#51
Posted: 3/11/11 at 9:42am
I thought the entire thing from start to finish was musical comedy heaven.
Kathleen Marshall did here what she did with Pajama Game. She treated the show with respect...but not as a museum piece. Yes...the book creaks here and there and tightening is needed. But for a first preview? Absolutely stellar.
Sutton Foster looks sensational (strangely, in the blond wig, she reminded me of a young Kate Capshaw...I was hoping for a verse of Anything Goes in Mandarin). She sounds terrific, dances like an Olympian and brings humor, warmth, charm and vulnerability together into a perfectly winning performance. She's magic.
Special mention must be made of Laura Osnes who has somehow found a way to infuse vitality into the corpse of a role known as Hope. Her Goodbye, Little Dream, Goodbye (a song I cannot stand) was simply gorgeous.
Colin Donnel (who I didn't realize I saw as Young Ben in the Encores Follies) was pretty perfect as Billy. As were everyone in the cast. Jessica Stone? Delicious.
Yes...even Joel Grey, who seemed a bit unsure of his lines. I have no doubt in my mind that he'll find surer footing as the preview process goes along.
And what a joy to see John McMartin playing the role of Elisha Whitney with such a joyful, drunken elan.
It was nice to see a show that could wink at itself without devolving into camp. And to see a show where everyone was on the same page in terms of performance style.
And then there were the production numbers. Yes...Anything Goes and Blow, Gabriel Blow rightfully stopped the show. But It's De-Lovely was so romantic, and yet, thrilling at the same time. Friendship and You're the Top simply made you fall in love with the stars. It was gorgeously designed.
Honestly...it was a marvelous night. I still feel like I'm walking on air this morning.
This show has made me the happiest I've felt in over two months. And that's saying something.
Kathleen Marshall did here what she did with Pajama Game. She treated the show with respect...but not as a museum piece. Yes...the book creaks here and there and tightening is needed. But for a first preview? Absolutely stellar.
Sutton Foster looks sensational (strangely, in the blond wig, she reminded me of a young Kate Capshaw...I was hoping for a verse of Anything Goes in Mandarin). She sounds terrific, dances like an Olympian and brings humor, warmth, charm and vulnerability together into a perfectly winning performance. She's magic.
Special mention must be made of Laura Osnes who has somehow found a way to infuse vitality into the corpse of a role known as Hope. Her Goodbye, Little Dream, Goodbye (a song I cannot stand) was simply gorgeous.
Colin Donnel (who I didn't realize I saw as Young Ben in the Encores Follies) was pretty perfect as Billy. As were everyone in the cast. Jessica Stone? Delicious.
Yes...even Joel Grey, who seemed a bit unsure of his lines. I have no doubt in my mind that he'll find surer footing as the preview process goes along.
And what a joy to see John McMartin playing the role of Elisha Whitney with such a joyful, drunken elan.
It was nice to see a show that could wink at itself without devolving into camp. And to see a show where everyone was on the same page in terms of performance style.
And then there were the production numbers. Yes...Anything Goes and Blow, Gabriel Blow rightfully stopped the show. But It's De-Lovely was so romantic, and yet, thrilling at the same time. Friendship and You're the Top simply made you fall in love with the stars. It was gorgeously designed.
Honestly...it was a marvelous night. I still feel like I'm walking on air this morning.
This show has made me the happiest I've felt in over two months. And that's saying something.
