Did anyone go this morning? I got there after it started and the crowd only filled one block up to "The Lion King". Some people were watching back by TKTS on the CNN screen, but I stood on 45th street, front and center and there was no one behind me. The pen of people in front of me by "The Lion King" was empty toward the back and people were leaving throughout. This year was not like I've seen it before. Updated On: 9/13/09 at 02:25 PM
LOVED: Hair, Next to Normal, Rock of Ages, Bye Bye Birdie, Ragtime, Finian's Rainbow
HATED: Burn the Floor, Fela!, The Fantasticks, Phantom of the Opera
Other thoughts: Phantom needs to pick a new song, Jersey Boys was such a weird choice for them, I wish Hair had done a group number instead, Michael McKean was awful and could not pronounce anyone's name correctly, Kerry Butler looked like she was out of the 60s rather than the 80s but she sounded good
"This table, he is over one hundred years old. If I could, I would take an old gramophone needle and run it along the surface of the wood. To hear the music of the voices. All that was said." - Doug Wright, I Am My Own Wife
It was a pretty mixed bad today. I think Next to Normal came off the best, and their performance would actually sell some tickets.
Deidre Goodwin truly injected some life into Chicago and it almost made me want to see it again.
Allie Trimm and company sounded great on One Boy, but it was the wrong song choice for an event like this, as were many of the song choices.
Fela! unfortunately didn't come off all that well, but I think it's the type of show that is difficult to showcase a number out of context. This will definitely be the Passing Strange of the season. It will polarize audiences and be loved by the critics.
Marie: Don't be in such a hurry about that pretty little chippy in Frisco.
Tony: Eh, she's a no chip!
FELA was boring and the song was terrible. The Ravioli girl was good but I disliked some of her slides into notes. Kerry Butler is a Goddess and she is goona fit into ROA like a glove. That N2N song has also been way overdone and makes no sense out of context. BIRDIE was fine, that's a wonderful song and except for some of the additional vocals, it worked just fine. Does anyone remember when Chad Kimball was cute? Caissie Levi was Super and a real highlight. CHICAGO looked terrific, the dancers were spot on. I didn not like the new Coalhouse's voice at all. BURN THE FLOOR was hot. POTO has no choice, every song is a cliche by now, but Jennifer Hope Wells looks and sounds like an angel. Loved FINIAN'S RAINBOW. Does Matt Cavanaugh have more than one facial expression?, From where I was both Hoseffina and Matt were off the music quite a bit. But why quibble? It was a great event, perfect weather and TONS of confetti!
I loved RAGTIME. FELA! made me want to see it, if only because I believe there's a more exciting number in there. Deirdre Goodwin was my favorite part of CHICAGO by far. She's really got an interesting Velma.
Forgot one: MEMPHIS. It grabbed my interest. And, I thought the JERSEY BOYS number was adorable. Probably didn't do much to market the show, but it was fun.
Beth Leavel, although a great voice, sounded like Liza with some of her vocal choices both in the "Mamma Mia" and Finale numbers. All in all, today was disappointing. Updated On: 9/13/09 at 04:49 PM
I adore Beth Leavel, but she is so wrong for that role. It just did not sound right at all. Which is too bad cause I really wanted her to be good.
"This table, he is over one hundred years old. If I could, I would take an old gramophone needle and run it along the surface of the wood. To hear the music of the voices. All that was said." - Doug Wright, I Am My Own Wife
You know ashley0139, I adore her too, but I am more worried about her effing up her voice in this show. How many songs does Donna sing, like 10 or something? And they are almost all belt? The track record for what that role has done to voices isn't exactly encouraging.
My understanding about her and Minsky's is that the show keeps getting pushed back in terms of opening. I don't think she's supposed to be in MM for longer than 6 months but I could be wrong.
Though I wouldn't picture Leveal in that role, she sounded great, she seems to be a belter who knows what she is doing and didn't sound strained or forced at all.
Though I found a few faults, it was overall very entertaining, c'mon 21 songs from Broadway??? Free!!!!! A lot of people were taping around me, videos should start popping up soon.