THE APPLE TREE- Page 2

[Dollypop]

Posted: 5/14/05 at 6:27pm

I dug out the OBC with Barbara Harris and have been playing it all day. It's a delight, although Larry Blyden has some strange vocal techniques.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 5/14/05 at 6:37pm

I have been listening to the OBC all weekend in preparation for tomorrow night. Now I seriously cannot wait.

[whimsical]

Posted: 5/14/05 at 6:54pm

I wish more than ANYTHING they would record this.

[jasobres]

Posted: 5/14/05 at 8:27pm

I just got back from the matinee performance of The Apple Tree and I must say that out of every single ENCORES! performance that I've seen, THIS ONE WAS THE BEST! Kristin, of course, never fails to amaze me. She was just wonderful. There were too many words to describe her performance. She even paid a tribute to Rob Fisher singing new lyrics written by Sheldon Harnick (lyricist of The Apple Tree) sung to the melody of "What Makes Me Love Him?" after curtain call.

By the way, before the show started, I went backstage to have some people from security make sure that Kristin got a letter that I wrote to her, then all of a sudden, a blond woman with a pink tanktop and black pants came out of the elevator and she was talking on her cell phone. At first, I thought otherwise, since she was pretty silent, but then I heard her giggle in her unmistakable voice. I was like, "Omigodomigodomigod..." My legs were trembling and my heart was beating faster and faster by the minute. Can you believe that?!! That was the closest I've ever been to a celebrity in my whole entire life!!!

[Marquise]

Posted: 5/14/05 at 9:20pm

The show's gotten nothing short of raves. Chenoweth is knockin' 'em dead in this one. It's funny how some shows like "The Apple Tree" fade into obscurity and are only remembered by those who saw it originally. This is a show which was written by the composers of "Fiddler on the Roof", won a Tony for Barbara Harris and was directed by Mike Nichols.

Why is it that some shows get revived ad nauseum and others go neglected for years. "Apple Tree"'s reviews prove that with the right talent aboard shows that some consider not worth reviving should be given a chance.

Brantley did not hold back his enthusiasm for Cheno when he wrote: "No performer in musicals today has her range, and she may be the best argument for cloning that the theater has to offer".

She should be extremely proud.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 5/14/05 at 9:23pm

I seriously can't wait now. I remember first discovering the cast album in high school and playing it non-stop for about a month. I think I even broke up with a girl because she didn't like Barbara Harris' voice.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 5/14/05 at 10:07pm

I think this would have a decent run off-Broadway, maybe in the Lortel or one of the other small theaters.

At the matinee, Kristin sung "What Makes Me Love Him" with different lyrics in honor of Rob Fisher.

The only way that this will be recorded if someone puts up the money. Encores doesn't have enough money to produce it themselves. Maybe Rob & Craig can put up the money???

[bunchamuncha]

Posted: 5/14/05 at 10:21pm

I finally read the Times review. I'm sorry, he's just over the top Chenoweth should be cloned?? I love her, but I like her b/c there's only one of her. He needs to go back to Being Objective 101

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 5/14/05 at 11:00pm

Just in from the evening show.

Yes, Kristin is as terrific as all the critics say. The role(s) seem tailor-made for her. Cerveris was excellent but under-utilized (not much more he could do, actually) and I thought Gets very funny and winning (I thought he had wonderful chemistry with Kristin).

Yet something is still missing with Kristin. To make this delightful trifle of a show fly, the leading lady needs a touch of madness. And, right now, Kristin is only adorable.

[Plum]

Posted: 5/15/05 at 11:38pm

Just got back from tonight's performance. This is a cute trifle of a show, but there isn't much there except in Act I. It's also in Act I that Malcolm Gets does his best work, as an endearing if none-too-bright Adam. Outside of that, his roles are kind of underwritten, but he does solid work with what he gets. The same goes for Michael Cerveris, who I liked best as the deadpan Balladeer in the second story.

Overall, though, The Apple Tree belonged to the orchestra and to Kristin Chenoweth. The show is built around her parts, and she proved more than capable of carrying the evening. "I've Got What You Want," complete with some hysterical whip-snapping, absolutely brought the house down, and rightly so. Chenoweth's Princess Barbara was a hoot- trying in vain to hide her furiously jealous side.

Chenoweth made a great tranformation, visually and vocally, into meek Ella the chimney-sweep, but the real fun was in her radiant joy during "Gorgeous." You could still see Ella underneath the Marylin Monroe getup, absolutely ecstatic at her good fortune.

The night's most fully-realized portrait, though, was that of Eve. Smart, driven, and sweet, she's really too good for Adam. He was lucky to be the only man she could choose. :) Chenoweth was in high form all night, with great singing, perfect comic timing, and the acting range to make each of her 3.5 characters her own woman. It was a true star performance; I only wish the show could run a bit longer so more people could see it.

Finally, I really have to applaud the orchestra for all the different musical textures they had to manage for the varying atmospheres of the three sketches. This is a great way for Rob Fisher to go out.

[robbiej]

Posted: 5/16/05 at 10:30am

I've loved THE APPLE TREE for a long time. It's a gem and agree it would work well off-Broadway. But then you'd lose those INCREDIBLE orchestrations. Honestly...what a remarkable accomplishment!

I was an absolute disaster during 'What Makes Me Love Him' right through to the end of Act I, weeping...something I rarely do. I didn't fully pull myself together until the beginning of Act II. It was delightful reacquainting myself with this show.

I, personally, though had reservations about Chenoweth's Passionella. This may sound odd, but I wanted a little more vagina in the performance. I mean...the first part of the character's name is passion, after all. And, unlike Barbara Harris, who is a true loon, Chenoweth is very calculating in her choices. This was most apparent in the Passionella sequence. It didn't contain the madcap quality that I would have preferred...but I'm sure if this were a full production with an extended rehearsal period, she may have been able to find it.

That said, her Eve was magnificent. Simply the best, most real work I've ever seen her do and it cut me to the quick. Truly glorious.

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 5/16/05 at 11:05am

Its interesting you say that robbie.

I don't think Kristin is as deeply strange and slightly off kilter the way so many great Broadway ladies have been. She's smack dab in between an ingenue and a soubrette. At times (like in THE APPLE TREE) I wish she WAS odder. But I think that the fact that she lacks that quality - she seems at times ridiculously SANE and cheerfully uncomplicatedly "normal" - is a major factor into making her more acceptable to the wider public. Certainly she's becoming the most sucessful Broadway-to-Hollywood transplant since Streep.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 5/16/05 at 11:14am

I saw the Saturday evening performance, and like you, Robbie, I was in tears. Chenoweth's comedy was in great form all evening long, and even though I usually find her less than genuine in sentimental moments, she had just the right restraint in "Go to Sleep" and "What Makes Me Love Him?" to make the ending moving.

I like her Princess Barbara the least, and like you, MasterLCZ, I felt there was something missing, some ability to tap into the true madness that gives comedy depth.

I was most disappointed by her "I've Got What You Want"--depite the comic business with the limp whip. The song is about sex, and I don't think she can play sex on any level, except cuteness.

Which is why she was much better as Passionella--her Ella was adorable and her Passionella was lots of fun.

I hope she gets another starring part in an original musical soon--something that shows off her voice and her comic skills.

How about something with a Winnie Holzman book and a Marx/Lopez score?

Updated On: 5/16/05 at 11:14 AM