8 Shows, 5 days - NYC Mini Reviews (updated with last 2 shows)

[mlsheehan]

Posted: 3/10/07 at 1:55pm

Just returned from a five day trip to New York, March 3-7, (March 2nd and 8th were travel days). My partner and I saw 8 shows over the 5 days. We were in New York about two years ago, so the plan was to catch up on what we had missed and what was new since then.

The below are just mini-reviews as most of these shows have been discussed to death on the boards already. As a point of note, I didn’t listen to the OBCR before the shows as is my customary practice. I find that I enjoy the shows better if I don’t have any preconceived notion of the music or how it might be staged. Below are my capsule reviews and comments in the order that we saw the shows:

The Apple Tree - Matinee, 3/3/07
This was the first show that I’ve seen at the Studio 54 Theatre, so that was an extra plus. I grew up in the era of the infamous Studio 54, but never made it inside before this show. One of the reasons that we came to New York during this time was to catch Ms. Chenoweth in this vehicle. I have to say that I loved pretty much every minute. It was nice to see an old-school Broadway show that wasn’t given some “modern” twist. The focus was on the performers in this show, and for me, they all came through in spades. I actually liked the kind of toned down production values. It worked for the show by keeping the pacing fast and letting the actors shine.

“The Diary of Adam and Even” (the strongest of the three) segment was a delight, humorous and moving at the end. All cast members were terrific - Mr. d’Arcy James a wonderful Adam, Ms. Chenoweth a superb Eve and Mr. Palmer (he was in for Mr. Kudisch, who I believe, was off to do the Pirates of Penzance) was a sinuous and sexy Snake. My only two quibbles with this act were that I didn’t much care for the costumes on Adam and Eve, and Eve’s wig was horrid. The hair designer should have come up with something better.

This was the first time that I’ve seen staged productions of the “The Lady or the Tiger?” and “Passionella”. I enjoyed both. They, of course, can’t live up to the first act, but it was nice to see them given a polished performance. Special kudos to Mr. d’Arcy James for his Flip in “Passionella”, a very nice character change from his two previous roles in the show. Also, I have to extend my congratulations to Mr. Tunick, as I thought the orchestrations were terrific.

My rating of this show was 4 stars (out of a possible 5).

The Big Voice: God or Merman? - Evening, 3/3/07
What can I say about this show? Being a gay man of a certain age (mid-40’s) and in a long term relationship (going on 17 years) with a former seminarian, a lot of this show hit very close to home. Even as a “Judy Queen”, I have to say that I loved this show. It is, at turns, hilarious and very touching. I found tears rolling down my cheeks from laughter at several points during the evening and a lump in my throat at the end. As I said, it hit very close to home. Jim Brochu and Steve Schalchlin, the writers and performers, were a dynamite duo. I guess after about 400 performances, one could expect them to be a well oiled machine. What one might not expect is that they still had a delightful freshness to their performances. Mr. Schalchlin really shined when playing and singing his songs and brought a wry comic spark to many of his lines. Mr. Brochu was a delightful raconteur of his story with a terrific singing voice.

This show is a bit of gay history on stage. Not much production value - minimal set, costumes (although there is one costume that brings down the house and stops the show) and lighting. There are just two wonderful performers telling and singing about their life stories. I believe this is the last weekend with the two creators performing their roles, if you were at all interested in this show, now is the time to see it! Highly recommended.

My rating of this show was 4 and ½ stars (out of 5).

More reviews to be added later….



Updated On: 3/11/07 at 01:55 PM

[mlsheehan]

Posted: 3/10/07 at 5:58pm

The Drowsy Chaperone - Matinee, 3/4/07
It was wonderful to see most of the original cast members (Edward Hibbert is currently in Curtains). This show is a delightful meringue – frothy, light and sweet with not much of an aftertaste. I loved every minute in the theatre, and it is a lively confection. Bob Martin was hilarious and a bit touching as the Man in Chair. I can’t quite picture anyone else as bring his joie de vivre to the part. I’m truly glad to have seen his performance.

What struck me most about this show was that everyone seemed to be firing on all cylinders and not just going through their paces. They were over the top when required (thank you Danny Burstein and Beth Leavel) and pulled in when needed (Sutton Foster). All in all a superlative cast. I couldn’t wait to see Sutton Foster, this was my first time seeing her live, and she didn’t disappoint. She has a truly wonderful stage presence and terrific singing and dancing chops. A thrilling and delightful lark of a performance that could easily have crossed a line into over the top camp which would have ruined the tone of the piece. The same could be said of Mr. Burstein’s and Ms. Leavel’s performances. They played much larger "characters" to a tee, but that’s exactly what the piece needs. All the performances were of a piece and had their moment to shine. Georgia Engel and Peter Bartlett were certainly helped by the script's comments on their parts/characters (especially in the delightfully and funny "spit-take" scene). I have to give major plaudits to the cast and Casey Nicholaw, who’s direction was lovely and spot on throughout.

This is a clever and fun show, that I’m glad has caught the attention of the play going public. The deconstruction of the 20’s style musical with modern commentary about the current state of theatre is an exceptional work of writing talent. Many have complained about quality of the songs, but they were just perfect within the confines of the show. I’m still humming “Show Off”. Perhaps this show does not expand on what musical theatre can be, but it is a brilliant piece of writing that clearly accomplishes what it sets out to do…entertain and delight an audience for two hours. I think we certainly need more shows of this quality and cleverness to counterbalance the darker more serious shows.

My rating of this show was 4 and ½ stars (out of 5).

The Color Purple - Evening, 3/4/07
This was a show that I went into with some trepidation as the word of mouth has been somewhat mixed. I am familiar with the Alice Walker’s book, which was a help since the book for the musical has some gaping plot holes that could be simply filled with a bit of dialogue or a couple of lines in a song. I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised, by the show. The show is sort of a “Cliff Notes” version of the book. Certain plot points are only mentioned in passing, Sofia’s story seemed the most short changed to me, and there was huge transition that made no sense in the musical’s book (when Nettie leaves the story in Act 1). This aside, the show is enjoyable. It’s interesting to me that a show with such a strong lesbian theme has been taken to heart by such a mainstream audience.

The cast that we saw was uniformly good. Kenita R. Miller was a terrific Celie, it is a shame that she will be replaced by Fantasia. (For the record, I hope Fantasia will be good.) Ms. Miller’s acting was accomplished and pretty much carried the show on her slight (but strong) shoulders. Her version of “I’m Here” was spine tingling and a lovely moment in the theater. Elisabeth Withers-Mendes’s Shug Avery was everything the part required, a truly delightful and lovely performance. I loved the concept of the church women acting as a Greek-style chorus throughout. To my mind, they could have been employed to patch over some of the plot holes. The dancing in the “African Homeland” number was exciting. The show does bog down a bit in the second act as the various threads are being resolved (e.g. the redemption of Mister, etc.) but that’s a bit of a problem in the novel, too. I have to compliment the ensemble members as their work through out was terrific. Some of the numbers could have been a bit stronger, “Push Da Button” and “The Color Purple” come to mind with this regard.

This could have been a great musical, instead it’s just a good one.

My rating of this production was 4 stars (out of 5), based on the strong cast. (The show itself would merit only 3 stars in my book.)

Spring Awakening, Company, Grey Gardens and A Chorus Line to come….

Updated On: 3/10/07 at 05:58 PM

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 3/10/07 at 10:23pm

Agreed on The Color Purple.

I want to hear about Grey Gardens.

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 3/10/07 at 10:24pm

I want to hear about what you thought about Spring Awakening.

[mlsheehan]

Posted: 3/11/07 at 1:42am

Spring Awakening - Evening, 3/5/07
Wow, I loved this production. Superlative all the way around in my book. I had seen a production of the play Spring Awakening many years ago, and I didn’t much like it. It was a difficult evening because of the play’s subject matter and rather stiff English translation. However, knowing the play at least prepared me for some of the more difficult themes of the piece. With that as background, I wasn’t exactly sure that I’d take to this musical, but from the opening number, “Mama Who Bore Me”, I was mesmerized. I had that thrilling feeling of seeing something extraordinary. For me, the conceit of having the characters break and sing the songs in a modern voice, added a feeling of intimacy and allowed me to get more emotionally involved in the stories of the characters. I was much more drawn into the plot of the musical. And the songs! What beauty. I can’t remember a score that I thought was more lovely. There are moving and gorgeous ballads, “The Word of Your Body” and “I Believe”, and anthem-like songs that rock, “The B**** of Living” and “Totally F*****”. To me, this is a show that only comes around once in a generation.

We were lucky to see all the cast members except for Hanschen, who was being played by Gerard Canonico. While everyone was good, I have to single out Jonathan Groff, John Gallagher, Jr., and Lea Michele. Jonathan Groff plays his part with the burning intensity of a true intellectual, but grounds his acting in a humanity that brings a sympathy to his characterization of Melchior. The character doesn't always take sympathetic actions, but with Mr Groff's strong acting choices and charisma I was never put off by his deeds. They were always understandable and somehow inevitable. It helps that he looks perfect for the part of the “golden” boy and, of course, his singing is sterling. John Gallagher, Jr. takes a difficult part and brings not only a goodly dose of humor, but doesn’t miss the darkness either. His high strung portrait of the misunderstood boy with more than a bit of anxiety in him is an extraordinary high wire act that pays dividends to the show later. His singing, with a bit the English rocker style, serves his songs beautifully. Lea Michele has one of the most glorious voices that I’ve heard - a dark, richness that envelops each of her songs beautifully. She plays her part with an imploring innocence that is almost heartbreaking.

The lyrics by Steven Sater are terrific. They mimic and amplify the thoughts and feelings of the characters. And the music, well, it is some of the most beautiful, haunting and rousing that has even graced the Broadway stage. Duncan Sheik is to be thanked for providing this amazing score. I can’t wait for his next contribution to our stages. The staging hits the right balance between rock concert and play. I particularly liked the lighting which was very elegant and interesting throughout.

I had one small complaint with the show, and that was the reprise of “The Word of Your Body” which seemed to be played for laughs. It was almost mocking of gay relationships, as if they were somehow less than and a poor imitation of heterosexual relationships. This could have been a result of losing much of the Hanschen and Ernst subplot from the original source material, but, for me, it was a jarring note in an otherwise thrilling show.

My rating of this production was 5 stars (out of 5).

Company - Evening, 3/6/07
For me, this was a total missed opportunity. A great cast stymied by one poor choice and some exasperating direction. The idea of the characters playing their instruments to create the orchestra may have been interesting on paper and conceptually intriguing, but in execution it only distracted from what could have been a wonderful show. To me, the many negatives of this staging outweighed the few positives. On the positive side – “You Could Drive a Person Crazy” and “Side by Side by Side” – were actually enhanced by incorporating the instruments into the scenes. On “Crazy”, the three girlfriends played the sax, and the sax became additional punctuation for the singing. On the negative side of the equation was pretty much everything else. “Company” seemed like a marching band routine which was distracting and not very well focused. “Sorry-Grateful”, while nicely sung, the characters' expressiveness was hampered by the actors having to focus on their instruments and hitting the right notes. The staging for “Barcelona” effectively ruined what is a lovely,wistful and funny song. Most of the time, when the instruments were incorporated into the action, they hindered movement. There was practically nothing that could be called dancing in this production. Furthermore, when the actors playing the instruments were in the background, they added nothing beyond what an orchestra in a pit would have added.

Company has one of my favorite scores, but I’ve always felt the book was a bit of a let down for the wonderful, complex songs. Even with some minor revisions to the script, this production didn’t fix any of those problems. It actually created more, by the way the director, John Doyle, staged so much of the dialogue. He had the performers deliver many of their lines facing forward. (The party scenes were all in this manner and so were many of the two and three person scenes.) The characters didn’t get to play off each other because they were too busy delivering their lines straight ahead. Yes, I get the whole alienation theme, but for me as an audience member it was annoying and even more distancing. I truly felt sorry for the cast being saddled with this production. The singing for the most part was wonderful. I was particularly taken with “Another Hundred People” (Angel Desai’s Marta was terrific), “Marry Me a Little”, “Getting Married Today” and, of course, "Being Alive".

Raul Esparza as the enigma that is Robert was extraordinary. His riveting stillness throughout much of the show was a Master’s Class on how to maintain energy and focus without action. It’s a shame this production isn’t better, because this is a Bobby that could make a better production soar to the heights of greatness. Heather Laws’s Amy was a delight, and Kelly Jeanne Grant’s Kathy was a charmer (it’s a shame her number was cut). I wasn’t a big fan of Barbara Walsh’s “Ladies Who Lunch” as she seemed to be channeling Elaine Stritch.

My rating of this production was 2 and ½ stars (out of 5), based on the strong cast. (4 stars for the cast, but 1 star for the execution.)


Updated On: 3/11/07 at 01:42 AM

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 3/11/07 at 1:59am

i feel like i'm the only person on the planet who despised SA...

[FutureAladdinOnB'Way]

Posted: 3/11/07 at 1:59am

WithoutATrace you are not alone

[teka21]

Posted: 3/11/07 at 3:04am

Thank you for such an articulate, rave review of Spring Awakening- a show that deserves every accolade. This show is enhanced with repeat visits. And I haven't taken the CD out of my car since December!

[mlsheehan]

Posted: 3/11/07 at 3:18am

Future and WithoutATrace,
This is a show that will divide people. It's a difficult show, especially the themes and dialog (that essentially comes from the original show). I can see how many would not like it.

As you can tell, I thought it was riveting.

[FutureAladdinOnB'Way]

Posted: 3/11/07 at 3:26am

Yes I am very glad you liked it....for some reason though I just can't get myself to like it I don't know why, but I guess that's the way it is for me and some shows

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 3/11/07 at 9:33am

I hated it too....though I loved the music.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 3/11/07 at 9:45am

Fantastic, well-written reviews. Thanks for a great read.

[TWSFan4Ever]

Posted: 3/11/07 at 9:56am

Can't wait to hear about A Chorus Line.

[GYPSY1527]

Posted: 3/11/07 at 10:17am

Thank you for your Company review! Finally I'm not the only one would didn't love it. Granted I would like to see it agian but overall, I didn't adore it as I thought i would. This quote really says it all for me:

"On the negative side of the equation was pretty much everything else. “Company” seemed like a marching band routine which was distracting and not very well focused... Most of the time, when the instruments were incorporated into the action, they hindered movement. There was practically nothing that could be called dancing in this production."

[mlsheehan]

Posted: 3/11/07 at 11:18am

Wanna,
Thanks for the kind words.

TWS,
Later today on ACL.

Gypsy,
Yes, I really wanted to like Company, but, well, I didn't. There were definitely excellent elements, mostly the cast and, something that I didn't mention, was the costumes. I thought they were good and very elegant. Especially the girl friends outfits, each suited the character very well, but supported the overall design.

[LaCageAuxFollesFan2]

Posted: 3/11/07 at 11:33am

WithoutaTrace - I too loathed Spring Awakening and am still mystified by all its hype. IMO - the most overated show in YEARS! And I thought that title was going to go to Spamalot...but this by far takes the cake.

[mlsheehan]

Posted: 3/11/07 at 1:42pm

Grey Gardens - Matinee, 3/7/07
I watched the documentary with the same name a couple of weeks ago. I wanted to make sure that I would understand anything that might be “insider-ish” about the musical. The documentary was mesmerizing, the way I expect a train crash would be. I sat for an hour and a half enthralled and somewhat horrified. I loved the way the documentary allowed the back story (which wasn’t really known to me) to unfold mostly through the words of Edith and Eddie. It was a patchwork and sort of impressionist portrait that took a bit of thought to sift and sort through. So, that’s my background on the musical.

The First Act of this show is pretty much a waste of time. Yes, I know it’s setting up the Second Act, but did it need to be so pedestrian? The authors would have been better to show the actions of the First Act as a couple of brief flashbacks within the action that takes place in the Second Act, not as one long extended flashback. The first act score is like a poorly executed 1940’s musical. The music is mundane, and the lyrics trite. Plus this is a story that we’ve seen many times before. I believe the authors would have been better to incorporate a few songs from the 1940s rather than their rather anemic pastiche songs. (If you want to see a show that does this right, see The Drowsy Chaperone.) The only point of interest in the First Act was to see how Doug Wright incorporated a few themes and a few bits of dialogue from the movie. If one had seen the documentary, one would think, “Ah, these are significant themes, that will be developed in the Second Act.” Otherwise, the First Act is like a parody of a Cole Porter show or Philadelphia Story, without humor or much interest.

The Second Act, which must be said has all the interest, has a couple of wonderful numbers, “Around the World” and “Another Winter in a Summer Town”, and a few delightful character numbers, “The Revolutionary Costume for Today” and “Jerry Likes My Corn”. The Second Act goes a ways toward righting this train, but ultimately plays it too safe by providing us a by-the-numbers recreation of much of what is in the documentary. These are delusional people living unusual lives. To me, it should call for more creativity in the telling of the story. Mr. Wright hit the right notes in his script for I Am My Own Wife, I can only conclude that his collaborators here were much too conventional and kept this script from flying.

However, there are two rather compelling reasons to see this show – Christine Ebersole and Mary Louise Wilson. Both of these women provide the star wattage to keep this train moving until it’s sad conclusion. They both nailed the actual characters in speech and manner without moving into the realm of caricature. These are full bodied recreations that live and breathe. One actually feels that they are seeing the originals live on stage. Add to this the power of their singing voices and you have a justified phenomenon. Ms. Ebersole has stage presence to spare, and truly gives a performance for the ages. Ms. Wilson, is uncanny in her role. She hits all the right notes as the older Edith. Fantastic work from both of them. I can’t wait to see them in future vehicles. Too bad this show lets them down. As a couple of points of note, Erin Davie does nice work in the thankless role of Young “Little” Edie. She does her best with the material given her. Also, we saw Asa Somers as Joseph Kennedy, Jr./Jerry. He had the required Kennedy speech pattern, but didn’t really look like a Kennedy to me. Nonetheless, he did nice work in both roles.

My rating of this production was 2 and ½ stars (out of 5), again based on the strong cast. (4 and ½ stars for the cast, but 1 star for the actual show.)


A Chorus Line - Evening, 3/7/07
I saw the original sit down production of A Chorus Line in Los Angeles sometime in early 1977. It was a birthday present from my family for my 16th birthday. I had goose bumps from the opening, “AAAA5…6…7….8”, until the curtain call. I didn’t breath for two hours. It was the most amazing theatrical experience of my life. (Still is, by the way.) I cried, I laughed. I was in a state of extended ecstasy for the entire time. It was as close to a religious experience as I’ve ever had. It basically cemented my life long love of the theater. Of the Original Cast recording: I wore out at least one 8-track (remember those?); I had it on vinyl; and, now, I have it on CD.

So I have to confess, I didn’t really want to try to recapture this experience, but my loving partner of almost 17 years wanted to see it again. It was his first professional musical, also. He saw the First National Tour in Minneapolis when he was in college. He loved it as well. Then I got intrigued by seeing the show. After all, it had been, almost 30 years since I’d had my religious conversion to all things theatrical. Would it have the same impact? It was an interesting question.

What we saw on the evening of March 7th, 2007, was a loving recreation of a brilliant musical. For me unfortunately, it was like looking at a print of a Van Gogh painting. You can appreciate that the original was brilliant, but this print is just a pale copy in comparison. I can’t say that this production was bad, it wasn’t. It just didn’t have that spark of the new or the passion of the original. That je ne sais quoi that lifts a good production into the realm of great. So, the masterpiece that I saw in 1977 remains fondly in my memory, untarnished by the 2006 revival version, but rather strengthened as a once in a lifetime experience. (I guess it’s best to forget the horrid movie as that did almost tarnish my memory.) My few minor, and have to admit they are minor, complaints were about the pacing, especially before “What I Did for Love”. The dialogue seemed to drag. And has something changed around the curtain calls? It seemed somewhat disappointing, and that’s not exactly how I remember it. (It has been almost 30 years after all.)

Deidre Goodwin’s Sheila was a standout in the cast, and Jessica Lee Goldyn’s Val was terrific. Both had a lot of personality and really established their characters memorably and solidly. Natalie Cortez’ Diana was also strong. I loved her voice and her take on “Nothing” and “What I Did for Love” were excellent. Unfortunately, I couldn’t say that about all the “girls”. Many of them were rather unmemorable, and I often had difficulty remembering who was who. The “boys” fared better in this regard, probably because they had pretty individualistic looks (with the recreation of the original costumes). I thought E. Clayton Cornelious, the Richie understudy that we saw, was particularly good. He had the moves for his dancing solos and really brought a high level of energy to his performance. It was a delight to see Michael Berresse again, and I liked his more human take on the character of Zach. It was an interesting choice that I thought worked well for this production. Charlotte d’Amboise brought a lot of conviction to her Cassie, and I did like her performance very much. She did some strange enunciations on the belt parts of her songs, but she really sold them as well. Also, I must say that I really enjoyed Tyler Hanes’ Larry. A rather thankless role, but Mr. Hanes was a pleasure to watch in so many ways. <:)

Also, the cast had a nice little talk back for about 20 minutes after the show. It was only the Dance Captain, Lyndy Franklin, and four of the cast members: Natalie Cortez, Diana; Mara Davi, Maggie; Charlotte d’Amboise, Cassie; and another female member that we can’t remember (I guess old age is hitting early here). It was nice of them to answer a few questions, and one could tell they all loved the show.

So, lightening didn’t strike twice for me, but it’s still a darn good show and recommended by me.

My rating of this production was 4 stars (out of 5).

Thanks to all who have read these. I guess some of them became a bit longer than a "mini" review, but it was fun to put down my thoughts.


Updated On: 3/11/07 at 01:42 PM

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 3/11/07 at 2:06pm

You write fantastic reviews!

Just because certain people didn't like Spring Awakening doesn't mean have to mention it every chance they can get.



Updated On: 3/11/07 at 02:06 PM

[Parks]

Posted: 3/11/07 at 2:14pm

Great reviews!

I'm not sure I agree that Little Edie is a thankless role. I personally liked Erin the most in the show. Dadddy's Girl was absolutely amazing when I saw it. She was brilliant!

Thanks for writing them!

[teka21]

Posted: 3/11/07 at 2:51pm

Thanks for your wonderful reviews, Misheehan.
You really captured my feelings about Grey Gardens. What did you think about the portrayal of the gay man in that show? It made me squirm...
The ones I really wanted to know more about were their black servant and his son.

[BDavis0092]

Posted: 3/11/07 at 3:18pm

Good to hear that you liked Drowsy. Broadway really does need more shows like it.

[mlsheehan]

Posted: 3/11/07 at 3:21pm

Becoz,
Thanks.

Parks,
I thought Erin was terrific, and I look forward to seeing her in other productions. Perhaps, I was so annoyed by the First Act that I couldn't appreciate "Daddy's Girl".

teka,
Bob Stillman's portrayal of Gould didn't bother me much, as, to my mind, it was a pretty accurate representation of what this gay man from the 1940s probably was like. It's unfortunate that so much self loathing was experienced by that generation. (Understandable, I guess given the circumstances in which they lived.) During my youth, I knew a number of men that were "of a certain age" that were of a similar type. They didn't really identify with a "modern" gay identity. To a one, they had issues with alcohol abuse and a campy way of dealing with the world.

If I'm not mistaken, the actual person Gould committed suicide. I took the characterization at pretty much face value - a rather unhappy, artistic man who has basically made himself a eunuch because most people, including he himself, could not nor would not accept who he really was. A sad commentary, true, and perhaps a stereotypical role, but probably (as many stereotypes are) based in reality.

[renthead333]

Posted: 3/11/07 at 3:26pm

that was an amazing review of SA. well done!

[sidjones09]

Posted: 3/11/07 at 3:29pm

Thanks for the great reviews. They are thorough and clear. I have to say although I did not see the original ACL, I had the same feeling seeing the revival. When it was over, I felt like I just saw a great production of something that must have been a lot more powerful in it's original form.

[Nick Plasia]

Posted: 3/11/07 at 4:34pm

Um, anyone who prefers the DROWSY score to GREY GARDENS
has zero credibility with me....

From last month's NY Times:

"The songs from “Grey Gardens,” with music by Scott Frankel and lyrics by Michael Korie, sustain a level of refined language and psychological detail as elevated as Stephen Sondheim’s. “Grey Gardens” is an artfully skewed variation on a traditional musical that belongs to the line that connects Mr. Sondheim with Kurt Weill."