PAINT YOUR WAGON! Encores!@City Center — Page 2

Can someone please explain to me how in a mere few weeks Encores is able to, time after time after time, put on more polished, fully staged musicals than most commercial ventures are able to come up with after YEARS of development?

Denis Jones' choreography is not only wonderful, but was executed with flawless precision by this troupe of dancers. The Can Can. The dream ballet. The arrival of the stagecoach. What is it about Encores that brings out the best of the choreographers they hire?

Justin Guarini has been hiding this operatic voice somewhere and thank god he finally let it out. I had goosebumps every time he sang. Alexandra Socha is also changing her major to big time Broadway belter. How can we wait to see what tomorrow brings for her indeed!

Dear sweet Keith Carradine. What I love most about his folksy charm is that there an underlying wistful sadness to so much of what he sings. His songs are not easy to pull off, but you wouldn't know that from his interpretations.

Now for Nathaniel Hackmann. His They Call The Wind Maria was a highlight of the night and the man is simply hot as F*CK. If he's feeling lonely singing to the wind I could think of a few ways to warm him up, and that goes for most of the men at Rumson Creek.

The orchestra sounded lush and full. After being put through the ringer last night at It Shoulda Been You, how nice to here a score of such beauty and so many touching lyrics.

Loved it.

---

There were eight violin players tonight. Eight!!!

There were only nine musicians in the entire pit last night. We are spoiled rotten by this orchestra and trust me, I don't take them for granted.

---

yfs, very well put

I Still See Elisa is maudlin. And sentimental. And makes me cry every time I hear it.

Does anyone have the Peer 2 Peer code for this show?

---

Saw PYW last night. What a joy to hear that gorgeous score sung and played by artists who know what they're doing! Alexandra Socha, whom I loved in FUN HOME at the Public, made a wonderfully feisty and lovable Jennifer. Olga San Juan's OCR recording of my two favorite songs from the show, "How Can I Wait" and "What's Goin' On Here?", still rank as tops, but Socha came very close. After I'd read some criticisms of Justin Guarini, I had so-so expectations, but he was a marvelous Julio, in both acting and voice--just as good as he was in WOMEN ON THE VERGE. This was my first viewing of any stage production of PYW. My only demur about this concert version is that the book is paper thin. Not much seems to happen, so you wait for the glorious songs to make you forget about the book. I'm glad they're revamping it for Seattle.

In answer to someone's query, I did not see any Asian characters on stage.

Updated On: 3/19/15 at 11:13 AM

I agree. Encores! trusts the matieral and presents as is, which is vital. They don't try to reinvent the wheel.

We also as an audience go into Encores with full knowledge the show is flawed so our expectations are much, much lower (except to hear a score we probably love played by this glorious orchestra!).

I think there's also a bit of less chef's in the kitchen. With any revival you have producers (or higher ups in a theatre company) constantly giving notes, trying to help, second guessing everything. Encores seems to let the artists do their thing.

I think it turns out some of the best work simply because the directors, actors, and choreographers don't have time to second-guess and redo everything. Sure, they may be hired a few months out and "work" on it individually, but once you get in the room, you have two/three weeks and no time to delay.

'I think it turns out some of the best work simply because the directors, actors, and choreographers don't have time to second-guess and redo everything.'

That's it exactly. The less time spent second-guessing, the more time you have to let your instincts lead you. And with professionals like these, instinct is the most valuable tool.

mamaleh, thanks for reminding me how good Justin was in WOTV. Now I'm excited again.

Except Encores does lesser known/flop musicals...I wouldn't call West Side or Nice Work lesser known...

The terminology straight from the website is "rarely heard", so you can take it up with them if you don't agree.

New York City Center Encores! (Artistic Director Jack Viertel and Music Director Rob Berman), celebrates the rarely heard works of America’s most important composers and lyricists.

http://www.nycitycenter.org/Home/On-Stage/Encores!/About

Amazing how Encores presents these polished productions. The orchestra is always incredible, the actors top notch (except for the girl who played Irma), great production values. I thought PYW was a pretty dull show. I was surprised that there was not one show stopping number. But kudos to the cast for giving 100% in a second tier musical. Now I know why it is never done.

Based on the love for it here, and my love for hot as f*ck Nathaniel Hackmann, I bought a ticket for Sunday. I don't know the show really at all, so I'm excited to discover it fresh. Thanks!

---