Cast:Anthony Rapp (Mark), Adam Pascal (Roger), Gwen Stewart (Seasons of Love Soloist & others), Justin Johnston (Angel Schunard), Nicolette Hart (Maureen Johnson), Lexi Lawson (Mimi Marquez)
For the rest of this wonderful cast, see the official Rent The Broadway Tour website.
As almost all fans of Rent know that Anthony Rapp & Adam Pascal (the original Mark & Roger) are still touring with the show along with original cast member Gwen Stewart and a bunch of other amazing performers. I'm sure it's needless to say that I still love the show. I wouldn't have seen it so many times if I didn't love it. I'll simply comment on the things that were different this time around, since everyone knows I love Rent and would recommend it to anyone and everyone (as long as you're not too prejudiced) - especially when it has three of the original cast members touring with the show.
I still need to look up who Lisa is... as many of you may know, they had always intended to change the names of those attending the life support meeting based on friends/family members of those in the show who had been lost to AIDS. The way I've heard it reported, due to Jonathan's death the show got pretty much frozen where it was and no one ever wanted to change the names of those attending life support with Angel, Collins, & Mark. As of the time I went back to see Rent on Broadway with Anthony & Adam (August & September of 2007), they had changed the last name (originally Sue) to Lisa. I figure she has to be someone pretty important, or they wouldn't have made the change that late in the run of the show. They are still using Lisa on the tour.
The sound was the best I've heard in Rent since Adam and Anthony returned to the show. When I saw it on Broadway the mics kept going out and the same was true (even more) at the Pantages last year. This year they managed to get it right in the most unlikely of places (there are often sound problems with other shows at the Orange County Performing Arts Center). It was great to hear this cast with the sound well done for a change. :-)
The current cast is really amazing - they're basically the same cast I saw earlier this year in the tour, which explains why they all work so wel together. If you haven't seen Rent yet, see it before Anthony Rapp & Adam Pascal leave the cast - they're amazing and so is the rest of the cast!
Grade: A+
Labels: Adam Pascal, Anthony Rapp, Best Musical, Broadway, comedy, drama, musical, theatre, tour
Reviewed by Kat at the 7:30 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Sutton Foster (Princess Fiona), Brian d'Arcy James (Shrek), Chris Hoch (Lord Farquaad), Daniel Breaker (Donkey)
For complete information, see the official Shrek the Musical site.
I had no interest in seeing this. My best friend didn't either, but he had never seen Sutton Foster (she was sick when we saw Thoroughly Modern Millie and had left The Drowsy Chaperone & Young Frankenstein by the time he saw it. The one scene with the three Princess Fionas as Fiona grows up was okay. Other than that, I thought the show was horrible. James has blocked out every part of the show that didn't include Sutton Foster. No offense to the rest of the cast, who definitely worked very hard, but none of them were really remarkable except for Sutton Foster.
I really recommend that unless you have young children (the girl a few rows back from us was giggling at parts and clearly really enjoying herself) you skip Shrek, the musical. The costumes and Sutton Foster aren't enough to make it worth seeing a show like this. Sutton Foster will be in another show that's guaranteed to be better than this one. Wait for that and see her then. If you want to see the sets and costumes, look at the program in one of the many Broadway merchandise stores in midtown. Skip the show.
Grade: D+
Labels: Broadway, comedy, movie, musical, Sutton Foster, theatre
Reviewed by Kat at the 8:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Alice Ripley (Diana), J. Robert Spencer (Dan), Aaron Tveit (Gabe), Jenifer Damiano (Natalie), Adam Chanler-Berat (Henry), Louis Hobson (Dr. Madden/Dr. Fine)
What a show! This was definitely (by far) my favorite of this year. The cast, music, lighting, story, direction, scenic design, etc. are all amazing! Though I haven't seen Billy Elliot, I am still surprised that the show was able to beat out Next to Normal in so many categories. I'm glad Alice Ripley won the Tony Award for her portrayal of Diana, but I'm amazed that she was the only one to get an award in the cast. I was also surprised that the lighting and scenic design didn't win. I think the show was incredibly well done.
The set is three stories high, so I'd recommend sitting where we did (front of the mezzanine) for Next to Normal. The orchestra would be painful for those of us with neck problems and probably fairly uncomfortable for almost anyone by the end of the show unless you're far enough away that you might miss some of the expressions.
Next to Normal is not the stereotypical Broadway show, which is one of the things I love about it. However, if you want a happy show with sunshine and no tears, this is not the show for you. See Rock of Ages or another upbeat show. I cried (a lot) while seeing Next to Normal, but I ordered the album the second I got home (I would have ordered it while still in New York, but I had a gift code for Amazon at home). I've listened to it a lot and it's bumped Wicked and The Last Five Years out of their position as tied for 3rd.
As long as you can handle a musical with drama and some sad parts, Next to Normal is a wonderful show that you should rush to see. We got discount tickets because of Theatre Mania, which meant I could buy them days before we saw the show, we paid less than we would have at TKTS that day, and got better seats. In spite of not having the soundtrack to remind me of the songs, I was still singing Next to Normal music days later. There are a lot of catchy tunes. I recommend not listening to the show or reading too much about it until you see it, since I think some of the songs and many of the summaries I've read give away a bit much and it's more enjoyable not to know.
Grade: A+
Labels: Aaron Tveit, Adam Chanler-Berat, Alice Ripley, Broadway, drama, J. Robert Spencer, Jenifer Damiano, Louis Hobson, musical, original, tear jerker, theatre
Reviewed by Kat at the 2:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Constantine Maroulis (Drew), Kerry Butler (Sherrie), & a wonderful cast.
For complete information, see the official Rock of Ages Broadway site.
Whe I first heard about Rock of Ages, it sounded like a pretty stupid show and one that didn't interest me at all. Having seen it (and purchased the soundtrack, which says something), I'd still say it's a pretty stupid or silly show (almost no plot, completely predictable), but that's the charm of the show. I think Rock of Ages is a very fun show. They hand out little LED lights in the shape of lighters so you can hold them up and sway and the whole show is designed like a rock concert.
The narrator even tells the audience that the show has a weak plot. They make fun of themselves throughout the show and do great arrangements of earlier rock hits. If you like 80's music and musical theatre, you should see this show. I'm sure I'll see it again. I mostly went to see Rock of Ages because of Constantine & Kerry, but as soon as I entered the theatre I had a feeling I was going to enjoy myself.
I'm sure this show will go on tour and do very well, since it's a fun show with great music. If it's near you or you head to New York, I highly recommend it.
The only down side of the show is that since it's set up like a concert some people (including the drunk and off key women to the left of us) think they can sing along at any time at the top of their lungs. There are points where those on stage ask you to sing along, but if it's not one of those times please be respectful of those around you and the money they paid to see and hear the stars on stage perform. I had to talk to the women next to us at intermission, since none of the looks we (or those in front of them) threw them got through. Thankfully, they were much better behaved for the second act.
Grade: B+
Labels: Broadway, comedy, Constantine Maroulis, Kerry Butler, musical, rock, romance, theatre
Reviewed by Kat at the 8:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Cheyenne Jackson (Woody Mahoney), Kate Baldwin (Sharon McLonergan), Jim Norton (Finian McLonergan)
For complete cast info, see the official Finian's Rainbow site.
I'd never seen Finian's Rainbow before and I really enjoyed seeing Cheyenne Jackson in Xanadu, so I was interested in this production. I'm glad I saw it. The cast is wonderful, the sets, costumes, lighting, etc. are all very well done. There's good dancing and pleasant music. It's a very good old-time musical. A simple plot with a happy Broadway ending that everyone is able to enjoy.
If you're looking for a deep show, this isn't it. If you want to have fun and just enjoy a light, happy musical, this may be the perfect show for you.
Grade: B
Labels: 2009, Broadway, Cheyenne Jackson, comedy, dancing, Jim Norton, Kate Baldwin, musical, revival, romance
Reviewed by Kat at the 8:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Michael McKean (Arthur Przybyszewski), Jon Michael Hill (France Wicks), Jane Alderman (Lady Boyle), and a great cast - complete info can be found at the official Superior Donuts site.
Not the best play and the fight direction (in spite of being done by a group that's choreographed many wonderful Broadway fights) needed a lot of work. The cast is great and I liked the story. I'd definitely recommend seeing it, especially since it's always available at TKTS. Tickets are expensive now. Enjoy an entertaining play with a great cast.
Grade: C+
Labels: 2009, Best Play, Broadway, comedy, crime, drama, Jon Michael Hill, Michael McKean
Reviewed by Kat at the 2:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Jeremy Piven (Bobby Gould), Raul Esparza (Charlie Fox), Elisabeth Moss (Karen)
For complete info, see the official Speed-the-Plow site.
I really enjoyed this David Mamet play. The cast is amazing and the story is very good. There were a couple of things my best friend and I thought either didn't come full circle as we thought they would or happened in a way that didn't make sense, but we enjoyed the show. It seemed that a character could make one small change in their actions to save a lot of trouble, but I can see why the character might not have been thinking perfectly clearly at the time and I still think the play works overall.
There weren't many musicals that interested us this season, but there are a lot of wonderful plays on Broadway. Check out Speed-the-Plow if you have time.
Grade: B+
Labels: 2008, Broadway, comedy, drama, Elisabeth Moss, Jeremy Piven, play, Raul Esparza, revival
Reviewed by Kat at the 2:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Daniel Radcliffe (Alan Strang), Richard Griffiths (Martin Dysart), Kate Mulgrew (Hesther Saloman)
For complete info on the original revival cast, see IBDb's Equus page.
The official Equus on Broadway page is also useful and will surely change as the cast does, assuming the play lasts long enough to have cast changes.
The thing that surprised me most about Equus, since I knew the basic idea behind the play, is that there is a lot of comedy in the show. I expected a play that was very dark and intellectual. I didn't think I'd laugh nearly as much as I did during the show.
The cast is amazing and the way everything is staged is wonderful. I highly recommend seeing Equus on Broadway. The story is sad and serious, so it's definitely not completely light fair, but it's also not as depressing as I had anticipated.
I'm not a fan of Harry Potter, but I definitely think Daniel Radcliffe has a good acting future ahead of him. They did a very good job with portraying the horses. I would be surprised if this play doesn't get a lot of nominations and at least a few Tony awards.
Grade: A-
Labels: 2008, Broadway, Daniel Radcliffe, drama, play, revival
Reviewed by Kat at the 8:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Hunter Parrish (Melchior), Gerard Canonico (Moritz), Alexandra Socha (Wendla), Emma Hunt (Ilse), Amanda Castanos (Martha), Caitlin Kinnunen (Thea), Emily Kinney (Anna), Gabriel Violett (Otto), Matt Doyle (Hanschen), Andrew Durand (Georg)
For complete info, see the official Spring Awakening site.
I love Spring Awakening! It's a very close second favorite to Rent. For my earlier review, check out last year's Spring Awakening review.
Seeing Spring Awakening from stage is something I'd recommend to anyone who loves it, but those who haven't seen it before should definitely see it from the regular audience first. James and I both loved seeing Spring Awakening from the different perspective. Getting to see things one can't normally see from the audience (like the audience reactions, the cast looking away from the audience, etc.) was very interesting. I enjoyed seeing the show I love so much up close and getting to enjoy the unique view.
The sound quality isn't very good, since you're on stage, but it's great to sit next to ensemble members and (from time to time) members of the rest of the cast.
The current Broadway cast of Spring Awakening is wonderful and I highly recommend seeing it before it leaves Broadway in January. The economy must be killing it, I thought it would run for years and years, as Rent did.
A couple of the cast members didn't really fit the type I see in that part, but since the only member of the Original Broadway Cast I didn't see in the show three times was the original Ernst (Gideon Glick, who had left the show before I got to see it), I have their pictures in my head for the characters. The current Ilse's hair is just a bit too controlled, but she has a wonderful voice, so I was able to look past that. I also think one of the girls picking Moritz over Melchi was more believable with the original cast where both the guys are fairly evenly matched in appearance. I can't see anyone picking the current Moritz over Hunter Parrish's Melchior - especially when you see those beautiful blue eyes up close.
If you can't get to Broadway to see Spring Awakening before it closes in January, it's currently touring around the country, so catch it when it comes to theatre near you. The touring cast is also wonderful!
Grade: A+
Labels: Best Musical, Broadway, drama, Duncan Sheik, musical
Reviewed by Kat at the 8:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Roger Bart (Frederick Frankenstein), Christina Marie Norrup (Inga), Christopher Fitzgerald (Igor), Michele Ragusa (Elizabeth), Beth Leavel (Frau Blucher), Shuler Hensley (The Monster)
For complete details, see the official Young Frankenstein site.
This musical was exactly what I expected and probably not really worth the time or money. We did get discounted tickets, though, and I love Roger Bart. I saw him and Nathan Lane in The Frogs, proving I'd see anything with those two in it. Young Frankenstein is campy and fun, but not nearly as entertaining as many other shows on Broadway like Spring Awakening, Wicked, or even Spamalot.
Roger Bart is wonderful and Young Frankenstein might have been worth seeing with Sutton Foster and the rest of the Original Broadway Cast. The timing seemed a bit off the day we saw the show. Perhaps this is because we saw the current understudy for Inga. Beth Leavel was wonderful as Frau Blucher and Christopher Fitzgerald plays a great Igor. Michele Ragusa was very good as Elizabeth, though I couldn't help but wonder how great it would have been to see Megan Mullally in the role.
It's a cute show, but not really worth it. I would recommend a lot of plays and musicals currently on Broadway before I'd suggest seeing Young Frankenstein.
Grade: C-
Labels: Broadway, comedy, musical, Roger Bart
Reviewed by Kat at the 2:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Mark Rylance (Robert), Christine Baranski (Berthe), Greg Germann(Bernard), Paige Davis (Gloria), Rebecca Gayheart (Gabriella), & Missi Pyle (Gretchen)
For more info, see the official Boeing-Boeing site.
After seeing this play, which one best revival of a play, I'm glad it won so many Tony Awards. I'm very happy that Mark Rylance won for best actor and wish Christine Baranski had won a Tony. The cast was amazing, though most of the cast were not in the original revival.
This is a great old-fashioned comedy. I highly recommend it to anyone who just wants to enjoy a night laughing. Boeing-Boeing may be predictable, but it requires no thought to enjoy it, so you can give your brain a night off and just relax and enjoy the show. It's a hilarious show I think anyone can enjoy.
Grade: B+
Labels: Best Revival, Broadway, Christine Baranski, comedy, Mark Rylance, play
Reviewed by Kat at the 7:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast includes too many Broadway greats to list them all…
For complete info, see IMDb’s Show Business: The Road to Broadway page.
This documentary is wonderful for anyone who truly loves the theatre – especially those who have been involved in theatre (performing, lighting, set design, costumes, etc.). I highly recommend renting this well-done documentary to everyone who enjoys the theatre even half as much as I do. I’m a bit theatre-obsessed, so I’m not sure there are too many people out there who are not still involved in the theatre who love it as much as I do… They do a great job telling you all about every aspect of getting a show on Broadway, which is very interesting.
Grade: B+
Labels: 2007, Broadway, documentary, movie, musical, theatre
Reviewed by Kat at the 5:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Adam Pascal (Roger Davis), Anthony Rapp (Mark Cohen), Tamyra Gray (Mimi Marquez), and the rest of the cery talented cast
For info, see the official Rent site.
Everyone who knows me knows I love Rent. I even planned an entire trip just to see Rent with Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal last month. I had seen them in the roles they originated in the movie (which I own, clearly) many times, but I'd never seen them live. I'm still kicking myself for allowing the fact that I had just moved to San Diego keep me from seeing the Original Broadway Cast of Rent. When they extended their run to include my originally planned trip, clearly I bought a ticket to see them in it again!
I'm so glad that Adam and Anthony decided to go back to their roles of Roger & Mark at the same time. They extended their run through October 7th, so if you still haven't seen them in Rent get tickets now! It's even been at TKTS, which is shocking to me, but clearly this is a slow time for Broadway with kids just getting back to school, etc.
The reception for Adam and Anthony (on stage and at the stage door) was not nearly what it was last month, so I'm really glad I planned that trip to experience the rock concert atmosphere at a Broadway musical. I doubt I will ever seen an audience so excited to see a musical in my life.
Clearly, it was amazing to see Anthony Rapp as Mark and Adam Pascal as Roger again. Tamyra Gray was amazing as Mimi. Definitely the best Mimi I've seen out of the 12 times I've seen Rent. I was a bit bummed that she didn't have long hair, since I love that part of Out Tonight, but it was worth it to hear her singing Mimi's songs.
I was surprised how much the cast had changed in just one month. The Benny I saw this time around (Rodney Hicks) was better than D'Monroe was on Broadway. Not sure why he changed his performance so much from how he did on the tour, but Rodney Hicks was definitely an improvement. Tonya Dixon isn't as good as Merle Dandridge, who was probably my favorite Joanne Jefferson to date. Everyone else was about the same as the last cast in performance levels.
I also noticed that they added Lisa (subtracting Sue) from the Life Support meeting. I wonder who Lisa is... I'm guessing she's someone who recently died of AIDS and I'm sorry to hear that. Initially, they say that Jonathan Larson had planned that the names of the Life Support meeting attendees would change with each cast and they'd be friends of the cast who had died of AIDS. When he died just before the opening of Rent Off-Broadway, I think that froze the show in many ways and no one wanted to touch it. I can understand that and I find it interesting that they did allow another name to break in to the meeting.
If you have a chance to get to see Rent on Broadway before Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal leave, do it! I'd still love to see the entire movie cast do the Broadway show, but I'm guessing that will never happen. At least I got to see Adam and Anthony. It's a moment I will cherish forever!
It's been over 11 years and Rent still rocks! I definitely recommend seeing it on Broadway if you haven't yet. The theatre was renovated specifically for the show, so it's definitely part of the experience. I was surprised to see that after 11 years some people still left the show, since they were offended by the content. It really makes me sad that there are still people who are that closed minded in today's day and age, but at least they wasted quite a bit of money, which is nice to know.
Unfortunately, they were still having problems with the microphones. I really think they need a new sound design guy. This should NOT be happening on a Broadway show - especially one that won the Tony award for Best Musical (even if it was 11 years ago). They were cutting out from time to time in the first act, so it sometimes seemed like someone had missed a line, but if you were watching them you could tell that they were on cue, but the mic just wasn't on (or wasn't working). Disappointing, but NOTHING could ruin the experience of getting to see Adam and Anthony in Rent. It was sad to be watching Anthony singing something then checking his mic to make sure it was plugged in properly, since no one got to hear the "I think we've met" or whatever else was being sung at the time... Very sad.
Grade: A+++
Labels: 2007, Adam Pascal, Anthony Rapp, Best Musical, Broadway, dancing, drama, musical, original
Reviewed by Kat at the 8:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Jonathan Groff (Melchior), John Gallagher, Jr. (Moritz), Lea Michele (Wendla), Lauren Pritchard (Ilse), Lilli Cooper (Martha), Remy Zaken (Thea), Phoebe Strole (Anna), Brian Charles Johnson (Otto), Jonathan B. Wright (Hanschen), Skylar Astin (Georg)
For complete info on this amazing cast, see the official Spring Awakening page.
I really can't say enough good things about Spring Awakening. Gideon Glick isn't in it at the moment, which was a bummer, but Blake Daniel and Matt Doyle both did a great job as Ernst in the three times I saw Spring Awakening.
If you haven't seen Spring Awakening yet, definitely check it out when you're in New York. It deserved all 8 Tony Awards it won (Musical, Book of a Musical, Original Score, Featured Actor in a Musical, Choreography, Direction, Orchestrations, & Lighting) and a few it didn't (Actor, Featured Actress, Scenic Design, etc.). Having seen both David Hyde Pierce's performance and Jonathan Groff's, I'd say Jonathan was robbed, not Raul Esparaza, who was expected to win. I also think that Lea Michele and Lauren Pritchard both deserved nominations for Featured Actress, if not the award itself.
The lighting of Spring Awakening is truly amazing. It's something you have to see to believe. The music is wonderful. The choreography/direction and movement is so well done. The young cast is fabulous. I think the only reason Jonathan Groff didn't win the Tony for Best Actor is that Spring Awakening is such an ensemble piece, where everyone in the cast is amazing and most of the cast is on stage for almost all of the show (even if they're sitting with the audience on stage in parts). I would love to sit on stage sometime and enjoy it from a completely different point of view. Perhaps next year...
I actually saw Spring Awakening three times in one week, something I've never done with any other show. Granted, the first time I saw Rent I would have done the same given the circumstances. I can't believe that the musical that deservedly won the Best Musical Tony Award this year was actually at TKTS for discount tickets already, but I definitely took full advantage of the situation. Since I normally only get back to New York once a year, I have to squeeze everything in to the short time I get in the city.
If you have a chance to see Spring Awakening before the original cast leaves, do it! Previews started last November, so you should have a bit of time, but don't delay. Of course, if you miss them, I'm sure the new cast will be wonderful, too. I just can't recommend this cast more.
The only bad thing about the show is that it's playing at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre, which has almost no slope to the orchestra section and isn't staggered well row to row, making it very difficult to see portions of the show. I spent the first time I saw Spring Awakening constantly moving and trying to see around the heads in front of me. I was close to the stage, which was very good for the first time I saw it, but there was a lot I missed. I caught a lot more the second time, but honestly, the best seat I had for Spring Awakening was the third time I saw it - in the next to last row, in the far corner of the orchestra section. The last two rows are elevated, so I could actually see the whole show. It was wonderful! In a couple places (where the cast is seated on the stage), I would have to watch a portion of the stage at a time, but I could actually see everything on stage with little adjustment on my part. It was great to see some of the portions I had missed the first two times I saw the show.
I don't want to say too much about the show, since I think you should see it for yourself. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who has problems with brief (very tasteful) nudity or sexual content. However, I think everyone else will love Spring Awakening. It's an amazing show! The audiences I enjoyed the show with ranged in ages from teenagers to fairly old and (unlike the audience of Rent, which has been there for over 11 years, you'd think people would know what it's about by now), I didn't see anyone not return for the second act of Spring Awakening. I'm not sure if that says something about the show or the audiences, but I was happy to see that everyone stayed each night. I couldn't believe that I saw people leave Rent all these years after it opened on Broadway. The fact that there are still people in this world who can't handle the simple subject matter of love (no matter who is involved) bothers me, but at least everyone could handle Spring Awakening, which is definitely a good thing.
Grade: A+
Labels: 2007, Best Musical, Broadway, drama, Duncan Sheik, John Gallagher Jr., Jonathan Groff, Lauren Pritchard, Lea Michele, musical, original
Reviewed by Kat at the 8:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Ashley Brown (Mary Poppins), Gavin Lee (Bert), Delaney Moro (Jane Banks), Matthew Gumley (Michael Banks), Daniel Jenkins (George Banks), Rebecca Luker (Winifred Banks)
For complete information on this incredibly talented cast, see the official Mary Poppins website for the Broadway musical.
The cast of the Mary Poppins musical is truly amazing and I'm so glad that I got to see the rest of the show with the OBC. I was surprised that it was at TKTS, since Disney seems to avoid that no matter how badly shows are doing and the Original Broadway Cast is still in the show.
Naturally, they made a lot of changes from screen to stage, since there are some things that can't be done well in the theatre. We were all pretty happy with what they did to move Mary Poppins from the big screen to the stage. They did add one character that I didn't think was worth the time or trouble and a whole scene with giant toys that was pretty pointless, but there were some things that couldn't be done and I guess that's how they made up for what was missing.
If you go to see Mary Poppins on Broadway, beware of Cliff (who was working in the right center aisle in orchestra when we were there the first time and left center aisle this time. He has a huge attitude problem and yells at guest after guest. He toned it down once the show started, but we were all pretty blown away by how confrontational and rude he was for working at a Disney show with lots of children in the audience. Definitely a sign of how Disney has been in the last decade or so and that's sad.
The set and the cast are really wonderful and the Mary Poppins musical is well worth the trip. The closing scene definitely is wonderful, as are some of the other scenes in the second act. It was well worth going back to see the end of the musical. If you get a chance to see this, I'm sure it'll be on Broadway for AGES (Beauty and the Beast just finally closed this year to make way for The Little Mermaid). It's worth the trip, but beware that they allow kids to eat candy and cookies during the show, which can make for some annoying noises you don't typically hear in a Broadway theatre.
Grade: B+
Labels: 2007, Ashley Brown, Broadway, Disney, family, Gavin Lee, musical, original
Reviewed by Kat at the 2:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Max Crumm (Danny Zuko), Laura Osnes (Sandy Dumbrowski), Ryan Patrick Binder (Doody)
For complete cast info, see the official Grease page.
I hate to admit that I was addicted to Grease: You're the One That I Want TV show, since I'm not normally into reality TV, but how could I possibly resist watching the casting of two leads from one of the musicals I love in a revival on Broadway? I love theatre way too much to resist a show like that.
Surprisingly, I was happy with who they chose for Danny & Sandy and really wanted to see them on Broadway. I was also interested in seeing them merge some of the movie into the Broadway show, which hadn't really been done before. I think Hopelessly Devoted to You fit better where they put it in the Broadway revival than it did in the movie and I was generally happy with the changes they made to the show (including using the T-Birds, etc.).
The cast is okay. Laura and Maxx are wonderful. Ryan Patrick Binder was surprisingly good. I wasn't impressed with Kirsten Wyatt as Frenchy, but hopefully we just caught an off night for her. The rest of the cast was pretty good. It was nice to see Christina Sivrich (who was wonderful as the lead in The Wedding Singer last year when we saw her) again, even if it was in the ensemble. I hope to see her in a leading role that's hers someday, she was really great.
Basically, if you love Grease this is worth seeing, but it's not the best production that's been done of the musical.
Grade: C+
Labels: 2007, Broadway, comedy, Laura Osnes, Maxx Crumm, musical, revival
Reviewed by Kat at the 7:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Adam Pascal (Roger Davis), Anthony Rapp (Mark Cohen), Tamyra Gray (Mimi Marquez), and the rest of the cery talented cast
For info, see the official Rent site.
Everyone who knows me knows I love Rent. Nothing new there. This time, I planned an entire trip just to see Rent with Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal. I had seen them in the roles they originated in the movie (which I own, clearly) many times, but I'd never seen them live. I'm still kicking myself for allowing the fact that I had just moved to San Diego keep me from seeing the Original Broadway Cast of Rent.
I'm so glad that Adam and Anthony decided to go back to their roles of Roger & Mark at the same time. Of course, it was only for 6 weeks and ending right before I planned to get to the city, so I had to plan a weekend trip to go see Rent with them. As much as I love my friends on the east coast, they all know that Rent was the important thing to me this weekend!
When Adam walked on stage, it was like a rock concert crowd. There is always applause for whoever is playing Roger, but this was wild. Anthony got the same reception when he came on stage. I've never heard anything like this in a Broadway theatre before, and I doubt I ever will again. It was just a wonderfully electric crowd. :) I'd guess that almost everyone in the crowd had seen Rent a few times (like me). I'm sure there were some there (like my friend Kenny) who were fortunate enough to see this cast in their first production of Rent, How lucky they are!
Clearly, it was amazing to see Anthony Rapp as Mark and Adam Pascal as Roger. It was really a dream come true for me. I didn't know much about the rest of the cast, though I'd seen a couple of them before. I don't watch American Idol, so I hadn't seen Tamyra Gray before. She was amazing as Mimi. Definitely the best Mimi I've seen out of the 11 times I've seen Rent. I was a bit bummed that she didn't have long hair, since I love that part of Out Tonight, but it was worth it to hear her singing Mimi's songs.
James and I both believe they've added some background choreography, since the last time either of us has seen Rent and we really enjoyed that. It added a bit, but wasn't too distracting.
I also noticed that they added Lisa (subtracting Sue) from the Life Support meeting. I wonder who Lisa is... I'm guessing she's someone who recently died of AIDS and I'm sorry to hear that. Initially, they say that Jonathan Larson had planned that the names of the Life Support meeting attendees would change with each cast and they'd be friends of the cast who had died of AIDS. When he died just before the opening of Rent Off-Broadway, I think that froze the show in many ways and no one wanted to touch it. I can understand that and I find it interesting that they did allow another name to break in to the meeting.
If you have a chance to get to see Rent on Broadway before Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal leave, do it! Of course, getting tickets will be difficult. It's great to see Rent selling at about 100% again! If I could have gotten tickets to see Rent the night that I saw the matinee, I would have gone back that night in a heartbeat. In fact, I look back and wonder what I was thinking buying tickets for just ONE performance out of the three I could see in the two days I was in New York for this trip. Oh well, live and learn... I'd love to see the entire movie cast do the Broadway show, but I'm guessing that will never happen. At least I got to see Adam and Anthony. It's a moment I will cherish forever!
The only down side was that they were having some real problems with the microphones. They were cutting out from time to time in the first act, so it sometimes seemed like someone had missed a line, but if you were watching them you could tell that they were on cue, but the mic just wasn't on (or wasn't working). Disappointing, but NOTHING could ruin the experience of getting to see Adam and Anthony in Rent.
Grade: A+++
Labels: 2007, Adam Pascal, Anthony Rapp, Best Musical, Broadway, dancing, drama, musical, Rent
Reviewed by Kat at the 2:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Kerry Butler (Clio/Kira), Cheyenne Jackson (Sonny), Mary Testa (Melpomene, Medusa), Jackie Hoffman (Calliope, Aphrodite)
For complete information, see the official Xanadu on Broadway site or IBDb's Xanadu page.
I'm one of the people who actually liked the movie Xanadu so when I heard they were making a musical of it and that Kerry Butler (who I'd see in just about anything) was going to be in it, I was sold. She did a great job as Clio/Kira. At times, it sounded like she was actually Olivia Newton-John (who played the role in the movie). Cheyenne Jackson, the original Sonny in the musical (who had to miss the official opening due to an injury) was back in time for us to see the show and I'm so glad. Cheyenne is amazing as Sonny! He's very talented, as is the rest of the cast of Xanadu.
The only weak link was Tony Roberts as Danny. He did a great job as Zeus, but as Danny, he was definitely lacking. I think Joel Grey or Ben Vereen would have been much better choices, but perhaps they couldn't get them. They had to have a younger cast member do the dancing for him instead of him doing it himself (as Gene Kelly did in the movie). Tony Roberts is definitely no Gene Kelly.
Both James and I were shocked at how much we enjoyed Xanadu. I expected to enjoy the music (which I already knew, for the most part), but I had no idea how much I would laugh. Xanadu makes fun of every show on Broadway (including themselves) and is really a lot of fun. As we passed the Winter Garden theatre later, James said he wasn't sure Mamma Mia! could claim to be the most fun you could have on Broadway any more, since Xanadu was such a blast.
I highly recommend catching this show on Broadway or in London or on tour (both coming in 2008). Enjoy yourself at this light show that's only one act and a lot of fun!
Grade: B+
Labels: 2007, Broadway, Cheyenne Jackson, dancing, Kerry Butler, musical
Reviewed by Kat at the 8:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Ken Alan (Bobby), Brad Anderson (Don), Michelle Aravena (Tricia), Natalie Cortez (Diana), Charlotte D'Amboise (Cassie), Mara Davi (Maggie), Jessica Lee Goldyn (Val), Deidre Goodwin (Sheila), Tyler Hanes (Larry), James T. Lane (Richie), Jeffrey Schecter (Mike), Yuka Takara (Paul)
For complete cast info, see the official A Chorus Line Broadway revival page.
I love A Chorus Line. I actually had the original Broadway cast album on vinyl (passed down from my aunt, I think). Of course, I have the CD of the OBC and DVD of the movie now, but I had never seen A Chorus Line on Broadway and was thrilled about the revival. (The tour we saw when I was in college was so bad it prompted "Kiss This Pitch Goodbye" after the show).
Most of the cast of the revival is amazing, but I have to say I was surprised by Charlotte D'Amboise and Deidre Goodwin (Cassie and Sheila). Charlotte D'Amboise is a great dancer. But as a singer, she couldn't even come close to holding her own. I was especially shocked that when she's dancing with the boys she doesn't sing. Every production I've seen (or heard) has Cassie singing with the guys on that part. When they took out her singing, they really should have added a line for Zack to be upset with her for not singing. I don't know of any director auditioning that would let that slide and Zack clearly has issues with most of what Cassie does anyway.
I saw Mara Davi (Maggie in this production) as Cassie in Cal State Fullerton's production of A Chorus Line a couple years ago and she was amazing. I know sometimes being talented isn't enough for your first Broadway show, though. Hopefully, Mara will get to play Cassie when Charlotte leaves the role.
Deidre Goodwin has a good voice, but doesn't have the energy that Kelly Bishop had as Sheila. I expected her to be more outgoiong and I guess more of a presence on stage, as the others I've seen play the role have.
James Lane (Richie), Mara Davi (Maggie), & Alisan Porter (Bebe) were all really wonderful. The rest of the cast is great and I highly recommend seeing this production. Of course, if you can catch it when Charlotte D'Amboise & Deidre Goodwin have an understudy in, that'd be ideal.
My best friend is friends with James Lane (we met him briefly a couple nights before seeing the show) and if I hadn't met someone in the cast, I wouldn't have bought this album, since some of my favorite songs were sung so poorly by Cassie and Sheila. It would have been a shame, though. The album has some great parts that aren't in the original Broadway cast album. I think at some point, I'll have to create my own A Chorus Line CD with the best of each.
Grade: B (would be much higher with understudies for Cassie & Sheila)
Labels: 2006, Broadway, comedy, dancing, drama, musical, revival
Reviewed by Kat at the 8:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Alexander Gemignani (Jean Valjean), Norm Lewis (Javert), Daphne Rubin-Vega (Fantine), Celia Keenan-Bolger (Eponine), Adam Jacobs (Marius), Ali Ewoldt (Cosette), Aaron Lazar (Enjorlas), Jenny Galloway (Madame Thenardier), Gary Beach (Thenardier)
For more info about this revival, see the official Les Miserables website.
For the most part, the cast of the revival of Les Miserables is amazing. The staging and sets are mostly the same. The orchestrations have been changed a bit, but are wonderfully done.
Daphne Rubin-Vega didn't impress me in the original Broadway cast of Rent, but she was much better in that than she is in this revival. She was by far the worst Fantine I've seen in the 5 Les Miserables productions I've seen. Sometimes when I saw it, characters were so bad that I looked forward to them dying. This feeling was never as strong as it was for Fantine when I saw Les Miserables this year. I kept counting down till her part would be mostly over. The sad thing is that everyone around us who had seen the show more than once was in complete agreement on this part of the show.
The other annoying thing (though this was true in every production I've seen) is that the wheels for changing the sets out make a ton of noise. It'd be nice to see them minimize that a bit more.
Fortunately, the majority of the cast was the best or second best person I've seen playing the role. This definitely makes the revival of Les Miserables a good show to see. If you've been missing Les Miserables since it left Broadway or (like my husband) you didn't get around to seeing it during the long run on Broadway or the tours, I definitely recommend this production. If you can, try to find out when the standby is going to be in for Daphne Rubin-Vega as Fantine.
Grade: A-
Labels: 2006, Best Musical, Broadway, musical, original, revival, war
Reviewed by Kat at the 8:00 PM show | 0 screams