Having seen My Mother's Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding in its original Toronto Fringe incarnation and its legit Toronto run, I would highly recommend this show. It's smart and funny. You will surely enjoy it.
I've also never been. Looking forward to attending some shows!
"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle
I JUST saw TRAILS last Sunday in Los Angeles and it's coming to NYMF (I think)! I was BLOWN away... I actually sobbed... not cried, sobbed. So emotional. I've heard NYMF shows are usually bad but reading the 2010 line up I think they're choosing better shows this year. I'm VERY interested who gets cast in TRAILS in NYC... Ugh just thinking about it gives me goosebumps.
Any other buzz on good shows/events for NYMF this year? After seeing last year's shows I got a membership for this year and I wanna avoid as much dreck as possible.
TESS, Theapy Rocks, PopArt: The Musical and Show Choir
are all on my list this year. I heard some of TESS and it sounds pretty good, a friend saw it in the spring and recommended it to me but I didn't get to see it. Glad I have this opportunity. Anyone else have any suggestions as to what to see and what NOT to see?
I'm seeing Without You, but so is the rest of the world, and it doesn't need another plug here. I'm gonna see Nighttime Traffic, because I like anything that seems sad and gay and stars Liz McCartney. And I want to see Shine because it sounds nice and old fashioned like Oliver, and that will be a breath of fresh air in NYMF.
I lucked into seeing some of the shows perform songs at New World Stages on Monday (I was seeing Avenue Q and they were performing at an open mic after). Bloodties was really good, and I'm definitely going to see it. The girl singer was amazing.
TESS all the way. I'm friends with the girl who helped write it and plays Tess and got to see the workshop they did this summer and was absolutely blown away! I would definitely suggest going to see it. The music is absolutely phenomenal.
Without You Bloodties Tess Above Hells Kitchen Show Choir Trails
Hoping to also find time for Things as They are, Shine and Night Time Traffic.
This is the first time I am going to any of the NYMF shows. The music and/or the story lines sound good on quite a few of these shows, really would not mind catching them all.
Without You, Trails, and The Tenth Floor are the biggest 3 that I want to see. Tenth Floor is hopefully happening on Friday.
http://www.beintheheights.com/katnicole1 (Please click and help me win!)
I chose, and my world was shaken- So what? The choice may have been mistaken,
The choosing was not...
"Every day has the potential to be the greatest day of your life." - Lin-Manuel Miranda
"And when Idina Menzel is singing, I'm always slightly worried that her teeth are going to jump out of her mouth and chase me." - Schmerg_the_Impaler
Hate to have the first review of a show be a bad one, but I left Show Choir at intermission tonight. It's a relatively painless show, or would be if it hadn't felt like it was 100 degrees in the theater. Seriously, it was a sauna in there.
The show itself presents a ridiculous story about a show choir that becomes an international sensation. Though filled with winks and nudges, it never acknowledges how wholly impossible the set-up is. No real characters emerge onstage, just some hastily constructed archetypes witlessly portrayed. The book is deeply unoriginal and not terribly amusing. The songs all sound more or less the same, and you've heard them all before. It's ample proof that comedy isn't easy.
The cast is game, and bless their souls, they try. They really try. But no one can register much when given this little to work with.
I'm looking forward to seeing V-DAY, by Steve Rosen and David Rossmer.
I love those guys in Don't Quit Your Night Job, they are hysterical, so really looking forward to seeing what they do with a full musical they created (and star in).
I don't have time to do full reviews of what I've seen so far, but here are some brief thoughts.
Therapy Rocks: Very good book, hard rocking score a fantastic cast (Rachael Stern, Dee Roscoli, Allie Schulz, Josh Davis and Adam Halpin). The staging of the performances by the entire cast remind me of Spring Awakening).
Roofless (reading): One of the most original ideas I have ever seen, a gangsta-themed graphic novel set to a Hip-Hop score. The entire cast was good, but Alan H. Green was insane!
Show Choir: I really liked it. A ton of subtle theater references, a few pop culture references that hit you right over the head (Kayne!), and an extremely talented cast.
Bloodties: Great score, emotionally powerful. The effect is intensified by the fact that the person who lived the story (Ned Massey) is playing it out on stage with four other very skilled actors.
Nighttime Traffic: I'm sorry to say that this show made no sense to me. It started nowhere and went nowhere.
Without You: WOW! Anthony Rapp is beyond amazing! He pours his heart and soul into that show. It is the most deeply personal show I have ever seen, and the best musical I have seen anywhere in 2010 so far.
I'm seeing Without You again today (the 2nd of 3 times) and opening night of Frog Kiss.
Drench yourself in words unspoken. Live your life with arms wide open. Today is where your book begins. The rest is still unwritten.
"Unwritten" Natasha Bedingfield
I've only seen Nighttime Traffic so far, but it really set a high bar in my eyes. The score is absolutely gorgeous and whoever said it "goes nowhere" definitely didn't see the show I saw. I think "going there" is hardly the show's weakness! It's a bit out there plot-wise, but taking a chance and going with it was well worth it for the beautiful music and touching story.