Okay, so A Streetcar Named Desire came back to Broadway with a black cast and everyone was like "Whoa!!!!!!!" but I'm really not sure why, because I didn't even notice. My family wanted to see this more than I did, so we went when they came in for my birthday/to move me back home for the summer. I have never seen the movie and I have never read the play, so I wasn't quite sure what I was in for (I know, how could I have not seen or read such an iconic piece when I was a theater major AND I'm currently getting a Masters in cinema studies? Oopsies), but it was certainly something interesting. Wood Harris was charming and I felt really bad for him/I was angry at him for not making a bigger effort with Blanche, but that has nothing to do with him and everything with the way it was written. He definitely held his own in such a strong cast and I really enjoyed watching him. Daphne Rubin-Vega was endearing as Stella and I really enjoyed her performance. I didn't like Stella, but not because of her, just because of what she does and how she acts. She had good chemistry with Blair Underwood and they clearly had a tumultuous, primal relationship. It was really great. Blair Underwood was GREAT. My mom said he wasn't as raw as Marlon Brando, but since I have nothing to compare him to, I thought he did a good job. He was annoying and terrible and despicable and it was really great. Like I said about End of the Rainbow, I like when a play leaves a complicated feeling in my stomach and this one more certainly did. Nicole Ari Parker was AMAZING. She was an absolutely brilliant and beautiful Blanche and I'm so stunned and offended that there was not more hype surrounding her and that she didn't get any nominations. She, not unlike Tracie Bennett, was stunning in such an uncomfortable and sad way, especially since they are women who are suffering from mental collapse. Blanche is so complex and Parker just absolutely blew me away. It's been months and I'm still just flabbergasted by how outstanding she was. I really cannot wait to see her on stage in something else because she was phenomenal. She was manic and disconnected and fake and static and when Stanley rapes Blanche and she comes back clearly broken, it breaks your heart. I have never felt worse at the end of a play than I did at the end of Streetcar, but in a good way that I feel was the intention. She does an excellent job of making you feel terrible for Blanche, despite the fact that Blanche is not a very good character and not admirable at all - she's kind of terrible, but a lot less so than abusive Stanley or passive Stella. I really liked the set and the jazz music that was included in this production. It gave the image of a hot, humid summer's day in the south and it really felt like it was there and happening and real. Blanche's costumes were amazing. I loved all of them. She looked so beautiful and it was so tragic to see her dressed as a perfect lady and knowing it was just a cover for this horribly broken and destroyed woman. Costume Design was the one Tony nomination that this show did receive. I give this performance an A. It was really good and it was really strong. Again, I had nothing to compare it to, but I will probably be watching the film adaptation the next time it comes on TCM. This was only a limited engagement and the show closed July 22nd, 2012, after 105 performances and 23 previews.
I. LOVE. JUDY. GARLAND. So, when I heard there was a play coming chronicling her last few performances, I had to go. I had to. I also had never seen something classified as a play on Broadway, yet, so this was exciting for me. Let's talk about the set first. It was absolutely beautiful and plush as the hotel. It was warm and extravagant just like they were during the 60s. The stage smoothly transitioned back and forth between Judy's performance spaces and this hotel and I really enjoyed that. It was beautiful and the lights were nice and romantic. The costumes were equally amazing and appropriate to the period and classy. It was plush and rich and elegant, even if Judy wasn't. Tom Pelphrey played Mickey Deans, Judy's manager and last husband. He was deliciously sleazy. I was a little sad, because initially he started off seeming like a good guy with good intentions, keeping Judy sober and making sure she was together and getting on the stage for her performances, but towards the end he just lost it and when he force feeds her pills, it was the most uncomfortable thing I witnessed on stage, maybe ever - which is good! Plays should not always be happy and sunshine, they should make an audience feel different emotions. Michael Cumpsty was absolutely charming as Anthony, Judy's gay friend and pianist. He absolutely broke my heart at the end when he was begging Judy to marry him and he could take care of her and they could live in the country. It was so tragic because he clearly cared about her and truly had her best interests at heart and he just wanted to save his friend, but she didn't want to be saved and chose Mickey instead. Cumpsty was nominated for a Tony and he was really great. His moments with Tracie Bennett were charming and sweet, especially when he gets her ready for a performance by putting on her makeup. He was poised and deliberate and it was a great performance by him. Which brings us to the star, Ms. Tracie Bennett as Judy Garland. This was a truly OUTSTANDING performance. I laughed, I cried, I felt uncomfortable, I felt sad. I didn't see any of the other women nominated for Lead Actress in a Musical, but I was irate when Tracie Bennett did not win for this performance. She truly made you forget at some points that you were not watching Judy. It was really sad to watch, because as good as she was, she was also very manic and high-energy in the way addicts typically are and it broke my heart to think of Judy Garland in this way, so close to the end of her death. Most of what she says is funny in a very sad way, because she doesn't necessarily mean it to be funny - it's just how she saw the world. She honestly blew me away and by the end of the show I was bawling. I really enjoyed the format of the play, juggling between recreating these performances and the behind-the-scenes action. It was an interesting change of pace from a typical static play and I'm intrigued to see more of this come out into Broadway, like Peter and the Starcatcher. End of the Rainbow was probably one of my favorite shows that I saw. I give this an A+. It really affects you. Unfortunately, End of the Rainbow closed on Broadway on August 19th, 2012, after just 176 performances. Fortunately, rumor has it that there will be a film adaptation starring Tracie Bennett so everyone will be able to see what a star she is. Maybe she'll even get some Oscar recognition!
Okay. Newsies. This is the first show that I spent full-price on. At the time, I had heard nothing but good things about it, I was in love with Jeremy Jordan from Bonnie and Clyde, and it was still a limited engagement with a lottery rush. I HAD to see it because, as someone who was not part of this cult who loved the 1992 movie starring Christian Bale (yes, Batman), I had some pretty high expectations for it. I don't want to say those expectations weren't met...but...they weren't. And now is about when I get assassinated via the internet by crazy Newsies fans. I'M SORRY, but I don't get the appeal! In fact, I will go so far to say if Andrew Keenan-Bolger (Crutchie) and Jeremy Jordan (Jack Kelly) were not in it, I'd be kind of pissed that I spent over $100 on this for my birthday. Now, I'm not saying it's not a great show, because clearly people are LOVING it, but it just was not my cup of tea. Let's talk about the choreography for a second, though. THAT was amazing. The men in this musical are absolutely OUTSTANDING. I loved them. I may not have cared about what the action was, but when they were dancing, nothing else in the world mattered. I could not stop staring at them with my mouth agape, genuinely impressed. It has been so long since I have seen that level of talent in a musical and it was refreshing to see something so choreographed. I was just so impressed. I have never seen something more deserving of a Tony in my life and I'm glad they were awarded with the Best Choreography Tony. Kudos. The music was okay. I didn't buy the entire cast recording, but I bought a few songs including "Santa Fe," "The World Will Know," "Seize the Day," and "Brooklyn's Here." Those are the four that really stood out to me, and "Santa Fe" was extra perfect because it was Jeremy Jordan's big belt number. Jeremy Jordan is a phenomenal performer and he really lights up a stage. He's a star. I can't wait to see more from him. Andrew Keenan-Bolger as Crutchie is absolutely perfect. I wish he was (spoiler alert) in the second act. That may have made me like it less, because I was so Crutchie-less for so long. He's charming and so fun and he's just so amazing. I'm surprised he wasn't nominated for a Tony. I did not like Kara Lindsay at all as the Bill Murray character from the film combined with the Sarah character. Her voice made me want to jump off of the mezzanine. Sorry. She also seemed like a hastily created character (which she probably was) and I just didn't...feel anything for her. I didn't need Jack Kelly to end up with her. I don't think it would've hurt to include David and Les's family life - this show definitely could've used more female characters. I didn't see the film, but I like this part of the synopsis when Jack meets their family and everything. It could've been sweet if it was done well. I like to think it couldn't be done well, so they cut it, though - something more shows (especially musical adaptations of films) should try. The set was neat, if you go see it, don't sit too far back in the orchestra - I was advised not to since the set is so high, the mezzanine cuts off some of the action that happens on the third story of the set. The set was kind of neat, but nothing to write home about. I enjoyed the projections - something that seems to be increasingly common in Broadway productions (Bonnie and Clyde, Rent, etc.) and they were used very well in this production. I can't quite pinpoint why I wasn't so blown away with this show. Maybe because it was so hyped up and everyone was like, "You will love it," and my friends have been obsessing about it since it was at Paper Mill. Once was enough for me. If you love the movie, I'd see it, but if you're on the fence, I definitely wouldn't rush to pay full price (though the lottery will probably be crazy for a while if Wicked is any indication). I'd give Newsies (for me) a B-. It did not live up to the hype for me. Newsies has been extended from a limited engagement to an open run, currently playing at the Nederlander. Jeremy Jordan has left to film Smash and Corey Cott is now Jack Kelly. To get tickets and learn more, visit www.newsiesthemusical.com!
Let's talk about the dark horse of the 2012 Tony season: Leap of Faith. This musical, based on the 1992 Steve Martin film, was DESTROYED by critics and it shocked everyone when it was only nominated for one Tony, which was Best Musical. I have never seen the film, so I didn't really know what to expect and frankly, the synopsis didn't particularly strike my fancy, but it was starring Raul Esparza singing music written by Alan Menken. When things like that come together, if you like theater, you go. So, the story is that Esparza plays Jonas Nightengale, a con man that stages revivals to steal money from townies and he blows into a small, down on their luck Kansas town in the middle of a drought. Jonas works with his sister, Sam (played by Kendra Kassebaum) and his friend/singer/book keeper, Ida Mae (played by Kecia Lewis-Evans) and the rest of his Angels to spy and swindle towns, blowing out of town before they know what happened. Which is the plan when the story starts until Jonas meets a woman (the sheriff, Marla, played by Jessica Phillips) and her son, Jake (played by Talon Ackerman), who is in a wheelchair after the car accident that killed her husband and his father. I went into this knowing that reviews were absolutely terrible, but being in love with Raul Esparza and Alan Menken, I did not care. AND I'M GLAD I DID NOT CARE. I absolutely fell IN LOVE with this show. I am devastated that it closed and did not do better. It was like Bonnie & Clyde syndrome all over again and it devastated me. I went twice within a week because I needed more before I couldn't see it anymore. The music was so fun and outstanding. I really enjoyed just about every song and thankfully, there will be a cast recording so this can live on and hopefully others will discover it and the show will get a second life. The lyrics were smooth and fun, every now and then a little verbose, but it was catchy and I caught myself singing "Rise Up" for the next like four days. The ensemble was amazing. They all were clearly so in love with this show and they had so much fun, which really made it energetic and great. There was some audience participation, handing out fake money to put into a collection basket during the first act, taking video beforehand to put on screens and juggling between a live-"revival" and a flashback to retell the story - there were direct addresses, but it worked. This cast was having the time of their lives and it was refreshing to see people who loved something so much and pour their hearts and souls into a show. Plus Bryce Ryness and Louis Hobson were in it, which made me so happy because I love them. Let's single some people out, shall we? Krystal Joy Brown played Ornella, Ida Mae's daughter and one of the Angels. I saw her in a touring production of Rent years ago and I absolutely loved her then she has just gotten better with time. Her voice is absolutely OUTSTANDING and I love her. When she sang "On the Bus" with Kendra Kassebaum and Kecia Lewis-Evans, everyone in the audience, both nights, lost their minds. We were screaming and squealing and clapping. This is a trio of powerhouse women and it's not fair that I cannot see them perform together whenever I feel like it because they were outstanding. Krystal Joy Brown is a true triple threat - she can sing her butt off, dance her butt off, and she can act. I need to see more of her. Kendra Kassebaum is better known for playing Glinda in Wicked, but she was great as Sam. Sam's character was a little static, but she really was sweet and her heart was in the right place. I really enjoyed what Kassebaum did with the character that could've been further developed. Kecia Lewis-Evans as Ida Mae was outstanding. She's just got a phenomenal voice and every time she opened her mouth I just wanted to cry. I'm most excited for the cast recording to be able to listen to her whenever I feel like it. Leslie Odom Jr. from the TV show Smash, played Ida Mae's son, Isaiah, who usually only sees things in black and white and dreams of being a real reverend. I love this man. He's perfect. He's sweet (we waited at the stage door hahaha), but he played this character that I wasn't sure I liked. He can dance, which is what he does most often in Smash, but his voice is absolutely amazing. If Ida Mae's family were real, they'd make me sick because that much talent should not be allowed in one family. He's despicable, but the audience cannot be that mad at him because he's just trying to save the townspeople and his family. Jessica Phillips was a really great love interest/antagonist/star. She reminded me of Idina Menzel, a lot, and she's really great. She has a great voice and she looked beautiful (tall and statuesque) and she had fantastic chemistry with Raul Esparza. The only thing I didn't like was how quick she was to jump in bed with him, I wasn't sure I quite bought that. Lastly, Mr. Esparza himself. He definitely carries this show and his song at the end, "Jonas' Soliloquy" was AMAZING. THAT alone was worth the money. It definitely seemed like a vehicle to let Raul Esparza shine, but I'm not even mad and shine he did. He was truly outstanding and he matched all of the chemistry that everyone threw his way and I cannot believe this cast could do this with this energy eight nights a week and critics were not impressed. The set was absolutely beautiful. It was very simple, but the lighting made everything soft and nice and aesthetically pleasing. They used a lot of the theater, including the audience, the balconies as exits, etc. and that's something I always really enjoy. There were some lulls in the story where things could've been explained a little better or differently (like I said, Jonas' relationship with Marla), but then there were things that I really loved to watch (like Jonas' relationship with Jake). Plus, at the end, it rains. It's a huge water number, which I'm always impressed with on stage because they are so intricate and complicated to do. Way to be, Leap of Faith. This was a FUN show and I'm so mad that no critics seemed to truly appreciate that. It was such a heavy season, I feel, that it was refreshing and nice to see a musical that was just as fun for the audience as it seemed to be for the cast. It didn't even get a chance to truly shine. When they performed at the Tony Awards, my mom was like "Why is Mamma Mia still open and this isn't?" Good question, mom. I need the cast recording IMMEDIATELY. It is coming. Buy it. It was really fun music and a really great show with a lot of heart. Alan Menken tweeted that it would be released mid-September, so I'm waiting, stalking iTunes and Amazon constantly for a release date. I give Leap of Faith a B. It had some flaws, but it was not as terrible as people made it out to be. It had a bunch of complicated and lovable characters. Unfortunately, this show closed May 13th 2012, after only 24 previews and 20 performances. Robbed.
YAY! The show I was DYING to see: Wicked! I saw the touring cast in 2010 when they stopped in Pittsburgh, but I was dying to see it on Broadway in its home. I was trying and trying to win the lottery to no avail and then one frigid day, I got lucky! I won a front row ticket to Wicked! So, first things first: front row is terrible. It was a phenomenal show and I loved it, but it kind of sucked sitting that close because it was like sitting in the front row at a movie and having to turn your head from side to side to see the action and it was harder to take it all in. I would rather have a partial view further back (like for How to Succeed or Billy Elliot), but I got to see it for $26, I cannot complain. I was also excited because Richard H. Blake was Fiyero. I love him as Warner in Legally Blonde, so I was really excited to see him. He was good! He was not the best Fiyero (how can someone compete with Norbert Leo Butz or Aaron Tveit?), but he was really good and he had some lovely runs. I really enjoyed his vocals in "Dancing Through Life," although he seemed a little lackluster and not as energetic as one would think Fiyero would be during his big number and that was a little bummer. But he was charming and I really believed the switch to loving Elphaba. Speaking of Elphie, Jackie Burns is an AMAZING Elphaba. She has a beautiful voice and her "Defying Gravity" brought me to tears. She's outstanding and I really loved being so close because she was never out of the moment. She was so enthusiastic to go to Shiz and she was so overprotective of her sister and caring. She was truly spectacular. I adored her. When she came out at the end I lost it and I was bawling when she left with Fiyero. She had a really spectacular chemistry with Chandra Lee Schwartz. Chandra Lee Schwartz might be one of my favorite Glindas of all time, based on what I've seen on YouTube (though I saw Katie Rose Clark in Pittsburgh and she was absolutely HILARIOUS). She has an OUTSTANDING voice. She is an absolute powerhouse and she's so beautiful and so great. I loved her a lot. I would love to see the show again to see her again. She was bubbly and energetic and I really truly felt for her revelations with Elphaba and Fiyero and her "Thank Goodness" really broke my heart. She was phenomenal and I'm so lucky to have seen her. The set is outstanding and the ensemble was fantastic and it was clear that they felt blessed to be part of such a significant show. I really enjoyed watching them and it was great to be able to look at them so close, none of them (that I saw) broke character and stayed in the action at all times. I love Wicked's set and I really enjoy how they use the entire stage. It isn't much different from the tour set, it's just more intricate and solid. I also really enjoyed the lighting and the special effects used throughout the show and the flying monkeys were great. I would give Wicked an A. The show was great, the cast was amazing, but I'd maybe rethink the lottery, just because you are so close it's a little hard to take in the entire scene, especially when Elphaba flies for "Defying Gravity." Wicked is still playing at the Gershwin Theater and you can get tickets and find out more at www.wickedthemusical.com!
Wow. How I Learned to Drive. What a show. I first read this play while I was in high school, not paying attention during an English class. It was in our anthology and I started reading it (we were talking about Julius Caesar - no, thanks) and finished it by the time the period was over and I was horrified and captivated at the same time. Since then, I've always been interested to see how it was done, so I was excited to hear that it was going to be done this year, especially with Norbert Leo Butz (even though that scared me). I love Norbert Leo Butz. I wish I had been able to see him in The Last Five Years because I love that show's music and I'm sure he was absolutely incredible. He has the voice of angels. I was nervous to see him in this because he wasn't singing and because he was Uncle Peck. Just to give you some background, this is the general synopsis of the play from Wikipedia: "The story follows the strained, sexual relationship between Li'l Bit and her aunt's husband, Uncle Peck, from her adolescence through her teenage years into college and beyond. Using the metaphor of driving and the issues ofpedophilia, incest, and misogyny, the play explores the ideas of control and manipulation." It is definitely not a show that you leave feeling okay with. I left feeling kind of uncomfortable and stunned, despite knowing what was going to happen and it gets very raw and it can be a little hard to take. I think it was acted beautifully, though I think Elizabeth Reaser was a little...dramatic. It's a dramatic show, but she played young in a very sort of stereotypical way and she was a little loud and a little static. It would've been interesting to see what the Twihards who were there thought, because there were definitely people waiting for her after with DVDs and books for her to sign. The chorus was a little strange, but I really enjoyed the end when Li'l Bit both, flips out on Uncle Peck after he asks a question when she's in college and when the audience gets to see how this all started - the first time Uncle Peck feels Li'l Bit up in the car. The whole play is a little unsettling, especially, because it's clearly not entirely all Uncle Peck, which really makes an audience member question what they know and what's right versus what's wrong. At one point, Li'l Bit's mother and aunt both confront her about what she's doing and how it is wrong - which is a little disconcerting because she is a child, but she's also old enough to know what she's doing. The stage was neat and really pretty. There wasn't too much to say, it stayed more or less the same throughout the entire show, with lighting and props playing a big part in really changing up where we are. It reminded me a lot of the productions put on at the Pittsburgh Public Theater, which made me a little soft, thinking about home. It is a very thought-provoking play and it certainly makes the audience think after - which is something I love about plays. I love musicals because they are so happy and upbeat and usually resolve neatly, but when a play is not afraid to be dark and go some place that the audience may find uncomfortable, I find that to be the best. All in all, I'd give this show a solid B. Norbert Leo Butz was really outstanding as Uncle Peck and I did feel bad for him, unfortunately Elizabeth Reaser brought it down a little bit. This show closed March 11, 2011.
