Sunday in the Park with George at The Axelrod Performing Arts Center

I found myself overwhelmed by emotion four times during the Axelrod Performing Arts Center’s second preview today of Sunday in the Park with George. The opening number introduces us to George and six ballet dancers each symbolizing a color from his palette—red, orange, blue, green, yellow and beige.  It was a remarkable stage picture. I was also quite moved at the end of each act when Sunday comes alive with the entire ensemble. We Do Not Belong Together sung brilliantly by Talia Suskauer (Dot) and Graham Phillips (George) literally moved me to tears.

I also particularly liked the vocals of James C. Harris (Boatman/Charles) and Giuliana Augello (Celeste #1/ Elaine).  Music Director/Conductor Jacob Yates directed the 12-piece orchestra which sounded incredible as they played from each side of the auditorium. Can you believe it? 12 pieces with a Harp! 

I am glad that director/choreographer Eamon Foley got permission from Sondheim to work in the ballet dancers as I think they complimented the piece greatly. Recommended.

Lovely comfortable theater with easy plentiful parking. I sat in the first row B which was great. The stage is not high and there is at least 6 feet between row B and the stage.

Updated On: 3/9/24 at 11:49 PM

Axelrod has turned themselves into a nice professional theater company down the Jersey shore. Leaps better than anything Surflight is putting out now. Axelrod always did some solid community theater shows before they went professional. Their productions of Rent, Billy Elliott & West Side Story were outstanding.

Axel is excellent. Everyone is so nice.  Matilda was excellent at the theatre. I’d rather drive there than Papermill (15 minutes) any day 

He got permission from Sondheim or his Estate? 

ijay889: He got permission from Sondheim or his Estate?

Eamon Foley states that the ballet dancer idea was put in front of Sondheim. See 1 minute mark. 
https://youtu.be/y-MvKazMwlc?feature=shared

Saw this tonight.  Beautiful production.  The ballet dancers mostly take up space.  Graham Phillips as George sounds like Mandy Patinkin.  Talia Suskauer as Dot stole the show for me.  This theatre is in a Jewish community center and the auditorium feels like you are back in high school.  Lots of parking in front.  I heard a  train riding through a couple of times during the performance so I guess there’s a train nearby.   The 11 piece orchestra is on both sides of the audience.  The stage is pretty bare except for some lights hanging upstage, and a few latters.  Theres also a white curtain that is used for shadows.  I’ve never seen a production of this musical before so i was happy to be there.  The last revival was impossible to get tickets to.  

Graham Phillips was an absolutely smashing Georges in the Pasadena Playhouse production of SUNDAY a year ago. How thrilling to have someone so young (exactly Georges' real age as it turns out), and so precise in his delivery as he performs that score. I can't speak to this new staging, but I know Mr. Phillips is worth the price of admission wherever he performs this role.

I actually found the ballerinas to be a distraction.  They really didn’t add much.  

It is stunning.  It makes me want Little Dancer to come to Broadway. That musical was crafted to have dance in it which I bet makes a lot more sense. 

Owen22 said: "It's a beautiful production. I saw Graham play George last year at Pasadena Playhouse (in the Sarna Lapine production), and his performance has deepened since then (in between he played Nick in Virginia Woolf with Calista Flockhart and Zachary Quinto which may have had something to do with it). Was not, however, a fan of the recent Bway Elphaba who played Dot/Marie. However, I seemed to be in the minority (she did sing it well).

Eamon Foley is a director/choreographer to look out for!"

Not to nitpick, but the LA production of Virginia Woolf actually preceded the Pasadena Sunday by a year. 

Love, that is not Community Theater if it starred Kate Baldwin and was directed by Hunter Foster. 

ljay889 said: "Love, that is not Community Theater if it starred Kate Baldwin and was directed by Hunter Foster."

I thought Hunter Foster and his wife had their own theatre up in Syracuse...