Encores! 2023: LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA with Ruthie Ann Miles, DEAR WORLD with Donna Murphy, and OLIVER! — Page 15

I'm still processing LIGHT from yesterday - it was magnificent. By far my favorite theatrical experience of the year.

I'm not sure if it's commercial but I'm hoping this production has another life after Encores. It's brilliant.

bwayobsessed said: "After listening to the OBCR several times this week I feel very strongly that Gish sings Morrison out of the water. And honestly I think I prefer Anna to Kelli…"



I was thinking the same as I sat there this afternoon.



Also to touch on a comment about Ruthie's vocals. I thought they were stellar. I noticed the tempo change in songs which caused her to sing them differently than the original vocals were sung. I thought this was an excellent choice. It fit her, and the rest of the cast perfectly. It also stopped all of thos "AHH, AHH's" from feeling drawn out and tightened up. And yes, Ruthie's reprise of The Beauty Is, is just devastating.

I agree on Miles' steelier approach. For me it worked perfectly to lead up to Clara's outburst toward Margaret in Act II. And Zavelson's performance brought out that Clara had grown more than her mother thought. Perfect choices.

I saw this tonight and agree that enough can’t be said about Ruthie Ann Miles. She was magnificent. The original production is seared into my brain, but I love-love-loved Ruthie’s take on this role. While her vocal interpretation wasn’t Victoria Clark’s more operatic approach, it was always supported and motivated beautifully, and I loved that she used the written syncopations in Guettel’s score in a way we’ve never heard them previously (as heard in the pitch-perfect “Dividing Day” and searing “Fable” ). There were sobs during “The Beauty Is (Reprise)” because of the deep emotion that Ruthie tapped into; it was a special moment where the lines between character and actor blurred and we were witnessing something transcendent.

Watching Anna Zavelson in this was a star-is-born event. Ivan Hernandez brought sensuality and chemistry that almost made Margaret and Signor Naccarelli feel like the A couple. Andréa Burns fabulously mined every bit of comedy in her role. I liked Shereen Ahmed a lot but missed the stratospheric vocal lines Sarah Uriarte Berry sang in “Aiutami.” I thought James D. Gish sounded vocally tired and of all the Italian principals, he needed the most help with the Italian diction, including in his big featured moments (I found this to be true with Matthew Morrison too).

The orchestra was absolutely top-notch. Rob Berman did a phenomenal job on this production, not just in his considerate conducting but also in his music direction throughout.

I would love a full production of this. It was just as good people have said. It deserves future life. Congrats to all!

Updated On: 6/26/23 at 12:14 AM

I don't have anything substantial to contribute in praise of this wonderful and moving production, but I thought I'd add two quick notes:

(1) I may have missed it, but I don't think anyone has answered the question earlier in this thread about the overture. The version used in this production was the longer version heard on CD, with the snippets from the title song and "Passeggiata."

(2) My friend and I sat in Row H in the mezzanine, which is the first row of the rear section. For $60 this is the biggest theatrical bargain I've found in a long while: the sound is wonderful, the view is superb (if obviously not super close), and there's lots of leg room. I'll definitely jump on these seats the next time I see something at City Center.

BCfitasafiddle said: "Any word on if Victoria Clark went to the final Sunday evening performance? I know Kelli had posted they planned on going together before Kelli had to go out of town this weekend."

I can't directly answer your question, but I can confirm that after Sunday's Kimberly Akimbo performance (which I attended), Victoria Clark rushed out the stage door without signing any autographs and was dressed up to go to an event.

Kelli attended the dress rehearsal on Tuesday.

I was at stage door after the show on Sunday night when Victoria came out and Anna had been signing and she stopped briefly and they shared a super sweet moment privately as Victoria hugged her.

Sunday night was my first time seeing the show live and getting to hear the score performed live and it was simply glorious. Ruthie Ann’s performance was just stunning and I so hope this is not the last we see of this production with this fabulous cast.

Updated On: 6/27/23 at 12:49 AM

3NU said: "

• Ruthie, Anna, and James -- all lovely in voice -- bring a different sound to the musical thathelps itfeel more "modern" (not the right word, but nothing better is coming to mind). For instance, James'stenor reminded me a lot of Derek Klena,a vocal quality quite differentfromthat of Matthew Morrison and Aaron Lazar-- and one that may be more "familiar to the ear"today than it would have been18 years ago.
• Having been raised in an Asianculture, I was curious to see what specific influences Imightdiscern from Ruthie's performance, so frequently mentioned in the press leadup to this production. Apart from the Van Johnson bit, the differences I sawwere quitesubtle. For instance, I felt that Ruthie's vocal performance was not nearly as evocative as Victoria Clark's, but her understated characterization ofMargaret felt like a very Asian approach to the character (not the best explanation, I know... it's hard to describe). Also, her phone confrontation with Roy feltcompelling, given the inherent power dynamics of race and gender at play(particularly considering the time setting of the story).
• I'm curious what this production would have been like if it had another3 days of rehearsal.

It's interesting how people have interpreted their voices. I'm glad someone else noticed the "modern" sound, though I think of it less favorably as a lack of personality that seems to be favored by current musical theater programs prioritizing vocal power, clarity, and hitting all the notes. I liked the warmth of Ruthie's voice and the way she picked her moments, allowing her voice to show some strain when she was more emotional. But I agree with Skip23 that Anna bordered on screechy. It was a very bright loud soprano, powerful, but not an instrument I felt she was completely in control of. No sharp notes but definitely on the line and I don't think it was intentional to signal Clara's childish exuberance or anything. Gish just sounds like a Disney prince to me. Clean vocals, a little too perfect, not Italian. It didn't help that the rest of Fabrizio's family was so strong.

I do think there's a lot of potential and with more rehearsal they could find the depth of characterization and smooth over the rough edges. Watching Ruthie play Margaret, it was as if Kim (Miss Saigon) was written with the sensitivity and articulateness of Francesca (Bridges of Madison County). There was a similar subtle edge to Clara being seen as youthful and innocent and needing to be taken care of (beyond her accident) and the moments she chose to act more boldly or be disobedient. But I don't think ethnicity informed the performances very much because there wasn't enough rehearsal to establish that characterization and those choices. I do think there's potential in how the audience interprets those racial/gender dynamics and to build an interesting reading. I definitely saw the seeds of it.

The two non profit theaters have no relationship with one another. The Beaumont should bring in the Streetcar production from the UK if Paul Mescal is available from his film shoots.