#1
Posted: 12/5/09 at 3:10pm
So, I haven't seen much on here about the tour. I figured I'd update everyone. Let me just say, it's in GREAT shape. I saw it last Sunday in Columbus, OH and the audience loved it. I'll go lead character by character and aspects of the show etc:
(in order of my Playbill)
Usnavi: Well..we had an understudy, but I've heard great things about Kyle Beltran. We saw Shaun Taylor-Corbett (normally plays Sonny) and he played the character very well. You could tell he was an understudy though. No chemistry with Vanessa (not his fault though...). GREAT chemistry with Abuela though. B+
Kevin: Played by Daniel Bolero. Gave a great performance. Nailed "Inutil" but had a really strange, wide, obnoxious vibrato. Not really a stand out but still not bad. B+
Benny: played by Rogelio Douglas Jr. First off, can this man sing or what?! He really put his own spin on all the songs and I just wanted him to sing the whole score. Definately a stand out. Could have acted some parts better and toned some things down (little over the top sometimes) but otherwise great. A-
Vannessa: played by Yvette Gonzalez-Nacer. Oh Lord. This woman couldn't act her way out of a box. I was needing some Karen Olivo up in there. She was so fake and had these hand spasms and weird hand gestures. Ugh. Couldn't stand her. Sung the part fine, but couldn't get over the acting. D+
Nina: played by Arielle Jacobs. LOVED HER. She was FANTASTIC. If the whole show were just her and Rogelio standing up there singing, I'd be fine. Her voice was so emotional and soft, but was intense and belty when it needed to be (as opposed to Mandy Gonzalez's IMO harsh intense voice, stil like her though). My favorite performer of the night. A+
Grafitti Pete: played by Jose-Luis Lopez. Great dancer, not much of a role, but great with what he was given to do. A
Daniela: played by Isabel Santiago. So hilarious. She milks every line and nails the "fiesty, fire ball Latina" stereotype. So great and powerhouse voice. A
Abuela Claudia: played by Elise Santora. Ehh. She was okay. When I listen to "Paciencia y Fe" on the cast album, it just punches you and comes out of now where and I cried the first time i listened to it. When Elise sang it...it had great emotion, but not that punch it should have. Okay acting. Little exaggerated old lady thing though. B-
Camila: played by Natalie Toro. Dang. Loved her. She is a true performer. Even though she's not performing that AMAZING choreography, she still stands out in all her scenes. "Enough" was AMAZING. This woman belongs in the Broadway company. A+
Ensemble: WOW. These six dancers dance the CRAP out of the already AMAZING, inventive choreography and they were really the stand outs for me. The Club scene was so much fun. I wanted to go up there and dance with them! A+
Direction: Thomas Kail. Great job. Inventive. It's all been said. Awesome director (hope he can get past The Wiz and work on other projects). A+
Choreo: Andy Blankenbuehler. This man is truly amazing and groundbreaking. He has quite a career ahead of him. Greatly executed. Beautiful. A+++
Lin-Manuel Miranda: It's all been said. He's a genious. Awesome music, lyrics, story. Touching, beautiful, etc. Yay. A+
Set and costumes (a few of the girls' costumes were different, but nothing major) seem to be the same as the Broadway production. Loved the set. A few sound problems, nothing big.
Great production. Go see it if it's near you! It's completely worth it!!!
Overall Production: A
Dear Producer of In the Heights:
Please get a new Vanessa for the tour. She's godawful. Kthanksbye.
(in order of my Playbill)
Usnavi: Well..we had an understudy, but I've heard great things about Kyle Beltran. We saw Shaun Taylor-Corbett (normally plays Sonny) and he played the character very well. You could tell he was an understudy though. No chemistry with Vanessa (not his fault though...). GREAT chemistry with Abuela though. B+
Kevin: Played by Daniel Bolero. Gave a great performance. Nailed "Inutil" but had a really strange, wide, obnoxious vibrato. Not really a stand out but still not bad. B+
Benny: played by Rogelio Douglas Jr. First off, can this man sing or what?! He really put his own spin on all the songs and I just wanted him to sing the whole score. Definately a stand out. Could have acted some parts better and toned some things down (little over the top sometimes) but otherwise great. A-
Vannessa: played by Yvette Gonzalez-Nacer. Oh Lord. This woman couldn't act her way out of a box. I was needing some Karen Olivo up in there. She was so fake and had these hand spasms and weird hand gestures. Ugh. Couldn't stand her. Sung the part fine, but couldn't get over the acting. D+
Nina: played by Arielle Jacobs. LOVED HER. She was FANTASTIC. If the whole show were just her and Rogelio standing up there singing, I'd be fine. Her voice was so emotional and soft, but was intense and belty when it needed to be (as opposed to Mandy Gonzalez's IMO harsh intense voice, stil like her though). My favorite performer of the night. A+
Grafitti Pete: played by Jose-Luis Lopez. Great dancer, not much of a role, but great with what he was given to do. A
Daniela: played by Isabel Santiago. So hilarious. She milks every line and nails the "fiesty, fire ball Latina" stereotype. So great and powerhouse voice. A
Abuela Claudia: played by Elise Santora. Ehh. She was okay. When I listen to "Paciencia y Fe" on the cast album, it just punches you and comes out of now where and I cried the first time i listened to it. When Elise sang it...it had great emotion, but not that punch it should have. Okay acting. Little exaggerated old lady thing though. B-
Camila: played by Natalie Toro. Dang. Loved her. She is a true performer. Even though she's not performing that AMAZING choreography, she still stands out in all her scenes. "Enough" was AMAZING. This woman belongs in the Broadway company. A+
Ensemble: WOW. These six dancers dance the CRAP out of the already AMAZING, inventive choreography and they were really the stand outs for me. The Club scene was so much fun. I wanted to go up there and dance with them! A+
Direction: Thomas Kail. Great job. Inventive. It's all been said. Awesome director (hope he can get past The Wiz and work on other projects). A+
Choreo: Andy Blankenbuehler. This man is truly amazing and groundbreaking. He has quite a career ahead of him. Greatly executed. Beautiful. A+++
Lin-Manuel Miranda: It's all been said. He's a genious. Awesome music, lyrics, story. Touching, beautiful, etc. Yay. A+
Set and costumes (a few of the girls' costumes were different, but nothing major) seem to be the same as the Broadway production. Loved the set. A few sound problems, nothing big.
Great production. Go see it if it's near you! It's completely worth it!!!
Overall Production: A
Dear Producer of In the Heights:
Please get a new Vanessa for the tour. She's godawful. Kthanksbye.
"These rabid fans...possess the acting talent to portray the hooker...Linda Eder..." -The New York Times
...). And yes, she does belong on Bway's A list!
