Piazza tour review 1/13/06

[Elphaba3]

Posted: 1/13/07 at 9:46pm

I just got back from seeing the matinee in Des Moines. The Light in the Piazza has been my all-time favorite show ever since I saw the PBS broadcast last June. I fell deeply in love with the Broadway cast and was almost dreading the tour cast. For the most part, they exceeded my expectations.

Christine Andreas as Margaret- She has a lot of charisma and it lovely to look at. Her singing was weak and her acting varied. Sometimes she was very real, and sometimes she was trying too hard. Her heart was definitely in the right place. She was crying real tears. I really missed Vicki during Fable.

Elena Shaddow as Clara- She has a beautiful voice. Stronger than Katie's, not as rich and full as Kelli's, but still beautiful. Her acting also varied. She played Clara more like a sullen teenager of today, rather than a wide-eyed girl of 1953. It didn't always work. She was sometimes screechy, but her acting improved as the show progressed.

David Burnham as Fabrizio: He was pretty good. His singing was good, but I don't think he's such a good actor. His accent was horrible, but again, his heart was in the right place. I missed the falsetto in Passeggiata and I hated how he tried to reach up Clara's skirt in Say It Somehow. It cheapened the whole thing.

David Ledingham as Sognor- He was good. Didn't leave much of an impression on me either way. His singing was weak.

Evangelia Kingsley as Signora- She was horrible. Aside from the fact that she looked like a drag queen who was about to eat you alive, her acting and singing were just atrocious. Different from Patti in every way.

Wendi Bergamini as Franca- She was very good. Her singing wasn't as strong as Sarah's and she didn't have as much sex appeal, but overall I liked her a lot. She also didn't have much of an accent. Still, I thought she was the strongest cast member.

Jonathan Hammond as Giuseppe- He looked way to old. He's going bald. His acting and dancing weren't nearly as good as Michael's. The only time he showed any depth was in Tirade.

John Procaccino as Roy- He looked like a complete doofus and his acting was weak. The line "Dashing as the day we met" made no sense with him.

Despite my compaints, I feel so fulfilled. I truly had a wonderful time.

Updated On: 1/13/07 at 09:46 PM

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 1/13/07 at 9:52pm

Umm this isn't really long.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 1/13/07 at 10:03pm

Thanks for taking the time to write a review. Your experience with the tour seems quite a contrast in comparison to the wonderful time I had last weekend in DC.

I really enjoyed the show last weekend and was looking forward to what you had to say about the new Signor Naccarelli and Franca. I already have my tickets to the show in Hershey, PA in March so I'm really curious to see the new cast members.

How was the audience response? Was the house pretty full?

[shesamarshmallow]

Posted: 1/13/07 at 10:07pm

I HATED EVERYTHING...
...but I loved the show.

That's pretty much how all my reviews turn out. :)

[Elphaba3]

Posted: 1/13/07 at 10:07pm

Typical Iowa audience. Not so vocal during the show, but very appreciative at curtain call.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 1/13/07 at 10:08pm

Even though you claim that the show exceeded your expectations, your descriptions of the actors make it seem like you were disappointed overall.

I, for one, will not be seeing the PIAZZA tour because I do not want to tarnish my incredible experiences seeing the show seven times on Broadway.

[Elphaba3]

Posted: 1/13/07 at 10:18pm

Compared to the Lincoln Center cast, I was diappointed. But compared to my original expectations, I was quite impressed. Everything I said is my opinion only, so take it with a grain of salt.

[kyle.]

Posted: 1/13/07 at 10:21pm

I'm not sure if I will be seeing the tour either WithoutATrace. I saw the production in Chicago and New York more times than I would like to admit, and the majority of what I hear tells me the tour will disappoint. Which really stinks because when I heard they were putting together a tour I was overjoyed! The show was still going to have a life beyond Broadway and I would get to see yet another production! But unfortunately everyone who has seen the show before seems to be pretty underwhelmed.
Updated On: 1/13/07 at 10:21 PM

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 1/13/07 at 10:23pm

yeah, kyle. let's just remember how gorgeous it was on Broadway.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 1/13/07 at 10:25pm

You're right that nothing will equal the original Lincoln Center cast, but for some reason the touring cast I saw last week was a pleasant surprise. Kyle, I had the same trepidation, but when all was said and done, I liked what I saw. It was an emotionally satisfying experience. That's why I went and purchased tickets for another tour stop.

Updated On: 1/13/07 at 10:25 PM

[kyle.]

Posted: 1/13/07 at 10:42pm

Dottie why must you now complicate things?!

The tour stop in Chicago is about a block from my apartment. I can see the theatre from my window. If it ends up on HotTixs (Chicago's TKTS) I'll go see it. Or if they have student tickets of some kind.

[All_For_Laura]

Posted: 1/13/07 at 10:50pm

Well, Elena Shaddow is probably the best Clara anyone will ever have the opportunity to see so I definitely say go see it. She has the voice and acting down to such a more unique and better level than Kelli or Katie ever reached. Elena is a powerhouse that must not be missed.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 1/13/07 at 10:52pm

AFL, now that the show will not be going to Philly, are you still going to get to see it?

[andyf]

Posted: 1/13/07 at 10:59pm

I hope you guys can at least appreciate the irony in your not wanting to tarnish your memories of the show by seeing it multiple times (especially in its different incarnations, Kyle).

Anyway, I can understand wanting to remember the Lincoln Center production because it was absolutely gorgeous, but every member of the tour cast is bringing something new to the table and I think it's definitely worth being seen, if only for that, especially by any lover of the show.

While Christine Andreas may not open up on those G's like Victoria Clark did, her acting is quite refreshing.

Elena Shaddow certainly does not compare to her Lincoln-Center-broadcast counterpart and let's all thank God for that. I saw three Claras on Broadway and Elena's singing is arguably the best.

As for David Burnham, I don't know if anyone else has picked up on this, but his "Il Mondo Era Vuoto" gets some of the biggest applause of the night. He pours his heart and soul into every song.

Jonathan Hammond certainly doesn't move as well as Michael Berresse, but he seems to be doing something right because every time I've seen the tour, the audience eats him up.

While I can't vouch for the new Franca, Laura Griffith sang the role even better than Sarah Berry, in my opinion. Her F might not be as wild, but she made me actually listen to "The Joy You Feel" (which we all know we skip over) and she sounded fantastic.

The only disappointment I found in the tour was in the new staging. Watching the tour staging definitely made me miss the grace and the beauty of the Lincoln Center production.

Anyway, I think the tour is definitely worth seeing, especially if it's coming right to your town.

Updated On: 1/13/07 at 10:59 PM

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 1/13/07 at 11:13pm

AFL, I totally agree about Elena.

[kyle.]

Posted: 1/13/07 at 11:26pm

It's not that I don't want to tarnish my memories by seeing it too many times, it's that I don't want to tarnish my memories of the show by seeing a production I'm greatly let down by. Of course my memories of the Chicago and New York productions will always be with me, regardless of if I see the tour or not. But I only have exquisite memories and experiences with the show. My thought was it would be a shame if I wrecked that by seeing a tour that would let me down.

[IssaMe]

Posted: 1/14/07 at 7:20am

Actually, interestingly enough - Adam Guettel thinks the show plays better on tour than it did in N.Y. as reported in today's Cleveland Plain Dealer (see link below)... as he stated in a seminar which he gave for students in Cleveland in November (which just aired on TV there).

http://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/entertainment/1168682356185130.xml&coll=2

Note : Christine Andreas will not be appearing during the two week Cleveland engagement starting this coming week...she is doing a pre-booked club date in Florida.

It is just personal opinion (and yes, even Adam Guettel has those)..but, unlike some here, I am not underwhelmed but OVERwhelmed by the tour cast...different in many ways from the way the New York cast played the roles, but still exciting and valid.

For example, when it comes to Evangelia Kingsley's new "Signora Naccarelli", I loved her aristocratic, stern, feisty take on the role - a real tough, forceful Italian mother...and with that beautiful operatic voice. But then I loved Diane Sutherland and Patti in the role too. With Evangelia, you can understand Signor Naccarelli's attraction to the gentler, more genteel Margaret Johnson. It works for me.

But again - just personal opinion.

The other new cast members have been wonderful in Des Moines as well.

Updated On: 1/14/07 at 07:20 AM

[Horton]

Posted: 1/14/07 at 8:12am

I think Piazza is either a hit or miss show. I really love it, it is my favorite new show since Ragtime. Howevever my father who went with me hated it, completely board, etc. So it really depends.