#1
Posted: 11/18/10 at 11:11pm
SCOTTSBORO, which I believed to be a masterpiece at the Vineyard, has gotten even BETTER in it's current incarnation. Joshua Henry erased much of my memories of Brandon Victor Dixon by completely recreating the character from the ground up. His interpretation is totally different and totally as effective. The music is still gorgeous, the book is wonderful, and that last moment is the stuff of theater history. Just brilliant. Susan Stroman deserves another Tony for her direction here at this point in the game. I find it hard to believe that anyone can top her work...she wrings so much emotion and tension out of hardly any costumes to speak of and a bunch of movable chairs. Her work here is incredibly innovative and stunning. I will admit, this is a show that's easier to admire than it is to LOVE, but I also think that's because the story itself is so difficult to "love," if that makes any sense. It probably doesn't. Regardless, I admire it a whole lot. It's one of the most original things Broadway has seen in a while.
**** out of ****
I have no shame in admitting that I had tons of fun at ELF. Look, the book sucks. The jokes are lame, most characters and relationships are underdeveloped, and it's totally pedestrian. And the score couldn't be more generic. Every song sounds the same. But for some reason, I grinned from ear-to-ear for the entirety of this production. For all of it's flaws, and there are many, it is performed with such gusto, flair, energy, and sheer joy that it's virtually impossible not to enjoy yourself. Sebastian Arcelus is a fine Buddy, exuding tons of charisma. And of the rest of the cast members, Beth Leavel stood out per usual with her impeccable comedic timing and better-than-ever-sounding pipes. For the Christmas season, this is a more than serviceable limited run. The mezzanine was about 50% full the night I went, but I imagine as it gets closer to the holidays it will start selling out. I liked this production a HELL of a lot better than WHITE CHRISTMAS, for the record, which I found to be a lumbering bore. If you want some mindless, tuneful, bright, Christmasy theater, look no further. Go in with those expectations, and you will be more than pleased.
*** out of ****
I just got back from opening night of A FREE MAN OF COLOR at The Vivian Beaumont. And I hate to report how much of a stinker this show is. Are there some funny moments? Sure, and mostly all of them are provided by the always-reliable Veanne Cox, but that's about all this show has to offer. Guare seemed to bite of a little more than he could chew. To say this show is overstuffed would be the understatement of the decade. As the show goes on, so many balls are being tossed into the air that you can't help but flinch because you know they're all gong to come plummeting to the floor. It's very grand, it's very big, but it never really seemed to say anything new or important. It all seemed kinda pointless to me. And it ended about four different times. Jeffrey Wright is very good, as usual, but I couldn't help but wonder how his voice will sustain the entire run. He screams SO MUCH. By the end of this evening's show alone, his voice was beginning to waver and crack. The design elements are lovely, particularly the costumes, but that's about it. I was not a fan. At all. And for the record, at least 20 people in the loge walked out during intermission. On opening night.
* out of ****
**** out of ****
I have no shame in admitting that I had tons of fun at ELF. Look, the book sucks. The jokes are lame, most characters and relationships are underdeveloped, and it's totally pedestrian. And the score couldn't be more generic. Every song sounds the same. But for some reason, I grinned from ear-to-ear for the entirety of this production. For all of it's flaws, and there are many, it is performed with such gusto, flair, energy, and sheer joy that it's virtually impossible not to enjoy yourself. Sebastian Arcelus is a fine Buddy, exuding tons of charisma. And of the rest of the cast members, Beth Leavel stood out per usual with her impeccable comedic timing and better-than-ever-sounding pipes. For the Christmas season, this is a more than serviceable limited run. The mezzanine was about 50% full the night I went, but I imagine as it gets closer to the holidays it will start selling out. I liked this production a HELL of a lot better than WHITE CHRISTMAS, for the record, which I found to be a lumbering bore. If you want some mindless, tuneful, bright, Christmasy theater, look no further. Go in with those expectations, and you will be more than pleased.
*** out of ****
I just got back from opening night of A FREE MAN OF COLOR at The Vivian Beaumont. And I hate to report how much of a stinker this show is. Are there some funny moments? Sure, and mostly all of them are provided by the always-reliable Veanne Cox, but that's about all this show has to offer. Guare seemed to bite of a little more than he could chew. To say this show is overstuffed would be the understatement of the decade. As the show goes on, so many balls are being tossed into the air that you can't help but flinch because you know they're all gong to come plummeting to the floor. It's very grand, it's very big, but it never really seemed to say anything new or important. It all seemed kinda pointless to me. And it ended about four different times. Jeffrey Wright is very good, as usual, but I couldn't help but wonder how his voice will sustain the entire run. He screams SO MUCH. By the end of this evening's show alone, his voice was beginning to waver and crack. The design elements are lovely, particularly the costumes, but that's about it. I was not a fan. At all. And for the record, at least 20 people in the loge walked out during intermission. On opening night.
* out of ****
Updated On: 11/19/10 at 11:11 PM
