Reviews from NYC Trip 2/18-2/22/09

[jennamajig]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 9:21pm

I've been back a week, but it's been hard to find feel time to write a few reviews! So here goes:

Wed, 2/18/09 - 2 pm
Pal Joey
Full cast on; no understudies

In one word I found this show "meh." I wasn't ever 100% sold on the story while it was unfolding before me. Matthew Risch is a solid dancer with a nice voice, but there was something missing for me as he lacked the charisma needed as Joey for the show to work. Martha Plimpton and Stockard Channing were divine, however. While I know it has been debated, I found Channing's rendition of "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered" a highlight. Sure, not the best voice in the world, but her acting chops sell this song 100% for me.

**1/2 stars of ***** for me.

Wed, 2/18/09 - 8 pm
Shrek
Understudies:
Ben Crawford as Shrek
Sarah Jane Everman as Fiona
Caroln Ockert-Haythe for parts played by Jennifer Cody

Fun. This show was a lot of fun! I went in with low expectations, thinking at the least the techie geek in me would be satisfied and I was pleasantly surprised.
(Side note: My friend and I ordered our tickets on TDF and ended up in the rear mezz, row C. I was also pleasantly surprised by these seats. The front mezz is small and I found them to be a perfect view to take in everything.)
For the most part, the score was upbeat and enjoyable and my friend especially enjoyed the few tributes/digs to other Broadway shows (laughed out loud at the Wicked reference). Ben Crawford was very strong as Shrek; he doesn't really do the accent from the movie and this let me make the role his own. And his voice is amazing..."Build a Wall" was great.
Sarah Jane Everman did a nice job as well, though I find the Fiona role not as interesting. I do like that the show built upon the resentment feelings Fiona had being locked up for years, but it is still not the meatiest female lead on Broadway.

**** stars out of ***** for me

Thurs, 2/19/09 - 8 pm
Billy Elliot
David Alvarez as Billy
Frank Dolce as Michael
Matthew Mindler as Small Boy
David Larsen as Tony

This is the first show I've seen on Broadway in a long time that I would pay full price for - more than once. My friend and I ended up doing Student Rush but I'll probably save up for a ticket this summer next time I'm in the NYC area. (For those wondering on the Student Rush: front mezz, row F, partial view seats that I didn't really feel were bad seats - couldn't fully see one wall of the set, but missed no action on stage).
This show was a wonder to watch on stage. David was superb; his acting was very strong and his dancing blew me away. Frank was hilarious as Michael. Haydn Gwynne was also fantastic to watch...I just really need to say that I was impressed with all of the members of the cast. I loved watching the ballet girls perform as well ("Solidarity" was a number I could watch over and over). I may be gushing, but honestly I haven't had a show impress me this much in ages. I've been recommending it every time a friend or co-worker asks again what I saw on vacation.

***** all the way.

Fri, 2/20/09 - 8 pm
In the Heights
Janet Dacal as Vanessa
Krysta Rodriguez as Carla

Tried the lotto a couple of times and after losing on Friday, caved to buy partial views seats in the rear orchestra for $51.50. I am not a fan of the overhang in this theater; it is awful. Next time I'd prepare more in advance and buy the $41.50 rear mezz seats.
Overall, I really enjoyed this show. It didn't rivet me like Billy Elliot, but I found it an interesting show with a upbeat score. I kinda saw the ending coming, but who really doesn't in a musical?
I was looking forward to seeing Marcy Harriell (I'd seen her as Mimi in Rent years previous and love her voice), so I was a little sad I'd missed her, but Janet Dacal had a very good voice and I have no complaints. Javier Munoz was the stand-out for me; if I hadn't known that Lin-Manuel had just left the show the week before, I'd swear that Munoz had been performing Usnavi since the beginning. He seemed like a perfect fit.

**** stars out of *****.

Sat, 2/21/09 - 2 pm
Speed-the-Plow

I've seen many a Mamet play. While I didn't see November with Nathan Lane, I did see the show's Boston debut last November with the Lyric stage. November was funny, but I found Speed-the-Plow a much stronger and tightly written show.
Raul Esparza was perfectly cast in this show. He's been very strong when I've seen his in previous productions, but I found him quite solid here. Easy to go over the top, he does approach that line, but it is balanced extremely well by William H. Macy's performance.
Macy was perfect casting for me. I'd read that Bobby and Charlie are meant to be the same age, but frankly I think the age gap works better. It makes the end turn with Karen so much more poignant and Macy is especially strong there. His facial expressions had me thinking long after the show was over in that scene.
I will say it took time for me to warm up to Elizabeth Moss. She seemed too awkward at first and slightly out of her league with Esparza and Macy. But she grows greatly in her second scene with Macy and as I mentioned, the age gap gives their relationship a different meaning.

**** stars out of *****.

Sat, 2/21/09, 4 pm
Forbidden Broadway

What can I say? A classic. I needed to see this before it leaves forever. I will miss it greatly.
While not the funniest version, I did especially enjoy the In the Heights segment (having seen the show the night before), the Gypsy section, and the Equus number. The extended Mary Poppins number didn't truly hit me until I saw Poppins on Sunday (more on that later).

**** out of ***** stars.

Sat, 2/21/09, 8 pm
The Third Story

My friend and I actually has TDF tickets for this on Friday when the performance was canceled due to a Kathleen Turner injury. M friend is a huge Charles Busch fan, so we found a 2 for 1 code (this show is selling well in a small house, so it didn't make appearances on TKTS while we were there), took it to the box office and were lucky to snag a replacement pair of tickets for Sat.
I enjoyed the show. I could seen the ending coming fast and the interwoven stories can be hard to keep track of, but boring this show was not to me. It intrigued enough to have me engaged to want to see it through. Additionally, the cast is very strong. Without a strong cast, this show could definitely fall flat.

Between ***1/2 out of *****.

Whew...one more to go!

Sun, 2/22/09 - 1 pm
Mary Poppins
Cassady Leonard as Jane Banks
Zach Rand as Michael Banks
James Hindman as George Banks
Jessica Sheridan as Bird Woman
Rommy Sandhu as Policeman and Mr. Punch
Pam Bradley as Miss Lark
Corey Skaggs as Park Keeper
Jonathan Richar Sandler as Northbrook
Kahy Calahan as Mrs. Corry
Suzanne Hylenski as Glamorous Doll

As you can see, quite a few understudies! But this show is Disney magic. After seeing the hugely disappointing Little Mermaid this past July, Disney needed to prove to me they could engage me with the Disney magic I know they have. This show did that. A technical masterpiece (I geeked out so many times at the sets, the flying, etc), I found myself also enjoying the performances and extended material. If I had to choose a family show to take my younger cousins to, I'd pick this one. No, it doesn't have the gross jokes of Shrek, but it has a charm that remains years later. It is timeless and I appreciate that greatly. Adam Fiorentino infects enthusiasm into the audience and Scarlett Strallen is delightful as Mary.

****1/2 stars out of five.




Updated On: 3/2/09 at 09:21 PM

[WishingOnlyWounds2]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 9:30pm

I saw Billy Elliot the same night as you, we had one understudy. David Larsen played Billy's brother.

[jennamajig]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 9:35pm

^^^Ah, thanks! I'm going by my playbills and the slips inside and didn't have that one, but it probably fell out in my travels. Fixed.

[sgv123]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 9:41pm

Thanks alot for your reviews!!

[broadwayfan7]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 10:07pm

Glad you had a great trip! Thanks for sharing your reviews.

[steven22]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 10:15pm

i wud have killed to see that ITH cast..you're lucky

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 3/2/09 at 2:48am

Enjoyable reviews.