First post in a long time, but I was at the Titanic concert produced by Manhattan Concert Productions at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall last night, and it was truly magnificent! Wonderful performances of a marvelous score by an incredibly talented and accomplished cast. It was wonderful to see so many members of the original Broadway cast together to perform the roles that they originated:
Below is the opening sequence as filmed by TheaterMania:
Showing posts with label musical. Show all posts
Showing posts with label musical. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Catch Me If You Can- Neil Simon Theatre, Broadway.
On Wednesday evening, I had the opportunity to catch Catch Me If You Can before it closed on Broadway. I had been looking forward to the show since its' Seattle tryout because I had enjoyed the film, and I loved Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman's score for Hairspray, so I was surprised when many of the reviews and a lot of the word-of-mouth was mixed-to-negative. The only part of the production which consistently garnered praise was Norbert Leo Butz's performance as FBI Agent Carl Hanratty. Even so, I was interested in seeing the show for myself to decide what I thought.
I'm very glad I saw the show for myself, as I thought it was very enjoyable, and much better than I was expecting. One of the conceits of the show is that the format of a 1960's variety show is used as a framing device, which means the entire show is basically one long flashback with commentary. At times, this idea works well, and it times it seems corny or awkward. This was the most uneven part of the show for me.
Norbert Leo Butz is quite hilarious, and I was reminded of his performance in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. He does a great job of playing the highly competent but highly lonely FBI Agent following the trail of a young con artist. Aaron Tveit is quite likeable as said young con artist Frank Abingale Jr, who travels across the US and eventually the world, leaving a trail of bad checks in his wake. I first saw Mr. Tveit as Link Larkin in the national tour of Hairspray, and I was struck by his talent and charisma back then, so it was great to see him in another leading role. He looks young enough to play a high school student, but also able to mature and play Frank over a period of years.
Tom Wopat appears as Frank's father, a man full of dreams he is unable to achieve. He is obsessed with power, prestige, and money, so he actually approves of his son's shenanigans and lives vicariously through him, especially after he gets divorced and his wife moves in with his former friend. Rachel de Benedet has the smallish role of said wife, Paula, who isn't a fully developed character. She loves her son but has grown apart from her husband, and seems unsure about what she wants out of life. Also getting a small role is Kerry Butler as Brenda, a nurse at the hospital where Frank pretends to be a doctor, and the object of his affection. She doesn't have a whole lot of stage time, or material to work with, but she does the best with what she is given. Veteran actors Linda Hart and Nick Wyman play Brenda's parents, but have little stage time and little to do except play typical Southern people, although their "Family Tree" song is one of the more entertaining, albeit cornier, songs of the show.
Three henchman accompany Norbert Leo Butz on most of his trailing excursions: Joe Cassidy, Brandon Wardell, and Timothy McCuen Piggee. Most of their dialogue involves poking fun at their supervisor, or the hapless Agent Dollar (Wardell), an inexperienced younger agent. The scenes are mostly filler, and some exposition about Frank's exploits. The ensemble has a few standouts as well, especially Michael X. Martin in a flurry of small roles, including bandleader Mitch Miller. Angie Schworer and Alex Ellis were also quite noticeable, on both ends of the height spectrum.
All in all, this was a very enjoyable show, and I'm sad that it closed prematurely, as I believe this show was stronger than some other shows which also opened last season and are still running. I guess being at the Neil Simon Theatre on 52nd St and further away from Times Square could have been a factor, but it's across the street from Jersey Boys, and Sister Act is still further north, so that can't be a main factor. I wish the cast well in their search for new roles, and it's a shame the Neil Simon lies fallow until Jesus Christ Superstar comes in during the spring. This show is primarily a visual show, as the songs are a bit hard to remember at this point, but the sets and costumes stay with me.
I apologize for the delay in posting this review, and posting on this blog in general, and I hope to get more reviews up in the next month and a half to close out the year!
I'm very glad I saw the show for myself, as I thought it was very enjoyable, and much better than I was expecting. One of the conceits of the show is that the format of a 1960's variety show is used as a framing device, which means the entire show is basically one long flashback with commentary. At times, this idea works well, and it times it seems corny or awkward. This was the most uneven part of the show for me.
Norbert Leo Butz is quite hilarious, and I was reminded of his performance in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. He does a great job of playing the highly competent but highly lonely FBI Agent following the trail of a young con artist. Aaron Tveit is quite likeable as said young con artist Frank Abingale Jr, who travels across the US and eventually the world, leaving a trail of bad checks in his wake. I first saw Mr. Tveit as Link Larkin in the national tour of Hairspray, and I was struck by his talent and charisma back then, so it was great to see him in another leading role. He looks young enough to play a high school student, but also able to mature and play Frank over a period of years.
Tom Wopat appears as Frank's father, a man full of dreams he is unable to achieve. He is obsessed with power, prestige, and money, so he actually approves of his son's shenanigans and lives vicariously through him, especially after he gets divorced and his wife moves in with his former friend. Rachel de Benedet has the smallish role of said wife, Paula, who isn't a fully developed character. She loves her son but has grown apart from her husband, and seems unsure about what she wants out of life. Also getting a small role is Kerry Butler as Brenda, a nurse at the hospital where Frank pretends to be a doctor, and the object of his affection. She doesn't have a whole lot of stage time, or material to work with, but she does the best with what she is given. Veteran actors Linda Hart and Nick Wyman play Brenda's parents, but have little stage time and little to do except play typical Southern people, although their "Family Tree" song is one of the more entertaining, albeit cornier, songs of the show.
Three henchman accompany Norbert Leo Butz on most of his trailing excursions: Joe Cassidy, Brandon Wardell, and Timothy McCuen Piggee. Most of their dialogue involves poking fun at their supervisor, or the hapless Agent Dollar (Wardell), an inexperienced younger agent. The scenes are mostly filler, and some exposition about Frank's exploits. The ensemble has a few standouts as well, especially Michael X. Martin in a flurry of small roles, including bandleader Mitch Miller. Angie Schworer and Alex Ellis were also quite noticeable, on both ends of the height spectrum.
All in all, this was a very enjoyable show, and I'm sad that it closed prematurely, as I believe this show was stronger than some other shows which also opened last season and are still running. I guess being at the Neil Simon Theatre on 52nd St and further away from Times Square could have been a factor, but it's across the street from Jersey Boys, and Sister Act is still further north, so that can't be a main factor. I wish the cast well in their search for new roles, and it's a shame the Neil Simon lies fallow until Jesus Christ Superstar comes in during the spring. This show is primarily a visual show, as the songs are a bit hard to remember at this point, but the sets and costumes stay with me.
I apologize for the delay in posting this review, and posting on this blog in general, and I hope to get more reviews up in the next month and a half to close out the year!
Monday, August 15, 2011
Sister Act- Broadway Theatre, Broadway
Yesterday I saw the “new” Broadway musical Sister Act, with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Glen Slater, book by Bill and Cheri Steinkellner and additional material by Douglas Carter Beane. I have always loved the music of Alan Menken, and I have been aware of this show since its Pasadena Playhouse debut a few years ago, so I was interested in seeing what the final product was.
Patina Miller is fantastic as Deloris Van Cartier, a struggling nightclub singer in 1978 Philadelphia who unwittingly sees her gangster boyfriend shoot one of his cronies. One of her songs, "Fabulous, Baby!" is probably the best tune in the show. The role is a bit of a caricature but Ms. Miller does the best that she can and carries the show on her back, as she is rarely off-stage for any significant plot moments or periods of time. As a result of what she has seen, she is placed into a convent as a way of offering her protective custody until her boyfriend’s trial when she can testify against him. She has an understandable culture shock upon her arrival at the convent, with its’ lack of materialism and emphasis on earthly possessions in favor of prayers and chores. She makes friends with Sisters Mary Lazarus (Audrie Neenan), Mary Patrick (Sarah Bolt), and Mary Robert (Marla Mindelle), all named after different patron saints. Mary Robert has the most developed subplot, as a timid postulant struggling to find her voice both in and out of the choir room. Deloris, as Sister Mary Clarence, takes over the struggling choir, and teaches them how to sing in harmony and with extra soul, raising the profile of the church. Their habits get more outlandish as their success increases.
Her police contact, Eddie Souther aka "Sweaty Eddie" has had a crush on her since high school. Chester Gregory makes the most of his limited role and excels at commanding the stage when he is present. He seems to often get stuck in a sidekick or supporting role, and it would be great to see him have a leading role. His solo number, "I Could Be That Guy" features wonderful costume quick changes against the backdrop of bums under a freeway ramp.
Victoria Clark was absent at the performance I attended, and Jennifer Allen played Mother Superior instead. She's a great actress with many solid credits and did a fine job in a mostly thankless role. I wonder how her performance differs from Ms. Clark's. She has a few songs sprinkled throughout the show, the most memorable being "I Haven't Got a Prayer". Fred Applegate is quite amusing as Monsignor O'Hara who is willing to sell the failing church to the highest bidder for extra funds until the popularity of the church choir changes their fortunes.
On the other side of the law, Kingsley Leggs plays Curtis Jackson, Deloris' married boyfriend. He appears to be an ineffectual Shaft wannabe who can only control people by threatening or shooting them. Demond Green, who was wonderful in The Toxic Avenger Musical, plays Curtis' nephew TJ. The character voice Mr. Green uses is one he also employed in Toxic Avenger, and it becomes a little annoying after a while, as it makes him sound retarded and gay. His character is implied to be the former, but I'm not sure that the latter is intended as well. Caesar Samoya plays Pablo, a stereotypical Hispanic thug who speaks mostly in Spanish or broken English. John Treacy Egan, always a wonderful actor who gives solid performances fares a little better as Eddie, leading a nun seduction song called "Lady in the Long Black Dress".
Most of the play's humor seems very silly and slapstick, the plot a bit contrived, and the stakes don't feel very high at all, so it's hard to get emotionally invested in these characters. I usually love Alan Menken scores, but many of these songs were forgettable, even within the context of the show. Glen Slater has some bits of inspired wordplay in the lyrics, but for the most part the songs sound like somewhat generic disco/soul ditties, with a bit more of a Broadway bent for the songs sung by the nuns in character (not as a choir). Still, the only songs that made a truly positive impression are Deloris' "Fabulous, Baby!" and Curtis' "When I Find My Baby". I had read mixed-to-negative reviews of this show previously, and I agree with some of the points that were made about where this show could use improvement. The show is set in a different time/place than the movie and Ms. Miller's characterization of Deloris is different than Whoopi Goldberg's, but other than that, the musical appears to be a faithful adaptation.
If you have an interest in seeing this musical, then by all means go see it. If you don't have an interest in seeing it, that's alright as well. Movie-to-musical adaptations are often hit-or-miss, and the ones that succeed don't simply recreate the films but rather rework and improve them. The Producers is an example of the source material being changed and improved. There are many adaptations I have enjoyed, and a few I have not, but I don't dislike the genre as a whole, as there are many stories that are improved and find new layers through musicalization. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Hairspray are examples which come to mind. I expect to see Catch Me if You Can before the end of its' run, and I will continue this discussion about musicals based on movies at that time. In summation, Sister Act is great for families which need something to see together, but otherwise does not live up to its' potential, as has been the case with many of the musicals to play the Broadway Theatre in the last decade, joining Shrek, Bombay Dreams, and The Color Purple as musicals that have somehow missed their mark and fallen short of the gold.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Baby It's You!- Broadhurst Theatre, Broadway
I saw Baby, it's You! starring Beth Leavel last month, and I figured I should probably post a review of the show before the show closed! Beth Leavel is really the only reason to see this show, unless you really have a hankering for doo-wop and girl-group music along with some early R&B. This show really seems to be counting on the nostalgia factor to bring people in. At the performance I attended, the baby boomers seemed to be eating it up, but it struck me as a very good regional show which was not yet ready for Broadway, as the libretto was quite clunky and slap-dash, not giving much in the way of character development. Many, many songs are crammed into the show for reasons that are not always made apparent.
Beth Leavel stars as Florence Greenberg, the neophyte music producer from Passaic, New Jersey who turns four of her daughter's high school classmates into the girl group The Shirelles. The girls attain a modicum of fame in the 1950's and 60's until they are superseded by other groups, such as the Supremes, and later on, their style of music goes out of fashion entirely, as artists like Dionne Warwick become popular. Ms. Leavel gives the best performance in the show, and elevates the foolish material she is given. Her character's journey is the backbone of the play, rising from being a Jewish housewife to achieving her potential as a powerful and innovative music business mogul who brought her original thoughts and left a lasting impression.
Allan Louis has the second largest role, as Luther Dixon, Florence's songwriter, co-producer/business partner, and African-American love interest. He brings a quiet dignity in the role, which is also underwritten and a bit reliant on cliche. I look forward to seeing him in future productions, as he is a great actor with easy charm and a good singing voice. Geno Henderson plays several small roles of a radio DJ and contemporary entertainers such as Ronald Isley and Gene Chandler. His singing and dancing works works well to conjure up the vintage styles of the period. He is also saddled with some expositionary dialogue to induce nostalgia in baby boomers, but that's not his fault. And some of the dialogue is interesting.
The four Shirelles are estimably played by Erica Ash, Kyra Da Costa, Christina Sajous, and Crystal Starr, who warble a catalog of hits and change costumes an throughout the evening. As the lead singer of the Shirelles, Ms. Sajous makes the strongest impression. After her appearances in Rent and American Idiot, it's a surprise to find her a show taking place a half-century earlier. Kyra Da Costa is the best dancer of the foursome, and also has the most Broadway credits, dating back to the original cast of Aida. Considering that these characters start the play as teenagers, the casting seems a bit off, as the foursome don't all appear young enough to play that age, and they don't fully appear to be contemporaries of each other either, so the casting could be tightened in that respect. Most of them has a moment in the spotlight, with varying degrees of success. Erica Ash is particularly striking and bears a resemblance to Heather Headley.
Other standouts in the cast include Barry Pearl in a dual role as Florence's disapproving, chauvinistic husband and a competing record producer, making the most of his limited stage time. Many of the cast members play multiple roles actually: Brandon Uranowitz plays Florence's son and her business manager, and Kelli Barrett is underutilized as Florence's daughter and Lesley Gore.
The show could be improved by tightening the character relationships and giving them more dimensions, but at the moment it's the epitome of a jukebox musical that seems more suited to Las Vegas than Broadway. The cast shows promise, but most of them have few Broadway or national tours and as a result are ill-equipped to overcome a lack of direction and a weak book. If you are looking for a nostalgia kick, then check it out in the two weeks left, but otherwise you are not missing much.
Beth Leavel stars as Florence Greenberg, the neophyte music producer from Passaic, New Jersey who turns four of her daughter's high school classmates into the girl group The Shirelles. The girls attain a modicum of fame in the 1950's and 60's until they are superseded by other groups, such as the Supremes, and later on, their style of music goes out of fashion entirely, as artists like Dionne Warwick become popular. Ms. Leavel gives the best performance in the show, and elevates the foolish material she is given. Her character's journey is the backbone of the play, rising from being a Jewish housewife to achieving her potential as a powerful and innovative music business mogul who brought her original thoughts and left a lasting impression.
Allan Louis has the second largest role, as Luther Dixon, Florence's songwriter, co-producer/business partner, and African-American love interest. He brings a quiet dignity in the role, which is also underwritten and a bit reliant on cliche. I look forward to seeing him in future productions, as he is a great actor with easy charm and a good singing voice. Geno Henderson plays several small roles of a radio DJ and contemporary entertainers such as Ronald Isley and Gene Chandler. His singing and dancing works works well to conjure up the vintage styles of the period. He is also saddled with some expositionary dialogue to induce nostalgia in baby boomers, but that's not his fault. And some of the dialogue is interesting.
The four Shirelles are estimably played by Erica Ash, Kyra Da Costa, Christina Sajous, and Crystal Starr, who warble a catalog of hits and change costumes an throughout the evening. As the lead singer of the Shirelles, Ms. Sajous makes the strongest impression. After her appearances in Rent and American Idiot, it's a surprise to find her a show taking place a half-century earlier. Kyra Da Costa is the best dancer of the foursome, and also has the most Broadway credits, dating back to the original cast of Aida. Considering that these characters start the play as teenagers, the casting seems a bit off, as the foursome don't all appear young enough to play that age, and they don't fully appear to be contemporaries of each other either, so the casting could be tightened in that respect. Most of them has a moment in the spotlight, with varying degrees of success. Erica Ash is particularly striking and bears a resemblance to Heather Headley.
Other standouts in the cast include Barry Pearl in a dual role as Florence's disapproving, chauvinistic husband and a competing record producer, making the most of his limited stage time. Many of the cast members play multiple roles actually: Brandon Uranowitz plays Florence's son and her business manager, and Kelli Barrett is underutilized as Florence's daughter and Lesley Gore.
The show could be improved by tightening the character relationships and giving them more dimensions, but at the moment it's the epitome of a jukebox musical that seems more suited to Las Vegas than Broadway. The cast shows promise, but most of them have few Broadway or national tours and as a result are ill-equipped to overcome a lack of direction and a weak book. If you are looking for a nostalgia kick, then check it out in the two weeks left, but otherwise you are not missing much.
Lysistrata Jones- Transport Group off-Broadway
Last month I had the opportunity to see Lysistrata Jones, produced by the Transport Group off-Broadway at the Judson Memorial Church. I'm glad they were given an extension so that I was able to see it. I meant to post this review before, but given the newly announced Broadway transfer to the Walter Kerr Theatre, I find that it is still very pertinent now.
Lysistrata Jones is a new musical based on Aristophanes' Lysistrata, but made for the "High School Musical" generation, as the show's score has a catchy pop sound and the plot revolves around a basketball team and their cheerleader girlfriends. The music and lyrics are by Lewis Flinn, and the pop culture-filled libretto is by Douglas Carter Beane, who also contributed to the librettos of Sister Act and Xanadu, which was also choreographed by Dan Knechtges.
Patti Murin has the title role, as a new transfer student to Athens University who organizes her friends into a makeshift cheer-leading squad for the lackluster men's basketball team who hasn't won a game in recent memory, and doesn't really care about their constant defeats. Because it's a small cast, all of the cheerleaders are currently dating one of the basketball players, and Lysistrata gets the idea from one of the student librarians to use the same tactics as her namesake, and encourage the cheerleaders to take part in a sex strike until the basketball team wins a game. Her scheme initially backfires when the boys decide they would rather keep losing and find new girlfriends than give in and actually put effort into playing basketball. The girls also consult a prostitute played by Liz Mikel who serves as the narrator of the piece, playing a Greek goddess in disguise. She counsels both the boys and the girls in their battle of the sexes.
The supporting cast all are great to watch: Josh Segarra as Lizzie's boyfriend Mick, who is also the captain of the basketball team, Alex Wyse as Cinesius, a lilly-white player who thinks he is black, Alex Aguilar as a Hispanic player, Uardo, with raging hormones, and Ato-Blankson Wood and Teddy Toye as the remaining players, who find true love in each other's arms. Especially wonderful is Jason Tam as Xavier, the social outcast who gets drafted into Lizzie's plans and eventually falls under her spell. His song is one of the highlights of the show. On the female side, Kat Nejat and Lindsay Nicole Chambers stand out as Lizzie's friends, a fellow cheerleader and a politically-active librarian respectively. Ms. Chambers' Robin also pursues Mick, with hilarious results. Katie Boren and LaQuett Sharnell appear as Asian and African-American cheerleaders, but they aren't given as much time in the spotlight.
The show was performed on an actual basketball court in the Judson Memorial Church, which was a great environment for the show, since the audience was very close to the action, creating a feeling of being a bystander in the world of Athens University. The set, and general aesthetic (costumes, staging and choreography), reminded me a lot of High School Musical, both the stage and screen incarnations, as that show also dealt with the romantic entanglements of basketball players. (Also, Patti Murin originated the role of Sharpay in the Atlanta TOTS world premiere). Douglas Carter Beane's book is filled with pop-culture jokes and a biting humor that also calls to mind Glee in this setting. If you love musical young people, then you will really love this show. If you not get a chance to see the Transport Group run, then I urge you to support the show on Broadway, as it is an original musical with some catchy songs and great moments, and new musicals worth seeing can sometimes be difficult to come by. However, I fear that some of the intimacy will be lost on a Broadway stage, although I do look forward to seeing it, and I wish the production well.
Lysistrata Jones is a new musical based on Aristophanes' Lysistrata, but made for the "High School Musical" generation, as the show's score has a catchy pop sound and the plot revolves around a basketball team and their cheerleader girlfriends. The music and lyrics are by Lewis Flinn, and the pop culture-filled libretto is by Douglas Carter Beane, who also contributed to the librettos of Sister Act and Xanadu, which was also choreographed by Dan Knechtges.
Patti Murin has the title role, as a new transfer student to Athens University who organizes her friends into a makeshift cheer-leading squad for the lackluster men's basketball team who hasn't won a game in recent memory, and doesn't really care about their constant defeats. Because it's a small cast, all of the cheerleaders are currently dating one of the basketball players, and Lysistrata gets the idea from one of the student librarians to use the same tactics as her namesake, and encourage the cheerleaders to take part in a sex strike until the basketball team wins a game. Her scheme initially backfires when the boys decide they would rather keep losing and find new girlfriends than give in and actually put effort into playing basketball. The girls also consult a prostitute played by Liz Mikel who serves as the narrator of the piece, playing a Greek goddess in disguise. She counsels both the boys and the girls in their battle of the sexes.
The supporting cast all are great to watch: Josh Segarra as Lizzie's boyfriend Mick, who is also the captain of the basketball team, Alex Wyse as Cinesius, a lilly-white player who thinks he is black, Alex Aguilar as a Hispanic player, Uardo, with raging hormones, and Ato-Blankson Wood and Teddy Toye as the remaining players, who find true love in each other's arms. Especially wonderful is Jason Tam as Xavier, the social outcast who gets drafted into Lizzie's plans and eventually falls under her spell. His song is one of the highlights of the show. On the female side, Kat Nejat and Lindsay Nicole Chambers stand out as Lizzie's friends, a fellow cheerleader and a politically-active librarian respectively. Ms. Chambers' Robin also pursues Mick, with hilarious results. Katie Boren and LaQuett Sharnell appear as Asian and African-American cheerleaders, but they aren't given as much time in the spotlight.
The show was performed on an actual basketball court in the Judson Memorial Church, which was a great environment for the show, since the audience was very close to the action, creating a feeling of being a bystander in the world of Athens University. The set, and general aesthetic (costumes, staging and choreography), reminded me a lot of High School Musical, both the stage and screen incarnations, as that show also dealt with the romantic entanglements of basketball players. (Also, Patti Murin originated the role of Sharpay in the Atlanta TOTS world premiere). Douglas Carter Beane's book is filled with pop-culture jokes and a biting humor that also calls to mind Glee in this setting. If you love musical young people, then you will really love this show. If you not get a chance to see the Transport Group run, then I urge you to support the show on Broadway, as it is an original musical with some catchy songs and great moments, and new musicals worth seeing can sometimes be difficult to come by. However, I fear that some of the intimacy will be lost on a Broadway stage, although I do look forward to seeing it, and I wish the production well.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Anything Goes, Stephen Sondheim Theatre- Part II
Last weekend I saw Roundabout Theatre Company's production of Anything Goes for the second time. You can read my review from the the first time around here. "What was the difference this second time around?," skeptical or budget-conscious readers might ask. And the answer to that question is that there were two understudies on in supporting roles: Linda Mugleston was playing Mrs. Evangeline Harcourt, and Josh Franklin was playing Billy Crocker. I enjoyed the chance to see different takes on the roles, having already seen the original cast perform. Also having already seen these two performers in other shows, I was looking forward to seeing them take on principal roles in this production.
The star and central focus of the show is still Sutton Foster as Reno Sweeney, who has nearly all the familiar songs in the show's score. Personally, I believe that her best number is "Blow, Gabriel, Blow" in Act II, which really rouses the house. The performance of the title number is also very spirited, with the full cast tapping along.
Joel Grey is amusing as Moonface Martin, in a semi-constant state of befuddlement with occasional bright ideas for scams and solutions. I don't have another actor's portrayal to compare, but I would be interested in seeing different takes on the role.
I thought Josh Franklin did a wonderful job as Billy Crocker. He seemed to have a bit more personality and charisma than Colin Donnell, and did a better job at selling his numbers. He stood out from the chorus in a way Mr. Donnell couldn't quite manage.
Linda Mugleston does the best she can with the archetypal role of a patrician matron, marrying her daughter to the highest bidder to regain the family fortune lost in the 1928 stock market crash. It was great to see her in a larger role again, as I really enjoyed her performance as Ruth Sherwood in Wonderful Town back in 2005. I hope that she gets the chance to play more leading roles on Broadway.
Still strong in support are John McMartin, Jessica Stone, Walter Charles, and Robert Creighon, all of whom are quite funny and mostly underused. In the ensemble, Joyce Chittick stands out as "Virtue," Reno's low-voiced Angel with her eye on Moonface Martin. Ms. Chittick is also a former cast member of Wonderful Town, which was also directed and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall, who repeats her duties here.
The show is helped by a great physical production: Derek McLane's sets wonderfully convey the deck of a luxury ocean liner and various staterooms as well. I am especially impressed by the moving elements. There are a few room cutaways which move on and off, but parts of the deck move inward and outward as well. Peter Kaczorowski's lighting adds to the mood as well, with many windows which light in different colors over the course of the show, usually in shades of pink or blue. Martin Pakledinaz provides the many gowns Sutton Foster and her Angels wear over the course of the show.
The show is currently selling out with an average ticket price in the $100 range, so tickets are fairly hard to come by, but if you do get a chance to see this production, I would highly recommend it, as it is quite fun and hearing a Cole Porter score with a fairly large orchestra is always a must for any theater fan.
The star and central focus of the show is still Sutton Foster as Reno Sweeney, who has nearly all the familiar songs in the show's score. Personally, I believe that her best number is "Blow, Gabriel, Blow" in Act II, which really rouses the house. The performance of the title number is also very spirited, with the full cast tapping along.
Joel Grey is amusing as Moonface Martin, in a semi-constant state of befuddlement with occasional bright ideas for scams and solutions. I don't have another actor's portrayal to compare, but I would be interested in seeing different takes on the role.
I thought Josh Franklin did a wonderful job as Billy Crocker. He seemed to have a bit more personality and charisma than Colin Donnell, and did a better job at selling his numbers. He stood out from the chorus in a way Mr. Donnell couldn't quite manage.
Linda Mugleston does the best she can with the archetypal role of a patrician matron, marrying her daughter to the highest bidder to regain the family fortune lost in the 1928 stock market crash. It was great to see her in a larger role again, as I really enjoyed her performance as Ruth Sherwood in Wonderful Town back in 2005. I hope that she gets the chance to play more leading roles on Broadway.
Still strong in support are John McMartin, Jessica Stone, Walter Charles, and Robert Creighon, all of whom are quite funny and mostly underused. In the ensemble, Joyce Chittick stands out as "Virtue," Reno's low-voiced Angel with her eye on Moonface Martin. Ms. Chittick is also a former cast member of Wonderful Town, which was also directed and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall, who repeats her duties here.
The show is helped by a great physical production: Derek McLane's sets wonderfully convey the deck of a luxury ocean liner and various staterooms as well. I am especially impressed by the moving elements. There are a few room cutaways which move on and off, but parts of the deck move inward and outward as well. Peter Kaczorowski's lighting adds to the mood as well, with many windows which light in different colors over the course of the show, usually in shades of pink or blue. Martin Pakledinaz provides the many gowns Sutton Foster and her Angels wear over the course of the show.
The show is currently selling out with an average ticket price in the $100 range, so tickets are fairly hard to come by, but if you do get a chance to see this production, I would highly recommend it, as it is quite fun and hearing a Cole Porter score with a fairly large orchestra is always a must for any theater fan.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Anything Goes, Stephen Sondheim Theatre
Back in March, I saw Roundabout Theatre Company's revival of Anything Goes, at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre. Since I wasn't able to see Patti LuPone and Howard McGillin perform the show at Lincoln Center in 1987, and I liked Sutton Foster and Joel Grey, I decided that I definitely wanted to see this production, so I got a ticket for a preview. Also I knew that the mezzanine was pretty comfortable with great sight-lines, so I wasn't worried but I brought my binoculars and used them anyway.
I thought the production was really great, but not overwhelmingly so. It felt a little subdued so I would give a B+. Kathleen Marshall's choreography only pops during the title number and in the 11 o'clock number "Blow Gabriel Blow," which are the two most important numbers in the show in any case. That is what lifts this show from a B to a B+. There are many classic Cole Porter songs in this show, mostly from the original score and a few that were interpolated beginning in the last revival. Rest assured all of these songs are performed at least adequately.
Sutton Foster looks wonderful as a blonde and has a great entrance scene, getting to perform "I Get A Kick Out of You" right off the bat. The show overall is much more alive when she is onstage. She plays Reno as a droll, blowsy woman, different from her usual characters, and gets to deliver some great standards. She does her trademark split and gets to dance in most of her numbers. I can't say for sure but I would assume that she does more actual dancing than any of her Broadway predecessors in the role. Although I am impressed with Patti LuPone's Tony Awards performance from the last revival.
Joel Grey receives second billing as Moonface Martin, Public Enemy #13, and a very inept criminal posing as a minister aboard the ocean liner that most of the show takes place on. He plays the role like the little Jewish man that he is, but always clever and trying to think ahead with his planning. His "Friendship" duet with Ms. Foster is pretty good. He has one solo, the odd number "Be Like the Bluebird". He seems to be in his element when he has a partner to play off of.
Colin Donnell as Billy Crocker is adequate. He's the romantic lead but he is virtually unrecognizable from the ensemble. This is his first principal role on Broadway, coming after his stint as Fiyero in the national tour of Wicked. He sings and dances very well but he doesn't seem to have much personality or charisma.
Laura Osnes as Hope Harcourt, the object of his affection, fares slightly better. Ms. Osnes is a very talented actress, and she performs Hope as the pretty, standard issue ingénue she was written to be. The role doesn't really have any distinguishing characteristics, and Ms. Osnes plays the role as could be expected given the old-fashioned plot she is trapped in.
Living Broadway legend John McMartin appears as the eccentric, near-sighted, and lovelorn millionaire Elisha Whitney. He is great in all his scenes, providing comic relief. His object of affection is Jessica Walter as Hope Harcourt's mother Evangeline. Her character is also fairly standard- the wealthy and snobbish dowager who is protective of her daughter and intent on increasing her fortune by marrying off her daughter to the highest bidder. Ms. Walter excels at playing these types of roles, as any fan of Arrested Development can attest to.
Adam Godley appears as Hope's fiancée, an eccentric British lord whose comic number "The Gypsy In Me" is also a highlight of the show, especially his dancing with Sutton Foster. We get to see an external display of the silliness inside this amusingly befuddled Brit.
Walter Charles and Robert Creighton make a great comic team as the ship's captain and purser respectively. They are the most underrated part of the show. Mr. Charles has had a long and illustrious career and Mr. Creighton's star has been rising in the last few years, with a string of replacement roles in shows such as Chicago and The Lion King.
Jessica Stone gets a few funny bits as Erma, Moonface Martin's sidekick, who passes the time by romancing the ship's sailors. The ensemble deserves some credit as well. Special mention goes to Joyce Chittick with her deadpan delivery as one of Reno's angels. William Ryall does a great job in his small role of a minister. The male ensemble get to perform some amazing athletic choreography.
I definitely recommend this show to anyone who wants some good old-fashioned entertainment and has an interest in musical theater history. I believe the show is on sale through the end of 2011. I apologize for the delay in posting the review, and I have many more reviews to post as well, which I hope to do over the next few weeks, so keep checking back!
I thought the production was really great, but not overwhelmingly so. It felt a little subdued so I would give a B+. Kathleen Marshall's choreography only pops during the title number and in the 11 o'clock number "Blow Gabriel Blow," which are the two most important numbers in the show in any case. That is what lifts this show from a B to a B+. There are many classic Cole Porter songs in this show, mostly from the original score and a few that were interpolated beginning in the last revival. Rest assured all of these songs are performed at least adequately.
Sutton Foster looks wonderful as a blonde and has a great entrance scene, getting to perform "I Get A Kick Out of You" right off the bat. The show overall is much more alive when she is onstage. She plays Reno as a droll, blowsy woman, different from her usual characters, and gets to deliver some great standards. She does her trademark split and gets to dance in most of her numbers. I can't say for sure but I would assume that she does more actual dancing than any of her Broadway predecessors in the role. Although I am impressed with Patti LuPone's Tony Awards performance from the last revival.
Joel Grey receives second billing as Moonface Martin, Public Enemy #13, and a very inept criminal posing as a minister aboard the ocean liner that most of the show takes place on. He plays the role like the little Jewish man that he is, but always clever and trying to think ahead with his planning. His "Friendship" duet with Ms. Foster is pretty good. He has one solo, the odd number "Be Like the Bluebird". He seems to be in his element when he has a partner to play off of.
Colin Donnell as Billy Crocker is adequate. He's the romantic lead but he is virtually unrecognizable from the ensemble. This is his first principal role on Broadway, coming after his stint as Fiyero in the national tour of Wicked. He sings and dances very well but he doesn't seem to have much personality or charisma.
Laura Osnes as Hope Harcourt, the object of his affection, fares slightly better. Ms. Osnes is a very talented actress, and she performs Hope as the pretty, standard issue ingénue she was written to be. The role doesn't really have any distinguishing characteristics, and Ms. Osnes plays the role as could be expected given the old-fashioned plot she is trapped in.
Living Broadway legend John McMartin appears as the eccentric, near-sighted, and lovelorn millionaire Elisha Whitney. He is great in all his scenes, providing comic relief. His object of affection is Jessica Walter as Hope Harcourt's mother Evangeline. Her character is also fairly standard- the wealthy and snobbish dowager who is protective of her daughter and intent on increasing her fortune by marrying off her daughter to the highest bidder. Ms. Walter excels at playing these types of roles, as any fan of Arrested Development can attest to.
Adam Godley appears as Hope's fiancée, an eccentric British lord whose comic number "The Gypsy In Me" is also a highlight of the show, especially his dancing with Sutton Foster. We get to see an external display of the silliness inside this amusingly befuddled Brit.
Walter Charles and Robert Creighton make a great comic team as the ship's captain and purser respectively. They are the most underrated part of the show. Mr. Charles has had a long and illustrious career and Mr. Creighton's star has been rising in the last few years, with a string of replacement roles in shows such as Chicago and The Lion King.
Jessica Stone gets a few funny bits as Erma, Moonface Martin's sidekick, who passes the time by romancing the ship's sailors. The ensemble deserves some credit as well. Special mention goes to Joyce Chittick with her deadpan delivery as one of Reno's angels. William Ryall does a great job in his small role of a minister. The male ensemble get to perform some amazing athletic choreography.
I definitely recommend this show to anyone who wants some good old-fashioned entertainment and has an interest in musical theater history. I believe the show is on sale through the end of 2011. I apologize for the delay in posting the review, and I have many more reviews to post as well, which I hope to do over the next few weeks, so keep checking back!
Sunday, March 13, 2011
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying- Al Hirschfeld Theatre, Broadway
Welcome back! I haven't written as many blog posts lately, and I am going to try and fix that and do more posts over the next few weeks to catch up on all the topics I wanted to talk about.
The first post is a review of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, now in previews at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre on Broadway. Incidentally, this is the Broadway theater where I have attended the most performances, having previously four other shows at the venue.
I enjoyed this show and this production quite a bit. I wasn't sure what to think, as the show curtain looked a little tacky and I was thinking this production would be similar to Promises, Promises, in that it would be good but not spectacular and would be a little too slick and commercial, getting away from the show's heart. I was pleasantly surprised in that this show was much better than I expected, even with a dated book. Seeing Daniel Radcliffe sing and dance in white shirt and teal bow-tie as J. Pierpont Finch was pretty wonderful. He really carried the show from his first entrance, rising from the orchestra pit on his window-washing scaffold. It's fun to watch him weasel his way to the top through a mixture of lies, half-truths, and carefully placed words. He still reads a bit young for the part though, as if he was an over-zealous and ingratiating summer intern who refuses to leave. And when you look at the secretarial pool, you wouldn't want to leave either.
His love interest is Rose Hemingway as the earnest and idealistic Rosemary, who is quite fantastic in her Broadway debut. She is throughly likable as the sweet and wholesome ingénue who falls in love with Finch at first sight and dreams of their life together in New Rochelle where she keeps his dinner warm as he works his way up the corporate ladder, and doesn't give up when Finch doesn't always pay much attention to her. She aided in her schemes by Mary Faber as Smitty, who is saddled with a pair of ugly white glasses which nevertheless helps indicate the 1960's time period.
I also really enjoyed Tammy Blanchard as the boss's mistress and all-around office sexpot Hedy LaRue, who almost stole the show for me. She played the role as a cross between Judy Garland and Marilyn Monroe with a great figure but poor comprehension, dazed and oblivious to most of her surroundings. She does have some ambition and a fairly correct moral compass though. Ellen Harvey is underused as the boss' droll secretary Miss Jones.
John Larroquette was servicable as the big boss himself, J.B. Biggley. He was amiable and likable enough and believable in the role, but I think he needs to settle into the character and get comfortable a little bit more. His stand-out number was "Old Ivy" with Daniel Radcliffe and the male ensemble. Rob Bartlett also had a great number with those same two co-stars in "Company Way," with some comedic stage business for the principals and some inventive and highly entertaining choreography for the mail-room attendants. The perfect epitome of an office functioning in musical-comedy style. The rest of the principals include Michael Park as Mr. Bratt, the personnel manager and Christopher Hanke as Bud Frump, the bratty and effeminate nephew of J.B. Biggley and the "villain" of the show.
Which brings us to the ensemble, who were truly fantastic. Special mention goes to Cameron Adams, Cleve Asbury, Marty Lawson, Ryan Watkinson, and Charlie Williams. That list is skewed in favor of the men because they had a lot more to do in this show. Rob Ashford gave them great, spectacular, and athletic choreography to perform, particularly in "Company Way", "Brotherhood of Men" and "Old Ivy," although the last one was a bit long and started to stretch the limits of believability, even for this show. Both genders of the ensemble were great in "A Secretary is Not A Toy and especially "Coffee Break." The opening number was reminiscent of Ashford's choreography for Promises, Promises and also featured some wonderful partnering. The female ensemble got a chance to shine in "Cinderella Darling" and to a lesser extent in "Paris Original" which was another highlight of the show.
I enjoyed this production very much and urge you to see it as well. I admit that the show is dated at times and has sexist overtones, but is still an enjoyable experience. If only succeeding in business really was this simple...
The first post is a review of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, now in previews at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre on Broadway. Incidentally, this is the Broadway theater where I have attended the most performances, having previously four other shows at the venue.
I enjoyed this show and this production quite a bit. I wasn't sure what to think, as the show curtain looked a little tacky and I was thinking this production would be similar to Promises, Promises, in that it would be good but not spectacular and would be a little too slick and commercial, getting away from the show's heart. I was pleasantly surprised in that this show was much better than I expected, even with a dated book. Seeing Daniel Radcliffe sing and dance in white shirt and teal bow-tie as J. Pierpont Finch was pretty wonderful. He really carried the show from his first entrance, rising from the orchestra pit on his window-washing scaffold. It's fun to watch him weasel his way to the top through a mixture of lies, half-truths, and carefully placed words. He still reads a bit young for the part though, as if he was an over-zealous and ingratiating summer intern who refuses to leave. And when you look at the secretarial pool, you wouldn't want to leave either.
His love interest is Rose Hemingway as the earnest and idealistic Rosemary, who is quite fantastic in her Broadway debut. She is throughly likable as the sweet and wholesome ingénue who falls in love with Finch at first sight and dreams of their life together in New Rochelle where she keeps his dinner warm as he works his way up the corporate ladder, and doesn't give up when Finch doesn't always pay much attention to her. She aided in her schemes by Mary Faber as Smitty, who is saddled with a pair of ugly white glasses which nevertheless helps indicate the 1960's time period.
I also really enjoyed Tammy Blanchard as the boss's mistress and all-around office sexpot Hedy LaRue, who almost stole the show for me. She played the role as a cross between Judy Garland and Marilyn Monroe with a great figure but poor comprehension, dazed and oblivious to most of her surroundings. She does have some ambition and a fairly correct moral compass though. Ellen Harvey is underused as the boss' droll secretary Miss Jones.
John Larroquette was servicable as the big boss himself, J.B. Biggley. He was amiable and likable enough and believable in the role, but I think he needs to settle into the character and get comfortable a little bit more. His stand-out number was "Old Ivy" with Daniel Radcliffe and the male ensemble. Rob Bartlett also had a great number with those same two co-stars in "Company Way," with some comedic stage business for the principals and some inventive and highly entertaining choreography for the mail-room attendants. The perfect epitome of an office functioning in musical-comedy style. The rest of the principals include Michael Park as Mr. Bratt, the personnel manager and Christopher Hanke as Bud Frump, the bratty and effeminate nephew of J.B. Biggley and the "villain" of the show.
Which brings us to the ensemble, who were truly fantastic. Special mention goes to Cameron Adams, Cleve Asbury, Marty Lawson, Ryan Watkinson, and Charlie Williams. That list is skewed in favor of the men because they had a lot more to do in this show. Rob Ashford gave them great, spectacular, and athletic choreography to perform, particularly in "Company Way", "Brotherhood of Men" and "Old Ivy," although the last one was a bit long and started to stretch the limits of believability, even for this show. Both genders of the ensemble were great in "A Secretary is Not A Toy and especially "Coffee Break." The opening number was reminiscent of Ashford's choreography for Promises, Promises and also featured some wonderful partnering. The female ensemble got a chance to shine in "Cinderella Darling" and to a lesser extent in "Paris Original" which was another highlight of the show.
I enjoyed this production very much and urge you to see it as well. I admit that the show is dated at times and has sexist overtones, but is still an enjoyable experience. If only succeeding in business really was this simple...
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Mrs. Santa Claus
I was watching some of this on YouTube tonight. The songs are up there but not the dialog, so it goes a bit quicker and jumps ahead in the story. For those who are unfamiliar with it, this was an original musical that premiered on TV in 1996. The songs were written by Jerry Herman and the book was by Mark Saltzman, whose Tin Pan Alley Rag was off-Broadway in 2009. I believe Rob Marshall choreographed, paving the way for the ABC-TV versions of Cinderella and Annie and the movie version of Chicago. The musical stars Angela Lansbury as Mrs. Santa Claus whose sleigh crashes into the Lower East Side of New York in 1910. Her introduction to the neighborhood, the song "Avenue A" is one of the highlights of the show, showcasing the Irish, Italian, and Jewish factions (each with their own dance sequence) as well as the odd Chinese food vendor. The main story-lines consist of Mrs. Santa Claus becoming involved in the women's suffrage movement as well as interfering at a shoddy toy sweatshop run by Augustus P. Tavish, played by Terrence Mann. (Why does he only have one song?? There's about eight or nine songs total in this production, and he only gets one for himself?) He is pretty funny in that cheesy/gleefully evil villainous sort of way he has, singing and dancing with a cane around moping kids in a gloomy toy factory. He looks like he is having quite a bit of fun, and gets a human moment in the second half when it's revealed that he's still mad at Santa for not bringing him a teddy bear when he asked for one as a child. A Beast/Chauvelin character combintion, which fits chronologically in terms of Terrence Mann's musical roles.
Other Broadway veterans pop up too: Michael Jeter plays the head elf in a wonderful role for his talents, and the secondary elves are headed by Jamie Torcellini (Billy Elliot, Beauty and the Beast, Cats) and Kristi Lynes (Cats, How to Succeed). Rosalind Harris, who played Tzeitel in the film version of Fiddler on the Roof appears as the boarding house matron Miss Lowenstein, and Linda Kerns (Wicked, Big River, Beauty and the Beast) appears as an Irish neighbor. David Norona, who played Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys's pre-Broadway tryout at La Jolla, is featured as your friendly Italian stable boy who first befriends Mrs. Claus and apparently knows how to take care of reindeer. Charles Durning plays Santa Claus himself, and Lyndsey Bartilson, who later starred in the sitcom "Grounded For Life" has a large role as an Irish girl who misses her mother and is mentored by Mrs. Claus. Future Cheetah Girl Sabrina Bryan appears somewhere too, as does Alon Williams (Peter Pan, "Sid the Science Kid")
Which brings me to the question I have for anyone who knows the answer- Who is the ensemble for this production? The IMDB cast list is incomplete, and I am curious to know who the adults and kids dancing in this production are. If you have any information, please help me out!
Other Broadway veterans pop up too: Michael Jeter plays the head elf in a wonderful role for his talents, and the secondary elves are headed by Jamie Torcellini (Billy Elliot, Beauty and the Beast, Cats) and Kristi Lynes (Cats, How to Succeed). Rosalind Harris, who played Tzeitel in the film version of Fiddler on the Roof appears as the boarding house matron Miss Lowenstein, and Linda Kerns (Wicked, Big River, Beauty and the Beast) appears as an Irish neighbor. David Norona, who played Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys's pre-Broadway tryout at La Jolla, is featured as your friendly Italian stable boy who first befriends Mrs. Claus and apparently knows how to take care of reindeer. Charles Durning plays Santa Claus himself, and Lyndsey Bartilson, who later starred in the sitcom "Grounded For Life" has a large role as an Irish girl who misses her mother and is mentored by Mrs. Claus. Future Cheetah Girl Sabrina Bryan appears somewhere too, as does Alon Williams (Peter Pan, "Sid the Science Kid")
Which brings me to the question I have for anyone who knows the answer- Who is the ensemble for this production? The IMDB cast list is incomplete, and I am curious to know who the adults and kids dancing in this production are. If you have any information, please help me out!
The Secret Garden
This post is going to be about the children's book-turned- musical The Secret Garden. I found this musical to be amazing, scary, and emotionally haunting at the same time. Mandy Patinkin as a man haunted by the past, and Rebecca Luker as a ghost watching over the proceedings are both magical. I really like Daisy Egan and John Cameron Mitchell a lot as well. The show really emphasizes the connection between the past and present, and between humans and nature. It's such a wonderful score and story and I hope one to be able to produce a production of the show.
I'm not quite sure what exactly are the reasons I am attracted to the show, as I had never actually read the book until this past year, and I might have seen the movie remake when I was 7, but I don't remember much from it and I may be confusing it with A Little Princess, also based on a book by Frances Hodgson Burnett. I think what I like about the show is the connection to family, both past and present, and the idea of benevolent ghosts watching over you and communicating with you. I also like the theme of nature being beautiful and magical and being able to rejuvenate and bring life to the barren and forlorn. The Yorkshire dialect adds another layer of fascination with this show, and the performances of the original Broadway cast bring the material to life superbly. This show is alternately haunting and uplifting, and I highly recommend it.
I'm not quite sure what exactly are the reasons I am attracted to the show, as I had never actually read the book until this past year, and I might have seen the movie remake when I was 7, but I don't remember much from it and I may be confusing it with A Little Princess, also based on a book by Frances Hodgson Burnett. I think what I like about the show is the connection to family, both past and present, and the idea of benevolent ghosts watching over you and communicating with you. I also like the theme of nature being beautiful and magical and being able to rejuvenate and bring life to the barren and forlorn. The Yorkshire dialect adds another layer of fascination with this show, and the performances of the original Broadway cast bring the material to life superbly. This show is alternately haunting and uplifting, and I highly recommend it.
Monday, December 13, 2010
The Scottsboro Boys- Lyceum Theatre, Broadway
I saw The Scottsboro Boys on December 8, and it was a very emotionally moving and powerful show and should be required viewing for American history buffs or anyone interested in civil rights and human rights. It tells the true story of nine African-American teenagers and men who were falsely accused of rape and languished in prison for many unnecessary years as a result. The show is told through the guise of a minstrel show, which adds some humor to the surroundings and possibly softens some rough edges, although some sharp points still poke through.
First, the drawbacks: The cast was very talented but I wish more of an effort had been made to distinguish the individual characters and give them time in the spotlight. Haywood Patterson (Joshua Henry) was the most fleshed out and the focal point of the play, with Clarence Norris (Rodney Hicks) and Eugene Williams (Jeremy Gumbs) also getting some dimensionality, but for the most part I found it hard to attribute which traits belonged to which character, although that could also have been due to my vantage point in the balcony. I also wondered why Eugene was played by an age-appropriate actor but Roy Wright wasn't, as historically they were 13 and 14 respectively at the time of their arrest. Not that I didn't think Julius Thomas III was great, but he blended in with the other prisoners at times and was only distinguishable as Roy when he talked to his brother Andy (Derrick Cobey). I was glad that I was familiar with some of the songs from hearing a demo CD previously, because at times the cast's voices didn't carry as well over the music (again, this could have been due to my seat location).
Now, a more positive breakdown of what I liked: I liked the pervasiveness of gallow humor which made me laugh and cringe at the same time. To be clear, most of the jokes were not aimed at the Scottsboro Boys themselves, but rather at the white authority figures (lawyers/guards/sherriffs) they encounter played by African-American actors, the two minstrel "end-men" Mr. Bones and Mr. Tambo. Any jokes aimed at the Scottsboro Boys come from these two characters in their various villainous roles, perhaps the worst being their "Electric Chair" song/nightmare which featured some wonderful tap performances by Jeremy Gumbs, Kendrick Jones, and Julius Thomas III.
At this point, I want to compliment Colman Domingo and Forrest McClendon on their performances as Mr. Bones and Mr. Tambo for their wonderful irreverent portrayals, mainly for their turns as Samuel Liebowitz and the Alabama Attorney General. They balanced trite jokes with sharp humor and brought a sinisterness to their comic characters. John Cullum presides over the proceedings as the Interlocutor, the only white character in the show. Honestly, there is no one else I would rather see play an arrogant, old white racist SOB more than Mr. Cullum. (I wonder how much this dynamic would change if/when JC Montgomery plays the role). His role is mostly to move the proceedings forward and occasionally he becomes involved in the action as a judge or governor, but he is not a real antagonist.
I thought the use of blackface in the show somewhat worked in that it was for a short period of time and had the specific purpose of showing the edge of how far the Scottsboro Boys were willing to go to celebrate/lampoon their trials and references how the first four Boys released performed in vaudeville afterwards. But I'm not sure if it was fully needed although possibly expected/wondered about by some of the audience. After they take their makeup off and leave the Interlocutor alone on stage was one of the most human moments in the play. I have a similar feeling about Joshua Henry's affectations in "Nothing". I think it more clearly served a purpose but was a bit odd/cringe-inducing at the same time. Mr. Henry made it work well by juxtaposing it with Haywood's anger. It's as if he realizes he has to perform that way for the white onlookers to listen to him. I would really love to get opinions from the cast members about their feelings towards these moments in the show that most specifically recall the minstrel show format and tendency to denigrate/lampoon its subjects.
Joshua Henry gave a great performance as Haywood Patterson, who knew his beliefs and convictions and stuck to them, determined to survive while remaining honest. The scenes of him learning to read and write by writing letters in the dirt under the teaching of Roy Wright were an amazing piece of stagecraft and a powerful emotional moment in the show. Rodney Hicks gave a fine performance as Clarence Norris. I had never seen Mr. Hicks perform, but was familiar with him from Rent and a "Law and Order: Criminal Intent" episode he was featured in, and he portrayed Clarence as a fire-brand angry and eager for an outlet. Christian Dante White and James T. Lane amuse as the two white women who invented the rape. The show ends in a small scene showing the legacy of the Scottsboro Boys and a glimmer of hope for the future, tying up the thread of a silent character who has been watching the proceedings. The show's score by John Kander and Fred Ebb serves the story and enhances the proceedings but I would not want to listen to it outside of the show because the visual performances of the songs are needed in order to get their full meanings across.
This show reminded me a lot of the musical Parade, which takes place in Atlanta beginning in 1913 and focuses on the trial of Leo Frank, who was also a target of Southern prejudice. That is another show I recommend for viewing, to ensure that the situations and trials portrayed in these two shows never happen again. It's the most emotionally wrenching show I can remember seeing.
For more information about the men on their trials, this Wikipedia article is fairly extensive and also contains references and external links for additional detail and information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottsboro_Boys
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