Theatre Talk: In Our Own Little Corner

[aradia22]

TNR is up. Nothing too exciting beyond some casting news.

I've been feeling a little glum lately and so I'm sharing this thinking we could all use a little cheering up. I dare you to not smile. :)

[Charlie Baker]

Thanks for this, aradia!

[aradia22]

Sorry for skipping the TNR for a few days. I've been getting home late. It'll be back as scheduled tomorrow and as a bonus I'll throw in some thoughts on a musical I saw today.

 

Random question time: What is your opinion of the George Forrest/Robert Wright collaboration? I really love Kismet and I'm wondering if it'll be worth it to try and hunt down some recordings of their other shows.

[Rick Kitchen]

Well, they did "Song of Norway", which is pretty good, but Borodin deserves most of the credit for "Kismet".

[Qoass]

I saw Waitress at the American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge, MA yesterday and really enjoyed it.  Unfortunately I don't see a lot of Broadway shows live (this one's headed there soon) so I can't say my opinion is a particularly informed one but the story worked, the performers were lovable and while I didn't go home humming any given song, the music wasn't too Top 40-ish.  Jessie Mueller from Beautiful is the star but co-workers Jeanna De Waal and Keala Settle almost steal the show from her and I did a little inner squee to see Dakin Matthews (Headmaster Charles!!) from Gilmore Girls.

 

The only thing I didn't like other than the lack of a real showstopper song was that the band was onstage in a shed-like thing I found crowded and distracting.

 

I went to a matinee and afterwards most of the cast came out to discuss the show and answer questions from the audience.  I was lucky enough to have that when I went to see Pippin here before its Broadway run.  A $25 ticket for a show plus a meet and greet?  Can't beat it!

[Rinaldo]

Sorry for skipping the TNR for a few days. I've been getting home late. It'll be back as scheduled tomorrow and as a bonus I'll throw in some thoughts on a musical I saw today.

 

What is your opinion of the George Forrest/Robert Wright collaboration? 

To me, they're a decent middle-of-the-pack team; not outstanding in any way. Their best work, for me, actually comes rather late, in a couple of the songs in their portion of the Grand Hotel score ("We'll Take a Glass Together" in particular). Most of their scores involve working with the oeuvre of Grieg or Villa-Lobos or Borodin or Saint-Saëns or Rachmaninoff, so they had musical "help" and when they recompose their source, it's not for the better (the famous Polovetsian Dance is already in a completely successful AABA form, and their new B section for "Stranger in Paradise" is very hokey by comparison). Their lyrics don't have the bit of unexpected wit or insight that the great American lyricists are known for; they stay with conventional old-fashioned imagery and heavy-handed mock-humor, in 1920s operetta style.

 

I saw Waitress at the American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge, MA yesterday and really enjoyed it.  Unfortunately I don't see a lot of Broadway shows live (this one's headed there soon) so I can't say my opinion is a particularly informed one but the story worked, the performers were lovable and while I didn't go home humming any given song, the music wasn't too Top 40-ish.  Jessie Mueller from Beautiful is the star but co-workers Jeanna De Waal and Keala Settle almost steal the show from her and I did a little inner squee to see Dakin Matthews (Headmaster Charles!!) from Gilmore Girls.

 

The only thing I didn't like other than the lack of a real showstopper song was that the band was onstage in a shed-like thing I found crowded and distracting.

 

I went to a matinee and afterwards most of the cast came out to discuss the show and answer questions from the audience.  I was lucky enough to have that when I went to see Pippin here before its Broadway run.  

A "talkback" after matinees has become almost standard for subscription theaters, whether regional (as in this case, or in my experience at Signature outside DC) or in NYC (Roundabout productions). They're fine as long as that one guy who just wants to show off (and often ends up accidentally insulting a performer to his face) isn't part of that particular audience.

[LADreamr]

I was so bummed that I didn't make it to NYC to see Jim Parsons in An Act of God, so I was thrilled to hear this week that Sesn Hayes will be doing it here in LA, starting early next year. Can't wait.

On another note, I couldn't find anything, but does anyone recall a play that was set entirely in a therapist's office? I figured if that exists, you guys would know!

[aradia22]

Thanks, guys. Thinking about it, it's probably the melodies that are a strength of Kismet though I do think there's some charm to the lyrics in certain songs. Stranger in Paradise is gorgeous. It's up there with my favorite duets/romantic songs in musicals. And I think Not Since Nineveh is hilarious. I should really get into more classical/orchestral music but there's only so much time. 

 

Is this what you meant, LA? 

Edited August 27, 2015 by aradia22

[aradia22]

TNR is finally up. Lots to read after a few days off, plus some of my thoughts on new work at the top.

• Whorl Inside A Loop opens tonight. See it if you can. There are discount tickets on goldstar and elsewhere.
• Dames at Sea joining the ticket promotion game.
• Casting news
• We Love Disney compilation. Normally I'd ignore this but I'm kind of interested to see how certain performers will sound on the songs they've been assigned.

[DisneyBoy]

Saw Jeanna De Waal as Glinda in Wicked a few years ago and she was having a rough night. Interesting to see how her career has taken off (or at least continued). What are her strengths as a performer, Qoass? I didn't get much of an impression of them when I saw her...

 

Are there any "blockbuster" type musicals in the works from what you've all heard? I didn't catch Gigi but folks were saying the sets and costumes were a throwback to the blockbuster days...think we'll see another Phantom or Sunset Boulevard anytime soon? I know budgets and financial realities make it less than likely, but there's something about those types of show that really grab me...at least if they're done right!

 

Oh, oh! Fun game: pick a show you've seen (either in person or online) that was in need of an upgrade and tell me where and how you'd spend the money to make it more lavish!

[aradia22]

 

Are there any "blockbuster" type musicals in the works from what you've all heard?

I think Aladdin is your best shot. There are plenty of big productions (An American in Paris, Something Rotten, etc.) but I think most of the upcoming shows skew smaller. I don't think Dames At Sea, Fiddler, or She Loves Me will be big affairs. Waitress and Dear Evan Hansen also sound like small shows. Amazing Grace is trying for epic and Spring Awakening, Shuffle Along, and Allegiance do have star power.

 

Do you keep up with the TNR's? If we're talking about anything that could transfer... In Your Arms, The Odyssey, Amelie, and The Wiz could be what you want.

 

I don't know enough about Up Here, The Bandstand, A Bronx Tale, These Paper Bullets, etc. to say one way or the other.

[aradia22]

No TNR tonight, you guys. I am shocked and saddened by the news that Kyle Jean-Baptiste has died. I saw him perform at a concert earlier this month. He had a lot of charm on stage. I spoke to him briefly afterwards and he seemed very nice. It's just very unexpected and very sad.

[aradia22]

TNR is up. I saw Mercury Fur last night but I didn't want to write about it on the blog until/unless I write a formal review because otherwise it'll just be a jumble of comments that sound hateful. Just... save your money and save your time. Do not go see that show. It wasn't bad enough that I would write off any of the actors in the future but there wasn't one stand out/redeeming performance and on the whole it could have used more work. The play didn't make sense. It somehow lacked clear connections and structure while also being overwritten. There were moments of competence in the acting but on the whole the actors were in over their heads. It didn't outrage or disgust or anger me. I just found it dull. So, so dull. For two hours with no intermission. People were covered in "blood" and I was laughing it was that bad.

[aradia22]

Oh, internet. Thank you for not failing me. Here are your Little Shop at Encores videos.

[Qoass]

 

Saw Jeanna De Waal as Glinda in Wicked a few years ago and she was having a rough night. Interesting to see how her career has taken off (or at least continued). What are her strengths as a performer, Qoass? I didn't get much of an impression of them when I saw her...

 

I'll be honest; I'm not sure if her success was due to her strength as a performer or the strength of the character she was playing but she brought some fun physical comedy to the role and had great chemistry with the man playing her love interest.

[aradia22]

If I get the TNR up tomorrow I will tell you a little about Africa My Beautiful. For now I will say that it is playing Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights through September and you should really see it. Even the full price tickets don't cost that much and it is well worth it.

[aradia22]

TNR is up. It begins with some thoughts on Africa My Beautiful. At this point you know a review is going to take me at least a year. Just go see it please.

• Lots of casting news. The best news is that Zachary Levi is joining the cast of She Loves Me, replacing Josh Radnor. I was indifferent to Radnor but I love Zachary Levi and I missed him in First Date. Also, Waterfall is moving to Seattle and apparently Emily Padgett is out. I don't know the rest of the cast well enough to know if there were other changes.
• Philippa Soo at 54 Below
• Daddy Long Legs switching to an open engagement
• If/Then on vinyl, Bessie on Blu-ray
• TV casting and the usual jumble of hard to categorize final stories

 

By the way, if you've noticed that the TNR has suddenly gotten shorter, it's because Playbill has added code when you try to link text and it's too much of a hassle to remove it so I have to type out everything that's in the TNR's now. I know I should just use another site but Playbill is the most comprehensive and has the simplest and easiest format for me to search.

[Rick Kitchen]

We appreciate your work, aradia

[ebk57]

Seconding what Rick said.  I don't comment a lot, but I read everything you post and appreciate that you're taking the time.  Thanks.

[Charlie Baker]

Ditto the above.

[Julia]

third. er, fourth.

Edited September 3, 2015 by Julia

[ebk57]

RIP Dean Jones

 

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/dean-jones-original-bobby-in-company-dead-at-84-watch-his-unforgettable-being-alive-360803

 

 

I just love Company

[Charlie Baker]

I didn't see the original production of Company, but that clip is one of my very favorite performances of "Being Alive." Jones brought so much to it.

For any theatre person who hasn't seen it, the documentary that the clip comes from is well worth checking out.

[bosawks]

RIP Dean.  I youtube your "Barcelona" with Susan Browning at least once a month.

 

Love that they could not help but act it out.

[Milburn Stone]

RIP Dean.  I youtube your "Barcelona" with Susan Browning at least once a month.

 

Love that they could not help but act it out.

 

It's a shame Jones left the cast of Company so early in the run, for personal reasons I guess. His performance--even though I have only heard it, not seen it, unless you count the documentary of the recording session--remains the definitive one of all the ones I've seen or heard. 

 

His performance was so good, in fact, that even though I only experienced it through the medium of sound, I felt and understood Bobby as a character fully as much as I would had I been in the theater. All other performances (for me)--even if they differ in interpretation--are just tracing over his template.

[Charlie Baker]

IIRC, in the book Sondheim and Company, Dean Jones does say that he was having personal problems, and as indicated in the documentary, when he says something like "I don't think I've got another one [meaning another take] in me," he didn't feel he could sustain the performance for a long run.  MIchael Bennett in the book says something to the effect that Dean Jones was troubled, and it was evident in the performance, and therefore he was a remarkable and definitive Bobby.

[DisneyBoy]

Oh, internet. Thank you for not failing me. Here are your Little Shop at Encores videos.

 

Hey wow - I forgot how excited I was about this performance from Ellen Greene and how much I'd hoped to catch a bootleg! Skimmed it but was impressed by Jake's Seymour. He really brought out the awkward dopey guy and sang decently. I was worried his "star wattage" would outshine the production, but I don't think it did. The real star was Ellen and BOY did the crowd let her know it. Seems a few lines of dialogue were different here and there (or is it just that I know the film better?) but otherwise it was pretty much exactly what we were hoping for: Ellen back as Audrey!

 

I LOVED that for the final bows Jake sort of snuck away, likely suspecting Ellen didn't want to stand out alone, and forced her to accept the love the crowd was giving. And then she just sneaks away sheepishly to the wings :) Oh Ellen.

 

I think Aladdin is your best shot.

 

I may very well have to check it out. As long as Ethan Freeman is there as Jafar, I'll want to. But to answer my own question...hmm...Hunchback definitely needs a glamorous overhaul. The recent production with the wooden pub-like set didn't do it for me at all. I want to see big sets and dramatic lighting!

 

Ditto for Evita! The original show looks like it had really minimal sets and the revamp once again had a boxy pub-style thing going on. Whenever it next pops back up, I want to see something interesting and very different.

 

third. er, fourth.

 

Fifth? Sixth? Whatever - you get the point.

Edited September 3, 2015 by DisneyBoy

[aradia22]

Thank you, everyone. You're very sweet. The TNR is up early (for once!) because I'm going out again tonight.

• $35 Spring Awakening lottery
• Kathleen Turner and Deborah Cox cast in a new play at New World Stages
• Megan Fairchild to return for the final performance of On the Town (I want to go but I already have plans that night)
• Apparently the final performance of Mamma Mia will be a big affair. The article was vague so I will be on the lookout for more news.
• Grand Hotel at NYU Steinhardt. Ferry Play on the Staten Island Ferry. Amateur Sunset Boulevard in London. First Date on the west coast.
• Cate Blanchett as Lucille Ball. Josh Gad as Roger Ebert.

 

Finally, can someone explain this "Line" article to me? I don't understand how they can call themselves the longest running play.

[Rinaldo]

Finally, can someone explain this "Line" article to me? I don't understand how they can call themselves the longest running play.

The article does a pretty good job of explaining it, I think. They're acknowledging that it's kind of a joke to call it that, that almost nobody knows about it, it hasn't accumulated any record number of performances, and that it doesn't actually deserve any kind of award or recognition. But it did open in 1974, it has been giving performances since then though on an irregular and intermittent schedule, and that it still does occasional performances... so in that very limited unconventional sense, it's "still running."

 

What I wonder is, when it gives one of its performances on 13th St. at 9pm on a Monday or Tuesday, who exactly shows up to see it? Are the actors [that's a later edit; I originally mistakenly typed "authors"] content to "practice their craft" to an empty house?

Edited September 4, 2015 by Rinaldo

[aradia22]

 

What I wonder is, when it gives one of its performances on 13th St. at 9pm on a Monday or Tuesday, who exactly shows up to see it? Are the authors content to "practice their craft" to an empty house?

Funny you should say that. Tonight I saw Delirium's Daughters. It was playing at the Clurman on Theatre Row. It's a very tiny space. It can't have been more than 100 seats. It was probably closer to 50. Even with the small venue, most of the seats were empty. If the actors noticed, they didn't let on. They still gave it their all to varying levels of success. My biggest problem with the show was the material and the lead character. This play just feels very unnecessary. I don't need regressive politics and bad cliches in faux-Shakespeare. I'd compare it to some of the criticisms leveled at Honeymoon in Vegas. There are things you can forgive in a revival that you can't forgive as easily in an original, contemporary play. I don't think the misogyny was meanspirited. It was just lazy. And while the lead actor playing Giovio delivered all his lines with the right pacing and rhythm and wasn't exactly bad... he didn't have enough charisma to overcome a part that I just hated. He was just an awful character. There's a way to play a jerk and/or a foolish character that wins you over. He didn't find it.

 

The star of the show for me was the father. Of course, it helped that he was the eldest member of the cast and probably had the most stage experience. He was very American for an Italian but I think he was smart to play it straight. He played a bit of a silly role but didn't act like an idiot because of the material. He played it very honestly and very straightforward. I felt for him when he talked about his wife and had real tears in his eyes at the end. That is how you do a Shakespearean comedy. It can't just be posturing and running around yelling.

 

Of the three daughters, I liked the eldest the best. She was also shouting and throwing her voice like everyone else but I thought the rhythms of her speech fit the material well and even exaggerated she did the best job with the acting. She did contort her face too much though. The middle daughter contorted her face even more though. She was supposed to be angrier and bossier. It was like if Miriam Shor only acted by scrunching up her face so her nose turned up in a pig-like fashion. I guess the youngest was the weakest of the three because she had a bigger part than the middle daughter so there was more time for her to annoy me. Also because Giovio was her suitor and I hated him. She played the youngest daughter as flighty and while I was impressed by the height she got to jumping and squealing I don't think her performance showed that she was a great actress.

 

Of the three suitors who were not Giovio, I think I liked Timidio the best. He was the quiet one so there was a lot of miming and scared reactions. He looks a bit like Santino Fontana and I thought he committed to his part nicely. Sadly, there wasn't much for him to do because of the nature of the character but he did plenty in the background. I found him charming. The suitor paired with the eldest sister was OK but not as good. I didn't really believe his lines but he threw himself into the part. The last suitor, Pomposo sounded right if that makes any sense. I think he has a great voice for theatre and if he can carry a tune, he probably has a good singing voice. The voice he put on for the character was so familiar to me but I couldn't place it. However, there was nothing special about his acting and the dialogue he was given didn't support the weight he was giving it.

 

The set was alright. I thought the costumes were pretty good for a small production like this. The dialogue wasn't on par with the material it was referencing but it showed promise. In the beginning it was both too modern and not poetic enough.. .It was more like an Austen movie adaptation than a Shakespearean play. But there were nice lines later and some solid quips. I don't know if it was the writing or the acting or the direction but they definitely had the pacing of Shakespeare. The language just didn't measure up. Also, there were way too many asides for a play that was about an hour and fifteen minutes long and I wish they'd come up with a better transition from scene to scene aside from fading to black.

 

There is no way I'd suggest paying full price for this show. But if you're happy to see a Shakespeare rip-off and support some young actors doing their best in a small, undersold theatre, give it a shot. Again, I just found it really unnecessary but if you go in with super low expectations I totally think that you could be entertained. A lot of the audience was laughing. Not for every joke, but some of them.

[aradia22]

Happy Friday. Here's Kelli O'Hara being adorable.

[aradia22]

Got up this morning to wait for tickets for The Odyssey with the other crazy people. Saw it tonight. It's not a great show but it was a very charming and entertaining production. Report tomorrow.

[aradia22]

TNR is up. Sorry, I'm still too tired from yesterday to tell you more about The Odyssey tonight.

[DisneyBoy]

Wait wait wait...they do shows during the lottery?!

 

WAIT WAIT WAIT...On the Town is closing!?!

 

I need to sit down. When's it close?

 

Edit: Watched it. Officially on team O'Hara now. Not that I wasn't before, mind you...but yeah...wow.

Edited September 6, 2015 by DisneyBoy

[aradia22]

Yes, DisneyBoy. It's called Ham4Ham. I think pretty much all of them have been filmed by someone or other. You can find them on most of the theatre sites or on youtube.

 

Yes, it closed tonight. Seriously, keep up with the TNR's. It's why I do them. It'll help you stay up to date. :)

[aradia22]

TNR is up. I'm not going to put up all the Ham4Ham videos but this one kind of goes with the last one. Also, I know no one can ever get enough of Will Schuester rapping. ;)

 

[aradia22]

Some clips from Waterfall. The set up feels Rodgers and Hammerstein. The music sounds more 70's/80's. There's something about Emily Padgett that feels very artificial. The show itself doesn't feel contemporary but also lacks the charm that makes the Lincoln Center revivals work.

 

[aradia22]

And in more crazy theatre behavior news... https://twitter.com/sandy_moffat/status/639888279706423296

[Sara2009]

The rapping was silly fun, but I'm ALWAYS here for Matt Morrison singing traditional Broadway songs. It was nice to hear him do that again.

[aradia22]

All settled to buy tickets for Pirates of Penzance with Betsy Wolfe and Montego Glover AND Dido and Aeneas with Kelli O'Hara and Victoria Clark only to realize I'm already booked for those dates in October. Grrr, two performances. No Pirates of Penzance for me. But if someone wants to go and report back to the group, I'm sure we'd all appreciate it. :)

[DisneyBoy]

Oh poo - I was so hoping to see On The Town :(

 

Well that's life. Priorities and all.

 

At least Dick Van Dyke is awesome.

Edited September 9, 2015 by DisneyBoy

[aradia22]

TNR is up.

• A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder will close on January 17th. That gives you plenty of time, DisneyBoy. ;)
• Curious Incident is offering a fantastic $9.10 lottery for its 1 year anniversary.
• Spring Awakening revival begins previews tonight
• Tickets on sale for MTC productions and the MasterVoices concerts I mentioned this morning at New York City Center.
• Kelsey Grammer delaying return to Finding Neverland which means more time to see Anthony Warlow!
• New Cats song written by ALW for Paris production
• Various assorted stories. You know the drill. ;)

[aradia22]

[Rick Kitchen]

Love it.

[aradia22]

Saw Pondling tonight. It's good. Tickets are $25. You should try and see it. Some thoughts to come as well as an update with what's been going on with me in the next TNR.

[aradia22]

Very, VERY long TNR after a few days off. To begin with, thoughts on the shows I've been seeing the last few days. I'd really recommend the last one for the TCM fans.

• Many openings either official or in previews
• Mamma Mia and Hedwig closed tonight with Hand to God announcing a closing date in January.
• Shuffle Along casting just ridiculously good. Tickets on sale. (NOTE: Audra will be out for a good chunk of time. Pay attention to that when buying tickets.)
• Josh Groban Broadway debut?
• I can't decide if Hell's Belles sounds interesting or terrible.
• Rose, a one woman show about Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy
• Chicago news
• Kenneth Brannagh Winter's Tale in movie theaters

[DisneyBoy]

  A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder will close on January 17th. That gives you plenty of time, DisneyBoy. ;)

 

 

 

Ha! Zing! *blushes* Thanks Aradia :)

 

So I just watched the video of Encore's Gentlemen Prefer Blondes with Hilty and might have missed something but who is the "guy who did her wrong...in Little Rock!" that she was going to show up with all her diamonds and fancy-pants-ness? Was it supposed to be the guy who she shot in the hip? I thought we'd actually see whoever her Ex was on stage so she could show him up - or one of the characters would reveal themselves as said guy... *scratches head*

 

Drunk Broadway Wicked Act One is awesome, and I'm looking for Act Two right now.

[Rinaldo]

So I just watched the video of Encore's Gentlemen Prefer Blondes with Hilty and might have missed something but who is the "guy who did her wrong...in Little Rock!" that she was going to show up with all her diamonds and fancy-pants-ness? 

That's just backstory. Once she sings her little song about how she got out of Little Rock (which she's also grateful about, she wants to thank him too), we don't think about him again. On with the actual story.

[DisneyBoy]

That's just backstory. Once she sings her little song about how she got out of Little Rock (which she's also grateful about, she wants to thank him too), we don't think about him again. On with the actual story.

 

Really?? Because they bring back the "one who did me wrong!!" line a half dozen times through act one...and then never resolve it. It feels like a deliberate setting-up of a plot point. Time for a rewrite!

 

Is the movie very different from the stage show? I might track down a copy and watch it (never saw the Monroe original).

[Julia]

Really?? Because they bring back the "one who did me wrong!!" line a half dozen times through act one...and then never resolve it. It feels like a deliberate setting-up of a plot point. Time for a rewrite!

 

Is the movie very different from the stage show? I might track down a copy and watch it (never saw the Monroe original).

 

Well, someone (who was apparently a have, since he came to the wrong side of the tracks to see her) broke her heart in Little Rock, which set her on the road to being a little less romantic about affluent male/female relationships. The entire story is the resolution of that plot point, at least in the movie.