I went this expecting nothing but escapism and gladly it was all that I ot.
I was surprised about the fact that I was already hooked by the score here in Brazil but especially the wordplay works even better live, it's funny without much effort and smart when it tries to make an effort.
Michelle Williams is not a natural at comedy, but she serves diva realness with plenty of freshness, and her voice really impressed me. Christopher Sieber is always realiable and did great with a role that could easily been such 'there'.
Simmard is perfect, I've seen her twice before (Mean Girls and Company) and it is as if the role it built on all of her strenghts as an actor but Megan Hilty is freakin' hilarious. She doesn't miss a joke, her voice is crystal clear, her physical comedy is impeccable, and she manages to draw even more attention when she's doing the book scenes.
Christopher Gattelli is an actor turned choreographer who is now making his debut as a director, and all of these experiences are reflected in his works. Of course his sense of space to deliver this "old Broadway classic" is essential for the play to work. It's as if he doesn't allow any empty space or wasted time in the work. And for such a big musical, it works. The set design is less attractive than the costumes, which are more of a Paul Tazewell splurge, but overall it's clear that the $30 million was well spent here.
That staircase scene is AMAZING, it's an extremely entertaining night, which is what it sets out to be.