Kyle Riabko in Spring Awakening- Page 4

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 7/10/08 at 1:31am

Shut up, adamgreer, seriously? It's been a small BroadwayWorld this week...

I do agree that they were enthusiastic at the curtain call, but I actually thought it a bit less energetic than I remember. I do think that is because the audience weren't feeling Melchior's journey as much as they could be with a stronger actor in the role. I guess we'll have to compare when Hunter joins the cast - see you there!

Updated On: 7/11/08 at 01:31 AM

[adamgreer]

Posted: 7/10/08 at 7:02am

That was something else I forget to mention about Riabko. His Melchior didn't go on any kind of a journey. His character at the end of the show was essentially the same as it was at the beginning. Groff always managed to take you on this emotional ride with him, but Riabko doesn't do that.

[DRSisLove]

Posted: 7/10/08 at 8:20am

Riabko's performance was not the least bit interesting. Yes, his singing was fabulous, but his acting was dull, and completely wrong for the character. He turned Melchior into a jerk (so to speak) and he basically spoke negatively to every other character. During the beating scene when he was telling Wendla that no one gets beaten he made it seem as if she was naive and stupid and not knowing it doesn't happen anymore.

Most of his acting was funny, though. He would bug his eyes out, breath heavily between lines and take random pauses. I think I laughed the hardest I have ever have during the scene before "Those You've Known".

[dchesnutny]

Posted: 7/10/08 at 1:18pm

I checked in on SA last week (I saw it three times with the original cast).

In my view, the show is in a very sorry state. Riabko is a moderately talented singer but is incapable of delivering a fully rounded performance. He overacts and mugs constantly. Alexandra Socha is passable as Wendla, but lacks any real star quality or charisma. She also lacks Lea Michele's good looks (I'm sorry, but Socha makes for a downright homely Wendla). Blake Bashoff is a very good Moritz, but his performance was not enough to save the evening.

I went back to SA last week to take two friends who i thought would enjoy the show (they had never seen it). Given the sad state SA is currently in, i was actually *embarrassed* for having pushed my friends to come see it.

Someone fix this show before it dies a wimpering death.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 7/10/08 at 1:25pm

I don't think it's quite as bad as you make it out to be, but I agree with some of your comments, particularly about Riabko.

It'll be very interesting to see what happens to the show when the rest of the original featured cast departs at the end of the summer.

I will say, however, that without Groff and Michele, the show does feel like it's "not the same." I didn't realize how much I missed them until I saw it without both of them last night.
Updated On: 7/10/08 at 01:25 PM

[dchesnutny]

Posted: 7/10/08 at 2:05pm

i totally agree with you, adamgreer.

if i sound overly negative, it's partially based on how much LOVED the show with its original cast, in comparison. the show definitely "does NOT feel the same".

[jake6970]

Posted: 7/10/08 at 2:10pm

I agree that Riabko has weak acting moments, but he also has some great ones as well and a beautiful voice. I think Alexandra is the best Wendla the show has ever seen. And she is most certainly not homely, that's ridiculous to say. She's beautiful, imo.

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 7/10/08 at 2:16pm

i'm sure a lot of people who've seen the show will feel the same way, dchestnutny. i certainly did.

it was my ninth time seeing the show over the past 18 months and, amazingly, every other time groff and michele were there. and while i had my criticisms at times, they were such a powerful presences. so to cast people that gave such smaller performances, especially when the rest of the ensemble is playing at such a higher level, it just wasn't the same show.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 7/10/08 at 2:45pm

"I agree that Riabko has weak acting moments, but he also has some great ones as well and a beautiful voice."

Which of his acting moments were great to you, exactly?

I can't think of a single moment of his that was very good. He is the meanest Melchior I've ever seen. He does this weird thing when he gets angry or shouts where his eyes start bulging out of their sockets. It's kind of funny, and being onstage, you could really see it.

Just another point regarding Socha...her performance comes across much better when she's opposite a better actor. She and Groff were fantastic together, because her earthier, more introspective performance worked better opposite him. When she was opposite Riabko, who was nothing but loud and forceful the entire evening, her performance seems "off." I will acknowledge that she doesn't have anywhere near the voice that Lea Michele did, but other than a few moments, that didn't bother me. Wendla doesn't sing that much, certainly not as much as Melchior or even Moritz.

[jake6970]

Posted: 7/10/08 at 5:22pm

I thought that his hayloft scene was really well done, I thought his pre All That's Known scene was nice, and I thought his cries before Those You've Known were really good. Also regarding Socha's voice, I've always loved it but it has been a little weak before. Tuesday night though, she sounded better than I have ever heard her. Every note was pure and clear and she sounded amazing.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 7/10/08 at 5:31pm

This seems like the best thread to post this in...

Matt Shingledecker is playing Melchior (for the first time) at this Saturday's matinee.

[snl89]

Posted: 7/11/08 at 2:13am

K, I just did a HUUUGE long review on my recent viewing of SA on another site, but I'll just basically give my 2 cents on Kyle for now:

He's a VERY very talented guy, there's definitely no denying that. But seeing him also made me realize just how beautifully nuanced Groff's performance had been. Kyle is very good at doing the edgier, more "rebel" side of Melchior. It's only in the "sweeter" moments where he fell flat for me. The problem is that... it was those very moments that made Groff so likeable. When you only have the hard-edged, almost-pretentious Melchior, you don't really feel as much for him in the end.

That said, considering I think this is his first venture into the acting world (I could be wrong on that), he definitely was not BAD! He just...wasn't as effective as Groff in my opinion. That's all :) (by "effective" I obviously mean he didn't make you feel for him as much)


Vocally, he was definitely spot on. He has a great voice. I don't personally find it quite as BEAUTIFUL and easy to listen to as Groff's (his falsetto is strong but just naturally a little bit nasaly for my taste), but def really good!



In short... I miss Groff


(no seriously, I always knew he was awesome, but seeing another take on the role completely accentuated the fact that Groff nailed that performance. Could his Those You've Known sometimes be a bit overdone? Absolutely. But all in all he made you love him, and...I think people probably took his ability to do that for granted a bit)

[playbills]

Posted: 7/11/08 at 12:31pm

When you only have the hard-edged, almost-pretentious Melchior, you don't really feel as much for him in the end.

He may have done the "rebel" side of Melchior well, but the fact that he's still that (overacting) jerk throughout the softer moments makes his performance terrible for me.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/11/08 at 12:54pm

I highly dislike Riabko performance. Yes, he sings VERY well and perhaps has one of the most beautiful falsettos I've ever heard. His acting is WEAK at best. He doesn't connect anything to anything else going on. It is terribly obviously he doesn't have acting training: or at least not enough.

I've seen him 2x now: once with Eryn and once with Socha. He was MUCH better with Socha (whom I think is incredible as Wendla) but basically he was boring.

I agree with a few other posters that said his Melchior doesn't take any kind of journey.

FYI: the advanced buzz on Hunter Parrish is that he is amazing. And at this time, there will be about 2 weeks of U/S action covering when Riabko leaves for the tour and before Parrish's start.

Most of the buzz lately is certainly that Bashoff is carrying the show.

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 7/11/08 at 12:57pm

Updated On: 5/5/09 at 12:57 PM

[jake6970]

Posted: 7/11/08 at 1:07pm

No matter what, though, the tour cast will be great because they'll have an OBC like energy.

[snl89]

Posted: 7/11/08 at 1:17pm

He may have done the "rebel" side of Melchior well, but the fact that he's still that (overacting) jerk throughout the softer moments makes his performance terrible for me.

exactly! haha. That's precisely what I meant- he's not likeable.

Groff may not be THE most perfectly marvelous actor in the world, but what made him so perfect in the role was that he was so gosh darn easy to sympathize with. He was hard edged when he NEEDED to be, but also had a very clear underlying sweetness to him (which may or may not be that that's just his nature as a person in real life anyway, but hey, it worked! haha). So by the time it got to Left Behind and Those You've Known, your heart broke for him. With Kyle, it just... didn't.


And.. am I the only one who like..kinda doesn't totally love the tone of his voice? He is a VERY very good singer, for sure. Definitely not denying that. But it's just not the prettiest, to me. Maybe it's just because I have an unhealthy passionate love for Groff's voice haha. It makes me melt so much. Matt Doyle's does too, but Groff even a little bit more so

(for the record, I soooooooo wish that Matt could have taken over as Melchior. I mean, he's soo funny and awesome as Hanchuen, but.. I feel like he has the same likeability factor Groff did, and from what I've heard he's just suuch a stronger actor than Kyle)

Updated On: 7/11/08 at 01:17 PM

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 7/11/08 at 1:46pm

Updated On: 5/5/09 at 01:46 PM

[jake6970]

Posted: 7/11/08 at 1:48pm

All I was saying is that even if Kyle disappoints you, the rest of the cast will probably be fresh and hopefully good. jeez. The energy and bonds of the cast in a show like this can often make or break the show.

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 7/11/08 at 1:53pm

Updated On: 5/5/09 at 01:53 PM

[dchesnutny]

Posted: 7/11/08 at 5:05pm

or, "you gotta have talent".

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 7/12/08 at 9:41am

I am going to today's matinee! I am a little disappointed that Kyle won't be in, but I honestly don't care that much - I'll post a review about him in the role. Best of luck, Matt!

Who will cover Matt's ensemble track?

[DRSisLove]

Posted: 7/12/08 at 10:04am

Jesse Swenson, unless he is on for another role.

[snl89]

Posted: 7/12/08 at 12:27pm

ooooh Matt's going to be on today!? I'm so jealous, I want to see Matt!Melchior so badly!! haha. From everything I've *heard*, he's excellent, and has more of the loveability factor than Kyle does :)

(though I could be going into that biased because I'm so used to listening to Matt as Peter from Bare and, you know, how much more loveable can you get than Peter from Bare??)

[jake6970]

Posted: 7/12/08 at 12:37pm

Matt Shingledecker is going on, not Matt Doyle.