The show was great! Norbert Leo Butz was truly INCREDIBLE, and John Lithgow filled his part very well... it very much reminded me of his performance in Sweet Smell. But Norbert truly STOLE the whole show! I found the book to be very good and consistent... David Yazbek's lyrics were brilliant, as usual. There are a few numbers that are just PURE brilliance though... the Ruprecht number and Love is in My Legs number... oh, and Great Big Stuff! I haven't heard an audience laugh like that at LYRICS in so long. The sound design was perfect- I heard every word.
The show did a very good job with breaking some conventions and also strictly adhering to others... I don't want to ruin anything for those who haven't seen it yet. I really think the entire creative team did a good job with walking the line between conventional musical and modern musical. The ensemble was good, but they weren't given anything exceptional to do. It's very much a show about it's leads. And I cannot gush enough about Norbert!!! It's time for his Tony! (Yes, I know, Spamalot, blah blah blah- just wait til you see Norbert!) Sherie Rene Scott was also fabulous- I wish the two of them got a chance to really SING more, but of course that would've been at the sake of the musical, so I understand why they didn't. Joanna Gleason was definitely amusing in her role, and Gregory Jbara was good... he did what he could; he doesn't exactly have the MOST to work with. Overall, the score is great. I can't wait to go back and see it again!
On an AWFUL side note, there was a man in the row in front of me who's cell phone rang during the show! AND HE ANSWERED IT! FOUR TIMES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have never experienced such a thing. I wanted to CRY. I tried not to pay attention to him at all, because I didn't want to miss anything but he was TALKING pretty loud! I was too far away to say anything, and all of the people around him seemed to be ignoring him but also pretty distracted. UGH! I wanted to kill this guy! My friend had to prevent me from putting my gum in his hair on the way out! AAAAGH!
[title of show] on Broadway. it's time. believe.
