#1
CURTAINS: A Tough Act to Follow
Al Hirschfeld Theatre
Saturday, March 31, 2007 @ 2:00pm
It's not everyday you’re given the chance to go out and enjoy “a great big new musical comedy”...
I sat on the edge of my seat throughout the entire performance. I was enthralled by all aspects. A cast of extraordinary talent, led by the charming David Hyde Pierce, who I feel has truly found a gem of a role in Lt. Frank Cioffi, and the utterly uproarious and enchanting Debra Monk. The entire company deserves a collective nod of recognition and great esteem for all their efforts, delivering a top-notch performance from the opening moments of the overture to the side-splitting, “all’s-well-that-ends-well” of a finale.
I knew that CURTAINS was going to be a delight. Right from the get-go, with ROBBIN’ HOOD, I was set and ready for an adventure. Every character that graced the stage served a purpose, adding more depth to the story, piling on more questions, with plot twists and turns to boot. From the not-so-dearly departed Jessica Crenshaw, ill-fated Sidney Bernstein and the dutiful Johnny Harmon all the way to the ostentatious Christopher Belling, bitter drama critic Daryl Grady, and even our hero Frank Cioffi himself. I could see myself in a few roles. Aside from the obvious choice of Lt. Cioffi, who I know I would have a ball playing, I think I would enjoy sinking my teeth into the featured role of the composer, Aaron Fox.
Truth be told, I fell in love with more than a few of the musical numbers. “Show People” being one of them, stands out as one of those ‘in your face’ kind of numbers, where Debra Monk’s vocals were really able to shine. I also enjoyed “A Tough Act to Follow”, a truly charming tune that kept a smile on my face. I think that my favorite song to come out of the show was “I Miss the Music”. Aside from the fact that I’m a big fan of Jason Danieley’s work as a vocalist, I feel that the song itself is a winning piece of Mr. Kander’s orchestral prowess.
Don't listen to the 'haters' out there, who can't find it within themselves to truly appreciate a masterfully-crafted piece of theatre. As far as I’m concerned, CURTAINS amounts to two hours and forty minutes of freshness - full of an incomparable zest, vigor, and warmth – that Broadway hasn’t accurately felt in decades. I feel immensely fortunate having been able to experience the splendor of a John Kander and Fred Ebb score, with an original concept conceived by Peter Stone, awe-inspiring choreography (Rob Ashford), beautiful lighting (Peter Kaczorowski) and set design (Anna Louizos), all of which is intertwined in a laugh-a-minute book (Rupert Holmes) that, without a shadow of a doubt, will always keep you guessing and begging for more...
Best,
- Mike
Posted: 4/4/07 at 1:09am
CURTAINS: A Tough Act to Follow
Al Hirschfeld Theatre
Saturday, March 31, 2007 @ 2:00pm
It's not everyday you’re given the chance to go out and enjoy “a great big new musical comedy”...
I sat on the edge of my seat throughout the entire performance. I was enthralled by all aspects. A cast of extraordinary talent, led by the charming David Hyde Pierce, who I feel has truly found a gem of a role in Lt. Frank Cioffi, and the utterly uproarious and enchanting Debra Monk. The entire company deserves a collective nod of recognition and great esteem for all their efforts, delivering a top-notch performance from the opening moments of the overture to the side-splitting, “all’s-well-that-ends-well” of a finale.
I knew that CURTAINS was going to be a delight. Right from the get-go, with ROBBIN’ HOOD, I was set and ready for an adventure. Every character that graced the stage served a purpose, adding more depth to the story, piling on more questions, with plot twists and turns to boot. From the not-so-dearly departed Jessica Crenshaw, ill-fated Sidney Bernstein and the dutiful Johnny Harmon all the way to the ostentatious Christopher Belling, bitter drama critic Daryl Grady, and even our hero Frank Cioffi himself. I could see myself in a few roles. Aside from the obvious choice of Lt. Cioffi, who I know I would have a ball playing, I think I would enjoy sinking my teeth into the featured role of the composer, Aaron Fox.
Truth be told, I fell in love with more than a few of the musical numbers. “Show People” being one of them, stands out as one of those ‘in your face’ kind of numbers, where Debra Monk’s vocals were really able to shine. I also enjoyed “A Tough Act to Follow”, a truly charming tune that kept a smile on my face. I think that my favorite song to come out of the show was “I Miss the Music”. Aside from the fact that I’m a big fan of Jason Danieley’s work as a vocalist, I feel that the song itself is a winning piece of Mr. Kander’s orchestral prowess.
Don't listen to the 'haters' out there, who can't find it within themselves to truly appreciate a masterfully-crafted piece of theatre. As far as I’m concerned, CURTAINS amounts to two hours and forty minutes of freshness - full of an incomparable zest, vigor, and warmth – that Broadway hasn’t accurately felt in decades. I feel immensely fortunate having been able to experience the splendor of a John Kander and Fred Ebb score, with an original concept conceived by Peter Stone, awe-inspiring choreography (Rob Ashford), beautiful lighting (Peter Kaczorowski) and set design (Anna Louizos), all of which is intertwined in a laugh-a-minute book (Rupert Holmes) that, without a shadow of a doubt, will always keep you guessing and begging for more...
Best,
- Mike
Updated On: 4/4/07 at 01:09 AM
