The Apple Tree Reviews — Page 3

The TONY is still Ebersole's.

And Chenoweth has not exactly stretched her acting and musical muscles. But hey that is Broadway today. Besides her 195 gay fans who else will see this show? Not Mom and Pop from Iowa here on vacation.

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Yeah fflag what are you talking about? You do reealize how many people actually love Kristin. Look at the reviews. Most of them even the ones than didn't like the show praised her. I personally know plenty of str8 couples, teenage girls AND gay men who can't wait to see her. As for her musical muscles, I can't really think of too much that will provide much of a challenge for her. WHen you leave Wicked for a few nights to sing High E flats in Candide and you call it a break, you've clearly got your muscles as flexed as they're gonna get.

As for Merman, it's a pretty well established fact from people who have written for her, worked with her, and enjoy her that she wasn't the world's most accomplish actress. She's a star and a performer but in everything she's distinctly Merman. This is not a new argument. Chenoweth's the same way...and we love her for it.

I saw THE APPLE TREE last week and saw Chenoweth for the first time and found her charming and her voice wonderful. I also thought the other two leads were excellent. However, I thought the production was cheesy and not up to the Broadway that I love. As a night at the theatre I found it good but not great. The Adam and Eve segment was by far the best, which most of the reviews cited. As for comparing Chenoweth to Merman, only time will tell. Merman had close to a 40 year career on Broadway. And while her acting may not have been the foremost aspect of her star power, in GYPSY she pulled off the acting component of Mama Rose as well as her other star attributes to the production. As some of you may know, I saw Merman 5 times in GYPSY and for me she will always own that role. The reviews of the APPLE TREE suggest that Chenoweth owns her roles, but it will be good to see her originate another character in an original show. On another note, I feel that Gary Griffin's direction for THE APPLE TREE was stodgy at best. However, I saw THE COLOR PURPLE last week as well and, after reading negative things about his contribution to that production, I was pleasantly surprised: I found the staging to be wonderful and the whole production to be engaging, theatrical and professional with a superb group of actor/singers.

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I agree, Bobby.

She's a delight to watch, and she does command your attention. I don't LOVE her like some people do, but I do think she's wonderful.

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I find Patti Lupone to use very similar mannerisms and acting choices in all of her roles, and yet I find her to be one of the best Broadway talents on stage. I actually also find Bernadette Peters to be very similar in all of her roles (except for the Witch in Into the Woods) and yet she's considered one of the best actresses Broadway has ever seen. Though I think she should try to branch out a bit more, Chenoweth's sameness tends to get exaggerated while other performers' sameness tend to get ignored. I wonder how much of the criticism of her being a one trick pony stems from people expecting her to be a totally different person than she is. She's not the best actress, but EVERYONE uses similar mannerisms and expressions on some level.

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Updated On: 12/15/06 at 04:07 PM

Agreed.

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There is one thing that I don't understand, and hopefully I am not alone on this. While I like Kristin's voice, I think her "comedic talent" is forced. Every time I see a video of her and she does a "comedic moment," it seems like it is not natural and she does a bigger than life thing and the audience laughs.

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yeah that's cause it's a video. have you seen her live? Even Angie looked huge in Sweeney. You have to for stage things.

Just got TDF tickets for it 12/30

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I sometimes wonder if Roundabout has a clue sometimes about how it handles the material it chooses for its season. Hearing that APPLE TREE is near-minimally staged (with a 100 top? Gedoudatown!) seems to suggest that it's as wrong headed in concept as their abortive FOLLIES from a few years ago.

True, APPLE TREE isnt a classic musical, but in the right hands it could be great fun. Problem is, "in the right hands", which, based on the reviews I've read to date, this wasnt it. The show has all the potential sitting there, but IMHO it takes a director with more vision than the "crank 'em out" philosophy at Roundabout sometimes.

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I was there tonight and the show was so much fun. FUN! FUNNY! CAMPY. Three of my favorite things. After seeing shows about death, despair and chaos it was a pleasure to see a show that was pure entertainment. Chenoweth never dissapoints me. I saw her in The Encores version and had the same reaction. The show and Cheno are pure joy. She never ceases to amaze me with her comedic timing. She has become the next Lucille Ball but her voice is perfection.
If you want to go and see a comedic genius with three of the greatest singers on Broadway, Apple Tree wont dissapoint.
Kudisch and James are also outstanding. I loved every second of this show and hope they will record it as I want to own this.
Cheno puts PASSION into this production.
Brava!

Updated On: 12/16/06 at 11:52 PM