#1
Posted: 4/3/14 at 11:21pm
Was anyone else there? For me, this was a night to remember! One of the highlights of the theater season, for sure.
The second the overture started, I was just so overjoyed. The flawless score was brought to exuberant life by The Orchestra of St. Luke's and an overall fantastic cast. Nathan Lane was everything I imagined he'd be (and more) as Nathan Detroit. I never got to see the revival he led, so this was a long time coming for me and he exceeded my expectations. He was so charming, funny, charismatic, and everything that has become synonymous with the name Nathan Lane. Patrick Wilson's performance was probably a touch less stuffy and bland than he usually is. I think he's very talented (he sounded great musically) but there is a definite sameness to his performances. That was still evident here for me, but thankfully he was paired with a delightful Sierra Boggess, who made for a surprisingly funny and lovely Sarah. I was very impressed with her performance. And then there's Megan Mullally, who I have been dying to see as Adelaide for what seems like forever. She was absolutely phenomenal. It's kind of scary to think how good she would be if she had the leisure of a longer rehearsal and preview period. Because tonight, she was pretty damn perfect. The rest of the cast, particularly Christopher Fitzgerald (playing very much against type...very successfully) and Len Cariou (who delivered a wonderful rendition of "More I Cannot Wish You"), were just great.
A few missed cues, dropped lines, etc couldn't tarnish the absolute joy of this evening. It was very cleverly-directed, well-choreographed, and just an overall delight. All but gone are the horrid memories of that Des MacAnuff production. After tonight, I now have the memories of a mounting worthy of the legacy and history of GUYS AND DOLLS.
A side-note...I almost wanted to post a separate thread about this, but can we all PLEASE try to avoid leaning forward when we go to the theater? It is so incredibly inconsiderate to the people behind you. The seat directly in front of me was empty and during the overture, a woman moved over into that seat and leaned forward the entire evening. It wasn't even her seat and she obstructed my view. It's one of my biggest pet peeves. The $40 balcony seats are not going to have incredible views, but having someone in front of you leaning forward the entire night does NOT help. Sit back and deal with your mediocre view, like everyone else in the balcony has to.
The second the overture started, I was just so overjoyed. The flawless score was brought to exuberant life by The Orchestra of St. Luke's and an overall fantastic cast. Nathan Lane was everything I imagined he'd be (and more) as Nathan Detroit. I never got to see the revival he led, so this was a long time coming for me and he exceeded my expectations. He was so charming, funny, charismatic, and everything that has become synonymous with the name Nathan Lane. Patrick Wilson's performance was probably a touch less stuffy and bland than he usually is. I think he's very talented (he sounded great musically) but there is a definite sameness to his performances. That was still evident here for me, but thankfully he was paired with a delightful Sierra Boggess, who made for a surprisingly funny and lovely Sarah. I was very impressed with her performance. And then there's Megan Mullally, who I have been dying to see as Adelaide for what seems like forever. She was absolutely phenomenal. It's kind of scary to think how good she would be if she had the leisure of a longer rehearsal and preview period. Because tonight, she was pretty damn perfect. The rest of the cast, particularly Christopher Fitzgerald (playing very much against type...very successfully) and Len Cariou (who delivered a wonderful rendition of "More I Cannot Wish You"), were just great.
A few missed cues, dropped lines, etc couldn't tarnish the absolute joy of this evening. It was very cleverly-directed, well-choreographed, and just an overall delight. All but gone are the horrid memories of that Des MacAnuff production. After tonight, I now have the memories of a mounting worthy of the legacy and history of GUYS AND DOLLS.
A side-note...I almost wanted to post a separate thread about this, but can we all PLEASE try to avoid leaning forward when we go to the theater? It is so incredibly inconsiderate to the people behind you. The seat directly in front of me was empty and during the overture, a woman moved over into that seat and leaned forward the entire evening. It wasn't even her seat and she obstructed my view. It's one of my biggest pet peeves. The $40 balcony seats are not going to have incredible views, but having someone in front of you leaning forward the entire night does NOT help. Sit back and deal with your mediocre view, like everyone else in the balcony has to.
Updated On: 4/3/14 at 11:21 PM
