The Light in the Piazza — Page 2

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#26

The Light in the Piazza

Posted: 8/17/11 at 2:25am

The tour starred the terrific Elena Shaddow as Clara, who was most recently seen in the recent La Cage revival. I wish I'd been smart enough to catch the tour while it was in my city. I felt satisfied just watching the PBS Broadcast, but I missed what I'm sure was a breathtaking performance by Shaddow in that role.

In retrospect, it's amazing to me that anyone would vote for Spamalot over this show. I know it did win the Tony for score, but that is only one facet of its brilliance.

"Art, in itself, is an attempt to bring order out of chaos."-Stephen Sondheim

#27

The Light in the Piazza

Posted: 8/17/11 at 6:10am

I had the pleasure of seeing the tour of this show in 3 different cities! I loved Elena Shaddow as Clara. I'm not a big fan of Christine Andreas, but thought she was fine. This show still got to me each and every time I saw it, both on Broadway and on the road.

Hey Dottie! Did your colleagues enjoy the cake even though your cat decided to sit on it? ~GuyfromGermany

#28

The Light in the Piazza

Posted: 8/17/11 at 7:50am

I absolutely love this show. The score is elegiac.

Say It Somehow is one of the most ravishing love songs I have ever heard. I get goosebumps every time I play it.

The entire cast was superb, but Victoria Clark gave, what was to me, one of the most heart wrenching performances I have ever seen.

Btw, despite writing music that is radically different from his grandfather (and mother), I distinctly recall a few brief moments when I absolutely heard a Richard Rodgers-esque chord progression.

Biggest complaint: he works too damn slow!!!

....but the world goes 'round

Updated On: 8/17/11 at 07:50 AM

#29

The Light in the Piazza

Posted: 8/17/11 at 8:36am

Seeing The Light in the Piazza in the house at Lincoln Center was an experience that, six years on, is still hard for me to verbalize. It was so overwhelmingly beautiful, so immediate, so visceral. When the big, open piazza set just flooded with light, my jaw hit the floor. So simple, yet so effective. Victoria Clark's performance remains one of the greatest achievements I've ever witnessed on stage. A perfect match of actor and role.

And I'm still trying to figure out how Sara Ramirez beat Kelli O'Hara.

"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe." -John Guare, Landscape of the Body

#30

The Light in the Piazza

Posted: 8/17/11 at 8:41am

saw this show 3 times ..... LOVED it SOOOOOOO much ...

#31

The Light in the Piazza

Posted: 8/17/11 at 9:24am

An incredible show and score! The staging at Lincoln Center was one of the most memorable of all the shows I've seen and Victoria Clark's Tony one of the most deserved. Let's not forget about Matthew Morrison either. The first time I watched Glee I immediately remembered him as Fabrizio!

#32

The Light in the Piazza

Posted: 8/17/11 at 10:07am

I saw the show at the Goodman and on Broadway and loved it both times, though I actually preferred Celia Keenan-Bolger and Wayne Wilcox at the Goodman. I found them to be more realistic and moving. The piece had an emotional resonance that didn't strike me while watching the show, but caught up with me immediately leaving the theatre and stayed with me for weeks.

"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian

#33

The Light in the Piazza

Posted: 8/17/11 at 10:09am

Great score, to be sure, but one of the most annoying books. I found the story to be creepy at best. Mom marries off her mentally challenged daughter to someone who doesnt speak the same language and lives across the ocean. CREEPY!

The production was one of the most gorgeous I've ever seen and I loved everyone in it, especially O'Hara and Clark...but I didnt love any of the characters.

I'm fine with Spamalot's tony wins, it was a great show and very different from Piazza. Piazza won the ones it should've, score and orchestrations and a sweep of the design awards. I loved both Ramirez and O'Hara, so was happy with either winning. That and best director were tossups to me.

"Carson has combined his passion for helping children with his love for one of Cincinnati's favorite past times - cornhole - to create a unique and exciting event perfect for a corporate outing, entertaining clients or family fun."

"In Oz, the verb is douchifizzation." PRS

#34

The Light in the Piazza

Posted: 8/17/11 at 12:44pm

I agree that Spamalot winning the Tony was deplorable, but I'm a little less enthusiastic about TLITP than other posters here.

We saw both the Lincoln Center production and the tour that came to the Ahmanson in LA. First we give unqualified raves for Michael Yeargen's wistfully evocative set, which seemed nearly identical in both venues, as well as for the lighting, costumes and orchestrations. Beautiful performances by all involved in both casts (except for some wacky Italian-opera stereotypes in some secondary parts). The score was sadly a mixed bag for us, part challengingly dissonant classical music, part low-brow comic-opera scoring. And lyrics that seldom seemed to sit happily on the notes. We yearned for a true song or two amidst the endless recitative.

At core, though, we didn't believe in the heart the story, were more confounded than moved to tears by Clara's arrested development. Was that really enough to hang the entire conflict upon? For many on this thread it clearly was, but for us that wasn't quite a whole meal. The result for us was a noble attempt at true greatness that fell short but is still to be commended for trying something so challenging to begin with.

Updated On: 8/17/11 at 12:44 PM

#35

The Light in the Piazza

Posted: 8/17/11 at 12:51pm

Oh, I guess age of onset has to be before 18. So Clara would meet a diagnosis of Pervasive Developmental Disorder if she meets the IQ criteria.

I agree that LitP's book has some problems. I always feel embarrassed when describing the storyline to non-theatre people, haha. It's like "No, the music's really good!" It's one of my favorite musicals, still.

Jimmy, what are you doing here in the middle of the night? It's almost 9 PM!

#36

The Light in the Piazza

Posted: 8/17/11 at 1:27pm

Labels are silly anyway. I work with DD people as my day job, and my sister is DD, and everyone is different.

I can see why some people would find the story "creepy," but to me it's beautiful and unique. With a gorgeous score on top of it, it's great theater. In fact, I'm glad it makes some people uncomfortable. High art should be challenging.

#37

The Light in the Piazza

Posted: 8/17/11 at 1:35pm

does anyone have an audio or pics of Kelli O'hara as Franca or Bolger as Clara?

#38

The Light in the Piazza

Posted: 8/17/11 at 1:45pm

"Spamalot was the worst of the nominees that year. The Light in the Piazza should have won that contest easily."

I completely agree, and this just shows that the Tonys mean nothing, but I do think it says something that although Spamalot won the big award, Piazza won more awards.

#39

The Light in the Piazza

Posted: 8/17/11 at 2:07pm

My icon is of Celia Keenan-Bolger as Clara.

As for footage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cHzV2j4rrs

Jimmy, what are you doing here in the middle of the night? It's almost 9 PM!

Updated On: 8/17/11 at 02:07 PM

#40

The Light in the Piazza

Posted: 8/17/11 at 2:10pm

It's no surprise that Clara learns Latin and Italian so easily. Children learn langauages much easier than adults.

#41

The Light in the Piazza

Posted: 8/17/11 at 2:26pm

"Clara's arrested development. Was that really enough to hang the entire conflict upon?"

The story is about her mother, and the difficulties she's faced in dealing with the situation, especially in letting her go. How can that not be enough to "hang the entire conflict upon"? It deals transformatively with one of the core relationships and journeys that all humans face - leading to "Fable," which is gloriously cathartic.

#42

The Light in the Piazza

Posted: 8/17/11 at 2:35pm

I saw the show on tour and have the cast recording, but I've always sort of been left cold by it. I agree the design elements were incredible, however.

My favorite show of that season was Spelling Bee, so, take that as you will.

"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."

#43

The Light in the Piazza

Posted: 8/17/11 at 2:46pm

And despite all the love for here in this thread it is a very divisive show. People usually love it or hate it.

If you were going in not realizing that it's a small, delicate show with powerful emotions I can totally get not liking it. It's the antithesis of what Broadway is. There are no immediately catchy songs (obviously debatable, but for the sake of argument I think we can agree it is a challenging score), no production numbers, and no broad comedic performances.

That Victoria Clark's intimate performance reached the rear mezz as clearly as it did the front row is a marvel.

....but the world goes 'round

Updated On: 8/17/11 at 02:46 PM

#44

The Light in the Piazza

Posted: 8/17/11 at 2:48pm

Best thing I've ever seen on a Broadway stage. Everything about it was glorious and brilliant.

Art has a double face, of expression and illusion.

#45

The Light in the Piazza

Posted: 8/17/11 at 2:51pm

"That Victoria Clark's intimate performance reached the rear mezz as clearly as it did the front row is a marvel."

The first time we saw it we sat center Mezz, which was glorious to see the whole show's design and flow. And yes, Ms. Clark did truly read up there (as did the others, as well.)

When we decided to return, we got 2nd row center, specifically to be intimate with Ms. Clark - and she was almost overwhelming in the completeness of her performance.

#46

The Light in the Piazza

Posted: 8/17/11 at 3:16pm

I saw Patti Cohenour as Margaret (she became Ms. Clark's alternate towards the end of the run), and I still think it was one of the best musical theater performances I've ever seen. Her "Dividing Day" was amazing in a way not usually seen on Broadway.

#47

The Light in the Piazza

Posted: 8/17/11 at 4:44pm

"I can see why some people would find the story "creepy," but to me it's beautiful and unique. With a gorgeous score on top of it, it's great theater. In fact, I'm glad it makes some people uncomfortable. High art should be challenging"

Well, as the one who called the story creepy, that statement smells of condescension. Frankly, I love to be challenged at the theater, but I found the story and book to be creepy AND unbelievable. That's it. I appreciate that you disagree.

That said, I do love the score and listen to it often, but still prefer Floyd Collins as my fave Guettel score.

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