9to5 Mat. 6/21 Ann's Last and Steph Out Review

[E.Davis]

Posted: 6/21/09 at 8:02pm

So I just got back from the Sunday show of 9to5 and let me say I was really glad I went....not the best show but certainly a lot of fun. Let's move onto the cast,

I also had not realized that it was Ann Harada's last, it was nice she got an entrance applause....

Allison Janney as Violet.....from the moment she came onstage she had the audience in her hands. Like everyone has said her voice is not the best but, it is adequate enough for Broadway and it has a nice quality to it. I think a lot of her Songs were catered for her voice and my two favorite ones that she had was "Potion Notion" and of course her Show Stopping Number "One of the Boys" which was absolutely wonderful. She defiantly deserved her Tony Nomination.

Gaelen Gilliland as Judy.....Let's just say when I opened the Playbill and say that Steph was out I was really mad. I have seen Gaelen in Legally Blonde and the Paulette bootlegs, so I was worried....She was Fantastic and what a Voice she has, really beautiful quality and power. She gave a quicker growth to the character and she really played on the comedy...My two favorate moments for her was when she had the gun and it goes off and she gets all tough...hahaha, and her "Get Out and Stay Out" was very emotional. I have heard about the whole jacket think, but the way she did it was, on the floor stepped on it, then picked it up and chucked it at him. Which sounded like a better version of what Steph does.

Megan Hilty as Doralee.....She was my least liked out of the trio and that is saying a lot since I am a huge Hilty fan. She just was a carbon copy of Dolly. I felt as I was watching her on stage and not Megan's interpretation of the character unlike the other two portrayals. I don't know though, I mean she had all the Charisma but I don't country with her voice....

Marc Kudisch as Hart.....He was the best asshole that could have been in the role...He captured ever essence that could have been out there to portray such an ass. he has a wonderful voice and he had the crowd in his lap..."hahaha" with his big act 2 number.

Kathy Fitzgerald as Roz.....I really liked her but I wish she had more to do and more to sing...She was Fantastic in her two number I just do not get why she has a Giant inner Black woman...I guess everyone does...hahahaha. Just wish she had more.

Now onto a funny note of pure comic genius and improv...In the scene between Violet and Judy and her taken the scarf to give to Kudisch, it got stuck on Gaelen's mic cord and they couldn't get it off, started saying stuff like "I am sorry but I really need this, I don't care if it hurts" or "the boss is going to fire me...."doesn't matter of you like it"...The were both cracking up and Allison was dubbed over. That is what makes live theatre so special.


More Later.........

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 6/21/09 at 8:04pm

'[I]t is adequate enough for Broadway...," does the phrase "damning with faint praise" mean anything to you?

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 6/21/09 at 8:05pm

Who's replacing Ann?

[pattilupuppy]

Posted: 6/21/09 at 8:06pm

EDIT: Jill Abromovitz is replacing ann
Updated On: 6/21/09 at 08:06 PM

[BwayBoundJoe]

Posted: 6/21/09 at 8:07pm

Glad you had fun :)

[E.Davis]

Posted: 6/21/09 at 8:08pm

I do not know but her little Jane Fonda workout outfit in the opening was adorable....Allison also made a really nice speech after the show...Ann went to hug her and the height difference was so hilarious.

[obsessedjb]

Posted: 6/21/09 at 8:14pm

I wanted to see Gaelen sooooo badly today So glad you enjoyed her

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 6/21/09 at 8:14pm

So, Allison had the audience in her hands and Marc had the audience in his lap.

Did ANYBODY stay in their seats?

[defyingravity07]

Posted: 6/21/09 at 8:16pm

Ann went to hug her and the height difference was so hilarious.

And what's funnier is that Ann is her first cover understudy.

[E.Davis]

Posted: 6/21/09 at 8:17pm

Namo...the answer is no, most people thought they were at Hair and they kept jumping into the actors laps and hands...I was a good boy and stayed seated.

[ljay889]

Posted: 6/21/09 at 8:28pm

Will Ann be joining Q again sooner than July 5?

[defyingravity07]

Posted: 6/21/09 at 8:29pm

I don't think so. I bet she'll be back in 9to5 in September after the supposed closing of Ave. Q.

[Amaranth9]

Posted: 6/21/09 at 8:30pm

"I have heard about the whole jacket think, but the way she did it was, on the floor stepped on it, then picked it up and chucked it at him. Which sounded like a better version of what Steph does."

That is pretty much what SJB did in previews in L.A. and from what I understand does now. If people complain about it, I think it's about the blocking in general. I can understand why some people think it clashes with the song, but I see nothing wrong with it. Judy is sill kicking Dick out, but giving him a piece of her mind while she does it.

[E.Davis]

Posted: 6/21/09 at 8:43pm

Eh...from what I have heard about Steph is that she can't act when she is not singing....Gaelen was just so perfect....She did fumble I think in "Dance O Death"......the Pot Hallucination High montage of songs was really great and creative and I love how Marc came out of the couch.

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 6/21/09 at 8:46pm

Good for Jill Abramovitz! I hear she did a great job in WBT's "Funny Girl". Can anyone confirm this news?

[ken8631]

Posted: 6/22/09 at 10:14am

Any idea as to why Steph was out?

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 6/22/09 at 10:17am

"Get Out and Stay Out" is a fine song and Stephanie does a great job with it, but the way it's blocked is Joe Mantello at his absolute worst. She sings half the song about how she wants him to get out and stay out of her house and her life, and then when her husband tries to leave, she PULLS HIM BACK IN. So she can KEEP YELLING AT HIM.

Ridiculous.

[ken8631]

Posted: 6/23/09 at 8:25am

Is Steph still out?

[Anakela]

Posted: 6/23/09 at 8:36am

Stephanie being out on 6/21 was a planned out, it was announced back at the end of May I want to say, there should be no 'still out' about it. But even if there is, Gaelen's awesome, I've seen her Judy both times she's been on so far, love her.

[ken8631]

Posted: 6/23/09 at 9:50am

Thanks - not going until July 7, mainly to see Stef......