Theatre Talk: In Our Own Little Corner

[bosawks]

Saw Side Show on the 13th and really enjoyed it. The performances carry the show and it played to a full house and got a standing O.

It's a show that oddly stays with you.

[aradia22]

By the way, I'm not promising I'll have time to do the theatre roundups all the time but are there any other sites (other than Playbill and Broadway.com) that you want me to scour for interesting tidbits?

[Charlie Baker]

This is fun--from the Broadway Cares Broadway Backwards benefit where women do men's numbers and vice versa.  The very talented Michael Berresse and Tony Yazbeck take on Roxie and Velma.

 

[Rinaldo]

Fabulous, Charlie Baker. In the "backwards/miscast" canon, that's right up there with Jonathan Groff doing everything Sutton Foster did in "Anything Goes."

 

[DisneyBoy]

Gotta love Tony Yazbeck....

 

Based on that review, I decided not to rush myself over to Bway to try and get rush tickets for today's final Side Show.  I'm sure it will be quite the affair, but after watching through the full OBC bootlegI was stunned at how flat the show is.  It all amounts to "Which Man will stay with a conjoined twin?"  I had expected the show to delve into more than that.  From that one critical review, it seems not to.

 

 

Frankly, and this will sound harsh, but Side Show reminds me a bit of Carrie: three standout moments and an otherwise r4eally mishandled treatment of potentially interesting subject matter.

Edited January 4, 2015 by DisneyBoy

[aradia22]

Ooh, my feet! But no, really, I am in a lot of pain right now. I hope you'll forgive a bit of preamble before I get into my thoughts on Side Show. Sorry if this isn't as organized as it would be in a formal review. I woke up around 8:00 am and I've been standing for most of that time. I left my hour before 9:00 am and got to the theatre (the St. James) between 9 and 10. The guy in front of me got there 5 minutes earlier and the guy in front of him got there at 9:10. But we were all still twenty-something-th in line. I know because I made friends. Because what else do you do faced with cute theatre boys and a two hour plus wait? At the end of all that, when I was almost in the door, they announced the cut off for Rush tickets. Devastated. They did say they might do standing room only at 2:30. So I sat around a bit. Unable to ignore the grumbling of my stomach any longer I minced my way over to Sardi's and ordered a pathetic pauperly lunch of soup. For $10. I would only go back if I was with someone who could name all the faces on the walls for me. Besides Lucille Ball of course. I went back to the theatre around 2:10 to find that the SRO line had developed. I was between 15th and 20th. Uh oh. Not again. But I waited it out and got my tickets. My SRO place was 17 so I assume I was 17th in line. I was on the left side of the house at the back of the orchestra but aside from the standing, I didn't mind the position. There's not much in the show that happens high up and because you're standing, you don't have a worry about not being able to see over a tall person's head (a very important consideration for a short person like me). After the show I still did the stage door. So more standing.

 

OK, on to the actual show. I can't compare it to the original aside from the cast album and wikipedia synopsis and things I've gleaned from reviews. The side plot about Buddy being gay consists of two lines during the show and then it all comes to a head in one big scene. There's also a big backstory element added. The Tunnel of Love thing was gone. Aside from that I think there were a few rhymes and lines changed here and there but not being super familiar with the score, they didn't stand out that much. It was my first closing night and there was a great energy in the room so of course I enjoyed it. But I still think the show is flawed. The two biggest issues from my perspective are the music and the lack of connection to the characters. Side Show really wants to be sung through but those numbers have no musicality. They're just words awkwardly set to music that isn't really that melodic. I wish they'd just let some things be sung and let other things be spoken. I'll get more into the music later. As for the characters, the story is still just underdeveloped. The big numbers like I Will Never Leave You and You Should Be Loved make you want to care about the characters. But the show doesn't earn it. It doesn't do much more than sketch out their stories and you never get deeper than a character bio that could be summarized in a few sentences.

[Sara2009]

I like that Jonathan Groff video. He's a good mover even though I wouldn't call him a great dancer.

[aradia22]

The show feels small in the St. James. It also could have been my angle, standing at the back of the house but I think there was also a lack of depth to the stage. I thought we'd start small and build to their lives as successful "mainstream" performers but even the big numbers still had a small vibe. They got stuck on the small vaudeville acts in Singin in the Rain and never got the big burlesque acts at the end of Gypsy.

 

Characters

Violet: I thought Erin Davie was lovely as Violet in the beginning. As soon as she appeared I immediately connected to the vulnerability and sadness in her eyes and I was looking forward to seeing the character develop from there. But then... she didn't. And that sad expression became rather flat when I realized there wasn't any depth to it as far as the character went. There were times when I liked her vocals and times when I didn't.

Daisy: Emily didn't work for me as Daisy at first. As they started to get into the bigger production numbers and their success in vaudeville I think her performance felt more natural. There was a disconnect with the way she was playing the character at first. Later, I didn't really buy her flirtatiousness. It wasn't really coming from anywhere. She got some good jokes in though. Like Erin, her vocals had moments. Occasionally there was a very pretty soprano. Sometimes I think she felt obligated to throw in some belting. It didn't always work.

Terry: Someone told me at the stage door that Ryan Silverman has played the Phantom. I can definitely see it. His vocals reminded me a bit of Howard McGillin and his big number "Private Conversation" sounds very Phantom-y. He sang well but other than that, his number should have been cut. His character doesn't need much development and his number actually serves to flatten Daisy by making her act like a flat projection of his fantasies. Taking away the tunnel of love part made it worse not that I was attached to that song to begin with. This number would have worked better as a shared fantasy. Or you know, just cut it entirely. I get the sense that in this version they make him more of a villain. They don't commit to it though. I wish they'd make him more villainous and drop the romance or make it more sinister or drop the villainy. 

Buddy: I wasn't blown away by his vocals but he had some nice moments. As a character he's super undeveloped and you can't just throw in an "in the closet" sideplot to garner sympathy. There's way too much shorthand in place of character development.

Jake: David St. Louis sounded fantastic. For someone with a lower voice he was a little more smoky/raspy than clear and resonant but I still enjoyed his vocals a lot. His performance was quite flat. Maybe it was the character but he's just kind of scowl-y through most of the show instead of using that time off to the side and in the background to give his character layers through his expression. I would pan over to him every so often hoping to see him pining for Violet or restraining himself from charging forward to defend the girls but except for when he was actually called to step forward, he didn't pop for me. Again, just scowling. Even during "You Should Be Loved" I thought he could have given more on the acting front though again, beautiful vocals.

Sir: Eh. I wasn't wowed by his singing and he was a weak villain. I guess it's more the script that the actor's fault. He's alternately menacing and completely ineffective. Mostly the latter. I feel like they were trying to go for someone who was intimidating to the girls and the freak show performers because he held that power over them knowing they couldn't go elsewhere but not over "normal" people in the "real" world. Instead, he felt like a throwaway viallin.

Fortune Teller: Charity Angel Dawson had some nice vocal moments. It was weird to see her dancing around as an extra at the party what with the whole plot between Violet and Jake about how she just wants to be like everyone else.

Houdini: What? Guys, why is Houdini in this? I don't care if it's a musical. This is every pointless celebrity cameo telling you to follow your dreams.

 

Music

A big problem with the show and musical is that we're jumping from musical number to musical number without much transition. The story isn't developing. It's just like characters decide to share their feelings at random times.

As I thought, Come Look at the Freaks works better on stage where you see the characters being introduced. The show feels small at first which works well for the side show. I wish they'd pushed it farther though. Either make it seedier or make the audience feel more exploitative for looking at the freaks. It's an aggressive song and everyone's just kind of walking around. It feels cold and distant.

The numbers with Daisy and Violet were nice. 

The Devil You Know lasted too long though there were some nice vocal moments throughout.

Typical Girls Next Door didn't establish much. They use the number to show that after all their rehearsal with Buddy the girls are still a little awkward but later there's just a time jump and so there's nothing accomplished in showing that they weren't always great performers.

The backstory is delivered as Daisy and Violet telling Terry and Buddy about how Sir "owns" them. This doesn't work well. I haven't seen the Bound By Flesh documentary (available on Netflix) yet but I think their real story was more complicated than this. Again, delivering this as sung-through but not very melodic is not a great move. Also, it just feels very shallow. Ooo, there's a bad old lady who abuses them and mean doctors who want to separate them. It's kind of like trying to cram all of A Little Princess and The Elephant Man into 2 minutes of music. That shouldn't even really count as a song. I can't remember if they transition into the court case here or later but because of Jake's testimony the girls are released from Sir's guardianship. Again, I wish David St. Louis had given more in his performance in this scene.

I Will Never Leave You was great. You're constantly waiting for it to come back, especially since you hear hints of it throughout the score.

Feelings You've Got to Hide was also enjoyable. I think I sensed a few lines changed here or there in this number.

Ready to Play is a fun number. However, it also serves to emphasize the lack of cohesion in the score. The vaudeville style numbers stick out. They mesh alright with the girls' songs like I Will Never Leave You (though it's not a smooth transition) but they feel awkward with what I think of as the Dreamgirls numbers (The Devil You Know, Private Conversation). 

The jumps are too abrupt between the numbers in act 2 in particular. I get wanting to do that harsh cut sometimes but all the time just leaves no room for character development or letting things sink in. You cut off You Should Be Loved at the knees by immediately following with A Great Wedding Show.

I think they made nice use of the "freaks" as extras in other numbers but all the crowd numbers don't work. You don't really see the motivation of the characters as reporters or spectators. Compare it with Mary Sunshine and all of that in Chicago. You don't need to develop those characters but you get where they're coming from. So much of the show feels unmotivated by anything but the demands of the script.

 

I got the sense watching the show that the creators were afraid to really dig deep. It gave me a Bombshell vibe to be sure. Violet and Daisy (from what I know) led a complicated and tragic life. The show sidesteps most of that for a simple moral. They force a sort of happy ending instead of having the courage to examine the sad end of their lives. They leave Buddy and Jake underdeveloped instead of taking those characters and their stories to a honest, original place. They're just sketches. It's like they're not really brave enough to deal with Jake as a smart, African American forced to pose as an animalistic cannibal and denied his true heart's desire. The show also doesn't let Violet really love him and delve into the hypocrisy of her situation. It's all surface. Sir and Terry are easy villains. As I said, I don't particularly care about Terry's plight and neither does the show with the way they ended things. They should end things and find a stronger, more complicated villain.

[Sharpie66]

@Charlie_Baker, thanks so much for that video!  I know Mike Berresse (he went to the all-boys school two years ahead of me who was in the all-girls school), and we were in plays together. I've posted about him elsewhere in this thread. I love to see him still doing well on Broadway!!

 

He was Fred Casely when Chicago was brought back in 1996, and then took over as Billy Flynn when James Naughton left the show.

Edited January 5, 2015 by Sharpie66

[DisneyBoy]

Aradia, thank you for all those insights! I am so glad I skipped rushing to NY to see it if the big problems weren't fixed and getting actual tickets was such an ordeal.

 

 

Was the opening number captivating?  I am pretty obsessed with the staging and music from the first ten minutes of the OBC. 

[Rinaldo]

@Sharpie66 , you of course will know this, but for others I want to mention that Michael Berresse jumped into leading roles with the Kiss Me Kate revival as Bill, getting to preserve his performance on the video of the London transfer. He also was in the original cast of the wonderful Light in the Piazza (also telecast), and played Zach in the Chorus Line revival. 

 

I recall him as especially stellar in the Encores! semi-concert No, No, Nanette alongside Sandy Duncan, Beth Leavel, Charles Kimbrough, Mara Davi, Shonn Wiley, and Rosie O'Donnell -- one of their best ever. This video combines performance excerpts with interviews during the cast party at the conclusion of the 5-performance run:

 

Edited January 5, 2015 by Rinaldo

[Sharpie66]

Thanks for that, @Rinaldo!

 

We knew that Mike was talented, but after he finished high school in 1982, the usual happened and my sister and I lost contact with what he was doing. In 1988 or early '89, we went to see Fiddler on the Roof when a touring production was stopping in Chicago. At intermission, my sister was looking through the Playbill when she ordered me to turn to a certain page. There he was, playing a featured dancer! We were completely gobsmacked and simultaneously thrilled for his success in getting a decent acting gig. Sis found out about him being in Kiss Me Kate four years after that, and then in Chicago a few years later. Then, in the late '90s, she was watching an episode of Law and Order: Criminal Intent when she had that weird sense of "Hey, I know that guy, not from tv, but from real life!" Then, the character's past is revealed midway through the ep through a photo of him in high school, and that's when Sis went, "That's Mike!!!" (I had that same sensation when I caught the first few episodes of Newsradio but missed the opening credits--I was in an acting class in 1983 with Andy Dick.)

[aradia22]

 

Was the opening number captivating?  I am pretty obsessed with the staging and music from the first ten minutes of the OBC.

I found it a little cold. I would have preferred to see them emphasize the grotesque nature of the freaks or the exploitative nature of the show. It felt more like "here's a thing" "there's a thing". I think they're likely to get a nod for makeup from the Tony's but I wish they'd done more. Maybe with lighting. 

[aradia22]

Theatre News Roundup

 

Not a great review of The Merry Widow. I have my ticket for the January 21 Met Live in HD showing. I also didn't hear the greatest things at the stage door of Side Show.

 

Some photos of the cast of The Visit. "The Visit is based on the classic Friedrich Dürrenmatt play (adapted by Maurice Valency) and features a book by Terrence McNally, with music by Kander and lyrics by Ebb. Claire Zachanassian is an often-widowed millionairess who pays a visit to her hardship-stricken birthplace. The locals hope she’ll bring them a new lease on life, but little do they know her offer to revitalize the town comes at a dreadful price."

 

ALW claims Cats will be returning to Broadway.

 

Emma Stone is extending her run in Cabaret.

 

Some insight on the changes made to Gigi with Vanessa Hudgens.

 

"Lots of people felt very uncomfortable with Honore singing 'Thank Heaven for Little Girls' as the opening number," says Thomas. "They think of pedophilia; I was shocked at how deep seated that reaction was." The song remains in the show, but is sung at a later time by Alicia and Mamita as a reflection on their relationship with Gigi.

 

In the movie, the age gap between Gigi and Gaston is never specified, but it's roughly 20 years. In the book, Gigi is "nearly" 16. "At workshops, audiences were recoiling at this," says Thomas. "In our version, Gigi is a naïve 18-year-old and six years younger than Gaston, who was her childhood friend."

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time tickets on sale through September 6.

 

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time offers over 50 tickets at $27 for every performance. Tickets are on sale by phone at (212) 239-6200, online at Telecharge.com and in person at the Barrymore Theatre box office (243 West 47th Street).

The seats are apparently in the rear mezzanine but I checked some random dates on telecharge and a lot have sold out. The first day I found was Jan 21. They are at the very back of the rear mezzanine (last two rows) on either side.

 

Side Show encore goodbye on closing night. This was after the speeches. It was the only time I teared up during the show. Watch it before someone pulls it off youtube. This article describes the real life end of the Hilton sisters' story. I think it would make for a stronger ending and give the show more depth if they went into more of the real details of their life instead of going for this simple moral.

 

 

Daisy and Violet Hilton's professional career ended abruptly in 1961 after a public appearance at a drive-in cinema in Charlotte, NC where they were dumped by their tour manager. Lacking funds and transportation, they settled in and took jobs at a grocery store. A specially made apparatus was constructed that enabled one of them to work the cash register while the other bagged the groceries. Exploited to the end.

On Jan. 4, 1969, when the twins were late returning to work from the holidays, the police went to their home and found them dead from the Hong Kong Flu. A forensic report revealed that Daisy died first and Violet followed two-to-four days later.

I am confused about how this will work. Will the movie be muted? Anyway, if anyone's in NJ, they're going to be screening Singin in the Rain with an orchestra.

 

The stats look good for 2014.

 

ebk57, I was excited because I thought I found you something but it's for the 19th. If anyone will be in town, Tony Yazbeck and Tyne Daly are doing a Shaw play. Regular tickets are around $36. VIP tickets with access to the post performance party are $56. 

[aradia22]

 

Sutton Foster is set to appear on American Voices with Renée Fleming on January 9, talking about her belated voice training, coaching other aspiring musical theater actors and singing “Anything Goes.”

[choclatechip45]

Saw Constellations this afternoon Jake Gyllenhaal and Ruth Wilson were both very good.

[aradia22]

Oh, I forgot to say that I finished watching that Jason Robert Brown special. I don't think his songs work as well as others do out of context and I'm not familiar with most of his shows. However, I did appreciate getting some insight into his writing. 

[aradia22]

My recap of Galavant is live on trashtalktv. Bear in mind that it's meant to be comedy and I'm not being me and necessarily stating all of my opinions. I am adopting the persona of a snarkier, meaner version of myself and trying to fit as many jokes in as possible while still conveying the plot for people who didn't watch the episodes. But I do hope you'll check it out. :)

[aradia22]

I can't remember if I linked to the last story but The First Wives Club is definitely coming.

 

The production, starring the previously announced Tony winner Faith Prince, Christine Sherrill and Carmen Cusack, will begin previews on February 17 and play through March 29. Directed by Simon Phillips and choreographed by David Connolly, the tuner has a book by Linda Bloodworth Thomason and songs by Motown’s Holland-Dozier-Holland. Opening night is scheduled for March 11.

First Wives Club will feature new songs and classic hits like "Reach Out…I'll Be There," "Stop in the Name of Love" and "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch).

Sienna Miller is replacing Emma Stone in Cabaret February 17. Very interesting that they're continuing the trend of film actresses. I feel like I've only ever seen her in Casanova and I was not thrilled with her acting.

[aradia22]

Christian Borle and Brian D'Arcy James are definitely coming back to Broadway in Something Rotten. They begin performances March 23 with opening night April 22. I hope those of you who wanted discount tickets were able to book them.

 

Man of La Mancha revival to play Washington D.C. Performances begin March 17. Anthony Warlow starring. Official open March 23. Run ends April 26.

 

If anyone lives in Atlanta, you'll have the chance to see both Carolee Carmello and Beth Leavel in Tuck Everlasting. It has been a good long time since I read the book but from what I remember it was more of a rough outline than a really strong story with a lot of worldbuilding and details you'd have to stick to so there's a lot of room to develop it into a musical. I think it will largely depend on the music.

 

Web series with Michael Urie about a 911 call center premieres Jan 27. Apparently there will be plenty of guest stars. As far as I can tell, the site is free.

 

The literary archive of Pulitzer Prize winner Paula Vogel has been acquired by the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Yale University, making her the first female playwright included in the library's Yale Collection of American Literature.

 

I'm not sure I have a complete grasp of the concept but here's news about Texas in Paris.

[aradia22]

I am going to a Sondheim concert on Sunday so I've given myself the homework of finally sitting down and listening to the cast albums of Company, Follies, and Merrily We Roll Along. I decided to go with Company first. It's less of an experience as I realize that I already know most of these songs. I just haven't heard them in the context of the other songs or associated them with a particular plot. I mean obviously it's brilliant. There's no real point in my throwing in my two cents. I may to try to track down one of the filmed versions as there's not much dialogue in this and I want to get a better sense of the book. I think Tick Tock is the only song that really throws me off. It kind of sounds like that aggressive movie scoring that I'm not a fan of or one of the theme songs for those older cop shows. I mean, obviously some songs are stronger than others but it's hard to get a feel for the pace without any context. Barcelona feels slow to me on the album but it might feel different watching the show or it might serve a purpose.

[aradia22]

So I listened to Follies. Going into it, I knew Broadway Baby, I'm Still Here, and Losing My Mind. It didn't blow me away but I think that's because I made the mistake of listening to the concert version instead of the OBC. I will be correcting that as soon as possible. Listening to the concert version creates too much distance. I mean it makes sense because that's how Follies is presented but I kept getting the sense that I was missing so much that the audience was probably seeing. The only number I enjoyed that I didn't know going in was Could I Leave You. The rest of it kind of felt like the less impressive songs in any number of movie musicals with vaudeville style numbers. I'll check back in after listening to the OBC album.

[Rinaldo]

Follies is probably the greatest musical ever, I find myself thinking more and more over the years. There are three essential recordings of it:

1. The original, because those performers are the ones on whose abilities and qualities it was conceived. But it's preposterously abbreviated, with hurtful internal cuts in most of the numbers and other songs completely omitted, to fit onto a single LP.
2. The so-called "complete recording" on TVT, based on a Paper Mill revival. This is musically complete, or near enough, and includes an appendix of cut or alternative songs.
3. The PS Classics recording of the recent revival, which uniquely includes the dialogue giving a context for the music, conveying the way the first two-thirds of the show is a reunion party in the (1971) present which contains recollections of the performances from decades ago, and then it all explodes into a fantasy "Follies" in which the principals enact their own personal "follies" in song.

[bosawks]

Love "One More Kiss"  with Heidi and Young Heidi.  One of my favorite "quiet" theatre moments.

[Charlie Baker]

I love Follies, though I don't think I've ever seen a completely successful production of it.  And I know someone who saw the original who thought it's never been bettered.  It is a shame that the OCR was so truncated.  I agree completely with Rinaldo about the recent revival recording. 

 

The two video records of Company that shouldn't be too hard to find are the John Doyle directed one with Raul Esparza and actors playing instruments (which I liked more than some people I know) and the New York Philharmonic "staged concert" version with Neil Patrick Harris which we discussed here some time back.   I'd recommend the NPH version as a good exposure to the book, particularly. And "Barcelona" really is a scene within the song, as opposed to a "number."

[bosawks]

The best "Barcelona" to see IMO is from the documentary of the cast recording.  Dean Jones and Susan Browning act the heck out of it.

[Rinaldo]

That docufilm of the original Company recording is great to have -- how wonderful that of the planned series of such films, the only one that got made is of this epochal score. Everyone talks about Elaine Stritch's problems at the end, but one of my favorite sequences is trying to record "Getting Married Today." Anybody who's music-directed a show knows that there are things you just let go, they're close enough and will get by, during rehearsals because you have bigger problems. And then comes the recording, and poor Beth Howland never learned the tune properly, and during the recording session is too late. (She never did get it.) It remained for Veanne Cox, on the revival recording to nail all the words and all the notes; hurray! Of the videos, I value the NY Phil event with NPH because it reminds us of what John Doyle and Sam Mendes kind of forgot: that Company is supposed to be, among other things, fun.

 

I too saw the original production of Follies, twice. And I've seen maybe a dozen others since. I suppose as an overall experience it hasn't been bettered, though I can point to better renditions of this or that role or song. I always live in hope that I'll see another production really provide the whole experience, because there's nothing else like it. With a recording, there's the fun of noticing the stylistic references in the diegetic songs: "This is the Cole Porter list song, that's the Irving Berlin "bring on the showgirls" song, this is the Gershwin ballad," and so on.

[Sharpie66]

Madeline Kahn did a brilliant performance of "Getting Married Today" for the Carnegie Hall tribute concert for Sondheim back in the early 1990s. I've got the CDs, and I just love listening to her zip through those lyrics at a mind-numbingly fast pace, and just nail it.

[Rinaldo]

Yes, but she, like everyone before Veanne Cox, left out a bunch of words and their attached notes (they're right there in the score) to make it easier to breathe. She belongs to the BC (you can figure it out) school of performance of this song.

 

Cox's performance is like the 4-minute mile. (I cheered after experiencing her performance in the theater; I never do that.) Once she achieved it and proved that an accurate rendition of the song was possible, others have found themselves able to do it.

[aradia22]

Rinaldo, sadly the only ones on Spotify (and thus the only ones I could get to before the concert) are the 1985 concert and the OBC. Unfortunately because my iTunes was corrupted and I had downloaded the OBC intending to listen to it at a later date, I now can't play it on Spotify. I'll see if my local library has copies of the other recordings.

[Rick Kitchen]

The other day, I treated myself to a marathon listen of "Being Alive" on YouTube, listening to all of the professional versions of the song.  And to me, Dean Jones's version was absolutely the best.  Raul Esparza's was good, and Julian Ovenden won me over with his joyful conclusion to the song.

Edited January 10, 2015 by Rick Kitchen

[Rinaldo]

So many agree with you on Dean Jones, Rick Kitchen, that I wish I could too. Maybe it's my classical background, but I just can't enjoy the yowly screechy quality in Dean Jones's voice. (I wonder how the show would have been with Anthony Perkins, who was originally scheduled for it.) I do like Raul Esparza a great deal in this and his other Company solos; he saved that production for me. I'll have to hear Julian Ovenden.

[Rick Kitchen]

Rinaldo, have you heard Larry Kert's version?

[Rinaldo]

I have, though not recently. I saw him do the role too (twice) when I saw the original production. I liked him a lot.

[aradia22]

Theatre News Roundup

 

This seems too soon. Yup. The Color Purple is coming back with Jennifer Hudson.

As expected, If/Then is closing March 22 after Idina's contract is up.

Bend It Like Beckham musical for the West End.

Miss Saigon is extending on the West End.

 

ebk57, this might be something for you. What about trying to get tickets for Cheyenne Jackson at Cafe Carlyle?

[aradia22]

OK. I tried to follow the plot with the synopsis on the wikipedia page but I can't make heads or tails of it. I did listen to the album though. It's got an interesting brassy forward momentum. Very trumpety. Then there's the xylophone. I don't know. I'm kind of into it but a little caught off guard. Kind of like listening to instrumental jazz. I didn't dislike it but it hasn't supplanted other Sondheim shows like A Little Night Music or Sweeney Todd or Into the Woods in my estimation.

 

Anyway, do any of you know of a version of Merrily We Roll Along I can look up? I know they aired that West End version in theaters a while back but I could never figure out that website. 

[aradia22]

I decided to follow up Merrily with A Funny Thing Happened on the Way To the Forum instead of the heavier choices. I think I new one or two songs going in but not more than that. It was sweet and breezy. Philia seems like a great part to play. I enjoyed both of her songs as well as the reprise of Lovely. It made me laugh even just on the soundtrack. I'd watch a revival. 

[Rinaldo]

OK. I tried to follow the plot with the synopsis on the wikipedia page but I can't make heads or tails of it.

 

What is being referred to here? I can't think of anything that would qualify for brassy-trumpery with xylophone.

 

You don't want the soundtrack of Forum though -- the movie kept only 3 or 4 of the songs. One of the cast albums (probably the original cast, with Zero Mostel) represents it better.

 

There's no officially available video of Merrily We Roll Along, if that was the question. I wish there were (the Kennedy Center production was as nearly perfect as I can imagine).

[ebk57]

 

 

ebk57, this might be something for you. What about trying to get tickets for Cheyenne Jackson at Cafe Carlyle?

 

Thanks for all the suggestions dear.  We got tickets to see Between Riverside and Crazy on Sunday evening.  So we have all of our show slots filled.  Now to decide where to eat!  I hope the weather cooperates.

 

Mr ebk brought home a copy of Lighting and Sound America from the union office (who knew there was magazine for lighting and sound techs - although why wouldn't there be...) the other day.  There's a good article on the tech aspects of On the Town.  I'll have to try to remember what to look for while I'm watching.  Can't wait!

Edited January 11, 2015 by ebk57

[ebk57]

 

 

There's no officially available video of Merrily We Roll Along, if that was the question. I wish there were (the Kennedy Center production was as nearly perfect as I can imagine).

 

I liked the KC productions. I think my favorite, though, is the one done at Arena Stage with Victor Garber (don't remember what year).  I love Merrily.  Really love it, and I go see every production I can.  But it always makes me sad because it just doesn't work.

[Charlie Baker]

I hope the Digital Theater video of the Menier/West End Merrily surfaces again. It has vanished.  I saw it around a year ago in a movie theater and thought it available for paid download and viewing.  For me it worked much better than the couple other productions I've seen.  (I didn't see the Kennedy Center one.)

[Rinaldo]

I liked the KC productions. I think my favorite, though, is the one done at Arena Stage with Victor Garber (don't remember what year).  I love Merrily.  Really love it, and I go see every production I can.  But it always makes me sad because it just doesn't work.

I saw the Arena Stage one too (it was 1990). I was glad to have the chance, and it was an interim stage of revision: the framework was "Charlie and Frank on the rooftop," from which was flashed forward to the end and then worked back to finish that same scene. It worked for me as a frame, but that was the only production in which that was tried, I think Garber, David Garrison, Becky Ann Baker (with yet-unknown Marin Mazzie as Beth). The problem for me was that the cast, particularly the supporting ensemble, was on the... mature side, and the interludes with the rock beat just didn't work at all, the cast just walked carefully in circles.

 

I know what you mean about it fundamentally not working, yet I thought the KC production solved just about everything: the cast was genuine actors who could play with subtlety (Michael Hayden, Miriam Shor, Raul Esparza), at the same time they also gave it enough musical-comedy pizzazz to keep it buoyant to the end. I saw a production at Signature a few years later, with a good director (Eric Schaeffer), the same choreographer (Karma Camp), and a fine Frank (Will Gartshore), and it was just unbearable. So, on the whole, was the Encores! rendition, though I'm glad it got recorded so we have the new full orchestrations preserved.

Edited January 11, 2015 by Rinaldo

[aradia22]

 

 

What is being referred to here? I can't think of anything that would qualify for brassy-trumpery with xylophone.

You don't want the soundtrack of Forum though -- the movie kept only 3 or 4 of the songs. One of the cast albums (probably the original cast, with Zero Mostel) represents it better.

There's no officially available video of Merrily We Roll Along, if that was the question. I wish there were (the Kennedy Center production was as nearly perfect as I can imagine).

Yes, sorry for the vagueness. I was talking about Merrily. It's a shame there's no easily available filmed version.

 

I listened to the OBC of Forum.

 

OK, I have to go get ready for the concert now. I'll let you know how it goes if there's anything interesting to report. That sentence is a bit convoluted but my brain is a little frazzled after work.

[aradia22]

Back from the concert. It was a fun night. I will give you a review if you want tomorrow but there's not a ton to say. I think I just have to resign myself to the fact that nothing's going to live up to that Ted Chapin hosted Rodgers and Hammerstein night. The night was devoted to the Hal Prince/Stephen Sondheim collaboration. It was about his direction so I think that's why they skipped Forum. The performers were great but it's hard to sing a whole night of Sondheim (picking all those big songs) so there were high points and low points. For instance Heidi was breathless at the very beginning of Another Hundred People but she rallied later in the night. 

 

Two exciting things to report. Stephen Sondheim was there! I don't know if he was in the audience but he was watching and took a photo with the actors on stage after the audience had left. This is the closest I have ever been to him so I found it exciting even if none of you do. Also, I was seated next to Marin Mazzie during the entire performance... just by chance. What? Yes. OK, I have to work tomorrow so I'm off to bed. 

[Rick Kitchen]

Faith Prince played a Jewish mother on the TV series "Galavant" tonight.  :D

[Rinaldo]

Wasn't that a kick, Rick Kitchen? It took me a minute to place her, because I wasn't expecting someone of her Broadway ilk to show up (and she wasn't among the "future guest stars!" heralded in advance).

[aradia22]

Oh, I wanted to add the conclusion that I came to during the first act listening to Losing My Mind. I think it's harder when you isolate Sondheim songs out of context compared to a lot of other composers because often the impact of the songs relies on the actors and audience getting to a certain place. It's unreasonable to expect the actors to just jump to that emotional place and to expect yourself to have the same feeling without the context of the entire show. I did think that David Loud's narration didn't really give me a good sense of these shows.

[ancslove]

So, James Barbour has been announced to replace Norm Lewis in The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway.  One problem - he was convicted of "endangering the safety of a minor".  http://www.playbill.com/news/article/james-barbour-sentenced-to-jail-term-and-probation-148059  Phantom fans are not happy. 

[aradia22]

ancslove: Yup. I actually recommend that you read the article at this link and maybe we can have a chat about it. (That goes for everyone.) http://thecraptacular.com/2015/01/dear-broadway-honestly-why-the-fuck-am-i-even-here/

[aradia22]

Sometimes I genuinely do not know what people at Fox are even upset about. O'Reilly didn't enjoy Amy and Tina's performance at the Golden Globes because they just "took Don Rickles and feminized it." Oh, so you mean they did stand up comedy from their own perspectives? How... terrible?