REVIEW: Man in the White Suit w/ Hunter Foster & Kerry Butler

[suzycat]

Posted: 6/27/05 at 9:29pm

This weekend I was lucky enough to see a reading of the new musical "The Man in the White Suit" by the writers of "Urinetown" at NY Stage & Film. I am pleased to report that the show is wonderful.

The setting is a unionized textile mill. Hunter Foster's character is a chemist who has secretly been sneaking into mills to use their equipment. He is working on making a cloth that never gets dirty and never wears out. Kerry Butler plays the mill owner's daughter on the eve of her wedding to another mill owner. A mill merger is discussed between her father & fiancee, until her father finds out that the fiancee is really bankrupt. Naturally, romance ensues between Hunter & Kerry.

Even though it was just a reading, I can tell that this show is destined for success. The writing is funny and the plot is strong. The music is great and the actors were fabulous (even though Hunter & Kerry seemed a bit typecast in Seymour/Audrey roles!). I dare say that it's even better than Urinetown.

[GovernorSlaton]

Posted: 6/27/05 at 9:38pm

How was Michael Rupert?

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 6/27/05 at 9:44pm

Sounds great

[suzycat]

Posted: 6/27/05 at 9:44pm

He was great - he played Kerry Butler's father. Great voice and comic timing.

[Up In Lost]

Posted: 6/27/05 at 9:49pm

Whoo! I was there for the Sunday matinee. I loved it, it's so much fun. Something really liked, there was only that one song that KIND of reminded me of Urinetown. And, the few lyrics I remember are escaping me, but still, it was a good song. Hunter and Kerry could be my favorite stage 'couple', and I like how they work together. The parts suited them, and I dunno, I just liked it. Some parts of songs were a little silly, but I really liked them all. UHM! I"m no expert, so no laughing at me. Lol. Michael Rupert was good. I like dhim a lot, not really familiar with ihs performance though, so I couldn't say 'Oh he was as grea tin this as 'whatever'", but he was really good. UHM! Lol. The story is adorable, and whacky, not quite as whacky as Urinetown, and I think I like it a little more. Keeping my fingers crossed that) this makes it through, because it really was great. I'm sure 'someone' will have more to add once he sees this. Okay, yeah. Lol. I LOVE DIT. )I even just ordered the movie because I like the story so much. Even if it isn't a musical movie, who cares. Lol. )

[Up In Lost]

Posted: 6/27/05 at 9:51pm

Going back and editting my spelling would seriously kill the fact that it is one of my posts.

[stylinbohemian]

Posted: 6/27/05 at 10:02pm

How was Kerry!?

[ProducersFan]

Posted: 6/27/05 at 10:06pm

Sounds fantastic! And do you mind my asking, how does one go to see a reading of a show? There's no way I could go, seeing as how I'm 3 hours away from NY, but I've always been curious.

I can't wait to see how this show develops, especially if Hunter remains with it.

~Jessica

[Up In Lost]

Posted: 6/27/05 at 10:07pm

Awesome. Never REALLY realized before how great she is at transitioning from mood, to mood. I mean, I guess I did, but I don't know, she nearly had me in tears yesterday. I like, had to swallow a hundred times to NOT cry. And then sirectly after THAT Hunter sang a really pretty, allbeit, short song, that didn't help the matter any! Lol. It was awesome.

[Up In Lost]

Posted: 6/27/05 at 10:08pm

I dunno, this was my first 'concert reading' and I konly knew aobut it because it was on Playbill. I dunno, I"m still al lhappy about it. I think I might even, *gasp!** have to get an icon of The Man In The White Suit little logo Vassar has.

[suddenlyseymour]

Posted: 6/27/05 at 10:11pm

thanx for the review! i'm just glad kerry is back =) the show sounds really good

[Up In Lost]

Posted: 6/27/05 at 10:13pm

Poo! They don't have the cool little logoish thing they had up on Vassar.edu. Hm, the movie cover may have to do.

[suzycat]

Posted: 6/28/05 at 8:52pm

It was one of NY Stage & Film's scheduled summer productions. They house themselves at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie every summer and put on all sorts of fabulous world premieres. I always get season tix. Last year they premiered Good Vibrations. This summer they are also premiereing 2 more musicals.
http://www.vassar.edu/powerhouse/

[Up In Lost]

Posted: 6/28/05 at 8:55pm

Oh dear! Let's hope that this show doesn't have the same fate as Good Vibrations.