He has an undeniably fantastic voice, but even just standing there singing the song at a promotional appearance, he doesn't have the least bit of presence or magnetism.
Say what you want about Tveit, but he's proven in both NEXT TO NORMAL and CATCH ME IF YOU CAN that he has electric charisma on stage like no other. You can't teach it.
Tonya Pinkins: Then we had a "Lot's Wife" last June that was my personal favorite. I'm still trying to get them to let me sing it at some performance where we get to sing an excerpt that's gone.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.
"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe."
-John Guare, Landscape of the Body
I agree with you, somethingwicked, both about Tveit and the video of Jay. However, keep in mind that Jay's never performed the song in the context of the show, in front of an audience at least. Realizing that makes me want to see him perform the role in its entirety even more than I already did.
The song doesn't do anyone any favors, though. It could possibly be the most boring 11 o'clock number ever written.
"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe."
-John Guare, Landscape of the Body
I'm not sure what I think, he definitely appears to be more age appropriate (how old is he?)... I don't know, I would like to see him somewhere that isn't so... unnatural.
Jay is 23 (his 24th birthday is at the end of the month). I really don't see the marked age difference between him and Tveit that others seem to.
"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe."
-John Guare, Landscape of the Body
Tveit's been singing that score eight times a week for five months, while Johnson's been sitting on the sidelines. Pardon my speculative train of thought, but I think it's slightly understandable if one shows more vocal fatigue than the other.
Tonya Pinkins: Then we had a "Lot's Wife" last June that was my personal favorite. I'm still trying to get them to let me sing it at some performance where we get to sing an excerpt that's gone.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.
And when I saw the show a few weeks ago, Tveit was in spectacular voice. No flat notes, nothing off-key...he sounded as fresh as ever.
"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe."
-John Guare, Landscape of the Body
"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe."
-John Guare, Landscape of the Body
I've been hearing lots from Jay's fanbase, so I was curious to hear him sing "Goodbye." I have to say, I wasn't impressed. Watching Jay perform it just proves why Aaron is the one starring in Catch Me. The stage presence is the biggest difference- just watch a video of Aaron performing it: his facial expressions are perfect- but I also didn't love Jay's voice. I agree with what some have said about Aaron being flat on the last note, but most times I've heard it it has been in the context of a Youtube recording of some press event. I've seen him do it live in the show twice and the last note sounded perfect to me both times.
Off topic, but the guy who understudies Norbert was dreadful. I've never seen something so bland and forced. To be fair though, the number was specifically designed made for Norbert. It's obvious watching.
Off topic, but the guy who understudies Norbert was dreadful. I've never seen something so bland and forced. To be fair though, the number was specifically designed made for Norbert. It's obvious watching.
Having seen Joe Cassidy play the role onstage in its entirety, I can tell you he's really very, very good (and I happened to see his first performance). He's not Norbert, but he was excellent nonetheless. I was very pleasantly surprised by his performance.
"At least he doesn't sing the last note flat guys... Every time I hear/see Tveit do it, I grit my teeth and wait for the last note."
I've never heard him do it flat live, and I've seen the show three times. Video recordings seem to show him going flat, but I was at Bryant Park and he was totally on pitch.
That said - JAJ's performance is nowhere near Aaron's. He has no stage presence, no charisma, his voice is weak... frankly, I'm not sure how he got the gig in the first place.