I agree with what bwayfan said about the cast is really true: They make you interested in ALL the storylines. Theresa Rebeck and Michael Meyer have done it right. And Joshua Bergasse's choreography is exciting.
Obviously the story is making McPhee's character the innocent-waif-with-talent-who-should-really-get-the-job but Hilty is so good as Marilyn--she gets the whole amazing baseball number to herself!--that you keep thinking, "Wow, she might not be as likable but she would be terrific." And that final number of the first episode doesn't leave either one of them the clear winner. That's what makes it such a cliffhanger!
But the rest of the cast--and their storylines--make the show seem like it has winner potential. Anjelica Huston is simultaneously sympathetic and larger-than-life as the female half of the divorcing producer couple determined to show her ex--and all of Broadway!--that she can make a hit without him, a Fran-who needs-no-Barry.
In just this first episode, Debra Messing as one half of the songwriting team, created a fully fleshed out, funny, likable and totally believable straight woman of the theater. I feel like I already know her--and I already like her--and I already think of her as extremely talented. And Christian Borle as her gay writing partner who can't remember the name of one of the chorus boys he's slept with...yeah, I feel like I know him too--and Borle is giving a pitch-perfect performance.
The others are good too--espeically Jack Davenport as the straight British director who doesn't like when Christian Borle fawns over the divas, Jamie Cepero who play Borle's cute assistant, and smolderingly sexy Raza Jaffray who plays McPhee's boyfriend. I feel like if he were to coach me in how to play Marilyn, I'd get a callback too.
And don't discount Wesley Taylor (from Addams Family and Tales of the City) as the cute chorus boy whose name Christian Borle can't remember. I think we're going to remember him.
Updated On: 1/4/12 at 12:15 AM