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: 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: 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
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 first act (and a little of the second act). That's right, thanks to my friend Craig (yes, I still blame him) who talked about all the horrible things that can happen in previews (when his friend was talking about going to see Mary Poppins in previews), the first time I ever had a problem with a show in previews, though I've seen many was when we went to see Mary Poppins. Craig's friend enjoyed it so much that we moved it up on our list. We got great seats and enjoyed the first act.
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.
Apparently, the closing number is really amazing. I doubt I'll get to see it with the current cast, but I do hope to see the rest of the Mary Poppins musical someday. If you liked the movie, I recommend checking out the musical. The original Broadway cast is amazing! See it while they're still there. (From what I've heard, they're better than the London cast, so I'm waiting for the Broadway CD to come out before I buy it.)
It's pretty amusing that the musical had been running for years in London and had to shut down the same night the Broadway preview audience was sent home early. Unfortunately, Disney handled things so poorly that it was clear they had no idea what to do in that situation. If I'd had young children with me, I would have been very upset with how they left the show (since they changed it so much, I won't explain that part in detail). I think that at the very least they should have brought out the Banks family, Bert, and Mary Poppins and sung the finale. The audience really wanted a nice ending to the evening.
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. 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 (from what we saw). Hopefully, they're done working out the kinks in the system, but I'd still recommend waiting till after previews at this point.
Grade: B+
Labels: 2006, Ashley Brown, Broadway, Disney, family, Gavin Lee, musical, original
Reviewed by Kat at the 8:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Burke Moses (The Narrator (El Gallo)), Santino Fontana (The Boy (Matt)), Betsy Morgan (The Girl (Luisa)), Leo Burmester (The Boy's Father (Hucklebee)), Martin Vidnovic (The Girl's Father (Bellomy)), Thomas Bruce (The Old Actor (Henry)), Robert R. Oliver (The Man Who Dies (Mortimer)), Douglas Ullman, Jr. (The Mute)
For more information, see The Fantasticks official site.
I've loved the musical The Fantasticks for years and I've seen some pretty good productions, but had never seen the run Off-Broadway and was excited to hear that it was going back to New York Off-Broadway. We saw the understudy (Betsy Morgan) for The Girl (Luisa) and she was amazing.
I was very pleased with the entire cast except for Santino Fontana who seemed bored and was often off key. I was really impressed that Betsy never went sharp to try to get him to go back to the right key. I know that can be difficult.
Douglas Ullman, Jr. was great as The Mute. When I read that he was going to be replacing Santino Fontana as The Boy (Matt), I was a bit bummed that we had seen it before he replaced Santino Fontana. Douglas seemed to be very happy to be in the cast and looked like he was enjoying himself. I'm sure he'll do a much better job as Matt.
I highly recommend seeing The Fantasticks in the new Off-Broadway run. The theatre is intimate and the cast is amazing. The show is still wonderful and if you haven't seen a good production of it, now is the time. Even if you have, think about checking out the revival of the show.
Grade: B+
Labels: 2006, musical, Off-Broadway, original, revival
Reviewed by Kat at the 2:30 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Stephen Lynch (Robbie Hart), Christina Sivrich (Julia Sullivan), Constantine Maroulis (Sammy), Kevin Cahoon (George), Amy Spanger (Holly), Richard H. Blake (Glen Gulia), Rita Gardner (Rosie), Felicia Finley (Linda)
For complete information on this cast, see the official The Wedding Singer site.
I was a little bummed when I saw that Christina Sivrich was going to be playing Julia instead of Laura Benanti (or even her standby, Christina is an understudy). However, Christina very quickly showed me that I had no need to worry. I can't imagine Laura Benanti or her standby doing any better than Christina Sivrich did as Julia Sullivan. She was perfect for the part and has a great voice.
I saw The Wedding Singer with a group of 6, though it was chosen by my sister who didn't end up making the trip... I don't think any of us expected much of the show, but we were all very pleasantly surprised. I'm very glad we got to see this musical while it lasted (not long after we saw it, we heard that it's closing at the end of the year). If you liked the movie, go see this show! Heck, even if you didn't and you liked the 80's, see the show! And even if neither of those are true and you're in NYC and have time, check it out. My dad hadn't seen the movie (though he will soon) and isn't a child of the 80's, but he really enjoyed the musical.
What I liked is that they were smart enough to change the music throughout the show and still keep in the important songs from the movie (the two Adam Sandler songs). The costumes were amazing, the cast is great, and I highly recommend The Wedding Singer musical. Stephen Lynch does try a bit too hard to be like Adam Sandler at a couple points, but overall I thought he did a good job.
If you can get there before the end of the year, The Wedding Singer is very enjoyable. After that, I'm sure it will tour. It's a fun show and I'd definitely see it again if it comes to town.
Grade: B+
Reviewed by Kat at the 8:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast Nikki M. James (Dorothy), Albert Blaise Cattafi (Toto), Titus Burgess (Lion), Rashad Naylor (Scarecrow), Michael Benjamin Washington (Tinman), Heather Lee (Addaperle), David Alan Grier (The Wiz)
For complete info on this amazing cast and crew, see La Jolla Playhouse's The Wiz site.
Des McAnuff (Artistic Director of the La Jolla Playhouse and Director of this production) did an amazing job with this revival of The Wiz! Few sets have been as complicated as this one. In fact, one of the first questions my husband asked as we entered the theatre was where the show is going from here (Broadway), since he didn't think it could tour.
They removed an entire row of seats (around row G) so that the Yellow Brick Road can go from the stage around the sides of the front orchestra and through the orchestra. It was made yellow with lights, not actually yellow to start. The main stage had a rotating section, the top of the house was hovering above the family room area and spun, too. There was a three-piec section of walkways above that could also move down to be part of the yellow brick road as the cast tries to find the Wiz and Evillene.
The cast is totally amazing (and gorgeous). They all have great voices and are wonderful dancers & actors. Albert Blaise Cattafi as Toto in Oz is particularly amazing, but when you look at his amazing bio for how young he looks, it's not very suprising. I'd never seen The Wiz live and hadn't seen the movie in years, so all I really remembered of it was Ease on Down the Road and Home. I'd forgotten the beautiful song Aunt Em & Dorothy sing in the beginning (and Glinda and Dorothy reprise later). The Wiz really has some great music.
I never really liked The Wizard of Oz, but somehow, The Wiz is more fun, more hip. And, Dorothy isn't nearly as whiny in The Wiz. Parts of the show are still way to cheesy to make a great musical, but The Wiz is very enjoyable and well done.
Although we saw a preview show, I didn't see anything wrong with the special effects or timing. I highly recommend checking out The Wiz at the La Jolla Playhouse while it's there or on Broadway when it moves to NYC.
Grade: A-
Reviewed by Kat at the 7:00 PM show | 0 screams
An interesting one-act play. The cast is great and parts of the play are very interesting. As long as Blue Door is at South Coast Rep, I'd recommend checking it out, since the cast is great and without them, I'm not sure the story would be as interesting. Two men playing 4 characters in a one act play
Much to my husband's disappointment, there was no blue door on stage. The stage had a few windows from time to time, but the blue door was only symbolized by lights. Lewis learns all about the history of his family from his ancestors and brother, all played by Larry Gilliard, Jr. amazingly well. Lewis goes through a journey of learning about his past and the horrible things that happened to his ancestors so he can come to terms with what it means to him to be a black man in his life.
Grade: C+
Reviewed by Kat at the 7:45 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Christina Applegate (Charity Hope Valentine), Denis O'Hare (Oscar Lindquist)
For complete cast, see IBDb's Sweet Charity page.
I'm very happy I got to see this before it left Broadway. I've always liked Christina Applegate and I had never seen her perform live. I was also excited to see Denis O'Hare again (I've been a fan since we saw him in Take Me Out in 2003. Although I was disappointed when I learned that I'd gotten seats in the first row of the orchestra (Note: Never forget to check your tickets before leaving the TKTS window), the seats turned out to be okay for a show like Sweet Charity, since there weren't a lot of elaborate sets. For something like Wicked, it would have been murder on our necks.
Dad (who currently lives in downtown Manhattan) and I were both very impressed with the entire cast. I had never seen Sweet Charity; it's a very sweet musical (as most were in the 60's). Dad thought this revival did a good job, which is impressive, since he'd already seen the show and told me a few times before we saw this version that he just couldn't picture Christina Applegate in any roll other than her Married... with Children roll (Kelly). By the end of the show, he admitted that Christina Applegate was a great actress and belonged on Broadway. I had never heard Christina Applegate sing before and she really did a great job. Having not seen Victoria Clark in The Light in the Piazza, I can't say whether Christina Applegate deserved the Tony award or not, but she definitely deserved the nomination she got. After seeing her performance, I'm very happy that the theatre community seems to be taking her seriously. :-) Denis O'Hare was amazing! The rest of the supporting cast was really wonderful and will surely be brightening stages for years to come.
One thing I really liked about Sweet Charity is that it didn't have the typical fairy tale ending. I thought it was great in the end Charity had learned a lot, but didn't get the perfect life she thought she had to have in the beginning of the show. I was surprised by such a refreshing ending in a show that's almost 40 years old. It seems that most shows on the great white way have to go for the happy ending. I definitely recommend seeing Sweet Charity on tour or the next time they do a revival. It's a fun & light-hearted show.
Grade: B
Labels: 2005, Broadway, Christina Applegate, comedy, dancing, Denis O'Hare, drama, musical, original, revival, romance
Reviewed by Kat at the 8:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Sara Ramirez (The Lady of the Lake)
Too many stars to name all the major players in this one. For a complete cast list, see IBDb's Spamalot page.
I was very pleasantly surprised that Hank Azaria returned in time to complete the original Broadway cast again in time for me to see the show. I had heard such great things about the OBC that it was great to experience it myself. Most of all, I'm thrilled that Sara Ramirez, who earned a very well-deserved Tony for her portrayal of The Lady of the Lake hadn't left the show before I got to Broadway to see it. The entire cast of Monty Python's Spamalot was amazing, but Sara Ramirez still managed to stand out.
Although I am a fan of Monty Python, I believe even people who generally don't enjoy Monty Python's skits and movies would thoroughly enjoy this show. I was surprised to see how much of the show was simply making fun of musicals in general and not really based on a Monty Python movie or skit. The Diva Lament is the best example of this, but they make fun of the sappy moments in musicals throughout the show.
The music isn't the greatest, but I'm definitely glad that Monty Python's Spamalot won the best musical Tony award this year. The music is fun and the show is hilarious. The tour starts soon, so even if you're not in the NYC area, I highly recommend this show for a fun night when it gets to a theatre near you.
Grade: B+
Labels: 2005, Best Musical, Broadway, comedy, musical, original
Reviewed by Kat at the 8:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Eddie Kaye Thomas (CB), America Ferrera (CB's Sister), Keith Nobbs (Van), Ian Somerhalder (Matt), Logan Marshall-Green (Beethoven), Kelli Garner (Tricia), Ari Graynor (Marcy), & Eliza Dushku (Van's Sister)
Definitely not a show that would survive on Broadway, but I think it will run a long time Off-Broadway! My sister and I really enjoyed this show. As it started, it was so funny that my first thought was that I had to tell all my friends in the city to see it and how sorry I was that my husband had to miss this trip and this show. With any luck, it'll still be playing next year when we go back to NYC.
My sister thinks this show will change people's views & open minds. I'm not nearly as optimistic as she is, but I thought it was a great show. Since seeing it, I've read a few reviews of it that say the comparisons to Charlie Brown got old and it was a one joke play. I disagree. My sister and I thought all the comparisons to the original were hilarious. They told you who each character was as you met them in the play and it was fun to see CB & Van do things Charlie Brown and Linus did when they were younger, like hang out at the wall, even though they were in high school now. Some things never change.
I'm trying to convince my friend Craig to see this show even though it's got "a bunch of Hollywood types" in it. With any luck, it'll run long enough for me to convince him it's worth his time and for me to take my husband to it next year.
Grade: B
Labels: 2005, comedy, drama, Eliza Dushku, Off-Broadway, original, play
Reviewed by Kat at the 8:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Norbert Leo Butz (Freddy), John Lithgow (Lawrence), Sherie Rene Scott (Christine), Joanna Gleason (Muriel)
For complete cast list, see IBDb's Dirty Rotten Scoundrels page.
The cast is amazing! I loved the movie it's based on... So why didn't I love the show? I can't really explain it, but this was definitely the most disappointing show I saw in NYC during the 2005 season. Norbert Leo Butz definitely deserved his Tony award for this show and everyone else was amazing. I was so happy to finally see Sherie René Scott in person (she was sick when I saw Aida and I never got the chance to see her in The Last 5 Years. It was great to see Joanna Gleason again (I hadn't seen her in person since Into the Woods). Somehow, I found myself wondering when the show was over and when it would get to the end during a lot of the show and I really can't explain why. I would say that if you're going to see a show in NYC, see one of the many other great shows on Broadway and Off-Broadway (Wicked, Monty Python's Spamalot, I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change, or many others) before you bother with Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. It was very disappointing and in spite of the strong attendance so far, I can't imagine it lasting for years like many of the wonderful shows available in NYC now.
By the way, the grade below is no reflection on the cast. It's just that the show as a whole didn't impress me.
Grade: C
Labels: 2005, Broadway, comedy, crime, Joanna Gleason, musical, original
Reviewed by Kat at the 3:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Bob Martin (Man in Chair), Sutton Foster (Janet)
For a more complete cast list, see Playbill.com's The Drowsy Chaperone cast announcement.
The Drowsy Chaperone was the most original work I've seen in years. I was really amazed by the story line and the unique presentation. I don't want to spoil it for anyone, since it should be heading to Broadway in 2006 and probably a tour after that (it's a fun show). This musical is a one act show that takes place in the Man in Chair's apartment as he shares a favorite musical with the audience. The music isn't the best, but the cast is amazing and the show as a whole is hilarious. A great show for the whole family. Everyone should be able to enjoy this one!
I was very happy to finally see Sutton Foster in person, since she was sick when I saw Thoroughly Modern Millie. I hadn't seen Bob Martin in anything before this, either, and he was really great.
Go see this unique musical and take your friends and family! Enjoy the comedy.
Grade: B+
Reviewed by Kat at the 2:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Jefferson Mays (Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, et. al.)
For more info on the Broadway production, see the IBDb's I am My Own Wife page.
I can't imagine this show being done by anyone other than Jefferson Mays, who definitely deserved the Tony he got for best actor in this play. I am My Own Wife is a great play based on a true story about Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, a German transvestite surviving the Nazi regime and the Soviet-dominated Communist dictatorship that followed in East Germany. It's a fascinating story. I never imagined a play with just one actor could be so interesting.
Grade: B
Reviewed by Kat at the 2:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Tom Hewitt (Dracula), Darren Ritchie (Jonathan Harker), Melissa Errico (Mina Murray)
For complete cast information, see the IBDb's Dracula, the Musical page.
Dracula, the Musical is certainly not the best musical Frank Wildhorn has ever done. In fact, I'd say it's one of his worst. However, at his worst Frank Wildhorn still produces some of the best music in the theatre. The flying vampires are also a nice touch.
I liked this show when I first saw it at the La Jolla Playhouse for the world premiere of the musical and I enjoyed it even more with the improved special effects added by a Broadway budget.
If the story of Dracula interests you at all, go see Dracula, the Musical. You'll enjoy it.
Grade: C+
Labels: 2004, Broadway, drama, Frank Wildhorn, musical, original
Reviewed by Kat at the 8:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Eden Espinosa (Brooklyn), Kevin Anderson (Taylor), Cleavant Derricks (Streetsinger), Ramona Keller (Paradice), Karen Olivo (Faith)
For complete information, see IBDb's Brooklyn page.
Brooklyn was a simple sweet story. Nothing particularly special about the plot, but the music was wonderful and the cast is amazing. I'd heard so much about Eden Espinosa before this show opened and it was great to see her and the rest of the cast in person in the show.
If you're in the mood for a general feel-good movie that's a little sappy and has great music, Brooklyn is the show for you.
Grade: B-
Reviewed by Kat at the 8:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Mary-Louise Parker (Rachel), Thomas Sadoski (Tom), Michael O'Keefe (Lloyd), Rosie Perez (Pooty)
For complete show information, see the IBDb Reckless page.
Reckless is an outstanding dark comedy with an amazing cast. It's hard to describe without giving away one of the best jokes in the beginning of the show, so I'll just say that a lot of crazy stuff happens that begins right around Christmas and things snowball from there.
I definitely highly recommend it, even if you can't see this amazing cast.
Grade: B+
Labels: 2004, Broadway, comedy, drama, original, play, revival
Reviewed by Kat at the 8:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Nathan Lane (Dionysos), Roger Bart (Xanthias)
For complete cast information, see IBDb's The Frogs page.
I had heard a lot about The Frogs before seeing it and none of it was good. Perhaps this is why I thought the show was okay. Not great, but Nathan Lane and Roger Bart worked so well together and they were hilarious. "Invocation and Instructions to the Audience" is one of the funniest songs Stephen Sondheim has ever written and he's written a lot of hilarious songs. "Invocation and Instructions to the Audience" has been used in quite a few Sondheim reviews and there is a reason for this. "I Love to Travel" is also a very funny song.
Although this is far from being one of Sondheim's best shows, I'm glad I got to see The Frogs with this amazing cast.
Grade: C+
Labels: 2004, Broadway, comedy, musical, Nathan Lane, original, Stephen Sondheim
Reviewed by Kat at the 2:00 PM show | 0 screams