GMF's CHORUS LINE and SPRING AWAKENING review !

[Greekmusicalfan]

GMF's CHORUS LINE and SPRING AWAKENING review !#1

Posted: 4/13/08 at 10:23pm

A CHORUS LINE
Well, we all know and love the show and I had a great time seing the revival on stage, since I was a baby when the original was playing ! It was great ! Jessica Lea Patty was on as Cassie and she did a great job ! Deidre Goodwin was perfect !! It was Michel Berresse's last show and he choked up on his BCEFA speech at the end, which was really emotional ! What a love letter to Theater this show is ! I realise that I have been a bit too generous in my review points, so, for the second week, I'm gonna be a bit more strict, so 7 out of 10 !

SPRING AWAKENING
Well, I wasn't planning to see it, but being here I've become more addictive, so, since tonight I had an opening, I grabbed a discounted great seat a couple of days ago ! I'm so GLAD I did ! I LOVED it !!! What a great score, wonderful cast and how about that incredible lighting ! No understudies tonight, yay ! Jonathan Groff is very talented and a hunk, but what is it with all the spitting ???? I had seen mentions of that before, but that was unbelievable !! It made the audience laugh at some inapproporiate moments, which I felt bad about ! Is that his thing or is he doing it as a part of the role, for some reason ? I wouldn't mind getting spit by that cutie, but it was hell for his cast mates and the front row people LOL
But as I said I am really happy I saw this fresh, energizing, unconventional show. 8,5 out of 10

[oohshizz146]

re: GMF's CHORUS LINE and SPRING AWAKENING review !#2

Posted: 4/13/08 at 10:25pm

I'm so glad you loved spring awakening, it was really the most touching show I have ever seen.

But really? 7 out of 10 for A Chorus Line? Wow, I thought it was better than that when I saw it.

What a great trip though! Two fantastic shows.

"I told you, NO Rodgers and Hammerstein!"- Bart Simpson

[shh282]

re: GMF's CHORUS LINE and SPRING AWAKENING review !#2

Posted: 4/13/08 at 10:27pm

I'm glad you got to see Spring Awakening, and boy yes. Jonathon spits like no other, I feel bad for the boy who's on top of him in the masturbation game scene, when I saw it the boy was like dodging the spit as best he good. but Jonathon is sooo sweet and so talented and so handsome that a little[ okay, alot] of spit is the price one must pay.

thanks for the review on a chorus line - I was hoping to see it before I leave for the summer and this confirms I plan too

[scaryclowns223]

re: GMF's CHORUS LINE and SPRING AWAKENING review !#3

Posted: 4/13/08 at 10:28pm

What an opportunity to see Michael Berresse's last show!

Glad you enjoyed them. I definitely noticed Groff's saliva profusion when I saw it (the lighting seems to highlight it), but I enjoyed the show just like you.

Enjoy your trip, it sounds like you're having an incredible time!

[jacobtsf]

re: GMF's CHORUS LINE and SPRING AWAKENING review !#4

Posted: 4/13/08 at 10:28pm

Any person who speaks English correctly will spit because of all of the consonants. Some spit more than others, especially when projecting.

David walked into the valley With a stone clutched in his hand He was only a boy But he knew someone must take a stand There will always be a valley Always mountains one must scale There will always be perilous waters Which someone must sail -Into the Fire Scarlet Pimpernel

[scaryclowns223]

re: GMF's CHORUS LINE and SPRING AWAKENING review !#5

Posted: 4/13/08 at 10:31pm

Well Jacob, that's true.

But John's spit looks like rainfall. It looks like a shower head on its highest setting. I mean, it's unnatural.

[Sorry to threadjack.]

[jacobtsf]

re: GMF's CHORUS LINE and SPRING AWAKENING review !#6

Posted: 4/13/08 at 10:33pm

I know, it is crazy. I am just letting GMF know that English is a very weird language (most other languages focus on the vowels) and that is what CAUSES the spitting.

David walked into the valley With a stone clutched in his hand He was only a boy But he knew someone must take a stand There will always be a valley Always mountains one must scale There will always be perilous waters Which someone must sail -Into the Fire Scarlet Pimpernel

[oohshizz146]

re: GMF's CHORUS LINE and SPRING AWAKENING review !#7

Posted: 4/13/08 at 10:36pm

Yeah, his spit is pretty ridiculous. I felt a little bit of it and I was 8 or 9 rows back! The price to pay for a gorgeous, talented JONGROFF!

"I told you, NO Rodgers and Hammerstein!"- Bart Simpson

[ACL2006]

re: GMF's CHORUS LINE and SPRING AWAKENING review !#8

Posted: 4/13/08 at 10:39pm

Berressee will be back when Mario Lopez is out for three weeks.

A Chorus Line revival played its final Broadway performance on August 17, 2008. The tour played its final performance on August 21, 2011. A new non-equity tour started in October 2012 played its final performance on March 23, 2013. Another non-equity tour launched on January 20, 2018. The tour ended its US run in Kansas City and then toured throughout Japan August & September 2018.

[snl89]

re: GMF's CHORUS LINE and SPRING AWAKENING review !#9

Posted: 4/13/08 at 10:40pm

yayy lovely reviews!

and hahaha, yeahh Groff is a spitter, it is true. I def don't think it's intentional though. I guess... he just naturally has a lot of saliva? lol. He also just uses really strong diction (which THAT I feel like is probably partly the character, as well as being typical good stage acting practice. Because I think Melchior is just very... blunt, in a lot of ways? you know what I mean? It just makes sense to me that, as a character, he'd be the type who speaks very strongly and clearly like that). So yeah... I think we can forgive him though, on account of he is amazing and gorgeous and a sweetie

I don't need a life that's normal. That's way too far away. But something next to normal would be okay. Something next to normal is what I'd like to try. Close enough to normal to get by.

[shh282]

re: GMF's CHORUS LINE and SPRING AWAKENING review !#10

Posted: 4/13/08 at 10:40pm

Does he have another job lined up?

[Greekmusicalfan]

re: GMF's CHORUS LINE and SPRING AWAKENING review !#11

Posted: 4/13/08 at 10:44pm

Really jacob ??? Wow, thanks for informing me ! So, I guess that ALL the other actors that I saw in the 10 shows I've seen so far, plus all the great people I've met from here, who don't spit AT ALL, are NOT speaking English correctly ??????

[oohshizz146]

re: GMF's CHORUS LINE and SPRING AWAKENING review !#12

Posted: 4/13/08 at 10:46pm

Yeah, shh, hes doing a Hair concert. =(

"I told you, NO Rodgers and Hammerstein!"- Bart Simpson

[IdinaBellFoster]

re: GMF's CHORUS LINE and SPRING AWAKENING review !#13

Posted: 4/13/08 at 10:47pm

Hair.

"Oh look at the time, three more intelligent plays just closed and THE ADDAMS FAMILY made another million dollars" -Jackie Hoffman, Broadway.com Audience Awards

[snl89]

re: GMF's CHORUS LINE and SPRING AWAKENING review !#14

Posted: 4/13/08 at 10:50pm

Really jacob ??? Wow, thanks for informing me ! So, I guess that ALL the other actors that I saw in the 10 shows I've seen so far, plus all the great people I've met from here, who don't spit AT ALL, are NOT speaking English correctly ??????

Welll, I DO think it's fairly typical of stage actors to spit at least some- and I think most probably do, but it's just not as noticable due to lighting and the fact that they probably don't spit as much :)

I just know that it's pretty common practice for actors to "strive for such clear diction that the spit flies". (obviously this is only on stage- I'd hope that in every day conversation in real life people are able to speak proper English without spitting lol!)

I don't need a life that's normal. That's way too far away. But something next to normal would be okay. Something next to normal is what I'd like to try. Close enough to normal to get by.

[jacobtsf]

re: GMF's CHORUS LINE and SPRING AWAKENING review !#15

Posted: 4/13/08 at 11:00pm

"Really jacob ??? Wow, thanks for informing me ! So, I guess that ALL the other actors that I saw in the 10 shows I've seen so far, plus all the great people I've met from here, who don't spit AT ALL, are NOT speaking English correctly ??????"

Actually, yeah. Americans (I am one) use a dumbed down version of English that does not stress the consonants. Technically one could argue that is not speaking English correctly. Groff has amazing diction (maybe even too much). Most actors now think that microphones are a cure-all and don't worry about speaking correctly.

By the way, GMF, I was in Greece a few months ago, amazing country, amazing people and AMAZING food (all the fresh vegetables, I am jealous). I have vowed to go back many times.

David walked into the valley With a stone clutched in his hand He was only a boy But he knew someone must take a stand There will always be a valley Always mountains one must scale There will always be perilous waters Which someone must sail -Into the Fire Scarlet Pimpernel

[jake6970]

re: GMF's CHORUS LINE and SPRING AWAKENING review !#16

Posted: 4/13/08 at 11:03pm

I've seen some other actors with pretty good diction that didn't spit that much. Kelli O'hara, Victoria Clark, even Lea Michele in the same show.

[broadwayfan7]

re: GMF's CHORUS LINE and SPRING AWAKENING review !#17

Posted: 4/13/08 at 11:14pm

Glad you had fun at both! Spring Awakening is one of my faves.

"Everytime you step on that stage it is somebody's first Broadway show and somebody's last Broadway show. Make it count."

[aliciag]

re: GMF's CHORUS LINE and SPRING AWAKENING review !#18

Posted: 4/13/08 at 11:24pm

I'm glad you had another great day of theater. And to catch Michael Berresee's last day is great luck!

As for the spitting, I am just always reminded of the Friends episode where Joey is acting with someone I can't remember and they practically end up having a spitting war (I think it was something about war). Anyways, it just makes me laugh!

[Greekmusicalfan]

re: GMF's CHORUS LINE and SPRING AWAKENING review !#19

Posted: 4/13/08 at 11:34pm

Well, Diction or not, it was a bit distracting, which is a shame cause he is really wonderful !!!
And jacob, so funny you mentioned vegetables !! I LOVE the vegetables here much more than back home, go figure LOL

[millie_dillmount]

re: GMF's CHORUS LINE and SPRING AWAKENING review !#20

Posted: 4/14/08 at 12:13am

Greekmusicalfan, I am very jealous of your list! If only I had the time (and money!) to see that many shows in NYC for a couple of week. Glad you are having fun!

"We like to snark around here. Sometimes we actually talk about theater...but we try not to let that get in our way." - dramamama611

[LePetiteFromage]

#21

Posted: 4/14/08 at 12:43am

Updated On: 5/6/09 at 12:43 AM

[verynewyorkcurious]

re: GMF's CHORUS LINE and SPRING AWAKENING review !#22

Posted: 4/14/08 at 3:11am

GMF, any understudies for ACL aside from Jessica Lea Patty? Let me rephrase that, Who were the understudies for ACL? I've seen the show 3 times, and not once did I not get an understudy.

When I saw ACL last Sunday, in At The Ballet, Deidre Goodwin sung, “Though she was 22, she hated him,” not the correct line “she married him.” I would think that after a year and a half, people are less prone to making mistakes. It didn’t bother me though, she probably was just distracted at first.. She delivered the rest of her performance.

My favorite on the show has to be Natalie Cortez though.

[broadwayrob]

re: GMF's CHORUS LINE and SPRING AWAKENING review !#23

Posted: 4/14/08 at 3:58am

i saw ACL saturday .. so amazing.. also i don't see what the fuss is about Charlotte.. so many people have talked about how awful she is.. i thought she was absolutely fantastic.

personal preferences are such an amazing thing

anything you do let it come from you and it will be new.

[twitchy+bitchy+manic]

re: GMF's CHORUS LINE and SPRING AWAKENING review !#24

Posted: 4/14/08 at 5:35am

thanks for the reviews and everything, and sorry to mention this, but it's been bugging me for a while. GreekMusicalFan, does your computer not have a full stop in it? It seems every sentence ends with a ! or a ?. Really, after a while, with all those exclamations, they lose their effect.

But i am very jealous of all the shows you are getting to see.