I was there last night and enjoyed myself, thanks in large part to Ms. Chenoweth. She is making a bright star turn in a role that she is simply perfect for. I've never seen a production of OTTC, but know the recording well.
What a great but very difficult role! Cheno is wonderful vocally, but even better physically. She throws herself, literally, into the role and is very funny. I wish I had seen Kahn, a comedienne I adore, to make a comparison. Kaye as well.
Unfortunately, that is where the rave ends for me. Again, I wish I had seen the original to see what Kline, Cullum and Coca did on that stage. First and least impressive was Gallagher's Oscar. He made decent acting choices, but Oscar needs to be charismatic and he just fell short. He was in very shaky voice and off pitch frequently (He has always sounded underpitch, even as a younger man in "A Dolls Life" and "Guys and Dolls"). Mr. Karl was serviceable, but still has his timing off a bit to really put the very physical role over. I adore Ms. Wilson, but I feel she just came off as old, not dotty, or nutty. It simply wasn't as funny as it could've been, imo. "She's a Nut" just wasn't funny, even with some of the sight gags.
The sets were nice and the costumes lovely, and McGrath and Linn-Baker were both as good as they always are.
My biggest problem, as others have said, was the slight orchestra. I couldn't even hear the first several bars of the overture.
I was disappointed, but hopefully it will become sharper, which will help a great deal. I kept thinking of the precision of "Gentleman's Guide" and how Chenoweth was delivering and the rest seemed a few beats behind.
"Carson has combined his passion for helping children with his love for one of Cincinnati's favorite past times - cornhole - to create a unique and exciting event perfect for a corporate outing, entertaining clients or family fun."
"In Oz, the verb is douchifizzation."
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