Clinton the musical

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 3/30/15 at 10:21pm

Not since Lucky Guy at The Little Shubert has there been a more audacious, brazenly tacky, hysterically awful musical as Clinton the musical. I loved (almost) every minute of it.

In a star, or rather Starr turn for the ages, Kevin Zak gave a performance which can only be described as indescribable. His act one showstopper "A Starr is Born" had my jaw on the floor and cheering by the end.

Veronica Kuehn turns Monica Lewinsky into a dancing and singing sensation with I'm F*CKing the F*CKing President (oh yeah, uh huh!).

Judy Gold had the honor of playing Linda Tripp, who was obsessed with Christmas, which I don't remember, but I guess could have been true. It lead to the best sight gag of the night...


SPOILER

Linda crosses the stage holding THE dress with a cum stain the size of Montana on it all the while singing, Do You See What I See?

END SPOILER


Kerry Butler is fun as Hillary, and the piece mainly serves to show that she was the one running the country and the person we should be voting for in the cumming, sorry coming election. (Yes, she gets to sing a double entendre song about BALANCING THE BUDGET!)

I think the authors just strung together the cold openings of every Clinton SNL scene in the 90's and it added up to this 100 minutes.

It was stupid, but I laughed, groaned and ultimately applauded in rapture. I fear, like the brilliant Lucky Guy, this won't be long for this world, but I hope it gets a recording of some kind, if only so I can hear Monica's Song again.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 3/30/15 at 10:31pm

Finally a show with some class.

[LightsOut90]

Posted: 3/30/15 at 11:38pm

no surprise the lead producer is Ken Davenport.

[Elfuhbuh]

Posted: 3/31/15 at 12:07am

Oh my God. XD

[uncageg]

Posted: 4/9/15 at 2:44pm

Whizzer,  Linda Tripp and her husband have been owners of a Christmas shop. 

[tazber]

Posted: 4/9/15 at 2:59pm

It sounds like a blast. 

I love cheeky little shows like this.

[gleek4114]

Posted: 4/9/15 at 3:12pm

^ Same! I really hope this is still playing when I come into town. How has it been selling?

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 4/9/15 at 3:17pm

Seeing it Sunday.

[LimelightMike]

Posted: 4/13/15 at 1:10am

BUMP!

 

Any more reviews from hose who've seen it? EW gave it an "A-". Impressive!

[Sally Durant Plummer]

Posted: 4/13/15 at 1:45am

I want to see this so bad.

[Kad]

Posted: 4/13/15 at 11:18am

I saw it on Saturday night.

This is an example of a show that sets its bar very low and absolutely nails it. It's tacky and stupid and brash and more than a little obvious, but incredibly entertaining- it's the sort of thing the off-Broadway scene is missing nowadays. And, despite being mostly about the Lewinsky affair, manages to be extremely timely- not just because Hillary's ambitions are front and center, but in its depiction of Newt Gingrich's obstructionist Congress and partisan politics.

Kevin Zak does steal the show as Kenneth Starr, played as a mix of Saturday morning cartoon villain, Ursula the sea witch, and dominatrix.

And "Monica's Song" is a definite highlight, as well.

In the words of its opening song, its "awful-awesome."

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 4/13/15 at 11:37am

Saw it yesterday. Totally agree, it is fun. Great way to start the political season

[nasty_khakis]

Posted: 4/23/15 at 12:05pm

Consider me in the Kevin Zak fan club after seeing this last night. Wow. Quite the impressive body...of work. Seriously, his Nosferatu-like posture and hands, his flexible voice, and comic timing were all very impressive. He had me actually rooting for Starr.

The show was pretty-ok material, but the cast sold it well. Kerry Butler is, as expected, singing her face off and nailing the laughs, but what is with her speaking voice? The voice she affects did not remind me of Hillary in the slightest, but, then again, no one was supposed to be giving spot-on accurate portrayals.

[ClydeBarrow]

Posted: 5/22/15 at 3:13pm

I wanted to put my two cents in on this so it doesn't seem like I'm turning into AfterEight and hating everything I see. I saw this last week and really enjoyed myself. I'm not super political but I grew up during this scandal so it was all stuff I remembered. 

Don't come in expecting anything highbrow because it's a show about a president who is famously known for a cum stain. All the songs are pretty hilarious and memorable. 

The cast is all stellar but the obvious stand out is Kerry Butler. My faith has been renewed in her after that last misstep (UNDER MY SKIN) and she's KILLING it as Hillary.

I was pretty shocked that this isn't playing on one of the larger houses in New World Stages (Stage 1) but it turned out to be a good fit for the show.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 5/22/15 at 6:50pm

Glad there will be a cast album this summer.

Now all we need is one for Dr Z. Never thought Clinton would be the one being recorded over Dr Z.

[broadwayboy223]

Posted: 5/23/15 at 3:38pm

If this can be recorded God i hope someone takes pity and records Doctor Zhivago

[Kad]

Posted: 5/23/15 at 7:21pm

Well, Clinton received positive notices and isn't a financial hemophiliac. It is also doubtlessly cheaper to record the small cast and band of Clinton than the epic Zhivago. Apples and oranges here.

It's also being recorded by Ghostlight/Sh-K-Boom, a niche label, which often records off-Broadway shows that wouldn't be recorded otherwise.

Someone needs to pony up hundreds of thousands of dollars and a label has to be convinced to produce a Dr. Z recording. And I doubt anyone is willing to spend any more money on such a dud.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 5/23/15 at 10:12pm

Dr Z is a doctor who has lost his license and will never be heard from again.

[ClydeBarrow]

Posted: 6/5/15 at 1:05pm

Looks like CLINTON: THE MUSICAL will end its run on Sunday, June 21. I attended last night's performance and the doors opened late because there was a production meeting so I had a pretty good idea that was the case. Even though it must have been rough for the cast to perform right after hearing the news everyone gave it their all. Good luck to everyone involved.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 6/5/15 at 1:12pm

A shame this is closing

Hopefully, the cast album will be released anyway

[gleek4114]

Posted: 6/5/15 at 8:52pm

Bummer. I really wanted to see this in the fall, but I wasn't sure how it was doing financially. If anyone goes before it closes, could you grab me an extra playbill? I'd be happy to pay for shipping.

[broadwaysfguy]

Posted: 6/5/15 at 9:16pm

this was a really fun show, with suprisingly well crafted songs....

Especially if you are at all interested in politics, do go see this before it closes....

 

 

 

[mamaleh]

Posted: 6/6/15 at 12:02pm

Didn't know it was closing.  Glad I'm catching it this weekend.

[Kad]

Posted: 6/6/15 at 12:06pm

Sad that this didn't catch on. I saw it twice, and it's just a fun time out. Fortunately, we'll be getting a cast recording out of it!

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 6/6/15 at 2:03pm

May have had more success had it opened next year in the heat of the election.