© Off-Off Broadway Review
April 21, 1995


Three is Company
By Judd Hollander

Nothing screws up friendship faster than sex, a point emphasized in Little by Little, a delightful little musical. Composed of three actors (billed as cast), no costumes, three stools for a set and a piano, the show spins a charming tale of growing up, making choices and finding out life is not always what you planned.

The cast are best friends as children until hormones kick in and the boy and one of the girls start feeling more than brotherly love. They start dating, become lovers, cohabit and plan to wed. The other girl is the best friend and confidante of both. The only problem is, she’s in love with him too, which lead to comic, serious and ultimately life-altering complications.

The creative team has done a masterful job crafting 32 musical numbers, some just a few verses, each telling a tale and moving the plot along.

While everything is sung, there definitely is a book, sometimes wistful, sometimes serious, sometimes funny. Halfway, the show pulls out the chestnut of having the best friend pose as the fiancee. Old hat to be sure, but it works.

The cast is excellent: Michael Gruber is pleasing as the male. Dependable and a bit dull, he’s got his whole life mapped out and finds it hard to understand why life doesn’t go along with his plans. Tia Speros works well as the girlfriend, caught between the man she loves and her fear of commitment. Her anguish and self-doubt are believable, and while it is hard to defend some of her actions, you can understand where she’s coming from. Of the three, she’s the one who’s grown the most by the end of the story.

Sarah Uriarte is the comedienne (and linchpin) of the evening, a best friend who gets hit on all sides. One of the highlights is the hilarious ”Just Between Us”, where both lovers tell her secrets about their mate, with the understanding that she keep this strictly to herself, even though the information might best be shared with all parties.

Little by Little seems to come from a lot of different sources, especially Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along. Only instead of going backward, Little takes us through the lives of three people from a simple past to an uncertain future. The ending seems a bit contrived, but that’s a small quibble with an otherwise enjoyable evening.


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