A dream fulfilled Mara Davi embodies the message of 42nd Street BY JOHNETTE RODRIGUEZ

There’s a pleasing synchronicity when life imitates art within the context of art imitating life. Such is the case with Mara Davi, the young California State sophomore who has the lead role of Peggy Sawyer in the national tour of 42nd Street, which comes to the Providence Performing Arts Center January 4 through 9. Peggy is a small-town girl, rehearsing in the chorus of a bound-for-Broadway show when the star breaks her leg and Peggy is picked to replace her. Well, the 20-year-old Davi isn’t doing a last-minute replacement, but she did land this plum role as an unknown small-town college student in her very first try for a national tour.

"It’s my dream role in my dream show," Davi gushed, in a youthful, breathy voice still awed by this opportunity. "It’s really been a blessing and a giant leap for me."

Davi grew up in Colorado but moved with her family to Fullerton, California, at the beginning of high school. She’s been taking dance lessons since she was three; she started doing shows when she was eight; and she began voice lessons when she was 12.

"Even when I couldn’t fit in ballet or jazz classes, because I was doing a show," she recalled, in a phone conversation from Melbourne, Florida, "I was always able to make it to tap class. That was my favorite. I’ve been singing since I learned to talk. My mother and sister and I sing as a trio at church and around town for different events."

Thus, Davi definitely has the chops to tackle the tough songs and the challenging dances that come up in 42nd Street. And she understands Peggy Sawyer’s spunky spirit: "She’s encouraged when she makes friends to keep going. Fired at the end of the first act, she’s crushed and determined to go back home. It takes the entire cast, singing ‘Lullaby of Broadway,’ to convince her to come back."

That song, as well as "We’re In the Money," "Shuffle Off to Buffalo," and "The 42nd Street" itself, were gleaned from several 1930s movies to create the 1980 Tony Award-winning hit of 42nd Street, directed and choreographed by Gower Champion. The 2001 revival also garnered a Tony, with Mark Bramble, who worked on the 1980 book, taking over as director and Randy Skinner, who was associate choreographer for the 1980 Broadway production, in charge of the choreography.

Davi emphasizes that her favorite number in the show — and also the most difficult to learn — is the finale, "42nd Street Ballet": "It’s got a beautiful story and some amazing dancing. It’s eight minutes long, with very intricate choreography on stairs, and it’s puzzle-piece choreography because everyone’s doing something different."

42nd Street is not just a song and dance extravaganza. Threaded through the plot are infatuations and true romance: Dorothy, the star of the show being rehearsed in 42nd Street, dangles her sugar daddy and her true love from two different strings; Peggy is torn between producer Julian and singer Billy. There’s a bit of concern over money issues and intrigue over back alley gangsters. But Peggy Sawyer’s journey is the heart of the show.

"It’s basically a story about the American dream," Davi reflected. "I think it should leave the message to have hope and follow your dreams because if Peggy can do it, you can too."

And what about Davi’s dream? How has she liked being on the road? The tour started in May and in July it moved to Japan for five weeks. The cast then had two months off before swinging back into a city-by-city tour of the US in October. Davi is on a leave of absence from school, but she’s holding her options open about going back right away.

"Traveling has been a great experience," she affirmed. "It’s fun to be a gypsy for a while. A year ago this time, I would not have dreamt I’d be seeing all these places and meeting all these new people. It’s also a wonderful thing to be nervous at first about going to a new theater, especially in another country, and then to realize that it’s really the same. Theater is truly a small world. No matter where you go, you still feel at home, because theater is theater."

And, although Davi has noticed a different energy with different audiences — some are quieter than others — she recognizes that they all respond enthusiastically to the final number and the curtain call.

"I think it’s because it’s a happy, upbeat show," she noted. "It is thrilling to watch, there are beautiful and spectacular numbers, and it leaves audiences humming with a bounce in their step at the end of the evening. It’s really a feel-good show."

And it should be a great pick-me-up after the stress of the holidays!