#1
Posted: 1/7/09 at 5:03pm
GYPSY
St. James Theatre
Sunday, January 4th, 2009
3:00 PM
SEATING: I was so happy that I finally got to see this show in the week before its scheduled closing! My friend and I went to the theatre at 10:30 to wait for student rush, and we were towards the front of the line. There were only ten to fifteen people in front of us at maximum. We ended up in the second row of the right box – a great deal for $27.
TECH: I was very excited to hear the orchestra, though I was just the slightest bit upset that I could not see the brass section or conductor from my seat. Also, I was shocked that I could see off into the stage right wing almost completely. At the beginning of the show, I could see cast members waiting for their initial entrances. This is one of my biggest pet peeves about high school theatre, and I was expecting that the sight lines would not be a problem in a professional production. Throughout the show, it continued. I was able to see both Baby June and Dainty June at the same time during that blinding transition, which ruined the effect for me. I could also see a bunch of the props set-up in the wings. In general, I was surprised at how much of the technical aspect of the show you can see from sitting in the boxes. Additonally, I thought it was strange that the set was moved by the cast at many spots. I don’t know if there was a reason they chose not to automate it as is the standard nowadays. Finally, having those two crew members come out at intermission was completely unnecessary. That could have waited until after the show. Despite all of this, the lighting and costuming was fantastic, and there was only one minor sound glitch that I noticed (when one young boy’s mic was not nearly loud enough and the volume suddenly increased to the proper level towards the end of his line). Overall, these slight technical issues did not significantly bring down the quality of the show, and they would be my only complaint about the show.
CAST:
Patti LuPone is no doubt one of the most talented singers/actresses on Broadway right now. She received HUGE entrance applause, which I did not understand immediately because I couldn’t see her from where I was until she was climbing onto the stage. At some points, she seemed oddly flat, which may have been because she was holding back. I’m not quite sure. However, her “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” and “Rose’s Turn” were phenomenal, just as I had expected. At the stage door, she was very nice to me and my friend who were up against the barricade. With people practically throwing things at her to sign, however, she got annoyed fairly quickly. Her son was there, carrying her bags for her. I can't believe she drives home to Connecticut after every performance.
Laura Benanti is exceptional, though I feel that Little Lamb is a useless and horribly awkward part of the score. I also feel that in the writing of the show, her character arc isn’t really an arc, but more of just an abrupt change that suddenly happens during “The Strip.” I was upset that she did not come out of the stage door, so I could not get her signature. But she was supposedly sick, so that is understandable. (She did cough at one point while she was watching Tony in "All I Need is the Girl".)
Boyd Gaines is decent. I don’t see why people are so ecstatic over his performance. He did his job, and that’s that. He did not come out of the stage door afterwards.
Leigh Ann Larkin’s “If Mama Was Married” was one of the highlights of the first act. She is not only great in her role, but also probably the nicest person I’ve ever met in my life. At the stage door, she stayed for fifteen minutes after everyone else had left to talk to me, my friend, and these three other kids that we had met there. She signed our Playbills and voluntarily gave us hugs before she left, without us even asking. Whatever she’s in next I will have to go see. (She said she has another project lined up for after GYPSY, but she wouldn’t say what it was since it is not official yet.)
Tony Yazbeck was fine as Tulsa. His dancing in “All I Need is the Girl” was unbelievably good. Personally, I feel his role is underwritten, particularly in his relationship with June. I hate how there is no resolution there by the end of the story, as intentional as that may be. Tony did come out of the stage door, but he left immediately. He was seemingly in a hurry to go somewhere.
The three strippers were hilariously perfect. Lenora Nemetz signed my Playbill, and we were talking about trumpet, since I’ve been playing for many years now. She plays extremely well (and LOUD) for having never played before.
The ensemble was very clean and tight. I was impressed with the sound, considering there is never really a full ensemble number. I met Emma Zaks after the show, but I didn’t realize that it was her until the girl standing next to me told me. I thought that was funny. She was basically the only ensemble member who stayed to sign Playbills because she probably thought a) she was entitled to because b) people would recognize her. While neither is true, she was surprisingly a sweetheart, despite how much of a diva she was on MTV.
OVERALL: 4.5 / 5 Stars
(If I have any other thoughts, I’ll edit them in later.)
St. James Theatre
Sunday, January 4th, 2009
3:00 PM
SEATING: I was so happy that I finally got to see this show in the week before its scheduled closing! My friend and I went to the theatre at 10:30 to wait for student rush, and we were towards the front of the line. There were only ten to fifteen people in front of us at maximum. We ended up in the second row of the right box – a great deal for $27.
TECH: I was very excited to hear the orchestra, though I was just the slightest bit upset that I could not see the brass section or conductor from my seat. Also, I was shocked that I could see off into the stage right wing almost completely. At the beginning of the show, I could see cast members waiting for their initial entrances. This is one of my biggest pet peeves about high school theatre, and I was expecting that the sight lines would not be a problem in a professional production. Throughout the show, it continued. I was able to see both Baby June and Dainty June at the same time during that blinding transition, which ruined the effect for me. I could also see a bunch of the props set-up in the wings. In general, I was surprised at how much of the technical aspect of the show you can see from sitting in the boxes. Additonally, I thought it was strange that the set was moved by the cast at many spots. I don’t know if there was a reason they chose not to automate it as is the standard nowadays. Finally, having those two crew members come out at intermission was completely unnecessary. That could have waited until after the show. Despite all of this, the lighting and costuming was fantastic, and there was only one minor sound glitch that I noticed (when one young boy’s mic was not nearly loud enough and the volume suddenly increased to the proper level towards the end of his line). Overall, these slight technical issues did not significantly bring down the quality of the show, and they would be my only complaint about the show.
CAST:
Patti LuPone is no doubt one of the most talented singers/actresses on Broadway right now. She received HUGE entrance applause, which I did not understand immediately because I couldn’t see her from where I was until she was climbing onto the stage. At some points, she seemed oddly flat, which may have been because she was holding back. I’m not quite sure. However, her “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” and “Rose’s Turn” were phenomenal, just as I had expected. At the stage door, she was very nice to me and my friend who were up against the barricade. With people practically throwing things at her to sign, however, she got annoyed fairly quickly. Her son was there, carrying her bags for her. I can't believe she drives home to Connecticut after every performance.
Laura Benanti is exceptional, though I feel that Little Lamb is a useless and horribly awkward part of the score. I also feel that in the writing of the show, her character arc isn’t really an arc, but more of just an abrupt change that suddenly happens during “The Strip.” I was upset that she did not come out of the stage door, so I could not get her signature. But she was supposedly sick, so that is understandable. (She did cough at one point while she was watching Tony in "All I Need is the Girl".)
Boyd Gaines is decent. I don’t see why people are so ecstatic over his performance. He did his job, and that’s that. He did not come out of the stage door afterwards.
Leigh Ann Larkin’s “If Mama Was Married” was one of the highlights of the first act. She is not only great in her role, but also probably the nicest person I’ve ever met in my life. At the stage door, she stayed for fifteen minutes after everyone else had left to talk to me, my friend, and these three other kids that we had met there. She signed our Playbills and voluntarily gave us hugs before she left, without us even asking. Whatever she’s in next I will have to go see. (She said she has another project lined up for after GYPSY, but she wouldn’t say what it was since it is not official yet.)
Tony Yazbeck was fine as Tulsa. His dancing in “All I Need is the Girl” was unbelievably good. Personally, I feel his role is underwritten, particularly in his relationship with June. I hate how there is no resolution there by the end of the story, as intentional as that may be. Tony did come out of the stage door, but he left immediately. He was seemingly in a hurry to go somewhere.
The three strippers were hilariously perfect. Lenora Nemetz signed my Playbill, and we were talking about trumpet, since I’ve been playing for many years now. She plays extremely well (and LOUD) for having never played before.
The ensemble was very clean and tight. I was impressed with the sound, considering there is never really a full ensemble number. I met Emma Zaks after the show, but I didn’t realize that it was her until the girl standing next to me told me. I thought that was funny. She was basically the only ensemble member who stayed to sign Playbills because she probably thought a) she was entitled to because b) people would recognize her. While neither is true, she was surprisingly a sweetheart, despite how much of a diva she was on MTV.
OVERALL: 4.5 / 5 Stars
(If I have any other thoughts, I’ll edit them in later.)
Updated On: 1/7/09 at 05:03 PM
