Stephanie J Block in Anything Goes

[musicalperson17]

Posted: 3/16/12 at 12:53pm

Did anyone catch her first performance back last night?

[Dollypop]

Posted: 3/16/12 at 8:16pm

No. The theater was empty.

[egghumor]

Posted: 3/16/12 at 10:17pm

whua-oh...

[Dollypop]

Posted: 3/18/12 at 12:29pm

Duh!

[bundy5000]

Posted: 3/18/12 at 12:49pm

Her Blow Gabriel Blow was AMAZING

[RippedMan]

Posted: 3/18/12 at 2:06pm

I finally saw the show last night. I love Block. I think she has such a strong, beautiful voice. And I'm one of the people that thinks she actually is a great actress.

That said, it was my first time really ever seeing and hearing the show (I know, I know), but I loved it. I thought the production was fantastic. It was nice to see some truly great acting in a musical. Joel Grey and John McMartin were fantastic and stole the show, to me. They were brilliant. The two lovers were passable. I don't understand why it's so hard to find two romantic leads who can make the characters interesting, but maybe that's the material's fault. They were both fine, and in good voice. The Crocker seemed a little rough in spots: his duet with Block was okay except when they sang together she drowned him out.

The dancing was fantastic, of course.

Block was great. I thought she landed all of her jokes, and hit all the right notes.

I think Block and Foster are interesting types. Foster is a true showgirl. She rose from the chorus and therefore has that dance background and whatnot. Block is a leading actress. She's never really been an ensemble member, so her dancing style, to me, was more of a leading lady. She hit all the right moves, but maybe didn't extend the leg like everyone else, etc.

[Visceral_Fella]

Posted: 3/18/12 at 2:30pm

I agree! I saw them both, but I saw Stephanie first. I literally went to see Sutton the week before her last just to prove to myself that she couldn't be as good as everyone says she is, and I was wrong, she was fantastic.

I've never seen two people perform a role so differently, yet valid.

What I liked about Sutton was the way her Reno flirted with the audience. As humble as she seems it was very much, "I'm aware that I'm Sutton Foster and everyone loves me, as Reno Sweeney", but it worked very well. I usually hate when people do that, but she did it perfectly. So quirky, so genuine, so her. Overall I enjoyed her acting, dancing, and presence more than Stephanie.

Stephanie was a very regal Reno, and that moment between her and Hope Harcourt about Billy was much more bitting and powerful than it was with Foster. Her voice is so wonderful that it is to me equivalent to the three things I enjoyed more about Foster.

They're so very different, but I would say that they're evenly matched.