I have to throw another word around....
Underwhelming.
I can recognize and appreciate Chita's talent for what it is/was, but this show, from a productiuon standpoint, was just bad. I saw it last night and was a little embarrassed that so many people left the theater at intermission.
Let's face it...we were all there just to see Chita. After leaving the show, I was left wondering if it wouldn't have been better to skip the show and just see Her at the Stage Door instead???
I found the whole production as slow moving as Chita is now, and, aside from a couple creative staging moments, Chita only seemed to connect with the audience while sitting down and telling a few humorous stage stories.
She looked and moved like the old woman She is, and I'm not criticizing that. Watching an old pro go through at least most of the motions can be fun to watch. But Her voice is gone too. It was almost uncomfortable at times to watch her straining to dance and sing. I found it strange that, not only did She try to sing a bunch of Her classic tunes, but they wrote a bunch of new material for Her to perform too.
We thought the show would have been better if Chita would have just told the memoirs/stories and introduced the scenes, while others sang and danced around her, recreating the moments of the past.
Highlights for me were the "Choreographers" segment, and the "West Side Story" medly. Her supporintg cast of dancers were very good, but they were not singers and did little to support Chita vocally when called upon. A group of background singers would have been very helpful here.
I am always glad to see a "living legend" whenever possible, and make a point of doing so when I can. I would have much preferred to see Chita behind a podium in a lecture hall, as She is engaging, likable, and easy to listen to. When She sang and danced, it seemed almost more of a distraction from her fun stories, which I could have listened to all night!
Kudos to the Marketing Department for this tour who are selling it as a "dance spectacular", when it really is more a Celebration of an Outstanding Career.
How lucky Chita is to be able to celebrate her life on stage every night.
CHEERS to the Woman!
JEERS to the Show!
"To love another person is to see the face of God!"
