My Broadway Binge Reviews Dec. 26-29, 2016

[Phantom4ever]

Posted: 12/28/16 at 1:24am

Seeing 8 shows on this trip.  I'll try and post as they are fresh in my mind.  

 

Yesterday I did something I've ALWAYS wanted to do: see the same show twice in one day.  Of course I chose Phantom for this.  It was my 64th and 65th time seeing the New York Phantom.  I got to see two Christine's, otherwise the casting was the same. Let me tell you something.  Rachel Eskenazi-Gold brought so much new energy to Christine.  She even made Music of the Night thrilling to watch.  Now don't get me wrong. I love me some MOTN, but not because it's thrilling.  But Rachel just knew how to wrestle every last emotion out of every word every movement in that song.  It was legendary.  Ali was probably a stronger singer but she was quite a let down to see after the boundless energy of Rachel. I thought that I might get a little bored with the show during the second performance but it actually flew by.   I'm glad I finally did it.  

This afternoon I saw Chicago (same perf that Romam was at).  I am quite partial to Charlotte and/or Bianca as Roxie.  I enjoyed Dylis but her singing was not strong enough for me.  She also played Roxie with kind of a child, baby-doll voice and that didn't work when she had to get rude and insulting to Billy Flynn. I didn't believe the same character could do both.  A non-Leslie Stifleman conductor was a rare treat too.  The family next to me sang along at parts, took pictures of each scene, and then asked me to get up and move instead of jamming along with the band after the show.  Such a let down. By the time I had let them out, the orchestra was done.  I have been labeled the "Theater Thug" by my friends for my aggressive way of dealing with bad behavior in theater but those days are over.  I am no longer going to feel my blood pressure go up when a phone comes out and I am done with shushing people and all that. 

Tonight I saw Hamilton.  I saw the OBC 3 times and I've seen the Chicago cast 3 times.  The show still packs a punch and I still got teary eyed all through act two.  However, Josh Henry belongs on Broadway and BVD belongs in Chicago.  Joshua's Burr far surpasses Brandon's in every way. The only good thing I could say about Brandon's performance tonight was he got a ton of laughs for his comedic timing and goofy line readings. I thought perhaps he was saving his energy for Room where it Happens but let's just say that Brandon should change the lyrics to "i kinda want to be in the room where it happens but no big deal if I'm not."  Nicholas Christopher as GW was terrific.  A strong singer who stopped the show with GW's signature departing song.  Loved Mandy. Jordan Fisher as Laurens/Philip was phenomenal.  He should have been in the OBC.  He added so much depth and life to the role.  And man oh man the Lord blessed him, as was obvious while he was leaning backwards (after he was shot) and revealed his ummm "blessing" to the audience.  Sorry if that was inappropriate but yikes somebody get that guy some tighter underwear or something.  There were some wonky parts to the show.  During the Seabury song, a button popped off his costume and went rolling around the stage. I found it funny all these ensemble members walked past it at the end of the scene and finally Bramdon just walked across the stage and grabbed it.  Them when they were bringing out GW's desk, they knocked some of the candlesticks, etc over.  As Philip Hamilton's deathbed moved upstage along the turntable, it was actually half on and half off it so it scraped along and  kind of ruined the moment. Javier has this look on his face like "do I move it or just keep acting sad ". Seth Stewart was abyssal as TJ     Just awful.   He acted as if he were a script prompter and his job was just to read lines to cue the other actors .  I cannot imagine what made the powers that be at Hamiltom think that he is right for TJ.   Sooooooo much of the humor and "shade" of the role is gone    The TJ in Chicago is not that great either, but he is far better than Seth.   He either refuses to do the role similar to Daveed or he thinks that a minimalist approach is somehow fresh.   But TJ is supposed to be this conniving villain and with Seth, all you get is a laid back dude-bro. 

I was was surprised to see so many white faces onstage tonight.  Especially among the women.  Is Hamilton having trouble finding black actors?  

Updated On: 12/28/16 at 01:24 AM

[Dancingthrulife2]

Posted: 12/28/16 at 1:51am

Phantom4ever said: "
I was was surprised to see so many white faces onstage tonight.  Especially among the women.  Is Hamilton having trouble finding black actors?  

 

"

The black-or-white rhetorics is extremely offensive, ignorant, and racist.

[Phantom4ever]

Posted: 12/28/16 at 1:55am

So who is being offensive ignorant and racist exactly? 

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 12/28/16 at 9:19am

"let's just say that Brandon should change the lyrics to "i kinda want to be in the room where it happens but no big deal if I'm not'

This is amazing. I haven't seen Brandon but LOL.

"I was was surprised to see so many white faces onstage tonight.  Especially among the women.  Is Hamilton having trouble finding black actors?  "

I think the people you're referring to as "White" are Latina or mixed. There is only one white female ensemble member.

http://www.hamiltonbroadway.com/cast.php

Updated On: 12/28/16 at 09:19 AM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 12/28/16 at 9:50am

There was nothing offensive about your inquiry about the cast....you noticed something, and you asked.   

[Phantom4ever]

Posted: 12/28/16 at 1:58pm

Thanks for the clarification, dramamama.  I'm sure most of the cast last night  was mixed race, Latinx, etc but from row Q of the orchestra, pretty much everyone looked white.  Which is totally fine, but it is a marked departure from both the OBC and Chicago casts

Updated On: 12/28/16 at 01:58 PM

[Dancingthrulife2]

Posted: 12/28/16 at 4:52pm

So diversity means only black and white huh? What about Asians, who constitute about 20% of NYC population and Latinos, First People aka Native Americans? 

[Phantom4ever]

Posted: 12/28/16 at 4:56pm

I looked over the thread and didn't see anyone defining diversity as black and white only.  

[Dancingthrulife2]

Posted: 12/28/16 at 5:01pm

You said you were surprised to see so many "WHITE" faces on stage and wondered if the producers had trouble finding"BLACK" actors.

[Phantom4ever]

Posted: 12/28/16 at 6:12pm

Hmmm I'm confused.  I saw white faces onstage.  Sf least they looked white.  I guess they could have been other things.  I should have said "actors of color" aand not "black actors".   Note to self:  probably better to not bring up race at all on bww 

Updated On: 12/28/16 at 06:12 PM

[Dancingthrulife2]

Posted: 12/28/16 at 6:53pm

Phantom4ever said: "Hmmm I'm confused.  I saw white faces onstage.  Sf least they looked white.  I guess they could have been other things.  I should have said "actors of color" aand not "black actors".   Note to self:  probably better to not bring up race at all on bww 

 

"

It's not that you bring up "racial" or ethnicity issues but that you assume a person to be either white or black or at least that's what I get from your wording. 

Race is a social construct, not biological. Racism, likewise, is institutionalized. You might find the following article helpful: http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2015/06/16/how-fluid-is-racial-identity/race-and-racial-identity-are-social-constructs

 

[Phantom4ever]

Posted: 12/28/16 at 8:33pm

I wasn't trying to start a pedagogical conversation on race.  And I'm not about to have one !  

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 12/28/16 at 8:39pm

Dancingthrulife2, I honestly feel like every time you post, you're racializing something somebody else has said.

Also, question for Phantom4ever: just curious, what did one Christine do over the other to make "Music of the Night" more engrossing? Doesn't Christine not sing at all during that song? Truly curious!

[Phantom4ever]

Posted: 12/28/16 at 9:39pm

Broadwayconcierge, Rachel's Christine had movements and facial expressions that were so nuanced, expressive, and unique.  Normally, all Christine can do during MOTN is be in a trance.  But Rachel acted scared at times, sexually aroused at others, and battling internal conflicts.  It was all very subtle.  I wish she would become the next Christine 

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 12/28/16 at 9:45pm

Ah, got it! Rachel sounds like a fabulous Christine. I'd love to see her in the role sometime. I saw Ali Ewoldt's Christine a few months ago and while I was impressed by her voice, I was particularly disappointed by how statically she acted it. Rachel sounds much more up my alley. Thanks for your reviews!

[DivaProf]

Posted: 12/30/16 at 5:11am

I also noticed that there weren't any dark-skinned women in the Broadway Hamilton cast on my most recent visit (11/07/16).  It was shortly after I'd read an interview with Viola Davis where she commented on how difficult it was for her to receive roles as a darker-skinned African-American woman.  The relatively lighter hue of the women (compared to the men and the OBC) in the current cast was noticeable (to me at least), and noteworthy.  

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 12/30/16 at 5:59am

Phantom, I remember getting your private message on BWW.  I scanned the Mezz area, but couldn't see you.  Sorry I didn't see you.  Too bad you had problems with dumb-butt audience members.  There was one particular rhymes with witch who ruined my experience watching Cats.  I don't think the ushers at the Neil Simon did a very good job...well, at least one particular one.  She came across as sort of mild mannered, which doesn't help when dealing with idiotic audience members.  It's funny that the ushers did focus their attention on one guy in the last row of mezz (close enough that I could see him) but not one further down.  I even gave that female usher the exact row/seat, but nothing was done.  Anyway, maybe next time we can meet up at Marie's Crisis.  I had a blast there.  You should have heard me "sing" As If We Never Said Goodbye from Sunset Boulevard....and my run-in with a drunk hunk.