TARZAN had CLUMSYDUDE swinging. {9-10-06 1pm show}

Posted: 9/11/06 at 1:21pm

I left Broadway on Broadway about an hour and a half early. I had ran to TARZAN to get tickets, my aunt got me a spot in line and I arrived. I was 11th. Then went back and watched the disappointing Broadway on Broadway up to Jay Johnson then ran off to Tarzan.

I got there early enough and bought a beautiful program- the pictures were gorgeous- they looked very old fashioned and neat. So I sat down in the crap Student ticket seat, but was happy even to be seeing the show.

I didnt expect a thunderstorm to start the show, one odd opening if you ask me. The scene where Tarzan's parents being torn away was heartbreaking.

Merle Dandridge has such a beautiful voice which is shown off greatly by "You'll Be In My Heart" and she has such a maternal sense on stage, being Tarzan's adoptive mother.

Daniel Manche was a very engertic young Tarzan and showed great strife even when the other Apes don't accept him. His "I Need To Know" was so full of sadness and it was truly heartbreaking.

Chester Gregory II was very funny and charming as Terk. Especially when he tries to wear the loincloath like Tarzan. It was very funny. His voice is fanastic, I wish I'd seen him as Seaweed in Hairspray.

Jenn Gambatese- What can I say, She's amazing. The scene in which her dress became the spider web was pretty cool. Jenn has such an amazing spunk and her voice is beautiful. "For The First Time" is such a great song for Jenn, her voice is shown off in such an way that its truely flawless.

Josh Strickland was such a great Tarzan, he has the outer look of Tarzan- and his acting of Tarzan was good. His voice was so great. Its solid and beautiful. "Strangers Like Me" was fantastic and I loved it.

The visuals were amazing. The ensemble was so engertic and did so many things I never saw before on stage. This is Disney's best musical forways into Broadway. Some may not agree, but I throughly enjoyed TARZAN.


Updated On: 9/12/06 at 01:21 PM

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 9/11/06 at 1:23pm

Glad you enjoyed it, though I think that TARZAN is an embarrassment to musical theatre and Broadway.

I have always meant to ask other people if it bothered them, but I kept forgetting until I read your little review.

Does the way Dandridge sings "You'll Be in My Heart" thoroughly irritate anyone else?

It's "You'll Be In My Heart," not "You'll Bean my Heart."

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 9/11/06 at 1:24pm

"This is Disney's best musical forways into Broadway."

What does that say about those of us who enjoyed ASU?

Posted: 9/11/06 at 1:25pm

"Does the way Dandridge sings "You'll Be in My Heart" thoroughly irritate anyone else?"

Just the way its alittle too slow. But beautiful none the less.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 9/11/06 at 1:25pm

What are you talking about?

Posted: 9/11/06 at 1:26pm

I do not understand this:

"What does that say about those of us who enjoyed ASU?"
Updated On: 9/11/06 at 01:26 PM

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 9/11/06 at 1:30pm

You called TARZAN Disney's best musical.

And forways? Did you mean foray?

Glad you enjoyed it. I hope Jenn finds a successful show someday.

[mejusthavingfun]

Posted: 9/11/06 at 1:36pm

Munk, I hated the way she riffed on that song in the reprise, I can't remember if it was done at first. We (my friends) started laughing because it looked so corny. Like she was emulating Mariah Carrey in a recording studio.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 9/11/06 at 1:37pm

I'm not even talking about what she does with the notes...just simply her words.

She groups "In" with "Be" rather than "My."

Phil Collins sang: "You'll BE (pause) IN my heart."

She sings: "You'll BEIN my heart." It sounds like "bean."

[folkyboy]

Posted: 9/11/06 at 1:51pm

wow we have COMPLETELY different tastes in theatre

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 9/11/06 at 1:53pm

I think it just comes off as a rather boring show. I think it had great potential, but something was lost. I think Disney just kind of figured "Oh well, let's move on." And I think I'm the only one who doesn't really like Jenn's voice. It seems way too "classical" for my tastes, and I'm not just talking in Tarzan because I understand she has an English accent, but even in ASU, it just wasn't like a big belt, it was more of like a classically trained soprano.

[JasonM12480]

Posted: 9/11/06 at 2:47pm

You might want to change the title of this post. It makes absolutely no sense, nor is it relative to your review. I expected you to post information about how the actors, swinging around on stage, was physically, and visually "clumsy." Nowhere did you say that. So, you might want to consider re-titling this post "My fantastic time with Tarzan", or "Why I love Tarzan", or "Ooga Booga Tarzan", but not "Tarzan had clumsy swinging."

But glad you had a good time, nonetheless.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 9/11/06 at 2:48pm

I knew what he meant.

[StageManager2]

Posted: 9/11/06 at 3:00pm

JasonM: I thought the same thing! (LOL)

Munk: Well, whoop-dee-doo to you!

Updated On: 9/11/06 at 03:00 PM

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 9/11/06 at 3:00pm

Jason, you realize his username is Clumsy, right?

[wickedfan2]

Posted: 9/11/06 at 3:02pm

I enjoyed the show.

[JasonM12480]

Posted: 9/11/06 at 3:10pm

Ok, ok, ok, I get it now. Slow on the uptake...you can stop the snickering.

But still. LOL

[mejusthavingfun]

Posted: 9/11/06 at 3:22pm

I was disappointed all around. I really expected something pretty damn cool, but it was just garbage. I loved what Disney did with the story in the orignal film. I do not understand how they could mess that up on stage. They did....outside of the terrible book and terrible new music, the design and direction are the worst part. Months before it opend Shumacher and Collins went on and on about not having an out-of-town tryout. They made a huge mistake by not doing so. The first incarnation of Aida was better than what they have on stage now. And that was directed by Robert Jess Roth! I can't believe the suits let this one open.

[JustABroadwaybaby2]

Posted: 9/11/06 at 4:27pm

I really liked it. Even though i was laughing when I wasn't supposed to at some of the cheesiness, I am still like IN LOVE with it.
When I was younger, Tarzan was my thing. Like, my tv show, movie, I even had it on underwear :) .
Plus, Jenn and Josh are awesome.
Ok, edit: it wasn't WELL written, Kerchak pissed me off to no end, The whole way the parents were standing, and how you could SEE them strapped to harnesses, and even him fixing them on, it was still really cute. It's not a disgrace, but I learned to accept its faults. Because it was cute. And only cute. it's not some AMAZING thing like Rabbit Hole (which was a really good play) or even something that defined a generation. It was cute, and thats what it was meant to be.
Yes, I used "cute" WAY too much, but that's what it is!

Updated On: 9/11/06 at 04:27 PM

Posted: 9/11/06 at 7:01pm

I think that TARZAN was more inventive and I enjoyed it.
Yes, it wasnt a classic or anything.
But I throughly enjoyed it.
I love Jenn, and Jenn's presence was a big highlight.
Yes, I agree with many of the previous posters, yes, the set is crap. I did however like the visual aspect they attempted to show. I loved the "Waiting For This Moment" butterfly and the waterfall visual-- as sloppy as it was, was kind of effective.

I really enjoyed this. You may agree or disagree, but this is my opinon. Sorry, if it doesnt match yours.

Updated On: 9/11/06 at 07:01 PM

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 9/11/06 at 7:04pm

Well, they've all got jobs for a while.

That's the good thing about being in a Disney. Job safety.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 9/11/06 at 7:06pm

I don't think it's inventive at all. It would have be more inventive had they thought of a way around the harnesses. I don't like how you can see them, it's just ugly. I'm sure there's a more artistic way it could have been done.

Posted: 9/11/06 at 7:10pm

I agree.
I sat in student ticket seats, you can honestly see EVERYTHING, it slightly looses its magic if you bring a small child.
I still enjoyed it beyond the whole harness thing.
I kept my eye on performance more than that.
Although I must say, if they want more people to come back to student ticket rush, MOVE THE SEATS, you can barely see all the visuals and entrances. Its pretty rotten seating.

[bwayondabrain]

Posted: 9/11/06 at 7:16pm

i thoroughly enjoyed TARZAN when i saw it, and i have to agree with Clumsy that i think its the best show of a Disney movie. yes, it is rather cheesy, and the new songs are rather bad, but it was still very enjoyable. Jenn really made the show, in my opinion.
and justabroadwaybaby, TARZAN was my thing to when i was young! i was obsessed! watched the movie countless times, and wore my TARZAN loincloth all around the house :P yes, they sold loinclothes...

[Caroline-Q-or-TBoo]

Posted: 9/11/06 at 7:17pm

I don't really think they care about the student rush seats, sorry.

I mean, you're not paying 101 bucks like most everyone else in that theater. Or even 60. Why should you get as good, or better seat than those who do?