Anyone who doesn't like the new Coalhouse's voice needs to see him up close. His face is incredibly expressive and he's just a joy to watch. I think he'll be fighting an uphill battle not because he doesn't have a lovely voice, but because he's not Stokes. And logically, you can't really expect anyone to compare, but it's inevitable that people will. I thought the performance was gorgeous and am very excited for the production to come to New York.
I also thought singing Happy Holidays in 80 degree weather was a little bit ridiculous. It's not like the show has to promote that it's about the holidays -- it's called White Christmas. They could have just done Let Yourself Go.
Normally, PHANTOM performs "Think of Me," so I don't get the criticism that they need a new song I admittedly hadn't been in a few years before yesterday, but I used to go every year for quite a while, and they always did either All I Ask of You or Music of the Night. So when they did All I Ask of You again yesterday, I also thought, "God, pick something else."
I thought Allie Trimm was very cute, and she's got a pretty voice. I so do not get Matt Doyle. John Stamos is awfully pretty.
I was disappointed not to see Brian sing Who I'd Be (is he even still in the show? I thought he had a few weeks left), but his understudy sounded great.
Was underwhelmed by Kerry Butler, but that wasn't really a song that showed her off, and it was a great way to end the concert. Wasn't particularly intrigued by Fela, which disappointed me, absolutely cannot wait for Finian's Rainbow, and remembered how much I love In The Heights.
I would have liked to see Avenue Q perform, having been under the impression yesterday morning that last night would be the end, just as one last hurrah with the community. But whatever.
I had a lot of fun; I'd stopped going for a while because it had gotten kind of lame and just not worth waking up at the crack of dawn for, but this year I went a little later. I wasn't right up front, but it was still fun, and really got me excited about the new season.
A work of art is an invitation to love.
Updated On: 9/14/09 at 11:29 AM