Ravinia - Anyone Can Whistle

[Glebb]

Posted: 8/26/05 at 8:52am

It's time!!!
Very exciting to think of so many BWW friends arriving, some to Chicago for the first time!!
I hope it is a magical event for you all and I can't wait for the reviews.
Welcome To Chicago!

[NYadgal]

Posted: 8/26/05 at 9:12am

Glebby... my bags are packed and I'm ready to go!

Excited to share Ravinia with first-timers

See you soon!

[kissmycookie]

Posted: 8/26/05 at 9:17am

I hear there's a cookie speech involved... :)

[SorryGrateful]

Posted: 8/26/05 at 9:57am

cantwaitcantwaitcantwaitcantwaitcantwaitcantwaitcantwaitcantwaitcantwaitcantwaitcantwait

I am so excited!!!!!!!!!! I hope everyone has as good a time as I plan to!

[Glebb]

Posted: 8/27/05 at 1:12am

Don't forget to post reviews!

[Sumofallthings]

Posted: 8/27/05 at 2:08am

The pre-show discussion with Sondheim was very interesting just for the fact that I got to see my idol in person! The questions were quite boring and not of the calibre that I would have expected they could have asked. I guess that's what you get when the guy picked them at random! What a waste of a half an hour with a genius! Next time choose the questions carefully! But Sondheim was an absolute gentleman and a hit with the crowd. Very comfortable man.

Well first off let me say that I am never washing my right hand. The hand that shook Sondheim's hand shall never feel the suds of soap! That being said this evening was decidedly mixed in my eyes. Besides the fact that I met my hero (which was absolutely amazing) the show itself was slightly underwhelming.

Patti Lupone didn't sound as sterling as I had hoped. Part of this is no doubt due to the poor sound design which made it very difficult to hear the singers. When you can't hear Patti Lupone singing, there is most certainly a problem. She was a very impressive actress and I can't wait to see what she does with Mrs. Lovett. Her upper register seemed kind of lost today, she may be under the weather but I'm not sure.

Michael Cerveris, with his long hair looked like Donny Osmond. He did an excellent job overall, the Act I closer (the name escapes me) was very enjoyable and the great part was that I was actually able to follow it! It'll be interesting to see Mr. Cerveris do Sweeney as he is not an imposing physical figure and is quite thin with a powerful upper register and a less natural lower register. He will be a very interesting Sweeney, someone unlike what we have seen in the past.

The woman of the evening however was Ms. Audra McDonald. An absolutely stunning actress, vocal presence, beauty and talent this magnificent gem of a performer SOLD everything she was in. Some actresses can sing a song, Audra McDonald can PERFORM a song. She blew me away. The audience at the end of "There Won't Be Trumpets" seemed to never stop and she got just as much applause for every solo afterwards. Her "point-by-point" monologue was hilarious and solidified her comedic chops and stage presence. Audra McDonald is a force to be reckoned with.

I think the main problem with Anyone Can Whistle is probably the book. I got the impression that the book thinks it's funnier than it actually is. The jokes are not natural and seem very forced. Having said that I applaud all of the actors who managed to make milk flow from that dull stone of a book! Ray Wills works very hard in a thankless role. I can't wait to see him move up because he really has that spark. He landed jokes that I didn't realize were jokes. I just laughed for him and with him. John Mahoney (the dad from Frasier and a Tony Award winner for House of Blue Leaves) seemed underused and underrehearsed.

The direction was nothing particularly special, some odd choices such as having the final kiss be off in a random corner while the entire ensemble stands center. I just didn't know where to look.

In order to improve the show as a whole they need to eliminate one of the ballads and push the intermission to about a quarter into the second act. A half hour first act and then a hour and a half (or so it seemed) second act is unacceptable and not particularly easy to sit through after a while in uncomfortable seats! I think if you put this book into a script-doctors hands you'd be in much safer waters as a musical comedy.

Overall it was a very interesting night. I had a lot of fun and I made a lot of memories. I noticed a lot of things that could have been done differently and I noticed a ton of things that I absolutely adored and most of all, respected. Paul Gemingani (forgive the spelling) and Patti Lupone have a playful relationship. Might I add he is particularly fun to watch conduct!

I can't wait for next years concert!

[paradox_error]

Posted: 8/27/05 at 6:46am

What a name to forget Sum, the Act 1 closer of Anyone Can Whistle is SIMPLE.

[paradox_error]

Posted: 8/27/05 at 6:48am

And you are exactly right about the book of ANYONE CAN WHISTLE, it is problematic, but Arthur Laurents being Arthur Laurents, nothing will be done about it...

I could really foresee a good revival of this, but not without the book getting a retune...

[Glebb]

Posted: 8/27/05 at 8:34am

Here's hoping my friends have a delightful experience tonight.
True, the seats at Ravinia are not the most comfy and the book of this show might not be the greatest. I still hope there's magic in the air as there was last summer.

Posted: 8/27/05 at 2:44pm

Do you think Mr. Laurents believes there is nothing wrong with the book and most of us don't get it. Or is it that he can't be bothered? Paradox?

[Jon]

Posted: 8/27/05 at 3:38pm

Mr. Laurents believed he is infallable and nothing he has ever written could possibly be improved.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 8/27/05 at 4:00pm

"Sperm to worm!"

"Womb to tomb"

--Arthur Laurent's idea of "gang slang" in West Side Story

[Sumofallthings]

Posted: 8/27/05 at 5:24pm

It's gang slang because they say sperm. Sperm is naughty. Shhhhhhhh. Rockabye and goodnight...

[brdlwyr]

Posted: 8/27/05 at 11:36pm

It was family night for me at Ravinia and a very pleasant night other than having to leave early due to a tummy ache for the seven year old.

We had an easy trip to and from Ravinia. No traffic at all. We were on the lawn, but the kids had a great view of the opening number from the back of the house. Patti was spectacular and Audra shined. Sum, I enjoyed Michael's Act I closer - Simple. It is always great to see John Mahoney. We had a friend in the ensemble, but did not hook up.

We loved it and had a wonderful family theatre event.
Updated On: 8/27/05 at 11:36 PM

[Act0r721]

Posted: 8/28/05 at 1:21am

Sooo... I saw this thread and spontaneously went tonight. I felt like such a rebel, too because my mom said I couldn't because I didn't have enough highway experience (pshh!), but I went anyway. Hell yeah, I-294.

I had some trouble finding the "Park and Ride" for Ravinia, but once I got there, everything was fine. I didn't follow the show at all and nothing really thrilled me too much, but the weather was nice.

Patti LuPone didn't come out afterwards, but Audra McDonald did.


Updated On: 8/28/05 at 01:21 AM

[Glebb]

Posted: 8/28/05 at 8:44am

Fantastic pic ActOr, congrats!
I'll never forget Audra in CAROUSEL.
Now you drive safely ActOr!
Wouldn't want to endanger that very appealing smile of yours!

[paradox_error]

Posted: 8/28/05 at 11:19am

Yes, of course I was referring to what the other posters were alluding to about Mr. Laurents.

The score is what makes Anyone Can Whistle. A truly stunning Sondheim score...

[Glebb]

Posted: 8/28/05 at 7:36pm

I know for a fact that two of my favorites are on a plane back to Manhattan at the moment.
Anyone else going to tell us their thoughts?

[kissmycookie]

Posted: 8/29/05 at 12:13am

They have cookies in the Anyone Can Whistle.

Need I say more? :)

[brdlwyr]

Posted: 8/29/05 at 12:15am

C - were you there too?

[kissmycookie]

Posted: 8/29/05 at 12:21am

Delighted that I was able to, B...

[NYadgal]

Posted: 8/29/05 at 12:23am

It was a beautiful evening, a spectacular night of theatre (what performances), and, yes, there were cookies!

Posted: 8/29/05 at 12:24am

*sigh* Sometimes the world just seems a little too big - I just can't be everywhere I want to be sometimes! Glad everyone had a good time, and are back safely at home

[kissmycookie]

Posted: 8/29/05 at 12:32am

In a nutshell, Saturday evening's performance had all three leads in perfect form. Despite the many problems with the book, the performances and the music made this beyond enjoyable. And with La LuPone and Cerveris coming back to the Great White Way, may I add my plea for Audra to return to us soon as well?

[Marquise]

Posted: 8/29/05 at 12:37am

audra looks so beautiful in that picture.
no make up, no frills, just audra
incredibly beautiful!
glad you got to see this actOr.