Americans in Paris

The Fabulous Fox Theater in downtown Atlanta can literally stun a new visitor with its fantastic construction and bizarre composition. Originally conceived as a home for the Shriners organization, the building includes many designs inspired by Far-East architecture such as the Alhambra in Spain and the Temple of Karnak in Egypt.

As a venue for a variety of shows, the Fox has presented Broadway extravaganzas like The King and I and Beauty and the Beast as well as individual and group music stars such as Aretha Franklin and Mastodon. One of last year's offerings was An American in Paris, the award-winning musical based on the movie of the same name.

Usually, the three-dimensionality of stage plays provide a more complete entertainment event than the two dimensions of movie productions. The key word here is "usually." In this case, the use of rambling set pieces and overdone displays of garish theatrical innovation detracted from the enjoyment of the production itself. Sometimes less really is more.