Your Ideal New York City Vacation: with REVIEWS (page 16!)- Page 16

[BroadwayEnthusiast2]

Posted: 8/13/07 at 7:27pm

I want some actual reviews on the shows!

[americanboy99]

Posted: 8/13/07 at 7:32pm

Yes, jordangirl.

Enthusiast- they will come!

[americanboy99]

Posted: 8/13/07 at 8:25pm

So, LEGALLY BLONDE was our first show. Matinee, Wednesday.

I went into the show very skeptical. I had heard the songs, and they seemed fun. But I had heard so much negative feedback about the show. So, I went in with an open, yet doubtful, mind. Well, I actually really enjoyed it. We were in the mezzanine, so the sets were kind of weird because we could see the lift opening. It was just a tad distracting. I didn't love the sets, but they were fine. David Rockwell needs to abandon the wavy backdrop idea. The costumes were nice and provided something great to look at. Mitchell's choreography was fun, but not Tony worthy. I didn't feel like dance ended up being a very important part of the show. I did love Whipped into Shape's choreography, except Snelson jump rope got very messed up and she just kind of looked upset and kicked her legs instead of moving the jump rope. Mitchell's work as a director was nice, but nothing too incredibly special.

Let me just say that I though Laura Bell Bundy was great. She sounded great, acted the part just as it should be acted, and danced like a pro. Although one could tell her voice was tired especially when she had to scream or squeal, she belted the score with ease. Orfeh's vocals were wonderful, but her part was rather small and her acting was far from brilliant. Christian Borle was wonderful in his role. Whenever he sang, it was great, and his acting was superb. Richard H. Blake was great as Warner. He sounded great, and played the character perfectly. Kate Shindle seems a little old for her role, and I don't think she's the best actress. Her lines seemed rehearsed, and on a whole, her acting was weak. But then she opens her mouth to sing.... WOW! Her incredible note that she hits during the Remix is out of this world, then, she does it again in the Finale. All complaints were reversed when I heard her sing. David Parisseu was on for Michael Rupert, and he was fine. But that's a boring part. Nikki Snelson worked well in her role, but her voice is weaker than the ladies that surround her.

Now, the Greek chorus... Annaleigh Ashford and Leslie Kritzer were perfection! Kritzer was absolutely hilarious, and Ashford was just a hoot. Asmeret Ghebremichael played Pilar and she was fine. That's probably the weakest of the three part. Natalie Joy Johnson was fun in her role as Enid. Andy Karl was great in his three roles. My mom found it hilarious that Orfeh's husband played her ex-husband and then her husband. My biggest complaint for a cast member was Amber Effe as the Store Manager/ Judge. Come on, you have two lines. Both of those line irritate me on the CD. In OMGYG, she doesn't annunciate her words well at all and it's sad. As the judge, her "high" note sounds forced and the joke falls completely flat. I know it's petty, but she bothers me. The chorus was great and all the sorority girls were very talented.

I did notice that it was a man in OMGYG when the sorority girl comes down the fire pole. Could they not have gotten a female to do it? I just found it distracting.

All in all, I really liked the show. I understand that it isn't "superb theatre", but it's a fun time. It's funny and catchy, and I left with a smile on. It's in a beautiful, historic theatre. It was a good show. I enjoyed it. I immediately went to Virgin next store to purchase the CD. And I agree, Bundy does sound a bit strained on the recording. Orfeh also sounds like she is holding back. But, oh well!

Updated On: 8/13/07 at 08:25 PM

[Dirty_Rotten_Guy]

Posted: 8/13/07 at 8:37pm

Wow, great LEGALLY BLONDE review
I'm glad you enjoyed the show while still giving an honest and detailed review about its elements
I also agree- Amber Effe bothers me as well, shes not into her small characters at all. I do not like her singing in "Omigod You Guys"- it sounds dreadful.
Anyways, again, glad you all had a fun time :) I had a lot of the same feelings- liked the show, but I had issues with it, haha

[Anakela]

Posted: 8/13/07 at 8:54pm

Is this when we say "I told you so" about Tavern? :)

Hey, Tavern totally has its uses, like if someone is feeling guilty for missing your birthday dinner, and so to make up for it they say they'll take you 'anywhere,' and so you say Tavern on the Green, what with the overpriced and the meh food, just to shock them like that...hypothetically speaking, of course. :)


I did notice that it was a man in OMGYG when the sorority girl comes down the fire pole. Could they not have gotten a female to do it? I just found it distracting.

ok, I always thought that you were supposed to notice that it was a man in the part, I never thought it was supposed to be an especially 'hidden' fact...I mean, not notice so much so that it's distracting, but...to me it'd be like complaining because some of the Boston Women's Correctional Facilities inmates are played by men (in some fugly wigs)- such is theatre, I know they're supposed to be women, but, how does the joke in Xanadu go, due to the constraints of casting, they're 'women' in "Whipped into Shape," and so I just roll with it.

I did like your review, but that's just a question/curiosity that I have not specifically with you, but just in general.

[americanboy99]

Posted: 8/14/07 at 7:26am

Why would they want it to seem like a man? I mean, that makes no sense.

[theaterlover45]

Posted: 8/14/07 at 10:30am

I also agree about Amber Effe. I hate when she says/sings the line "go on try it on". it sounds like she is trying to like seduce her.

[Anakela]

Posted: 8/14/07 at 12:20pm

Why would they want it to seem like a man? I mean, that makes no sense.

*shrug* Why is this Delta Nu completely dressed and in a window at the start of the number, to then be in a bathrobe, and then be dressed again? That too makes no sense, but at any rate since I know that the person in the bathrobe is not the Delta Nu sliding down the pole, it's just never bugged me that the bathrobe person is obvs taller than and moreso a man than the woman in the 'after' part of that stunt.

I can see how it could bug, but it's never bothered me that much...unlike, say, the fact that Elle's dorm room door opens one way during "Chip on my Shoulder" and another way during "Legally Blonde"- it goes from the hinged side being under the capital E in her name, to the hinged side being under the little e in her name, and I still notice it every time.

[gymdudeva]

Posted: 8/14/07 at 1:02pm

americanboy, I am waiting anxiously for your review of Spring Awakening. My life is on hold until you post it. I cannot eat, sleep, or otherwise function until I see if you liked it and whether your parents collapsed in shock during it.

[americanboy99]

Posted: 8/14/07 at 9:44pm

Oh, Lord, gymdude.

I'll give you a pre-review now. I have no time to give it justice with a review. So, let's just say I loved it, my mother loved it, and my father hated it.

(Anakela, I didn't notice the door thing, but that's annoying. David Rockwell is a pretty unexciting and flat set designer.)

[Anakela]

Posted: 8/15/07 at 12:10am

(Anakela, I didn't notice the door thing, but that's annoying. David Rockwell is a pretty unexciting and flat set designer.)

Yeah, no one else I know is bothered by the door thing either- I am 99% sure they're supposed to be the same door in both scenes, but it swings a different way on each set piece. Or maybe Elle's dorm room has two front doors...both with her name above them...and so that's why they open two different ways. What can I say- men looking like men while playing women I have no problems with, but I get hung up on the fact that the doors are 'wrong.' :)

[gymdudeva]

Posted: 8/15/07 at 10:58am

Thanks, but after all the build-up to this trip and all the help we gave you, I hope we get detailed reviews of not only the shows, but the restaurants, wax museum, hotel, etc.

[gymdudeva]

Posted: 8/18/07 at 11:20am

bump...where are the reviews??
Updated On: 8/18/07 at 11:20 AM

[americanboy99]

Posted: 8/18/07 at 4:15pm

You will. I promise. I am unimaginable busy right now. But I will give reviews. I promise. I promise!!

[americanboy99]

Posted: 8/18/07 at 11:13pm

Okay, gymdudeva. Here it goes! It's a long one. My review of SPRING AWAKENING:

Let me begin by saying that I attended this performance with my parents. I would classify my parents as rather conservative. My father adored MAMMA MIA! and MARY POPPINS. My mother enjoys most of the shows we see together. So, taking my parents to SPRING AWAKENING, I knew, was going to be an interesting experience. It wasn’t our first choice. We had wonderful tickets (3rd row, center orchestra) for GREY GARDENS, but as we know, that just didn’t work out. When I heard word of GREY GARDEN’s closing and even before an official closing announcement had been made, I booked tickets for SPRING AWAKENING. We sat in row N, house left. They were very good seats with a great view of the stage. The nude body parts are pointed toward house right, so we saw very little of the nudity. I had a perfect view of the stage. I had a great panoramic view, and the experience was very intimate. The Eugene O’Neill is a wonderful theatre. It is small, but it still has that wonderful “Old Broadway theatre” feel. It suits the show perfectly.

I guess I’ll begin with the cast, then the score and book, and then the technical stuff. I’ll start by informing every one of the understudies. Robi Hager was on as Hanschen, and Alexandra Socha was on for Phoebe Strole. I’ll begin with Jonathan Groff as Melchior. I must admit I was initially very turned off by Groff. I was so distracted by the amount of saliva that was flying from his mouth into the audience that I hardly noticed the hard work he was doing. However, once I got over his spittiness, I began to really enjoy his performance. This young man has a stellar voice. It’s powerful and soft, rich and toned, beautiful and edgy. It’s wonderful. He also acted the role very well. His character isn’t my favorite, and I don’t feel it is the most interesting character. He is a little preachy at time, which can mostly be owed to Steven Sater’s book. However, he proved to me that his Tony nomination was well deserved during his final scenes. “Those You’ve Known” was heartbreaking and triumphant.

Lea Michele surprised me. I wasn’t expecting to be as impressed as I was with her. On the recording, you would never know she is supposed to be 14. However, I never doubted for once second that that was her real age. She played role of Wendla, the character I would probably classify as the show’s center even if it isn’t the show’s lead, with nuance and naivety. She was phenomenal. Her voice is so beautiful. “Whispering” was definitely a stand out, and she opened the show chillingly with “Mama Who Bore Me”. It is too bad that the producers decided to put her in the leading actress category for the Tonys. In a lighter season, she would have been a lock for a nomination and possibly a win. However, in a season like the one we had, she would have faired much better in the featured category. She wouldn’t have won (Wilson had that award in her hands before the nominations were announce), but she most definitely would have been nominated.

John Gallagher Jr. was phenomenal, as expected. His vocals were just as good as they are on the recording, and he acted the hell out of the show’s most dramatic role. “Don’t Do Sadness” is a bona fide showstopper, and “And Then There Were None” was another notably great performance. His scene before his suicide was emotional, heartbreaking, and raw. It’s astounding that he is able to evoke such emotions every night. He was incredible and undoubtedly deserved his Tony.

Robert Hager was pretty good as Hanschen. I could tell he was probably mimicking what Wright does, but he did it quite well. He didn’t have that dominating quality that I think Hanschen should have, but he was trying his very hardest and sounded great. I don’t find his masturbation scene necessary or even close to it. It gets a laugh, but really does nothing for the show. Skylar Astin sounded great, and Gideon Glick had the audience going as Ernst. Lauren Pritchard is definitely a better singer than actress, but she did just fine. I hate that new beginning verse in “Song of Purple Summer”. I really couldn’t understand what she was singing, and it just kind of ruined the mood after such an emotionally charged scene. However, her “Blue Winds” was outstanding. Lilli Cooper played a wonderful Martha, a character I really wish could have been explored more deeply. “The Dark I Know Well” is probably my favorite song in the score, and it was deeply haunting onstage. I only wish that Cooper would have been given a beefier role, and I think the character of Martha could have made a much bigger impact.

I think that the most under noticed cast member, who most definitely deserved a Tony nomination and really stole the show for me, was Christine Estabrook as The Adult Women. I would say she definitely has the toughest role acting-wise, and she performed very character brilliantly. As Wendla’s mother, she created a character that is not only a villain but an understanding, loving mother. She was absolutely brilliant. I can’t praise her enough. She acted the hell out of each and every role. She made the biggest impact for me. I just wish she would have gotten more notice. Unfortunately, she doesn’t sing a note, but I still firmly believe she deserved a Tony nomination. Ken Marks was also very good as The Adult Men.

I guess I have already commented on my favorite moments in the score. However, I will just say that this is such a remarkable score. The book is pretty good as well. There are some pretty bad lines and some pretty weak parts of the book, but it serves its purpose. The orchestrations were nice and very different from the ones on the CD. Is that violin I here in “Don’t Do Sadness” on the recording? I didn’t hear in violins live. I also didn’t hear that absolutely hideous synthesized drum beat on stage that ruins “The Guilty Ones” on the recording. Also, I personally would cut “The Song of Purple Summer” and end the show with “Those You’ve Known”.

The set was very nice. It served its purpose and never distracted. The costumes were also very nice. The lighting was absolutely breathtaking. It provided so much energy in songs like “Totally F*cked” and “B*tch of Living”. It definitely deserved the Tony. When I told my mother that the show won for choreography, she said, “There was choreography?” I wouldn’t really call the moves onstage choreography. I mean, I did enjoy the “dancing”, but it was in no way Tony worthy. I find that win very, very odd. MARY POPPINS undoubtedly deserved the award.

About four people walked out after MY JUNK, and I bet my dad would have as well if he wasn’t with us. My dad disliked it, but my mom loved it. I loved it. It’s a great show. It’s full of energy, drama, and a bright, refreshing group of truly talented performers. I was absolutely enthralled from beginning to end, and it is an experience I will never forget. What a fantastic show! This show was my personal favorite of the three we saw, and I don’t doubt it deserved the Tony for best musical. I have been SPRING AWAKENed.

Updated On: 8/18/07 at 11:13 PM

[americanboy99]

Posted: 8/18/07 at 11:27pm

Review of Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum:

I really did enjoy the wax museum. It was a nice escape for the heat of the outdoors, and the sculptures were fascinating. It was little pricey, but it’s rather fun. My parents loved it, and we got a bunch of really funny pictures. I would suggest the museum for anyone who wants a really fun, very touristy experience in the city. We were the very first people in the museum. So, for about ten minutes we were in this big hall with a bunch of wax statues by ourselves. It was actually pretty creepy.

Review of Radio City Music Hall Backstage Tour:

I am so glad we decided to take this tour. It is so exciting to be able to see such a historic and truly American landmark. It’s a beautiful building with an extremely interesting history. Our tour guide was very nice, and we talked to her about LEGALLY BLONDE for about five minutes at the end of the tour. The interior of the auditorium is absolutely breathtaking and just being able to see such an amazing auditorium in person is worth the price of the tour. I would suggest the tour for anyone, tourist or not. It is very fun, rather cheap, and very interesting. We also got little pins as a souvenir!

[americanboy99]

Posted: 8/18/07 at 11:31pm

Pomodoro's Ristorante in Litttle Italy has, without a doubt, the best pizza I have ever had in my entire life. No lie. Anyone who lives in New York or in the vicinity MUST go to Pomodoro's and order the vodka pizza. It will change your life.

[gymdudeva]

Posted: 8/19/07 at 5:35am

Thanks americanboy for the review! I KNEW you'd love SA! I love this quote: "However, once I got over his spittiness, I began to really enjoy his performance. " HAHAHHA.

And I agree with Christine Estabrook, she is phenominal. Whenever I sit on stage (I always get the sasme seat), she sits next to me a lot, and when going offstage after curtain call and passing next to me, she always gives me a wink and a knowing smile!

I think you would probably have had some of the same reaction to Stephen Spinella as the adult men, had he been on that night.

[americanboy99]

Posted: 8/19/07 at 12:03pm

No one else has any comments on my review. It took me sooo long.

[gymdudeva]

Posted: 8/19/07 at 1:05pm

Well, it's the weekend...they'll come. I for one really enjoyed your review very much! It was very thorough and well-written!

[americanboy99]

Posted: 8/19/07 at 2:45pm

Oh, yes! I almost forgot.

I was walking down 8th Avenue in New York, and I walked right past Tamyra Gray. She was on her phone, and I accidentally bumped into her. I said I was sorry, and she said it was fine. I didn't say anything else because she was on her phone. But it was really cool anyway!

[americanboy99]

Posted: 8/20/07 at 7:15pm

Come on, you guys!

[BroadwayEnthusiast2]

Posted: 8/20/07 at 7:37pm

How was Alex? I know her and love her dearly. I think she went on as Wendla on Saturday?

[americanboy99]

Posted: 8/20/07 at 7:45pm

Alex was pretty good. That's kind of a nothing part, but I would never have known she was an understudy if that slip hadn't been in my Playbill or if I wouldn't have known the cast beforehand. She sang very well from what I can remember.

[jaystarr]

Posted: 8/20/07 at 7:48pm

Great Reviews ! Too bad you missed Grey Gardens and you should have seen Xanadu

But I'm glad that you had a great time

J*