#1
Posted: 4/12/09 at 6:57pm
I found the show very, very moving. i kinda knew the story going in- but i was still surprised at various plot points. a really moving (if unsatisfactory) tale that i think everyone knows all too well, in one way or another.
Alice Ripley is delivering a real powerhouse of a performance- she totally throws herself into the role. i am, to be honest, not a big fan of her voice- it always seems to me she doesn't really have control over it- but it works well with her character here. i dont know enough about the other contenders to grant her a tony award or anything, but i was really impressed with her today.
i thought aaron tveit and jenn damiano were also highlights. i thought tveit was perfect- his voice was the strongest of anyone today- and did a great job walking the fine line between tragic and selfish. jenn damiano doesn't outshine ripley- until you realize that shes gotta be something like 20 years old and is going head to head with a pro like ripley. i didnt bring my playbill home with me, but the song about the invisible girl and superman was fantastic.
my real gripe with the show is the score- the show is sung-through, but there are no really memorable haunting melodies that carry the show forward. "I Miss the Mountains" and "Im Alive" and that searing "i am the one..." are all great- but many of the others are fairly monotonous. the LYRICS were great but the vehicle meant to carry them- a little weak.
i was also underwhelmed by j robert spencer- my guess is that he suffers from his surroundings: his children and wife quite simply outsing him, outact him and out-charisma him.
it was nice to see the theater relatively full- probably a solid 75%. tamara tunie from law and order was sitting just in front of us, and i am pretty sure i saw megan hilty as well. if it was her, she looks amazing.
lots of press there- i saw the powers that be handing out press packets to lots of people i would never recognize by face but almost surely know by name. im hoping the show takes a night off before opening night- alice needs to rest that voice.
you should all definitely get to the booth theater and see this show. i dont see it catching on as a huge hit- it doesnt have the score to get the teenagers buying the soundtrack and seeing the show a million times, and wont be luring tourists in either. but i hope it enjoys a few months of traffic from the regular theater crowd... it certainly deserves to be seen.
Alice Ripley is delivering a real powerhouse of a performance- she totally throws herself into the role. i am, to be honest, not a big fan of her voice- it always seems to me she doesn't really have control over it- but it works well with her character here. i dont know enough about the other contenders to grant her a tony award or anything, but i was really impressed with her today.
i thought aaron tveit and jenn damiano were also highlights. i thought tveit was perfect- his voice was the strongest of anyone today- and did a great job walking the fine line between tragic and selfish. jenn damiano doesn't outshine ripley- until you realize that shes gotta be something like 20 years old and is going head to head with a pro like ripley. i didnt bring my playbill home with me, but the song about the invisible girl and superman was fantastic.
my real gripe with the show is the score- the show is sung-through, but there are no really memorable haunting melodies that carry the show forward. "I Miss the Mountains" and "Im Alive" and that searing "i am the one..." are all great- but many of the others are fairly monotonous. the LYRICS were great but the vehicle meant to carry them- a little weak.
i was also underwhelmed by j robert spencer- my guess is that he suffers from his surroundings: his children and wife quite simply outsing him, outact him and out-charisma him.
it was nice to see the theater relatively full- probably a solid 75%. tamara tunie from law and order was sitting just in front of us, and i am pretty sure i saw megan hilty as well. if it was her, she looks amazing.
lots of press there- i saw the powers that be handing out press packets to lots of people i would never recognize by face but almost surely know by name. im hoping the show takes a night off before opening night- alice needs to rest that voice.
you should all definitely get to the booth theater and see this show. i dont see it catching on as a huge hit- it doesnt have the score to get the teenagers buying the soundtrack and seeing the show a million times, and wont be luring tourists in either. but i hope it enjoys a few months of traffic from the regular theater crowd... it certainly deserves to be seen.
And she's definitely pretty darn frikkin fantastic considering! Hugely talented girl. 
