Piazza: Weston Playhouse video

[NYC10040]

Posted: 7/22/08 at 6:27pm

Just stumbled upon a video and reviews for the intimate chamber version of The Light in the Piazza at Weston Playhouse in Vermont. Variety gave it a great review and Adam Guettel was involved in the production. Check out the reviews and video:

http://www.westonplayhouse.org/mainstage2.html

Updated On: 7/22/08 at 06:27 PM

[zepka102]

Posted: 7/22/08 at 6:41pm

Well, to give my own review (because I don't remember seeing any threads about it), it wasn't a bad production. I felt it could have been tighter. I wasn't a huge fan of Theresa McCarthy as Margaret because I didn't find her as convincing. Her facial expressions didn't vary. It made "Dividing Day" feel pointless. The Act One ending suffered for the same reason... it just looked like "oh, look who is here." But she did have an excellent voice. Lauren Worsham looks very young to be playing Clara, but I felt she was effective. The rest of the cast did an excellent job. The stand out WAS Sarah Uriarte Berry, but that is a given since she originated Franca.

My only real issue with the production is the sound. The orchestra sounds excellent, going from a full orchestra to a 5-piece. Nothing sounded lost involving them. However, the actors needed to be miked (miced? mic'ed?). It looks like they are in the video, but those had to only be for monitoring purposes. It was hard to make out a lot of what they were singing.

Updated On: 7/22/08 at 06:41 PM

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 7/22/08 at 6:50pm

Clara's vocals aren't really impressing me in that video.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 7/22/08 at 6:53pm

...says the person with Katie Clarke in her avatar.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 7/22/08 at 6:56pm

I can't stand Katie Clarke's singing, though she was all right in the tour.

I just like that picture.

[snl89]

Posted: 7/22/08 at 8:38pm

Weston Playhouse is like 30 minutes from me! So of course I saw Piazza there REALLY, really gorgeous production. I'd never seen the show before, and it was just fantastic.

Wasn't a fan of the woman who played Margaret, but omg Lauren Worsham who played Clara is THE most adorable thing! She is SO uber cute and fantastic and I love her to death :) She IS admittedly a tad bit young for the role (she READS very young), and her voice, though lovely, might not be the strongest, but she's got MAD acting chops. She was just so.. charming.

Kevin Worley was also fantastic as Fabrizio. INCREDIBLY lovely voice

And um, Sarah Berry is basically the awesomest. She has the most PERFECT comedic timing and SO much spunk. It was such a treat getting to see her in the show :)


So yeah, if anyone lives anywhere near Weston, I highly recommend seeing the show! It's wonderful

Updated On: 7/22/08 at 08:38 PM

Posted: 7/22/08 at 9:04pm

Clara looks really young~! I don't like that... she is mentally, but she shouldn't be physically. It takes away from the theme of the show. That being said, I haven't seen this version so I don't know how she plays. Sarah Uriate Berry is in this production though, and I love her! I wonder if she has any interest to play other roles in that show, obviously for a role like Margaret she is too young at this stage.

The guy who plays Fabrizio cracks his note in Aiutami the video... so yeah.
A little biased about that role anyway haha.

Sporkgoddess- I didn't know you didn't like Katie ... since she's in your avatar haha.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 7/22/08 at 9:07pm

I actually liked her somewhat in the tour; on Broadway her vocals were just wretched.

I suppose I should change my avatar at some point so as not to further that impression.

Posted: 7/22/08 at 9:20pm

hahaha I mean, it's a cute picture but yeah

[RuprechtJr.]

Posted: 7/22/08 at 10:49pm

It's kind of neat how the piano player from the "Piazza" tour is now the music director of this version. Also from the tour, the violinist (Shih-Hung Young.) Is it just me or does the violinist on this video sound terrible. The violinist from the tour didn't sound at all that inexperienced and weak (minimal vibrato, bad intonation.) Sorry...i'm a pit geek.

[NYC10040]

Posted: 7/23/08 at 12:16am

I believe the MD was the assistant MD on the tour, and he also helped with the original Broadway production (he is credited in the program). Wasn't Katie Clarke right out of college when she played the role? Wouldn't that make her too young as well. I thought the point was that she seemed younger (including her appearance)which is why (spoiler) the father gets upset when he sees her real age.

Also, in the last song, you can hear someone taking photos which makes me guess this video was a dress rehearsal. That probably means the musicians hadn't been together very long and might explain if things sounded "off"
Updated On: 7/23/08 at 12:16 AM

[zepka102]

Posted: 7/23/08 at 8:28am

The violinist was very good when I saw it.

I saw the original production with Kelli and only saw the PBS airing with Katie. The Clara at Weston probably is older than Katie, but the way she carries herself onstage projects more of a child. The people I was with (there were 4 of us, sitting 2 and 2 with distance in between) all said the same thing at intermission about her.