Hello Dolly!

Wow, Wow, Wow.  Dancing waiters, gorgeous gowns with gloves, gorgeous sets, fun, frivolity, and a magnificent score by Jerry Herman!  What more could you ask for in a decadent evening at the theatre?  Well, it only gets better when you add the delicious (this July only) Donna Murphy (Dolly Gallagher Levi), the fun and wacky David Hyde Pierce (Horace Vandergelder), the dapper and debonaire Gavin Creel (Cornelius Hackl), the darling and dashing Taylor Trensch (Barnaby Tucker) and the delightful Kate Baldwin (Irene Malloy) along with an ensemble the size of a small town.

This classic made famous by the indomitable Carol Channing roars back to life on Broadway this spring to pure delight.  Sure, the show is old fashioned, but isn't this just what the doctor ordered these days?  The characters are silly, the songs are lush, and the dancing is delicious.  Dolly plods on thru to get her man and makes a few matches along the way from Yonkers to New York City.

I opted to see Ms. Murphy on purpose and she didn't let me down with her spunk, pluck, elegance, and raw talent for playing a character.  Wow, Wow, Wow is an understatement when it comes to this show and this production does not disappoint - the lighting, the sets, the olios (canvases with murals painted on them), the costumes and color along with the music all contribute to the non-stop feeling of exuberance and joy this show brings to the audience.  When we get to the title number in Act II the audience has already contemplated an ovation twice before and at this point it is virtually un-stoppable.

Dolly, whether Ms. Murphy or Ms. Midler, is indeed back where she belongs.  Wow, Wow, Wow!

Big Fish

Norbert Leo Butz (Edward Bloom) is the very definition of a leading man in Big Fish.  His voice, his stage presence, and chemistry with the rest of his cast has a depth beyond imagination.  Bobby Steggert (Will Bloom) delights the eye and the ear with his pitch perfect voice and handsome good looks.  Kate Baldwin displays the dynamic range of her acting from teenager to wife and never failed to delight with her tunes and her "auburn" hair.  This ensemble was perfectly cast and the proof is in the proverbial pudding.

The plot follows the movie I'm told.  (I didn't see it).  It flows smoothly like the video river cleverly placed on the front skirt of the stage - back and forth from Will's childhood to present day.  There are plenty of rousing Broadway numbers (Book and Music by Andrew Lippa)- including a Rockette style kick-line!   You can really can tell these actors enjoy performing this show.  Who wouldn't?  It's fantasy and bigger than life.

For all these reasons, Big Fish, a movie-cum-musical, is bound to be a resounding success this season on Broadway.  Add in the video technology to complement the sets and smart directing choices  by Susan Stroman and an upbeat, tightly constructed score and you've got a smash hit.  The out-of-town tryout in Chicago clearly served the show well.  Mere days after its first preview, the show is hitting all the marks and running cleanly and crisply - a feat not often achieved by a show this big and technologically packed.

Big Fish is already a big hit and it's only going to get bigger!  Run.  Don't walk -  to get your ticket to see this delightfully entertaining new show on Broadway at the Neal Simon Theatre now!

Finian's Rainbow

Thoroughly Modern Millie