Grey Gardens, Spring Awakening and Wedding Singer reviews! (kinda) *POSSIBL

[Parks]

Posted: 12/29/06 at 6:09pm

Alright, these probably will not be very good, considering it's been a few days since I saw these and I'm not a very good writer--so bear with me. These are just my thoughts on the shows.

-GREY GARDENS-December 26th-7 PM-
So, I walked into this show having heard NOTHING but incredible things about it: the music, the book, the cast, the CHRISTINE EBERSOLE. Well, I was sitting in the mezz in the 4th row, which was a great seat. The theater is very small, so I wasn't far away from the stage at all. I loved how the show began--the narration at the beginning along with Mary Louise Wilson coming out and the transformation of Grey Gardens from the 70s back to 1941. It was very cool--the transformation. Christine Ebersole's voice was gorgeous. It was a nice way to start the show. It seemed like a lot was going on at the beginning. I was a little lost at times. I still am not quite sure what all happened in Act 1. Little Edie in Act I (Erin Davies) was great! Daddy's Girl was great--probably my favorite number in Act I. It was a very powerful song. My friend who I was with and I both thought that she stole the stage in act I--even from Ebersole.The younger cousin had an incredible voice for being just 10. She can belt! I can't wait to see her in more shows. Act I was written so well--it was amazing. I couldn't wait for Act II. Act II started--Christine performed "Revolutionary Costume For Today," which everyone raves about. Perhaps it's the fact that I haven't seen the whole documentary, but I was a little underwhelmed. It was funny and amusing, but not a showstopper. The rest of Act II was kind of depressing and a little slow. Some of the numbers, I could have lived without. Well, if they had been cut down by a few minutes (Jerry Likes My Corn, anyone?), it would have been better. Around The World was absolutely gorgeous. Christine's voice, interpretation plus the beautiful orchestrations made this song my favorite in the show. The most powerful moment in the show was when Little Edie was about to leave, and she heard Edie yell out, "I can't open the god damn can!" Long silences usually don't do much for me in shows (Light in the Piazza esque), but this one brought tears to my eyes. I didn't really appreciate the show until the next day after I had really thought about it. It's a little bit confusing at times, but it's great. There is not a single miscast person in the show. Everyone is incredible in their roles and they don't let a single line go to waste. One of the best shows I have ever seen.

-SPRING AWAKENING-December 27th-2 PM-
Well, I don't really know what to write about this show...so I'll just write my thoughts on what I can remember. The music in this show is great. I loved Mama Who Bore Me (Reprise)--the girls all had great voices and they worked really well with this kind of music--not your typical showtunes music. Jonathan Groff was good, as was Lea Michele...but the 2 cast members who really stole the show were John Gallagher Jr. and Lauren Pritchard. I'm sure John will be nominated for best supporting actor, but is it likely that Lauren will be nominated? Some of the show could have been cut. The only male cast members who had any purpose in the show were Melchior and Moritz. The whole gay subplot was completely pointless. This did not help the story advance at all...it just...was an attempt at being RENT, and it didn't work. This show had great talent--again, not a single miscast person. The energy was great. Totally F***** was a very fun number--it was really cool when all the cast members came to the front of the stage and sang while standing. The set of this show was incredible--very creative. The lights really helped enhance the show. The performances were even more powerful thanks to the lighting. This was probably the most visually stunning show I've ever seen. I didn't realize how depressing this show was going to be. After seeing 2 cast members die, I really didn't know if I was supposed to smile at the end or still have tears in my eyes. I think I understood that the show was supposed to have a positive message at the end that peoples' spirits live on after they die in the peoples' hearts who they were around. Is that close? It was a great show, and I'd love to see it again.

Now--the reason I had to come to NYC--THE WEDDING SINGER-December 27th-8 PM-
Alright, so to set this up...I've been absolutely obsessed with this show before it even started previews on Broadway. I've been dying to see it. I bought the cast recording on the day it came out. I had been listening to it non stop for the last 6 1/2 months. I HAD to see this show before it closed. Well, the show started. The energy was great. It's Your Wedding Day was a very fun song...but once the dialogue started, the show just started going downhill. The book was absolutely HORRIBLE. The performances were good for the most part... Stephen Lynch seemed a little tired (which would make sense considering it was his 2nd performance of the day and the show is closing on Sunday), but it was a little upsetting. I never understood why people said that Laura was miscast in the show...until I saw it live. She really was miscast, but she tried her hardest to make it work. She was very funny in some parts, but her voice is completely wrong for the part. Stephen was the weakest link that night, which is sad considering he is lead...but he was still decent. None of the performances were bad, but Stephen just seemed very exhausted. Kevin Cahoon surprised me. He was actually my favorite person in the whole show. It was a pleasant surprise. I never cared for him on the cast recording, but he made me laugh in every scene he was in. Amy and Felicia were both teriffic. Amy was hillarious and adorable in all of her scenes. Right In Front Of Your Eyes sounded a little painful. She was straining REALLY bad. She sounded pretty flat on that song, but she really made up for it with the rest of her performance. The show was fun, but I seriously felt my IQ dropping as the show went on. It's sad. The show that I was planning my trip for ended up being my least favorite one.

I'm running out the door now, but I might make revisions later if I remember anything anything that I didn't include. Hope these are alright. They're very unorganized, so sorry for that.

Updated On: 12/29/06 at 06:09 PM

[xM3L24x]

Posted: 12/29/06 at 6:27pm

Glad you enjoyed Grey Gardens and Spring Awakening. I haven't seen those shows yet. Sorry you didn't like the Wedding Singer more. Seems like Stephen and Amy may have had an off night.

[TheActr97J]

Posted: 12/29/06 at 6:29pm

Thanks for the reviews.

Glad you liked Grey Gardens. For me it doesn't work as a whole piece. I think the book writer is partially to blame, but I also fault Erin Davies, who while not miscast, doesn't act the part the way it needed to be. Whereas, I believed that Christine's Bid Edith aged into Mary Louise Wilson's Big Edith, I didn't buy that Erin's Little Edie became Christine's Little Edie.

I completely disagree with the comment that Spring Awakening is trying to be Rent. Not so in ANY way. As far as I know, the gay subplot, while there isn't really a payoff, was a part of the play on which the musical is based.

Sorry Wedding Singer didn't live up to your expectations. While the book isn't great, I saw it over the summer and enjoyed it immensely. Stephen was great when I saw it (maybe he was just tired) and I didn't think Laura was miscast at all. Too bad about Amy's vocals though; I hope she is alright.

[McFrenzied]

Posted: 12/29/06 at 6:51pm

Hey Parks,
Thanks for taking the time to write that. You're a fine writer! I'm so sorry that Wedding Singer didn't meet your expectations, especially since you love the music so much. Did you have a different idea of the staging in your mind? I can tell you enjoy sophisticated stuff (Grey Gardens, Spring Awakening). Thanks for the reviews.

[Parks]

Posted: 12/29/06 at 8:03pm

Don't get me wrong--I had INCREDIBLY high expectations for The Wedding Singer. It was enjoyable...I just thought it would be much better. Amy was great--her voice is just worn out, it seems. Sometimes performers just can't help that, so it's understandable.

Ok, so Spring Awakening may not be trying to be like RENT. I just thought that the gay subplot seemed like it was trying to be like RENT. It was just very pointless and I had no idea where it went, which kind of bothered me (not that I really cared about either of the characters particularly).

I forgot to talk about stagedooring for Wedding Singer. Everyone came out except for Stephen, so I think it's fair to assume that he was just exhausted. Felicia was the first to come out. I told her she was great in the show, and she said, "So...I'm good at being a slut?" ...humorous...and yet, it made me feel kinda bad. lol, I didn't know how to respond...so I said, "exactly!". Amy and Laura were very sweet. I told Laura I really appreciated her coming out after 2 shows, and she said, "oh thank you! most people don't really recognize me at the stagedoor...haha". That's pretty much my whole stagedoor experience at The Wedding Singer. I went to Spring Awakening's stagedoor and got Jonathan Groff's autograph and a picture (which I'll post in my pictures later). He was very nice. Anyone know if he's gay? I kinda have a crush on him.

Updated On: 12/30/06 at 08:03 PM

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 12/29/06 at 8:20pm

Yeah, I really don't get the comparisions to RENT. This play was written in the early 1900s. There's no possible way it could be like RENT. I just think people see "edgy" "rock music" "twentysomethings" and they think RENT. I'm not blaming you, it's just something that comes up all the time.

But, Parks, can you please explain to me Groff's "dance break" in "mirror-blue night"? I saw it on the preview video and I don't get what's going on there.

Sorry you hated the Wedding Singer. I feel the same way about the show. I'm not sad to see it closing. It's a pretty weak show.

[Parks]

Posted: 12/29/06 at 8:26pm

lol--I never said I hated Wedding Singer! I was just a little bit disappointed by it. I was spoiled by seeing Spring Awakening and Grey Gardens first.

I wasn't aware Spring Awakening was based on a play from a long time ago--sorry. OK--the show is NOT trying to be RENT. I take back my statement.

I personally didn't quite understand the dance break. All the cast members do it during Totally F*****--and that's the part that made me really like the song.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 12/29/06 at 8:28pm

Hm...well thanks for attempting to the answer the question. Maybe it wasn't meant to be understood?

How were the audiences at each? full?

[Parks]

Posted: 12/29/06 at 8:37pm

Oh, I'm sorry. I wasn't very clear. I meant to say I didn't understand the symbolism. It was meant to be 2 separate thoughts--I was also saying that all of the cast members do the same dance later in the show during TF, which is the part that looked very cool (which I talked about in my review). I didn't get what the dance was supposed to mean though. Sorry.

I couldn't really tell how full the audiences were. The orchestras in Wedding Singer and Spring Awakening seemed pretty full and the mezz in Grey Gardens seemed almost full. Spring Awakening should have been full, since that was the day that all the matinees were sold out.

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 12/29/06 at 9:56pm

"But, Parks, can you please explain to me Groff's "dance break" in "mirror-blue night"? I saw it on the preview video and I don't get what's going on there. "

I was wondering the same thing.