Beaches opens at Drury Lane Chicago — Page 3

A pity. That sequence could be its own show...LOL

Hope a cast recording is made

The film is such a guilty pleasure; that this is one instance in which I wish the authors threw good taste to the wind (beneath my wings?) and just went with a full-on recreation of the movie on stage.

It would be one fun schlock fest I would embrace with open arms.

I saw the show yesterday and found it to be much better than I anticipated. Drury Lane is so hit-or-miss for me and, more often than not, it’s usually a miss. I often find them to be missing a certain quality that makes them feel just below professional grade. “Beaches,” however, certainly has that quality, which was a very nice surprise.

The show could use a few cuts in the first act (there are a couple of montage-like numbers which I enjoy very much, but could definitely be shortened). A friend of mine suggested spending less time on when the girls are apart and show more of when they are actually together and I think that would be helpful.

But, otherwise, I really enjoyed the show. There were a few songs I really liked and I thought the book was quite good. For a show that could be taken to a really schmaltzy place, I thought the characters, relationships, and situations were kept, fortunately, very tied to reality. It was a nice surprise that I wasn’t expecting. I thought the events of the second act were handled very well – yes, I was crying like a baby for the last 15 or so minutes, but I never felt like the production was trying to manipulate my emotions.

I really, really enjoyed the quietness of the ending. It could have been overly dramatic, but I thought how it was all handled was even more poignant for its subtly.

The biggest thing this show has going for it is its heart. I cared about the friends right away (starting from right when they meet as children) and my love for them never let up.

And, Shoshana Bean and Whitney Bashor are wonderful. Their chemistry is excellent and they make this production what it is. Shoshana is really in her element in this part and she hits all the comedic moments while still grounding her character in reality. She is really fantastic in the role and, should this move to Broadway, I could see her (and possibly Bashor) being Tony nominee contenders.

I hope to see a further life for this show. It has a lot going for it and I think it would be a shame to not take advantage of having these two ladies as the stars of the show.

In regards to stage door, if you are facing the doors to the theatre, on the left is an entrance to a ballroom. If you go in there, there is a door the actors usually come out of (next to the Ladies’ room). However, my friend spoke to the ASM last night and she said that if you come and want to meet one of the ladies, let an usher know so they can tell the actors people are waiting. They don’t usually have people waiting for them, but if they know there are, they will come out.

Will this transfer to Broadway? I love Shosh Bean, but I'm really pulling for WHITNEY BASHOR. She deserves another shot on The Great White Way! Such a talent; her show at 54 Below was stunning.

If she doesn't land Beaches, what other shows does she have a chance with? Could she replace Kelli O'Hara in THE KING AND I?