RICHARD SEFF on Memphis, Yank!, and Ages of the Moon On DC Theatre Scene

[hockeynut2]

Posted: 3/1/10 at 8:35pm

Richard Seff is author of Supporting Player: My Life Upon the Wicked Stage celebrating his lifetime on stage and behind the scenes, available through online booksellers.
Richard Seff interviews Broadway luminaries:
Carole Shelley
Brian d'Arcy James
Chita Rivera
John Kander, With Complete Kander
Richard Seff chats with Joel Markowitz:
Richard Seff: A Lifetime on Broadway
Inside Broadway: A Return Visit with Richard Seff
(2009) Season Highs and Lows

RICHARD SEFF on Memphis, Yank!, and Ages of the Moon On DC Theatre Scene Updated On: 3/2/10 at 08:35 PM

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 3/1/10 at 8:46pm

Chad Kimball is a once-in-a-decade discovery. He’s been in other Broadway musicals, but his supporting roles didn’t offer him the opportunities that come with “Huey Calhoun.” From his first entrance down the stairs of the Beale Street music club, he shows great star power, the kind of thing Robert Preston brought to The Music Man, Yul Brynner to The King and I, Richard Kiley to Man of La Mancha, Robert Morse to How to Succeed in Business. When that happens, there is cause for dancing in the streets, and that’s exactly what happened on the way out of the theatre after my matinée. Not only can he sing and dance with original style, his characterization of “Huey” in the book scenes is as complex, wily and arresting as was Marlon Brando’s “Stanley” in Streetcar. Am I going hyperbolic? I urge you to see this performance and judge for yourself.

Okay...what the hell? I'm sure even the biggest MEMPHIS/Kimball fans would say this is a ridiculous thing to say. His performance and star power rival that of Yul Brenner in THE KING AND I and Robert Preston in THE MUSIC MAN? What performance did he see...? And his book scenes are worthy of Brando comparisons? Seriously? I mean...what the hell?

[hockeynut2]

Posted: 3/2/10 at 8:21am

If the man who put Kander and Ebb together and was their agent for decades and was Chita Rivera's agent for decades, and who contributed to the Golden Age of Broadway, and has seen every great performance on the stage for decades says, "I urge you to see this performance and judge for yourself", I say he must see something good out there in Chad's performance, that you and I don't see. Hey - I agree with you that it's one heck of a statement, and I may not have used Brando or Brynner or Preston, but Seff has a keen eye, and that's how he felt. I think Chad's performance is amazing and I look forward to Tony night when he may win that prize. Look at Seff's record - he may just be right.
Updated On: 3/2/10 at 08:21 AM

[joes12345]

Posted: 3/3/10 at 5:46am

WickedRocks, I am sorta confused about your post.
You said:
"Okay...what the hell? I'm sure even the biggest MEMPHIS/Kimball fans would say this is a ridiculous thing to say. His performance and star power rival that of Yul Brenner in THE KING AND I and Robert Preston in THE MUSIC MAN? What performance did he see...? And his book scenes are worthy of Brando comparisons? Seriously? I mean...what the hell?"
Listen, I am by far not the biggest MEMPHIS/Chad Kimball fan in the world, but in no way do I think his opinion is ridiculous. i saw the show in pre-Broadway tryouts and what I must tell you is the role of "Huey Calhoun" is not only a massive role, but is by far a larger role than most "Broadway Leading Roles" are considered. Last year, three boys who share the role of one - which means they go on at most 3x a week won the Tony for best actor in musical. Are these children insanely talented? yes. Did they deserve it? yes. In the past few years, actors such as David Hyde Pierce, John Lloyd Young, Harvey Firestein, Norbert Leo Butz, and John Litgow have won this coveted title- and not only do I believe that Chad Kimball is just as talented, if not more, than these fine actors - but his role is 50% more demanding. I saw each and every one of these shows, and never in my life since Mama Rose have I seen a role on stage and working as hard as I see Kimball working as Huey. If you go and look back at the reviews that Kimball received for the Broadway production of Memphis, I guarantee you you will not find anything but praise - I was skeptical after seeing it in out of town tryouts because NYC can be so cold and hard - but I knew watching the show that what Kimball was doing on stage was something different and special and something that I knew in my heart would be rewarded with praise and hopefully that Tony Award that he deserves. This critic said he was a once-in-a-decade discovery? I agree. Give me an example of one other musical theatre actor on Broadway right now who can act as well as they sing. This seems to me to be a very tough thing to find on Broadway these days. You can find guys and girls who can sing their faces off, but their acting is so tragic that it brings me to tears. Kimball embodied this role in my opinion and I do believe Huey is a very complex character. Don't you see his journey? I cried (Which I rarely do) when you see him fall from his rise of fame. Don't get me wrong, I still have not been able to see the show in NY but from what I saw out of town, I agree wholeheartedly with Mr. Seff he's dead on when he says that Mr. Kimball is a once-in-a-decade discovery and I would bet money on it that he will walk away with that Tony come June. I knew it when I saw him last year, and I believe it today.
Now, I just gotta get to NY....because matybe I'm missing something... ? Although I highly doubt his performance has changed.

[joes12345]

Posted: 3/3/10 at 5:53am

exactly hockeynut. these reviewers can be pure evil. this is why i know Kimball's amazing performance i saw last year must still be intact - because I was blown away... hopefully I can get out there in the next few months to finally see it on Broadway!!