GYPSY 7/10 and IN THE HEIGHTS 7/11

[Popular]

Posted: 7/11/08 at 7:05am

Hey all -

I'm not going to spend time writing an analysis of each song, etc...

Just wanted to say that I saw GYPSY last night and it was pretty darn incredible. I don't know if there were any flubs or special "Patti moments" because it was my first time seeing the show. As far as I know it all went smoothly - although one of the guys dropped a baton and Patti picked it up and handed it to him as though she was showing him how it should be done. The only thing that made me think that wasn't planned is because I totally saw her laughing in the wings... either way it worked perfectly with her character.

Glad I got to see the shows, isotoners and all! :)
Updated On: 7/12/08 at 07:05 AM

[jordangirl]

Posted: 7/11/08 at 7:40am

There is always a can dropped and a hat dropped. Usually she picks up the hat.

[Zeitoujo]

Posted: 7/11/08 at 8:27am

I'm glad you loved it! This show is pretty amazing. I've seen it 5 times already

[snl89]

Posted: 7/11/08 at 8:48am

I saw it Tuesday night, front row center, and um. There are NO words to describe that experience. Pretty much THE most incredible, pretty much flawless show I've ever seen

I'm glad you enjoyed it as well!!

[Zeitoujo]

Posted: 7/11/08 at 9:46am

Precisely sn

[OrdinaryJukebox]

Posted: 7/11/08 at 9:51am

I saw this on the 4th of July from the front row (God bless student rush). I didn't want to start a thread or try to review it because I would have just rambled on and on. It was masterful, that's pretty much all I can say. Patti LuPone and Laura Benanti are remarkable. I plan on going again! I'm glad you liked it; and, yes, the bit with the cane and hate are scripted bits.

-Vincent

[broadwayfan7]

Posted: 7/11/08 at 9:54am

So glad you had fun! Enjoy your time in the city!

[RyToast1]

Posted: 7/11/08 at 9:58am

I was there last night as well (my 12th time), and I thought the show was in excellent shape!

This was the first time I had seen the show since the Tony Awards; Laura was so dead on stellar last night. Her scene with Patti right after "The Strip" was her best yet.


PS...after the "Ladies and Gentlemen, Ms. LuPone has injured her foot..." the man behind me loudly proclaimed "OH SH*T!" Then, when they said the isotoners bit, there was a large sigh of relief.

[Zeitoujo]

Posted: 7/11/08 at 10:03am

LOL

[Greekmusicalfan]

Posted: 7/11/08 at 10:16am

I'm really glad you had fun and LOVED Patti, Popular ! I always knew you had GREAT taste !!
Updated On: 7/11/08 at 10:16 AM

[Ole Chum]

Posted: 7/11/08 at 6:20pm

i was there last night too. first time seeing any production of gypsy ever.

i was kinda underwhelmed. with the show itself, not this production. its hard to complain about how excellently done this entire production is- from top to bottom it was impressive. i just felt act 1 dragged on SO long- i was with a huge group of people and i was not the only one who felt this way.

towards the end of act 1, and for the rest of the show, i was hooked. such a great story, and the performances! out of this world.

I am surprised Boyd Gaines won the tony for what seems like a fairly small role- i thought hed have a big number to sing at some point, but he just got mad and left. i thought leigh ann larkin was fantastic with her deep dreary voice to contrast her fake singing persona.

obviously LaPatti was in fine form- she sounded great, and really really got into the character in a way i am not used to. (i loved her in sweeney todd but it was patti playing patti lovett). this was a whole other league. her Everythings Coming Up Roses was not as powerful as the tonys, and i actually was nervous because she sounded like she was struggling on Some People. But by the second act it was clear she was in good shape and Roses Turn just brought down the house. standing ovations all around me.

my absolute favorite performance though was Benanti. she just grew that character SO MUCH- it was three entirely different performances melded seamlessly together. when she really lost her cool at the end- there was an audible gasp in the audience when she pulled that off. just wow. and her "let me entertain you" was fantastic- what a voice! and what a body, by the way.

i just wanna give a special shout out to the girl who played baby louise. WHAT A BRILLIANT LITTLE PERFORMER- i just noticed her early on and watched her along the way... she really can act. i mean WOW.

[TDavis09]

Posted: 7/11/08 at 6:48pm

I absolutely adored Gypsy. I knew nothing about it other than Patti was in it and it's an "American Classic" so I decided if the first wasn't enough the second would seal the deal. So I went and fell in love. Patti is hilarious and Laura Benanti, during her "Let Me Entertain You" sang the second verse (I think) right to me, with eye contact! Ha ha, I was front row, stage-left.

One question, when Patti gets her ovation during the middle of Rose's Turn (which may not always happen), does she usually break character and blow kisses for about a minute and a half.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 7/11/08 at 7:36pm

One question, when Patti gets her ovation during the middle of Rose's Turn (which may not always happen), does she usually break character and blow kisses for about a minute and a half.

she's not breaking character. Rose has wanted to be a performer, and be loved by an audience, for her entire life. "Rose's Turn" is, in part, meant to be her showing that she's "got it". the audience's real response is what the imaginary audience is doing in Rose's fantasy. so, she's not really blowing kisses to the audience in the St. James, but the audience she imagined she just performed for.

I didn't explain that well; it got a bit meta.

[Greekmusicalfan]

Posted: 7/11/08 at 7:37pm

She DOESN'T break character doing that ! In her mind, Rose is performing to an adoring audience, so it is natural she is imagining the huge applause, that in reality comes for Patti's incredible performance ! This moment is pure magic, mixing theater with reality, for me ! Hope I answered your question !

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/11/08 at 7:41pm

Yeah. All post-Merman Roses bowed after ROSE'S TURN. It started with Lansbury. I love what LuPone and Laurents came up with.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 7/11/08 at 7:46pm

"I am surprised Boyd Gaines won the tony for what seems like a fairly small role- i thought hed have a big number to sing at some point, but he just got mad and left."

What? That probably the dumbest thing I've heard. Just because he didn't have some huge number and his role was smaller doesn't mean anything. Besides, he was nominated for FEATURED actor, not LEAD actor. His role wasn't even as small as you are making it out to be. And he just got mad and left? Huh? There was so much more to Boyd's role than that, and he had great chemistry with the other actors. The fact that he was amazing when he was onstage was enough to gain him the Tony nomination and ultimately, the win. Unless you were actually underwhelmed by his performance, I don't see the point in your statement.

Updated On: 7/11/08 at 07:46 PM

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 7/11/08 at 7:49pm

my heart breaks every time I see Boyd's Herbie tell Rose that he wouldn't marry her even if she got down on her knees and begged. he's...amazing.

[TDavis09]

Posted: 7/11/08 at 8:08pm

Oh okay, I understand it, thank


And about Boyd, I thought he did a great job however I didn't see anything as spectacular in his performance as I did in Laura's and Rose's. Not saying he didn't deserve the Tony at all, I think that men's roles are oftentimes harder to play because there are really only a few ways that male roles are written nowadays.

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 7/11/08 at 8:18pm

Yeah, it's really terrific.

[Patash]

Posted: 7/11/08 at 8:29pm

I was once asked to play Herbie in a production. I declined it as i considered it the most boring "nothing" role in the show. Then I say Boyd Gaines do it. Who knew it could be so meaningful? Been kicking myself ever since.

[chino]

Posted: 7/11/08 at 11:35pm

I saw it last July 5 Matinee... I was sitting at the balcony. Now I understand why people say its a bad sit. But it's the first time I've seen the show and I loved loved it. Having to see Patti, Boyd, Laura, Leigh Ann, Tony and the rest of the cast is such a life changing experience! Congratulations to all of them!

Only thing is, they did not come out to the stage door afterwards.

[Popular]

Posted: 7/12/08 at 1:55pm

Thanks, I am definitely enjoying my visit (minus a cold I am getting over).

Saw IN THE HEIGHTS last night - wow! I can see why people love this show too! Got standing room tickets and we were able to move to the front row for the 2nd act. We were standing with 2 other girls- for one of them it was her first show ever, and for the other one she kept on whispering to us "that's my story!" or "that's my grandmother's story!". She was weeping before the show even started. It was very sweet. If only to see a demographic that normally doesn't see theeater enojoy themselves, this show won me over.

[sondheimfan2]

Posted: 7/12/08 at 2:08pm

"Yeah. All post-Merman Roses bowed after ROSE'S TURN. It started with Lansbury. I love what LuPone and Laurents came up with."

It deeply saddens me that this has to be explained, especially to someone who saw the show. (heavy sigh)

[broadwayfan7]

Posted: 7/12/08 at 4:07pm

Gypsy and In The Heights! What a trip! Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

[Ole Chum]

Posted: 7/12/08 at 10:18pm

i didnt say he didnt deserve his tony, necessarily. he was fantastic in every scene he was in- i have NO complains about his performance, and agree it was pretty heartbreaking. hes a brilliant actor.

i was surprised with the size of the role, the relatively un-meatiness to it. Herbie isnt given all that much to do but stand back and let Rose steal the show- i completely understand that that is the point of his character, but was surprised that the raves of Boyd Gaines centered on such a small role. Not the first time that has happened, I was just surprised.

Benanti, like Boyd, was brilliant in every scene she was in in act 1, but was really allowed a chance to shine in the second act. I was just saying that Herbie's abrupt departure didn't afford Boyd Gaines the opportunity for an extended emotional moment or big number.

Millie, I am pretty sure I could go head to head with anyone here re: dumb comments. I know its hard for the theater crowd to contemplate a different opinion/observation, but I really dont think noticing that herbie is a relatively small role qualifies as "dumb." Stating the obvious- that hes a "featured actor"- in an attempt to argue with my comment, on the other hand...