My thoughts: Gypsy, South Pacific, Lion King

[caitlinette]

Posted: 7/26/08 at 12:03am

Gypsy: July 16, 2 PM

OH MY GOD. What a show. I don’t think it really sunk in what it was I had seen until a day or two later. I’ve been thinking about this production ever since I saw it. I suppose there’s not much else to say since there have been so many reviews about how great it is and why it is, much more in-depth than I can offer. Here are my notes:

Leigh Ann Larkin’s voice was surprisingly deep, which I liked. It was such a contrast – the blond hair and big smile and babyish clothes, and then this dark, monotone voice comes out of her. It worked really well. Louise really came off as a people pleaser compared to June. Louise was carrying around the hurt of always playing second fiddle to June yet didn’t turn cynical. It really endeared me to Louise, and I opened up to June more in “If Mama Was Married”. Leigh’s voice was thrilling in this song. The whole time I was trying to figure out if she was singing the higher notes in chest or head voice, or mixing.

Patti and Boyd have such gorgeous, natural chemistry. Not much else can be said about those two…Simply stunning work.

The performers need a bit more amplification. I had to really sit still and listen to get every word.

Laura’s “Little Lamb” was breathtaking. It’s such a change from the noisy belting one hears so much of, and that’s why it was so wonderful. Just a girl and her lamb, and all of Louise’s sadness. Very quiet, and absolutely heartbreaking. Everyone in the audience was like, “Whoa” after she finished. Speaking of Laura…Dear God I love this actress! She won my heart. Her Gypsy Rose Lee was to die for. I would have paid to see her!! For some reason the thought kept popping into my head that she might make a good Mary Poppins.

Was Louise in love with Tulsa when he’s showing her his dance, or was she just fantasizing about being danced with that way and being glamorous?

At the end when Louise walks off laughing at the idea of her and Rose being on a billboard together, did that mean she had grown uppity about her stardom, or was it more to show that Rose was still stuck on the idea of fame, or what?

South Pacific: July 17, 8 PM
Laura Marie Duncan as Nellie

First of all, I felt severely underdressed for this show. The clothes I wore to shows in the Times Square area felt dingy and slobby compared to what the mostly older crowd was wearing. I was reminded that they come from an era when people would dress up to see shows. It was interesting how different this audience was…Much more respectful, everyone interested in what they were seeing (after seeing countless numbers of snooty-looking bored girls barely able to keep their hands off their cell phones, this was truly refreshing), and eager to hear the classic music again. Everyone around me was talking about Kelli O’Hara being out: some were delighted to be seeing the understudy, others doubtful, others taking it rather ungracefully. I mentioned to the man sitting next to me that I had known for several weeks about Kelli being gone and pretty soon everyone was asking me how I could possibly have known that. I explained about Broadwayworld. I even told the usher, who didn’t know, why Kelli was out. It was amusing!

Anyway, le show! I loved the sets even though it took me a good half hour to see the volcanoes in the background. The ensemble isn’t given a whole lot to do for a lot of the show but it was fun watching them to see what they did with that time. It was great when the guys all came leaping out across the sand. They all had boundless, playful, and restless energy during “Nothing Like a Dame”. I was watching the group numbers closely and no one was phoning in at all. Matthew Morrison had such a strong and crisp presence. A very focused performance. I was a little confused as to who Liat was – I thought she was a prostitute but that seems doubtful. And then, she and Cable were in love so quickly (or was it intense infatuation/physical attraction?) so I wondered if she offered herself to him because she had seen him before and liked him?

Paulo Szot is to die for! I think every woman in the audience was silently swooning and every man was envious. I wasn’t really sure of who Emile was, but his singing was expressive enough. I got the feeling like Emile is the kind of guy who’s hard to get into, and Nellie was able to do just that. She was the talker.

It was hard to not compare Laura to Kelli, who I’ve seen so many clips of and had her way of doing certain scenes in my head. However, Laura is utterly adorable and lovable. I just had to get used to the different energy she brings to Nellie. She didn’t seem nervous at all and when she smiled it lit up the whole stage. At one point when Emile is holding her and she’s facing the audience – I believe he was singing to her – she burst into a huge smile that told you she really didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, and she couldn’t believe this was all happening to her. I think Kelli seems and looks a little more mature than Laura; at times Laura looked a bit young and out of place next to Paulo though I never questioned that their love was real and deep. Plus, I understand that Emile is supposed to be an older man.

In conclusion, sometimes Laura was brilliant, and other times I wanted a bit more from her, a little more umph or boldness. She belts more than Kelli and isn’t quite as athletic, but it totally fit her interpretation of the character. There were a few times when she would be crying and then turn around to someone who was talking to her and there was no transition: like she suddenly stopped crying, not even wiping her face. That was one thing I noticed that needs a little work. I also think she could let loose a little more…Not sure how to describe what I mean by that. Just be a little more risk-taking and free.

I was impressed with the lack of mics on the actors, but half the time I had to strain to hear what the actors were saying, especially Laura, and I was only 5 rows from the stage. The folks in the mezzanine must have heard even less. Subtlety is important, of course, but my community theater director never would have let me get away with that kind of projection even in our 300-seat theater.

The political aspects of the show lost me. I wasn't sure why Nellie was supposed to be spying on Emile or why he and Cable went on that mission, and what the mission was.

South Pacific, in the end, didn't thrill me but there were times when I loved it, and I was never bored. It was great to be amongst audience members who were clearly delighted to be hearing songs they all knew and loved.

The Lion King: July 16, 8:00

I saw the show in Los Angeles in 2002 and had raved about it to my boyfriend whom I took with me to see it. I remembered it as incredibly vibrant and breathtaking. The show I saw on Broadway was different, not always in a good way. I knew that the Minskoff Theater wasn't beautiful, but in person it was even worse. What's up with the thick concrete guardrail in the mezzanine? I felt like I was in a combination of an office building, an airport terminal, and a giant cheap-looking Sony speaker.

The good: Well, the audience was enthusiastic. The visuals, of course. The dancing. The creativity, etc, etc. And Tshidi Manye as Rafiki – such a focused, grounding performance as the spiritual center of the show. If only every character could have had her energy!

Okay, now the rest of it. If you love this show, skip over the following notes.

The acting was quite abysmal at times. I think the problem is that the energy of the movie – endlessly energetic, physically strong and fluid animals, against the dramatic and vast backdrop of Africa – doesn't translate as well to the stage, so you get human actors standing there with lion heads on their heads uttering bland, generic sort of lines. When Simba meets Nala and his mother again after he's grown up, it was this incredibly shallow, stiff inflection and no emotional connection. Guy V. Barfield II as young Simba was having a blast but – again – was emotionally shallow. I wanted so badly to get that sense of terror and hopelessness after Mufasa dies and Simba runs off into desert like in the movie, but all I got wasn't much more than a, “Aw, gee, you mean I have to leave now?” attitude.

“I Just Can't Wait to Be King” seemed really jumbled and hard to follow, or oddly orchestrated and sung. “Be Prepared” is set in an incredibly low key for Scar. I think it would have more punch and carry better if it were raised a bit.

I definitely had “WTF?!” moments during the songs “The Daily Report” and “Chow Down”.

This is the third show I saw that could have had better amplification. I wanted things to be louder, crisper, deeper. Little Mermaid had all of those things in contrast.

Oh, well. My boyfriend highly enjoyed it even though I was wishing the whole time that I was seeing In the Heights instead.

[morosco]

Posted: 7/26/08 at 1:41am

I was impressed with the lack of mics on the actors, but half the time I had to strain to hear what the actors were saying...

I believe everyone in South Pacific is wearing a microphone. The sound design is a lot more subtle than most other shows.

[caitlinette]

Posted: 7/26/08 at 1:43am

Yeah, I thought I noticed something in Laura's wig. Still, I had a hard time hearing. Odd.

[esparza 333]

Posted: 7/26/08 at 3:45pm

Wow great reviews.

[caitlinette]

Posted: 7/26/08 at 3:51pm

Thanks esparza!

[TheaterBaby]

Posted: 7/26/08 at 4:44pm

The best thing is with Leigh Ann, off stage her speaking voice is really quite sweet (as is she).
When I had seen the show at City Center last year, I had that same initial reaction to hearing June with such a deep voice. lol Then having seen it again after having spoken to Leigh Ann, it made it that much better. It's a fun take on the character.
And also how seductive she is with Mr. Goldstone in the hotel scene.
I think she does a great job with the role.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 7/26/08 at 5:14pm

First of all, great reviews! Thanks for sharing about the three shows you had the opportunity to see!

About South Pacific:
I agree about attitudes on theater nowadays in comparison to even 20 years ago. I feel like older generations just dress as a show of respect, whereas it is not as common nowadays.

Liat is the daughter of Bloody Mary. She couldn't seen Cable before the first time they met because it was Cable's first trip to Bali Hai... where Liat lives. I supposed it's possible, but I doubt it. She isn't a prostitute I just think that Bloody Mary introduces her daughter to her because she likes Lt. Cable. She wants the best for her daughter and that is why she is working so hard to earn money, so that her daughter can really lead a better life than what she has experienced. I think it definitely initially the attraction is physical, but I think it grows into this intense love quickly, even though they had barriers in their relationship, including the language barrier.

I agree about Emile. I think he's a character who is really in-depth, but not really revealed too much in the show. He clearly loves his kids and loves Nellie, and we start to learn a little of his past.

Thanks for the review of Laura! Its always interesting to see how the audience reacts to seeing an understudy in general. I believe they are supposed to be 20 years apart in age, so playing her younger isn't necessarily a bad thing. I can't remember where I heard that though. Although, yes I agree, Kelli plays her more maturely not in a bad way.

I'm pretty certain that at the very least, all the lead and featured actors are mic'ed. I was in the loge, and I could hear everything perfectly, including all the dialogue. The thing is, the Vivian is so much more intimate that it sometimes doesn't seem like they are, and they are just singing without one. It stinks that some of the dialogue was harder for you to hear though.

just my opinions.
thanks again for sharing
~Jkor