AIDA tour review 1/4/07

[Lizzya9]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 12:03am

The AIDA tour came to my town tonight and I was in the front row! Let me just say it was incredible. The only other Disney show I've seen in B&tB on Broadway, they were both equal in every aspect, except AIDA was better in terms of acting.

The sets, lights, and costumes were wonderful! It was really interesting how the costumes weren't neccesarily from that time period. (they were wearing jeans, sneakers, pinstripe suits, etc.) It worked really well.

In terms of acting there was not ONE weak performance. You even connected with each member of the ensemble, as if their characters were as important as Aida or Radames.

Marja Harmon (Aida) was phenomenal. She could easily have played it on Broadway. She was definetely born to play this part. And what a voice!

Casey Elliott (Radames) in my opinion was the best performance in the show. He could totally pass off as evil but then switch to sentimental in a second, very believably. Not to mention a total hottie! ; )

Leah Allers (Amneris) was so perfect for this role. Sounds exactly like Sherie Rene Scott!

Dane Harrington Joseph (Mereb) has such a beautiful voice. He is a bit more of a comedic actor, but still pulled of the dying scene really well.

DJ Rudd (Zoser) was impecable and I really believed he was evil!

To sum up the show - let's just say I was sobbing during the opening number and didn't stop until I just got home. Absolute perfection. If it comes by your town I highly reccomend seeing it! I didn't see the Broadway show, but I heard that this one is a bit different. If you did see it on Broadway and are seeing this, just have an open mind.

Much love,
Liz

Unfortunately the theatre this was at tonight does not have the stage door available to fans and it is fenced off. Ugh! = (

[harris007]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 12:15am

i was there too, and uh ya go though the gate in the fence, to get to stage door

[Lizzya9]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 12:20am

You were there?! Wow I thought I was the only theatre lover in Melbourne. Ugh I wish I knew that you could go through the gate! Did you? Were they cool? OMG I feel like a complete idiot. I was so depressed when we were leaving because I didn't get pics w/ the actors or my program signed! = (

[harris007]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 12:22am

no i didnt, but i have before

Posted: 1/5/07 at 12:49am

I was there last night. I have differing opinions on some actors though. I didn't like the Zoser and I felt like his singing was not on. Amneris was great acting-wise in the first act but seriously lacking in the 2nd. But I agree that Radames was absolutely perfect. Except for the fact that he kept facing full back at times.

There is a stage door and it's not through the fence. It's right off the theatre. I've been there many a time, most recently meeting the Altar Boyz and the cast of Rent. I was going to stage door for Aida but was wayyy too tired.

[Lizzya9]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 1:09am

Where off the theatre? If you are by the pond w/ the fountain, how would you get to the stage door from there? It's kind of pointless now but hopefully for next time I will know. = )

Posted: 1/5/07 at 1:32am

If you're facing the fountain, it's to the right.

If you exit through the theatre on the side that's in the direction of the fountain, it's very close to that. It kind of juts out from the building and its very bare: just a set of doors. There's not a sign or an overhang or anything, so it's easy to miss, but it's there.

I'll try to find a picture or something of what it looks like if you need me to. The King Center is like my second home, haha.

[BroadwayBound062]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 3:25am

sweet glad you enjoyed the show

[Lizzya9]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 8:54am

= ) thanks

[MotorTink]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 9:31am

I see the show in 2 weeks, can't wait. Thanks for your review!

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 9:37am

Thank you for the review! I saw this November 18th and loved it! One of my favorite shows ever and this only cemeted that.

[bwayfan4life]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 9:43am

I am seeing the show next Sunday in Macon, I saw the original on Broadway 4 times. It will be fun to see the difference. I am looking forward to it, thanks for the positive info.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 10:03am

harris, what did you think of it?

[harris007]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 10:46am

LOVED IT


and omg the guy playing radames HELLO CHEST was up in the mezz and we could see how ripped he was,

[Glory]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 11:40am

I saw it in Lowell a couple weeks ago and I loved the show so much. They all did such a great job!

[Lizzya9]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 5:39pm

haha I know! = ) Casey Elliott is such a hottie, I was so disappointed I couldn't meet him. Why did it close on Broadway? Wasn't it successful?

[bwayfan4life]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 5:46pm

It was quite succesfull, it played at the Palace Theatre for 4 years. They have not had a show last for 6 months since it closed. I had the pleasure of seeing it 6 times, 4 at the palace and twice on tour, but alas all good things must come to an end. I am glad that it is touring. I think that what is succesfull is skewed by the longevitiy of a lot of today's shows. They would have taken a 4 year run back in the 50's and 60's in a heartbeat. I hope it stays touring for a long time, and who know a revival....

Updated On: 1/15/07 at 05:46 PM

[Dirty Rotten Scoundrel]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 5:51pm

Interesting to read that someone thought of the man who played Zoser's performance to be "impeccable." I saw him and, frankly, couldn't understand a single word that came out of his mouth.

[Lizzya9]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 6:50pm

LOL I thought he was a bit too short. But I had nothing to compare him to so I liked him.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 6:53pm

This must be a non-Equity tour, yes?

Link to the company that's producing this, please!!

[Lizzya9]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 8:08pm

www.theaidatour.com

[MimiLovesRoger]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 10:06pm

I really wanna see it!

[PB ENT.]

Posted: 1/5/07 at 10:24pm

I saw this touring production in Oct. I didn't officially review it for BWW becasue of some technical reasons. I will say that the tour is very different than the Broadway and Broadway tour which I saw both before they closed.

Granted, this tour is non-equity and cannot afford the Disney-fied spectacular sets. But this is not what makes the huge difference. I have to say that the director took some bold steps to modernize the characters and choreograhy and it does not do justice to the overall theme of the show.

Since when do Egyptiains carry riffles? And what is with the "lap dancing" chorus. Also many of the costumes look like they are from "the Gap".
All glaring differences from the original Broadwy production that is simply captivating. It really detracts from the ambiance of a piece we are supposed to beleive is set in early Egypt.

Regarding the cast: Well, you'll have to judge that for yourself. As I mentioned, there were some techinical problems at my performance, so I really didn't think it was fair to review what I saw and heard. Also the company never sent programs to the theater, so I can only mention a few cast names from memory. I realize by the previous posts that it is the same cast.

AIDA ( Marja Harmon) was very compelling, amazing vocal range and power, but her mike or her accent destorted every song. I hope it was the mike Pity! The rest of the cast is "servicable to good". Radames ( Casey Elliot) was good, though some of his acting was frail and a few spots in vocals were weak. He seemed unsure of himself and simply didn't have enough strength and charm to wooo the Nubian Princess, imo.

The Zoser (DJ) was dreadful. weak actor. He had no clue what to do with the role. Kind of like Joel Grey singing Elvis! Painful!

A pleasant surprise is found with Amneris (Leah ?) very pretty voice and decent feel for the role, (though it's not all that difficult to pull off a "princess blind to what's going on about you and wondering what to wear to the festivals"). Definetly not in the league of Broadway's Sherie Renee Scott, though. She powehoused her way through Amneris attracting lots of praise.

The chorus is STRONG and the choral numbers well executed especially The Gods Love Nubia.

The sets are minimal, a mobile Egypt that seems to be the standard . What do you want for a one town each night show? Guess that's the best they could do, though.

It's a community theater level production with some interesting directional choices and far from the Broadway production which was quite successful and enjoyable.

I've seen a number of non-Equity shows. This was among the weakest. Just an opinion.

[Lizzya9]

Posted: 1/6/07 at 1:42pm

Fun Fact: Leah Allers (Amneris) is the daughter of Roger Allers, co-director of The Lion King film and co-writer of the book for The Lion King stage musical!

[RunswithScissors]

Posted: 1/6/07 at 2:47pm

Gosh I wonder how she was ever cast in this