"i need this job, oh god i need this show" my acl review =D

[Zeitoujo]

Posted: 5/20/07 at 9:06pm

so i just got back from seeing acl for my third time. hehe. it was amazing... as usual! it never fails to "wow" me at the end! So for the review:
at this performance the role of zach will be played by grant turner. the role of bobby will be played by david baum. and the role of kristine will be played by lyndy franklin.

The understudies for zach and bobby IMO were just horrible. i mean zach had an australlian accent and he was just blah. bobby was not beleivable and killed the role if you ask me. this was my second time seeing lyndy playing kristine and she's just adorable i love her- she's great!

Natalie Cortez- Great as usual. I particularly loved her "nothing" it was different than the other times i've seen her and it was just great. you could really see the improvement she made from the beginning of the show until now. never fails to wow me, just like the show =D

Charlotte d'Amboise- Wow. Just wow. This woman in my dad's exact words "is professional." You could tell that she busts her butt everynight to be the best Cassie she can be. Her Music and The Mirror today was great- much better than the past two times I've seen her. My dad said she was the best out of the whole cast and I couldn't agree more- I really hope she wins the tony [no bashing].

Mara Davi- A standout in the show. At The Ballet was perfection at it's best. She's just so adorable- I lover her. I can't wait to see her in DROWSY. I'm sure she's going to be amazing =D GREAT JOB!

Jessica Lee Goldyn- Histerical as always. " Tits and Ass" was just as funny as it always is and I just think she's amazing.

Deidre Goodwin- Hahahah. Adds comic relief when the show needs it the most and is Sheila. My dad and I loved her portrayal and her character. Just Amazing!

Alisan Porter- I just love her. I don't know why. There's just something about her that catches my eye and she's fabulous. Although she doesn't have a big part, when she is onstage doing her solos, I feel for her. She does a great depiction of her character and is very believable. Phenomenal as always!

Yuka Takara- Aww. She's just too cute. I loveee her. That's all. She is just so cute and small and I love her as Connie =D

Jason Tam- IMO the best actor out of the whole cast. I'm always on the edge of my seat when he talks about his past and how he hated it. Just great- I can see him going very far in theater. AMAZING!

All in all a great day and a wonderful show! Can't wait to see it again after the TONY'S! =D

"Those You've Known And Lost Still Walk Behind You"-Spring Awakening

[MyLife]

Posted: 5/20/07 at 10:55pm

I am sorry you didn't like David Baum... I thought he was great in all roles I have seen him (Al, Greg, and Bobby). I've seen Grant Turner as Zach, and the accent threw me off a bit. I saw Grant as Don and Greg and he didn't have the accent then, I wonder why he chose to keep it as Zach. Maybe there are too many lines as Zach? I thought he was okay as Zach; not as powerful as Berresse, but in no way bad.

Still, glad you could enjoy the show again despite any problems! I love seeing understudies (not that i want any actors to be sick or anything), but i think it adds a little extra, especially in ACL where actors understudy 3 or 4+ roles

[Fosse76]

Posted: 5/20/07 at 11:29pm

"Charlotte d'Amboise- Wow. Just wow. This woman in my dad's exact words "is professional." You could tell that she busts her butt everynight to be the best Cassie she can be. Her Music and The Mirror today was great- much better than the past two times I've seen her. My dad said she was the best out of the whole cast and I couldn't agree more- I really hope she wins the tony [no bashing]."

She is easily the weakest link in the entire cast. Her singing is atrocious and her dancing, mechanical. I do think she is ok with the acting though.

"Jessica Lee Goldyn- Histerical as always. " Tits and Ass" was just as funny as it always is and I just think she's amazing."

This is your third time seeing the show, the song's title is "Dance: Ten: Looks: Three."

"Jason Tam- IMO the best actor out of the whole cast. I'm always on the edge of my seat when he talks about his past and how he hated it. Just great- I can see him going very far in theater. AMAZING! "

His acting is absolutely horrendous. He is so unbelievable that Paris Hilton looks Oscar-worthy in comparison. He has absolutely no depth in his delivery nor does he seem to understand the complexity of his character. The only place he should be going is the unemployment line.

[Kringas]

Posted: 5/21/07 at 12:07am

I saw David Baum as Al and thought he did a fine job.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 5/21/07 at 12:26am

Fosse, I agree about Charlotte, but couldn't disagree more about Tam. I have seen the show 6 times now (the revival that is) and I have seen him 5 of those times. He just gets better and better in my opinion. Unlike Charlotte who gets worse and worse.

[MyLife]

Posted: 5/21/07 at 12:27am

Wow, Fosse, a little harsh. Those can be your opinions but at least respect Zeitoujo's. I personally did not like Charlotte's Cassie, but after the last time I saw the show I thought she improved tremendously. She works so hard for that part, and I think it shows.

And it's too bad you think Jason Tam is "horrendous". I think he does a great job with his monologue. It seems real every time, and it gets through to the audience daily. He also gets one of the loudest applauses at the end. I'm sorry you don't feel the same way, you would undoubtedly enjoy the show more.

[AnnaK<3LMIP]

Posted: 5/21/07 at 12:33am

Charlotte d'Amboise- Wow. Just wow. This woman in my dad's exact words "is professional." You could tell that she busts her butt everynight to be the best Cassie she can be. Her Music and The Mirror today was great- much better than the past two times I've seen her. My dad said she was the best out of the whole cast and I couldn't agree more- I really hope she wins the tony [no bashing].


I'm sorry - I respect your opinion and I'm glad you liked the show, but I have to bash. I love A CHORUS LINE and I'm not THRILLED with the revival but it's fine. But Charlotte...I feel she's way too old for the role, first of all. And I dunno...I just don't feel what you feel. If she wins the Tony, it would be a major bummer.

[mrs felciano]

Posted: 5/21/07 at 1:05am

I personally really enjoyed Jason Tam's performance.

[FosseBoi]

Posted: 5/21/07 at 2:03am

I could't agree with you more about David Baum. I saw him as Bobby back in Dec. and he lost more than half the usual laughs Bobby gets.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 5/21/07 at 7:38am

"But Charlotte...I feel she's way too old for the role"

She is supposed to be a seasoned Broadway actress, do you want her to be 20yo?

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 5/21/07 at 8:33am

I haven't seen the show, but I agree with muscle.

Doesn't she say in The Music and the Mirror that she can't get a job because she's not a "star" but just a dancer? From what I sawin videos, Charlotte looks like an amazing dancer. Her voice isn't supposed to be the best. I'll make a better judgement when I see the show July 1st.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 5/21/07 at 8:48am

Spell check.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 5/21/07 at 10:38am

"I could't agree with you more about David Baum. I saw him as Bobby back in Dec. and he lost more than half the usual laughs Bobby gets."

Which I don't understand, considering he plays the role more frequently than Ken Alan. You'd think he'd have it down by now.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 5/21/07 at 10:46am

"Which I don't understand, considering he plays the role more frequently than Ken Alan. You'd think he'd have it down by now."

Hm, I think you don't know what you're talking about. The 6 times I have seen the revival, Ken has been in EVERY single time. He is one of 4 actors that I have seen all 6 times. And also, while I don't like Charlotte in the role, it's not because of her age. It's because she can't sing. Cassie is supposed to be older, so that doesn't bother me. In fact, I saw her understudy once who was better at playing Cassie, but she was clearly too young for the role.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 5/21/07 at 11:29am

In just the past two weeks, Ken has missed practically every other performance. I know this because I happen to work in near The Schoenfeld, and the substitution Board is placed where I can read it from outside.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 5/21/07 at 11:33am

Well maybe he is recently getting over an injury or illness. But as of the middle of April, Ken had missed relatively very few performances. Most of the cast memebers have missed WAY more. You can't judge on a two week time period with a show like A Chorus Line.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 5/21/07 at 11:51am

Yes, I can. I used a two week period, but that was for convenience. For AT LEAST the past month Ken Alan has barely been at the the theatre. He practically misse every other show, and several shows in a row. That's a fact. Why he misses them is irrelevant to my comment that his undertsudy should have the right groove for the role now, since he has gone on JUST AS MUCH as Ken Alan in the past month or so.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 5/21/07 at 12:04pm

Considering that 3 of the 6 times I have seen it were this past month practically back to back and he was there each time, I have trouble believing he was "barely at the theatre" and "practically misses every other show". This is a gross exaggeration. It's also possible that when you walk by on the second day that they haven't updated the board yet for that night's performance. They don't ususally do it until a half hour prior to curtain.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 5/21/07 at 12:30pm

bjh, Ken Alan has missed the majority or performances the past month.. Perhaps you have a good track frecord, but he has been out of the show a LOT lately.... and I know people have been discussing that fact. Also, they tend to put up the understudy board early at the Shoenfeld... in fact, near lottery time. They take it down, just like every other theatre, at the end of the show and put it up again, updated, the next day.


I also just have to say, Charlotte d-Amboise's performance is an embarassment. Fine. Make the arguement that is she is "allowed" to sing bad because Cassie is a dancer. If you want to use that, then EVERY voice in the show sound like crap.. It doesn't. SHE does. As far as the dancing, her Music And The Mirror is awful.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 5/21/07 at 1:29pm

broadwayguy, thanks for clarifying about Ken. I guess I just have been lucky. But it is true that it has only been lately then? Because prior to this past month I know he hadn't missed nearly as many performances as some of the castmembers. As for the board, the last 3 times I went I did lottery and the board wasn't up yet. They still hadn't heard who was going to be out, and the board didn't go up until the doors opened. I am just speaking from personal experience, so maybe I just have weird ACL luck. And yes, Muisc and the Mirror is the worst number in the show when Charlotte does it.

[Gavino77]

Posted: 5/21/07 at 2:19pm

I thought Charlotte could've done way more. I'm suprised she beat out all those people for it.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 5/21/07 at 3:21pm

"Make the arguement that is she is "allowed" to sing bad because Cassie is a dancer. If you want to use that, then EVERY voice in the show sound like crap.."

If you look at the lyrics of Music and the Mirror, Cassie is a dancer, and at the beginning of it she says she's NOT a star. Had they cast someone with superb singing voice and dancing skills, then it might've made Cassie's interpretation of herself less believable. Cassie isn't supposed to be a standout with both her voice and dancing, just with dancing.

That said, I have yet to see Charlotte's dancing.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 5/21/07 at 3:27pm

Millie, Cassie's not being able to make it as a star comes from her inability to act, not that she can't sing. Plus, I don't think broadwayguy meant that she has to be an amazing singer, but she should be able to carry a tune. And Charlotte can't stay on pitch to save her life. Considering that Cassie makes the cut at the end, after Zach has specifically said that he needs the people he hires to be able to sing backup parts to the "star", she needs to be able to sing.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 5/21/07 at 3:45pm

You must have odd luck. Ken has missed quite a bit lately.. I can't remember much of him there or not early in the run.... and the board IS usually up early, and if need be, they'd make changes just before house opens.

Charlotte is in no way believeable as Cassie. CASSIE is a bad actress, but the actress playing cassie has to be able to PLAY Cassie. Charlotte can't. And she can't carry a tune in a bucket. Let's not even touch the fact thats he does a VERY tame "Music" and is still gasping for air half way through.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 5/21/07 at 4:02pm

"She is supposed to be a seasoned Broadway actress, do you want her to be 20yo?"

But for Charlotte to be "30" while Jason Tam's character is 27 is a bit ridiculous.

millie_dillmount, if Charlotte being a sub-par singer is for "the role", then how do you excuse her singing in other shows as a "casting choice"? And how do you explain Donna McKechnie, Ann Reinking and other Cassies cast in the past that are decent singers? Give it up, she's just not a singer; she got Cassie because there aren't many great dancers on Broadway anymore that can carry a leading role.