Well, since everyone has been writing their reviews here, I am going to go along and not start another thread.
One point I agree (although I still feel MTR is a stronger song, and especially sung by James Barbour):
"there is no denying that "Momma, Look Sharp" is one of if not the best song in the show and Griffin Matthews sang it beautifully." This guy has talent! He will be someone to watch in future musical theater. And I love the fact that they cast a black American in the role! :) Especially fitting for this show, and it gives it some creative diversity.
What can be said about the rest of the cast? Absolutely incredibly talented, well staged, and sung. I could not find much to pick about this production.
Conrad John Schuck was a treat as Franklin, and I found Don Stephenson to be an effective John Adams, although I always picture Adams to be stuckier, and shorter. I think Stephenson was too nice and soft looking for his part.
About your comment, WonderBoy..." While his song garnered the most applause, James Barbour was a bit too "stagey" for me."
I also noticed that Barbour's part was "enhanced", so to speak, and given more to do onstage than usually is done with Rutledge, perhaps to give Barbour more weight in the show. This might be why he seemed to be "stagey", having been given direction to make his character more notable (considering his nominations, and Tony possibilty, I think the producers wanted to make him more visible in this show). His rendition of "Molasses to Rum" has become a classic for me. I know others have sung this number well, but Barbour's force, enunciation, and protrayal has to be the ultimate rendition for this song. Nobody can convince me otherwise, sorry!
Robert Cuccioli, whom I had never seen onstage before, surprised me a bit. His voice was softer than I thought it would be (maybe because it was called for in his character, I don't know) and I imagined him to be taller and stuckier than he was. Otherwise, he did a good job with his part. Aaron Ramey, on the night I saw him, was literally a burst of energy and I loved his undertaking of Richard Henry Lee!
Papermill is a treat of a venue, BTW. The grounds it is on are very well kept, tranquil, and very beautiful to sit outside until showtime. The inside, as well, is a great space, full of past performences photos, some memorabilia, and a great little gift shop, as well as a sitting area upstairs. The stage is also very well seen from any angle. But...do not recomment the mezzanine section...too far! =I
Updated On: 5/3/09 at 09:32 PM
