Musical ‘Moscow’ an Offbeat Original

Trapped in Sartre-esque existential limbo--a deserted warehouse stocked with a few odd scraps and a shopworn copy of “The Three Sisters”--a trio of gay strangers naturally decides to mount an impromptu musical version of Chekhov’s play.

Wouldn’t you? Well, perhaps not. But out of this offbeat premise, lyricist Nick Salamone and composer Maury R. McIntyre have fashioned “Moscow,” an intriguing mix of Surrealism and lyrical Romanticism that earns high marks for originality and dedicated craftsmanship.

Particularly effective is their recurring use of Chekhov to amplify the emotional quandaries of the protagonists. Like the farm-bound Prozorov sisters, the three men find their aspirations blocked by claustrophobic captivity, and here too the sources of their paralysis are internal as well as external. Jon (Sean Smith), the frustrated director who pressures them to continue the meaningless production, can explore feelings only vicariously, through theater--he plays it way too safe with his own emotions. Luke (Nic Arnzen), a confused street hustler, can barely keep his self-destructive impulses in check long enough to learn his part. And Matt (Joshua Wolf Coleman) grapples with an inferiority complex. Adding to the emotional tangle, each has unrequited romantic designs on one of the others.

The three deliver heartfelt and affecting performances. Smith is blessed with a superb singing voice, though the uneven vocal ranges of his co-stars underserve some of the hauntingly beautiful songs. Nevertheless, Jessica Kubzansky’s tight staging for Playwrights’ Arena marks an engaging debut for a promising new work.

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* “Moscow,” Lee Strasberg Theatre, 7936 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood. Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 3 p.m. Ends March 29. $20. (213) 960-7756. Running time: 2 hours, 30 minutes.