Laura Osnes and Tony Yazbeck to star in CRAZY FOR YOU- Page 2

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 2/17/17 at 1:36pm

wonderfulwizard11 said: "Rachel Bloom is honestly the only reason I'd go to see this- she is an absolute star. Fortunately she's busy with Crazy Ex-Girlfriend for at least the next year, but someone should really write her a tour-de-force role in a new musical."

If (meaning when) Rachel Bloom makes her Broadway debut, I will drop absolutely everything and go see her. Multiple times.

[Skimbleshanks2]

Posted: 2/17/17 at 2:02pm

RACHEL BLOOM is SUCH A TALENT... No joke --- CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND has helped me through a lot of my anxiety issues, as well as dependency issues with my husband... It's made me a stronger person... I LOVE HER... Wish I could see it but I've spent too much on BROADWAY lately Ugh...

[OlBlueEyes]

Posted: 2/17/17 at 11:31pm

I had trouble seeing the wonderfully upbeat Ms. Osnes as Julie in Carousel in Chicago. Julie Jordan is a pretty downbeat character who has to react to tragic loss. Laura did fine in the role.

She also took over Nellie for two long periods when Kelli O'Hara was gone from South Pacific. The Nellie role goes from light to heavy when she meets Emile's two children. I wish I had seen Laura in the role, not that I'm unhappy I saw Kelli. 

The New York Pops landed a really fine group of performers for its May 1st Gala at Carnegie Hall which is to honor Bartlett Sher and Kelli O'Hara. Laura, Paulo Szot, Ruthie Ann Miles and Danny Burstein. More to follow. With the Gala dinner dance to follow, it may be a pretty short and expensive concert.

 

[thirtythirtyninety]

Posted: 2/20/17 at 1:42am

Wasn't this tonight? Anybody see it? Dying to hear about it

[ren598]

Posted: 2/20/17 at 3:08am

Just got back from the show tonight.  I was not familiar with the show going in and really only went because of Tony Yazbeck and Laura Osnes.  Tony and Laura did not disappoint.  The show was great and based on the two standing ovations (one before intermission and the other at the end), I wasn't the only one who that that.  

Unlike in years past (Secret Garden, Parade, Titanic, Ragtime), this was a more fully realized production than a concert performance with spectacular choreographed dance numbers, costume changes, limited props and no scripts.  You can tell the entire cast really put in the time and effort to learn their lines and dance steps for this one night only event.  Just wished more people got to see this.  They really need to revive this show with Tony and Laura in the leads.  

[OlBlueEyes]

Posted: 2/20/17 at 4:58am

The only other production of Crazy for You  that I had seen had been on  PBS and I found the show rather colorless and the humor hackneyed. The old mistaken identity ploy.

I was certain that this Manhattan Concert Broadway Series production, with the 24 member New York City Chamber Orchestra and a 240 voice chorus behind it, would be much better, but I didn't know how good it would be. From the beginning, when four highly costumed chorus girls preened across the stage in elaborate costumes as Susan Stroman must have carefully directed them, the audience was wildly enthusiastic. It was like the audience had already seen the show two or three times and on cue they were cheering for it in advance, except in this case the audience hadn't seen it before. A mid first act ensemble number stopped the show cold.

I confess that I wasn't very familiar with the cast members besides Laura. But Tony Yazbeck bonded with the audience in about fifteen seconds. He has some charisma in addition to his talent in dancing and comedy, both verbal and physical. Laura was just fine and I thought a perfect fit for the role. The cast must have fed from all the energy coming from the audience. It had the chops to make the humor work, especially the physical humor. After the triumphant curtain call, and a little more Gershwin from the cast on stage, Laura brought Susan Stroman on to the stage very fittingly, This woman, if not already there, will join the pantheon of great American choreographers. 

After the show, most conversations were centered on two topics: 

"They put all that work into this show only to have it performed once?"

"They've got to get this on Broadway."

Some wondered how they could get Laura free if Bandstand was a hit, Others said that Tony was the key cast member and another Polly could be found.

To cap off this rather surprisingly special event, I stayed standing in my row listening to the orchestra finish up when most were on their way out. I noticed out of the corner of my eye three men coming down my row which they were using as a short cut to get to the left wall of the orchestra. 

I didn't get out of their way fast enough and the man in the lead put his hands on my shoulders gently and turned me to he could get past, apologizing as he did so. That man with the bright red handkerchief in his suit pocket was Mel Brooks.

So now I have a little anecdote to bore people with for years to come.

[bdn223]

Posted: 2/20/17 at 11:34am

It is worth noting that the score itelf and Girl Crazy the musical that Crazy for You is adapted from fall into public domain within the next 8 years. Thus, there is definitely some financial motivation on the Gershwin estate's part considering by 2030 the only royalties they will be collecting will be from Crazy for You, Nice Work if You Can Get It, The Gershin's Porgy and Bess, An American In Paris, and Me and My Only. I can easily see a greedy and legal savvy producer mounting a "Heavily Revised" revised Girl Crazy, to cut costs.

I would love this to be revived next year though, and wonder how much of the supporting cast they can get to sign on for a Broadway run.

[Steve C.]

Posted: 2/20/17 at 3:29pm

I saw the show last night and I was blown away. The energy of the cast (and audience) was in the air and the cast, orchestra, even the 240 or so chorus (also on stage) were very much in top form.

The sound was great. The chorus mainly augmented the ensemble at times, the orchestrations were peppy and the sound in Geffen was very good; (I saw Sunset Boulevard yesterday also and that huge orchestra buried on stage did not sound as good, noticeably so, as the sound in Geffen.

Tony Yasbeck is an absolute tour de force and I hope he gets a breakthrough, star blasting role so people will know his name. Laura was an excellent choice for Polly, and the rest of the cast and ensemble sang, danced and worked their hearts out. Rachel Bloom and Jerry O'Connell were super (the Naughty Song almost stopped the show), Harry Groener was happily in the cast and still has it. Dratch, McBrayer, Mark Linn-Baker, even the spotlighted ensemble were great.

I think "Crazy" is absolutely some of Susan Strohman's best work. "Slap That Bass" "Stiff Upper Lip" and energetic tap throughout. Susan Strohman came out at the end and was ,rightly so, thrilled with everyone. Given the response I would hope someone could bring this back to Broadway. I'm really glad that we were able to see it.    

[smidge]

Posted: 2/20/17 at 3:37pm

This was such a fun evening. Perfectly cast and the singing and dancing were exhilarating. Heard conversations around me from people I assume were in the original production. Saw William Ivey Long at intermission. Only annoyance was a Woo Boy every time Rachel Bloom did something.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 2/20/17 at 7:18pm

still hoping this comes to Broadway next season - with Osnes & Yazbeck.

[Taryn]

Posted: 2/20/17 at 9:14pm

I was super disappointed at the highlights reel -- we literally only got to hear just Tony singing anything!

[OlBlueEyes]

Posted: 2/21/17 at 3:07am

This video of Susan Stroman addressing the audience at curtain call just went up on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRyo5RO0ef4

This is a real treat. The climactic dance and the entire curtain call, full of music and dance

http://www.theatermania.com/video/laura-osnes-and-tony-yazbeck-win-our-hearts-in-geo_1192.html

A number of rehearsal videos went up on Friday. I don't know if they had already been available before.

There are some extended dancing sequences and interview footage with Susan Stroman and the cast.

I Got Rhythm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiRe1MPu6Tc

Excerpts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2Sxhf-DDmU

Even the rehearsal videos throw off some of the energy.

What I didn't do for love, and complete lack of talent

 

 

 

[OlBlueEyes]

Posted: 4/11/17 at 10:37pm

According to an article filed by Michael Riedel of the Post about a half hour ago (4/11/17), a Broadway revival of this show is under serious discussion. 

1/crazy-for-you-may-be-returning-to-broadway/

It played only one night, but the concert version of “Crazy For You” was such infectious fun, there’s talk of a Broadway revival next season.

The concert, which Susan Stroman staged Feb. 19 at Lincoln Center’s David Geffen Hall, marked the 25th anniversary of “Crazy For You,” which ran four years at the Shubert.

Word is producer Joey Parnes, who won a Tony for “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder,” is trying to put together the revival. I hear he’d like to keep the cast from the concert intact. And why not? Leads Laura Osnes and Tony Yazbeck charmed the crowd, while a bunch of first-rate second bananas — including “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” star Rachel Bloom and Rachel Dratch — had everybody in stitches.

It really was a fun show. The audience gave it a much more enthusiastic reception than I would have expected.

If the enthusiasm shown here for Bandstand is any indication, Laura Osnes should be free for the role.