CapnHook's Thoughts on Dead Man's Cell Phone, Passing Strange, (August: Osage County, In The Heights, Gypsy, and Next to Normal)

[CapnHook]

Posted: 3/2/08 at 12:27am

I saw DEAD MAN'S CELL PHONE and PASSING STRANGE today. I'll be seeing the other shows mentioned in the following days. Here's my thoughts on the two thus far:

DEAD MAN'S CELL PHONE

I've read THE CLEAN HOUSE and EURYDICE and have seen EURYDICE at Second Stage. I *LOVE* Ruhl's work and will finish reading her plays on my plane ride home. That being said, I enjoyed CLEAN HOUSE and EURYDICE more than this play.

Mary-Louise Parker and Chalfant are AMAZING talents!! So so so good.

The play had its usual Ruhl charm, but I found it to be too close to the borderline of uninterestting/unengaging. Parker's character was unique, but I didn't really care for any of the action in the story. Perhaps it was because things were too abrupt? It's was a good production of a decent play but wasn't anything above and beyond amazing, such as what CLEAN HOUSE is (IMO).


PASSING STRANGE

First, I must say that James Lipton and Dave Chappelle were in the audience and sitting right next to each other. Hilarious.

OK, so there may be spoilers below, and these comments will only make sense to who saw it anyway:

- The opening of the play takes too long to get me interested in the story. This, combined with the format of storytelling, can be a turn-off. However, I quickly became engaged halfway through the first act and my jaw dropped many times.

- Overall, I don't think it's anything that is BRILLIANT as many are claiming. I think it's a "new" format of storytelling FOR BROADWAY but it's just mediocre (speaking overall). That being said, there are MANY moments, frequent moments, that are thrilling. What killed the show for me was that they were not consistent. I didn't like some of the songs nor the way it sounded (not to be confused with the style of music, but the singer's voices is what I am referencing).

- I admire Crew a lot, and think his story is beautiful. "Life's a mistake only art can correct." Jaw-dropping moment. However, I didn't like Crew's voice most the time. It seemed like he was half-assing his singing contribution to the show for 75% of it. The rest of the actors: T-A-L-E-N-T-E-D!

- I *HATED* Kevin Adams' lighting design in the respect that it's now a gimmick. His neon lights were brilliant for SPRING AWAKENING, but now to bring them to PASSING STRANGE is eye-rolling.

- The audience was about 75-80% full. I sat in the very front row Orch Left. I wish I were further back so I could see the full stage and not have the actors shout and sing in my face (which I enjoyed, but would prefer sitting back).

Those are my initial thoughts. I think EVERYONE should see this show as it IS something "new" (for BROADWAY) and does tell a compelling story. Be prepared for a show that takes some initial adjusting to but will ultimately have you captivated.

[jaystarr]

Posted: 3/2/08 at 12:29am

Thanks Cap.. I love your thoughts on PASSING STRANGE! I might see Sarah Ruhl's THE CLEAN HOUSE tommorow in Watertown, MA.

J*

[Heybeenfood]

Posted: 3/2/08 at 12:59am

It would be STEW not Crew.

[Liverpool]

Posted: 3/2/08 at 1:09am

are the parentheticals coming later.

[Caroline-Q-or-TBoo]

Posted: 3/2/08 at 2:47pm

I'm so over Ruhl.

She's good... but she is not the frickin second coming. I always wonder if people actually listened to eurydice or just marvelled at the prettiness of it.

[broadwayfan7]

Posted: 3/2/08 at 2:54pm

Thanks for sharing!

[CapnHook]

Posted: 3/2/08 at 11:37pm

Liverpool, yes, I'm about to post my thoughts on AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY and IN THE HEIGHTS - both of which I saw today.

[LimelightMike]

Posted: 3/2/08 at 11:40pm

In my opinion, the lighting design is more meaningful and poignant to PASSING STRANGE than it is/was to SPRING AWAKENING... That's just my .02, of course.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 3/2/08 at 11:44pm

LimelightMike - I considered if the design for PASSING STRANGE were to preceed SPRING AWAKENING, which one would I think were more suitable for the show?

After thinking a bit, I'd definitely say SPRING AWAKENING.

In PASSING STRANGE, the neon worked best for the "Amsterdam" song and that's it. In Berlin, when they lowered a light-fabric curtain and LED lights reflected behind, that was another nice moment in lighting. Everything in Adams' design "worked" but was a gimmick to me.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 3/3/08 at 12:11am

AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY

LOVED LOVED LOVED LOVED it!

Before I get to the show, I must comment on two things regarding the house management:

1) I bought a Rear Mezz ticket which was a full view, even if it was WAY up there. I didn't know it was THAT high up and I don't do well with heights. It gave me a headache and I felt uneasy the entire time. So at the first intermission I sought the house manager and asked if I could be reseated ANYWHERE downstairs. He was extremely nice and told me that I could sit in the back. I sat dead center in the very last row of the Orch and felt much much better.

2) Sitting back there for Act 2 and 3, the consessions staff was VERY noisy during the show, preparing for the next rush or whatnot. Not cool. They distracted from very quiet moments.

LOVED LOVED LOVED this show. The acting was TOP NOTCH. The script was refreshing. The set design was functional and impressive. Not much to say that hasn't been said here already in other threads. We need more plays like this.


IN THE HEIGHTS

I didn't enjoy this as much as I thought I would. I lost the lotto (thanks Andy again for trying for me!) and it wasn't on TKTS. I only had 45 minutes between getting out of AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY to make it to this show. I stood outside the Richard Rogers Theatre for 44 minutes just hoping something would happen. Finally, a woman exits the theatre saying that she is trying to sell one ticket. I got it for $31. Can't believe my luck.

My thoughts:

--The music is amazing. The choreography is great. The set and lighting are terriffic. And I'm glad we have a new "flava" of story.

--I thought some elements of the book needed desperate work. Worst moment of the show for me: the end. SPOILER: so Usnavi just INSTANTLY decides to stay just from seeing the mural? WAY too abrupt.

So far this season, I enjoyed XANADU > PASSING STRANGE > IN THE HEIGHTS.

[thetinymagic2]

Posted: 3/3/08 at 12:14am

Sort of like Doyle's so-called gimmicky direction, CapnH, once a charm, after that......??? I LOVED Sweeney, and COMPANY. I agree w/you regarding the lighting in PS, although the Berlin segment is VERY grayish, and the contrast to Act I is effective.
BTW, the more I watch (and work) at PS, the more I would like a printed "Libretto." Stew's poetry is still stunning to me. Every performance, I hear more great stuff.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 3/3/08 at 1:36am

I don't think I'd consider the lighting in Passing Strange a gimmick. I just don't think it fits the defintion of the word. If he tried to apply the lighting to, say, Cat On A Hot Tin Roof then we might have a gimmick.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 3/3/08 at 6:30am

"--I thought some elements of the book needed desperate work. Worst moment of the show for me: the end. SPOILER: so Usnavi just INSTANTLY decides to stay just from seeing the mural? WAY too abrupt."


THANK YOU.

[bschneid76]

Posted: 3/3/08 at 7:28am

My question is, did the Off-Broadway production of In The Heights end the same way? My thought was that the mural struck him so much that he really saw no need to leave the place where his friends and family were. I'm curious how the original production ended. I thought the show was fantastic and I really didn't see any other way that it could have ended.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 3/3/08 at 11:36am

I, too, couldn't see any other way for the show to end and I was rooting for Usnavi to stop being dumb and stay. It's just HOW he decided.

Seeing the mural could have been fine...IF he had a song or scene showing that he would be sad to leave. But he didn't. He never showed any signs of a deep longing to stay. In fact, he was ELATED to leave.

[shesamarshmallow]

Posted: 3/3/08 at 11:54am

Ok, so these lyrics obviously aren't exact, but even before he sees the mural he sings this:

"Lights up on Washington Heights, the crack of dawn, the blackout goes on and on and on. Sonny's out back sorting the trash as I think about the past with this sack full of cash. Abuela really wanted me up on the beach with margaritas in my reach and soon that's how it's gonna be, me leaving today on a 747 boarding JFK. ... There's a breeze off the Hudson and just when you think you're sick of living here, the memory floods in, the morning light off the fire escapes, the nights in the park blasting tapes - I'ma miss this place, to tell you the truth - Kevin dispensing wisdom from his dispatch booth, Vanessa at the salon. We gotta move on, but who's gonna notice we're gone? Now our job's done, as the evening winds up to a crawl, son, can I ease my mind when were all done. When we resign in the long run, what do we leave behind? Most of all I'll miss Abuela's whispers, doing the lotto pix 6 every Christmas. In five years when this whole city's rich folks and hipsters, who's gonna miss this raggedy little business?"

So the mural's the straw that breaks the camel's back.

[Kelly2]

Posted: 3/3/08 at 12:00pm

Re: ITH

SPOILERS

Usnavi doesn't decide to stay just because he sees the mural, it's not like a snap decision. You can tell he was already not completely sold on leaving from how he was talking about it earlier, and then after everything happens with Vanessa, he's DEFINITELY like thinking on it a bit harder, and after seeing the mural, it reminds him of what he's leaving behind and that he doesn't necessarily have to go to the beach to be home, and that his home is where his memories are and where his friends and family are. I think the ending makes perfect sense.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 3/3/08 at 12:52pm

I agree there was SOMETHING but it was too little.

shesamarshmellow - you just reminded me of another comment I wanted to make:

The "rap" music was fine style-wise and I am pleased Usnavi pronunciated every word (...almost). I could follow him 85% of the time, however because of the style of the music, some of his words slurred together and it was difficult to understand what he was saying.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 3/3/08 at 1:01pm

See, I'm all in agreement with Hook. He may have said something, but I didn't catch the lyric.

[blaxx]

Posted: 3/3/08 at 2:25pm

Is Crew Stew's understudy?

[CapnHook]

Posted: 3/5/08 at 2:40pm

Of all the shows I've seen mentioned in this thread, in addition to XANADU - the only other show I have seen from this new season - I must say that NEXT TO NORMAL is probably what I would consider to be "the best." Not my favorite, my favorite would go to XANADU, but in terms of being impressive overall - the award goes to NEXT TO NORMAL.

The story is compelling and elements definitely struck chords with me. The music is nothing new stylistically, but is top notch rock. The way it is used to tell the story is perfect.

The set design works very well - I love it. I also enjoyed Kevin Adams' lighting design, although we can now confirm Adams DEFINITELY has a gimmick of using the neon lights/bulbs. It's not neseccarily a bad thing, but SPRING AWAKENING/PASSING STRANGE was way too similar. At least for NEXT TO NORMAL it was bulbs and not tubes.

The cast is AMAZING, too. Alice Ripley is a musical theatre goddess. Brian D'Arcy James adds another triumphant role to his resume. And the rest are also TERRIFFIC! Wherever Aaron Ttveit's next production is, I will be flying out to see him in it. His voice, his performance, his looks - amazing x3.