American Psycho

In the rehearsal room this show must come off like a a giant snooze fest with little entertainment value.  The fact that is is even on Broadway is a testament to the people who sold this show to the producers.  They must have had an incredible story-board presentation.  However, on the stage, with amplified contemporary music (Duncan Sheik), booming sound effects (Dan Moses Schreier), colorful rock concert-like lighting (Justin Townsend), dazzling video projections (Finn Ross), and sleek sets and special effects (Es Devlin), the actors with these tools on their side bring the awkward subject matter to life.

Dripping with pure sexual energy and a hefty amount of talent, to back up their good looks, the cast of handsome and upper-crust 80's characters manages to salvage what is otherwise an awkward horror movie on the stage.   At the helm and top of the bill is the incredibly chiseled and flat out gorgeous Benjamin Walker (Patrick Bateman).  His vocal prowess is second to none and his sultry cut body is simply perfect.  I can say this because he is on stage in just his underwear more than he is on it clothed.  And yes, it didn't bother me one bit.... not one.   His Wall Street firm-mates are also oft shirtless too.  It's the 80's in NYC at the height of hedonism, after all.  Jennifer Damiano (Jean), a powerhouse in her own right, had to dumb it down for her mousy, shy, and good-girl secretary role, but she nonetheless impressed.   Patrick's mother, Mrs. Bateman, played by the indomitable Alice Ripley, proved there are really no small roles.  I frankly didn't know it was her until well into act one when she finally took off her big sunglasses (the 80's, remember?).

What haunted me throughout this very innovative and ironically enjoyable if not awkward production was the feeling that the least impressive element was the adapted book itself (Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa).  The show felt like it was built around the special effects and Mr. Bateman himself.  It seemed like the book was merely a vehicle to deliver the movie's Cliff notes.  It felt like Mr. Aguirre-Sacasa simply strung 12+ scenes together with homage to the movie but without the ability to do it justice due to the limitations of the stage.  In the end, there was not enough to scare you, not enough to keep you guessing, and not enough to explain the abrupt and confusing ending even if you are listening to the lyrics.  The show's packaging and bold performance style (it was more like a rock concert story) keeps you in your seat and the regular insertion of popular 80's music sung by the pitch-perfect cast kept your toes tapping and eyes rolling throughout.  Between those toes tapping and the drool on your shoes continually flowing due to the uber-sexy cast, you just might enjoy the journey this show takes you on even if it seems out of place on Broadway.

Note:  Cast Photos resemble the Broadway production, but are from the London Production

A Civil War Christmas

Paula Vogel has penned a historical perspective on an age-old tradition - Christmas.  Her version is a dramatic triptych on the holiday which takes place during the civil war.  Each of the 3 main plot perspectives share equally in the joy and sadness of the historical holiday - smack in the middle of the civil war - Stories from the North, the South, and the always steady Abe and emotionally unstable Mary Lincoln centrally located in the White house.

It's not quite a musical but more of a play with music - but less-so a play and more story-telling theatrical experience. The music was all Christmas carols cleverly placed throughout the scenes.  All the fine actors in full regalia and costumes played multiple characters with little-to-no scenery - merely a few props and chairs upon which the fine actors created an entire landscape and mood.  

Of all the extremely talented actors, the one stand-out performer was Jonathan-David (yes, i correctly hyphenated his "name") as Ely Parker, Silver, Frederick Wormley, Moses Levy and others.  Clearly a trained dancer, a fine improv actor, and vocally impressive.  A stalwart and stubborn Mary Lincoln was played with Aplomb by Alice Ripley.

Having already seen Lincoln (Daniel Day Lewis) on the big screen just the weekend before and seeing this show just before Christmas put me in just the right mood.  I doubt this one would go over very well in August, but certainly a heart-warming, entertaining history-lesson on the small stage down at the New York Theatre Workshop on East 4th.

Wild Animals You Should Know

If there's an off-Broadway play you should see this season, add Thomas Higgins' thought provoking, contemporary new work, Wild Animals You Should Know, to your list.  The play is not an "answer" play, but rather a play that presents characters and situations and leaves you to assemble your own judgments.   Mr. Higgins, along with the young and talented director Trip Cullman, certainly have their own points of view, but this is one of those plays that suggests, pokes, and prods you in a direction, but never comes out and tells you what you should walk away thinking.  In this light - my review may be one of many you read - and you may find someone else with an entirely different take on what they saw.   And I'm pretty sure that's just what Mr's Cullman and Higgins intend.

Jacob (Gideon Glick), an awkward, skinny, affable yet shy, dorky, friendly, openly-gay middle school kid in the suburbs (think Curt from Glee, if you must) is in love with Matthew (Jay Armstrong Johnson) a virtually perfect human specimen - to-die-for looks, blond hair, chiseled body, talented, smart, athletic, outgoing, engaging and fun to be around (think... well fill in your own fantasy with that one).   Right from the very beginning both Jacob (and the audience) is teased by pretty-boy Matthew stripping his clothes off for Jacob over Skype.   Is Matthew gay?  Or is he just an attention-craving teenage boy with a bestie who's gay?  That happens today, right?  Not sure yet.  He claims he's not.  Things heat up when Matthew gazes out his window and catches a glimpse of two men in a window across the street kissing.  He's fascinated (or is it more?). The man happens to be his handsome 20-something Boy Scout Troop Leader (shocker!), Rodney (John Behlmann).  He goes on later to make a passing reference to Jacob's great blow jobs which he enjoys but of course for which he never reciprocates.  Did he just say that? Maybe?  Still not sure.

When the two teen-boys end up going on a camping trip with the Scout Leader, Matthew sets the wheels in motion to "out" the scout leader by coming onto him and then threatening to tell everyone he was molested by the leader if he didn't resign.   The sexual tension and anger in this scene is palpable back to the last row of the theatre.  Unfortunately, his plot works and not only does the scout leader end up resigning, he's outed to the entire town and now everyone is speculating as to why he was involved with the scouts in the first place.

Matthew's father, Walter, (Patrick Breen) is involved in the camping trip too and he has his own set of issues - some suggested and others admitted - husband-wife (Alice Ripley) issues, father-son issues, inferiority, assertiveness.  Matthew is clearly the proverbial gun in this single act play.  And this gun is not only fired directly at Rodney, it's fired repeatedly at his best friend Jacob and indirectly at his father (and mother).

The entire 100 minutes are spent speculating who and what Matthew really is is deep down inside.  I made up my mind early on, mostly taking my cues from the periodic spot-lighting of characters in certain scenes, the purposeful looks, and the general repetition of the proposition and theme itself - plus, of course, my own personal experiences growing up gay.  I'm pretty sure that we're supposed to leave the theatre feeling sorry for Matthew, even after all he's done to destroy others' lives.  The only way I can see you could feel that way after all he's done is to logically conclude that for all his outward popularity, perfection, and all-American good-looks and talents is that he's really gay and frightened to death someone will find out and it will ruin his life.  His only mechanism to deal with it is to wield his power  (i.e. his ego, talents, and beauty) to dominate others and prove he's superior when all the while he's hurting on the inside yearning to break free.

I'm pretty sure either Mr. Cullman or Mr Higgins himself made sure that the very last scene of the play clinched the deal for those that hadn't already made up their minds.  You'll just have to sit through all 99 minutes to see what I mean.   The last minute is well worth the other 98.

Next To Normal

 
It's not too often that I revisit a show - but a Broadway transfer is usually worth the 2nd visit.  I saw the original off-Broadway run at Second Stage Theatre a while back.  It packed a significant punch for me then and I was hopeful it would again.

Part of the transfer process included tightening up the book significantly.  Most of the ancillary plot lines have been removed - in favor of a razor sharp focus on the main issue. Gone is the Frankenstein-like electro-shock scene and many others too. A first time viewer will certainly be very happy with the results.  To someone revisiting the show, you might miss a scene or two here or there.   One i missed in particular was the supermarket scene (crazy mom goes shopping).   It was probably too "campy" for the newer, sharper focus, but I liked it.  However, i see the need for the changes for a commercial run; I see the benefits; and respect the results. 

The staging remains the same - a sparse modern 2 story, steel frame representing a house illuminated with colored back lighting. Alice Ripley remains in the cast.  She's perfect for the role - but I thought she acquired some sort of affected English/Irish accent at times.  Very odd.  All the other originals have changed out - and not for the better, i regret to say.  Brian D'Arcy James (rumored to be returning this summer) was a much stronger Henry than Adam Chanler-Berat - both vocally and physically.  Kyle Dean Massey was a fairly equal replacement for Aaron Tveit but Aaron seemed to belt it out and display a bit more angst, anger, and emotion (they're both adorably cute, don't worry).

Today's family problems (suburban or otherwise) are increasingly the subject matter for stage productions (e.g. August Osage County, Next Fall).  The show remains a powerhouse - well worth the price of the ticket - and it's fresh and new - and (still) not your mother's old musical - for sure.  And I'm going to guess that a significant majority of the audience each night is probably looking directly in a mirror.

Next to Normal

Let me be perfectly clear. Run. Don't Walk to Second Stage Theater on 43rd and 8th Avenue. Next to Normal is a musical tour de force. More relevant than Spring Awakening; As daring, moving and poignant as Rent; more hopeful than August: Osage County.

Brian D'Arcy James usually headlines a show. Well in this ensemble cast, each actor is of equally amazing vocal prowess and raw story telling talent. Alice Ripley, Asa Somers, Jennifer Damiano, Aaron Tveit, and Adam Chanler-Berat bring you to tears one moment and to your feet in raucous applause the next.

This rock musical written by Tom Kitt (Music) of High Fidelity fame and Brian Yorkey (Librettist/Lyricist) will knock your socks off. Director Michael Greif (Grey Gardens, Rent) brilliantly consumes every inch of the 3 story set to keep the story alive (and the actors running).

Vocally, this show opens up full-out and doesn't look back for one minute. One of my favorites (if there could be just one) is Aaron Tveit (the gorgeous blonde boy the the kickin' bod) who all but brings down the house right from the start. Then about 20 minutes into the show, a left hook is delivered right to the head. And the blows keep coming non-stop, scene after scene. This is a show about real life, real life problems, and real families enduring, and sucumbing to those problems and possibly inevitably passing some of them on to the next generation.

I'm not going to give away one ounce of the emotional pounding you will take during this show.

Get a ticket. Go. Now.