We can only hope this will get better. I have no idea whether it was the acoustics or the actors, but everyone including the orchestra (with the exception of BIll Irwin) were not singing out. I was sitting in the center orchestra and there were parts where it seemed as if the orchestra (even during the overture) and actors were holding back. Maybe it's been a rough week of rehearsals, but even little Allie Trimm was not singing out like I've seen her before in previews for "13".
Matt Doyle was adorable. Great voice, great acting. He really is invested in his part.
Bill Irwin was phenomenal. Truly a seasoned actor, good enough singing voice. He scored the majority of the laughs.
Dee Hoty was okay. Spot on as Mrs. MacAfee, but overshadowed by Irwin.
Jayne Houdyshell did a great job of being Albert's annoying, controlling mother.
Allie Trimm was good. Not great like I had expected, even though with all new roles and rough rehearsal hours on a teenager, she shined more in "13". It seemed like she too was holding back... a lot. She was cute and fit the part, but didn't quite fit into one of the lyrics as being taller than Hugo.
Nolan Gerard Funk did well for his debut. He's very built as the audience gets to see when he enters for breakfast at the MacAfee house in nothing more than tube socks and boxer briefs. His singing was nice and his characterizations were close to dead on.
John Stamos was adorable, but very stiff, as a previous poster had noted. He'll melt into this part in no time. His charm and mellow voice did him well, albeit still soft spoken like many of the actors.
And here is where the ball drops... Gina Gershon. Every time she opened her mouth it was like buzz kill to the show. She reminded me of Christina Applegate in "Sweet Charity": not really singer, but an okay to good actress. Her voice killed the show and each scene she was in. Andrea Burns would have killed in this role, but as a friend pointed out, she may have very well outshone Stamos. I loved Gershon in Boeing-Boeing, but this was not her niche. To Gershon's credit, she redeemed herself slightly towards the end of the show when she exaggerated her Spanish on Mae Peterson. Her comedic timing is good, but lets put it this way, Allison Janney sings like Celine Dion in comparison to Gershon.
I see why Roundabout paired the two actors as both a box office draw and the previous experience that each of them has with Roundabout, but even with previews... this birdie has a lot of flying to do before it gets off the ground.
Updated On: 9/10/09 at 11:04 PM