Random Thoughts on Week Plus in the Theatre District

[Jarethan]

Random Thoughts on Week Plus in the Theatre District#1

Posted: 6/5/26 at 10:32pm

I saw the following shows: Joe Turner, Proof, Becky Sharp, Fallen Angels, Chess (also saw it in October), Ragtime (also saw it in October), The Lost Boys, Buena Vista Social Club (which I had not gotten to before), and Cats: Jellicle Ball.  I had no interest in Schmiggadoon, which I now regret, since one of the people I was traveling with opted for that instead of Chess a second time, and she really enjoyed it.

I did not purchase tickets to Death of a Salesman because I was ‘’all-Salesman’ed out’; I came to regret that decision; however, by the time I figured that out, out slate was filled and I decided to stay with it.

·Much to my surprise, I loved Fallen Angels the most. This is not to say it was the best, just that it was the one I (we) loved the most.

I have always thought that Kelli O’Hara lacked charisma.  This is honestly the first show I have seen with her where I saw charisma.  She was terrific, as was Rose Byrne.  And it was great to see a real set.  Kelli should be added to the list of future people to cast as Mary Todd Lincoln.  Her physical humor was a delightful surprise.  Given the sophistication of the over 100 year old comedy, I would love to know how much updating was done by (I can’t remember who assisted with polishing the script) or whether it was that sophisticated that long ago.  Just a total delight.

·In Summer 1981, I was able to get great seats for the newly opened musical, CATS, in London.  Our seats were so close that I hated the show before it even started.  Why?  because people dressed as cats were wriggling around my private space clearly behaving like cats.  I hated it.  On Thursday night, I threw caution to the wind and purchased tickets to see CATS: Jellicle Ball, based on the reviews.  This would be the first time I had ever seen any version of CATS since 1981. 

The two productions of CATS are now both on my list of the top 10 shows I hated the most in my 60 years of theatregoing.  I also realized that, other than Memory, which is one of my favorite songs ever, and the Cats 'theme', I really think the rest of the score stinks.  The only thing I enjoyed was when they introduced Cole Escola as the guest judge and later, when someone in the cast ad-libbed ‘Oh, Mary’ to him mid-show. 

As to the production itself, I really did not think there was anything great about the direction.  It was as if they threw everything they could at the stage.  I found it seriously repetitious.

I will be disgusted if Andre deShields, who I first saw in 1974 in Ain’t Misbehaving and in 1975 in the Wiz, wins the Tony.  If he does, it will be for simply still breathing / performing.  There was no performance.  It was almost scary seeing him assisted around the stage, wondering when he was going to fall.

The costumes were great and the cast was wildly talented as a whole.  I guess I just HATE any version of CATS. 

Ali Louis Bourzgui will be robbed if the Tony is given to deShields.  He is giving great, charismatic performance in The Lost Boys, which I do not think is a great musical, but which I enjoyed a lot. 

Were I a Tony voter, I would vote for Two Strangers over The Lost Boys, because I thought the book and music were better, and I really cared about the characters.  OF course, I was never awed, which did occur during The Lost Boys.

Based on the mixed reviews for Joe Turner and Proof, I regretted getting the tickets in advance.  I should not have worried.  I thought that both were terrifically entertaining.  Re Proof, I thought there was not a weak link and I do not remember the original production well enough to have an opinion as to whether Ado Adeberi or Don Cheadle were not 'sharp' enough.  I thought they were fine, as were Kara Young and Jin Ha.

It boggles my mind that Joshua Boone was not nominated for a Tony for his heartbreaking performance.  I’ll admit that I would not have nominated him instead of Ruben Santiago-Hudson, who was also great.  Since I only saw 3 of the 6 nominees, I don’t know if he was robbed or just not as good as others in a rich group.

I disliked Buena Vista.  In the final analysis, I concluded that for me, a little Latin music goes a long, long, long, long way.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Balusters and Becky Shaw.  Of the three I have seen, I would vote for Alden Ehrenreich for best supporting actor in a play.  I think The Balusters will do great in regional theatre, particularly in place with heavy concentrations of HOA communities.

I loved Chess as much this time as before.  I think that Lea Michelle and, particularly, Aaron Tveit were robbed of nominations.  I remain mystified that Hannah Cruz was nominated since she screeched through the entire performance, just as she did in October.  I went with 6 other people, including my son and daughter-in-law, and everyone thought she was terrible.  Why she got nominated and Lea and Aaron did not was the main discussion during our after-show drinks.

I think the direction of Ragtime has been much maligned by people on this board.  With no real scenery to take advantage of, she presented an epic with a remarkable number of terrific performances (but I would still vote for Arden who raised the entire production above an average book and a not-immediately-memorable score).  I expect Cats to win, but it will not be deserved, to me.