#26
Posted: 2/23/07 at 10:10pm
Tarzan has some great understudies. I've seen the show five and a half times now and only once with the whole cast. I say five and a half because my tickets this past Wednesday night were in the last row of the Orchestra so I only saw the bottom half of the show . Josh Kobak does a fine job as Tarzan, and on both occasions that I saw him, I didn't miss Josh, he carried the role just fine. He has a strong voice and physical presence. It's a different Tarzan but he played the role to the hilt. Niki Scalera also performed well as Jane in a previous visit.
On Wednesday, I really missed Shuler, though. Horace V. Rogers is an outstanding Lead Son of Man Vocallist, and his voice is amazing, but he didn't carry the role of Kerchak well. I have asked myself over the last few days if I associate the part too much with Shuler, but the truth is, Horace lacked the physical presence and intensity that Shuler brings to the role. His acting just didn't carry the part, he seemed to do a lot of 'just walking around', and didn't impress me as an ape leader. I couldn't close my eyes and just see the part, and the role needed a real bass, Horace struck me more as a lyric baritone. I wonder why he doesn't u/s Terk.
I have seen Merle and Chester at every performance, and they continued to be simply awesome on Wednesday. Tim Jerome gave a much better performance than the one I mentioned in my last review, but Donnie Keshawarz was still kind of flat (more than the limited role suggests). It was also good to see Andy Pellick back... what I COULD see of him. This was the second time I have seen Dylan as Young Tarzan and he's really grown into the role. He is much more physical and his voice was strong and clear on Wednesday.
The ensemble seemed a little subdued, but it was also their second show of the day. I had forgotten the kids were off from school, and I won't tirade about people who bring TOO young kids to a theatre, but it was great to see the show was sold out. With the TKTS booth next to the long line to get in, there were an awful lot of shows that still had 50% seats available.
On Wednesday, I really missed Shuler, though. Horace V. Rogers is an outstanding Lead Son of Man Vocallist, and his voice is amazing, but he didn't carry the role of Kerchak well. I have asked myself over the last few days if I associate the part too much with Shuler, but the truth is, Horace lacked the physical presence and intensity that Shuler brings to the role. His acting just didn't carry the part, he seemed to do a lot of 'just walking around', and didn't impress me as an ape leader. I couldn't close my eyes and just see the part, and the role needed a real bass, Horace struck me more as a lyric baritone. I wonder why he doesn't u/s Terk.
I have seen Merle and Chester at every performance, and they continued to be simply awesome on Wednesday. Tim Jerome gave a much better performance than the one I mentioned in my last review, but Donnie Keshawarz was still kind of flat (more than the limited role suggests). It was also good to see Andy Pellick back... what I COULD see of him. This was the second time I have seen Dylan as Young Tarzan and he's really grown into the role. He is much more physical and his voice was strong and clear on Wednesday.
The ensemble seemed a little subdued, but it was also their second show of the day. I had forgotten the kids were off from school, and I won't tirade about people who bring TOO young kids to a theatre, but it was great to see the show was sold out. With the TKTS booth next to the long line to get in, there were an awful lot of shows that still had 50% seats available.
