#1
Posted: 5/26/08 at 9:11am
Preface: So, it was my birthday, so me and my family went out to dinner and a show. (The Shake Shack is awesome, by the way, even if the lines are long. We got row T seats for "In the Heights" (which is packed now, by the way), and despite the overhang, had a great time.
CAST RUNDOWN:
Lin-Manuel Miranda - Really great, which is to be expected since he wrote the damn music. He's still amazing though - I almost cried during the scene that involves someone's death. He's great, though I didn't understand his motivation for the choice he made at the end.
Olga Merediz - This woman was amazing. Her nomination was well-deserved. (I don't know about a win). She put so much heart and soul into "Pacienca y Fe", it really became her breakout number.
Christopher Jackson - Pretty good. I'm surprised he wasn't considered for a Tony, since his part is so meaty. He was believable and sounded good. Nothing ground-breaking.
Krysta Rodriguez (u/s Vanessa) - Disappointing. I really wanted to see Karen, since I had heard her sing. Something was just a little lacking from the performance and I could barely hear her. She hit her stride in her song with Lin. I didn't really buy her in the role, especially since she looks about 13 and you can't see her face under that haircut.
Janet Dacal (u/s Nina) - She was obviously nervous, and fared a little better than Krysta, but anyone could tell she didn't do that part regularly, She just seemed uncomfortable, although her performance was fine.
Robin de Jesus - Pretty funny, although his voice got a little grating. I can totally understand the Tony nom, though.
Andrea Burns - Hilarious. Heartfelt. What else can I say about this woman! She gave one of the best performances in the whole cast, and consistently made me laugh. Give HER the Tony nomination!
The ensemble - One of the best I've ever seen.
WHAT I LOVED:
Emotional Response - Two major, shocking plot points are revealed in a line of songs, and most of the theater (myself included) gasped when we heard them. I loved feeling like I was there with them, and as I said before, I cried a little bit in one part. It's just that kind of show.
The Set - Really cool. Forced perspective and meticulously crafted storefronts really bring you into the action. Very clever.
The Choreography: Innovative and corresponds well to the songs.
WHAT I DIDN'T LOVE:
The Book - So lackluster it's really inexcusable. The show's main weak point, it's dumb and slow, except for a couple lines (drunk Chita Rivera)!
The Set - I loved it most of the time, but occasionally it brought up problems. It never changes (except during the act break), so things can get a little weird. For instance, in one scene there's a blackout and they're trying to find their way home, but their homes are still there. Usnavi's like "where is my store?" and I wanted to scream "it's right behind you dumba**!" The salon scene doesn't fare as well either in the set department.
The Parents - Excuse me, but I don't get Nina's parents. Maybe it was the performances, but the show gave me no reason why the dad hated Benny and repeatedly told him rudely and blatantly.
OVERALL SCORE : 9/10
Music: 9/10
Book: 7/10
Cast (on the night I saw it): 8.5/10
Technical Aspects: 9/10
I would recommend this great show to anyone. It's going to hit it big!
CAST RUNDOWN:
Lin-Manuel Miranda - Really great, which is to be expected since he wrote the damn music. He's still amazing though - I almost cried during the scene that involves someone's death. He's great, though I didn't understand his motivation for the choice he made at the end.
Olga Merediz - This woman was amazing. Her nomination was well-deserved. (I don't know about a win). She put so much heart and soul into "Pacienca y Fe", it really became her breakout number.
Christopher Jackson - Pretty good. I'm surprised he wasn't considered for a Tony, since his part is so meaty. He was believable and sounded good. Nothing ground-breaking.
Krysta Rodriguez (u/s Vanessa) - Disappointing. I really wanted to see Karen, since I had heard her sing. Something was just a little lacking from the performance and I could barely hear her. She hit her stride in her song with Lin. I didn't really buy her in the role, especially since she looks about 13 and you can't see her face under that haircut.
Janet Dacal (u/s Nina) - She was obviously nervous, and fared a little better than Krysta, but anyone could tell she didn't do that part regularly, She just seemed uncomfortable, although her performance was fine.
Robin de Jesus - Pretty funny, although his voice got a little grating. I can totally understand the Tony nom, though.
Andrea Burns - Hilarious. Heartfelt. What else can I say about this woman! She gave one of the best performances in the whole cast, and consistently made me laugh. Give HER the Tony nomination!
The ensemble - One of the best I've ever seen.
WHAT I LOVED:
Emotional Response - Two major, shocking plot points are revealed in a line of songs, and most of the theater (myself included) gasped when we heard them. I loved feeling like I was there with them, and as I said before, I cried a little bit in one part. It's just that kind of show.
The Set - Really cool. Forced perspective and meticulously crafted storefronts really bring you into the action. Very clever.
The Choreography: Innovative and corresponds well to the songs.
WHAT I DIDN'T LOVE:
The Book - So lackluster it's really inexcusable. The show's main weak point, it's dumb and slow, except for a couple lines (drunk Chita Rivera)!
The Set - I loved it most of the time, but occasionally it brought up problems. It never changes (except during the act break), so things can get a little weird. For instance, in one scene there's a blackout and they're trying to find their way home, but their homes are still there. Usnavi's like "where is my store?" and I wanted to scream "it's right behind you dumba**!" The salon scene doesn't fare as well either in the set department.
The Parents - Excuse me, but I don't get Nina's parents. Maybe it was the performances, but the show gave me no reason why the dad hated Benny and repeatedly told him rudely and blatantly.
OVERALL SCORE : 9/10
Music: 9/10
Book: 7/10
Cast (on the night I saw it): 8.5/10
Technical Aspects: 9/10
I would recommend this great show to anyone. It's going to hit it big!
Updated On: 6/9/08 at 09:11 AM
