On Your Toes @ Encores! — Page 3

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#51

On Your Toes @ Encores!

Posted: 5/13/13 at 12:21am

Here's how I know the book was not slight. In 1937, they mounted the show in London, in a marvelous production with Vera Zorina in her first big role and Jack Whiting, an excellent song-and-dance juvenile in the lead role. The producers EXACTLY copied the original production. And it flopped. It played 72 performances. Why? The London critics LOVED the show. They realized how much of an advancement in musical theatre this show represented. The London audiences just plain could not understand it. They had to think FAR too hard to follow the plot. Compare this show to anything by Charles Cochrane (the David Merrick of London) and you'll see why the auds, who were used to revues and slight shows about princes in Ruritaria were puzzled.

By today's standards, it MIGHT be called slight, but in the 1930s, plays and movies WERE often slight. On Your Toes had some meat on the bones, and coupled with Ray Bolger at the height of his prowess, a swell score and George Balanchine's choreography, I'll bet it was one hell of a swelligant night.

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Updated On: 5/13/13 at 12:21 AM

#52

On Your Toes @ Encores!

Posted: 5/13/13 at 12:24am

I am astonished at what a consummate comic actress Irina Dvorovenko seemed to be. Every line, every glance, her entrances and exits, every throwaway line, every punch line...all delivered flawlessly. Joaquin De Luz was almost as good. I loved the titles song. I wanted to see it over and over.

Walter Bobbie was a delight, and Christine Baranski is a national treasure.

I liked Shonny Wiley. I especially liked the kid who played him as a boy.

I loved the students and the ballet dancers, each and every one of them.

The only thing I didn't like was Kelli Barrett's delivery of "Glad to Be Unhappy," which she seemed to miss the point of entirely. What should have been wry or sardonic, ended up as maudlin or angry, what should have been touching was not so. and she for some reason felt it necessary to belt the climax of the song. It was as if she had it on backwards.

#53

On Your Toes @ Encores!

Posted: 5/13/13 at 12:28am

How is Ziemba?

"I think lying to children is really important, it sets them off on the right track" -Sherie Rene Scott-

#54

On Your Toes @ Encores!

Posted: 5/13/13 at 12:33am

allofmylife,
To put perspective on where Bolger was in his career and with his talents, I think it bears mentioning that "Toes" was about a year before he would film "The Wizard of Oz."

And yes, again, slight by 2013, far and away advanced in 1937.

The tapping on their back was thrilling.. as was the integration of the ballet and hoofers at the finale of the number.. the benches were brilliantly used.. the en pointe tight rope.. just.. wow.. the continuous reconfiguration.. I wish that number could be performed in its entirety on the Tonys to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Encores.

Yes, Dvorovenko was a wonderful discovery. She nailed every moments he was on stage and wrung every laugh possible.. just was.. wow.

Dalton Harrod (Young Junior) is probably my favorite discovery of the production as I had zero exposure to him before and his one song and song at the top of the show had a lasting impression.. he held his own with Ziemba and Skinner and I think that he has the potential of a fantastic career on stage.

#55

On Your Toes @ Encores!

Posted: 5/13/13 at 1:19am

Karen Ziemba and Randy Skinner were consummately professional in the Two-a-Day number, but the kid totally stole the number from the seasoned vets.

#56

On Your Toes @ Encores!

Posted: 5/13/13 at 1:20am

I was in the balcony and didn't even realize Ziemba was in the show until intermission when I looked through my Playbill and saw her name. Then I went "Oh".

#57

On Your Toes @ Encores!

Posted: 5/13/13 at 5:34am

broadwayguy2, according to the cast bios, this was Bolger's fourth show and first serious lead.

On Your Toes @ Encores!

Updated On: 5/13/13 at 05:34 AM

#58

On Your Toes @ Encores!

Posted: 5/13/13 at 5:54am

Every now and then, the various "On Your Toes" iterations get together to play.

Updated On: 5/13/13 at 05:54 AM

#59

On Your Toes @ Encores!

Posted: 5/13/13 at 8:53am

Seeing Karen Ziemba and Randy Skinner in the opening number was terrific.

#60

On Your Toes @ Encores!

Posted: 5/13/13 at 9:17am

I enjoyed Dvorovenko and the orchestra very much, but little else. The biggest missing element from this one was comedy; I still think Carlyle is totally out of his league in professional theatre - he seemed to be unaware that the Zenobia ballet is supposed to be funny (I also thought that his staging of title number had a lot of energy, but poor focus). Shonn Wiley, too, completely missed the comedy bus at the end of the Slaughter ballet, which ground to a tired ending, rather than building to a gaspingly hilarious climax. The combination of these two really mediocre talents turned this into a dusty, moderately charming snooze. Thank goodness for Dvorovenko, who really seems to know what "funny" means.

Updated On: 5/13/13 at 09:17 AM

#61

On Your Toes @ Encores!

Posted: 5/13/13 at 9:30am

Is it entirely out of the realm of possibility for this to transfer? I just want to see that title number again and again! Which is probably not reason enough...sigh. A boy can dream!

#62

On Your Toes @ Encores!

Posted: 5/13/13 at 9:49am

An insignificant, but gnawing question: why did they change the name from Vera Barnova (accent on the first syllable, which it's always been) to Vera Baronova?

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