#1
Posted: 8/6/05 at 6:12pm
Scroll to my second post for the full review of the 8/6 matinee of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Updated On: 8/7/05 at 06:12 PM
rOcKS @ 'DRS' (finally!!!) --FULL REVIEW--
#2
Posted: 8/6/05 at 7:19pm
Im sorry but this score is MUCH better and MUCH funnier than the producers... which sucked IMO. lol. I <3 DRS. nice review! I will be writing one tonight for thursdays performance
My Music Classroom Giving Page: https://www.donorschoose.org/MrHMusicRoom
#3
Posted: 8/7/05 at 10:22pm
I just got back from one of the funniest and most entertaining shows I've ever seen. It was awesome! Definitley worth waiting for. All 6 leads were in it (thank God!) and they couldn't have been better.
I'll start with the technical aspects:
The Lighting: Perfect. Wonderfully fit every scene. Definitley should have won over Piazza, IMO. I truly enjoyed the lighting during 'The More We Dance' especially. An excellently executed job here.
The sets: Wonderful and definitley Tony-worthy in any other season. Piazza's huge, literally breathtaking sets are incomparable and on a much larger scale than those of DRS. But the sets for DRS were wonderfully impressive and colorful. They did a great job of taking advantage of the stage's depth etc etc. (The curtain is GREAT!)
The costumes: Very good. Not nearly as good as the lighting or sets but still very beautiful. I particularly enjoyed the opening 'Give Them What They Want' costumes and the 'The More We Dance' outfits. Fit the time and place very well.
The orchestrations: Wonderful. The overture was incredible and the orchestrations did a wonderful job of capturing the vulgarity and brash quality of Yazbek's score.
The direction: So-so. I have yet to see Spamalot but so far, this year's direction in musical has been dissapointing to say the least. Especially since all the Tony nominees for Best Director (Musical) were pretty big Bway names. O'Brein's work is nowhere near the excellence he portrayed for 'Hairspray' as the direction here seems to fall apart more and more as the show progresses. Not bad but not incredible. Grade: B-
The Score: Although they cannot be compared, if I had to choose, Yazbek deserved the Tony for Best Score over Guettel. The music is the most infectious since Hairspray and is the most hysterical since and probably including The Producers. For the first time in a while, I can't get Yazbek's sinfully delerious tunes out of my head. The score is wonderfully written and perfectly played by the orchestra. It is a gas to hear/watch being acted/sung on stage. An infectious score with some really beautiful lines thrown in (All of 'Love Sneaks In' and Sherie's lines in 'Nothing is too Wonderful' *Look at the way to moon behaves...look how she paints a silver ribbon on the waves...GORGEOUS!*)Grade: A
The Book: Absolutley hysterical. It is flawed, but 'The Reckoning' is the biggest shocker and payoff I've ever seen in a Broadway show. Lane and Yazbek worked seamlessly during that scene. The book is close to being neck and neck with Sheinkin's uproarously funny book for Spelling Bee but, in the end, I'd have to agree with the Tony voters and give the award to Bee because of the fragile way it deals with the serious and dramatic scenes. Lane has created a very funny score but sometimes, I think he seems to forget the purpose for a few scenes and just gets carried away with the gags and physical comedy and uses it a bit too much in a few parts. Grade: B+
Cast:
-Norbert Leo Butz as Freddy Benson: A wonderfully funny performance and definitley the best comedic performance I've ever seen. He totally deserved the Tony. He puts everything he's got into Freddy and seems to be having such a great time with the role and he is DEFINITLEY not afraid of showing too much skin or anything embarrassing (his left butt cheek *HAHAHA*, wearing a nightie and a pair of boxers etc etc). He has a wonderfully hypnotizing voice which is beautiful when it needs to be and side splitting when it needs to be as well. His acting is spot on in each and every scene and he has impecable comedic timing. He has definitley deserved the acclaim he has gotten for his performance. He was excellent.
-John Lithgow as Lawrence Jameson: Not nearly as good as Butz but a great comedic performance, nonetheless. He was so amazing to watch on stage because, well, he's John Lithgow and he's a great, great actor. He was sooooo funny during 'Ruprecht' which was one of the greatest moments of the show. His chemestry *POSSIBLE SPOILER* with Sherie was wonderful *END* and he and Norbert were this season's Idina and Cheno. They worked seamlessly onstage and gave the best 'twosome' performance of the year. He seemed, however, to be underused a bit in the second act but he was, nevertheless, excellent.
-Sherie Rene Scott as Christine Colgate: She was absolutley flawless. I don't understand how she could be considered a Leading Actress, though, as she makes her first appearance 20-30 before the second act and isn't in the second act as much as she should be. She was very underused but when she was onstage, she was incredibly awesome. Her last note in 'Here I Am' was spine-tingling as 10x better than on the CD. *HUGE, HUGE, HUGE SPOILER....PLEASE DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU HAVENT SEEN THE SHOW YET, IT WILL RUIN IT COMPLETLEY!!!!!!* When it is revealed that she is the 'Jackal', the audience went wild with gasps, thundering appplause, laughter, and even a few screams of delight and mainly because, not only was it a huge shocker, but because she really nailed her 'Bye boys, it's been fun...love, the Jackal' line *END MAJOR SPOILER* She was wonderfully adorable, funny, touching, and gave the most surprisingly great performance of the year.
-Greg Jbara as Andre Thibault: Oh, lord...who doesn't love this man. He was awesome and has such a gorgeous voice and comedic timing to match. How he didn't get a Tony nod, I'll never know. He was excellent in all of his scenes and songs and I give him MAJOR props for nailing the French accent while also being able to have wonderful diction in his lines and singing. If you're reading this Greg, you were excellent! **If only he'd put my BWW name up on his webcam...hint hint
**
-Joanna Gleason as Muriel Eubanks: This woman is a legend and she showed the reason why with her great performance as Muriel. There's not much more than can be said. :)
-Sara Gettelfinger as Jolene Oakes: The most understated performance of the year. She was awesomely hilarious, entertaining, and pleasantly surprising. Once again, how she didn't get a Tony nod, I'll never understand.
The 6 leads all deserved Tony nods. Period.
-The ensemble is working very, very hard and gathered a rousing ovation at the curtain call. Great job to everyone in the ensemble! You all are wonderfully talented!!
-All in all, this is a musical comedy that will go down in history for it's great score and book as well as wonderful original cast. FOUR STARS. I'd like to note that this is the third Best Musical nominee I've seen and Ive given them all four stars. I'm going to Spamalot Labor Day weekend so I'll be sure to post my review then. Thanks for reading
I'll start with the technical aspects:
The Lighting: Perfect. Wonderfully fit every scene. Definitley should have won over Piazza, IMO. I truly enjoyed the lighting during 'The More We Dance' especially. An excellently executed job here.
The sets: Wonderful and definitley Tony-worthy in any other season. Piazza's huge, literally breathtaking sets are incomparable and on a much larger scale than those of DRS. But the sets for DRS were wonderfully impressive and colorful. They did a great job of taking advantage of the stage's depth etc etc. (The curtain is GREAT!)
The costumes: Very good. Not nearly as good as the lighting or sets but still very beautiful. I particularly enjoyed the opening 'Give Them What They Want' costumes and the 'The More We Dance' outfits. Fit the time and place very well.
The orchestrations: Wonderful. The overture was incredible and the orchestrations did a wonderful job of capturing the vulgarity and brash quality of Yazbek's score.
The direction: So-so. I have yet to see Spamalot but so far, this year's direction in musical has been dissapointing to say the least. Especially since all the Tony nominees for Best Director (Musical) were pretty big Bway names. O'Brein's work is nowhere near the excellence he portrayed for 'Hairspray' as the direction here seems to fall apart more and more as the show progresses. Not bad but not incredible. Grade: B-
The Score: Although they cannot be compared, if I had to choose, Yazbek deserved the Tony for Best Score over Guettel. The music is the most infectious since Hairspray and is the most hysterical since and probably including The Producers. For the first time in a while, I can't get Yazbek's sinfully delerious tunes out of my head. The score is wonderfully written and perfectly played by the orchestra. It is a gas to hear/watch being acted/sung on stage. An infectious score with some really beautiful lines thrown in (All of 'Love Sneaks In' and Sherie's lines in 'Nothing is too Wonderful' *Look at the way to moon behaves...look how she paints a silver ribbon on the waves...GORGEOUS!*)Grade: A
The Book: Absolutley hysterical. It is flawed, but 'The Reckoning' is the biggest shocker and payoff I've ever seen in a Broadway show. Lane and Yazbek worked seamlessly during that scene. The book is close to being neck and neck with Sheinkin's uproarously funny book for Spelling Bee but, in the end, I'd have to agree with the Tony voters and give the award to Bee because of the fragile way it deals with the serious and dramatic scenes. Lane has created a very funny score but sometimes, I think he seems to forget the purpose for a few scenes and just gets carried away with the gags and physical comedy and uses it a bit too much in a few parts. Grade: B+
Cast:
-Norbert Leo Butz as Freddy Benson: A wonderfully funny performance and definitley the best comedic performance I've ever seen. He totally deserved the Tony. He puts everything he's got into Freddy and seems to be having such a great time with the role and he is DEFINITLEY not afraid of showing too much skin or anything embarrassing (his left butt cheek *HAHAHA*, wearing a nightie and a pair of boxers etc etc). He has a wonderfully hypnotizing voice which is beautiful when it needs to be and side splitting when it needs to be as well. His acting is spot on in each and every scene and he has impecable comedic timing. He has definitley deserved the acclaim he has gotten for his performance. He was excellent.
-John Lithgow as Lawrence Jameson: Not nearly as good as Butz but a great comedic performance, nonetheless. He was so amazing to watch on stage because, well, he's John Lithgow and he's a great, great actor. He was sooooo funny during 'Ruprecht' which was one of the greatest moments of the show. His chemestry *POSSIBLE SPOILER* with Sherie was wonderful *END* and he and Norbert were this season's Idina and Cheno. They worked seamlessly onstage and gave the best 'twosome' performance of the year. He seemed, however, to be underused a bit in the second act but he was, nevertheless, excellent.
-Sherie Rene Scott as Christine Colgate: She was absolutley flawless. I don't understand how she could be considered a Leading Actress, though, as she makes her first appearance 20-30 before the second act and isn't in the second act as much as she should be. She was very underused but when she was onstage, she was incredibly awesome. Her last note in 'Here I Am' was spine-tingling as 10x better than on the CD. *HUGE, HUGE, HUGE SPOILER....PLEASE DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU HAVENT SEEN THE SHOW YET, IT WILL RUIN IT COMPLETLEY!!!!!!* When it is revealed that she is the 'Jackal', the audience went wild with gasps, thundering appplause, laughter, and even a few screams of delight and mainly because, not only was it a huge shocker, but because she really nailed her 'Bye boys, it's been fun...love, the Jackal' line *END MAJOR SPOILER* She was wonderfully adorable, funny, touching, and gave the most surprisingly great performance of the year.
-Greg Jbara as Andre Thibault: Oh, lord...who doesn't love this man. He was awesome and has such a gorgeous voice and comedic timing to match. How he didn't get a Tony nod, I'll never know. He was excellent in all of his scenes and songs and I give him MAJOR props for nailing the French accent while also being able to have wonderful diction in his lines and singing. If you're reading this Greg, you were excellent! **If only he'd put my BWW name up on his webcam...hint hint
** -Joanna Gleason as Muriel Eubanks: This woman is a legend and she showed the reason why with her great performance as Muriel. There's not much more than can be said. :)
-Sara Gettelfinger as Jolene Oakes: The most understated performance of the year. She was awesomely hilarious, entertaining, and pleasantly surprising. Once again, how she didn't get a Tony nod, I'll never understand.
The 6 leads all deserved Tony nods. Period.
-The ensemble is working very, very hard and gathered a rousing ovation at the curtain call. Great job to everyone in the ensemble! You all are wonderfully talented!!
-All in all, this is a musical comedy that will go down in history for it's great score and book as well as wonderful original cast. FOUR STARS. I'd like to note that this is the third Best Musical nominee I've seen and Ive given them all four stars. I'm going to Spamalot Labor Day weekend so I'll be sure to post my review then. Thanks for reading
#4
Posted: 8/7/05 at 10:27pm
Great review. Now tell me, is "understated" a combination of underrated and underestimated?
This is my signature.
#5
Posted: 8/7/05 at 10:29pm
i agree with everything you said about DRS. I saw it twice and I'm seeing it again on Wednesday (but with Tom G. as Lawrence. He lives in my town). All in less than a month. Lucky me!
anyway, with Greg, I read an interview where he said he has done voice-overs before and can do a brillaint French accent but was actually asked to tone it down a bit (americanize it as i like to say) so that people would get the jokes. But he is wonderful.
And everyone else, like you said, deserved the tonys. Also, when the tonys aired, I had only seen Spamalot and was happy it had won at the time. Now that I have seen DRS, I wish it had won cause it was FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!
anyway, with Greg, I read an interview where he said he has done voice-overs before and can do a brillaint French accent but was actually asked to tone it down a bit (americanize it as i like to say) so that people would get the jokes. But he is wonderful.
And everyone else, like you said, deserved the tonys. Also, when the tonys aired, I had only seen Spamalot and was happy it had won at the time. Now that I have seen DRS, I wish it had won cause it was FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!
<--- the set of A Midsummer Night's Dream that I was assistant stage manager for during the 2007 season at the STNJ outdoor stage.
-Dre- You must remember all the same that at the crux of every game is knowing when it's time to leave the table... And it's important to be artful in your exit. No turning back, you must accept the con is done... It was a ball, it was a blast. And it's a shame it couldn't last. But every chapter has to end, you must agree.
~Dirty Rotten Scoundrels~
There's a special kind of people known as show people. We live in a world full of dreams. Sometimes we're not too certain what's false and what's real. But we're seldom in doubt about what we feel.
~Curtains~
It is a far, far better thing I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest I go to, than I have ever known.
~A Tale of Two Cities ~
~Dirty Rotten Scoundrels~
~Curtains~
~A Tale of Two Cities ~
#6
Posted: 8/7/05 at 10:32pm
I have so much trouble understanding why people sometimes think that just because a score is the catchiest, that makes it worthy of the Best Score Tony. Guettel deserved every OUNCE of that Tony - his score is beautiful and stunning. I don't care if its not something you can hum in the shower - there's just nothing else like it.
Other than that, I pretty much agree.
A work of art is an invitation to love.
Other than that, I pretty much agree.
Updated On: 8/7/05 at 10:32 PM
#7
Posted: 8/7/05 at 10:38pm
Strongest point in DRS (cast aside) are its lyrics. Just GENIUS. Very humorous and clever. However, Piazza's score and lyrics are just GORGEOUS, but the score wins over DRS' COMPLETELY.
This is my signature.
#8
Posted: 8/7/05 at 10:39pm
That's where I think Rocks is caught up - lyrically, DRS is extremely strong. But musically, it's extremely mundane and simple compared to Piazza. When I think score, I think music. Notes on a page. I think that's why I had such issue with Q's win for score - the music is so simplistic, and they probably won on their genius lyrics. I love the show, but that one win felt totally unjustified to me. If DRS had won, I would've felt the same way.
A work of art is an invitation to love.
Updated On: 8/7/05 at 10:39 PM
#9
Posted: 8/7/05 at 10:40pm
LOL, Aigoo! Im tired
Em: I totally see where youre coming from...I loved, LOVED, Guettel's score and it's so amazingly hard for me to compare his to Yazbeks as they are so different but I personally think Yazbek has written one of the best musical/comedy scores in a long while and while Guettel's music is not hardly something that you hear every day, something about Yazbek's score makes it such a guilty pleasure. It is very hard for me to choose, but ultimitley, I'd still give the award to Yazbek because, at least, in my opinion, it is a score you can listen to over and over and over while Piazza isn't exactly something you'd have playing over and over again in your car. At least that's my opinion but I totally respect/understand where youre coming from.
Em: I totally see where youre coming from...I loved, LOVED, Guettel's score and it's so amazingly hard for me to compare his to Yazbeks as they are so different but I personally think Yazbek has written one of the best musical/comedy scores in a long while and while Guettel's music is not hardly something that you hear every day, something about Yazbek's score makes it such a guilty pleasure. It is very hard for me to choose, but ultimitley, I'd still give the award to Yazbek because, at least, in my opinion, it is a score you can listen to over and over and over while Piazza isn't exactly something you'd have playing over and over again in your car. At least that's my opinion but I totally respect/understand where youre coming from.
#10
Posted: 8/7/05 at 10:42pm
Very good points guys, I think I may have to surrender and give up...DRS' lyrics are much better than the music itself and Piazza's music is much better than the lyrics so, based on music alone, I'd chose Piazza but lyrics, DRS. God, it's so confusing! LOL
#11
Posted: 8/7/05 at 10:43pm
Well, true. They're QUITE incomparable. I just don't think the quality is purely measurable by how easy it is to get stuck in your head. I mean, do you sing Sondheim in the shower? Probably not. Is he still one our greatest composers? Heck yes.
(And I listen to Piazza WAY more than DRS.
)
A work of art is an invitation to love.
(And I listen to Piazza WAY more than DRS.
)
#12
Posted: 8/7/05 at 10:45pm
Piazza lyrics and DRS lyrics are in two completely different leagues. DRS is sort of that dry, clever humor whereas Piazza are those gorgeous string of words that posters use in their signatures (guilty as charged).
This is my signature.
#13
Posted: 8/7/05 at 10:57pm
ROCKS. Who came out after the matinee?
#14
Posted: 8/7/05 at 11:00pm
I decided not to go to the stage door...it was packed and it was very hot out...I think I may come down another day just to get autographs after and evening show when it's cooler and I can get there earlier and beat the crowd of that night's audience.
#15
Posted: 8/7/05 at 11:01pm
Incredible review, Rocks!
This has me EXTREMELY pumped up to see the show in November. Even though I am typically timid to do so, I think this is going to be a show that I'll purchse a window card for and stand outside the stage door asking for autographs and pictures.
Thanks!
This has me EXTREMELY pumped up to see the show in November. Even though I am typically timid to do so, I think this is going to be a show that I'll purchse a window card for and stand outside the stage door asking for autographs and pictures.
Thanks!
#16
Posted: 8/7/05 at 11:01pm
Oh That's a good idea, Rocks.
That's a good idea, Rocks.
#17
Posted: 8/7/05 at 11:04pm
IMO Piazza is musically brilliant, but with few exceptions lyrically forgettable. If i had the ability to do so I would turn all but about three songs to instrumental on my iPod. I feel Guettel deserved the tony, because of his music's shear beauty, but Yazbek's lyrics are brilliant. He pulls rhymes out of no where. They are simple on the surface, but much more complex if you look carefully. Both are wonderful, personally I prefer lyrics to music when judging a piece so my nod goes to Yaz
#18
Posted: 8/7/05 at 11:17pm
I dunno, I know there's a glut-full of Tonys anyway but the past two years I think are good examples of maybe instead of just giving an award for score to make them separate for music and lyrics. For about many shows, they are by different people anyway, and while I agree w/ Em, I think music more than I do lyrics in terms of score, in some cases they really are very different. Q and DRS had best lyrics, Wicked and Piazza had the best music. Then again, the trouble is if they keep going to the same people, like I'm sure Sondheim would have won lots of lyrics and music, but in the case it does come up, it's good to award different people on different aspects.
"If there was a Mount Rushmore for Broadway scores, "West Side Story" would be front and center. It snaps, it crackles it pops! It surges with a roar, its energy and sheer life undiminished by the years" - NYPost reviewer Elisabeth Vincentelli
#19
Posted: 8/7/05 at 11:19pm
I must be one of the only people who hates the DRS set -those cut out palm trees KILL me inside.
-Anyone want to turn anarchist with me?"Bless you and all who know you, oh wise and penguined one." ~YouWantItWhen????
#20
Posted: 8/9/05 at 12:41am
wickedrocks, i LOVED your review! i am going to see LITP next week, so, then i'll be able to fully understand the comparisons that you make!
anyways, yes, yazbek is a LYRICAL GENIUS. and the place where i think it shows the most is in "Great Big Stuff." i mean, that was the perfect song to perform at the Tonys, let's just say that!
and, yes, Greg Jbara is SO TALENTED, and i do believe that he did deserve a Tony nod! one of the board members (i forget who) who is french said that after seeing the show, she told him that his accent was VERY believable. now, that's something.
also, i've read many places where people HATED "oklahoma?" i honestly think that it's one of the FUNNIEST songs on the recording! and sara is AMAZING. i'm kinda sad that she gets so little time on stage (and none in Act 2!) but, her scenes are just so good.
and, you're right! john and norb ARE the idina and kristin of the year! (or, the matthew and nathan, if you'd like!) haha, that's a really smart way of putting it! :)
anyways, yes, yazbek is a LYRICAL GENIUS. and the place where i think it shows the most is in "Great Big Stuff." i mean, that was the perfect song to perform at the Tonys, let's just say that!
and, yes, Greg Jbara is SO TALENTED, and i do believe that he did deserve a Tony nod! one of the board members (i forget who) who is french said that after seeing the show, she told him that his accent was VERY believable. now, that's something.
also, i've read many places where people HATED "oklahoma?" i honestly think that it's one of the FUNNIEST songs on the recording! and sara is AMAZING. i'm kinda sad that she gets so little time on stage (and none in Act 2!) but, her scenes are just so good.
and, you're right! john and norb ARE the idina and kristin of the year! (or, the matthew and nathan, if you'd like!) haha, that's a really smart way of putting it! :)
My name is Jamie.
NYU class of 2011!!!
#21
Posted: 8/9/05 at 9:29am
I second movieinmymind
Norbert Leo Butz quotes about John Lithgow: "He's really clumsy. One of the joys in life is to watch a great big huge man totally wipe out backstage. It takes John about three minutes to hit the floor. It's like watching a Great Sequoia falling gracelessly."
#22
Posted: 8/9/05 at 1:11pm
I agree that Light is a great score, and i really did enjoy it, but I think people forget how hard it is to make a very infecious/catchy score. Both Light & DRS are amazing in their own right. I'm not sure which one I enjoy more, but both composers deserve some credit for their great scores. I sorta just think Yazbek should have gotten it, just because he got screwed for his Full Monty score which I love 10x more than DRS.
#23
Posted: 8/9/05 at 1:33pm
Had a great time at this show in May. But I don't think it will go down in history for much. I was given the CD at the show and I don't listen to it very much. It was kind of a forgettable show. Not to say it was bad, but it just didn't stick with me. JMO
Just give the world Love. - S. Wonder
#24
Posted: 8/9/05 at 1:42pm
I won the lotto on April 16th and sat in AA 1 where Sherie jumps out and runs thorugh, so coo. She almost kicked me in the face, though i didnt care bc i have loved her voice since AIDA.
"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view - until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."
To Kill A Mockingbird
To Kill A Mockingbird
#25
Posted: 8/9/05 at 6:31pm
rentboy, i agree, yazbek did get screwed with full monty. i mean, i LOVE the producers but...i felt bad cuz it casted a shadow over full monty. ah, well.
My name is Jamie.
NYU class of 2011!!!
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