#1
Posted: 10/18/13 at 10:41pm
After Midnight is 90 minutes of pure, unadulterated joy. It is without a doubt the best (Broadway) musical so far this season, containing the best choreography and the strongest cohesive group of performances. There isn't a hint of "weak link" with this production from the cast to the creative team to the orchestra and arrangements. The lighting, the costumes, the sound design: it's all perfect. There is nothing to be done during the preview period, so with all the time they will have on their hands Warren Carlyle should stage a second and third encore, because it's so tragic when the evening ends.
I don't know where to start, but Fantasia is a good enough place as any. She is so good and in such terrific voice- I was amazed. She gets four big numbers: I Can't Give You Anything But Love, Stormy Weather, Zaz Zuh Zaz and On the Sunny Side of the Street.
I Can't Give You Anything But Love is breezy, jazzy and she gets to show off some of her scatting ability. (I guess I've listened to Ain't Misbehavin' too many times because I'm always disappointed when I don't hear, "If Woolworth sold diamond bracelets you'd have a million of 'em, baby." ha) She handles Stormy Weather with ease and hits a few big notes. I wasn't familiar with Zaz Zuh Zaz, but it's a real crowd pleaser, and then what she did with Sunny Side of the Street. No one tops Eileen Farrell's version, but boy oh boy did she come close.
Next: Adriane Lenox. Someone must have told Lenox that a pair of Tonys look better on the shelf than a solitary award because she turned it on tonight like some four alarm fire. Her first song, Women Be Wise, is a masterclass in selling a comedy number. I love her so much it's ridiculous. Why are people not writing musicals for this woman?!
Then this crazy, insane out of her mind tapper/singer (Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards) does this nutso routine with two other guys called Raisin' the Rent. I was so enthralled and think she's a certifiable lunatic to dance like that.
I could just go on and on and on about every performer, but do yourself a favor and go experience them yourself.
Warren Carlyle is completely in his element choreographing and directing this show. Every act is gorgeously tailored to show of the strengths of the performers and some of his ideas are pretty clever. For example, Dule Hill smiles at a girl and she brings him a helium filled red balloon on a string. He breaks into "I've Got the World On a String" and dances a soft shoe with the balloon. Then the ensemble comes on in pairs with their own balloons finish the number.
The orchestra is the Jazz at Lincoln Center All-Stars and they sound great. They're on stage in a band stand that moves downstage when they have a solo moment.
I really wasn't even looking forward to this, but After Midnight surprised me and knocked my socks off.
I don't know where to start, but Fantasia is a good enough place as any. She is so good and in such terrific voice- I was amazed. She gets four big numbers: I Can't Give You Anything But Love, Stormy Weather, Zaz Zuh Zaz and On the Sunny Side of the Street.
I Can't Give You Anything But Love is breezy, jazzy and she gets to show off some of her scatting ability. (I guess I've listened to Ain't Misbehavin' too many times because I'm always disappointed when I don't hear, "If Woolworth sold diamond bracelets you'd have a million of 'em, baby." ha) She handles Stormy Weather with ease and hits a few big notes. I wasn't familiar with Zaz Zuh Zaz, but it's a real crowd pleaser, and then what she did with Sunny Side of the Street. No one tops Eileen Farrell's version, but boy oh boy did she come close.
Next: Adriane Lenox. Someone must have told Lenox that a pair of Tonys look better on the shelf than a solitary award because she turned it on tonight like some four alarm fire. Her first song, Women Be Wise, is a masterclass in selling a comedy number. I love her so much it's ridiculous. Why are people not writing musicals for this woman?!
Then this crazy, insane out of her mind tapper/singer (Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards) does this nutso routine with two other guys called Raisin' the Rent. I was so enthralled and think she's a certifiable lunatic to dance like that.
I could just go on and on and on about every performer, but do yourself a favor and go experience them yourself.
Warren Carlyle is completely in his element choreographing and directing this show. Every act is gorgeously tailored to show of the strengths of the performers and some of his ideas are pretty clever. For example, Dule Hill smiles at a girl and she brings him a helium filled red balloon on a string. He breaks into "I've Got the World On a String" and dances a soft shoe with the balloon. Then the ensemble comes on in pairs with their own balloons finish the number.
The orchestra is the Jazz at Lincoln Center All-Stars and they sound great. They're on stage in a band stand that moves downstage when they have a solo moment.
I really wasn't even looking forward to this, but After Midnight surprised me and knocked my socks off.
Marie: Don't be in such a hurry about that pretty little chippy in Frisco.
Tony: Eh, she's a no chip!
