Looking Forward to Fall

Every few months, I stop and take stock of what I've seen recently and what I am looking forward to in the coming months. Today I thought I'd look at what I really want to see that will be beginning previews during the months of September, October and November.  Before I do that, though, here was what I was looking forward to over the summer months.  I saw all  of the shows on my list, except for Follies, which I will be seeing shortly. 

Talk about an assortment of experiences!  From mega-spectacle to minimalist romance to campy excess on a budget, the summer of shows was completely fulfilling, despite a range of success.  I thought the best of the bunch was off-Broadway's Death Takes a Holiday (A+), and (relatively speaking) the worst of them was RENT (C), though I wouldn't mind seeing it again to see if I might like it better with a second viewing.  In between, I loved Lysistrata Jones (A-) and can't wait to see how it "grows up" in its move to Broadway.  And I was glad that the best parts of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark 1.0 were still in the final version, and disappointed with the score (B-).

This fall looks to have the same potential for variety.  You'll notice that I have included some off-Broadway shows, too, in an effort to expand my New York theatre going beyond Times Square.

PLAYS

The Submission - MCC Theater at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (Off-Broadway)

I have a subscription to the entire MCC season, which started simply because I wanted to get tickets to its winter offering, Carrie.  But when reading about the rest of their season, I had to see all three shows!  Of course, the director of this new play by Jeff Talbott, Walter Bobbie would be draw enough, but the subsequently announced cast Eddie Kaye Thomas, Will Rogers, Rutina Wesley and Jonathan Groff made this a must-see in my mind.  And the topic of this world premiere production - the creation of theatre under the guise of a phony artist in order to even be heard, among other things - intrigues me.  Art about making art is always, at the very least, interesting.  Here's hoping it poses more questions than answers to ponder over after the final curtain.

Chinglish at the Longacre Theatre (Broadway)

Any new work by David Henry Hwang is worth considering - I've been a huge fan of his since the brilliant and beautiful M. Butterfly.  And the press it is getting from its Chicago premiere certainly ups the ante.  But the real draw here is for my theatre companion, Mike, who studies linguistics and the Chinese language.  I look forward to lengthy chats about those subjects.  It could be the best possible combination of entertainment and thought-provoking education.

Wild Animals You Should Know - MCC Theater at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (Off-Broadway)

Another world premiere, this time a play by Thomas Higgins, that sound both intriguing and thought-provoking.  The play, according to the MCC website is about a father chaperoning a wilderness camp out who gets drawn into his son and another scout's game of cat and mouse.  Creepy...

Other Desert Cities at the Booth Theatre

The playwright: Jon Robin Baitz.  The cast: Stockard Channing, Rachel Griffiths, Judith Light, Stacy Keach and Thomas Sadoski.  Why wouldn't this be on the list?



MUSICALS

The New York Musical Theatre Festival

At the suggestion of Mike, and his argument that my favorite show next to normal started out here, we are going to try it out this fall.

Ghostlight

A musical about a real life Ziegfeld girl with a checkered past, along with many other theatre legends (Florenz Ziegfeld, Billie Burke and Fanny Brice) certainly pleases the history fan in me, and the cast, which includes Daisy Egan (Tony winner The Secret Garden), Rachel York (Drama Desk nominee Victor/Victoria, City of Angels) and Michael Hayden (Tony nominee Carousel, Cabaret) is exciting.  I am really looking forward to this one!

Greenwood

The fan of the film Camp in me makes this show - about former theatre campers who come back together after years apart to celebrate an event at the camp -  is interested in this show.  It should be interesting no matter what, potentially sweet, funny and, forgive the pun, campy.  The cast assembled for this festival entry - Andrea McArdle (Tony nominee Annie, Starlight Express, State Fair), Cary Shields (RENT, Taboo) and Felicia Finley (The Wedding Singer) - will certainly show its greatest strengths, I'm sure.

Godspell at Circle in the Square (Broadway)

I am a huge fan of this vintage show - its cast recording was one of the first I ever bought (I still have it on vinyl).  An early work by Stephen Schwartz, the score is brimming with catchy songs ("Day By Day", "Prepare Ye") and beautiful ballads ("All Good Things" , "On the Willows").  I am looking forward to a fresh, creative take on this story of the last days of Jesus Christ.  I am excited to see Hunter Parrish, who I loved in Spring Awakening.

Bonnie and Clyde at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre (Broadway)

I love dark, potentially dangerous musicals,  What could be darker than real-life Depression-era killers on the run who are in love with each other.  If Laura Osnes and Jeremy Jordan can be this dark and sexy in just one picture, I'm sure they are terrific together.  And I'm hoping Frank Wildlhorn will finally have another decent hit show.

Lysistrata Jones at the Walter Kerr Theatre (Broadway)

I loved it in a tiny gym.  I can't wait to see how they get it to a Broadway-sized show while still keeping all the charm.  I trust Douglas Carter Beane.  I hope they keep the same cast, too!  We shall see...

On a Clear Day You Can See Forever at the St. James Theatre (Broadway)

I know nothing about the original show, but I hope the gender switch of a main character/gay theme works FOR the end result, not AGAINST it.  But if anyone can pull this edgy twist off, it is director Michael Mayer.  And I really want to finally see Harry Connick, Jr.

An Evening with Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre (Broadway)

Considering how many fall shows there are that I want to see, this one might not make it for me.  I love Ms. LuPone (as you all know) and she puts on a hell of a concert - I've seen her in that capacity twice.  But I really don't care for Mandy Patinkin - he was great in The Wild Party - but as himself, he annoys me to no end.  Self-indulgent, vocal histrionic, shrill... is there enough Patti to calm down that beast?

The last few don't open until early December, so I might have to put a few of these off, but I hope to see all of these.  The musicals are a given, and I hope to catch most if not all of these plays.

Which shows are you looking forward to?  Write in and let me know!


Rate this blog below, and leave your comments here, by email at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com, or Tweet me!
Jeff
3.004

REVIEW: Company (NY Philharmonic Film)

Review of the filmed version of Stephen Sondheim's Company at the Avery Fischer Hall in New York City. Running time: 2 hours, 30 minutes. Starring Neil Patrick Harris, Patti LuPone, Katie Finneran, Anika Noni Rose, Martha Plimpton, Jill Paice, Christina Hendricks, Jennifer Laura Thompson, Chryssie Whitehead, Jon Cryer, Stephen Colbert, Jim Walton, Craig Bierko and Aaron Lazar. With Alexa Green, Fred Inkley, Rob Lorey and Jessica Vosk,  Callie Carter, Ariana DeBose, Sean Ewing, Ashley Fitzgerald, Lorin Latarro and Lee Wilkins.  The New York Philharmonic under the baton of Paul Gemignani. Choreography by Josh Rhodes and direction by Lonny Price.

Grade: A+

Including last night's filmed version of the NY Philharmonic production of Stephen Sondheim's Company, I've have the great fortune of seeing 4 professional productions of this classic musical.  Company is probably my second favorite Sondheim score (Sweeney Todd being the first), and so I looked forward to this particular production since the second it was announced, figuring that at least a live recording would be made.  Then, miracles of miracles, it was announced as a film that would play theatres across the country!  Of course, the reason to look forward to this particular production was that it featured one of the world's most celebrated orchestras under the baton of the truest musical director of Sondheim musicals, Paul Gemignani, and using the glorious original orchestrations of Jonathan Tunick.  The wait was worth it, and I was not disappointed.

Hearing that score, the underscoring and "the vocal minority" background choral accompaniment through a crystal clear sound system gave me wave after wave of goose-bumps and smiles.  It was a true thrill to hear it the way it was meant to be and not pared down due to budget restraints or directorial concept.

Of course, Company is a book musical, not through-composed, so attention must be paid to that as well.  And I am happy to report that director Lonny Price and his terrific cast have not only nailed the pathos and darker undercurrents of the show, but they have also brought the sense of humor - cynical and "New Yawk" as it is - back to a piece that has, in more recent productions, become mired down in the long-running quest to demystify the Sondheim influence.  As with Sweeney Todd, and all of his musicals, really, Sondheim's darker side is much deeper and more interesting when coupled with the sense of wonder and humor that his shows have.  That couldn't be more true than with this particular production of Company.  Joanne's cynical bitchiness is much more interesting when you get to see the way she uses humor like putty that holds her cracked veneer of harshness precariously in place.  Amy's terror at taking the plunge is always played for laughs, but when the actress playing the role is allowed moments of soul-searching seriousness, it makes her ultimate decision that much more clear and understandable.  And, of course, showing a delight and love and sense of humor for all of his relationships makes each and every one of Bobby's couple-specific mood swings and life-changing realizations much more "everyman-relatable" than when he is played as a one-note self-loathing/self-absorbed/self-questioning bore (in other productions, it has been a take your pick of any of the three - at least here, Bobby is a mix).

The Company Company

Price's direction is complex in its emotional depth, but it and the choreography, by Josh Rhodes, have a light, breezy air about them.  Set on the large stage with several love seat size set pieces (i.e. big enough for a couple, but a third party is squeezed in - get it?) that are moved into various configurations, the show is in constant motion, even, at one point, with the couple moving across the screen not unlike a roller coaster.  Similarly, Rhodes' choreography seamlessly slides in and out of the action.  Particularly terrific in this production is the inclusion of "Tick Tock" featuring leggy dance dynamo (and down to earth Kathy) Chryssie Whitehead in an homage to role-creator Donna McKechnie, along with other equally lithe chorus girls who gyrate in silhouette behind silky slips of material. As quickly as they appear, they vanish, just as a night of passion ends when he rolls over and she dreams of being cuddled.  "Side By Side," prominently featured at the Tony Awards, was a much grander affair in the film - longer and better executed - especially the hilarious and astonishing lifting done by Stephen Colbert, Martha Plimpton and Neil Patrick Harris.

The cast is, not too surprisingly, uniformly good, with each individual's strengths being played up and their weaknesses covered well.  Vocally, it is probably no surprise that Broadway regulars Craig Bierko and Aaron Lazar sound the most robust of the males, and they add much to the male-centered numbers.  Their roles are small, but both do wonders with what they have to work with, particularly Bierko, who plays the penultimate "homosexual" scene with a clever and sexy off-handedness.  (That scene has some extra laughs and weight with the very open knowledge of Harris' sexual orientation.)  It took me some time to warm to Jim Walton's Larry, with the actor visibly swinging to the orchestra's playing several times, as if he were attending the performance instead of being in it.  But it became clear during the scenes that surround "The Ladies Who Lunch," with his actions more a defense/response to Joanne's coldness.  And his willingness to be "out there" even at the risk of his wife's disdain makes his command of her when they exit both poignant and believable.  Jon Cryer and Stephen Colbert both have thinner vocal instruments than the rest of the cast, but neither sound horrendous and both make superb use of their finely tuned comedic talents - no short order considering the forces of nature their "wives" are.  Cryer's dry delivery during the pot smoking scene is a smart and riotously funny counterpart to the silliness around him, while Colbert's wide-eyed look only makes his character's sharp observations all the more funny.  Both also have a natural ease with physical humor, which is used to excellent effect here.

Neil Patrick Harris, Jon Cryer and Jennifer Laura Thompson

The much advertised inclusion of TV star Christina Hendricks was definitely worth all of the ink it got.  The girl delivers!  This curvaceous babe is a delicious mix of air head, self-aware sexiness and an underlying shrewdness.  Her April may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but she has learned from her experiences with men, and one senses that she is toying with and manipulating them even more than they think they are manipulating her.  She has a character appropriate singing voice to go along with that vapid stare and breathy speaking voice.  In short, get this gal to Broadway and fast!  As Bobby's other two girlfriends, Kathy and Marta, Chryssie Whitehead and Anika Noni Rose are a sensational contrast to each other, which adds to the colorful fabric of the show.  Whitehead manages to make sensible and kind interesting, while one can completely believe that at any second Rose's Marta will go off like a firecracker.  As mentioned, Ms. Whitehead does a superb dance solo, while Rose's assured delivery of "Another Hundred People" is a highlight of the entire production. 

Broadway regulars Jennifer Laura Thompson and Martha Plimpton are truly a joy every single second they are on screen.  Both mine laughs with every line, look and pause, and they both have considerable physical comedy skills.  One could easily see them in a musical about I Love Lucy with Thompson as Lucy and Plimpton as Ethel.  They also work so well with their "husbands" it felt like watching two very real, very flawed marriages unfold before us.  Jill Paice is all sweet Southern charm as Susan, and coyly allows us to see that there is some venom in that sugar.  She also does a nice solo in "Not Getting Married."

Martha Plimpton, Neil Patrick Harris and Stephen Colbert

If you ever had any doubt why Patti LuPone and Katie Finneran are beloved and multi-award winning stage stars, this production should clear that up for you.  Finneran's signature laugh and vocal ups and downs are played to hilarious effect throughout the show, but it is her ability to turn serious at the bat of her pretty eyelashes that makes this Amy not just hysterical, but very human.  It goes without saying that her performance of "Not Getting Married" is a solid show stopper.  Meanwhile, Ms. LuPone adds her high voltage presence along with a knack for blending in, too.  And I have no doubt she was as superb as ever live.  But it is her performance as captured on screen that makes me so glad to have seen this version.  I doubt seriously that anyone past maybe the first three rows at the cavernous Avery Fisher Hall could see the best part of her brilliant performance as Joanne.  Sure, her loud, overbearing, boozy qualities probably rang to the rafters.  But the up close shots of her face - with lightning fast betrayals of her breaking strength, and also her almost ravenous taking in of Bobby before her bold proposal - really allowed us to see a vulnerability and years of hiding it that would be missed by most in attendance.  The result is probably the most well-rounded Joanne I've ever seen (though Barbara Walsh in the revival was smashing).  And LuPone's delivery of "The Ladies Who Lunch" gives me shivers even as I write this.  Patti LuPone is one of America's greatest treasures, period.

"Everybody Rise!": Patti LuPone as Joanne

Still, every production of Company hinges on its Bobby, and with the boy wonder of Broadway, Neil Patrick Harris in the role, the show goes to glorious heights.  Like Ms. LuPone, his performance benefits greatly in this medium.  You can see every nuance of emotion every time the camera hones in on his face.  Just look at his eyes, and you can see the truth in this Bobby, even if the rest of his physicality suggests other feelings.  It helps that he is seriously handsome, boyish, but manly, and has a charming ease about him.  Gone is the brooding, moody Bobby of Companys past.  Here we have a Bobby that gives as much as he gets; as demonstrative as he is observational; as close as he is distant.  His Bobby is likable and so easily adaptive, one can understand immediately why these couples of a wide age range are drawn to him equally.  Harris' ease and charm translate well to his dancing and singing.  He may not have the vocal strength of Raul Esparza  or other previous Bobbys, but he is no slouch, either.  His rendition of "Mary Me a Little" may be close to definitive, and his "Being Alive" is as honest as you'll ever see.

Neil Patrick Harris

Perhaps it is Harris' natural charm and real-life baggage that makes us love him so, but it is his charisma and dedication to all things Broadway that is making him a true stage star.  All of that probably influences the audience to adore his Bobby that much more easily.  But it is his considerable skill that makes it truly understandable why his friends are so crushed when he doesn't come to their party, effectively moving on without them.  And we also understand and applaud this Bobby's final relieved smile as he sits alone on a two person love seat.

Comments?  Leave one here, email me at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com or Tweet me!
Jeff
2.293

CD REVIEW: Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

One of my biggest disappointments from last season was the musical Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown.  But it wasn't a disappointment for me for all of the reasons you are probably thinking.

I was privileged, yes privileged, to see the second preview of the show.  It was the thrill of this theatre fan's life to see some of the most revered talents on Broadway "in process."  Sure the show wasn't ready.  As I said way back when I saw it, it needed a fast opening number, it needed clarity, and it needed a consistently zany pace.  One of the biggest problems with it is that it relied too heavily on the audience understand European sensibility and the Latin style of telenovelas.  The closest thing we have here is soap operas which wouldn't know fast pacing if their lives depended on it.  And in those first previews, the translation of film style staging - vignettes sliding by, projections of colors moving every which way during scene changes, and even creating close ups and montages - was creaky at best.  But, and here is where I diverge from the common consensus of the audiences and critics, I could still see through all the clutter what was going to be.  And what it was going to be was something smart, sexy and as non-Broadway a sensibility as one can get.

I had tickets to revisit the show just before its scheduled limited engagement was over.  Unfortunately, the show closed early, and I never got to see what I was sure was a terrific musical when all was said and done.  Yet another show, that pushes boundaries and asks its audience to participate by thinking and feeling outside the box, failed despite the constant outcry from theatregoers for just that sort of thing.  And so you can see why it ended up being a disappointment.

But the great news is that Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, the Broadway musical version, will live on forever thanks to Ghostlight Records, which went ahead with a cast recording despite the show's untimely demise.

Grade: A+

Title: Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Artist: Original Broadway Cast Recording
Label: Ghostlight Records
Number: 8-4447
Format: Single CD
Case: Single Jewel Case
Booklet: Full color production photos; complete lyrics; essays by Pedro Almodovar and Frank Rich

As I did not formally review the show, I will offer my comments in a slightly different format than usual.  I caveat everything I say below with this understanding: I did not see the final product, but based on the differences between what I saw and what is preserved on this recording tells me that nearly everything I had hoped they would do, they did.

The Booklet:
This one is of high quality, with a full color rendition of the show's manic logo, and full color throughout.  Included is a sweet essay from Pedro Almodovar, upon whose film the show was based.  As you might expect he offers nothing but praise for the creative team and cast.  More surprising, and more appreciated by this listener at least, is a very telling essay by Frank Rich, former New York Times reviewer who could cut your career to shreds with some scathing reviews.  The difference between him and his predecessors is that his criticism was agenda-free and applied equally no matter if you were a new Broadway talent or a 10 time Tony winner.  And generally, after the hurt and anger subsided, you could at least understand his point of view, even if you couldn't fully agree with it.  Pithy, bitchy sound bites were not his thing.  And the essay he includes here is very telling of the final product.  While it is clear that he found the show to be imperfect, he finds much of it ahead of its time, and goes so far as to say that Women on the Verge will join the ranks of many a show that critics and audiences failed to embrace at first, but have/will become beloved. 

I also love that the booklet contains great color production photos as well as the super snazzy cast photo that was outside the Belasco Theatre.  And I love the complete synopsis as well as lyrics (including some stage directions), which really help to illuminate the complete work.

The Quality of Sound:
A big fan of both of David Yazbek's previous Broadway scores, The Full Monty and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, it is wonderful that this gem has been recorded.  All three scores are from projects where films have been turned into musicals, and like the first two, Yazbek has captured not only a Broadway sensibility in his music and lyrics, but the rhythms and sentiments of the particular piece.  Time and again, he has brought to vivid life the vibrancy and urgency of Latin music and culture.

Simon Hale's (along with additional work from Jim Abbott and David Yazbek) orchestrations are lush and full.  The background under the main tune is consistently rich with complicated patterns of percussion and individual instrumentation that mirror the craziness of what is going on, whether it is zany physical action or the crazed musings of women ready to kill for their lovers, kill their lovers or even themselves, so desperate a frenzy these ladies are in.  Jim Abbott's musical direction allows that same depth in the vocals as well.  How wonderful, for example, to hear Patti LuPone work her same magic in solo numbers AND as a part of the ensemble!

The Quality of Performance:
As one might expect from a group of actors with the level of pedigree that that this company has, the performance quality on this recording is extraordinary, from the supporting vocals of the ensemble to the leads and the supporting cast.  No one is a star here, and yet everyone is giving a star turn on this album.

One wishes there were a bit more dialogue and more material for both Justin Guarini and Nikka Graff Lanzarone, both of whom delivered the goods in their Broadway debuts.  But really, other than that, this cast recording captures great performances and some really superb songs.  I find myself really liking almost 100% of the score after several listenings.  Even upon my first listen, I liked nearly the entire thing, and really loved several songs right off the bat.  I have learned over the years not to immediately judge a new score until I have listened to it many many times, allowing it to become almost background music in my mind.  It is at that point that different things strike my ears and brain at different times.  With this score, I really have learned to appreciate the imagery, sensuality and bold sexuality of the lyrics.  And I have really come to admire that Yazbek (and book writer Jeffrey Lane) allowed the stage version to rely less on shtick and physical comedy throughout and allowing the frenzy of these women to show up in their thoughts and emotions.  One probably associates being "on the verge' with the hilarity and physicality of Laura Benanti's likely Tony turn, "Model Behavior," which even on just the recording sounds like a mad dash all around the stage.  But there is also the more emotional breakdown allowed by Patti LuPone's equally frantic but physically subdued "Time Stood Still" and most definitely in a showcase of understatement, "Invisible."  Then, too, is the lashing out from scorn by Sherie Renee Scott in "Lovesick," which succinctly (and devilishly) tells us that sexually, women can think with their crotches just like men do.  And later, her disappointment and anguish over what was supposed to be is revealed in the complex "Island."  These are women who think with their hearts and bodies first, and when their minds catch up, go right to the brink.  Song after song tells us how a woman, who is otherwise smart and fully self-realized, can fall so fast and easily for a known Lothario, a nebbish geek living under his mother's thumb and in his father's shadow, and even a known terrorist.

And those men are mostly in the periphery of the show, as they should be, but they are not just plot points, but rather the catalysts for the whole show.  Brian Stokes Mitchell, as Ivan, male slut, uh, Casanova, makes the sensuality seem so easy in "Lie to Me," and radiates charm right through your ear buds in "Microphone," supported in that number by his learning-the-ropes son, played by Justin Guarini.  And if Ivan's philosophy and magnetism weren't already apparent, he lays it all out for you in "Yesterday, Tomorrow and Today.

The ending number, "Shoes from Heaven," as well as the bonus track, the original opening number (which did not work dramatically) "My Crazy Heart," are beautiful, complex numbers which give the show emotional depth and some gorgeous vocals to boot.

I'm not going to pretend, though, that the spicy songs with their urgent beat and tricky word play don't appeal to me the most.  They do.  I have the overture, "Madrid Is My Mama," the vastly superior opening number, which used to open act two, "Model Behavior," "On the Verge," and "Tangled" programmed to play and repeat in my car.  They are nothing less than exhilarating!

Yes, not seeing the final production will always nag at me.  But I am so grateful that I got to see it at all.  Women on the Verge, I hope, is really on the verge of big things!


Comments?  Leaver on here, email me at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com or Tweet me!
Jeff
2.269

REVIEW: Company

I often blog that I wish I lived in New Yourk, or closer at least, so that I can attend events that only last a very short time, like the Encores! series or the Tony Awards.  One such event was the recent Company In Concert by the New York Philharmonic.  Well, good news for us, one of my most loyal and theatrically savvy readers, Mr. Martins, got to see one of the sold out shows and sent in this review!  Now I can't wait to see it at the movies... buy the DVD...

Review of the April 9 matinee performance of Stephen Sondheim's Company at the Avery Fischer Hall in New York City.  Running time: 2 hours, 45 minutes including intermission.  Starring Neil Patrick Harris, Patti LuPone, Katie Finneran, Anika Noni Rose, Martha Plimpton, Jill Paice, Christina Hendricks, Jon Cryer, Stephen Colbert, Jim Walton, Craig Bierko and Aaron Lazar.  The New York Philharmonic under the baton of Paul Gemignani.  Choreography by Josh Rhodes and direction by Lonny Price.

Grade: A-

The New York Philharmonic’s concert presentation of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s revolutionary musical Company featured an all-star cast of Broadway veterans (Katie Finneran, Craig Beirko, Jim Walton) television stars (Stephen Colbert, Christina Hendricks, Jon Cryer) , and both (Patti LuPone, Martha Plimpton, Anika Noni Rose). Company tells the story of Robert and all his married friends and girlfriends, on his 35th birthday, as presented through a series of vignettes.

Bobby, baby!

Neil Patrick Harris

Neil Patrick Harris led this all star cast as Bobby, the perennial bachelor who is afraid of commitment and of being hurt. Harris is no stranger to Sondheim, having starred in the original Broadway cast of Assassins, his experience is apparent as he was able to sing the intricacies of Sondheim’s demanding score. While at times he lacked the vocal power of Dean Jones and Raul Esparza (the original and 2006 revival Bobby, respectively), he was able to pour his emotion into every song, especially “Someone is Waiting”, where Bobby yearns for a woman who is a composite of all his female friends, and “Being Alive”, the powerful anthem where he comes to the conclusion that “alone is alone, not alive” and is ready to face his fear of hurt, and finally find somebody (not some body).

TOP: Stephen Colbert, Jon Cryer and Martha Plimpton

BOTTOM: Christina Hendricks and Neil Patrick Harris

The entire production was brilliantly staged, executed and polished. Ironically, for a musical concert presentation, the book scenes were excellently acted, while the singing was sometimes thin and drowned out by the impressive New York Philharmonic due to mic-ing problems and weak voices. Martha Plimpton, however, as the tender and foolish Sarah, was a stand-out who sang beautifully. (She’ll be cast as Joanne in the next revival, mark my words). Christina Hendricks, in her stage debut as the ditzy flight attendant April, brought a sweetness to the role that you couldn’t help fall in love with. Her thin soprano was perfect for “Barcelona”, and Hendricks made the song feel like a conversation with Bobby.

"Not Getting Married": Aaron Lazar and Katie Finneran;

"Another Hundred People": Anika Noni Rose

Katie Finneran stole the first act as the crazed bride-to-be Amy, not only in the hyperactive patter song “Getting Married Today”, but in the book scene that followed. Flubbing the final verse of the song, Finneran played it off well, and still won the heart of the audience. Anika Noni Rose deserves a special mention as the original Marta. Albeit singing the New Yorkers’ anthem “Another Hundred People” in the upper register, resulting in a vocally weak performance, she acted the song so well that her lack of belt and power was easily forgiven.

Isn't it warm, isn't it cozy?

The choreography by Josh Rhodes was clever and refreshing, and Lonny Price’s direction gave a new life to the show as a whole. The direction and choreography came to a huge payoff in “Side by Side by Side/What Would We Do Without You?,” the second act opening. Choosing a vaudevillian theme for the number, it was riveting to see Patti LuPone kick and dance her heart away, and to see Stephen Colbert carry Martha Plimpton and Neil Patrick Harris. The singing was strongest during this number, making it one of the gems of the night.

Patti LuPone and Jim Walton; Patti LuPone: "The Ladies Who Lunch"

Patti LuPone was the highlight of the night, as the acerbic and tough Joanne. Her Joanne was dark and looming – she never truly mingled with the rest of Bobby’s friends, always going the other way when her husband Larry (played convincingly well by Jim Walton) approached. LuPone’s “The Ladies Who Lunch” was one of those breathtaking moments. Not only could she fill the entirety of Avery Fisher Hall (for those who’ve been there, you’ll know this is no easy task), but she also ensured that every phrase and intonation was powerful and conveyed each heart-wrenching pang of vulnerability with ease. As she finished her diatribe with the climatic repletion of “Rise”, desperation was leaking through, shaking one to the soul. I’ll admit to crying as the song came to an end, and as the audience gave Ms. LuPone the night’s largest ovation. Interestingly enough, after discussing the number with group of theater-goers, there was disagreement about the her performance. Some (myself included) loved it wholeheartedly; others felt it lacked a certain spontaneity and emotion. One thing we all agreed upon was that Patti LuPone has amazing talent.

Maestro Paul Gemignani

The true star of the show, however, was Sondheim’s score played by the New York Philharmonic, and conducted by the legendary Paul Gemignani. To hear the score’s original orchestrations by such an  acclaimed orchestra was worth the price of admission and more. Sondheim’s genius came through in ways that the minimalistic John Doyle-helmed 2006 revival didn’t allow. It was fitting that Gemignani and the orchestra received the final bow and a standing ovation. The score to Company and the New York Philharmonic were the real stars of the show.  And that’s what it’s really about, isn’t it?

(Photos by Walter McBride from BroadwayWorld.com)

Seeing a show I haven't reviewed?  Email me and we'll talk about having you be a guest blogger!

Contact me at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com or Tweet me!
Jeff
2.224

DVD REVIEW: Sondheim! The Birthday Concert

DVD: Sondheim!  The Birthday Concert. Presented in March 2010 at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, New York City. Conducted by Paul Gemignani.  Hosted by David Hyde Pierce.  Written by Lonny Price and David Hyde Pierce.  Produced and Directed for the Stage and Television by Lonny Price.  A presentation of Ellen M. Krass Productions and THIRTEEN in Association with WNET.ORG. 116 minutes.

Grade: A+ (I'd go higher if possible!)

Let me just cut to the chase here.  Sondheim!  The Birthday Concert is the best performance of its kind that I have ever seen on screen.  Bar none.  It is expertly staged, filmed, and edited by Lonny Price.  The quality of the sound is beyond excellent.  The pace is quick, witty, reserved when appropriate and celebratory throughout, particularly due to the superb hosting of David Hyde Pierce, who, oddly enough, has never done a Sondheim show.  (Let's remedy that one fast...).  Even the setting is cool... the entire orchestra shell draped in billowing material and lit as a giant birthday package.

And what gems that package holds!  First and foremost, what evening of this magnitude for Stephen Sondheim would be complete or so well taken care of without the masterful baton of Paul Gemignani, the man who has conducted every single original Sondheim production since 1975?  And who better to have him conduct than The New York Philharmonic?  The sound is pure bliss.  Their "Birthday Overture" and "Theme from REDS" really allow them to shine, but their contribution to each song is immeasurable and definitive.

The cast list is a who's who of two kinds.  As one might expect at an occasion such as this, names associated with Sondheim's works are plentiful:  Bernadette Peters, Elaine Stritch (who at this point in time had no idea that they'd be critically acclaimed in Sondheim's A Little Night Music), Mandy Patinkin, Donna Murphy, Marin Mazzie, Patti LuPone, George Hearn, Jim Walton, John McMartin, Joanna Gleason and Chip Zien.  The second list is a who's who of today's youngest and brightest (and simply magnetic) performers, some of whom have Sondheim on their resumes, some who don't: Bobby Steggert, Audra McDonald, Laura Benanti, Laura Osnes, Matt Cavenaugh, Jenn Colella, Victoria Clark, Michael Cerveris, Jason Danieley, Alexander Gemignani and Karen Olivo.  Opera singer Nathan Gunn, ABT dancers Blaine Hoven and Maria Riccetto, and the Shark girls from the revival of West Side Story round out the stellar company.

And given the level of talent on that stage, one would expect a flawless evening.  And that is exactly what you get.  How nice to have all expectations met and exceeded.

Following the overture, the evening opens with a few songs that Mr. Sondheim only contributed lyrics to - "America," with Olivo and the girls recreating the number from the revival, and Alexander Gemignani delivering a simple and lovely "Something's Coming" from West Side Story.  Jason Danieley and Marin Mazzie offer a fun "We're Gonna Be Alright" from Do I Hear a Waltz?, and Victoria Clark showed of her comic chops with a seldom recorded number, "Don't Laugh," a song written to help a show in trouble out of town called Hot Spot.  "New talent" is called upon for "Johanna" from Sweeney Todd (Nathan Gunn) and "You're Gonna Love Tomorrow"/"Love Will See Us Through," from Follies, featuring the charismatic talents - and I mean all four fairly jump of the screen oozing charm and charisma - of Matt Cavenaugh and Jenn Colella and Bobby Steggert and Laura Osnes.  All four reveal a very promising future for the Broadway musical.

The next segment of songs includes a variety of original cast performances - a touching Follies number from John McMartin, and Jim Walton singing a song from Merrily We Roll Along that wasn't even written when he starred in it.  But the real highlights were the crowd-pleasing reunions of Chip Zien and Joanna Gleason, doing "It Takes Two" from Into the Woods, and "Finishing the Hat"/"Move On" by Mandy Patinkin and Bernadette Peters.  All four transported us back as if they were still doing their shows 8 times a week.  "Move On" was particularly brilliant, with both Peters and Patinkin in superb voice.  A funny and brilliantly conceived hybrid was up next with dueling Sweeneys Michael Cerveris and George Hearn doing a stunningly sung and acted "Pretty Women", and then the hilarious trio - yes, trio - of Cerveris, Hearn and Patti LuPone doing "A Little Priest."

The final segment - notable for the much publicized "red dresses" alone - proved to be the absolute icing on the cake.  Six of Broadway's greatest living divas took the stage and each delivered a "Sondheim Lady" number.  Each was an absolute treasure, but three numbers really stood out for me: Patti LuPone's blistering and for me now definitive rendition of "The Ladies Who Lunch", complete with a sincere and touching moment between LuPone and Elaine Stritch, originator of the role.  Strich, on her feet the second it was over, LuPone gesturing for an ovation for Stritch.  It was a beautiful of the moment moment.  The second standout was the biting and humorous "Could I Leave You?" from Follies as presented by Donna Murphy.  A study in song interpretation and acting, this, too, is for me a definitive version.  But the absolute treasure of the evening was Elaine Stritch's comic, bold, and honest interpretation of "I'm Still Here" from Follies.  It is the very definition of brilliance.  And it stands as testament to what a great theatre legend she still is.  Brava, indeed.

When the actual event happened, it made headlines for obvious reasons, but also because the casts of every then current Broadway show came to pay tribute to the musical theatre master.  For the closing number, some 287 singers filled every aisle on all levels of the hall and on the stage to sing, for a visibly moved Stephen Sondheim, "Sunday" from Sunday in the Park with George.  You'd have to be in a coma or worse not to be moved by this giant tribute.

What strikes me most about this particular concert is that because the very best talents came together, it was even more evident just how genius his works are.  Without fail, the minute each number started, every single performer got that "in the zone" look of intensity, followed by what I call the "Sondheim Look."  You may know it - the singer can't help but act the entire song, so evocative are the lyrics, and because each is so complex their eyes glaze over in an amazing level of concentration.  Even the really great ones do this.  But the most remarkable thing is that all of this still happens when each number is without context.  Here, the "Sondheim Look" is joined by an expression of sheer joy and admiration.  It is as if each performer is also seeing outside him or herself and even as they interpret are in awe of the fact that they are getting to do this for the master himself.  (Would that every Christine/Phantom pairing had this magic!)

Of course, the man is the reason for the occasion, but isn't it wonderful to celebrate a life that continues to give all of us so many gifts?  This DVD is a lasting testament to the genius and artistry of one of Broadway's greatest people.



Comments?  Leave one here, email me at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com or Tweet me!
Jeff
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TheatreScene: Week of Sepetmber 13 - 19

Funny what you think about when you are lying in bed and feeling sorry for yourself...  I decided that I'd streamline 2 common blogs that I do into one.  My weekly "Bits and Pieces" and my newer "This Week in Broadway History" will be combined now into what you are reading: "TheatreScene: Week of..."  I'll combine historical tidbits and commentary about this week's goings on into 1 weekly calendar of info, snarky commentary and news.  Plus I'll highlight the week's "Beginnings" and "Endings."

My history blog fans...don't worry.  You can get the week's news for each week by clicking on "Broadway Then and Now" above, scrolling to the bottom and picking the week you want to read about.  I'll try this for awhile, and see how it goes.  And, of course, I don't just do this for me, so PLEASE feel free to give me your critiques and suggestions!

DON'T FORGET TO VOTE IN THIS WEEK'S POLL...TO YOUR RIGHT!

WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED THIS WEEK!

• What Happened on Broadway This Week: 9/6-9/12
• Broadway Ladies: Ms. Broadway September 2010
• All Good Things...
• Broadway Crossword by Blog #3: The New Season Part I

SEPTEMBER 13:
NEWS:

• The Book of Mormon announces that it has booked the Eugene O'Neill Theatre, where it will begin previews February 24 and open on March 24.  Personally, I can't wait.  I could use a smart laugh, long missing from Broadway, since, well, Avenue Q.  Am I the only person on the planet who hasn't seen South Park?

CLOSER TO BROADWAY:

• Heathers: The Musical gets a starry staged reading/concert at Joe's Pub.  Annaleigh Ashford, Jenna Leigh Green and James Snyder star.

Heathers: The Musical

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Christine Estabrook, Actress (Spring Awakening)

SEPTEMBER 14:
HISTORY:

• 1855: The oldest show to open this week: a revival of The Beggar's Opera, which opened on this date at 537 Broadway, which was then known as Niblo's Garden
• 1925:  The Jazz Singer opened at the Fulton Theatre and ran for 303 performances.  The work is probably best known as the first talking picture, starring Al Jolson.
• 1989: The first revival of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street opened at the Circle in the Square, and starred Beth Fowler (Beauty and the Beast) and Bob Gunton (Evita).  It ran for 188 performance, and is notable for opening at the theatre attached to the Uris, where the original production - much larger - made Broadway history.  Of course, we now know Sweeney could get even more teeney!

BEGINNINGS:

• Jordin Sparks officially opened in In the Heights.  The reviews were...mixed.  Let's just say, "Sing: 10, Act: 3".
• Allyce Beasley begins performances as Mme. Dindon in La Cage aux Folles.
• Patti LaBelle officially begins performances in Fela!, even though she's played a few already.
• Angels in America: Millennium Approaches beings previews off-Broadway.

NEWS:

• Patti LuPone: A Memoir is in stores. La LuPone appears on The View to dish and promote the tome.  Nothing revelatory to fans of the diva: she had an on-off thing with Kevin Kline, and "took batting practice" in her London dressing room after getting ready to go on and finding out by phone that she was dismissed from Sunset Boulevard.

La LuPone and her book.

She looks great, doesn't she?

Her Verge and Gypsy co-star,

Laura Benanti shows her Momma some love!

Tony x 3: a Gypsy reunion!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Zoe Caldwell, Actress (Master Class)

SEPTEMBER 15:
HISTORY:

• 1976: The now classic for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf opened at the Booth Theatre, where it would stay for nearly 2 years and 742 performances.

NEWS:

• The Stephen Sondheim Theatre is officially lit.  A teary Sondheim spoke after tributes from Todd Haines, Nathan Lane and Patti LuPone, among others.

The great man, himself.

Broadway's newest marquee!

• Producer Ken Davenport announces that the revival of Godspell coming to Broadway next year, will be the first produced "by the people".  He hopes to collect the entire investment from folks like us (plus a few big spenders, I'm sure) for just $100 a unit, with a ten unit minimum.  So, for a thousand bucks, you can be a Broadway producer!  I guess that leaves out the "I can't afford a discount ticket" whiners, huh?  So, this is either genius marketing (it could be, Davenport is a master) or it has the stink of Max Bialystock.  And you don't even get opening night tickets...  Go to http://www.godspell.com/ to find out more.  There is a link there, which I have trouble getting to directly, for producing info.
• West Side Story announces it will close at the Palace Theatre on January 2, 2011 after 742 performances.
• Minutes later, Priscilla: Queen of the Desert announces it will begin previews at the Palace Theatre on February 28, 2011.  Why can't the housing industry get rid of real estate that fast?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Michael Countryman, Actor (Mary Stuart, Laughter on the 23rd Floor)

SEPTEMBER 16:
NEWS:

• Angels in America: Perestroika begins previews off-Broadway, where it and Millennium Approaches will play in rep through February 20.  Michael Greif directs the star-filled cast.  Is this Broadway-bound?
• Promises, Promises announces a closing date of January 2, 2011.  So far, no one has snatched up this cave, um, theatre.

CLOSER TO BROADWAY:

• King Kong: The Musical announces its presence.  It is hoping for Broadway in 2013.  My favorite "fan" response to this is a rant about "too many puppets on Broadway."  Really?  Would an ACTUAL giant gorilla work better?  Talk about your overhead costs... not to mention casting...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Molly Shannon, Actress/Broadway Debutante (Promises, Promises)

SEPTEMBER 17:
HISTORY:

• The oddest title of the week and the shortest run of the week goes to 1953's A Pin to See the Peepshow, which ran for 1 performance at the Playhouse Theatre.

NEWS:

• David Cromer is announced to direct Nicole Kidman in her Broadway return in a revival of Sweet Bird of Youth.  Poor Yank!, another step down the ladder...
• In what has turned out to be a busy week for our favorite diva, Patti LuPone, Lincoln Center Theatre has released more promo pics for Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown.  Odd, bizarre, a little weird and off-putting, these gems speak volumes about wit and tone.  I hope.

Benanti and Burstein...

Mitchell and LuPone

The Women (and their Men) on the Verge

The Principal Cast

CLOSER TO BROADWAY:

• We Have Always Lived in a Castle a new musical based on a story by Shirley Jackson (of The Lottery, no relation to Bloody Bloody Andrew, I don't think) starring Jenn Gambatese and Alexandra Socha is at Yale Rep through October 19.

The Company

Jenn Gambatese and Sean Palmer

• Limelight: The Story of Charlie Chaplin announces that Robert Carlyle (Finian's Rainbow) is a co-director, not just choreographer for the show which opens September 19.  It stars Robert McClure (Avenue Q) and Ashley Brown (Mary Poppins), among others.  Is there trouble for the Little Tramp?

Robert McClure and Kirstin Thomas

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Constantine Maroulis, Actor/Singer (Rock of Ages)

SEPTEMBER 18:
HISTORY:

• 1985: Song and Dance opened at the Royale Theatre, starring eventual Tony-winner Bernadette Peters.  It will run 474 performances before closing.  Betty Buckley replaced Ms. Peters, having left The Mystery of Edwin Drood in the hands of an unknown actress named Donna Murphy.  Song and Dance, aside from La Peters, was chock full of dancers who would go on to huge careers: Christopher d'Amboise, Charlotte d'Amboise, Scott Wise, Gregg Burge, Cynthia Onrubia, Gregory Mitchell, Denise Faye, Gen Horiuchi and Mary Ellen Stuart.  The director was Richard Maltby, Jr. and the choreographer was Peter Martins.
• 2008: The youngest opening on Broadway this week: A Tale of Two Cities starring James Barbour and Aaron Lazar opened in 2008 at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre.  It lasted a mere 60 performances, but is one of those shows that will never really die...

NEWS:

• Patti LuPone did not make the headlines today.  Or tomorrow.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: James Gandolfini, Actor (God of Carnage)

SEPTEMBER 19:
ENDINGS:

• Josefina Scaglione plays her final performance as Maria in West Side Story.  She was Tony-nominated for her Broadway debut in the show.  Come back soon!  You are a wonderful girl!

CLOSER TO BROADWAY:

• Limelight: The Story of Charlie Chaplin opens today.

The Limelight Company

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Stephanie J. Block, Actress (Wicked, 9 to 5)

So?  What did you think?  Let me know - here, Yahoo, Twitter.
Jeff
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