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Theatre Talk: In Our Own Little Corner


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I believe we discussed a while ago the miracle that is the song "Nothing Is Too Wonderful to be True," but it just came up on my iPod shuffle the other day, and I was impressed all over again what a miracle it is. And brilliant on a whole other, self-referential level.

 

Why a miracle? Because this David Yazbek song, from Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, exhibits a level of melodic, harmonic and lyrical sophistication, and beauty, that simply did not exist anymore by the year 2005. (OK, maybe one song in Sondheim's Road Show is comparable. But even that one lacks the sheer apparent effortlessness, naturalness, and organic "found quality" of this one.) You might think the music came from the pen of Jule Styne, the words from a young Sondheim or a Comden and Green. And yet Yazbek's song is not derivative in any way! It springs up whole, fresh and new.

 

Why brilliantly self-referential? Because the song itself is an illustration of the very concept of the song. You might think a song this good is "too beautiful to be true" in the 21st century. And you'd be right. And yet, despite that it can't be true that this song exists, it is; the song does exist, and did come not from 1959 or 1964, but 2005. It not only asserts in its lyric that nothing is too beautiful to be true, it furnishes ipso facto proof of the assertion.

 

(That the song is sung by a character who turns out to be a con-woman adds a layer of irony, perhaps, but not one that invalidates its greatness.)

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TNR is up! Misty Copeland joining On the Town as Ivy for a few performances. Not sure how to feel. Haglund's Heel, a blog I check in on once in a while, is not a fan of hers because of her apparent lack of technique and fervent and sometimes misleading (?) self promotion. Also, I'm not sure how I feel about a possible influx of dance-heavy shows. That said, On the Town has been struggling to fill that theatre week to week and I know we have fans here so because of that, I hope it gives them a bump in the box office. 

 

A little upset that I probably won't be able to make a performance of The Peony Pavilion at Lincoln Center. The Visit CD signing Thursday and dates Wednesday and Friday. Considering cancelling on Wednesday...

 

A musical Pinocchio? Not interested.

 

Preludes extended until August 2. I bought another ticket. I'm not sure I'll enjoy it more but I kind of want to at least try to absorb it a little better.

Edited by aradia22

I don't think I'll make this a review on my blog so I'll post my thoughts here. Tonight I saw the National Ballet of China perform The Peony Pavilion at Lincoln Center. I don't think I've quite graduated to ballet yet. Swan Lake is fine. I might attempt Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty or Romeo and Juliet. But trying to understand a somewhat abstract story purely from the program notes is a step beyond my capacity at the moment. Now, I wasn't completely lost because of the program notes and also because some things are simple enough. But I felt like I was getting the story in broadstrokes and making a lot of interpretive leaps instead of being able to fully relax and appreciate what was happening and the information being conveyed. That said, I loved the way the fabric of the costumes moved. I thought the dancers were very light on their feet and graceful but also athletic. I mean, it wasn't modern dance and they were still very slim but there was an intention to all of their gestures that while not powerful, felt athletic. That is, they didn't seem frail or emaciated. I think one or two scenes with the corps felt repetitive not knowing what was supposed to be going on in the scene. But in an abstract way, it was beautiful to watch. I think I would have appreciated a little more set, both as an aesthetic choice and also to help explain what was happening. The scholar character (male love interest) was probably my favorite because his dancing seemed the most expressive and he also seemed to be acting more than the others. I also liked the character in red. I think she was supposed to be a Peony/Flower Goddess. I may be getting this wrong but when the female protagonist was mirroring her choreography, I found the red character just a touch more graceful. But the female love interest also danced beautifully. The only other ballet I've seen live was Swan Lake a couple of years ago but the corps here was just so graceful and lovely. Beautiful arms and again, thin and wispy but not frail and shaky. They moved beautifully as one and in pairs and as a personification of movement. I wish I had a better way to explain this but you know what it looks like when a crowd does the wave? Well, when that kind of successive choreography passed along a group of dancers I felt the energy driving it. I wish I had been able to appreciate it even more and I would totally see it again but only after someone explained it to me. 

 

There was one part where the ladies of the corps wore one red shoe. I think they were supposed to be flower petals. That was an example of an interpretive leap I just decided to go with for lack of better understanding. 

 

I'm still not sure what the point of the operatic character was. Also, if ballet is beyond me right now, Chinese opera is still way off in the distance. There were some parts of the singing that I liked though and the orchestral score was occasionally very lush and romantic. I liked the part where the corps was dressed in different colors and dancing in pairs as the female character searched for her lover. I also liked when they were reunited. The music was a little odd when they first met though. It was very harsh and had this uncanny quality. It was like the music you'd play during a thriller or a horror/monster movie or right before one character murdered another character. Again, this might have made more sense had I understood the choice.

TNR is up. The return of Bryce Pinkham July 28 might motivate me to finally see Gentleman's Guide. Also, I met another nice theatre fan at The Visit CD signing. Also saw some familiar faces from the stage door and heard a glowing endorsement for Amazing Grace which I plan to see though I don't know if I'll love it nearly as much as she did.

Thank you, Charlie. There had been rumblings about his illness and exit from The Visit but seeing the news that he passed away was still a shock. I wasn't familiar with his entire career but I always enjoyed his performance in whatever part he played and I'm disappointed that I didn't go see The Visit earlier as it seemed like he was a truly great stage actor. I think I might need some time before I listen to The Visit album (which features him and not Tom Nelis in the part of Anton). Very sad.

TNR is up. I had no desire to see Daddy Long Legs (I haven't even seen the movie) but the casting of Paul Alexander Nolan has peaked my interest. He was fantastic in Doctor Zhivago.

 

My second ticket for Preludes came in the mail today with two notes. I don't remember seeing these before. New developments in the wake of all the theatre shenanigans or just something I never noticed before?

 

"PLEASE TAKE NOTE! The curtain time for this performance is 7:00 pm."

 

"As a result of heightened security in all public places, please avoid bringing packages, luggage, backpacks, etc.., to the theatre, as all packages are subject to inspection and must be checked. There will be a $2.00 charge for each checked package. No outside foods or bottled liquids will be permitted into the theatre. We also ask that you keep your ticket stub available for inspection at all times. Your cooperation will be sincerely appreciated. Children under the age of four will not be admitted. All patrons must have a ticket to attend. The use of cameras, cell phones, and other recording devices inside the theatre is strictly prohibited by law."

(edited)

Wow - this business with the guy who plugged in his cell phone is really idiotic, from start to finish. How could you NOT know that the stage was off-limits??? When you go to a monster truck rally - or whatever this meathead enjoys - would you go up to a monster truck and plug in your cell phone?

 

Nothing against monster truck rallies, but really now....

 

And his apology was laughable. I get that he was probably nervous and in awe of what a big deal it turned out to be, but his attitude was terrible from the start. The media jumped on him, so I feel a bit bad for him there, but honestly, he deserved to be grilled a bit. They were making fair points.

 

I can't imagine the theatre would have done this as a publicity stunt though - am I naive?

 

And now Patti Lupone has taken someone's cell phone during a performance. I feel her frustration - I do - but I see this escalating without improvement. It would be a huge shame for her never to perform again (if she's really that riled up about this) and I agree that we shouldn't be dealing with cell phones during shows. But how can we really stop it? Have ushers running around throughout the show kicking people out? :( It's a lack of respect issue. I feel her rage.

 

Very shocked to hear about Roger Rees. If there's a bootleg recording of The Visit, I'd be even more interested to see it now, knowing he was well-received in it. I know him best from Robin Hood: Men in Tights. He was a memorable performer!

Edited by DisneyBoy

Once I finally get my all-region all-format disc player installed, one of my first purchases will be UK DVDs of the RCS televised version of its Nicholas Nickleby, which among other things made a star of Roger Rees in the title role. Those who've never seen it are in for a treat, with the entire company doubling and tripling roles around him for 8 hours in a stage adaptation of Dickens's novel. (Warning, avoid the US DVD version, which is of the later syndicated format -- cut and broken up into 9 one-hour installments.)

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This week's Sacramento Music Circus production is Bye Bye Birdie

 

Nathaniel Hackmann as Conrad Birdie - http://ibdb.com/person.php?id=495869

Larry Raben as Albert Peterson - http://ibdb.com/person.php?id=110434

Janine DiVita as Rosie Alvarez - http://ibdb.com/person.php?id=479743

Amanda Jane Cooper as Kim MacAfee - http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2551131/, http://wicked.wikia.com/wiki/Amanda_Jane_Cooper, http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2551131/?ref_=fn_nm_nm_1

Mary-Pat Green as Mrs. Peterson - http://ibdb.com/person.php?id=77816, http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0338144/?ref_=fn_nm_nm_1

Stuart Marland as Mr. MacAfee - http://www.ibdb.com/person.php?id=71959

 

The show had a large corps of local teenagers and kids as members of the Conrad Birdie fan club, and a local boy, Hunter Clary, played Kim's little brother.  He's about ten years old, and did a very creditable job.

 

The star of this production was Janine DiVita, she has a lovely voice, did a good job dancing, and has a comic face that brought a lot of laughs.  Larry Raben sings and dances well, but his acting was weak.  Stuart Marland was funny, but he spent too much of the time channeling Paul Lynde.

There are worse things than channeling Paul Lynde as Mr. MacAfee. Like doing whatever Bill Irwin thought he was doing in the recent Broadway revival. He goes on my all-time worst stage acting list.

 

Larry Raben was one of the original Forever Plaid guys. It's interesting to see him turn up in this sort of role now.

 

The idea of Nathaniel Hackmann as Conrad Birdie is wild. He was in the Encores production (and will be on the recording) of Paint Your Wagon as the most legit baritone ever, the one who sings "They Call the Wind Maria." There's opera in his past too, I'm told. To see him as the goofy rock'n'roll star would be quite the shock for me.

TNR is up on the blog. 7/13-7/14

 

  • Casting for She Loves Me. OK, I was obviously going to see Laura Benanti but OH MY GOD, Jane Krakowski and Gavin Creel? The stage door is going to be crazy.
  • Ruthless has officially opened. Debating whether or not I want to see it. Does anyone know more about it?
  • The Wild Party begins performances tonight. I cannot stop listening to the OBC album. Reunion concert, anyone?
  • A Bonfire of the Vanities opera and a Fight Club rock opera? Eh.
  • American Psycho February 2016. No theatre or set dates yet. Eh. Still too many things I need to see from last/this season.
  • Jose Llana as the king of Siam. Thinking of going back but I won't because I have no room in my budget.
  • Miss Saigon maybe coming back to Broadway? I'm torn because I do find the musical racist but the music is very pretty and it would mean seeing more Asian talent on stage.
  • Walter Afanasieff working with Idina Menzel amuses me because I think of him as that guy in the background when Katie guests on Watch What Crappens.
  • Mark your calendars for Calamity Jane since it's free. Why not check it out?

TNR is up. 

  • Casting for The Odyssey is amazing. I'm going to do my best to get tickets in September. I didn't post my thoughts on Little Shop yet but Taran Killam did a very nice job on the whole as the dentist.
  • Primetime Emmy nominations announced
  • Happy for the Kennedy Center honorees and it should make for a good show with Carole King and Rita Moreno

Went to see The Wild Party with Sutton Foster and Steven Pasquale. Amazing seat. The woman who gave me her ticket was so generous and I'm very grateful to her. Amazing performances throughout the night but I think the show itself, especially with the changes Lippa made for this production was not very strong. Great moments, not a great whole. Also, how could you cut Out of the Blue???

Went to the Broadway Sings Bruno Mars concert. Saving most of my thoughts for the blog but I will say that while I haven't been that impressed with Jay Armstrong Johnson's voice in the past, he slayed his number. Maybe he needs more of a pop vibe? Also, after hearing her live I think Ciara Renee would have played Kate (in The Wild Party) closer to Idina's version, at least vocally. Lena Hall was KILLER live. I'm not totally sold on her soulfulness or riffs but as a rock singer she is amazing. Still not a Corey Cott convert.

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TNR is up. Look at this Wicked casting call. The company is seeking the Elphaba Understudy: "Female, to play 20s, any ethnicity. Needs a powerhouse, thrilling high-belt singing voice, acting chops, and dancing and partnering ability. Must be capable of carrying a big show. Must be vocally sturdy. To appear in the onstage ensemble and understudy the starring role of Elphaba" So simple and yet so lovely to see.

 

Christian Borle workshopping a weird jukebox musical. Is he already looking to move on from Something Rotten? Wait, Christian! I need to see it first. 

TNR is up. Elizabeth Stanley and Andrew Samonsky cast in Bridges of Madison County tour. I liked him in South Pacific even if no one else did. The tour begins previews Nov. 28 so she'll definitely be out of On the Town by then.

 

I skipped The Tempest but my August is pretty free so I'll be doing my best to see Cymbeline.

 

From Here to Eternity and Pride and Prejudice musicals moving forward.

 

I might check out the 1960's jukebox musical Trip of Love if there are discount tickets.

 

Why is this Lee Pace play up at Vassar?

This week's Sacramento Music Circus production is Peter Pan.  I don't have a ticket for this.

 

Cast:

 

Peter Pan - Jenn Colella - http://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Jenn-Colella/

Mrs. Darling - Jennifer Hope Wills - http://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Jennifer-Hope-Wills/

Wendy - Lori Eve Marinacci - http://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Lori-Eve-Marinacci/

Mr. Darling/Captain Hook - Paul Schoeffler - http://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Paul-Schoeffler/

Liza/Tiger Lily - Desiree Davar - http://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Desiree-Davar/

 

Andy Richardson, from Broadway's Newsies, is back in the Ensemble, which he did in the last show's Bye Bye Birdie

 

The next performance (which I will see) is West Side Story.  I don't know if it will have the same Spanish language elements that the most recent Broadway production had.

So Met Live in HD tickets are on sale today. I've narrowed down my must-sees to Il Trovatore, Turandot, Les Pecheurs de Perles, and Madama Butterfly. Right now tickets through fandango are $28. Tickets in the highest level at the Met are $24-$35. Does it make more sense to actually go to the opera or to get a movie ticket? Also, do you think ticket prices (for the Met Live in HD) will drop as it gets closer to the day? In the past they've been more like $18-$25 but maybe they're just raising prices. Thoughts?

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They don't drop prices as the date gets closer, I know that much. (Though the Fandango add-on may be substantial enough that it would pay to buy the advance tickets in person, if you can.)

 

I would automatically support the principle of seeing live stage performance in person; but in fairness I must add that the seats on the highest level at a house the size of the Met (4000 seats) are far enough away that people are barely recognizable as such. Those are good seats (acoustically among the best in the house, actually) if you only want to hear, but not for seeing. Those are my personal thoughts anyway.

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TNR is up. I guess we know what Megan Hilty's next project is. The Wiz event in Central Park sounds like fun.


Thanks, Rinaldo. I picked Turandot, Les Pecheurs de Perles, and Madama Butterfly for the prospect of the spectacle so I think it'll be worth it to see those at the movies. I've never been to the opera in person (besides a field trip where we attended a rehearsal) so I might consider that for one of the more modern/abstract takes like Lulu or Manon Lescaut. Just out of curiosity, do you think it's fandango or the Met that's responsible for the jump in price? $28 is the adult ticket price without any other fees. I didn't go through with checkout to see if anything else got tacked on.

Edited by aradia22
(edited)

Here are all the operas for the 2015-2016 season. I'm thinking about a subscription. Anna Bolena, Barber of Seville, La Boheme, Cavalleria Rusticana/Pagliacci, Don Pasquale, La Donna del Lago, Elektra, L'Elisir d'Amore, Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Die Fledermaus, Lulu, Madama Butterfly, Manon Lescaut, Maria Stuarda, Le Nozze di Figaro, Otello, Les Pêcheurs de Perles, Rigoletto, Roberto Devereux, Simon Boccanegra, Tannhäuser, Tosca, Il Trovatore, Turandot.

 

I'm thinking of maybe seeing La Boheme, Elektra, L'Elisir d'Amore, Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Lulu, Manon Lescaut, Rigoletto, Tosca, and Il Trovatore in person. I don't know anything about the Met's productions of these works and I'm definitely going to be doing a deep dive on wikipedia before making any final decisions. Right now I'm casting a wide net. I'm not sure about all the Henry VIII stuff (Anna Bolena, Maria Stuarda, Roberto Devereux, Tannhauser). 

 

Lincoln Center has $20 Live in HD tickets for whatever reason. I committed to Les Pecheurs de Perles because it's the only thing of the three I was looking for that has a convenient show time for me. 

 

Update: Subscribed to 8 operas. I am a crazy person.

Edited by aradia22
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If anyone's curious my subscription package is Il Trovatore, Tosca, Die Fledermaus, The Barber of Seville, La Boheme, Manon Lescaut, L'Elisir d'Amore, and Die Entführung aus dem Serail in that order. Vaguely considering the Tudors operas but with how much money I just spent I doubt that I'll subscribe to any more operas. Seeing Les Pecheurs des Perles at the movies which just leaves Madama Butterfly and Turandot. I think I'll worry about it closer to the day. 

 

If I see Turandot in person my choices are Christine Goerke, Lise Lindstrom, Jennifer Wilson, and Nina Stemme. Any opinions one way or the other?

Opening tomorrow night, July 28, 2015 at the La Jolla Playhouse is the first preview of Robert and Kristen Lopez's new musical Up Here, an entire musical inside someone's mind.  I'm going to see it on Saturday evening, August 1st.  Will be posting my thoughts after I see it.

 

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2015/jul/26/la-jolla-playhouse-up-here-preview/

I think I've figured it out, at least following the Lincoln Center system. So the live/original Met Live in HD broadcasts are $28 per ticket. The encores are $18 per ticket. I'm going to get my ticket for Turandot when I go home. I'll just get the day off from work. 

 

I'm still undecided about the Tudor operas.

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