Providence matinee: THREE understudies:
Pearl Sun for Diana
Perry for Gabe
Caitlin for Natalie
I was disappointed, not because there WERE understudies, but because I really wanted my companinion, that had never seen the show, to experience Alice. (And since I was not terribly fond of Marin, I wanted an Alice dose, too.) I also really wanted to see Emma Hunton as Natalie.
My take:
Pearl: sings AMAZINGLY, but she took weird pauses and sang a lot of the score with her own personal fermatas. Her acting? Not bad by any means, but I felt like she was simply instructed to copy Alice -- from every hand movement to the way Alice walks. She also was very jerky in many of her physical choices, none of them were organic, but forced. Lastly, for the first 1/2 of Act 1, it seemed like she was playing musical COMEDY and TRYING for laughs. I liked her more in Act II. (which my friend thought dragged a little)
As far as the "asian dynamic", what rubbish. She's an American mom, that happens to be Asian. It's not like she's first generation with ties to the old country.
Perry: while he doesn't possess the "all american" boy wonder physical aspect of Gabe, he was quite good. His voice is nice, but at times was not powerful enough.
Caitlin: Very nice, indeed. Very nice to not have a rail thin actress play a role, and just look like a normal kid. No chemistry whatsoever with Henry -- they seemed like good friends. (This may be more with the actor playing Henry, however.)
Overall: I still enjoyed the production and was moved to tears several times. The sound was not balanced well at the begining of the show, but sorted itself out. Also, the lighting was inconsistent -- many scenes where only one actor was lit, or when one actor actually blocked the light from the other.
Asa Somers as Dan was good, but a little bland. Lastly the gentleman playing the doctors (again, no program right now) was EXCELLENT. I'd love to hear him sing more!
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
