Priest's Reviews of Spamalot, Doubt, Piazza, Woolf and Dessa Rose- Page 3

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 3/27/05 at 10:42pm

I agree, Margo, on the three for PIAZZA and Jerry Mitchell.

Here are my play choices:

Play-DOUBT
Revival-VIRGINIA WOOLF
Actor-Brian O'Byrne
Actress-Kathleen Turner or Cherry Jones (Can't decide!)
Featured Actor-Allan Miller
Featured Actress-Carla Gugino
Director-Anthony Page

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 3/27/05 at 10:47pm

I'm going to hold off making any play predictions until I see Pillowman (which I've been hearing raves about already), Streetcar and Julius Caesar (which also has gotten good word of mouth).

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 3/27/05 at 10:50pm

Good point. I'll make corrections to mine, if necessary. Those are the ones for right now.

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 3/27/05 at 10:51pm

And you can't forget about Glengarry.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 3/27/05 at 10:55pm

No time for chiming in Priest -- Go Get Your Reviews Done, young man!!!

Updated On: 3/27/05 at 10:55 PM

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 3/27/05 at 10:56pm

Eh. I'm tired and not in the mood to write them right now.

[GovernorSlaton]

Posted: 3/27/05 at 10:59pm

What time is it over there, 10:00?

Well, you got 3/5 done. :)

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 3/27/05 at 11:00pm

Yeah, it's only 10:00, but God, I've been dealing with relatives all day and that's enough to wear out anybody.

[broadwaystar2b]

Posted: 3/27/05 at 11:01pm

Priest, it'd get done sooner if you started typing now
Please continue, your reviews thus far are fantastic

[leomaxfrank]

Posted: 3/27/05 at 11:07pm

Agreed Priest - go for it. And by the way, have you figured out where you are going to school yet?

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 3/27/05 at 11:09pm

For college?
I'm not sure, but I'm only in my sophomore year of high school.
But my two top choices are Columbia or NYU (Of course )

[commasplice]

Posted: 3/27/05 at 11:10pm

Priest - GREAT reviews so far! Personally, I think you should go to bed if you need it and continue tomorrow (no one hurt me, please, but if his family Easter was anything like mine, he'll need it)

Posted: 3/27/05 at 11:11pm

Priest--you're a SOPHOMORE in HS?! WHY didn't I know that?! I always pictured you so much older...

But c'mon I really wanna hear what you thought about Piazza.

[leomaxfrank]

Posted: 3/27/05 at 11:15pm

oh wow - a soph? I just figured you were a senior. god, people like you give me hope for the youth of America :)

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 3/27/05 at 11:20pm

I cant tell you how much I hope Spamalot doesnt win the Tony. I hope it gets over-shadowed by the raves Spelling Bee will get (Mwa-hah-hah!) :)

[TGIF]

Posted: 3/27/05 at 11:22pm

The clock is ticking here Priest!

[broadwaystar2b]

Posted: 3/27/05 at 11:23pm

Hey, give the boy some breathing room
He's probably typing as we speak...type...whatever

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 3/27/05 at 11:53pm

The Light in the Piazza
March 23 Evening Performance

I really think that I had impossibly high expectations for this show. I had heard nothing but raves and had heard that the show was intelligent and entertaining, and that it had a star-making turn by Victoria Clark. I liked the show, but I didn’t, as I wished I did, love it.

I am not really familiar with music of the Romantic era and my ear is not used to it. The music echoes Romanticism in a way (Barber, Strauss) and I just haven’t listened to enough of that style of music to really “get” what Guettel is going for. The score is lush and full, but just not what I’m used to hearing and it took a while for my ear to perk up to it. Many have compared it to Sondheim, and while both Sondheim and Guettel’s Piazza score have a musical sophistication to them that is not usually heard in musicals, I didn’t see the similarities. Guettel’s score is certainly glorious and full, but my untrained ear was caught off guard by it and never really came around for the whole show.

My major problem with the show was I just didn’t find the story worth putting to music. I’ve never read the novella, but the story was, to be frank, in some ways melodramatic and at times slow. Guettel chose some weird spots to add songs and there were spots where I thought a song would have worked beautifully that he skipped over. But, again, he is going for a style that I’m not used to, so I have no right to critique his judgments. I’ll just say I found some of his choices odd.

There isn’t really a lot of action in the course of the show. In some ways, I feel that it would have been better suited as a one-act 90 minute musical. I’m all for songs that express emotional state (Lord knows that Sondheim is full of them), but it seems that nearly all the songs do just that with very little action to go along with it.

I really want to go get some Strauss and Barber and listen to it and become accustomed to the style and sophistication Guettel is going for, and then re-listen to the Piazza score. I’m sure I’ll end up really loving it after a few listens, but I’d be lying if it didn’t leave me feeling cold overall after the first listen.

That said, the score did have some wonderful moments that I loved and completely engrossed me. Particularly Keli O’Hara singing the title song and Victoria Clark singing the hell out of the uber-difficult Act II Finale ‘Fable.’ Both are beautiful songs that fill up the theatre with their richness and emotion.

Victoria Clark is magnificent in every sense of the world. The woman has a voice that fills the Vivian Beaumont Theatre with a lushness like I’ve never heard. And she acts the hell out of the role. Many times she would not be the center of focus for a scene, but I would constantly find my eyes being drawn to her. If she doesn’t win the Tony, I’ll be shocked and depressed.

Kelli O-Hara also does a marvelous job as her daughter. Another actress with a full voice that fills the enormous theatre, yet doesn’t let the beauty of her voice standing the way of her acting. The way the role is written, it is a difficult role both musically and emotionally, and O’Hara tackles all aspects of it beautifully.

Matthew Morrison’s voice has grown by leaps and bounds since Hairspray. I can’t say he particularly impressed me as Link, but he impressed me here. He did a fine job. Not nearly as good as the two leading ladies, but a fine job nonetheless.

Standouts in the all-around excellent supporting cast and ensemble were Sarah Uriarte Berry and Mark Harelik.

The design aspects of this production were stunning. The sets were gorgeous and perfectly captured the essence of Florence and were used to great effect. Just gorgeous. Everything about it. The costumes, scenery and lights. I wouldn’t be surprised if this show sweeps the Design categories at the Tonys.

I wish I had liked this show more than I did, but it just goes to show that you can never go into a show with impossibly high expectations, because no show can live up to them. I enjoyed myself, but it was just missing a certain oomph. For me, anyway.

[misterchoi]

Posted: 3/27/05 at 11:58pm

Have you listened to any of his other scores?

[TGIF]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 12:07am

Sorry you didn't love it as much as I did. I found the score beautiful and loved every second of it.

[jmnpublications]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 12:11am

Priest,

You astound me. Such wisdom and writing skill at such a young age - or any age, for that matter. I have enjoyed reading all of these reviews. Do you have just one more in you before the night is out? If not, I'm sure we all will understand. You had to save DESSA ROSE for last, though, didn't you? That's the one I have tickets for on Saturday! :)

lc

[Jazzysuite82]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 12:14am

Priest don't feel bad for not liking it the first time around. Get the recording. I'm sure you will after another listen. Adam will be the first person to say his stuff is hard on the first listen. I personally loved it on first listen for a few reasons. I'm familiar with A LOT of Adam Guettel music and I'm a trained musician. For me the fun was listening to how he did it. It's a more operatic sounding score than the typical broadway show. It's VERY italian. I actually would listen to more Stravinsky, Ravel, Debussy, Brahms and a bit a Pacabel (he's not romantic but there is a sort of musical quote in there). I say give it a chance in a few months with the recording. We should also keep in mind that the show's still in previews.
Updated On: 3/28/05 at 12:14 AM

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 12:18am

See, I've heard Guettel's other work, but I'm not really -familiar- with it.
And I just wish I had liked it on the first listen. But his kind of musical sophistication is not the kind I'm used to. I loved all of Sondheim's scores on the very first listen, but I'm more used to that style of music. I guess the Piazza score is sorta like Passion, but very vaguely. I'm just not trained in his style, and need to become more familiar with the level and type he is going for (and sure he succeeds at, but I wouldn't know ) It is very Italian and Romantic, and my expertise in those musical areas is extremely limited.

Updated On: 3/28/05 at 12:18 AM

[LaCageAuxFollesFan2]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 1:51am

Priest - I agree with the MAJORITY of that review. Not so sure that PIAZZA will take the Costume Award, or the Set for that matter...but Lighting is theirs hands down.

The other part I didnt totaly agree with was the critique on the performers, I found Mr. Morrison to be the standout - such a wonderful job. Clark didn't do it for me and found her acting choices to be questionable throughout. As I have stated O'Haras voice irritates the hell out of me, and did again here. So..Tony Noms for Lead Actress, Featured Actor & Actress yes, Wins - questionable, I think Morrison has the best shot.

[paradox_error]

Posted: 3/28/05 at 4:37am

Wonderful reviews Priest.

Still waiting in anticipation!