Page 22 THE VILLADOM TIMES I & III • October 16, 2013 Paper Mill (continued from Entertainment page) songs with just the right touch of wistfulness and whimsy. A song that begins as a sad homage to his late wife -- “Out of the Sun” -- turns into a quietly hilarious send-up of the pastime that ultimately did her in. In a second-act duet with his right-hand man, Johnny Sandwich (Matthew Saldi- var), Tommy performs a sweet soft shoe -- no threat to the memory of Fred Astaire, but an adroit use of yet another of the actor’s talents. Danza fits the role perfectly and pre- vents the character from falling into cliché or becoming too harsh. He is the perfect musical comedy thug. O’Malley, who conjures memories of the young Mary Tyler Moore, is part of a long line of Broadway musical and movie leading ladies who wait for years hoping for a marriage proposal. Adelaide from “Guys and Dolls” comes immediately to mind, but the character of Betsy is written as considerably more cultivated, though no less impatient. There are amusing supporting performances by Cath- erine Ricafort as Mahi, a Hawaiian femme fatale hired by Tommy to “distract” Jack, and David Josefsberg, who is hysterical as both a Vegas lounge singer -- a satirical melange of Paul Anka, Robert Goulet, and Tom Jones -- and an Elvis Presley tribute impersonator. The show benefits from a fine score and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown. Act I especially is as strong as any Broadway hit musical. The lyrics are consistently sharp and witty, with complicated internal rhymes and contem- porary references. To the credit of all the principals, the lyrics are crisply delivered. There are plot similarities to the aforementioned “Guys and Dolls” and “Damn Yankees,” but “Honeymoon in Vegas” succeeds on its own merits. Director Gary Griffin has given the show a brisk pace and elicited energetic per- formances from the cast, and Denis Jones’ choreography gives the show added sparkle. “Honeymoon in Vegas,” running now through Oct. 27, will be performed Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., and Sunday at 7 p.m., with matinees at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. Tickets are $27 to $98 and may be purchased by calling (973) 376-4343, at the Paper Mill Playhouse box office at 22 Brookside Drive in Millburn, or online at www.paper- mill.org.