Revisiting the Trailer Park 11/03

so I found myself back at Trailer Park last night and while the book is still often times cringeworthy, the cast is even better this far in to the run. They are (as one of the reviews pointed out), the hardest working ensemble in a show right now, or something to that effect.

Hensley is as solid as I've seen him, Kaitlin Hopkins seems to have loosened up considerably, Orfeh is in finer form and voice than ever, if that's possible and for what it's worth, I saw Leslie Kritzer's understudy, Tracy J. Edwards in the role of Pickles last night. She didn't miss a beat and got every laugh there was to get. I know Kritzer got the bulk of the praise for being hilarious, standout etc... but much to my surprise, I actually enjoyed Edwards' performance. How was she as Amber Von Tussle?

I wouldn't say I like Trailer Park the show, but I do love and support the cast which continues to shine and rise above the material, which is no easy feat. Edwards was a good Amber huh? I never fell head over heels for Laura Belle Bundy but I blamed the role more than the actress.

It was a good idea for them to do a recording. I don't know when it's being released.

Oh here we go again with the "Orfeh's an ok actress" thing. She's actually a profoundly good actress and I'll tell you why. You have to understand subtlety and since everyone on that stage is playing and milking every line for laughs, (at times, shamelessly) Orfeh get's stuck in the "straight" moments. But I'll quote a line LaChiusa said about Menzel recently and apply it to Orfeh, (I'm quoting very loosely), something about, in musical theatre the equivalent of the "close up shot" is when the performer sings and well, there's no one better at putting across an emotion while singing (IMO) than Orfeh. Don't confuse "real" line readings with bad acting. Same with Hensley.

So everytime someone says they think she's not a great actress, that means that they're opinion is completely wrong, and only yours is correct?

And on top of that, whoever accuses her of being bad is full of crap and is just jealous?

Jesus christ.

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You know, this WAS a thread about how great an understudy was in a role, or at least that's what I got from it, do we have to turn this into yet another Orfeh is amazing/sucks thread? Don't think she needs the hype. And yes, I do believe there is a ton of jealousy by the wanna-be's on this board and on ATC. If you don't, you're terribly naieve. It's human nature but I certainly didn't imply (if you read my post properly) that it was limited to Orfeh. And that's all I'm going to say on the topic.

The thread WAS about how great an understudy was until you chimed in to accuse people of prepostrous things.

I don't know whether Orfeh sucks or not, I've never seen her - I'm just saying that your comments are absurd...

I'm not saying that people aren't jealous - I never said that. But to say that whenever someone says someone is bad, they're just jealous is just a pitiful statement to make.

And that's all I'm going to say on the topic.

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I think thats crazy! How can you say just because one doesn't think someone is that talented in a certain department that they are jealous and WRONG? I happen to think Orfeh is a very bad actress with an amazing voice. Am I fighting with you telling you that you are wrong thinking she is an amazing actress? Nope. Its just an opinion. Am I jealous? Absolutely not. I have no reason to be. So get over it and let everyone speak.

I don't know if I was the one to start all this drama, but my post said her acting was "ok", hardly a bash. And Al, after reading your explanation of her having to play the role straight, while the others get to be more outrageous, ok, I can see your point.