capnHook's bullet-point thoughts on BILLY, N2N, WSS, 9to5, NORMAN, CARNAGE, EXIT THE KING, GODOT, & HAIR (plus other random tidbits during my trip)

[CapnHook]

Posted: 5/19/09 at 5:53pm

(spoilers may be abound)

***BILLY ELLIOT***
preface: 2nd time seeing it; did student rush on a wednesday matinee and got a partial view seat in front mezz; show was delayed 30 mins due to an audience member having a heart attack (see separate thread); david alvarez & david bologna

- Hayden Gwynne seemed to be going through the motions of the performance (and I'm not talking about the lack of "enthusiasm" when she does choreography as that is a specific choice that works). I'm talking about her energy and scenes.

- Gregory Jbara definitely should win the Tony. OMG. Amazing. He is the heart of the show, in my opinion, not Billy.

- The show has moved me more than any other I have seen, on Broadway or off.


***NEXT TO NORMAL***
preface: I had seen it once before at Second Stage. Got tkt through tdf. mezz on the right, not a bad seat at all.

- Generally speaking, I thought the story has improved and is much more clear and easy to follow. The character relations are slightly more developed, too.

- The production, however, had NO impact on me whatsoever. And I don't blame the show, I blame the venue. I felt so distant. Granted I was in the mezz, but even so, the production is swallowed in that space. It should be done in an intimate space.

- The acting performances have improved across the board. Much more specific. Alice Ripley has gotten more intense moments, which are great, but I think they came about because of the venue actually. There was a larger need to fill the space.

- I miss a lot of "moments" and tiny specifics from the 2nd Stage version of the show, but do like the rewrites. I strongly miss "Growing Up Unstable" however it wouldn't work in this production.


***WEST SIDE STORY***
preface: tkt was purchased through a friend. turns out I needed to get 2 more tickets so myself and 3 other friends tried our luck at lotto. 2 of us got called so 1 of us got the 2 tickets. my seat was front mezz center-right.

- plain and simple: they are "putting on" a production of west side story, rather than "doing" west side story. awful. dreadful. i hated most of it.

- choreography was great, as it should be.

- i feel like it was a half-ass attempt to make the show relevant to today. I wanted them to speak spanish whenever the puerto ricans were with each other, unless intentionally speaking english. it wasn't necessary to have us, the audience, understand their words 100%. it makes more of a statement if we are left a little in the dark.

- Officer Krupkie was my favorite number. Somewhere A Place For Us (or whatever it's called) was my second favorite number, but it didn't fit the show. Too random, and this is from someone who is a fan of theatrical devices.


***9 TO 5***
preface: won the lotto. side orch seat was fine. went in knowing NOTHING about the show except I was familiar with the title song and I had seen the movie a LOOOONG time ago.

- I think the material is MUCH better than what the performers are doing with it. every single person, except maybe Megan Hilty and Stephanie J. Block. more on this below.

- it was MOST surprising that Roz, played by Kathy Fitzgerald, got two big featured production numbers. and I don't think Fitzgerald did enough with it. it was twice an opportunity to SHINE, and she didn't. whether it was by choice, direction, or inability...it was IN the material to really WORK it but she didn't. she wasn't BAD, I just think she could have REALLY taken it home and won us over. if all that makes sense.

- another preface: I *love* Allison Janney. I've seen a lot of her film and tv work. I have worked with her before. I have seen her on stage before. And I know she doesn't have the best voice. That being said, I thought her acting was weak. She gave us personality but not a character. She could have done SO much more. She had some ZINGER lines that didn't zing at all!

- block's big 11 o'clock number, "Get Out & Stay Out" was the highlight of the show. came from nowhere. loved it.

- the choreography was lackluster and I don't think was the right choice for the show. the atmosphere it provided was appropriate but didn't work FOR it.

- another case of underperforming. marc kudish. had lines that were meant to be zingers, but were half-assed.

- I enjoyed the show. it was fun. but it desperately needs to be IRONED OUT. it's not smooth. from the performances to the writing, there's just bits and pieces that flaw the production. some of the songs come from nowhere.

- kudos to dolly parton at her first attempt to write a show. the score works as a musical theatre score. and it's not too shabby! just not memorable. except for the title number. HOWEVER, if "9 to 5" had not been written and a hit song prior to this production, I would have forgotten it, too.


***THE NORMAN CONQUESTS: Table Manners***
preface: stephen sondheim was in the audience. got my tkt on tdf. front row center (albeit in the round).

- well-written. well-acted. well-directed. not too much to say about it. wish I could have seen all three. nothing profound, nothing exceptional. just really solid.


***GOD OF CARNAGE***
preface: got a standing room tkt. although the mezz overhangs the top half of the stage, in this production, nothing is missed and there are no obstructions.

- four great performances. especially from the ladies. again, a solid production. not too much to say. very enjoyable.


***EXIT THE KING***
preface: got a student rush tkt front row center.

- I know Ionesco is absurd, and that's all I knew about the show. I still don't know exactly what it is about. I only know hints. I will have to do a study of it, now.

- geoffrey rush was brilliant!

- susan sarandon was bland but I don't think there was much in the role to do something with.

- the rest of the cast was terrific! special shout out to andrea martin!


***WAITING FOR GODOT***
preface: got a tkt through a friend. in the rear mezz.

- production was good. AGAIN, i really enjoyed all the performances. especially john goodman and john glover. solid.

- first time seeing nathan lane live. he was suitable but not a stand-out.


***HAIR***
preface: prepaid tkt with playbill discount code. 3rd row center in mezz.

- WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

- direction, staging, choreography were all brilliant.

- designs all brilliant.

- orchestrations and sound brilliant.

- performers all tremendously brilliant.

- very energetic. LOVED LOVED LOVED it.

- someone from the gay marriage rally went on stage during the curtain call encore and held up his huge sign which was the HRC logo and website address. loved it!


***OTHER TIDBITS FROM THE TRIP***

- went to the gay marriage rally. that was the best part of the trip.

- went to the Sirius show at Info Center hosted by Seth Rudetsky. Hunter Foster and Titus Burgess were guests. Burgess sang "Meadowlark" which was THRILLING!!

- Aretha Franklin did a photoshoot in Duffy Square. one of the photographers took my photo for some reason. she said it may end up in a magazine.

- saw two movies: Every Little Step and Outrage. I loved both. Go see them!!

[steven22]

Posted: 5/19/09 at 5:59pm

thanks for the review...however I don't understand what you mean about N2N...the booth is a fairly intimate theater...

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 5/19/09 at 6:00pm

Thanks for this.

I, too, disagree with your statements regarding the intimacy of the Booth Theatre. I don't at all think the show is swallowed up. I just think it's Grief's production.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 5/19/09 at 6:01pm

comparatively to other Broadway theatres, yes. In other words, perhaps a Broadway theatre is not the proper venue. Perhaps Circle in the Square or even the Helen Hayes would have worked better?

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 5/19/09 at 6:09pm

You mean, perhaps such a large Broadway venue, as both the Circle and the Hayes are Broadway houses.

Either way, I still disagree. Grief's frenetic production no longer matches the material. It's not the theater. At least, I don't think so.

[tonight]

Posted: 5/19/09 at 6:12pm

"somewhere a place for us."

oh ok. how am i supposed to even take this review seriously if you can't even get the name of one of the most well-known broadway songs right?

[CapnHook]

Posted: 5/19/09 at 6:13pm

Haha I know they're Broadway houses. I mean those two may have been batter than the Booth.

I don't know. Perhaps some of it has to do with Grief and the changes, but I think that if we saw this same production back at 2nd Stage, it would have hit the mark again.

[Pianolin717]

Posted: 5/19/09 at 6:14pm

"oh ok. how am i supposed to even take this review seriously if you can't even get the name of one of the most well-known broadway songs right? "
I thought the same thing... so I didn't want to comment, but sometimes, I feel that people say they hate this production to go with the majority... w/e

[scott68]

Posted: 5/19/09 at 6:14pm

The first time I saw Next to Normal, I thought it worked perfectly, but I was in the front half of the second orchestra. I saw it again from left orchestra row P, and still did think it worked as a production, but it lost something. I blame the sound design more than the theater, though I could see it working well in the Helen Hayes. I think Circle in the Square isn't quite the right shape for their scenic design.

Re: Titus, he was very entertaining, but I think in his hands, "Meadowlark" died a more horrible death than the meadowlark in the song.

[tonight]

Posted: 5/19/09 at 6:19pm

and how does "somewhere a place for us" (LOL) not fit the show?

tony and maria are envisioning a perfect world free of racism and hate in this song. it does fit. clearly.

Updated On: 5/19/09 at 06:19 PM

[defyingravity07]

Posted: 5/19/09 at 6:21pm

Was Aretha wearing her hat?

[CapnHook]

Posted: 5/19/09 at 6:21pm

""oh ok. how am i supposed to even take this review seriously if you can't even get the name of one of the most well-known broadway songs right? "
I thought the same thing... so I didn't want to comment, but sometimes, I feel that people say they hate this production to go with the majority... w/e"

FIRST of all, WHY ON EARTH would I change MY opinion on something to follow suit??? I didn't even follow the buzz of ANY of the productions I saw before I *always* try to go into something without any prejudgement.

Secondly, I'm sorry if you are offended that I can't get the title of a song correct. It happens. I've seen the song listed under many different titles. "Somewhere," "Somewhere (There's A Place For Us)," etc. Sometimes, it's because of whoever published it. Other times because of a name change (Marvin Hamlisch changes "Tits and Ass" to "Dance 10 Looks 3"...

And as far as the song not fitting, more specifically I am referencing the little boy. My immediate thought was that it was the fantasy dream child of Tony and Maria. It was puzzling.

Updated On: 5/19/09 at 06:21 PM

[tonight]

Posted: 5/19/09 at 6:23pm

well, in this production, it's "SOMEWHERE."

and the little boy is supposed to show innocence.

Updated On: 5/19/09 at 06:23 PM

[little_sally]

Posted: 5/19/09 at 6:29pm

Thanks for the reviews!

[singtopher]

Posted: 5/19/09 at 6:37pm

I think you have put it best about WSS, where they are just "putting on" the production, like a dinner theatre would "put on" WSS because it sells tickets.

[legallysam]

Posted: 5/19/09 at 6:39pm

I think what you're missing Tonight is that this is capnHooks opinion. He didn't get the sequence and its symbolism, and therefore felt it had little relevence. I haven't seen the production, so can't comment, but if I know that if there was a child on stage, it wouldn't necessarily scream innocence to me...

[TheActr97J]

Posted: 5/19/09 at 6:50pm

well, in this production, it's "SOMEWHERE."

and the little boy is supposed to show innocence.

Wow, thanks for that stunning insight. We're not mentally handicapped. We all know what the song is about and what the little boy was supposed to symbolize. The device is still ****ing stupid!

[tonight]

Posted: 5/19/09 at 7:00pm

i'm glad you're not. i don't like it either.

Updated On: 5/19/09 at 07:00 PM

[boyfromoz2]

Posted: 5/19/09 at 7:20pm

I'd much prefer if Laurents didn't mess with the show by giving the song to random-unnamed-unexplained-ginger-fantasy-lovechild. The offstage singer for Somewhere was perfectly fine for 50 years, why change it now?

[CapnHook]

Posted: 5/19/09 at 7:34pm

The child was supposed to represent INNOCENCE? Funny...I thought that was what Tony & Maria were supposed to be...innocent to this injust world!

[uncageg]

Posted: 5/19/09 at 8:09pm

What was the movie outrage about? Every Little Step opens in Denver on June 6th and I can't wait!

[CapnHook]

Posted: 5/19/09 at 8:18pm

OUTRAGE is about "outing" closeted gay republican politicians. Search the off-topic board for discussion & info!

[singtopher]

Posted: 5/19/09 at 8:19pm

Outrage is a documentary about anti-gay politicians who are leading secret gay lives.

[uncageg]

Posted: 5/19/09 at 8:21pm

Thanks. Now that you described it, I remember seeing something about it over the weekend. So glad I opened this thread. It prompted me to go the the "Every Little Step" and they moved the opening date to this Friday!

"Outrage" opens here on the 29th of May.

Updated On: 5/19/09 at 08:21 PM