#1
E40
She Loves Me
Musical Revival
Huntington Theater Company
BU Theater
5/23 8 pm
2 hours and 30 minutes (with 1 intermission)
Tix price : $50.00 (thru our subscriptions)
INTRO:
What a great way to end Huntington's 2007-08 Season with this Bock & Harnick's musical, SHE LOVES ME! and what a great going away present from Nicholas Martin, the artistic director of Huntington Theater Company to all Bostonians who have no chance to go to NYC (every weekend to catch all the latest on Broadway..
) to experience a first rate production like the pre-broadway try-outs of 39 STEPS and STREAMERS (that will go off-broadway next season at Roundabout's Laura Pels Theater) the world premieres of Theresa Rebeck's MAURITIUS. August Wilson's RADIO GOLF and the regional premieres of WELL (with Lisa Kron), SHINING CITY , RABBIT HOLE and KIKI & HERB: Alive from Broadway...to name a few.. and its all due to our great artistic director! Martin will be the next artistic director of Williamstown Theater Festival in Williamstown, MA..
and to Mr. Nicholas Martin.. Thank you soo much for all the great years you spent with us! We can't thank you enough.. you have given us~theater loving Bostonians...so much memories to cherish!
Things I LIKE about the musical
1. Scenic Design by James Noone (Broadway's LES LIAISONS DANGEREUSES) :
-Wow and wow. Really Huntington must have spent most of their budget with these gorgeous sceneries.
- The stage has two level- all blue...The second level is where the orchestra is located. The first level where most of the action takes place.. its the facade of the Maraczek's parfumerie, inside of the store and Cafe Imperiale.
-Maraczek's parfumerie : 1st level - the shelves are white & yellow that beautifully contrasted to the blue walls of the entire stage.. the parfumerie's facade at the beginning complete with display windows and door - that would open on the sides..then the whole set will move forward to the stage center.. two display windows with perfumes at the second level would open.. additional shelves will come from left and right (the parfumerie door ) of the stage and will enclosed the entire set to form the inside of the parfumerie.. then the main set retracts back and the windows and doors will appear on the side on the panel ~to form the facade of the parfumerie.. The orchestra is on the second level with see-thru panel- that look like a display window of a store.. its really cute!
-also two beautiful tiffany chandeliers that matches the floor of the parfumerie.
-The inside of the parfumerie (back of store-like stocking room) the main parfumerie set will rotate and the other side would reveal the inside of the store. very very impressive!
- Cafe Imperiale: The first floor (as seen thru the production photos section) with all the red curtains, second flloor - the orchestra which cleverly become a part of the cafe (with red curtains/drapes too and a beautiful painting at the background) two beautiful elegant chandeliers came down to finish the look of the cafe~same location where the tiffanies of the parfumeries.
-There's two more sets- the hospital set and Amalia's bedroom which are on stage right and stage left (where the additional shelves from the parfumeries came)
-The Fall and Winter Scenes are amazing...leaves falling down from the set and snow flakes.
NOTE : The scenery itself is WORTH the price of admission!
2. The Orchestra: Another wow! though not as many as in SOUTH PACIFIC & GYPSY, but definitely a FULL-ORCHESTRA..All wearing black ties! When it was first revealed to the audience~it got the same reaction as in Vivian Beaumont & St. James. Everyone was clapping during the Overture. Aah! The sound of a full orchestra with violin, viola, cello, oboe, trumpets. french horn, bass, percussion, accordion and harp! They are located at the second floor of the set. Its really perfect on the Cafe Imperial scene.
Note: They used same orchestration as in the 1993 Revival Cast Recording.
THE THREE STAND- OUT PERFORMERS:
3. Brooks Ashamankas- I was actually on the fence with him. Ive seen him in Huntington's Present Laughter & THE RITZ. I was very happy with him last night. He was very good in the role of Georg. He did his usual 'frolicking around the stage" ...it was different this time on She Loves Me number...it was not his usual "over the top", though its very funny and very appropriate to the role. Did I mention that he belted few notes from that song too? A great actor and one of my favorite. He cant really do no wrong in my book!
4. Kate Baldwin- I was actually disappointed with the last time I saw her at NSMT's THE THREE MUSKETEERS. That's why I was not expecting much from her. Boy..I was wrong! she was definitely FANTASTIC as Amalia... I never really appreciate how pretty is her voice..beautiful operatic voice! actually I thought she sounded better than the 1993 Revival Cast Recording. She definitely won me over! Another reason to see the show is her! Dont be discourage that the leads are not like famous Broadway stars... they are very excellent in their respectives roles!
5. Jessica Stone as Ilona. one word- FANTASTIC! she got a very powerful voice..she really did jutsice to the song, "I Resolve! " everytime she's onstage.. she really bring this great energy.
6. Other Actors & Ensembles are all great.
a. Dick Latessa- love him in HAIRSPRAY...and he sang my favorite song in the musical, "Days Gone By"~ beautifully executed.
b. Troy Britton Johnson- that cute groom Robert Martin from DROWSY CHAPERONE..
though sometimes.. I feel that he was doing the same role in Drowsy but nevertheless he was very funny and his Ilona number was fabulous!
NOTE : This is one musical that I love all the cast..no one is a weak link!
7. Costume Design by Robert Morgan: Fabulous period clothes. I love Amalia's pink dress at the Cafe Imperial Scene. The females cast clothes looks like they are made of satin...very elegant to look at.
8. Choreography by Dennis Jones (Broadway Bares) not much dancing but the Cafe Imperial's A Romantic Atmosphere number is to die for! Great acrobatic moves on the part of male dancers..and my god! Dennis know how to cast a good looking dancer like that cutie Matthew Warner Kiernan.
9. The Music of Jerry Bock & Sheldon Harnick. This is one of my favorite score.
10. The Direction of Nicholas Martin: This is a show that everything is perfect...from the actors, to the scenery, to the lighting. to the costumes...to the choreography and was perfectly all put together by Mr. Martin. What a great parting gift to us.. bostonians! The audience reaction was great..everyone was laughing hard at Brooks' physical comedic style and falling in love with Kate Baldwin. The audience were very enthusiastic and happy with the entire show!
-I dont know if this production has officially opened yet? but I am predicting GREAT RAVE REVIEWS for the show!
Things I DID NOT LIKE about the musical
N O N E : I cant really think of anything that I did not like about the revival. I was very satisfied with this production! Worth every penny we paid!
In Summary:
GO SEE THE SHOW! I am very glad that the same production will go this summer to Williamstown Theater Festival in Williamstown, MA on June 27 to July 12 bec. this show deserves to be seen. Its definitely a better production than some shows that are currently playing on Broadway-far more superior! I truly hope that this production will find its way on Broadway in the near future! SHE LOVES ME is playing at Huntington's BU Theater from 5/16 to 6/15.
I really had a great evening last night!
Thanks
J*
Score: 10/0- HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
BU Theater
Huntington Theater Company
Boston, MA.
Production Photos
(from Boston Globe)
-for more production photos & scenic design:
Click here to see the AUDIO SLIDE SHOW and click PLAY:
https://www.boston.com/ae/theater_arts/specials/052308review/
The Program
**
Stage Door Photos
with Troy Britton Johnson
with Kate Baldwin & Brooks Ashmankas
Chris with Kate & Brooks
with Jessica Stone
My Autographed Program
Posted: 5/24/08 at 10:48am
E40
She Loves Me
Musical Revival
Huntington Theater Company
BU Theater
5/23 8 pm
2 hours and 30 minutes (with 1 intermission)
Tix price : $50.00 (thru our subscriptions)
INTRO:
What a great way to end Huntington's 2007-08 Season with this Bock & Harnick's musical, SHE LOVES ME! and what a great going away present from Nicholas Martin, the artistic director of Huntington Theater Company to all Bostonians who have no chance to go to NYC (every weekend to catch all the latest on Broadway..
) to experience a first rate production like the pre-broadway try-outs of 39 STEPS and STREAMERS (that will go off-broadway next season at Roundabout's Laura Pels Theater) the world premieres of Theresa Rebeck's MAURITIUS. August Wilson's RADIO GOLF and the regional premieres of WELL (with Lisa Kron), SHINING CITY , RABBIT HOLE and KIKI & HERB: Alive from Broadway...to name a few.. and its all due to our great artistic director! Martin will be the next artistic director of Williamstown Theater Festival in Williamstown, MA.. and to Mr. Nicholas Martin.. Thank you soo much for all the great years you spent with us! We can't thank you enough.. you have given us~theater loving Bostonians...so much memories to cherish!
Things I LIKE about the musical
1. Scenic Design by James Noone (Broadway's LES LIAISONS DANGEREUSES) :
-Wow and wow. Really Huntington must have spent most of their budget with these gorgeous sceneries.
- The stage has two level- all blue...The second level is where the orchestra is located. The first level where most of the action takes place.. its the facade of the Maraczek's parfumerie, inside of the store and Cafe Imperiale.
-Maraczek's parfumerie : 1st level - the shelves are white & yellow that beautifully contrasted to the blue walls of the entire stage.. the parfumerie's facade at the beginning complete with display windows and door - that would open on the sides..then the whole set will move forward to the stage center.. two display windows with perfumes at the second level would open.. additional shelves will come from left and right (the parfumerie door ) of the stage and will enclosed the entire set to form the inside of the parfumerie.. then the main set retracts back and the windows and doors will appear on the side on the panel ~to form the facade of the parfumerie.. The orchestra is on the second level with see-thru panel- that look like a display window of a store.. its really cute!
-also two beautiful tiffany chandeliers that matches the floor of the parfumerie.
-The inside of the parfumerie (back of store-like stocking room) the main parfumerie set will rotate and the other side would reveal the inside of the store. very very impressive!
- Cafe Imperiale: The first floor (as seen thru the production photos section) with all the red curtains, second flloor - the orchestra which cleverly become a part of the cafe (with red curtains/drapes too and a beautiful painting at the background) two beautiful elegant chandeliers came down to finish the look of the cafe~same location where the tiffanies of the parfumeries.
-There's two more sets- the hospital set and Amalia's bedroom which are on stage right and stage left (where the additional shelves from the parfumeries came)
-The Fall and Winter Scenes are amazing...leaves falling down from the set and snow flakes.
NOTE : The scenery itself is WORTH the price of admission!
2. The Orchestra: Another wow! though not as many as in SOUTH PACIFIC & GYPSY, but definitely a FULL-ORCHESTRA..All wearing black ties! When it was first revealed to the audience~it got the same reaction as in Vivian Beaumont & St. James. Everyone was clapping during the Overture. Aah! The sound of a full orchestra with violin, viola, cello, oboe, trumpets. french horn, bass, percussion, accordion and harp! They are located at the second floor of the set. Its really perfect on the Cafe Imperial scene.
Note: They used same orchestration as in the 1993 Revival Cast Recording.
THE THREE STAND- OUT PERFORMERS:
3. Brooks Ashamankas- I was actually on the fence with him. Ive seen him in Huntington's Present Laughter & THE RITZ. I was very happy with him last night. He was very good in the role of Georg. He did his usual 'frolicking around the stage" ...it was different this time on She Loves Me number...it was not his usual "over the top", though its very funny and very appropriate to the role. Did I mention that he belted few notes from that song too? A great actor and one of my favorite. He cant really do no wrong in my book!
4. Kate Baldwin- I was actually disappointed with the last time I saw her at NSMT's THE THREE MUSKETEERS. That's why I was not expecting much from her. Boy..I was wrong! she was definitely FANTASTIC as Amalia... I never really appreciate how pretty is her voice..beautiful operatic voice! actually I thought she sounded better than the 1993 Revival Cast Recording. She definitely won me over! Another reason to see the show is her! Dont be discourage that the leads are not like famous Broadway stars... they are very excellent in their respectives roles!
5. Jessica Stone as Ilona. one word- FANTASTIC! she got a very powerful voice..she really did jutsice to the song, "I Resolve! " everytime she's onstage.. she really bring this great energy.
6. Other Actors & Ensembles are all great.
a. Dick Latessa- love him in HAIRSPRAY...and he sang my favorite song in the musical, "Days Gone By"~ beautifully executed.
b. Troy Britton Johnson- that cute groom Robert Martin from DROWSY CHAPERONE..
though sometimes.. I feel that he was doing the same role in Drowsy but nevertheless he was very funny and his Ilona number was fabulous!
NOTE : This is one musical that I love all the cast..no one is a weak link!
7. Costume Design by Robert Morgan: Fabulous period clothes. I love Amalia's pink dress at the Cafe Imperial Scene. The females cast clothes looks like they are made of satin...very elegant to look at.
8. Choreography by Dennis Jones (Broadway Bares) not much dancing but the Cafe Imperial's A Romantic Atmosphere number is to die for! Great acrobatic moves on the part of male dancers..and my god! Dennis know how to cast a good looking dancer like that cutie Matthew Warner Kiernan.
9. The Music of Jerry Bock & Sheldon Harnick. This is one of my favorite score.
10. The Direction of Nicholas Martin: This is a show that everything is perfect...from the actors, to the scenery, to the lighting. to the costumes...to the choreography and was perfectly all put together by Mr. Martin. What a great parting gift to us.. bostonians! The audience reaction was great..everyone was laughing hard at Brooks' physical comedic style and falling in love with Kate Baldwin. The audience were very enthusiastic and happy with the entire show!
-I dont know if this production has officially opened yet? but I am predicting GREAT RAVE REVIEWS for the show!
Things I DID NOT LIKE about the musical
N O N E : I cant really think of anything that I did not like about the revival. I was very satisfied with this production! Worth every penny we paid!
In Summary:
GO SEE THE SHOW! I am very glad that the same production will go this summer to Williamstown Theater Festival in Williamstown, MA on June 27 to July 12 bec. this show deserves to be seen. Its definitely a better production than some shows that are currently playing on Broadway-far more superior! I truly hope that this production will find its way on Broadway in the near future! SHE LOVES ME is playing at Huntington's BU Theater from 5/16 to 6/15.
I really had a great evening last night!
Thanks
J*
Score: 10/0- HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
BU Theater
Huntington Theater Company
Boston, MA.
Production Photos
(from Boston Globe)
-for more production photos & scenic design:
Click here to see the AUDIO SLIDE SHOW and click PLAY:
https://www.boston.com/ae/theater_arts/specials/052308review/
The Program
**
Stage Door Photos
with Troy Britton Johnson
with Kate Baldwin & Brooks Ashmankas
Chris with Kate & Brooks
with Jessica Stone
My Autographed Program
Updated On: 5/24/08 at 10:48 AM
