My NY trip (aka 5 shows in 4 days)

[erikrokks]

Posted: 11/9/04 at 11:10pm

Ok, this might be a long one...
Just got back from NYC on Sunday. Here are the shows I saw and what I thought of them.
Wednesday 11/3-Evening performance of Wicked. Ok, I think I loved the show just as much, if not more than when I saw it in March. Idina hit every note and was brilliant. Joey was decent as Fiyero, but really didn't like his voice with Idina's in "As Long as You're Mine". They didn't mesh well. Ok, and as for JLT...she was awesome! I loved her voice and I thought he comic timing was maybe even better than KC's. At the stage door afterward-when someone asked Idina if she could get her pic taken with her, she said "You can snap away all you want, but I'm not stopping for individual pictures." It seemed really rude and the poor girl looked so sad. I guess I could kind of understand since it was the 2nd show of the day, but JLT, Joey, and the others in the show who had gone on twice that day had no problem taking pics with fans. Either way, I still have to admire Idina for her talent!
Thursday 11/4-BKLYN. The show had a lot to live up to since I enjoyed it SOOO much when I saw it in Denver last year. For the most part, the re-vamped show lived up to my expectations. There were a couple of things that I was mildly disappointed in though. First, one of the best songs in the Denver show was "Brooklyn in the Blood". I personally think that the Denver version of this song was much better than the current one. It was funkier, for lack of a better term, and it gave a more defined separation between Brooklyn and Paradice. The other reservation I had going into this performance was Kevin Anderson as Taylor. I did enjoy Kevin in the role, but he had nowhere near the amount of emotion and conviction that Lee Morgan had. I truly think that the producers or whoever, made a HUGE mistake by not choosing Lee to continue as Taylor. Ok, that was the bad stuff. Overall, this is still my favorite musical that I've ever seen. I truly enjoy the songs and the people who sing them. I am so confused as to why people are talking so poorly about the show. I can understand that some are saying that it is cheesy, etc. but what musical isn't? I see some people criticizing aspects of the show and then they talk about shows they love and i can see the same exact qualities that they mentioned about BKLYN in the show they love. It's all a matter of opinion, I guess. You can tell audiences love it and I guess that makes me feel good.
Friday 11/5-Beauty and the Beast. One of my NY friends hadn't seen it, so I got tickets at the TKTS booth. Wow...the show has gone downhill since I saw it a few years ago. Brooke Tansley's singing voice was adequate for Belle, but her speaking voice was like nails on a chalkboard! She sounded like she was doing an impression of Shaggy from Scooby-Doo! Mrs. Potts...was ok, but not that great. Gaston...again, ok, but Gaston needs a little more ego and loudness in his voice. The Beast...eesh. He totally wrecked my favorite song in the show, "If I Can't Love Her." He spoke it instead of singing it.
Saturday 11/6 matinee-Dracula. Didn't love it, didn't hate it. There were a couple of good things about it. The main one was Melissa Errico. I really liked her voice but I wish she could've had better songs to sing. I liked the flying effects, but after the first couple of flying effects, it seemed like they were using it just for the sake of making people fly. I liked the end of the first act though.
Saturday 11/6 evening-BKLYN again. Ok, I saw the show from the second row this time and I enjoyed the show much more than when I saw it a couple of days earlier. Seeing it up close really drew me into the story and the songs more. Eden got a standing ovation after "Once Upon a Time" and Ramona got a partial standing ovation after "Raven". It was fun to hear people talking about the show as I was walking out of the theater. I only heard good things coming from people's mouths. I think I now know what Taboo lovers felt when that show opened. It seems like both shows were loved by audiences but hated by critics. In any event, I still have Brooklyn in MY blood!

Thanks for reading!

[luvWICKED416]

Posted: 11/9/04 at 11:23pm

Oh Idina... never heard that about you before... not taking pics at the stage door!? You!? Nooo....

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 11/9/04 at 11:27pm

It's not rude that Idina didn't stop for a picture and I don't think what she said was rude either. If she posed for individual pictures every night, she wouldn't get home until after midnight - and the people outside that stage door make we want to vomit if they're half as annoying as the wicked fans on this board. I stay away.

[erikrokks]

Posted: 11/9/04 at 11:38pm

Actually it WAS totally rude for her to say it in the tone that she said it. And trust me, she didn't win any new fans by saying that. (I know, I know...she doesn't NEED any new fans, blah, blah, blah) If she's going to have that attitude then she shouldn't even exit via the stage door. That is one of the most unique and special qualities of Broadway shows...having the ability to meet the performers you respect and enjoy after the show. I'm a grown man and I still think it's great to be able to tell someone how much I enjoyed their performance. It's kind of awkward to tell her that and instead of saying thank you or smiling, she just stares blankly into your eyes. It looks like she's thinking "Why is this guy even talking to me?"

Ok, I guess I need to change my pic on here now, since it's a pic of Idina and me taken in March. LOL!

[luvWICKED416]

Posted: 11/9/04 at 11:48pm

yes... please change your pic, haha. It only reminds me of the fact that i don't have one with her, and prob. never will after hearing these stories, lol.