelstein.  Julia Lester is a total scene stealer in the role with over-the-top humor and a singing voice strong enough to power a locomotive.  And she is not the least bit intimidated that the cognescenti of musicals know that the role was created by and the launch for another performer who could fit the same description – Barbra Streisand.

Although “I Can Get It For You Wholesale” is a cautionary tale highlighted by Miss Marmelstein’s haunting “What Are They Doing To Us Now?,” it thoroughly engages and provokes without depressing.  The musical works on multiple levels.  Its only deficiency is the lack of tunes that have taken on a life beyond the musical, but there is so much more to appreciate.

“I Can Get It For You Wholesale” with book by Jerome Weidman, revised by John Weidman, with music and lyrics by Harold Rome is produced by Classic Stage Company and plays on its stage at 136 13^th Street, New York, NY through December 17, 2023.