Queen of the Mist

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 10/19/11 at 12:59am

Saw the first preview tonight and overall the score is lush and Mary Testa is giving a knock down, drag out performance. The show ran almost 2 hours 45 minutes and it could really do with some tightening, but that's what previews are for.

The story focuses on Anna Edson Taylor, the first woman who went over Niagara Falls in a barrel and survived. Act One introduces our heroine and then builds to her actually going over the falls. Act Two deals with the media circus following the stunt and the ultimate fate of Mrs. Taylor.

The show is in the Judson gym near Washington Square Park, and although I liked the space I didn't feel like the direction is especially inspired for the piece, nor did they material really scream out to be produced in this gym. I think if you wanted to have an environmental setting it would be cool to have a thrust stage type setup and have the audience sitting in the horseshoe shape of the falls, maybe with a center aisle where actors could enter and exit.

I guess Queen of the Mist, even more so than Marie Christine, is written like a star vehicle. Testa essentially never leaves the stage and she is taking no prisoners. The last twenty minutes or so are truly a thing of beauty to both hear and watch Testa's face. I literally wasn't aware of anything else happening as I couldn't take my eyes off of her. She owns it and she knows it.

The plot kind of had the feel of Road Show to me. She is a minor, esoteric figure in American history, and as stated in the musical isn't an especially charismatic character. The cast sings about how she speaks in a monotone and has no spark when publicly speaking. This may be a big hurdle for audiences to overcome if they like their heroines resembling Dolly Levi more than Caroline Thibodeaux. Obviously LaChiusa isn't scared of embracing a character like this, and Testa infuses such raw emotion into the role that it worked for me.

I definitely recommend seeing it, and it's much more interesting than most of the new musicals that have come along in the past few years. I admit to worshiping at the shrine of LaChiusa, so perhaps my words need to be taken with a grain of salt, but he's given us another wonderful score with beautiful, haunting music and smart, natural lyrics.

Would love to see this again near the end of previews to see what work they've done.

Updated On: 10/19/11 at 12:59 AM

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 10/19/11 at 1:06am

Thanks for your detailed thoughts, Whizzer! Very much looking forward to seeing this next month!

[sing_dance_love]

Posted: 10/19/11 at 1:58am

Thanks again Whizzer for another great first preview report. I'm so looking forward to hearing more and more about this show. Love love love LaChiusa. Hope this one is a great success.

Updated On: 10/19/11 at 01:58 AM

[HBBrock]

Posted: 10/19/11 at 2:58am

I was there tonight too...for a first preview, I thought the cast was already very tight....Mary Testa was AMAZING and got a well deserved standing ovation.

The music was excellent as was the direction.

My only complaints: A little too long, too hot inside, and uncomfortable chairs

[trentsketch]

Posted: 10/19/11 at 9:31am

I was kind of shocked to see that Queen of the Mist was playing at that space. I was killing time before hopping on the subway to get to Speakeasy Dollhouse on Monday night and went "really? Here?" when I walked by the gym. I even did a double take and read the fine print on the poster to confirm they didn't just slather a random building with posters for this show.

Glad to hear the score is good. This is one of those shows where I questioned how the concept could become a viable musical. I suppose addressing the quirks of the character through other characters solves my big hang up about Taylor's public persona.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 10/19/11 at 9:36am

I've never been inside this space. Is it an actual gym where you sit on bleachers for three hours? Is it general admission or assigned seating there?

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 10/19/11 at 9:50am

I think Whizzer's report is spot on.

A big, somewhat sprawling, incredibly ambitious musical about a subject perhaps not completely worthy of such a treatment, this is a musical that, nonetheless, still has moments of gorgeous beauty, a pulsing score by one of the most under-appreciated composers in the American theatre, and a true tour-de-force performance by a musical diva finally getting her due.

The musical needs trimming. Quite a bit of trimming. And tightening and focusing. There are sequences and some moments for the supporting cast (all excellent) that should probably be sacrificed for the good of the overall piece. Like the legendary journey of its leading lady, what is now a long winding river should, perhaps, be more of a fast thrilling drop. And even then, this may be a piece that will always be flawed - too slight a historical footnote for such a complicated musical expose, perhaps -- LaChiusa tends, as well, to be drawn to characters and situations that aren't exactly...ingratiating.

But that abandon is, of course, a big part of what makes this (and all of his works) something kind of special. Even as is, for a world premiere first preview, there is more craft and skill on hand here than the entire catalogue of this year's NYMF offerings combined. And I doubt we will see a better performance this entire season that what Mary Testa is delivering (already).

Calling on all her skills as an actress, singer and sarcastic wit; Testa (a performer for whom I've always had misgivings) drops the shtick and delivers an honest, funny, sad, incredibly moving portrait of a woman who lived her life never quite knowing what she was reaching for.

A must-see musical for people who care about the art form, I'm with Whizzer - I can't wait to return much later in the run to see where this musical heads. At times exasperating, it nonetheless has intriguing potential.

EDIT: Jordan, it may have been a gym space at one time, but its actually been transformed into a legit theatre space; its been used for other productions before this - its not gym with bleachers - the seating (on very raked riser like platforms) has cushioned chairs etc. The seating is tight but I didn't find the chairs uncomfortable.


Updated On: 10/19/11 at 09:50 AM

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 10/19/11 at 10:10am

Jordan- It is an actual gym, and there are bleachers, but they have place chairs on the bleachers so you actually have a seat. (Unfortunately the chairs are most uncomfortable, but their height allows for the perfect rake to see the action.)

The seating is unassigned unless you spring for the more expensive reserved seats; same as all Transport Group productions. You don't need to buy the premium tickets. Just get there early enough to have your first pick of the unreserved seats.

I've been daydreaming at work all morning (like Julie Harris in Skyscraper!), but in my case about this show. Michael Bennett really hit it on the head when he wrote, "a true tour-de-force performance by a musical diva finally getting her due." It's like Testa is saying, "What I been holding down inside of me, if I ever let it out there wouldn't be signs big enough, there wouldn't be lights bright enough!"

Also I don't have my program in front of me, but whoever orchestrated the score did an excellent job, and the musicians were top notch. Especially with a smaller orchestra in an off-Broadway venue the power of good orchestrations is even more apparent and appreciated.

The other person who needs singling out is Andrew Samonsky, who plays Taylor's publicity manager. He is in beautiful voice and has the right chemistry with Testa to pull off their tricky relationship. They have a counterpoint duet in act one that I especially enjoyed.

I wish they were going in the studio to record this today because I need to hear it again asap.

[dreaming]

Posted: 10/19/11 at 10:26am

Is there a rush program at this theater? (I am very, very interested in this-but was wondering if there are budget-friendly seats.)

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 10/19/11 at 10:29am

Yes they have student rush.

And I agree whizzer, its definitely a score that lingers and grows richer in memory of it. I was strangely taken with the song between Annie and her sister about the tiger.

[dreaming]

Posted: 10/19/11 at 10:38am

Thanks for the info, Michael Bennett. I have to check this out.

[egghumor]

Posted: 10/19/11 at 11:10am

Although I'm not surprised by what I've read here, it's thrilling nonetheless. Like many of us on BWW, I've enjoyed and championed LaChuisa's work for many years. The same goes for Mary Testa -- from the first time I heard her perform "Rita's Lament" in LUCKY STIFF I was hooked on her -- a true musical theater star. From what Whizzer and others are describing -- her long wait for center stage is over and in a monumental role designed to showcase her bounty of gifts -- and theatergoers are being rewarded handsomely as well. Sounds like a win-win-win for all parties involved. Cheers!

[newintown]

Posted: 10/19/11 at 11:30am

LaChiusa definitely has talent; I just wish he would partner with a good book writer/lyricist. The guy just can't mold a good story, and has no concept of beginning, middle, end, shape... He could, I think, turn out a real crowd-pleaser if only he collaborated, and admitted he can't do everything.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 10/19/11 at 11:33am

To that end, egg, I'm thrilled that someone (and that that someone is LaChiusa makes it all the better) actually wrote a role FOR Testa. She's a unique performer and not all the roles I've seen her play have felt like a natural fit.

But, here she's been given a role perfectly crafted for her unique brittle/funny/jaded sensibility -- though its the pain of the character's emotional journey that Testa is able to tap into and what really makes this a great performance.

There is definitely the sense that Testa is releasing a personal, career-sized emotional weight on stage in this - meeting this real-life character and understanding her frustration, ambition and disillusionment in that kind of rare marriage between performer and role that happens only once every so often (Christine Ebersole in GREY GARDENS, Donna Murphy in PASSION being other immediate examples that spring to mind).

As instinctual as I think Testa's performance is here (certainly aided by LaChiusa's equally instinctive gift for writing specifically for her) I think we must also really give a nod to director Jack Cummings who keeps Testa right on focus - giving her the tools to make a potentially very unsympathetic character heartbreaking and ultimately (in the final moments of the show) wings to soar.

EDIT: Newintown - I'm not sure I agree with you completely on that - at least in this particular instance, I think LaChiusa could use an editor, but I feel the work he has done both lyrically and with the individual aspects of the book are strong.
Updated On: 10/19/11 at 11:33 AM

[jacco]

Posted: 10/23/11 at 6:07pm

Saw this show on Thursday...always go to NYC once every two years to catch up on shows (am from Amsterdam). I must say that this was easily the most impressive show I saw last week (also saw Spiderman, Follies, H2$ and Book of Mormon). The score is glorious....wonderful cast, intelligent score and DAMN that woman has been haunting me ever since I saw it... Wish the show all the best!

[D2]

Posted: 10/24/11 at 7:42am

I saw it last night.

I agree Mary Testa is magnificent.

Now someone give her a show worthy of her talent.

[ZiggyCringe]

Posted: 10/24/11 at 9:12am

I loved this show. I think it's LaCuisa's best effort ever, and it moved me to no end. I'm "Testa-fying", she was amazing. It's the perfect actress married to the right role.

SPOILER ALERT!!!!

The opening, with the endless con-job monologues? Genius. Terrific way to bring us into a character, and make us on her side. The I want song was buried into that, and it worked. There is greatness in her indeed.

I loved the way Jack Cummings used the space, it was like Niagra Falls. Testa kept looking over the other side, and the stadium seated audience kept looking over like she was seeing something. Terrific.

I think the first act works like gangbusters. The way she was portrayed falling over the falls was terrific. The second act has a couple of problems. Not major problems, and I think it can be fixed.

Firstly, when McCarthy comes out as the fake Anna, the language comes out of nowhere. I'm no prude, but the use of the "C" word was a little offputting. Second, the "Carrie Nation" number with the axes is superflouous. The scene that follows tells the whole story very well (but the choreography, as a whole, is not very good). Cut it. Third, it takes her a long, long, long, long time to die. I think LaCuisa can snip that ending in half. I like the fact that she has three fingers, and two, and one, but it just goes on and on, and it diminishes the power that her finale number has, because it just takes so long to get there. And by the way, that finale number, when Testa explains how it was to fall over the falls, is STUNNING. I wept.

[mallardo]

Posted: 10/24/11 at 11:24am

Damn! I also worship at the shrine of LaChiusa and it's killing me reading all these fascinating detailed reviews of a show I will not be able to see this time around.

Let's hope this one will have a life. And maybe an OCR?

[ZiggyCringe]

Posted: 10/25/11 at 4:54pm

The orchestrations were by Michael Starobin. And I agree, he can make four pieces sound like an orchestra of thousands.

Posted: 10/26/11 at 5:35am

Probably already posted but Transport Group's blog has interview clips and some (all too short) musical bits

http://transportgroup.tumblr.com/

[After Eight]

Posted: 10/27/11 at 12:26am

Updated On: 10/28/11 at 12:26 AM

Posted: 10/27/11 at 2:29am

Being such a fan, I can see why you went!

[After Eight]

Posted: 10/27/11 at 8:37am

Updated On: 10/28/11 at 08:37 AM

[AC126748]

Posted: 10/27/11 at 8:46am

Here's a suggestion/request: Just don't read their posts if they're too long for you. Some of us actually enjoy it when a poster offers and opinion and then actually takes the time to elucidate it. What a rude comment to make.

I think I'll take your opinion with a mine of salt, as you seem to be just as biased in your dislike of MJ LaChiusa as Whizzer is in his admiration.

[AC126748]

Posted: 10/27/11 at 8:46am

double post

Updated On: 10/27/11 at 08:46 AM