The opinion that Nicolette Hart is something of a lackluster Maureen seems to be shared by quite a few people on this board, so you'd be pleased to hear that Kelly Karbacz went on for her at yesterday's matinee. She has always been one of my favorite Maureens, she really gets the character and her chemistry with Merle is unbeatable. Together, they are without a doubt my favorite Maureen/Joanne pair. So seeing her onstage again with Merle was a real treat.
As for the rest of the cast, I still say Justin Johnston is phoning it in from Pluto. I used to really like him, but now he just seems bored, tired, and unimpressive. I've seen his understudy, Telly Leung, go on as Angel, and I think he is much better in the part, has loads more energy, and a better voice. So, maybe that can be remedied soon. Troy Horne is still not a standout as Collins, though he is better than when I last saw him. He doesn't seem to have a visible connection to Angel until the I'll Cover You Reprise, which bothers me. D'Monroe is the same as he's always been. Not my favorite Benny, but definitely a good performance, and very consistent. Merle Dandridge and Kelly Karbacz are the best Maureen and Joanne I've ever seen on the Nederlander stage. They know the characters so well, Kelly plays Maureen ver young and flirty and flighty, but very serious about her performance art, very much taking herself to seriously and trying to impress and make others laugh, and Merle's Joanne is constantly having to calm her down and balance out her wild energy. She's stubborn, strong, and fierce, while still giving into Maureen at the right moments and showing her weakness for the girl. It's also obvious that Joanne loves Maureen, and that's why she puts up with so much from her. There was a nice moment during Happy New Year B when Merle was rubbing Kelly's shoulders after Maureen had just yelled at Benny. Between the small nuances like that, and they're ELECTRIC Take Me or Leave Me, it was an amazing show to watch. Anthony and Adam were also great (lol, can you tell I'm a Maureen/Joanne girl?). Anthony gave the same performance he gave the other time I saw him, without any changes, but it was a very good performance. He knows Mark very well and even though he doesn't make many changes night to night, it's because he knows what works and he's good at delivering it. Adam added some riffs to Glory that were very impressive, and funny nuances in Light My Candle. He's incredible in this role, he's transformed into an actor, singer, and all around great performer, and it's a pleasure to see him doing so well. Without a doubt my favorite Roger.
All in all, the show was better yesterday than I'd seen it in awhile, and I don't think I'll go back anytime soon, I'd like to savor a good show in my memory for awhile.
"Get mad, then get over it." - Colin Powell
Updated On: 8/5/07 at 12:03 PM