Photo Flash: O'Hara, Chase, Kaye and Pittu In BELLS ARE RINGING

[Rob]

Posted: 11/18/10 at 12:52pm

Click Here to Read Photo Flash: O'Hara, Chase, Kaye and Pittu In BELLS ARE RINGING

[mallardo]

Posted: 11/18/10 at 1:01pm

Kelli looks great. So that's the red dress that's supposed to be from La Traviata? Looks a little too nice since it's treated in the show as a kind of running gag.

[Eris0303]

Posted: 11/18/10 at 1:04pm

The dress Judy wore in the movie was nice as well. I haven't seen the original or the Faith Price revival to say what their dresses were like.

[SingingChef]

Posted: 11/18/10 at 1:22pm

Kelli looks gorgeous. Reminiscent of a glamorous Mary Martin.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 11/18/10 at 1:34pm

Saw the final dress last night and I thought it was charming. The musical is of course a little bit old fashioned at this point with a lot of musical numbers having little to do with any real specifics of the plot but Marshall does good work and the entire cast is wonderful. O'Hara may not be the broad kind of comedianne some would associate with the role but I found her totally delightful, fresh and wonderfully endearing. Will Chase is equally fabu and Bobby Cannavale deserves special kudos for his hilarious (dead on) Brando impersonation.

This is the perfect kind of musical for Encores to be doing.

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 11/18/10 at 3:11pm

I, too, was there last night, MB!

Every time I think O'Hara is not ideally cast, she proves me utterly wrong. She sounded sensational, made you love her instantly and was simply a star. She somehow made a role tailored entirely to someone else from another era fit her like a glove. I think she and Audra McDonald, are the greatest singing actresses we have, and I've loved watching her for well over a decade now.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 11/18/10 at 3:12pm

And how was my future lov-ahh David Pittu?

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 11/18/10 at 3:17pm

He's just magnificent. Everyone was terrific.

[perfectlymarvelous]

Posted: 11/18/10 at 4:18pm

Kelli looks beautiful. I'm seeing it Sunday night...can't wait! :)

[EugLoven]

Posted: 11/18/10 at 4:31pm

Kelli looks ravishing! And love me some Pittoooooo! Updated On: 11/18/10 at 04:31 PM

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 11/18/10 at 4:32pm

I anxiously await reviews/thoughts/opines!

[NYadgal]

Posted: 11/18/10 at 11:52pm

Kelli can do no wrong in my book. I think she is gorgeous and talented and has a huge range. I think she was PERFECT in this show.

Loved it tonight. Amazing cast and they make the show so much fun - and the fact that it's so dated really works in an endearing way.

My admiration for Ms. O'Hara just grows and grows... she is a treasure.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 11/19/10 at 12:04am

Maybe I'm in the minority, but I found Kelli O'Hara to be hopelessly miscast.

It's not her fault. She's working incredibly hard, but at the end of the day, she's trying to make something work that doesn't. At all, vocally or otherwise. "I'm Going Back" was an utter mess for me, and the comedy just wasn't there. I'm still a bit mystified that no one thought to use any of the other myriad of performers who are so much more appropriate for Ella, even on paper.

O'Hara is masterfully good at filling a very specific niche, but if BELLS ARE RINGING proved anything for me, it's that she's equally as capable of missing the mark when she strays far from that box. This was one of those times.

Updated On: 11/19/10 at 12:04 AM

[bjh2114]

Posted: 11/19/10 at 12:26am

I saw this tonight and couldn't disagree with you more, somethingwicked. I thought she was incredible. "I'm Going Back" was actually one of the highlights for me. The whole thing was charming from start to finish. The one person I could have done without was Dylan Baker. But for me, Kelli was absolutely the star of the show. "Better Than A Dream" was absolutely stunning. "The Party's Over" was heart-breaking. And Jeff Schecter is fantastic as Carl (Kathleen Marshall has really given the dancers some really great steps to work with). I wish I could go back and see it again before I leave for London. It is the best production Encores! has done since Finian's.

[CockeyedOptimist2]

Posted: 11/19/10 at 1:52am

I was there tonight too and thought it was wonderful. I hated my seat in the rear mezz, but I guess I've been spoiled in Broadway theaters where you can usually discern the actors' facial expressions. I didn't know all that much going in, but found it delightful. My favorite moments were when "The Party's Over" and "Just in Time" were just beginning to play and everyone around me had a contented sigh of recognition. It was really lovely. Kelli was incredible, as she always is. I think if she were given more time with the role (say, in a Broadway revival) she could really get into it. The songs were wonderful and "I'm Going Back" was a showstopper. It was the first Encores show I've seen and now I'm convinced that I want to work there. I was impressed with how few people used their books.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 11/19/10 at 2:04am

Agreed --- I saw the dress last night w/ an acquaintance who KNOWS this stuff (no name dropping...but let's just say her parents were in the business at a high level) and she LOVED Kelli and her performance and agreed with all of us that Will Chase is a great discovery. Her only criticism of the evening was that the Mu Cha Cha choreography was too Fosse and too early for Fosse. Otherwise she loved it from start to finish.

[CockeyedOptimist2]

Posted: 11/19/10 at 2:07am

Oh, and I saw Phyllis Newman there tonight.

Those of you who went to invited dress, is that a special thing because you know people or are you members for $65/season? I saw that that membership included invitations to final dress and I think I'd almost rather see that than sit in the rear mezz.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 11/19/10 at 2:13am

Sad to say -- as far as I know dress passes (for Encores but also other CC productions) are limited to Patron and above.

My bad -- you do get passes at lower member levels -- even $65 -- but it is only two per season... Either way, City Center is a terrific organization to support -- and unlike a lot of theater companies (no names mentioned) -- in my experience, they won't harass you on the phone for additional donations throughout the year.
Updated On: 11/19/10 at 02:13 AM

[CockeyedOptimist2]

Posted: 11/19/10 at 2:18am

Boo. I'll look again at my program and see. The deal I mentioned would be a steal.

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 11/19/10 at 7:26am

So, so jel...

Thanks for all the reviews, folks.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 11/19/10 at 9:30am

I woke us with a (much-needed) smile on my face from thinking about this show all night.

And, agree with everyone who loved Kelli. I thought it really showed her range.

David Pittu is always wonderful, and thought Will Chase really brought some chemistry to the stage.

Loved, loved, loved it.

And, while I agree that the upper City Center seats are awful, if you are avoiding it because those are the only tickets left... go ahead and grab one, because the show is worth even the crappy seats.

Also saw Barbara Cook there last night. She was seated about 3 rows in front of me.

Updated On: 11/19/10 at 09:30 AM

[Q]

Posted: 11/19/10 at 9:55am

"I think she and Audra McDonald, are the greatest singing actresses we have"

Amen to that.

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 11/20/10 at 12:26am

"Her only criticism of the evening was that the Mu Cha Cha choreography was too Fosse and too early for Fosse."

I'm wondering if you could clarify that statement a little bit? Only because Bob Fosse worked with Jerome Robbins on the original production of BELLS ARE RINGING, so his style would fit right in.

Saw the show Thursday evening and had a great time. Kelli O'Hara sounded fabulous. And, while some of the broad comedy stuff didn't quite suit her, she made you like her. And that's just as important to that role, I think. I also looooovvved David Pittu.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 11/20/10 at 2:54pm

She didn't really say much more, but my guess is that she saw a little too much Steam Heat in the number -- ie. more Fosse and less Robbins...but that's only a guess.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 11/20/10 at 3:45pm

I absolutely loved it. It reminded me so much of Wonderful Town, which of course was created by the same people. I love old fashioned Broadway shows. Two thumbs up!