Theatre Talk: In Our Own Little Corner

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Melissa Benoist discusses Beautiful: The Carole King Musical

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Jane Krakowski discusses her Broadway debut in Starlight Express:

[unicorn23]

Is anyone else completely obsessed with Christy Altomare's Instagram live videos she does when she's not onstage? I mean, she and the girls don't do anything everyday but eat candy and open the gifts from fans and yet I can't stop watching. It's the most fascinating and most hilarious thing ever. Also, it's insane how much candy she has in her dressing room. It's a literal candy store. I'm tempted to go back and watch the show again and this time wait outside the stage door so I can give her a ton of candy.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

James McArdle & Denise Gough discuss Angels in America:

[Silver Raven]

Cher says that the jukebox musical about her life "needs work", but nothing made her want to gouge her eyes out. 

[aradia22]

OK, genuinely short thoughts tonight. I saw On A Clear Day You Can See Forever at Irish Rep with my parents. I wasn't in the head space I'm usually in when I'm by myself so I was more forgiving. But you could also say that the production was charming and winsome enough to overcome the shortcomings. The production is directed very simply and a little hampered by the small space and you could feel that sometimes. It had something of an Encores vibe even though it was a fully staged production. Melissa Errico still has a beautiful voice but she wasn't quite there on certain numbers, particularly early on and she also used something of a character voice for Daisy that was very... warbly. Her half of "She Wasn't You" was a disappointment. It seemed too low for her. Stephen Bogardus was great. He had a bit of a struggle with the high notes sometimes but he put his heart into selling "Come Back to Me." He had a very pleasant voice for a psychiatrist and he has an interesting tenor... boyish but still adult. I did wish for a stronger vocalist a little on "Come Back to Me" in spite of his physicality and theatrics. I don't know if they rewrote John Cudia's part but he wasn't much of a romantic rival. In general they play the show very silly rather than full of pathos. He had the best vocals of the three principals and even if it was a shallow part and character, he made the most of it. As someone who reads a lot of historical romance, he did the caddish rake thing very well. The ensemble was very enthusiastic. It started off bumpy but they found their footing quickly. I'd recommend it and see it again (for Cudia) though it's not more than a pleasant night out.

[aradia22]

Meh? The women sound good. I'm underwhelmed by the men. Also, I know it's a "song cycle" but it's all over the place. I still don't get the santa song. "Stars and the Moon" is so much better than the majority of the score. And I can't tell if actually being there would be thrilling or like being bombarded.

[methodwriter85]

I got to see Bandstand's Fathom Event. Man, Corey Cott was incredible! (And I was truly feeling all that chest hair he kept showing off in those tanktops.) Shame the show had a relatively short run, although I understand why- it's kind of a downer and I don't think the songs are that great, especially during the first half. I spent the whole time being afraid that the blond soldier who was a dad was going to kill themselves after it was foreshadowed with the talk about solders taking their lives.

Spoiler

Thank god they didn't go there. I was terrified they would, though.

I also saw the NT Live screening of the Curious Incident of the Dog in Nighttime. That was pretty great as well, although man, I just felt for everyone.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

@methodwriter85 I saw Bandstand on Monday night and while the show itself was fine, the experience itself was a complete clusterfuck. I originally wanted to see the show on Thursday night but for some reason, every time I tried to buy tickets for Thursday I got a pop up window that said to check back because ticket sales were still being set up (when I clicked on the Monday show, it went straight through to ticket sales). I wasn't sure if this meant that the theater by my house was not going to have a Thursday show after all. For the record, I kept checking (even after I saw the show on Monday) and there was no way to buy tickets to the Thursday show until Wednesday night. Even though I really would have preferred seeing the show on Thursday night, I decided I'd better just bite the bullet and get tickets for Monday night.

When I got to the theater, there were no previews or other theater ads playing. The screen was completely dark and the house lights were up. The show was supposed to start at 7pm but not a thing happened. People in the audience started asking why the show was starting late. Finally around 7:20pm, one guy went out to the lobby and told a theater employee that the show was already 20 minutes late. Around 7:30, someone finally fired up the equipment. We sat through ads, most of which were for shows that had already played in May and early June. Once the play actually started, it was obvious that it was the wrong show so once again, someone had to go out to the lobby and tell the theater employees to fix it. We got to watch more ads and then Bandstand finally started. Yay!

Five minutes before the movie ended, the show stopped. We had to send someone out to the lobby AGAIN. The theater people said they were going to rewind back to before the show stopped, so we got to see the and perform Welcome Home again and then we got to see about a minute past where it cut off the previous time before the movie stopped again. Another trip out to the lobby to fetch the employees. More ads and fast forwarding. Twenty minutes later, they got the sound to play but we had no picture. Finally, the theater just gave up trying to make it work and told us that the movie was "canceled" aka we weren't going to get to see the last five minutes of the show. Thankfully, someone in the audience had seen the show on Broadway so she tried to remember what happened at the very end.

The run time for this was 2 hours and 15 minutes, so it should have been over by 9:15 but because they started late and then couldn't get the equipment to work, we didn't leave the theater until after 10pm. Talk about a colossal clusterfuck of an experience!

I agree that while Corey Cott was great (as was Laura Osnes), I can see why this show didn't last long. It was a pretty bleak story and most of the songs were just okay. The dancing was much better than the songs. I wasn't super impressed with all of the choreography in Hamilton (and let's not speak of that terrible Dirty Dancing remake), so it was nice to see Andy Blankenbuehler do some really fun upbeat choreography.

Heh, I was down with all the chest hair too. It was nice to see an actor who hasn't waxed every hair from the neck down.

I was afraid that the dad character was going to kill himself, so I was glad to see he made it all the way to New York.

Edited June 29, 2018 by ElectricBoogaloo

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I saw Soft Power in San Francisco this week. I had really high hopes given David Henry Hwang, Jeanine Tesori, Francis Jue, and Conrad Ricamora. Although there were some bright spots, overall I was underwhelmed. Francis and Conrad are great singers, and the ensemble had amazing singers and dancers. Some of the sets and costumes were fun (in particular, the Ronald McDonald chandeliers were hilarious). The songs were okay but there weren't enough memorable lyrics or melodies.

In addition, the story was a little weak. The premise of the show is that Francis and Conrad's characters meet to create a tv show (Francis is an ABC - American Born Chinese - who has written a pilot script and Conrad is a Chinese producer who is living in LA). Conrad wants a lot of changes made to the script and a role on the show for his blonde American girlfriend. Francis, Conrad, and the girlfriend attend a Hillary Clinton fundraiser together but only Conrad actually meets Hillary. On the way home, Francis is stabbed by a stranger. When he passes out, he reimagines everything that we just saw in the play as a musical. It's the kind of premise you'd see on a tv show for having a musical episode, which seemed entirely unnecessary for, you know, an actual musical.

I feel bad for not liking the show more because there were some astute moments and some sharply funny moments but overall I wanted so much more.

There has been a lot of discussion about the lack of diversity on Broadway and in theater in general. Even with a few shows doing colorblind casting, it's rare to see a show with so many Asian actors in one show so that was another reason I was hoping the show would be good. Aside from shows that are specifically about Asian characters (Flower Drum Song, Allegiance, Miss Saigon, The King and I, Here Lies Love, Vietgone), it's pretty rare to see Asian actors in musicals. In many of the shows I've seen, it's usually limited to one or two in the chorus/ensemble (if any at all). The company was uniformly excellent in both singing and dancing, so I was disappointed that they weren't given a better show that would be more successful so that they can keep working.

On a related note, I saw the Philip company of Hamilton over the weekend (including Bandstand, I saw three musicals in four days!) and there were three Asian actors in lead roles (Hamilton, Burr, and Eliza). One of the understudies performed at the show I saw (she played Angelica) so I got to see four Asian actors in lead roles. The only other time I've seen that many Asian actors in leads are shows about Asians, so it was really cool to see! I really hope to see more diversity in casting overall. I think Hamilton has shown that you can cast non-white actors, even for characters who are based on historical figures who were white, and the audience will accept it.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Broadway Cares recorded an all Broadway version of We Are the World with Christy Altomare, Kelli Barrett, Andrew Burns, Nikki Renee Daniels, Jordan Donica, Rachel Eskenazi-Gold, Justin Guarini, Derek Klena, Jeff Kready, Sydney Lucas, Beth Malone, Lesli Margherita, Constantine Maroulis, Bebe Neuwirth, Orfeh, George Psomas, Anthony Rapp, Courtney Reed, Chita Rivera, Kate Rockwell, Jarrod Spector, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Ephraim Sykes, Jenna Ushkowitz, and Ben Vereen.

The kids' chorus is Paige Brady, Ava Briglia, Courtney Chu, Tori Feinstein, Sophie Gennusa, James Ignacio, Luka Kain, Jake Lucas, Eliza Holland Madore, Mehret Marsh, Cayen Martin, Aliyah Mastin, Willow McCarthy, Rileigh McDonald, Callia Muhammad, Julian Rivera-Summerville, Mimi Ryder, Milly Shapiro, Ava Ulloa, Alexandra Vlachos, Aviva Winick, Rocco Wu, Timothy Yang, and Kasey Youme Lee.

[Spartan Girl]

25 minutes ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

I saw Soft Power in San Francisco this week. I had really high hopes given David Henry Hwang, Jeanine Tesori, Francis Jue, and Conrad Ricamora. Although there were some bright spots, overall I was underwhelmed. Francis and Conrad are great singers, and the ensemble had amazing singers and dancers. Some of the sets and costumes were fun (in particular, the Ronald McDonald chandeliers were hilarious). The songs were okay but there weren't enough memorable lyrics or melodies.

In addition, the story was a little weak. The premise of the show is that Francis and Conrad's characters meet to create a tv show (Francis is an ABC - American Born Chinese - who has written a pilot script and Conrad is a Chinese producer who is living in LA). Conrad wants a lot of changes made to the script and a role on the show for his blonde American girlfriend. Francis, Conrad, and the girlfriend attend a Hillary Clinton fundraiser together but only Conrad actually meets Hillary. On the way home, Francis is stabbed by a stranger. When he passes out, he reimagines everything that we just saw in the play as a musical. It's the kind of premise you'd see on a tv show for having a musical episode, which seemed entirely unnecessary for, you know, an actual musical.

I feel bad for not liking the show more because there were some astute moments and some sharply funny moments but overall I wanted so much more.

There has been a lot of discussion about the lack of diversity on Broadway and in theater in general. Even with a few shows doing colorblind casting, it's rare to see a show with so many Asian actors in one show so that was another reason I was hoping the show would be good. Aside from shows that are specifically about Asian characters (Flower Drum Song, Allegiance, Miss Saigon, The King and I, Here Lies Love, Vietgone), it's pretty rare to see Asian actors in musicals. In many of the shows I've seen, it's usually limited to one or two in the chorus/ensemble (if any at all). The company was uniformly excellent in both singing and dancing, so I was disappointed that they weren't given a better show that would be more successful so that they can keep working.

On a related note, I saw the Philip company of Hamilton over the weekend (including Bandstand, I saw three musicals in four days!) and there were three Asian actors in lead roles (Hamilton, Burr, and Eliza). One of the understudies performed at the show I saw (she played Angelica) so I got to see four Asian actors in lead roles. The only other time I've seen that many Asian actors in leads are shows about Asians, so it was really cool to see! I really hope to see more diversity in casting overall. I think Hamilton has shown that you can cast non-white actors, even for characters who are based on historical figures who were white, and the audience will accept it.

Telly Leung is currently playing the lead in Aladdiin, but yeah, I don't know if there were any other Asian actors in that production. That show is pretty diverse in casting, or at least tries to be.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

27 minutes ago, Spartan Girl said:

Telly Leung is currently playing the lead in Aladdiin, but yeah, I don't know if there were any other Asian actors in that production. That show is pretty diverse in casting, or at least tries to be.

When I saw the tour, there were two Asian actors (Adam Jacobs was Aladdin and Reggie De Leon played Iago). I definitely remember seeing one Asian guy in the ensemble but I think that was it for the entire show. As far as I can remember, there weren't any Asian female cast members. I saw it last November so I might be forgetting someone in the ensemble but I'm pretty sure that was it.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

A Bronx Tale will close on Broadway in August

The national tour begins in October so I wonder if any of the Broadway cast members will be on tour.

[aradia22]

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On the way home, Francis is stabbed by a stranger. 

That's an interesting choice only because of what actually happened to David Henry Hwang. 

http://gothamist.com/2016/01/05/fort_greene_stabbing_hwang.php

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The national tour begins in October so I wonder if any of the Broadway cast members will be on tour.

Possibly Nick Cordero or Richard Blake unless they've got offers for other shows but it's doubtful. A lot of people have already left the show and I would think the benefit of being in a long-running show in the first place (aside from job security) is staying close to home so the actors who live in the area would be unlikely to want to leave their families and go on tour. Also, it's not a show that really demands star casting.

[Rinaldo]

12 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

experience itself was a complete clusterfuck.

This sounds similar to my seeing the two parts of Angels in America a year ago, at a movie theater that routinely shows the Metropolitan opera and other HD live shows (and their repeats) without problem. But for Angels, they started late and ineptly (we even saw the boot-up computer screen, repeatedly), kept stopping and restarting during the pre-show (all of which we still had to see), and it ended up starting an hour late, for a play that's already 3 hours long. And then a week later for Part 2, despite having that experience to learn from, they did it all again -- and that play is significantly longer. I don't know they can do it flawlessly most times and then mess these up so badly. Is it a matter of the supervising managers left on-site those particular evenings?

[aradia22]

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I don't know they can do it flawlessly most times and then mess these up so badly. Is it a matter of the supervising managers left on-site those particular evenings?

I think it might have something to do with the companies in charge of the film rights being new to the whole thing and also however they're sending the movies. I don't think a lot of places run on the old school projectors anymore. But the Met Live in HD program has been running for so many years and they know what they're doing. I imagine some of these new shows do not. Was the Angels the NT production? Because I do think they film a lot of London/West End productions and so they must have a sense of what they're doing.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

FWIW the theater where I saw Bandstand is a huge AMC megaplex that regularly shows Fathom events. They have been shown without any issues there in the past. The two tiny independent local theaters where I’ve seen Fathom events have never had any issues before either. During one of the later interruptions, an AMC employee said that there was a problem with the projector and that they were going to have Fathom send a new one. Hilariously, thanks to all the fuckups we got to see that all of the Fathom events are just shown via Dish (we saw the menu on the big screen with titles of other events on the Fathom schedule). 

[aradia22]

Will Chase officially announced to star in Kiss Me Kate with Kelli O'Hara and I am salty about it. A) He's so BLAND. B) I wanted a proper baritone. C) They didn't have to cast a white actor. Roundabout, it's 2018.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Breaking-Wunderbar-Will-Chase-Will-Join-Kelli-OHara-in-Broadway-Bound-KISS-ME-KATE-20180628

Anyone near Massachusetts? These shows sound interesting and the casting perked me up. I'm also still curious about this Royal Family of Broadway thing. https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Barrington-Stage-Company-Announces-Additional-Casting-for-WEST-SIDE-STORY-THE-CHINESE-LADY-More-20180628

[ElectricBoogaloo]

11 hours ago, aradia22 said:

That's an interesting choice only because of what actually happened to David Henry Hwang. 

http://gothamist.com/2016/01/05/fort_greene_stabbing_hwang.php

He’s made no secret of the fact that he incorporated that real life event (as well as the opening act’s premise of an American born Chinese writer creating a tv pilot for mainland China which also happened to him) into the play. He’s mentioned it in various interviews about Soft Power. I remember reading interviews with him where he talked about including his stabbing in the plot shortly after the show was commissioned too, so he clearly wanted to use that traumatic experience and turn it into something more artful (which I can understand).

[ElectricBoogaloo]

9 minutes ago, aradia22 said:

Will Chase officially announced to star in Kiss Me Kate with Kelli O'Hara and I am salty about it. A) He's so BLAND. B) I wanted a proper baritone. C) They didn't have to cast a white actor. Roundabout, it's 2018.

ITA about Will Chase. I haven’t found him compelling in previous roles and he doesn’t seem like a good fit. Fred/Petruchio calls for someone with more gravitas who can seem almost threatening. And I agree that a real baritone woujd be so much better for this role. Will isn’t a terrible singer but his voice isn’t the best for this role. 

[aradia22]

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Fred/Petruchio calls for someone with more gravitas who can seem almost threatening. 

I don't think he needs to be threatening but he needs to be a force of personality... arrogant but charming. Howard Keel, Brent Barrett, Robert Goulet, Brian Stokes Mitchell (though I didn't see Stokes and to me is he is sweetheart so I don't know about that last one) I know there's the spanking thing but he's more of an arrogant actor than a physically impressive guy. Attractive and commanding. Just... not Will Chase. He was completely flat when I saw him in concert. And after Nashville and Smash, I'd say he has the wrong kind of presence. He's too... smarmy. Like Robert Montgomery (someone from the TCM board may remember my feelings there). Imagining him as Fred, I see less of a dashing leading man and more of a foppish dandy or a guy who played juvenile roles past his prime. It makes perfect sense that he was Roger in RENT. I get that actors are supposed to be versatile but Will Chase is NOT that versatile. He's the wrong type. I'm sure by the time I see it next April I'll get over it but I wanted to love this casting more because right now next season seems DIRE.

Choice 1: Steven Pasquale. But I get that they can't cast Pasquale in everything. 

The problem is I feel like most guys these days are tenors or all the parts are tenors so it's hard to tell who can sing what. 

I really liked Quentin Earl Darrington as Agwe in Once on This Island but I think his presence made me think that his voice is deeper than it is. John Cudia sounded baritone-ish in On A Clear Day (and was HAWT) but he played the Phantom so he must be a tenor. Right? Ryan Silverman might be young next to Kelli but even though he's sung baritone parts, he might be more of a tenor/baritenor. I remember thinking his baritone was fine in the concerts where I saw him perform. I thought Aaron Lazar was a baritone based on A Little Night Music but he replaced Matthew Morrison in Light in the Piazza so again, possibly a tenor. Marc Kudisch is possibly too old and also very confusing because he sang Conrad Birdie like a tenor but he also thinks of himself as a baritone. Sometimes it works and sometimes it's not as resonant as I wish it would be. I'd say Norm Lewis but he was incredibly disappointing in Show Boat. Do guys lose the depth in their voices as they age? Women lose their high notes so I assumed the same was true of men but idk. Tam Mutu is probably too young and also probably a tenor or baritenor. I think he's a little too sweet but if he's a baritone, I would have rather seen Jason Danieley than Will Chase. And he's already got the hair/facial hair and it works for him. If nothing else, he would sing it gorgeously because duh, Jason Danieley. He's not a name but I remember Lewis Cleale singing a damn good Soliloquy so I'd put him in the possible baritone category. I feel like he's way too chill for the part but if he wasn't tied up with TV, I'd be interested to see Jesse L. Martin. If he was baritone I would love to see the Paul Nolan I fell in love with in Doctor Zhivago. He had fire. His "Where Is The Life That Late I Led" would be fantastic. But he is definitely a tenor. I don't know if he could sing it and he might be too old but Peter Gallagher also feels like the right type. 

Clearly, I have once again proven I am TERRIBLE at qualifying the ranges and vocal quality of male singers. I just generally find that tenors can have beautiful, thrilling voices but it's the baritones that make me shivery. In a good way. ;) Vocally I just want Alfred Drake, Howard Keel, Art Lund... is that so much to ask?

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Maybe threatening wasn't quite the word I was looking for, but Fred needs to have enough formidable presence (both physically and emotionally) that you can believe he's just as strong as Lilli when they are fighting. Lilli is a force of nature and the actor playing Fred needs to be someone who can match her in every way. He also needs to be big enough to believably pick her up and carry her offstage easily. I feel like Will Chase doesn't fulfill any of those things.

[Rinaldo]

I'm nervous about responding, because none of those tenor/baritone classifications make any sense to my ears. Clearly the meaning of those words has changed to the point that pitch has nothing to do with it. But I have to speak up for a couple of them. 

Will Chase played opposite Kelli O'Hara in Bells Are Ringing at Encores!, and was a delight; maybe that's why he was thought of for this. But Jeff in that show is very much a "regular guy" -- ordinary, sloppy, unsure. Fred needs to have that arrogant flamboyance that takes over the stage. Stokes had it, but (though I love his singing) not the classic true baritone voice in the Drake/Keel tradition. But who in musicals has that now? Almost nobody. They're training themselves toward baritenor so they're employable in current shows (doesn't necessarily mean a higher range, just an unthreatening light timbre). It's been a terrible problem at Encores! and similar one-off concert situations, where they do have to cast the classic scores. The best solutions have been Ryan Silverman (just right in The Golden Apple) and Ben Davis (who did begin in opera). And indeed, I just remembered that Ben Davis did play Fred at the BBC Proms, in a production of the restored original score.

Jason Danieley is definitely a tenor -- one of the few true examples working in musicals. He has done Candide in an extended run, has been the fall-back Enoch Snow over two decades, and handles operetta leads with ease. Aaron Lazar is a light baritone and has consistently been doing those roles. Singing Fabrizio in Light in the Piazza means nothing -- both he and Morrison "simulated" the Italian pop-tenor sound but it wasn't native to either of them (rather as Richard Kiley pretended to be a tenor in the original Kismet but couldn't maintain the illusion -- he had to leave the show a month or two into its run). Norm Lewis, gorgeous though the voice is, never had any depth in it: his Sweeney Todd at Signature decades back vanished in the lower phrases, and his casting in Porgy and Show Boat has to be for other than vocal reasons. And yes, Steven Pasquale has the stuff. Marc Kudisch has always been a burly sort of baritone, not really (especially by now) a candidate for a leading man in this kind of classic score. 

It's a sad commentary on the current state of vocal training that it almost seems like Ben Davis or Nobody.

[aradia22]

Quote

I'm nervous about responding, because none of those tenor/baritone classifications make any sense to my ears. Clearly the meaning of those words has changed to the point that pitch has nothing to do with it. But I have to speak up for a couple of them. 

No worries, Rinaldo. I appreciate the feedback. I was taking some wild stabs in the dark as I generally don't think of male performers by voice category the way I do with female singers. 

Quote

Will Chase played opposite Kelli O'Hara in Bells Are Ringing at Encores!, and was a delight; maybe that's why he was thought of for this. 

My thought was his role in Pipe Dream at Encores which is the most I've ever liked his voice. But it still wasn't anything close to the vocal quality I would want in someone playing Fred/Petruchio. 

Quote

But who in musicals has that now? Almost nobody. They're training themselves toward baritenor so they're employable in current shows (doesn't necessarily mean a higher range, just an unthreatening light timbre).

Sigh... this makes me sad. I get that it's a more effective strategy to be cast in the majority of jobs rather than specialize for the few classical baritone jobs that come up but it doesn't stop me wishing that someone would.

Also, I found the BBC Proms Kiss Me Kate on youtube with Ben Davis a while ago and I might finally watch it now. 

Well, now I want to see clips of Jason Danieley in Candide.

So aside from Ryan Silverman, Aaron Lazar, and Marc Kudisch we're back to Steven Pasquale? I feel more justified in singling him out then. Even though I don't think his vocals would be that great, I think Kudisch could still act the part of Fred/Petruchio. He's always had the presence and the arrogance and known how to trade on his looks. Silverman and Lazar are probably too young, but I'd give the edge to Silverman. He's doing a concert with Melissa Errico that I really want to see except it's too expensive.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

46 minutes ago, aradia22 said:

I think Kudisch could still act the part of Fred/Petruchio. He's always had the presence and the arrogance and known how to trade on his looks.

His performance as Trevor Graydon in Thoroughly Modern Millie had the presence and arrogance to make me think he would be a pretty good Fred.

[Rinaldo]

5 hours ago, aradia22 said:

Also, I found the BBC Proms Kiss Me Kate on youtube with Ben Davis a while ago and I might finally watch it now. 

It's worth watching. Besides Davis, you get Alexandra Silber as Lilli and Tony Yazbeck as Bill.

For additional Ben Davis, try the recording of Knickerbocker Holiday made a few years back, in which he pairs beautifully with Kelli O'Hara. Also, if you can find it (and because I know you're curious about opera), the film of The Magic Flute directed by Kenneth Branagh, in which Pagageno is sung and acted by "Benjamin Jay Davis," and is one of the bright spots in a problematic filming.

[Silver Raven]

Today's Sacramento Broadway at Music Circus performance was Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.  The idea of kidnapping women to make them marry you totally creeps me out, no matter how much the show sugar coats it, but the performances, and in particular the dancing, was superb.

Edward Watts starred as Adam and Paige Faure starred as Milly. Their voices were absolutely fantastic.  Even if Paige Faure did try to channel Reba McEntire by her acting and her singing.   But also a standout was KC Fredericks as the youngest brother, Gideon.  He has a beautiful voice.

The harvest social dance in the middle of the first act brought down the house.  It was great to watch.

[aradia22]

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Edward Watts starred as Adam

Ooh, great casting. Good voice and easy on the eyes. ;)

[aradia22]

I was finally in the mood to listen to the Passion (2013 revival) album. In some ways I preferred the original. Especially with Giorgio's singing (sorry, Ryan!). But I really appreciated having a lot of the book on the album. It was a fairly complete listening experience. And at least from the album, I think I prefer these performances as a whole as well as the overall interpretation of the material. Judy Kuhn is really the star here. Her Fosca doesn't seem as immediately bitter and grasping like Donna Murphy's (I did watch the recorded performance so I have a fairly good view of what Donna was like in the role). Also, I'm not sure if overall all the actors were older but I think there's a sense of maturity to this production. I didn't really care about anyone in the original in spite of how pretty the songs were. Here, I feel like there was a gradual build to the story and I actually paid more attention to the lyrics. I do wonder if part of it is the benefit of knowing the plot ahead of time. This way I appreciated all the foreshadowing and what was being said from the very beginning about the nature of love, beauty, etc. Though I do still think it's a little heavy handed at times. Anyway, Judy's Fosca genuinely seemed to just want a friend who would understand her. And sure, there was temptation when Ryan's Giorgio was a little kind but she wasn't all over him until he went to visit Clara and sent her that letter which sent her over the edge. I do think having an older Giorgio and Clara makes it less like two stupid children (in the Romeo and Juliet way) and more like two stupid idiots who are enamored with the idea of love. The weird thing Clara says about pity came through more clearly in the beginning as well as the sense that there was never any real hope for their relationship. It was a pleasant delusion for two lonely people who were not enjoying their present circumstances. Also, he's so caught up in Clara that he doesn't realize the way he's cruel to Fosca by saying thoughtless things and leading her on a bit (in friendship, of course, not in a romantic way). Fosca does get manipulative by the time she gets ill and the doctor sends Giorgio to her but (allowing for the shortened time in musicals) I feel like in this production, she's earned it. Having that gradual build you feel her resisting something she knows cannot be ("I Read") but she is far from perfect (that line about charity/helping others) and when she finally surrenders to her love for him she also surrenders to the unworthy desire to take what she can get while he's in a charitable mood believing he is helping to save her life. She seduces him (well, eventually) with her words and her idea of love. I totally forgot the Count Ludovic thing. That was a weird digression. (I'm not sure I love that as the only reason Fosca is sick. At least Ms. Havisham became a tough old bat.) And in general, I do think the show is structured to create too much distance between the audience and the characters/plot with all the letters, etc. SO much telling, not enough showing. Also, she's more incensed by his constant repudiation of her rather than clinging to him and wishing for love. She just wants some friendship and kindness and acts out when he openly rejects her. When "Is This What You Call Love" comes, her pursuit hasn't seemed all that smothering, though I'm sure it did to him. I'm not sure I love the male chorus. I need to go back and listen to the original to see if it was an exclusively male chorus in the original. Also, in this production when Fosca accuses Giorgio of being blinded by looks, it rings more true. He could share an intellectual respect with Fosca and his relationship with Clara feels very shallow. "Loving You" made so much more sense to me interpreted by Judy Kuhn. Is it still more wish-fulfillment-y than Wicked? Yes. But as a meditation on the nature of love (and beauty and death, I mean really, hitting all the big topics) without the silly wig and mole, I'm finding a lot to appreciate about it. It's less about good and bad characters or any needing to get what they deserved or be punished. It's more about everyone needing to find the knowledge/understanding and healing that they needed to move forward. All the sophistication that I was missing in the original was in the material but I don't think the acting and direction brought it out. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Sutton Foster will be performing at the Smith Center in Las Vegas in September. Tickets are available here.

[Milburn Stone]

On 7/2/2018 at 8:07 PM, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Sutton Foster will be performing at the Smith Center in Las Vegas in September. Tickets are available here.

She and Brian Stokes Mitchell did an American-themed evening of Broadway in Sun Valley on Saturday night which I dearly would have liked to see. (Our stay in the area was planned long before knowing of the concert, and we returned home the day before.) Just wondering if anyone here got to attend.

[bosawks]

On 7/2/2018 at 12:06 AM, aradia22 said:

I was finally in the mood to listen to the Passion (2013 revival) album. In some ways I preferred the original. Especially with Giorgio's singing (sorry, Ryan!). But I really appreciated having a lot of the book on the album. It was a fairly complete listening experience. And at least from the album, I think I prefer these performances as a whole as well as the overall interpretation of the material. Judy Kuhn is really the star here. Her Fosca doesn't seem as immediately bitter and grasping like Donna Murphy's (I did watch the recorded performance so I have a fairly good view of what Donna was like in the role). Also, I'm not sure if overall all the actors were older but I think there's a sense of maturity to this production. I didn't really care about anyone in the original in spite of how pretty the songs were. Here, I feel like there was a gradual build to the story and I actually paid more attention to the lyrics. I do wonder if part of it is the benefit of knowing the plot ahead of time. This way I appreciated all the foreshadowing and what was being said from the very beginning about the nature of love, beauty, etc. Though I do still think it's a little heavy handed at times. Anyway, Judy's Fosca genuinely seemed to just want a friend who would understand her. And sure, there was temptation when Ryan's Giorgio was a little kind but she wasn't all over him until he went to visit Clara and sent her that letter which sent her over the edge. I do think having an older Giorgio and Clara makes it less like two stupid children (in the Romeo and Juliet way) and more like two stupid idiots who are enamored with the idea of love. The weird thing Clara says about pity came through more clearly in the beginning as well as the sense that there was never any real hope for their relationship. It was a pleasant delusion for two lonely people who were not enjoying their present circumstances. Also, he's so caught up in Clara that he doesn't realize the way he's cruel to Fosca by saying thoughtless things and leading her on a bit (in friendship, of course, not in a romantic way). Fosca does get manipulative by the time she gets ill and the doctor sends Giorgio to her but (allowing for the shortened time in musicals) I feel like in this production, she's earned it. Having that gradual build you feel her resisting something she knows cannot be ("I Read") but she is far from perfect (that line about charity/helping others) and when she finally surrenders to her love for him she also surrenders to the unworthy desire to take what she can get while he's in a charitable mood believing he is helping to save her life. She seduces him (well, eventually) with her words and her idea of love. I totally forgot the Count Ludovic thing. That was a weird digression. (I'm not sure I love that as the only reason Fosca is sick. At least Ms. Havisham became a tough old bat.) And in general, I do think the show is structured to create too much distance between the audience and the characters/plot with all the letters, etc. SO much telling, not enough showing. Also, she's more incensed by his constant repudiation of her rather than clinging to him and wishing for love. She just wants some friendship and kindness and acts out when he openly rejects her. When "Is This What You Call Love" comes, her pursuit hasn't seemed all that smothering, though I'm sure it did to him. I'm not sure I love the male chorus. I need to go back and listen to the original to see if it was an exclusively male chorus in the original. Also, in this production when Fosca accuses Giorgio of being blinded by looks, it rings more true. He could share an intellectual respect with Fosca and his relationship with Clara feels very shallow. "Loving You" made so much more sense to me interpreted by Judy Kuhn. Is it still more wish-fulfillment-y than Wicked? Yes. But as a meditation on the nature of love (and beauty and death, I mean really, hitting all the big topics) without the silly wig and mole, I'm finding a lot to appreciate about it. It's less about good and bad characters or any needing to get what they deserved or be punished. It's more about everyone needing to find the knowledge/understanding and healing that they needed to move forward. All the sophistication that I was missing in the original was in the material but I don't think the acting and direction brought it out. 

My opinion is admittedly biased because Judy Kuhn is my spirit animal but I did see both productions so I think I can bring something to the table other than my giddiness over that voice.  I do think the show benefits from being a one act as opposed to two, it almost feels like a fever dream as a one.  I loved, loved, loved Judy’s interpretation.  It cast aside the unfortunate mole issues and Fosca always seemed to be the smartest person in the room.  Her cleverness in opposition to provincialism, family, circumstance and geography was heartbreaking.  Giorgio stood no chance against her seething intellect.

And by god that voice.

[unicorn23]

Saw Anastasia again after seeing it about a year ago and seeing it from the front row is quite a different experience seeing it from the balcony. Christy Altomare is an absolute delight and so perfect as Anya. I wasn't familiar with her when I saw the show last year but now that I've become a fan, I'm just blown away by her voice. She's super tiny but, my goodness, does she have a powerful voice on her. I got chills during the last note of Journey To The Past. She killed that song. Lyrica Woodruff as the ballerina was amazing and her performance got an extended applause from the audience.

Stagedoored after the show and I was thisclose to meeting Christy and getting her autograph, dammit! I have to go back again and wait outside and get a good spot because I want to meet her and tell her her Instagram live videos are one of my favorite thing ever.

[aradia22]

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Breaking-Ivo-van-Hove-Will-Direct-Broadway-Revival-of-WEST-SIDE-STORY-20180712

Err... what? It's July so it can't be April Fools Day.

[Rinaldo]

I'm privately hoping for a closes-in-a-week disaster, as Mr. von Hove discovers that Americans are at least a little bit particular about how their West Side Story is done, and not on the whole partial to grungy airless deconstructions of musicals.

[unicorn23]

I was hesitant when it was announced that Melissa Benoist was going to be on Beautiful but I saw it today with my mom (it was her birthday present), I was very pleased with her performance. Having said that, I was imagining how it would have been like if I was watching Jessie Mueller play Carole King instead of Melissa. My biggest regret in life is not seeing Jessie play Carole so now I'm on a YouTube binge scouring any and all clips of Jessie while she was on the show.

Also, just bought tickets to see Tatiana Maslany on Mary Page Marlowe in August. Can't wait for that!

[Silver Raven]

Today's Sacramento Music Circus performance was Newsies.  One of my favorite musicals.  I just adore the choreography, and I am amazed at how the dancers were able to get this together, considering the last production ended just last week and some of the dancers were in that, as well.

Joey Barreiro was Jack Kelly  Great voice.

Blake Stadnik was Crutchy.  According to his bio, he's legally blind, but you would never have known it. he did a good job.

Paul Schoeffler, who is a Music Circus veteran (along with Stuart Marland and Ron Wisniski), did a great Pulitzer.

Laurie Veldheer was Katherine.  I've always thought the role of Katherine was just sort of pasted on to give Jack a love interest, but she has a lovely voice.

One of the ensemble, Jimin Moon, who played Henry, is a local high school senior (next year).  He held his own, I was duly impressed.

The little boy who played Les, Josh Davis, is a Music Circus veteran.  This is his third season there

I am always glad to see the dance of Newsies. They had to modify it to fit onto the theater in the round, but I wasn't left wanting.

[aradia22]

They seem likable and charming and Andy Karl looks good for his age but tell me they couldn't be in a Disney Channel Original Movie where he plays her dad and she's in high school. I think part of it is that she reads particularly young like Selena Gomez. I don't know exactly how old Mara Davi is but she must be somewhere around Sutton Foster's age based on her credits. If that's true, Mara reads younger than she is on stage but she doesn't look like a child. I'm trying to keep an open mind but making a Pretty Woman musical was already an iffy choice and I feel like they just keep making more questionable choices (all male creative team, etc.). I don't think it's an issue between Andy Karl and Steve Kazee. It's just that anyone you cast against Samantha who wasn't in the same age range would look creepy because she looks particularly young. There's an almost 20 year age difference between Julia Roberts and Richard Gere but she didn't look like a child.

[SimoneS]

Exciting news! Lauren Ridloff has been cast as the character, Connie, by The Walking Dead for the upcoming season. And I said that I didn't think that her tv career could take off. Ha. Way to go, Lauren!

http://ew.com/tv/2018/07/16/walking-dead-lauren-ridloff-season-9/

[ratgirlagogo]

Always glad to see theater actors get TV work - but for her sake especially I do wish it had been on a better show.

[methodwriter85]

On 7/12/2018 at 8:33 PM, Rinaldo said:

I'm privately hoping for a closes-in-a-week disaster, as Mr. von Hove discovers that Americans are at least a little bit particular about how their West Side Story is done, and not on the whole partial to grungy airless deconstructions of musicals.

Seriously though- doesn't West Side Story have some pretty big restrictions on how it's allowed to be performed? I read somewhere that sanctioned productions are not allowed to switch "Cool" and "Gee, Officer Krupke" because apparently the owners hated the movie.

It also kind of feels like odd timing because Spielberg is apparently prepping to direct a new movie version.

Fathom is running another Newsies special showing, although the theater I wanted to go to is sold out.

Edited July 17, 2018 by methodwriter85

[aradia22]

Quote

The Public Theater has announced complete casting for the North American premiere of Girl from the North Country. Written and directed by Olivier Award winner and Tony Award nominee Conor McPherson with music and lyrics by music icon Bob Dylan, this new show weaves the music of our greatest poet-singer-songwriter into a piercing drama about home, heart, and the searching determination of the American soul.

The complete American cast features Todd Almond (Elias Burke), Jeannette Bayardelle (Mrs. Neilson), Stephen Bogardus (Nick Laine), Sydney James Harcourt (Joe Scott), Matthew Frederick Harris (Ensemble), Caitlin Houlahan (Kate Draper), Robert Joy (Dr. Walker), Marc Kudisch (Mr. Burke), Luba Mason (Mrs. Burke), Tom Nelis (Mr. Perry), David Pittu (Reverend Marlowe), Colton Ryan (Gene Laine), John Schiappa (Ensemble), Rachel Stern(Ensemble), Samantha Marie Ware (Marianne Laine), Chelsea Lee Williams (Ensemble), and Mare Winningham (Elizabeth Laine).

GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY will begin previews in The Public's Newman Theater on Tuesday, September 11 and run through Sunday, November 4, with an official press opening on Monday, October 1. Single tickets, starting at $95, will be available beginning Thursday, July 26.

Tickets are too expensive and I still don't care about Bob Dylan but okay, casting. I see you.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Caitlin-Houlahan-Marc-Kudisch-and-More-Lead-the-Publics-GIRL-FROM-THE-NORTH-COUNTRY-20180718

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Lin-Manuel Miranda will make his directorial debut with a screen adaptation of Jonathan Larson’s semi-autobiographical musical Tick, Tick…BOOM!

Steven Levenson (Dear Evan Hansen) will write the script. 

Quote

Prior to becoming a household name with the success of Hamilton, Miranda starred as Jonathan in Encores! Off-Center's 2014 presentation of the musical, appearing alongside future Hamilton co-star Leslie Odom, Jr. and In the Heights' Karen Olivo.

[aradia22]

https://www.broadwayworld.com/videoplay/VIDEO-Get-A-First-Look-At-Susan-Egan-In-BEAUTY-AND-THE-BEAST-20180720

Does Susan Egan look like she's still in her 20's? No. Would I 100% still see this if it was playing near me? Yes.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants is being made into a musical

Jennifer Hudson, Taylor Swift, James Corden and Ian McKellen have been cast in a film adaptation of Cats
 

Quote

Hudson, who won an Oscar in 2007 for her breakout role in “Dreamgirls,” will play Grizabella, the former “glamour cat” who falls on hard times and gets to sing about it in showstopper “Memory.” It’s unclear which roles will be played by Swift, Corden and McKellen.

[ancslove]

The Hollywood Reporter said that McKellen is going to be Old Deuteronomy.  If they're wrong, I could also see him as Gus the Theater Cat.  I can't see Taylor Swift handling any of the dancing, except maybe as Rumpleteazer.  She might make a cute Rumple, it's a more comedic version of the exaggerated acting she does on stage with her more dramatic songs (Look What You Made Me Do, Blank Space).  I cannot see her as Bombalurina.

That said, I think a film adaptation is just going to highlight the complete lack of story that is Cats.  That show is catchy songs, incredible dancing, and amazing costumes/makeup.  This is one movie adaptation that I don't think really needs to be done, especially since there is a great professionally filmed stage production.  But of course, I'll still see it.  If Hooper pulls this off, more power to him.  

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/taylor-swift-jennifer-hudson-james-corden-ian-mckellen-star-cats-movie-adaptation-1128647

[methodwriter85]

5 hours ago, aradia22 said:

Does Susan Egan look like she's still in her 20's? No. Would I 100% still see this if it was playing near me? Yes.

Well, if Glenn Close is still allowed to play a 50-year old when she's 70...

Anyway, it looks like Head Over Heels has nothing to do with the Go-Go's story, just using their music. I'm disappointed. They honestly had a fantastic Behind the Music episode, and I still don't get why their bio hasn't been made into a show yet.

[aradia22]

Quote

The Hollywood Reporter said that McKellen is going to be Old Deuteronomy.  If they're wrong, I could also see him as Gus the Theater Cat.  I can't see Taylor Swift handling any of the dancing, except maybe as Rumpleteazer.  She might make a cute Rumple, it's a more comedic version of the exaggerated acting she does on stage with her more dramatic songs (Look What You Made Me Do, Blank Space).  I cannot see her as Bombalurina.

I have a very limited picture of Cats from listening to the cast album once (I couldn't do it another time) and watching Tyler's vlogs for Broadway.com. I was guessing McKellen for Old Deuteronomy because ageism and Swift as Bombalurina because it's supposed to be the pretty female cat role. Also, last I heard it's not like the stage show and they're using real cats or some kind of motion capture? That could be old news. I'm just putting it out there because it might not matter if they can dance if they're just using their voices.

Quote

Anyway, it looks like Head Over Heels has nothing to do with the Go-Go's story, just using their music.

I'm tempted to see it because it's supposed to be fun... but not good. Of course that means I don't want to pay Broadway prices so I need to work up the energy to do rush or the lottery or something.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

6 hours ago, aradia22 said:

https://www.broadwayworld.com/videoplay/VIDEO-Get-A-First-Look-At-Susan-Egan-In-BEAUTY-AND-THE-BEAST-20180720

Does Susan Egan look like she's still in her 20's? No. Would I 100% still see this if it was playing near me? Yes.

I just saw Susan Egan last month in one of the Broadway Princess Party performances and she's still a great singer. Mr. EB was unfamiliar with all of the performers in the show, but he said he liked her the best.

55 minutes ago, methodwriter85 said:

Anyway, it looks like Head Over Heels has nothing to do with the Go-Go's story, just using their music. I'm disappointed. They honestly had a fantastic Behind the Music episode, and I still don't get why their bio hasn't been made into a show yet.

Head Over Heels just has the music of the Go-Go's but the book is based on an old story (The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia by Philip Sidney). It was a fun show because the dancing was great and everything was so bright and colorful. I was fine with it not being a story about the Go-Go's though, mostly because I saw Ain't Too Proud (the new musical about the Temptations) and because the entire how was about the history of the group, it felt like "this happened, hold on while we sing a song, then this happened, here's another song you know." On top of that, it felt like a sketch of the group's history rather than the complete story so it seemed like there were a lot of things glossed over or left out. Given that, I think I'd rather have an unrelated story with existing music incorporated into a show. Of course, one of the problems with Head Over Heels is that they tried to cram as many Go-Go's songs as possible into the show so it definitely feels too long. I don't know that nostalgia for the Go-Go's will be enough to keep this show open long term. On the plus side, both shows (Head Over Heels and Ain't Too Proud) had really talented casts. HoH kept the entire cast when they transferred to Broadway and it looks like ATP kept everyone when they moved the show from Berkeley to DC/LA so I'm assuming it will mostly be the same cast when they finally transfer to Broadway.