Reveiw of Light in The Piazza

[wickedfan]

Posted: 5/21/05 at 10:36pm

A Wicked fan has seen Light in The Piazza. (I'm sure many others have too, but I'm the first as far as I know who has seen it with their name containing Wicked in it.)
Well, I won't go into too much detail since so many others have gone into detail about the show. I'll just covered the basics.
I found it a lovely show. Not great, but lovely and very moving. Beautiful sets and costumes and lighting. It's extravagant yet not over the top. I laugh at the set of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang when I think of Light in the Piazza.
The music was beautiful. "Say it Somehow" is possibly the most beautiful song I've heard in a theatre (then again, I've grown up in a time where a love ballad is either cliche or unmemorable) this song is neither. It's original, moving, lovely, and just, what a way to end the act!
The book was nice, touching, funny, not too dramatic etc. I was surprised because it wasn't much like something Craig Lucas would write. It didn't seem as "out there" as most of his other works.
The performances were wonderful as well. Victoria Clark was just perfection. MOst definately the performance in musical theatre of the season. She was subtle in expressing her emotions but she somehow showed what she was feeling when she was feeling it. And such a lovely voice. Kelli O'Hara, also lovely. This woman needs to have her own show and quick. Beautiful, wonderful voice and lovely acting. MUST the Tony go to Sara Ramieraz? Matthew MOrrison was very good. Better than I expected, he has potential to be a phenomenal performer and he showed his potential in Piazza. The rest of the cast was equally wonderful. There are too many to name right now, but all of them were just great.
I wonder if it is too late to change my name on this board? After two years of listening and appreciating and loving shows from the past, I never really felt like my taste would completely change directions because I came to accept the fact that I was living in an era of musical theatre where shows like Wikced and Hairpsray dominated the Great White Way. Now, after seeing Piazza that's all changed. And I'm not condemning this show to utter pefection, but it is different and most definately the highest quality musical to come here in a long time. And I never expected that to happen, and it was a lovely surprise. Go see this show now!

Updated On: 5/21/05 at 10:36 PM

[mint0621]

Posted: 5/21/05 at 11:26pm

thanks for the review wickedfan....ever since I saw Matt Morrison walk while I was sitting on the edge of the Lincoln Center fountain made me want to watch this show. He is a *beautiful* man. (I was waiting to get into the state theater for the ballet, but seeing Matt made me wonder how the musical was...).