A LIGHT IN CHARITY'S PIAZZA... (slight spoilers)

[Pgenre]

Posted: 5/3/05 at 11:35pm

Hey guys! I love all the info. and conversations on this board and I thought it was about damn time I started posting. You may find this review on Talking Broadway as well, so if so, SORRY FOR THE REPEAT! Please feel free to compare/contrast, agree/disagree or pound/praise these reviews. Thanks!


THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA

The Music. Beautiful. Gorgeous. Troubling. I think those three words, in order, best sum up my overall opinion of the piece. I love some of Guettel's work (most of MYTHS & HYMNS, especially "Awaiting You", "Icarus" and "Come to Jesus") and I was hoping for music more along the lines of "Awaiting You" than "Come to Jesus" because the latter style is much harder to grasp on initial hearing than I feel the former is. Nonetheless, I found the score to be absolutely ravishing and exceedingly gorgeous in sections, particularly "Dividing Day" and the title song. I found "Fable" to be a poor finale to an otherwise ravishing and noteworthy score. I think Guettel could have created something more stirring and emotional to leave the audience with than what I find to be a somewhat substandard melody, albeit an interesting, befitting and witty lyric.

The Performers. I saw the understudy for Matthew Morrison whom I greatly enjoyed and found his voice to be much more operetic and his accent spot-on. He looked more the part than Morrison in the pictures I have seen. I enjoyed the performance most of all because Morrison will be preserved on the cast recording for posterity and I feel privelged to witness a captivating performance by an actor whom would otherwise have not been given the chance to shine. Much has been said about Victoria Clark, she was in a word sublime. Kelli O'Hara whom I particularly enjoyed in SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS was equally entrancing here, her instrument even more polished, practiced and perfected than previously. She has a gorgeous voice and hopefully she will get the recognition she deserves for this very difficult part. In seeing Celia Keenan Bolger in SWEENEY TODD at the Kennedy Center in a similarly naive ingenue type role, I think she would have been equally effective acting-wise but does not yet possess the sheer beauty inherent in the voice of Ms.O'Hara whom I found simply ravishing in both her appearence and performance. The rest of the cast was equally enjoyable, and it was fun to see Michael Berresse get to do a little dance.

The sets and lighting were some of the best I have ever seen. They must be seen to be believed, so, if nothing else... go to this show to take in the absolutely beautiful atmosphere evoked by these evocative and intrancing sets.

Now comes the hard sell.

SWEET CHARITY

I loved it. Yes, Christina is not a grade-A Broadway performer YET, but she absolutely nailed the role. I found her singing quite good, and I much prefer her light, pop style to the heavy belting and shrillness we may have gotten from another actress. Her dancing was superb as was her note-for-note perfect comic timing and acting. She had the audience in the palm of her hand and the theatre lept to its feet when she entered for the curtain call.

Everyone knows the score ranges from best-of-the-best Broadway ("Big Spender", "If They Could See Me Now", "I'm a Brass Band") to lesser knwon gems ("You Should See Yourself", "I'm The Bravest Individual", "There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This") and some clunkers ("Sweet Charity", "I Love to Cry At Weddings", "Charity's Soliloquoy"). I thought the choreography and direction expertly showcased Ms. Applegate and she could not have chosen a better vehicle to showcase her formidable talents. And she was very gracious, kind, and cool at the stage door to boot.

The Sets and Lighting. Overall, excellent. "The Rhythm of Life" was the only floppo number, in all aspects, and I hope this has been addressed by the creative team and designers. Besides that, I thought everything else, especially "Big Spender" and "If My Friends Could See Me Now" were fantastic. I loved the silouhette in the latter number and Christina got resounding applause as that neat trick first appeared. I loved the lighting and I thought that the sets were not "summer stock" as many have claimed. True, they did not have the elegance and innovativeness of Pask's NINE but I thought they were beyond functional, and in parts, thrilling.

I must also single out the orchestra who were absolutely divine. One of the best live Broadway orchestras I have ever heard, almost rivaling Jonathan Tunick conducting his own complete orchestrations of COMPANY at the Kennedy Center. Thank GOD they put those first six notes back in the overture!


I hope these reviews have shed a little more light on these somewhat controversial productions. I hope to check in from time to time from now on as visiting this site is a daily ritual for me and, hopefully, I will participate more fully from now on.



A Good Nightmare Comes So Rarely,
P genre

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 3:00am

CHRISTINA APPLEGATE ALL THE WAY!!!!!!!!!

And yes, The Rhythem of Life is absolutely terrible. That man needs to be fired.

[Princeton78]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 7:44am

Having seen both of these shows in the past 2 weeks, I can say that I wholeheartedly agree with both of your reviews. Nicely written! I am sorry you did not see Morrison. I'm sure his understudy was fantastic, but you won't belive how far little Mattie has come since "Hairspray," when you hear the recording. I also found him to be phyisically cute, but not necessarily hunky in "Hairspray," but in "Piazza?" Oh man...he got my motors turning! It was his gorgeous voice and the innocence he brings to the part that makes you fall in love whith him. In an already crowded supporting actor category, I would hope Morrison would be a Tony front-runner.