#1
Posted: 6/26/09 at 1:24am
When I first heard 'Hair' was returning to Broadway, I thought to myself... "eh, I'll probably go." Then when the casting was announced and I heard my beloved Caissie Levy and Saycon Sengbloh were in it I just had to get ticket; but I fell in love with other shows of the new season first and wound up seeing them a few times but I finally got to 'Hair'!
Tonight's understudies:
Berger- Steel Burkhardt
Dionne- Saycon Sengbloh
Abraham Lincoln- Nicole Lewis
Hubert- Josh Lamon
Tribe- Chasten Harmon
Tribe- Ryan Link
Tribe- Michael James Scott
You can just imagine how ecstatic I was when I saw the understudy board and saw that Saycon would be going on for a lead. I was actually thinking on the way to the City, "Wouldn't it be great if Saycon was on for Dionne?" not even knowing she covered the role but just dreaming of something I thought would never happen!
On to the cast:
Gavin Creel was great as Claude and I really found myself able to connect to his character, that said with the book for Hair there is only so much to say about his acting but his singing was phenomenal!
Steel Burkhardt was amazing as Berger! I honestly can't imagine a better performance than what he just gave. His voice was great and his comedic timing was even better. His mom was sitting in the first row, center and right after "Aquarius" when he walked along the stage in the first row he stopped and said "Look it's my mom!" and pulled her up and hugged her.
Caissie Levy- now I'm going to be biased in my thoughts on her but she was sensational! I absolutely adore her voice and just can never get enough of it, I'm so happy she found a role that allows to go all out eight times a week without hurting her voice.
Saycon Sengbloh was fabulous as Dionne, and while I'm biased with her too the people around me were also saying her excellent she was. Her voice is slightly deeper than Sasha's but it really worked. She really played the role well and acted the sh*t out of "Aquarius."
Allison Case, Darius Nichols, Bryce Ryness, and Kacie Sheik were all also phenomenal and great in the roles.
The whole Tribe was great too and really helped to carry the show.
I guess you can say I've fallen into the 'Hair' trap (or Hair Net... too corny?) I honestly am at a loss of words for what I just saw. I also wasn't familiar with the story of most of the songs either so the ending really got me. I plan to be going back before the current cast leaves.
Now at the end of the show I did run on stage and it was... I can't even think of words to describe it. I was almost brought to tears, I never thought I would be able to dance on a Broadway stage (well, not for a few more years at least) and I just had so much fun, I was dancing with complete strangers and just jumping up and down like there was no tomorrow. But, boy, is that stage on an angle, I felt it as soon as I ran up.
At the stage door everyone came out, signed and took pics except for Gavin and Saycon. Gavin came out, but only signed and Saycon didn't come out at all, which I was pretty upset about. But, hey, it's not part of the job although I really would have loved to finally meet her and compliment her on her performance. Everyone was extremely nice and Caissie Levy even hugged me! Diane Paulus also came out of the door and I got her to sign my playbill.
It was an amazing night and I can't believe it took me this long to see 'Hair'!
If you haven't seen it yet, go!
5 out of 5 stars!
Tonight's understudies:
Berger- Steel Burkhardt
Dionne- Saycon Sengbloh
Abraham Lincoln- Nicole Lewis
Hubert- Josh Lamon
Tribe- Chasten Harmon
Tribe- Ryan Link
Tribe- Michael James Scott
You can just imagine how ecstatic I was when I saw the understudy board and saw that Saycon would be going on for a lead. I was actually thinking on the way to the City, "Wouldn't it be great if Saycon was on for Dionne?" not even knowing she covered the role but just dreaming of something I thought would never happen!
On to the cast:
Gavin Creel was great as Claude and I really found myself able to connect to his character, that said with the book for Hair there is only so much to say about his acting but his singing was phenomenal!
Steel Burkhardt was amazing as Berger! I honestly can't imagine a better performance than what he just gave. His voice was great and his comedic timing was even better. His mom was sitting in the first row, center and right after "Aquarius" when he walked along the stage in the first row he stopped and said "Look it's my mom!" and pulled her up and hugged her.
Caissie Levy- now I'm going to be biased in my thoughts on her but she was sensational! I absolutely adore her voice and just can never get enough of it, I'm so happy she found a role that allows to go all out eight times a week without hurting her voice.
Saycon Sengbloh was fabulous as Dionne, and while I'm biased with her too the people around me were also saying her excellent she was. Her voice is slightly deeper than Sasha's but it really worked. She really played the role well and acted the sh*t out of "Aquarius."
Allison Case, Darius Nichols, Bryce Ryness, and Kacie Sheik were all also phenomenal and great in the roles.
The whole Tribe was great too and really helped to carry the show.
I guess you can say I've fallen into the 'Hair' trap (or Hair Net... too corny?) I honestly am at a loss of words for what I just saw. I also wasn't familiar with the story of most of the songs either so the ending really got me. I plan to be going back before the current cast leaves.
Now at the end of the show I did run on stage and it was... I can't even think of words to describe it. I was almost brought to tears, I never thought I would be able to dance on a Broadway stage (well, not for a few more years at least) and I just had so much fun, I was dancing with complete strangers and just jumping up and down like there was no tomorrow. But, boy, is that stage on an angle, I felt it as soon as I ran up.
At the stage door everyone came out, signed and took pics except for Gavin and Saycon. Gavin came out, but only signed and Saycon didn't come out at all, which I was pretty upset about. But, hey, it's not part of the job although I really would have loved to finally meet her and compliment her on her performance. Everyone was extremely nice and Caissie Levy even hugged me! Diane Paulus also came out of the door and I got her to sign my playbill.
It was an amazing night and I can't believe it took me this long to see 'Hair'!
If you haven't seen it yet, go!
5 out of 5 stars!
2008: Feb. 18- Rent, Feb. 19- Curtains, April 18- Xanadu, April 22- Wicked, April 26- Legally Blonde, May 31- Wicked, June 13- The Little Mermaid, June 28- Wicked and Young Frankenstein, July 2- The Little Mermaid, July 6- A Chorus Line and Legally Blonde, August 16- Xanadu, September 13- Legally Blonde and 13, September 28- Xanadu and Spring Awakening, Oct. 12-GYPSY and [title of show], Oct. 19- Hairspray & Legally Blonde, Nov. 9- Wicked and 13, Dec. 14-13, Dec. 26- Billy Elliot, 2009: Jan 1- Shrek, Jan 2- 13 and Wicked, Jan 4- 13, Feb 17- In The Heights, Feb 19- Billy Elliot, Feb 22- Sweeney Todd (tour), March 28- Mary Poppins, April 4- Mamma Mia!, April 15- Jersey Boys (on tour), April 25- next to normal & 9 to 5
May 1- Billy Elliot, May 3- Spelling Bee (tour), May 8- Chicago, May 21- Wicked, June 6- Everyday Rapture, June 23- The Wiz, June 25- Hair July 15- Shrek, August 9- Wicked, September 7- Rock of Ages, October 11- Next To Normal, October 23- The Marvelous Wonderettes, November 7- Ragtime November 29- Dreamgirls, December 25- Billy Elliot, December 30- Finian's Rainbow, 2010: January 9- Bye Bye Birdie, January 16- Memphis February 17- The Phantom of The Opera, February 18- God of Carnage, March 7- Billy Elliot, March 31- American Idiot
