PJ's Reviews of "WT" and "BKLYN"

[PJ]

Posted: 12/5/04 at 10:47pm

Okay, so I was in the city this past weekend and saw two shows.
Friday night my mother and I saw the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. Lame. Lame. Lame. I've seen it before, but it just seemed longer and more tedious the second time around.

Saturday morning I was able to get two student rush tickets to Wonderful Town. They were front row. I was quite excited. As far as the show: I can only say "it was good." I wasn't blown away by it, but I wasn't bored and looking at my watch every five minutes. As far as I'm concerned, Brooke's giving a respectable performance. Her singing leaves much to be desired, but she was funny. I'll give her that. Even if she didn't come off as THAT funny. Back to her singing, I don't think she even sang the final note at the end of "Swing." If she did, I sure didn't hear it, and I was 5 feet away from her.

Saturday evening we saw Brooklyn. I was a little disappointed in the show itself. But, as it's been said, that cast is hell-a-talented. Whether you call it screaming or not, Eden blew the roof off the joint with "Once Upon a Time." I actually got chills. But back to the show: Like I said, I was disappointed. I couldn't help noticing that the older crowd in the audience seemed bored to tears and loudly exhaled as they slid down in their seats at the beginning of each musical number. Oh, and don't worry, I did not forget Ramona Keller. The audience ate her up like it was nobody's business. Granted, her costumes got her the most applause, but her performance was a highlight of the show. "Raven" was indescribable.

After the show, I met the cast at the stage door. Eden came out, literally, 10 minutes after the show ended. I no sooner got out of the theatre and to the door when she came out. She was very pleasant and grateful for all compliments. I was excited. Don't shoot, please!

Since Brooklyn is rather short in length, we had time to go back to the Hirschfeld and see Brooke come out. It took her close to an hour and a half. Supposedly she had "a lot of visitors." But she did sign every windowcard and playbill that was given to her. Seemed quite nice. I also got Jennifer Hope Wills' autograph as well.

Andddd...I may lose a bit of credibility on this board, but what the hell.
I waited at the Gershwin stage door Friday night after Radio City. I met JLT, Joey and Idina. This was announced before Ms. Menzel exited: "Idina Menzel will not be posing for pictures. Do not touch her. Do not attempt to hug her. She will sign everything you ask her to, but no pictures!" Either way, she was lovely. From what I've read on here, I expected her to sign a few playbills and hop in her car. But, no. Those who saw the show said that she promised the audience during the BC/EFA auction she would come out that night to sign for them. Quick question. Does she never pose for picturs anymore, or was it just an added security precaution due to her and her husband's recent troubles?

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 12/5/04 at 10:48pm

Did George Hearn not come out?

I am going to NY this month, and while I am not going to see 'W'. I really really want to meet George Hearn.

[PJ]

Posted: 12/5/04 at 10:50pm

He did not come out. I hoped he would, though. Also, Carol Shelley was out that show. I would have liked to have met her as well.

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 12/5/04 at 10:51pm

Was he not in that night, or did he just not come out?
Does he ever come out?

[Sumofallthings]

Posted: 12/5/04 at 10:53pm

Priest I pray to the theater Gods you will get to meet him. Does anyone have any strings they can pull over at the Gershwin?

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 12/5/04 at 10:55pm

I mean, I don't want to sound obsessive, but the only people I want to meet more than him are Sondheim, Patinkin and Nichols.

God, I sound like an Idina-obsessee.

Someone calm me down.

[Sumofallthings]

Posted: 12/5/04 at 10:56pm

I don't blame you. The man is a legend in every sense of the word.

[PJ]

Posted: 12/5/04 at 10:59pm

In the playbill an Idina fan gave me at the stage door, I saw now white slip saying he would be out. Just Carole and a few ensemble members.

[grownupgroupie]

Posted: 12/5/04 at 11:01pm

Yeah, for some reason WT has tweaked the end of "Swing." ....well, I am pretty sure of the reason... I saw Brooke in her 2nd week in the show and she WAS doing the last note of the song--it's dissonant as written, but she didn't sound confident and I had a feeling it was unpredictable for her.

When I saw her again Thanksgiving week, she sounded stronger on a lot of the random notes w/in Swing (still was always going sharp on a certain part of Ohio) but at the end of Swing, the ensemble was kicking in and doing the last note....so I guess she doesn't do it anymore to be on the safe side? If I hadn't known the difference, I don't think I would have noticed--my boyfriend who doesn't know the show had no idea.

[JMVR]

Posted: 12/5/04 at 11:07pm

I saw WT over Thanksgiving and thought Brooke Shields was actually quite good. While neither her nor the show are amazing, it is a "charming" show and she is "good" in it. True, she is not a gifted singer, but she manages acceptably, remember that her numbers are not really vocally demanding as they were written originally for Rosalind Russell, herself no Ethel Merman. Brooke is funny, elegant, charming, works her butt off and I really enjoyed her performance. Again, the role is no Mama Rose, but I think her talents are on par with the demands of the role. The rest of the cast is brilliant IMO.

After the show, most of the cast left quickly and went unnoticed, even Ms. Hope Wills went unnoticed. Greg Eddelman was very nice, he talked to everyone for a while, signed everything, posed for pictures and was very polite and likeable. Brooke took around an hour to come out, preceeded by the now familiar announcement that she would NOT sign anything but lobby cards and playbills and was not to be touched. Her bodyguard or whatever even went as far as to make sure all the playbills we were holding were actually Wonderful Town playbills!!!

On another note, I met harvey Firestein after la Cage on that fateful Nov 26 perf. when Daniel Davis left the stage (I was in the audience) and harvey signed my playbill and was really nice.

My point is what is up with these new policies about not touching, not taking pictures, no (fill in) at the stage door? If they don't want to talk to us, they can just rush out and if they want to be cool they can do that too, but why do we need to be forewarned like we were being read our Miranda rights?? "You have the right to look at the star, you have the right to stand on the street, you have the right to get excited and carry a ticket stub in you pocket..."

[grownupgroupie]

Posted: 12/5/04 at 11:09pm

JMVR, I agree--I really enjoy her in the role even having seen Donna!

I think the extra "don't touch them" security is specifically for stars who've dealt or are dealing with stalking/threat situations. That's my guess.

[Taryn]

Posted: 12/5/04 at 11:10pm

Apparently Taye has had some threats recently, which I would assume is the reason for the heightened security around Idina.

[misterchoi]

Posted: 12/6/04 at 12:07am

Sondheim and patinkin are awesome. Though patinkin was a bit stand offish.