Reviews of Corbin Bleu's first night in ITH

[ILuv2shop531]

Posted: 1/21/10 at 12:02am

If anyone was at Corbin's first show in In the Heights definitely post reviews here!

[tking001]

Posted: 1/21/10 at 12:02am

Isn't it Monday the 25th?

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 1/21/10 at 12:22am

^Yes, it is.

[ILuv2shop531]

Posted: 1/21/10 at 12:24am

Wow, I the press photos made me think it was tonight haha...
well we can bump it on Monday

[Unknown User]

Posted: 1/21/10 at 12:00pm

Waiting to actually SEE the performance before reviewing it is SO twentieth Century!

[Upland]

Posted: 1/23/10 at 11:16am

2 days and counting

[singalongsong2]

Posted: 1/25/10 at 12:16pm

Anyone going tonight?

[rmusic11322]

Posted: 1/25/10 at 1:12pm

Did anyone go to Javier's "last" show?

[BroadwayBound115]

Posted: 1/25/10 at 6:32pm

Could it be possible, that if the show's grosses go low enough, MTv would come in an film In The Heights a la Legally Blonde now that Corbin Bleu is Usnavi???

[rmusic11322]

Posted: 1/25/10 at 7:00pm

^ I already saw a TV commercial about the new Bleusnavi and I'm afraid that grosses will drop too. :/

[lakezurich]

Posted: 1/25/10 at 8:08pm

Haha! Bleusnavi, I like it!

[rmusic11322]

Posted: 1/25/10 at 8:53pm

I just found this on the In The Heights website. Does this really bother anyone because of his race?
Corbin and Marcy Updated On: 1/25/10 at 08:53 PM

[lakezurich]

Posted: 1/25/10 at 9:00pm

I don't know that it would bother me. It doesn't make much sense though, given that the show is about a Latino community.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 1/25/10 at 11:53pm

I just got back from his first performance. He was EXCELLENT! I never would have guessed it was his Broadway debut. Corbin gave a very engaging performance as Usnavi, connecting with the audience as narrator, and blending in with fabric of the storyline in the group scenes. I was truly impressed.

I really have no biases, as I had never heard of him before it was announced that he was going to be in IN THE HEIGHTS (I've never seen any of the "High School Musical" movies.)

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 1/25/10 at 11:57pm

I wasn't there tonight but a couple of my friends went and said the same thing as WBAF.

[paphillyguy]

Posted: 1/26/10 at 2:13am

I agree, I did not know of him either before I heard he was going nto the show. Having seen the show a few times with the original cast and one Usnavi understudy, I have to say he did an excellent job as well. He was engaging and very charming. Lin was there tonight, saw him before the show and at intermission. The cast is in great shape. However, I found Marcy Harriel to be the weak link for me. Her Vanessa is not even close to Karen Olivo's. It was a full house for a Monday, I assume a good number of comps to fill the house for Corbin's first night.

[ljay889]

Posted: 1/26/10 at 2:16am

I am glad to read positive reports about Corbin.
While Marcy is a talented performer; her Vanessa is just completely charmless, passionless, and a total bore. I really hope we get a new Vanessa soon.
I am excited to see this show again when Janet takes over as Nina!

Updated On: 1/26/10 at 02:16 AM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 1/26/10 at 4:23am

Glad to hear the positive reviews. I'm taking my kids to see this in Feb -- they are pyched to see Corbin as (being kids) they were big fans of the High school musical franchise. (or as I lkke to call it: Grease Lite.)

And while I admit, ITH wasn't a show I LOVED, I'm looking forward to it a bit more due to the reviews. (and since the negative ones are likely to start coming in...maybe I won't revisit this thread!)

[Drunk Chita Rivera]

Posted: 1/26/10 at 7:26am

So happy to hear that! I had faith in him, I guess he lived up to my expectations. Now I'm just worried about the crazy fans, especially the ones that will attack The Heights fansite, I gotta be prepared to control them.

[CukorLover]

Posted: 1/26/10 at 8:51am

I don't get all the fuss over him stepping into the role. He's a talented guy. It's not like he's replacing Emile de Becque in South Pacific !!!

[Anakela]

Posted: 1/26/10 at 9:26am

fyi BWW news desk, that was Jon Rua (not William B. Wingfield as you have identified him) on as Graffiti Pete last night.
Photo Coverage: Corbin Bleu's First IN THE HEIGHTS Curtain Call

[csees]

Posted: 1/26/10 at 9:48am

HE WAS FAB!!!!! Omg. I'm obsessed. I'm going to go every day. He really surprised me.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 1/26/10 at 9:51am

>I don't get all the fuss over him stepping into the role. He's a talented guy. It's not like he's replacing Emile de Becque in South Pacific !!!<

It's because the literalists have invaded. "Only Jews can perform Fiddler on the Roof!" "Only Thai royalty can perform in The King and I!" "Only serial killers and cannibals can perform in Sweeney Todd!"

[maxximumvolume]

Posted: 1/26/10 at 1:21pm

Add me to the list of people who thought he was great. Not only did he perfectly fit in the world of the show - he did not stand out like a sore thumb as some have suggested, either based on race or age - but from the minute he first started rapping, "Lights up on Washington Heights..." I thought he was positively electrifying. He carries the show on his shoulders with aplomb, and I could not believe that this was his first time; his work was effortless, confident, and quite smooth for a first time, and I can only imagine he will get better.

As we went into the second act Corbin's work was quite beautiful, pulling at my heartstrings with real grace and nuance. He is not simply impersonating Lin, he has made this character his own, finding new quirks and bits to play with. It's a surprisingly assured Broadway debut and I can't wait to see him again and again.

He was truly grateful and genuine at stage door, as he spent plenty of time signing and taking pictures, but also seemed touched by the praise of my friends and I who were fans of the show long before he came around, having seen it multiple times. He's a real class act and a terrific stage performer and I think you all need to go in with an open mind and enjoy his performance.

Updated On: 1/26/10 at 01:21 PM

[BroadwayBound115]

Posted: 1/26/10 at 1:31pm

Well maybe with all this positive response, MTV will film it or at least allow him to originate the role of Usnavi in the film. I know Lin is supposed to, but I feel like Corbin Bleu would be a huge draw for it.