LADY BE GOOD at CITY CENTER/ENCORES

I just saw the wonderful revival of LADY BE GOOD at CITY CENTER'S ENCORES directed by Mark Brokaw with choreography by Randy Skinner. What a treat to experience the inane fun & hear vintage early George & Ira Gershwin with the Encores orchestra!

"Hang on to Me," w/Danny Gardner (as Dick Trevor) & Patti Murin (Susie Trevor);
"We're Here Because" w/Jeff Hiller (Bertie Basset)& Kirsten Wyatt (Daisy Parks);
Fascinating Rhythm & Little Jazz Bird" w/Tommy Tune;
"So Am I" w/Colin Donnell (Jack Robinson)& Patti Murin;
"Oh, Lady Be Good" w/Douglas Sills (J. Watterson Watkins);
"The Half of It, Dreary Blues" w/Danny Gardner & Erin Mackey;
"Senorita Juanita" w/Patti Murin;
"I'd Rather Charleston" w/Danny Gardner & Patti Murin; &
"Swiss Miss" w/Danny Gardner & Patti Murin.

I thought the show was a success. I found myself laughing throughout & couldn't believe the number of Gershwin songs that most of us have never heard before. What did you think?

https://www.broadwayworld.com/videoplay.php?colid=916868#.VNKm6b-sU7A

Updated On: 2/4/15 at 11:30 PM

A total delight from start to finish with an impressive cast. To think that a 90 year old show would seem so fresh. The music is total Gershwin -outstanding. The orchestra was the usual- stellar. You root for all of the characters. The dancing was superb. And Tommy Tune- a legend still. I can definitely see this transfer and become a big hit. One of the best Encores. Congrats!

A musical souffle that includes a few magical moments when the spirit of Astaire inhabits the body of Danny Gardner in the second act “The Half of it, Dearie, Blues”. Just one highlight in a show that offers quite a few.

I agree with your assessment of Danny Gardner, Tony2600. "The Half of it, Dreary, Blues" proved to come alive in a very special way. (He is slated for Randy Skinner's Dames at Sea, I'm sure.) Act 2's "I'd Rather Charleston" was another stand-out, as well. (Couldn't get it & the title tune, which was reprised, out of my head afterwards!)
Costume note: Seeing orig. pics from 1925, I think having all of the black costumes white or cream instead would have added a nice lift.
Most choral numbers stood out as uncreative/plain/blah - as if no attention was paid to them.
Musically I kept hearing 'Lawrence Welk' which is hardly the edge that this should have been shooting for. A rather strange 'Piano Specialty' before Act 1 finale seemed so lax/static, it seemed like a time to serve 2nd pre-ordered cocktails before the intermission (not to slight the music talent & history - just the placement.)
The book seemed to hold together surprisingly well. The Fred Astaire character of 'Dick' suffers the most because not only is it not understandable why he keeps choosing the wrong lady/girl - he also disappears from stage action for a huge section of Act 1. I guess, true to the orig. show, Adele was really the bigger star.

Updated On: 2/4/15 at 11:45 AM

"Daffy tone" & "fun" is a perfect description, yfs. I guess Lawrence Welk (who was a product of 20's bands) was light & sweet (versus loud & hot) w/plenty of strings - so I guess that is what I was picking up on. Didn't mean to discredit the orchestrations. Just an observation.

Updated On: 2/4/15 at 12:29 PM

I didn't get a P2P code but there are plenty of $30 Balcony tickets last time I checked. I'm debating if I want to go on Saturday night because I'm going to 92Y Sunday night and I don't want to be too tired to enjoy that. Yes, I know I sound like an old lady.

I saw the show tonight and thought it was an absolute delight. Even if the performances hadn't been good, it would have been worth it for the orchestra and dueling (!!) pianos alone!

Thankfully, the rest of the cast is near perfect. Patti Murin is truly brilliant as Susie. Her bit as a mexican bride in the second act is absolutely hysterical. Of course it is cute to watch her play of Colin, but Danny Gardner is also excellent as Susie's brother dick. Tommy Tune is of course wonderful in his two big moments.

Yes, the show is silly, and maybe doesn't need to make the jump to broadway. But don't let that keep you away. The show is an absolute delight.

For those wondering about P2P, if it hasn't arrived now, it isn't coming. I can tell you that I haven't received a P2P code for an Encores show in several years now (but I often receive for other City Center Shows and encores off-center). Honestly, if you want to see the show, pony up the $30. It is worth the money and the view is great.

Yes, and someday you may realize that was enough.

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Last night Encores provided one of the more blissful nights I've experienced in quite a while. I adored everyone moment, and silly as the book was I even enjoyed it too. This was 100x more fun than Nice Work ever was, largely because they trusted the material and the cast and creatives were all on the same page regarding tone and style of the piece.

Take the glorious leading performances from Danny Gardner and Patti Murin (totally gayed out over her, more on that later). In less skilled hands their jokes would have been groaned at (or worse, met with cold silence), but they nailed each delivery, causing me to giggle and wear a dopey grin whenever they spoke.

I thought of the Gigi revival during their first big number, Hang On To Me, and all the fuss and worry about Thank Heaven for Little Girls sounding like Honoré is pedophile. I'm sure there could have been some worrywarts out there who feared Dick and Susie would have too much of an ick factor dancing around and Susie singing about how she would rather Charleston with her brother. Well there isn't a hint of ick, and it's once again because of the trust in the material.

As others have noted, Danny Gardner's solo dance after The Half of it Dreary Blues was enthralling. It was a thrill akin to Cassie dancing to The Music and The Mirror. Where has this guy been? Why has he not been starring in shows right and left? Casting directors take note!

And then there was Patti Murin. Oh, boy. I'm just so obsessed right now. I could just gush on and on about her. Who knew she could dance like that? Perfection.

Tommy Tune was a delight in his two numbers.

Colin Donnell was charming (and hot) as ever.

Douglas Sills was hilarious and he pulled off the title tune wonderfully.

The dress at the end were smashing. Randy Skinner's choreography was just what the occasion called for.

This is the type of show that Encores excels at and they hit it out of the park.

Yes, the weather is going to be bad this weekend, but it's 100% worth it to venture out and see this.

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Goodspeed did a wonderfully entertaining version of the show in the 1980s, when the score was first reconstructed. Richard Stillman, a very talented actor/musician (who played ukelele), was in the Tune part, and I still remember his performance very well, particularly a delightfully surreal "Little Jazz Bird," complete with a whistling dancing bird impression. That character spot is meant to demonstrate whatever bag of tricks the performer brings to the table, and not much else.

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Tommy Tune's second act number Little Jazz Bird was among the Gershwin songs originally included in 1983's My One and Only. It was cut by the time the show reached New York but nevertheless appears on the original cast recording as a charming duet for Tune and Twiggy. They also performed the song in Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade that year sitting in a horse-drawn carriage.

Tommy Tune and Twiggy sing Little Jazz Bird

Updated On: 2/6/15 at 07:20 PM

Saw it tonight (my first Encores show!) and was totally delighted. Agree with evic that it felt like such a wonderful surprise that a show this old could feel so fresh. Everyone from backstage to onstage were on the same page with embracing and bringing to life the breezy, bright, and wacky tone. Murin is just such a gifted comedienne and sounded lovely and Gardner was absolutely fantastic. Really though, get the man a show! Having Tommy Tune get to share his skills with us one more time was just so exciting. Orchestra was superb.

A thoroughly charming production.

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Despite wonderful performances from the entire cast, swift direction and
Randy Skinner's always on target choregraphy, I found the actual show annoyingly
silly with no real reason to sit there and watch.

And I love Drowsy Chaperone!