This man conveys my feelings of ITH...

[FIERCEY516]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 2:08pm

Chris Caggiano, a critic and professor, wrote up a recent review of IN THE HEIGHTS. Many of you know that I think the show is overrated but loved the score. Here is part of his review... it conveys almost exactly what I think about the musical.


The main selling points for the show remain Lin-Manuel Miranda's tuneful and often clever songs as well as Andy Blankenbuehler's energetic choreography. ("And the Tony Award goes to...") The show is at its best during its numerous buoyant production numbers, including "No Me Diga" and the showstopper "96,000." What makes the big dance numbers effective is that they have more on their mind than just entertainment: each number is not only effectively staged, but is also interwoven with dramatic purpose, particularly the complex club scene at the end of act one and the rousing "Carnival de Barrio" in act 2.

The are, however, still too many "wanting" songs in act one. Much of the first act seems like a continuous setup for yet another solo character number. Particularly egregious in this respect is "Inutil (Useless)," a song that I continue to find aptly named: it lacks dramatic necessity and justification. "Paciencia y Fe" seemed a bit more effective this time: the 1940s flashback staging, which I don't recall from the Off Broadway version, gave the number some added dimension, but I'm still not sure what the song is meant to convey. The character singing the song has just won the lottery (Can you say "deus ex machina"?), and yet she's filled with this inexplicable angst. Is the song trying to say that the money came too late to do her any good? Most of the solo numbers also suffer from RLNS (Really Long Note Syndrome), but for all I know that may be true to the musical styles Miranda is paying homage to.

The show still has its minor problems, but overall it's an exuberant celebration of the lives and loves of a very amiable cast of characters. The show is hardly the genre-busting watershed that some reviewers have made it out to be. But it's a heck of a lot of fun, very affecting, and far more deserving of hit status than some of the supposed blockbusters now gracing the Rialto.

[BkCollector]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 2:11pm

"but for all I know that may be true to the musical styles Miranda is paying homage to."

That's my problem with the people who review this show. With no real knowledge of musical styles that this show pastiches, it's like trying to figure out a mathematical formula with only half of it showing.

Do some damn research, and then shoot your mouth off.

Just my opinion.

[FIERCEY516]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 2:12pm

that's NOT the point.

you don't have to relate to the music, to understand that some of it does NOT dramatically fit. too many "wanting" songs... they forced me to care about the characters. it made me care less.

[BkCollector]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 2:14pm

I think you do, if you're a reviewer, and that's your profession.

On a message board, it's no big deal, but if this is your JOB then do it right.

especially in Musical Theatre which has a long history of Pastiching other musical styles. If you don't understand a thing about the musical style the composer is using in the pastiche, then you're completely at sea, and have no frame of reference in which to form an opinion. Updated On: 4/3/08 at 02:14 PM

[FIERCEY516]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 2:15pm

it seems you can't respond to my (and HIS) points on ITH.

[BkCollector]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 2:17pm

There's nothing to respond to, its pure opinion, which I can't speak to. Read my edit above. Musical theater is 85% pastiche, which means you need to know something about the musical style being used in order to get it.
the man is a professor, he should know better.

To his credit, though, at least he was reflexive in admitting he knew very little about the style being used. I give him kudos for that, but it's still lazy journalism. Updated On: 4/3/08 at 02:17 PM

[jaystarr]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 2:21pm

uh....if I would you.. I would delete this before Wanna Be A Foster sees this!

Friendly advice to fellow Bostonian: Do not post anything that's not really your thought and using other people's thought to validate yours...this is a recipe for a disaster! also you just joined 9 days ago..... I can smell DRAMA!

and that!... I am being nice and just watching over your shoulders!





J*
Updated On: 4/3/08 at 02:21 PM

[blaxx]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 2:21pm

Professor? Carnival and not Carnaval?

[FIERCEY516]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 2:22pm

it doesn't matter if the music was jazz, rock, or salsa.... there were clearly too many "wanting" songs. they forced me to care about the characters.

[jaystarr]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 2:25pm

Updated On: 4/3/08 at 02:25 PM

[FIERCEY516]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 2:25pm

Jaystar - what are you talking about??

the people who create DRAMA are the ones who look for DRAMA. clearly, it's you as that's what you have on your mind.

this is just a message board. let's not get over-dramatic. I saw the man's review and thought it conveyed MY feelings so I posted it. He's getting credit where credit is due. never said it was my review!

[jaystarr]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 2:27pm

this is just a message board. let's not get over-dramatic.

^^^

Honey.. This is BWW! Wait and See!

J*
Updated On: 4/3/08 at 02:27 PM

[Greekmusicalfan]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 2:28pm

LOL

[BkCollector]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 2:28pm

And what if "wanting" songs are part and parcel of carribbea-latino music? especially if they are the kinds of songs that speak to people who share discrimination in this country?

Saying that ITH has too many wanting songs is like saying that Figaro has "too many notes" It has too much of what makes it great.

I would look into the history of Latino music, especially in the US, and you'll find that the kinds of songs you are complaining about are a staple of that kind of music. So saying that there is too much of it is basically saying "There's too much latino music in this latino musical"

Or basically, in a veiled way, saying "this musical is too brown for me"

[FIERCEY516]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 2:30pm

Honey... it doesn't change the fact that it's a message board.

I come on here to have exciting debates and post my opinions. Others spend their time trying to live through BWW or create drama. on the INTERNET.

seriously? if there were a nicer way to say "get a life", I would say it.

I respect and enjoy the message board. It brings theatre fans together to have wonderful moments. But then there are people who go and ruin it with pointless comments that don't benefit to the discussion.

[blaxx]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 2:31pm

He lost a lot of credibility to me when he couldn't even write the title of a song properly.

[Steve2]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 2:49pm

"The show still has its minor problems, but overall it's an exuberant celebration of the lives and loves of a very amiable cast of characters. The show is hardly the genre-busting watershed that some reviewers have made it out to be. But it's a heck of a lot of fun, very affecting, and far more deserving of hit status than some of the supposed blockbusters now gracing the Rialto."

Sounds like a rave review to me.

[singingbackup]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 4:35pm

Really? "A lot of credibility?" just for a misspelling? And perhaps he was using the English translation of "Carnaval" as Carnival which would be proper, if not the EXACT title of the song.

[blaxx]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 5:01pm

That is not the name of the song. It's in Spanish for a reason, that is why. It is a not a spelling mistake, he decided to use the English word.

[BkCollector]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 5:05pm

It's indicative of the author's disregard for Latino culture by not using the name of the song properly. Even though "Carnival" is the english translation of the word "Carnaval" it is NOT a translation of the idea of "Carnaval" which is far more than what the mundane English word "Carnival" connotates.

If the author knew anything about Latino culture, he would know that.

[singingbackup]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 5:11pm

Well I don't read that he claims to be an authority or showing any disregard, so not sure if it's "indicative" of any dis at Latin culture. He seems to be strictly questioning some of the intent of songs and the basic structure of the show. What exactly am I missing in the disregard department? PS, he seems to have warm regard for much of the show, anyway. So what exactly is the beef?

[kidmanboy]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 5:12pm

I would seem from BKCollector that no show should be able to be critically analyzed. Every negative someone brings up could be answered with a "that's what the creators were intending" or "you're not the intended audience."

I think people on these boards tend to think of shows too much as a "good show" or "bad show." Truth be told, there is no show that is universally praised by everyone, and no show that is universally panned by everyone (I happened to enjoy Dance of the Vampires). It's all about perspective. And when reading a review, you shouldn't be looking for a "good" or "bad" statement, but some clue as to what the show is about, what it is going for, and if you think it will speak to you. If you've seen a show, then really what's the point in reading a review? You've already formed your opinion.
I've read many "bad" reviews which have made me want to see a show, and many "good" reviews that have made me want to stay away.

Anyway, I found the score of ITH to be not at all memorable, and from my perspective, it sounded more like musical theater than like carribean/latino music. Is that because I am not terribly familiar with carribean/latino music? Perhaps, but there are no prerequesites when going to see a piece of theater. Everyone is coming in with something different, and everyone will leave with something different. That doesn't make my opinion invalid. That doesn't make me unable to enjoy a latino show. I just didn't enjoy THIS one. I'm glad you enjoyed the show, but that doesn't give you the right to belittle other people's opinions.

[theaterguy11]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 5:17pm

I've taken this man's class at the Boston Conservatory. To this day, it remains one of my favorite classes I have ever taken. He is also one of my favorite teachers I have ever had. I highly respect his opinions. I agree with his his review, but I think I might have enjoyed it a bit more than he did.

[BkCollector]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 5:19pm

I'm not saying people can't have an opinion, but some people's opinions are more informed than others, and there's no denying that.

This professor's opinion is not well-informed when it comes to Latino culture, it's obvious. He may be a great professor, and a good scholar, but he's out of his league here, but like I said, at least he was reflexive about it, and that makes me respect him.

[theaterguy11]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 5:24pm

I see what you are saying. I saw this show, I know very little about Latino culture and still loved the score. I think its one of the best things I have ever seen. The thing I loved most about it was that it didnt through the racial issues in our face. It wasn't a "culture shock" if you know what I mean. It was just a story of a group of people. They happened to be latino. I think that THAT is very progressive. The only other musical I can think of that has done that is Fiddler on the Roof.