"Once Upon a Time in New Jersey" | Just wait till you see the second act

An Eisenhower-era musical comedy that begins as an easygoing charmer but takes off, in a big way, immediately following intermission, "Once Upon a Time in New Jersey" puts some fresh spin on overly familiar archetypes.

In its "new musical" slot this season, Village Theatre is presenting the West Coast premiere of this lesser-known, Richard Rodgers award-winning play, conceived eight years ago by Susan DiLallo (book and lyrics) and Stephen Weiner (music).

"Once Upon a Time" successfully dazzles on a grand scale, with original and comically imaginative staging, great sets that veer between Garden State clutter and abstract minimalism, a seemingly frothy story that slowly unveils emotional complexity and songs that range from breezily conversational to poignant.

Yet at first blush, "Once Upon a Time" looks little more than a fairy-tale sequel to "Grease." Set in 1956, the story unfolds in the birthplace of Frank Sinatra: Hoboken, N.J. There, shy Vinnie (Christian Duhamel), a reader of Proust and sandwich slinger working at a deli, is secretly in love with counter girl Angie (Krystle Armstrong). Angie, in turn, is drawn to Rocco (Dane Stokinger), a classic greaser: cool leather jacket, tight blue jeans and loads of attitude.

While Vinnie is minding the store and engaging in a friendly rivalry with Angie about who makes better calzone, loverboy Rocco is booking women, in two-hour installments, at his apartment for fun and games.

Life could go on like this, except for the problem of dance instructor Celeste (Carolyn Magoon), one of Rocco's flings and wife of a mob boss who suspects their affair.

Afraid for his life, Rocco pitches an idea to Vinnie: Trade lives for a week. Aware that he can pursue Angie while playing the confident Rocco, Vinnie jumps at the chance. Meanwhile, Rocco disappears behind Vinnie's horn-rimmed glasses and blood-stained apron.

Getting to this point in the story is certainly a delight, but it's at the halfway mark that suddenly the show kicks into gear. Where Duhamel and Stokinger are just fine as, respectively, an iconic '50s nebbish and doubly-iconic rocker-rebel, they are nothing short of comic revelations while playing their characters playing each other.

In a show with many highlights, the sight of uptight Vinnie loosening up through some jaunty moves gets the crowd audibly involved. So is watching Rocco metamorphose from cocky ladies' man to timorous deli help.

Steve Tomkins' direction and choreography strongly emphasize the infectious appeal of the second act, with its several knockout numbers. The best of these, "Quando Scungilli," a romantic farce, and "Tango," which finds Rocco locked in a hilarious dance with an unlikely partner, completely win over the audience.

Tom Keogh: tomwkeogh@yahoo.com

Information in this article, originally published March 23, 2007, was corrected March 23, 2007. A previous version of this review had the wrong photo. That photo was for 5th Avenue Theatre's upcoming touring production of "Jersey Boys."