Ravinia - Last Night

[angeletti]

Posted: 8/12/06 at 10:53am

Just returned from Ravinia. Let me begin by saying the venue is exquisite, and the entire evening was electric!

The Chicago Symphony sounded incredible. I actually began to tear up with the first notes of the overture ( THE finest overture ever written for the musical theatre, imho )and spent the remainder of the evening with moist eyes and mouth agape.

Okay. La LuPone was incredible. Beautiful diction, a clearly drawn character, and notes reminiscent of her original Evita run. On two seperate occasions she stopped the show to a standing ovation of at least ten minutes ( "Everything's Coming Up Roses" and "Roses's Turn"). She looked beautiful ( trim in period costumes - and, damn, I don't know how they kept that wig from flying off her head ). She was sublime - at once comical and driven and simultaneously pathetic and desperately humbled. Beautiful, beautiful work by the leading lady of the contemporary musical theatre. One flaw - "Rose's Turn" has not yet evovled, but she is on the verge of something wonderful here ... and by Sunday evening she will tear the roof off I promise you.

Mazeppa - so, so funny.

Herbie - likeable and although at times his lines were delivered in a clipped fashion, he played a good match to LuPone's Rose.

The younger June and Louise were better than their matured counterparts. I wanted to see the transition that happens on a dime with Louise during he first strip ... but it never materialized. Perhaps, here I am a bit prejudice having had the pleasure to see Ms. Blanchard realize the role on Broadway.

Tulsa - kinda queeny I have to say. Too blond and too contemporary in his characterization.

I must say overall it seemed as if everyone in the cast was breaking their butts to achieve the level of professionalism as Ms. LuPone - and this, at times, was a bit distracting. As if she were saddled with a community theatre cast ...

Lighting and sets were fun.

Just my opinion folks ...

An evening I will never forget!

[Patronus]

Posted: 8/12/06 at 10:56am

Glad you had a great time. Here is a nice thread where these discussions are being shared! https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?thread=907359&dt=30