Amy Spanger On Leave- Page 5

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 7/1/06 at 7:49pm

Thanks so much for the info TheActr97J, anyways, for unknown reasons Amy was out today at the matinee and she is out at the night performance as well. Get well Amy!

[almostxfamous]

Posted: 7/1/06 at 10:00pm

I saw the matinee and Cara was absolutely FANTASTIC. Since Spencer Liff left the show yesterday, Matt Allen was on for him, and Kevin Kern was on for Peter Kapetan. The show was absolutely PHENOMENAL. Everyone was perfect. You wouldn't have even known Cara, Kevin, or Matt were understudies. Being an especially large fan of Kevin's, I was particularly excited for him to be on. He was phenomenal as Priest, Bum, Robbie's Grandpa, and Ronald Reagan.

I have no complaints with the show. I thought the book was absolutely hilarious, loved the sets and choreography. It was a fun show to see. I loved it. Everything flowed really well.

And PS - Why is this thread now called 'Amy Spanger in Love'?

[almostxfamous]

Posted: 7/3/06 at 5:04pm

bump

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 7/3/06 at 5:12pm

I saw Cara Cooper on Friday and thought she was great - every bit as good as Amy Spanger, really, and maybe even a better dancer.

The show is definitely improved from Seattle; its now kind of a guilty pleasure show, in that you realize some of what is on stage is absolutely terrible, but you smile and laugh despite your self.

I still maintain that Laura Benanti is fundamentally miscast, but she has found a way to be charming in spite of that. She and Lynch are adorable together. He for the record tries a little harder than he probably needs to (he's no Adam Sandler in the comedy department) but his vocals are outstanding.

Kevin Cahoon and Rita Gardner are audience favorites and seem to be having a blast. My personal favorite in this show, however, is Felicia Finley who makes Linda into a true Heather Locklear from hell. This girl should be on SNL.

The score has grown on me, though I maintain "It's all about the Green" is one of the worst numbers I have ever seen in a Broadway musical, and I wish that the composing team hadn't included the tunes from the movie.

All in all, I think the show is fun. I wouldn't pay a hundred dollars for it, but I think it's a harmless crowd pleaser and anything that leaves you smiling can't be all bad

[xM3L24x]

Posted: 7/3/06 at 5:37pm

"(he's no Adam Sandler in the comedy department) but his vocals are outstanding."
I have to disagree there. I heard Stephen years ago, and thought he was hysterical. He's one of my favorite comedians.

Glad you enjoyed the show though. Felicia is an incredible performer, and suchh a sweetheart.

[almostxfamous]

Posted: 7/3/06 at 5:50pm

I disagree as well. Stephen is a comic GENIUS. His delivery on certain lines made them lines to remember. His comedy act is hilarious; the man knows what he's doing.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 7/3/06 at 5:58pm

Lynch may be a comic genius, but he's no Adam Sandler, and what I mean by that, is that I think he's being directed to play the role in a Sandler-esque way, which isn't really what he does best. He's really not that kind of quirky off beat performer Sandler is. In fact, Lynch is actually pretty conventional leading man material. He's better suited, IMO to something like - say, BIG. Not that I wish that musical on anyone.

Anyway, to each his own. I do think Lynch is good in the show, but forced in the comedy. To me his best stuff here is when he's playing straight.

[flaemmchen]

Posted: 7/3/06 at 6:19pm

I actually like that Stephen Lynch is not Adam Sandler-esque, because I feel that Adam Sandler can get too over the top, and it's hard to make that work on-stage.

Glad to hear that Amy's back and fit.

[Just_John]

Posted: 7/3/06 at 6:51pm

I saw it Saturday night and I agree Cara Cooper is just as good as Amy Spanger. I'm really glad I got to see her.

[Sab6888]

Posted: 7/3/06 at 10:27pm

I don't know, I saw it on Saturday night, and maybe we're the only ones, but my family and I were really underwhelmed by Cara Cooper's singing. Her dancing/acting were great, we thought. After listening to Amy on the soundtrack a lot and having heard her sing some of my fave songs of the show like "Right in Front of Your Eyes" and "Saturday Night in the City," I was very unimpressed with Cara's voice control. Even my mom who had never heard the music from the show before felt the same way. I'm not trying to knock Cara, she was very nice at the stage door and is real talented, but I really found myself missing Amy and wishing she'd be back for good.

[almostxfamous]

Posted: 7/3/06 at 10:43pm

I didn't get to see her at the stagedoor, which was MOBBED for the matinee. I think the thing with Cara is her voice is more, conventional(?) than Amy's. Amy's voice is so unique, that no one can really compare, and when I see an understudy, I try not to compare them to the usual, because no two people have the same voice or acting choices.

In regards to Stephen, really to each his own. I thought he was absolutely hilarious(this is just a standout moment) from A Note from Linda to Casualty of Love. I don't think I stopped laughing that entire time.

[matiboi]

Posted: 7/4/06 at 12:22am

I also saw the show Sat. night (7/1) with the same cast as the matinee . . . for some reason, Matt Allen was on for Harold, but then did his track after that, and Michael McGurk did the rest of Spencer's track. It was my second time this week . . . I also saw it Tuesday. This was my first time seeing Felicia, and I thought she was CRAZY good . . . Nicolette was wonderful too though in her debut. Cara was great, and I think I would have loved her if I didn't see Amy. I thought her dancing was better than Amy's in parts, but Amy's vocals FAR surpassed Cara's. She's still really worthy of the understudy slot, and provided a fulfilling performance. It was kind of odd to see Kevin as all of the old men without wigs (except for Grandpa and the bum), but he was great, and did the most he could with those roles.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 7/4/06 at 1:54am

I am really confused..

If Amy is saying she isn't having vocal issues and wasn't/isn't sick, why/how could she possibly be missing this many shows?

[flaemmchen]

Posted: 7/4/06 at 2:13am

She might have had a personal issue that prevented her from being at the show on those particular days last week. But she has been sick a lot during the run of the show, and the fact that she has water dumped on her every night can't be very helpful. She rarely missed when she was in Kiss Me Kate.

[Yeah, um, no.]

Posted: 7/4/06 at 9:45pm

Saw the first act tonight (don't ask). The orchestra was packed and the balcony was about 2/3's filled. Felicia was out as was David Josefsberg. Nicolette Hart subed for her and Kevin Kern was on for him.

I noticed some tweaks since the last time I saw it, which was in May. For example, when Robbie is waiting for Linda to show up at the alter, he no longer yells at the priest. Little things like that.

And to stay on topic, Amy was back.

[OnMyWay]

Posted: 7/4/06 at 9:50pm

This makes me want to see all of the understudies now. It sounds like they are great.

[almostxfamous]

Posted: 7/4/06 at 9:59pm

The Wedding Singer has an phenomenal cast, leads, understudies, ensemble. They have many seasoned ensemble players(Kevin Kern, David Josefsberg, etc.), who understudy leads. I would KILL to see David Josefsberg on for Sammy, which is the one role he understudies. Kevin is first understudy for Robbie, and also understudies George and Glen. Not to mention that all the actors have their own special ensemble part. It's a great cast.

[ieatcrayonz]

Posted: 7/26/06 at 8:31pm

i loooove cara

[SweetQintheLights]

Posted: 7/26/06 at 8:46pm

"Saw the first act tonight (don't ask)

Hey! That's teasing. I wanna know!