The Receptionist

Occasionally, it happens. I see a play and walk out with a totally different perspective than Ben Brantly, Charles Isherwood, and the other critics. They loved it.

Don't get me wrong - Jane Houdyshell is pitch-perfect in her portrayal of every one's favorite admin in the office - she comes and goes like the Swiss railroad, she guards her pens, chitty-chats with the staff and her friends and family all day on the phone while allowing occasional work task to creep in, throws the un-wanted callers into voicemail for the boss, and keeps a watchful eye over the comings and goings in the entire office.

Other than the bright spot of Jane - this play was a disaster. The first scene took 10 minutes to unfold - and went nowhere. You had no idea what Robert Foxworth is talking about.

Then the next 50 minutes were spend watching meaningless and pointless conversations take place and leave you asking after over an hour - - "Where is this thing going"? You are supposed to infer after a while that some form of futuristic torture is in play.

Not even in the final 15 minutes to they even get to the point. And then - after you finally convince yourself that you were right in your vague assumption thus far, the play ends!! What becomes of our favorite admin? You can only assume her dark fate.

You never saw the boss again. You find out the other co-worker ran away. And you come to learn that that the "Northeast Office" and the "Central Office" are nothing more than a proxy for the CIA... or the FBI... of some vague combination of Abu-Garave in Iraq.

I'm sorry Ben, Charles, and all the others who loved it. I think you may have dozed off and got the funny lines in the beginning and the "dramatic" ending. I couldn't even bring myself to clap at the end. Mostly because the person next to me asked two or three times in the dark "is that it"?

The Ritz

Terrance McNally took on a controversial topic in 1975 on Broadway with the debut of The Ritz - a gay bathhouse! Well in 2008, it's not quite the same "gasp" from the audience regarding the topic. The movie was made shortly following the Broadway debut - staring Rita Moreno and Jerry Stiller. Coming back to Broadway in 2008 we find Kevin Chamberlain and Rosie Perez headlining the show.

Well - it's funny. And the shirtless young boys roving around the clever multi-level bathhouse set certainly hold your eye. But the show more reminded me of a marginal episode of Three's Company or Laverne and Shirley.

I did also enjoy the cabaret performances- which i have come to understand are meant to remind you of the starts to the careers of such singers at Bette Midler at the Continental Baths. Notwithstanding the farcical plot, I'd advise getting a discount ticket to see it. It's worth some moderate price just to make eye contact with one of the boy-babes roaming in and out of the steam room.

Speach & Debate

A new "cutting edge" oriented space opened this month at the Roundabout. Speech and Debate, a new play by Stephen karam, christened the space. The new space is a new initiative by Roundabout to cultivate new works by emerging playwrights by giving them the opportunity to present their works as "full scale" productions with all the resources that the Roundabout organisation can bring to the table.
Speech and Debate stars 3 up-and-coming actors - Gideon Glick, Jason Fuchs, and Sarah Steele. They portray 3 not-so-average teens in school who are all linked indirectly to a sex scandal. They bond together for various reasons to form a Speech and Debate club to express their ideas. The play is actually presented in the various segments that align to the categories of classic speech and debate. Gideon plays a gay teen who is out, but doesn't want to bring the story to light to cause himself any embarrassment. Jason plays a high school newspaper reporter digging for the story - and making deals along the way. Sarah plays the eclectic student, blogger, and debate club leader.
The play, performed without intermission, provides an insight into the troubles of youth today and the issues that plague society overall. You'll leave the theater thinking. That's how you know it's a good show.

seating ARRANGEMENTS

There's a lot of Experimental Theater at The Flea. Seating ARRANGEMENTS is one such performance. You walk into the theater space and notice that there is a large horseshoe shaped banquet table with seating for about 16 - - and there are only 8 actors! You are asked if you want to join the feast. After a nervous "sure, why not", you start to think - are they going to talk to me? Am I somehow going to become part of this show? Are they serving food? The answer to all these questions is yes. But fear not - you won't be cross examined!

You will awkwardly indulge the cast as they chat with you - and sit right next to you! It's not exactly a scripted performance, but not exactly stream of consciousness either. Based on the short story Babette's Feast, the 8 actors speak directly to the audience as if we are all there part of their dinner party. They interact with each other as if they are in another time and place. Time, location, and characters bleed together.

The underlying concept is about what happens around the dinner table - how we all interact, the inappropriate things we say, or the things we don't say. It's a study in psychology and sociology. It's about topics that inevitably get broached - Religion, Politics and Love - sometimes appropriately, sometimes not.

Remarkably - I learned afterwards that there was no real script for this show. The actors all developed the stories based on their own experiences and beliefs. They melded them together in workshops and rehearsals. There's a violin, a rapper, a national anthem, and a dance. There's love, hope, revenge, and desire. It's a slice of life both current and past.

Kudos to the 8 performers from The Bats Theater Group - Donal Brophy, Jane Elliott, Ben Horner, Max Jenkins, Jocelyn Kuritsky, Nana Mensah, Bobby Moreno, and Sylvia Mincewicz.

Fear not - they serve wine. Drink up - and don't be shy. Wink at the adorable Max or chat up your cute neighbors. Who knows what might come of it.

A Bronx Tale

Chass Palminteri makes his Broadway debut in his own semi-autobiographical show - A Bronx Tale. A classic story teller, Palminteri regales us with about 90 minutes worth of stories from his "rough" childhood on the streets, on his front stoop and in his neighborhood - up @ 187th.

Funny, poignant, and entertaining, the characters come to life as described by Palminteri - most centrally to the story his gangster friend who took him under his wing. There was no Soprano's in his day, but the stories ring similar. In his case, the story revolves around choices and how each of them affects the rest of our lives.

Take a night out and enjoy an evening of storytelling by one of the best.

Scarcity

Lucy Thurber has penned a powerhouse - now on stage at the Atlantic Theater Company. Scarcity is the story of intense frustration and struggle. Struggle with family, choices, poverty and alcohol. Frustration over how our position in life is affected by those choices- and the struggle to escape and the collateral damage left behind.

The poor family has a smart kid - who takes advantage of an over-attentive teacher to "get out" from under his alcoholic father and ocassionally delusional mother. Kristin Johnston (3rd Rock from the Sun) and Michael T Weiss (The Pretender) preside over the sad family and mom and dad. I saw Brandon Espinoza (u/s) as the young man at the center of all the energy and Meredith Brandt making her off-Broadway debut (at age 11) as the youngest member of the family - who in many ways was the smartest - - and certainly the most vulnerable.

The family dynamic might remind us of the television show Roseann - the twisted ways that love weaves into these families. The hope offered by escape. The sadness at the situation, and the despair of the young ones left behind.

You might not leave with a smile on your face - but you will certainly enjoy a powerful evening of theater.

My First Time

A multi-media experience. Four actors on stage telling the thousands of stories, snippets, and one liners about the age old "first time". Yes - the reference is to the first time you had sex. Was it good? Was it fun? Who laughed? Who farted? Who's mom walked in? Did it hurt? Oh boy... it goes on and on... and covers just about all kinds!

It's a bit like the vagina monologues - - the actors speaking to the audience telling stories. They take a poll in the audience before the show - and they flash the results up during the show. They have a projector that beams facts and figures above the actors heads in between the vignettes. In our audience there were 2 virgins too! 90 Minutes isn't even enough to cover all the possibilities, but it is certainly enough time to entertain and inform.

If you need a night of plain old fun - take in a performance at the New World Stages! Virgin or not - you will enjoy.

Pygmalion

Clair Danes pulls it off in style! She's been on Broadway before, but never like this. She's a tough, street smart gal in England, Eliza Doolittle, turned into a lady before our eyes by Jefferson Mays as Professor of Phonetics, Henry Higgins.

The play, as many of you know, is what the musical My Fair Lady is based on. Sans music - it's still a powerhouse. George Bernard Shaw's words flow like water - ever eloquent, filled with energy and packed with meaning. I've not seen the musical or the play before and I have to report i thought that Henry Higgins, played by the ever affected Jefferson Mays was just a bit to odd for my liking. Having nothing else to compare against, i don't know if it's Jefferson being his usual "odd" self, or perhaps exactly how Shaw envisioned the role.

Roundabout seems to have yet another success story with this one. I doubt it will be a "sell out" smash hit, but it is certainly a treat for those who are hungry for a classic.

Mauritius

The 2007-2008 Season at the Manhattan Theater Club opened with a scam! Well, the show was about a scam anyway - a philatelist (stamp collector), a suspicious deal maker, a desperate woman, and two rare stamps from Mauritius.

The cast was led by last season's darling from Blackbird - Allison Pill. Also on stage was Katie Finneran (Noises Off and Pig Farm), Bobby Cannavale (Will's Boyfriend on Will and Grace), and Dylan Baker (I know him as one of the Law and Order "High priced attorneys - Sanford Rems).

My subscription is a preview subscription - so let's just assume the show will get tighter, sharper, and more comfortable with a little time. The actors all seem fully capable and the writing appears to be high quality. The comedy at times seemed a bit forced, but again, that will most likely mellow out with a few more weeks of performance.

The story, however, leaves me with a few questions that were never answered. There were a few "guns introduced in act one that were never used in act two". The biggest one was the mysterious story about why the family broke up. Abuse? Rape? Murder? Something else? We hear about it in act one, but never really find out the details - - and specifically - the plastic bag? Is there a spin off of Law and Order in the works or what?

I frequently found myself asking "why don't you just go somewhere else to sell the stamps?" For the length of the show - I would expect a deeper plot with a bit more character development. Although, that was partially offset by the quality of the acting and the general twists of the story.

A little mystery, some intrigue, and a murky past to all the characters hold your interest - And it will get you looking at the stamp on your next letter!

Auntie Mayhem

A gem down at the Wings Theater on Christopher Street. It's a small production - but one to be proud of. Tackles the topic of gay teens thrown out on the street - who will take care of them? What becomes of them? Who is there to help them?

Well, in this case - Auntie Mayhem (i am thinking a take off on Mame... but who am i to say). Felony Mayhem (her stage name) takes in 3 gay teens off the street - one by one... and raises them as her own with her sexy partner - BoBo.

The leading men were funny, sexy, and damn cute with their shirts off. And the kids - who are not really "kids" - were great. I can't think of a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon then supporting the arts by watching a show that one a host of GLAAD Awards.

Do your part - and get a ticket to the show! If nothing else, it's easy on the eyes...

Walmartopia

Well, if you're going to see Sam Walton immortalized, think again - this little gem is a WalMart Basher! I was pleasantly surprised at the top notch production quality down at the Minetta Lane Theater. The cast was reasonably talented and the sound, lights, and scenery were great for an off-Broadway production!

Now - about the story - well... it starts off just bashing WalMart - sort of an entertaining little storyline. It's funny, predictable... well that is until this mad scientist kept in the basement of the WalMart by the CEO is unveiled. He's got a time machine - and they want to send someone into the future to find out what the trends are and how to capture them NOW! They do actually send someone into the future (the other part of the story has the Mom and Daughter struggling to make ends meet working at WalMart - blah.. blah.. blah). It's this very Mom and daughter who get blasted into 2037 only to find out that WalMart runs the planet! Quite an entertaining thought - but c'mon...

The mad scientist is hysterical - a show stealer... the Peter Allen of the show, you might say. The board of Directors is mildly amusing (always rolling in chairs and some women dressed in men's suits!). Mom and daughter are quite talented - reminiscent of Tanya Pinkins of Caroline of Change. There's the Asian lady always dressed to the 9's... Lisa Ling, anyone? Oh, and let's not forget the head of Sam Walton - brought back to life - another far fetched idea - but generally funny. I guess we were supposed to learn that Sam was really a red-neck who made it big... not a very PC guy, if you know what i mean.

Overall - i left with a smile on my face - but kept wondering - Why is WalMart not suing the pants off these guys! Free publicity - good or bad.. is still free publicity i guess!

Tings Dey Happen

A terrific one man show at the Culture Project that entertains and educates about Oil Politics in Nigeria Delta. A fascinating review of the year that Dan Hoyle (writer and performer) spent in Nigeria as a Fulbright scholar in 2006-2006 . The characters he brings to the stage are a pastiche of ambassadors, local government officials, ex-pats working for oil companies, and locals of the delta.

The poignant piece, filled with lots of humor, tells the story of money, politics, corruption, and oil - and how they are all intertwined. It should be noted that Dan speaks in virtually "perfect" Pidgin English - quite a feat for the talented white boy! At times when he loses you (probably on purpose) he calls on a character in the play who is actually the stage manager to explain what just transpired - quite funny.

Quite a talented young man! I highly recommend this play to anyone who like a good story told to them. It's 90 Minutes with no intermission - and before you know it, he's taking a bow.

Bravo!

Hair - The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical

This production at the Acorn Theater on 42nd Street was a bit of a surprise. First, it's not an equity production. The Real Theater Company, lead by Maggie Levin, pulled off a move of it's midtown east production to a decent off-Broadway stage near the heart of the theater district.

There are some good and bad elements in this production. I have a feeling that even with the move to the Acorn, most of the staff is either unpaid or significantly under paid. The sound was awful. Microphones didn't work more often then they did work. The band was way to loud and overpowering- it should have been moved off-stage to compensate. The cast (and it is a large cast) didn't seem to be comfortable singing! Vocally, they were mostly unpolished and off-key. At times, it really did seem like a high school production. (a pretty good one for high school, but not so good for off-Broadway!).

Now - let's get to the good part. The actors were all physically committed and engaged - and dedicated to their characters and the drama. It's a physically demanding show. I saw lots of acting talent on stage. Two rather mesmerizing boys still stick out in my head - Anthony Michael Sanford as Woof and Kai Chapman as Apache - (ah, the beauty of youth!). The leads, Ryan Stone as Berger and Logan Hall as Claude showed great promise and I look forward to seeing them both acting on Broadway stage in the future.

The show ran close to 3 hours - as they didn't cut a single number! The talented band blasted out the shows favorites - Aquarius, Let the Sun Shine In, and the title number, Hair. The costumes and props were adequate - again, with a limited budget - they seem to have pulled that part off quite well (and it wasn't so bad looking at Apache without a shirt anyway).

I read another review of this production which noted that Hair was never intended to be polished and packed with talent. True to its origins at the Public Theater in 1967, it is actually meant to be raw and counter-establishment. To the discerning Broadway viewer - that may end up being a contradiction - both visually and aurally. It's possible that this production actually hits this original mark. Food for thought.

Overall, it must be quite fun, but still challenging, to spend 3 hours pretending you are stoned out of your mind! No doubt about it - this cast had FUN on stage. And that's important too!

Boys' Life

Howard Korder penned this play about 20 years ago - and it seems not a lot about the post-adolescent male heterosexual world has changed. I did not see the show in 1988 in it's Pulitzer Prize winning debut at Lincoln Center nor for it's revival in 1998. But I am guessing it was pretty much as accurate then as it was now. This production at the Spoon Theater on West 38th Street on the 5th floor is a far cry from Lincoln Center, that is for sure.

The play deals with 3 "boys" dealing with the issues that dog the male species at the tender age of "just after college". Party Boy. Sexual Conquests. Growing up. Marriage. Maturity. Growing Up. The changes in you vs the changes in your friends - growing apart. Jack, the central character, played by stand-out performer Ryan Nicholoff, portrays the dominant alpha male of the 3 boys - but ultimately reveals that it is he who has the biggest failings and insecurities.

The presentation this far "off Broadway" tends to showcase the play as much more of an experimental production - but at the same time - a bit more "real". The dumpy theater actually seemed as if it was appropriate to the low budget lifestyle of the boys. The ages and experience of the actors seemed to be both a plus and a minus to the production. Done in small vignettes - I most often got the sense that the scenes just ended. It was the most obvious element that made it seem like we were at a rehearsal, not a performance. The actors didn't know what to do to bring the scene to the dramatic ending that it should have.

Overall - it seems that Counting Squares Theatre made a solid attempt at mounting the work that remains as relevant as it was 20 years ago. It seems the straight boys have a few issues too!

Young Frankenstein

This is a review of the out-of-town “try-out” of an upcoming Broadway Show. Make no bones about it – this show is coming to Broadway. There’s not a chance in hell that Mel Brooks and his producer buddies will “pull the plug” on this $15 Million dollar investment!

But nobody ever said that putting on any Broadway show was easy. But putting on a brand new $15 Million dollar show that all the critics expect to be “perfect” and all the audiences expect to be “the best they’ve ever seen” is a feat that can only be undertaken with advance planning, rehearsal, skill, and sheer chutzpah. And if anyone can tackle that task – it’s the 81 year old Brooks.

Even though Mel Brooks co- wrote the screenplay – there is still a lot of effort required to translate that work from screen to stage while adding appropriate music. Putting on a flawless Broadway show that will “knock your socks off” is like proof-reading an important paper you wrote - over and over again. You check, recheck, edit and re-edit the story. A Broadway show is no different. With a mere 30 performances to understand audience reactions to the jokes, remove one here, add a zinger there, hold for the laughs here, or cut a number there – it really does require a bit of juggling. The actors are often given new lines. Songs changed. Lighting queues adjusted. Scenic movements adjusted. Lines changed again… and again! Doing all this out of the glare of the Broadway spotlight is critical. Big budget shows of today also have lots of technology – computer controlled sets, lights, sound and more. They don’t perfect themselves overnight. The actors and the technology have to meld. The folks who run the technology have to plug it in, try it out, change the dials, and adjust the volume. All this is necessary so that everyone feels it’s ready for “prime time” on the great white way. After all – once you are there and charging $250 a ticket, it better be perfect!

When all that rehearsing is complete (they don’t sell the show in Seattle as a “rehearsal”, but that’s what it really is) the show literally packs up everything into 18 wheelers and moves across the country to New York. Then they have to unpack everything and set it up all over again - - thus the need for “previews” in New York. Shows can be changed while on the “tryout” and still more in previews. Once previews are over, it’s pencils down. A joke that got a belly laugh in Seattle might get nothing more than a snicker from a more sophisticated New York audience. Sometimes it works the other way around - things people never laughed at out of town stop the show in New York (a joke by the Yiddish shoe shine man at the Transylvania Heights railroad station seemed to elicit nothing more than a few chuckles from the Seattle audience – but I’m sure that once the New York audience hears it applause and laughter will fill the theater). Sometimes you just can’t be sure what changes when the show moves to Broadway. One thing, however, is for sure – this show is has all the ingredients to be a smash hit - from the writing to the direction and choreography (ala Susan Stroman) to the technical staging (scenery design, sound design, lighting design and special effects). Fifteen million dollars goes a long way to buy that – but it doesn’t go all the way. The talent on stage is what takes it across the finish line.

The Cast: The cast of Young Frankenstein is a remarkably talented group - Roger Bart as the zany Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (Gene Wilder in the movie); Megan Mullally as his socialite fiancé, Elizabeth (Madeline Kahn’s role in the movie); Andrea Martin as the dubious Frau Blucher *insert sound effect* (Cloris Leachman’s role in the movie); Christopher Fitzgerald as the dutiful humpbacked Igor (Marty Feldman in the movie) and Sutton Foster as Inga, Dr. Frankenstein’s bodacious assistant (Teri Garr’s role in the movie); and Shuler Hensley as the monster (Peter Boyle’s movie role).

The show: Run Time - 2 minutes shy of 3 hours mostly due to the fact that Mr. Brooks and Ms Stroman stick to the entire plot of the movie – cutting nothing just yet, but I would image a few things will be trimmed here and there and we’ll get it down to 2:45 or 2:40 by the time it gets to NYC.

The Story: Well – what would you expect? It’s just like the movie – silly, chock full of Shtick, and hysterically predictable. The jokes and one-liners roll on and on and would you really expect anything less from Brooks?

The Music: The Orchestration is appropriately grand with a full overture, Ent’re Act and Finale. It’s schmaltzy, upbeat and a true Broadway composition. Kudos to Doug Besterman. There are plenty of chorus number and knock ‘em dead, show tapping show tunes. Honestly, mostly all un-memorable once you leave the theater, but all fun and silly toe-tapping schmaltz non-the-less. Even the ballads are comical – most notably Frau Blucher’s rendition in the laboratory of “He was Vas my Boyfriend”. I think that Irving Berlin might possibly turn over in his grave (laughing, of course) when he hears what they did to “Puttin’ on the Ritz”.

If I had one production note to give Mr. Brooks and Ms. Stroman- -improve the sound. (the sound, not the sound effects, which were remarkable.) I know the Seattle Paramount Theater is huge – radio city huge – but you can’t let the poor chorus go un-comprehended. At times I felt like the show was on stage next door and we were piping in the sound onto our stage. I truly hope this is just a function of the venue and is not the intended result at the Hilton Theater.

I’m sure there will be fans of the movie who will say “it pales in comparison”. I’m sure there will be folks who “hate it” because it’s just a movie remade and the jokes are stale. Yet others will flock to it just because it has Megan Mullally in it! Some will just go because it’s a Mel Brooks blockbuster on Broadway. And after the hit, The Producers, it’s a safe bet they’ll flock. Whatever your reason for attending - I am going out on a limb to say that this one might just be silly enough, packed with enough talent and technically dazzling enough to be worth the utterly criminal price of $250 - $400 per ticket they have the gall to charge in New York for it (but that’s the subject of a whole other blog).

Young Frankenstein - Coming alive to the Hilton Theater this October!

The People vs. Mona

I won another set of tickets from BroadwayBullet - Thanks again Michael Gilboe!! Isn't this fun?!

Well, if you don't think so, you sure will think so about The People vs. Mona. It can only be described as adorable! It's clever, cute, funny, light, and just right for a summer's evening of entertainment over at the Abington Arts Complex on West 36th Street. I understand from eavesdropping on a few conversations at intermission (i guess this could be false!) that some or all of the company is based out of North Carolina which certainly goes a long way in helping generate the warm feeling you should have about Tippo, a little southern town in Georgia half way between Atlanta and Savannah.

The show is told like a story - the main narrator is the defense lawyer for Mona, accused of murdering her new husband. It's a a small town and, as you might expect, one with a few "characters" - and guess what - they were on stage too! Everyone sings and dances - including the 3 piece band with the cute keyboard player Dan!).

Without revealing the entire story - let's just say you'll be grinning from ear to ear when you leave. I know I was and when you see the cast doing the same thing - you know it was truly fun to be a part of. This isn't your father's court room drama folks. Trust me on this one!

http://www.broadwaybullet.com/

Beyond Glory

A tasty summer piece put on at the Roundabout's Laura Pells Theater. The story, both written and performed by Stephen Lang, is a brief journey through the personas of 8 real medal of honor recipients from WWI all the way up to the Vietnam War and how they felt about what they did to earn such status heroic.

Stephen plays all 8 men in the course of 90 minutes. The story may not be everyone's cup of tea, but keep in mind it is neither pro or anti-war. It is neither republican or democrat - it's a very honest and clean slice of what makes us human and how war affects us in many ways.

Stephen's presence on stage is substantial. He has mostly mastered the accents (all but Senator Innoue, i think) and mannerisms of his many characters. By far i thought the soldier from New Jersey was his best. I'm sure many will have other opinions - but you'll just have to march on over and see for yourself.

Sessions

Sessions is a musical tour thru the current period in the life of Dr. Peterson - a therapist with your (not-so) average bundle of misfits for clients - and old bickering couple who just won't give up on their marriage, a struggling misfit rich kid who likes Bob Dylan, a battered cop's wife, a geek who has been in love with a girl he met over 15 years ago, a therapy addict, a millionaire who can't seem to by happiness and a woman with a past who tempts him.
It sounds a little contrived - and it was - but it's not $110 a ticket folks. As diverse were the patients, so was the range of emotions - from belly laughs to tears. My vote for stand-out vocal performance goes to Tricia Rapier (Mary). But at the same time I couldn't help but love antics of the the old married couple, (Mr. and Mrs. Murphy). Bertilla Baker and Jim Madden. The sets were clever too - transforming back and forth from from the stark exterior of an office waiting area to the modern warmth (and wealth) of a "Park Avenue" office with a view. Kudos to the designers.
I actually won the tickets for this show from my new favorite podcast - BroadwayBullet - so here's a shameless plug for Michael Gilboe and the great theater-happenings podcast he grinds out each week!

http://www.broadwaybullet.com

Xanadu

OK, it does occasionally happen. I was wrong. I admit it fully and publicly right here. Like the movie, I expected Xanadu on Broadway to be the world's worst! (Right behind anything Kurt Weil had something to do with, of course). How could I be wrong? Most of the free world considers Xanadu, the movie, to be a big bomb and CLM (career limiting move) for Olivia Newton-John. Boy was I wrong about this new show.

Xanadu on Broadway mocks everything - including itself ! The very clever book is written by Douglas Carter Beane - the genius behind The Little Dog Laughed. Make no bones about it- this play is a parody of the movie and the entire 1980's and everything that might ever be remotely connected to either! I thought that maybe you had to "know" the movie to "get" the musical - but the answer is a resounding "No"! This show does not require a cult following throwing toast at a movie screen (Rocky Horror Picture Show) or an audience that shows up knowing every line the author wrote (Monty Python's Spamalot). It simply requires a sense of humor and some inkling of what was funny about the 1980's.

Xanadu is pure candy - for the eye and soul. It's sweet, it's hysterical, it's got leg warmers, disco balls, roller-skates, Cheyenne Jackson (*sigh*), Tony Roberts, Jackie Hoffman and Mary Testa!! How could you go wrong with a cast like that?! The answer is - you can't!

It's 90 Minutes - no intermission - a formula that will probably benefit this show in the long run. Any longer and the jokes would get old and someone besides the original leading man might break a leg (he did and that's why Cheyenne was brought in). Curtis Holbrook and Andre Ward ham it up like two true divas really would. Be sure to notice that Curtis also showcases his tap dancing talents like a pro. (If Cheyenne is busy tonight, I'd be glad to keep Curtis company)

I'm not sure this one will knock Mama Mia off the Broadway boards - but it's got the same look and feel just in a much more intimate theater. It's not the same story as the movie - although loosely based on it. It's got much of the music from the movie - for which some might try to consider it a Juke Box Musical - but it's not exactly the music of a particular group (a la Jersey Boys), but it's not altogether different - being all the music sung by Olivia Newton John in the movie.

Put all that in a blender and out comes this outrageously funny and bewilderingly alluring new Musical playing over at the Helen Hayes Theater on West 44th Street - the street that is now home to Spamalot, Xanadu, and soon-to-be Young Frankenstein! Yikes!!

Rehearsal Video: http://www.theatermania.com/content/news.cfm/story/10867

Gypsy

Gypsy was truly one of the most anticipated theater event of 2007 - post Tony's no-less. As Rose says - "Ya either got it ...or ya ain't". And folks - Ms Lupone has got it! (video hightlights link below)

OK - so we were on our feet applauding the minute she pranced down the right center orchestra aisle - "Sing out Louise!", Rose exclaims as she opens the show. And sing out she did for the next 2 hours. She owned the role. She dominated the stage just as she did her daughters. With her signature vocal power and precision she belted out each Jule Styne note and each Sondheim Lyric. It's no wonder we were on our feet hollering as the "Rose" sign fell at the end of Act II and she belted out Roses Turn.

Now this show was not a Patti Lupone-only concert. Encores! now has air conditioning in City Center - so this show is a 3 week summer run off-book with full staging, orchestration, and choreography. There are other cast members and they indeed are stars in their own right and truly made the entire evening a production we will not soon forget.

Boyd Gaines played the beaten down, love-sick Herbie. Arthur Laurents, who wrote the book, directed this show (he's still alive and kicking) gave us a Herbie and Rose who were truly in love and you could see the chemistry between the two from the minute he laid eyes on Rose.

Laura Benatti could not have been a more beautiful and elegant Gypsy Rose Lee. When she performed Let me Entertain You at the end of act two and came out in a sequence of progressively more sexy outfits - I knew by the last one when she came out in a dress that appeared to be pure dripping-wet gold that we would be on our feet - - and indeed we were (again!).

And I can't let an opportunity pass to drool over another cute boy - so I'll just say now that Tony Yazbeck and I are getting married (I had a dream.... a dream about you, Tony...). I mean you can't stop looking at him anyway but it's an even bigger bonus that the dancing is so flawless and graceful too. (*sigh*)

Let's not forget about the kids... the newsboys and the farm boys... the Louises and the Junes - so many to cast and so cute to watch. One of my favorite scenes is the transition "gimmick" with the strobe light and the dancing kids where they "age" right before your very eyes. Kudos Arthur Laurents and most probably Jerome Robins whose original choreography was used in this production.

This production seemed to emphasise a Rose more comedic and sarcastic, all the while never losing the sense she had of the (albeit twisted) love she had for her daughters. It focused on the kids and the Act I production numbers in a bit more classical musical theater production sort of way. Each Rose and each production is always different. Ethel, Angela, Tyne, and Bernadette each put her stamp on the role. Now Ms Lupone has done the same.

All you need is $88 bucks... grab yourself a ticket and don't miss this very limited run. Everything's coming up Roses over at City Center for the next two weeks only. Curtain Up! Light the Lights! They got nothing to hit but the heights!

Video Highlights!! http://www.broadwayworld.com/videoplay.cfm?colid=19980

The Phantom of the Opera

I've reached a very momentous moment in my theater-going life. When i was 19 years old, I booked tickets 8 months in advance (yes, that's how long you used to have to wait for tickets),ventured into the city with a friend and attended my first Broadway Musical on my own! This Playbill is the FIRST in my stack of Playbills. (I save them all, if you couldn't already know or have guessed!). Over 300+ later - i now have a genuine duplicate!

Perhaps it's just the passing of time that enhances ones memories of the event... my first show... it was a big theater... we had orchestra seats... we got all dressed up... i recall the electricity in the air... i recall it fondly. I'm sure the theater was not as big i remember it to be. I am sure that there were many people with discount tickets in the audience and that someone sang a bad note or maybe flubbed a line, but I don't remember any of that. I was going to the theater and this was the biggest and best show that I could pick to see! I am positive that my rose colored glasses are still on whenever i look back.
Fast forward - When my awesome theater-going friend, Tom, told me he won tickets to see The Phantom of the Opera and asked me to go with him - I was torn.
"I don't see shows twice", I said. "And of all the shows, you won tickets to that modern day tourist trap?", I muttered.
Upon further reflection I decided that maybe it was time to have a repeat. Maybe it was time to visit something that was a distant memory. I'll update my opinion, record a review, maybe it will be bigger and better than I recall. Is it possible? Well, the answer is a big fat "NO!"
While the show is still the epic Andrew Lloyd Webber saga as it always was meant to me - I was embarrassed for all the tour bus patrons who attended. They were being duped in to thinking this was a GOOD show! I'm sure all their aunts and grandmothers told them to go to New York City and see a big Broadway show - like Phantom (or, god forbid, Mama Mia!).
Pedestrian! Run of the Mill. Emotion-less. Clearly director-less and direction-less. Actors going thru the motions with little gusto. The numbers were barely dramatic. The acting was marginal. The orchestra must have been missing 3 or 4 key players - it sounded anemic. I remember the theater shaking when the chandelier fell. I think it shook more when the "A" train passed by under 8th Avenue!
I left feeling a little bummed. I was disappointed, but even more i was angry for the tourists. Did all these tourists just see what they believed to be a "great" show? How they were robbed and they didn't even know it! Shame on the producers for turning this into the "Grey Gardens" musical on Broadway (i.e run down and shabby).
So - it is with great sadness that I lay this first duplicate playbill down on my pile. I am sure it was a lot better 18 years ago, albeit probably not quite as great as I seem to think it was. I just hope some young 19 year old kid didn't attend this show today and think "Ehhhh.. Broadway isn't really all that good - I think I'll go see a WWF event next week."

Old Acquaintance

A gem of a play - light and fun - just what's needed as the summer approaches. This old John van Druten play staring Margaret Colin and Harriet Harris couldn't be more enjoyable. Two childhood friends and rivals battle it out on stage over men, relationships, a daughter, a husband, and writing books - all in a very lady-like way. Think Lucy and Ethel, but a bit more serious, and a bit more intelligent.

For those history buffs - this one originally starred Jane Cowl and Peggy Wood on Broadway in 1940 - and then was made into a Warner Bros. movie in 1943 starring Bette Davis and Miriam Hopkins (now that's a pair I'd love to have seen!).

Harriet Harris and Margaret Colin have the leading-lady comedic chops to make this one work! Although a bit dated - New York City circa 1940 - the play still conveys the core message - about friendship and rivalry - quite effectively.
If you get the opportunity - check this one out at the Roundabout this summer!

Facing East

A must see. 75 Minutes; 3 Actors; and 1 story based on the Mormon religion and homosexuality. Plan-B Theater Company - Kudos for a marvelous evening of theater.

Charles Lynn Frost, Jayne Luke and Jay Perry - - I believed every word you uttered. Carol Lynn Pearson - your writing is powerful and covertly expository. Your dialogue effortlessly educated the audience as to the whys and wherefores of the Mormon religion which play directly into the emotional conflict on stage.

I never felt i was being taught or preached at, but in reality both were true. Jerry Rapier your direction, the subtle handling of the characters' movements, and dramatic lighting was suburbly planned and executed throughout. In the silence on stage often the sound by Cheryl Ann Cluff enveloped the audience and told its own story.

Two devout Mormon parents attempt to come to grips with the suicide death of their gay son. As if that was not enough to generate emotion - his son's partner shows up at the grave site.

Who really knew this boy? Who's fault is his death? What will God think about each of them at the judgement day?

A Quote from Rabbi Harold Kushner printed in the Playbill sums it up nicely:

~ "Thank you Carol Lynn Pearson, for reminding us that the task of any religion is to teach us whom we're required to love, not whom we're entitled to hate." ~