Broadway in Bryant Park Week 3 review.
Broadway in Bryant Park Week 3 review.
HBBrock
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/11/07
#1Broadway in Bryant Park Week 3 review.
Posted: 7/23/09 at 2:29pm
Back again from another fun afternoon in Bryant Park. After a change last night, Next to Normal switched dates with Wicked. Big let down being that I've been most excited to see Next to Normal and now they are performing on a date that I can't make it.
On to the show....
Vanities - Didn't imagine I would like this, but I actually thought the performance was pretty good. Catchy songs, but evidently it is already closing August 9th after just opening up last week.
Rock of Ages - Why did Rock of Ages not get the memo that all the shows are performing with the actual performers this year? So far, they have been the only show to perform with a lot of understudies. Too bad because they could have sold a lot of tickets with Constantine and Mitchell Jarvis there. Regardless, it was definitely a fun set. They did "High Enough" "Wanted: Dead or Alive" and "Don't Stop Believin'." Best part of the set was the fact that an 80 year old sitting in front of me put up a metal sign with his hand during "Don't Stop Believin." I thought Constantine's understudy wasn't anywhere near as good as he is vocal wise, but oh well. The show has been packing the house since it opened in April, so they should be fine. If you like 80's rock and Broadway and don't mind a lighthearted night out, it's an excellent show and one of my current faves playing now.
Mary Poppins - Scarlett Strallen - she was SO GOOD! Honestly, she was probably better than Ashley Brown who I loved in the role. They did "Practically Perfect" "Let's Go Fly A Kite" and "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious".....great job today, and great cast. It still amazes me watching them dance and spell out all the letters so fast - talented! And truthfully, I hate to say it - but this show definitely has that Disney magic.
Wicked - Another excellent cast. The new Elphaba - Dee Roscioli, was great as was the girl playing Glinda. They did "As Long As You're Mine" "Popular" and "The Wizard and I"...gotta say, the girl who did "Popular" actually got me to laugh out loud because she had some amazingly funny motions. She really got into it. Impressive being that I've heard the song 100 times.
Overall, this was the Broadway in Bryant Park show I enjoyed the most so far out of the 3 weeks. All great performances today. Still some issues with the sound as I was 10 rows back and it seemed pretty low in volume there.
Yankeefan007
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/20/04
#2re: Broadway in Bryant Park Week 3 review.
Posted: 7/23/09 at 2:39pmLaura Woyasz is the Glinda standby
HBBrock
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/11/07
HBBrock
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/11/07
#4re: Broadway in Bryant Park Week 3 review.
Posted: 7/23/09 at 2:40pmVanities is only supposed to run for a month (or less?)
lstbutifulgrl2
Broadway Star Joined: 10/10/07
#5re: Broadway in Bryant Park Week 3 review.
Posted: 7/23/09 at 2:47pmre: RoA and Constantine and Mitch being out. Constantine has been sick, and I believe Mitch is either sick or injured (I've heard both).
"Sometimes on the strip, the dreams you come in with, ain't the dreams you leave with" ~Rock of Ages
"I'm a butterfly, trivial and small, and in the greater scheme of things, I don't mean much at all." ~The Story of My Life
"Forget Regret, or life is yours to miss." ~Rent
"I'm a butterfly, trivial and small, and in the greater scheme of things, I don't mean much at all." ~The Story of My Life
"Forget Regret, or life is yours to miss." ~Rent
#6re: Broadway in Bryant Park Week 3 review.
Posted: 7/23/09 at 2:48pmGlad you liked Laura! I saw her as Glinda a few weeks ago and thought that she was great.
Yankeefan007
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/20/04
#7re: Broadway in Bryant Park Week 3 review.
Posted: 7/23/09 at 2:55pmUnless there is demand to extend (as there was for BECKY SHAW), the show only runs for a month or so.
#8re: Broadway in Bryant Park Week 3 review.
Posted: 7/23/09 at 3:00pmI have been incredibly disappointed with BBP this year. They have very bad line ups, the hosts are glass shattering, and it's all around bad. The first week was great with ITH and Q. The week after sucked. This week was okay.
AlliMauzeyFan87
Swing Joined: 7/23/09
#9re: Broadway in Bryant Park Week 3 review.
Posted: 7/23/09 at 3:15pmWas it not Alli that performed for Wicked then?
~*I've heard it said, that people come into our lives for a reason, bringing something we must learn and we are led, to those who help us most to grow, if we let them, and we help them in return*~
AlliMauzeyFan87
Swing Joined: 7/23/09
#11re: Broadway in Bryant Park Week 3 review.
Posted: 7/23/09 at 5:31pmThats a shame. I thought it was the actual cast that were performing in the shows this year, and not the understudies?
~*I've heard it said, that people come into our lives for a reason, bringing something we must learn and we are led, to those who help us most to grow, if we let them, and we help them in return*~
#12re: Broadway in Bryant Park Week 3 review.
Posted: 7/23/09 at 5:35pmwell Katie Adams did it last year too
brochatkid
Stand-by Joined: 5/10/08
#13re: Broadway in Bryant Park Week 3 review.
Posted: 7/23/09 at 5:39pm
I was there too. (Yay! I finally got to go to one.) I thought it was lots of fun. For me the biggest surprise was Dee Roscioli. She was so good. I think her acting was better than the other Elphabas' I've seen, and her voice was great too. She really gave it her all (probably because she is new on B'Way) and it really showed. I also loved Kevin Kern, BTW. I had never seen his Fiyero before.
As far as the other shows, I agree that Scarlett S. was great! Mary Poppins looks like fun.
Rock of Ages was great too. I did miss Constantine, but the standby was good as well. I loved Savannah Wise too. She has a great rock belt!
Vanities seems cute, and there was a lot of energy on the stage.
Overall, a great mid-afternoon treat!
Corine2
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/14/03
#14re: Broadway in Bryant Park Week 3 review.
Posted: 7/23/09 at 6:06pm
https://corinescorner.com/blog2/2009/07/broadway-in-bryant-park-video-coverage.htm
Hope you like it! 
dramamama611
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/07
#15re: Broadway in Bryant Park Week 3 review.
Posted: 7/23/09 at 6:40pm
Vanities was always scheduled to close on the 9th.
As far as performances....that's up to the performers. I'd love a chance to see understudies there...you can "test drive" a performance without buying a full price ticket! (Yes, I know you can't TOTALLY judge from it...but it's an indicator.)
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
yankees1253
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/21/07
#16re: Broadway in Bryant Park Week 3 review.
Posted: 7/24/09 at 1:53amalli might have been playing softball if they played today at central park.
#17re: Broadway in Bryant Park Week 3 review.
Posted: 7/24/09 at 2:04am
Vanities bored me, and did not make me want to see the show at all. All three songs sounded alike.
I enjoyed all the other performances, though, from all the shows.
The crowd favorite was clearly Rock of Ages, because the songs are all upbeat and known to the audience. I suspect they sold a lot of tickets today. Special shout out to Jeremy Jordan, who apparently filled in last minute for Constantine. He sounded FANTASTIC and I wanna see him in the role now!
JP2
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/2/07
#18re: Broadway in Bryant Park Week 3 review.
Posted: 7/24/09 at 2:12am
Jeremy Jordan is usually incredible, but he didn't sound to good today. No idea why.
Constantine had started getting sick last week, but kept coming to shows and has been getting progressively worse. Hopefully he feels better soon.
I also believe Mitch Jarvis has the flu.
#19re: Broadway in Bryant Park Week 3 review.
Posted: 7/24/09 at 2:22amQuestion, JP2....do you think Jordan will be going on as Drew tomorrow night? I want to see the show if he is.
lstbutifulgrl2
Broadway Star Joined: 10/10/07
#20re: Broadway in Bryant Park Week 3 review.
Posted: 7/24/09 at 7:14amBased on Constantine's twitter, he made it sound like he's going to try and be in all weekend. Jeremy Jordan has a facebook fan page and is usually pretty good about updating his status if he is going to be on at all.
"Sometimes on the strip, the dreams you come in with, ain't the dreams you leave with" ~Rock of Ages
"I'm a butterfly, trivial and small, and in the greater scheme of things, I don't mean much at all." ~The Story of My Life
"Forget Regret, or life is yours to miss." ~Rent
"I'm a butterfly, trivial and small, and in the greater scheme of things, I don't mean much at all." ~The Story of My Life
"Forget Regret, or life is yours to miss." ~Rent
JP2
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/2/07
#21re: Broadway in Bryant Park Week 3 review.
Posted: 7/24/09 at 10:22am
I'm gonna go with what lstbutifulgrl2 just said.
adamgreer, I do hope you get to see Jeremy though. He's amazing!
luvwicked
Understudy Joined: 7/29/05
#22re: Broadway in Bryant Park Week 3 review.
Posted: 7/24/09 at 10:45amI greatly enjoyed this week...definitely the best one so far! Next week should be OK...too bad n2n has been grouped with "blah" shows...
#23re: Broadway in Bryant Park Week 3 review.
Posted: 7/24/09 at 11:16am
Constantine was on for the show last night, and sounded great. I thought Jeremy Jordan did a really great job at the park, however having seen his Drew before, he wasn't quite at the level he normally is. His voice is incredible- absolutely just as strong as Constantine.
Mitchell Jarvis was on last night in the show too, but definitely sounded like he was just getting over something- which I'd guess is why he didn't do the park.
Updated On: 7/24/09 at 11:16 AM
#24re: Broadway in Bryant Park Week 3 review.
Posted: 7/24/09 at 11:21amThank you , ROA fans for all that information. I found the fan page and the Constantine twitter. I'll keep an eye on both of them!
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