THE HEART OF ROCK AND ROLL Previews — Page 3

I was searching online and found this video from Jimmy Kimmel back three weeks ago. McKenzie Kurtz sings "It Hit Me Like a Hammer" in Act 2 and seeing it at the theater knowing the context is definitely a lot better.

I have a ticket for the Friday, April 12, 8pm performance of The Heart of Rock and Roll available. $50 OBO. Message me if you're interested.

Updated On: 4/11/24 at 12:49 PM

A small part of me thinks that this show could end up being like The Little Engine That Could...or Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer...aka the show that was picked on & belittled until everyone realized they needed/wanted it, resulting in it exceding everyone's expectations.

This show is awesome! I particularly enjoyed the neons and 80s vibes all round, but the fact that the cross on the H and the T don't line up in the logo of the show is the worst thing about it says a lot!

Major props also to the incredible wig on the preppy character - top tier semi highlights, 10/10 flow, a real treat to behold.


PS - do not sit front row of the balcony/mezz at the JEJ - you need to have your legs amputateted beforehand to fit! Absolutely criminal legroom!

Updated On: 4/13/24 at 10:38 AM

I don't see this one either on the telecharge lottery site.

Do they offer lottery tickets on the weekend?

I had so much FUNNNNNNNNN. Can't stop smiling.

This what what 'Beautiful Noise' should have been, instead of all the doom and gloom.

Show doesn't take itself seriously. Congrats to Greenberg - he sets the tone and keeps things moving.

okay, if Jordan is in then so am I. Everything I've read on the boards sounds like this would be a blast. A gummie before hand sounds kinda perfect for it.

anyone have a discount code?

I saw the show on Friday and had a ball!

This show had so many things going for it for me to enjoy it - from Corey Cott’s return to Broadway and several other cast members I’ve loved in other things to Huey’s music which I grew up listening to via my dad - but what a joy!

It’s giving Wedding Singer with a dash of Kinky Boots and a sprinkle of the essence of Rock of Ages without the crudity.

Huey’s music works so well with the story and connects with the book very well. I never felt anything was being shoehorned in.

Corey Cott being back on Broadway where he belongs makes me so happy. He has never sounded better and he looks fantastic. His second act solo is giving Soul of A Man vibes in the best way, and you can feel how much he loves this material.

McKenzie Kurtz is just a star. I was lucky enough to see her as Anna in Frozen before shutdown and as Glinda in Wicked recently, and she just has such star quality. She’s hilarious, has a gorgeous voice, and her chemistry with Corey was off the charts.

Billy Harrigan Tighe steals every scene he’s in and is giving that evil 80’s preppy you loved to hate from the classic 80’s movie. Also, the back flip he does is a crowd favorite.

Tamika Lawrence’s voice is incredible and her jokes about HR had me rolling. I loved the friendship between her character [Roz] and Corey’s character [Bobby].

The whole cast is just brimming with talent and just having the time of their lives. The tap dancing on bubble wrap? Such a fun idea!

There was camera’s in the rear of the orchestra which seemed to be filming b-roll, but don’t quote me on that.

For anyone into stage door, almost everyone came out [excluding Tamika, although I may have missed her] to sign and take photos.

This season needs a crowd pleaser and I’m rooting for this one to be it.

Updated On: 4/15/24 at 04:21 PM

Updated On: 4/16/24 at 03:19 PM

Meant to post about this a week ago when I saw the show, but time got away from me. I do think the show is fairly charming for a jukebox musical with an original story that isn't really taking huge swings with material, and a lot of the choreography and musical numbers are great fun (Workin for a Livin gets a great dance sequence, I loved all the a capella numbers with Billy Harrigan Tighe showing off some fantastic moves, and there's a great dream sequence in the second act that had me laughing multiple times).

The main problem is the story is fairly basic, which I usually wouldn't mind for a jukebox, but several character motivations are confusing and the plot doesn't zip along quite as nicely as I'd want. Bobby mentions his dad a few different times but each time seems to contradict the time before it, and some of the circumstances regarding the relationship with his father don't make any sense at all for his current situation. A lot of the relationship between Bobby and Cass also seem a bit confusing in being able to tell how they're supposed to be feeling towards each other at any given moment, so while the story updates you (usually by a character stating directly how they feel), I never actually got the sense that their relationship had changed/developed over time so I was never really rooting for them.

I think what I wanted from the show was really more camp (or on the other hand more fleshed out characters would've been nice too). I don't mind a show keeping things light and fun with somewhat surface level characters if it knows that's what it wants to do, but there was an earnestness to the characters in the show (and Bobby in particular) that didn't quite come off well for me considering how confusing some of the characters were. The scenes with Fjord were the most fun and I would've loved to have more of that vibe (and Roz gets some good lines too), so they were easily my favorite characters in the show--also because it's generally easy to figure out who they are/what their purpose is.

The other issue I had was that the pacing of the second act seems all off. We go into intermission with Bobby needing to make a tough choice, and so much of act 2 is spent on him deliberating between the two that when it actually becomes a problem, it's almost immediately neatly tied up by some events that happen off stage and we never really see the consequences of his actions or really see him learn anything. (After his big second act song, I knew there was going to be a deus ex machine kind of event happening but they way it actually happened still had me pretty disappointed in how "easy" it was).

I don't deny that this is a fun show, but there were still too many things that added friction to the storytelling that I wasn't quite able to just sit back and enjoy it, and I'm actually fairly surprised at how much praise it's getting here. I do think there's an audience for it, but I don't think it should really be in the conversation for best musical at all.

Saw last night and had a great time. More heartfelt than Shucked and funnier that Mamma Mia. The show knows it is silly and leans into it, so we were at ease and could just go along for the ride. It's funny!!! Direction is funny and like a version of a John Hughes movie. Not going to change your life, but definitely a great night out. Most of the night wasn't as camp as Greenberg's Dracula, but a few moments rival that silliness. Maybe I am alone here, but I did not expect the story to end the way it did, so good on them! Corey Cott and Mackenzie Kurtz are charming, funny, gorgeous, and two of the best singers on Bway, but Tamicka Lawrence and Billy Tighe steal the show. The choreography is star of show. Inventive and full of 80's Easter eggs, if you are old enough to remember. Loren Lattaro knows how to build a number and the dances go big with bubble wrap and break dancing and roller tables, and wait for it, a dream ballet in second act that is so so camp. Agnes DeMille would be shocked, lol. The set design is like cotton candy with cool lighting effects through a cage-like structure. Set does cool tricks and moves well but isn't overblown. Derek McLane -he knows what he is doing and you can see the stage clearly no obstructions. And the world works with the lighting apparatus well. It goes from real to bubbly to rock and roll surprisingly well. Audience was definitely into the show and fed off each other. It had a panto thing going on sometimes, the audience would boo at the villain and cheer when Mackenzie's character made a decision they liked. It was fun. Actors broke the fourth wall a few times so that egged it on. Music is so good, and they did a good job of fitting narrative into the songs. Huey Lewis and the News music works well for the show's style. He was in the audience and was talking to people casually and signing playbills! He seemed cool, he def smelled like pot lol. Like within five feet of wherever he was standing.

Updated On: 4/18/24 at 10:32 AM

Silly, fun night out!

I love it isn't even trying to be something it isn't.