Jessie Mueller in "Nice Work"

[mc1227]

Posted: 3/29/13 at 10:41pm

Anyone catch her first performance tonight? Just curious how she did (I'm sure she killed it!) I won't be able to go for another couple of weeks. Kelly2, are you out there?

[Kelly2]

Posted: 3/30/13 at 12:10am

Well that's embarrassing! But I was there! Not home quite yet but yes, she was incredible. She's found so much humor and joy in the character and had the audience in the palm of her hands. She outshone Broderick by a mile though it wasn't hard. Whatever the song is with the soup in the dining room...she had me dying. Her physical comedy in "Treat Me Rough" was brilliant and she's certainly never been in better voice. I could gush all night but she really was THAT good. Don't miss her!

[mc1227]

Posted: 3/30/13 at 8:02am

Sorry to call you out but I remember reading that you were going to the show last night. I'm not surprised that she shines in the role, her talent is more suited for it although I did love Kelli as well. I'm looking forward to seeing her soon.

[Kelly2]

Posted: 3/30/13 at 10:41am

No worries :) I haven't exactly been private about my love for the Mueller. She really is wonderful. I didn't see Kelli, but a friend who did and who LOVES O'Hara felt that Jessie fit the role better than Kelli did, not to knock on Kelli in any way, she's absolutely wonderful too.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 3/30/13 at 10:48am

Hard not to take your thoughts with a grain of salt, Kelly2 -- your love for her might not make you the most unbiased reviewer.

(Not knocking your adoration for her, or saying she isn't wonderful.)


Even the lovely Ms Mueller can't get me to want to see this show.

[Kelly2]

Posted: 3/30/13 at 10:53am

Fair point and I can totally cop to that. However, I did go with friends, all of whom shared my opinion on her performance, and none of whom shared my bias.

I've also read a few reviews on social media type stuff and all seem to be glowing. The lovely Ms. Robyn Hurder also tweeted about how much she was enjoying Jessie's "Someone to Watch Over Me" from her dressing room.

As for the show itself, it's pretty much exactly what I expected it to be. It reminded me of those cheesy old 50s movies like Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? You know what's gonna happen, you know the aesthetic, but it was still an entertaining, funny journey to get there. The choreography was lovely as well. But if I saw it again, I'd really like to see Broderick's understudy, he was painfully bad.

Updated On: 3/30/13 at 10:53 AM

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 3/30/13 at 11:15am

Anyone know why Judy Kaye was out last night?

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 3/30/13 at 11:20am

Maybe she didn't want to be overshadowed by a star of Jessie Mueller's magnitude.

[Kelly2]

Posted: 3/30/13 at 11:46am

Probably. I'd do the same in her shoes.

[Playbilly]

Posted: 3/30/13 at 9:05pm

Broderick is still bad? I saw it when it opened, and hoped his lethargy would pass. Love to see Colin Donnell in that role.

[mc1227]

Posted: 3/30/13 at 9:19pm

I saw this show last week and while I respect other's opinions, I can honestly say that I'm perplexed when I read something about his performance being bad. I think he is very entertaining in this role, charming and funny and integral to the storyline. Ive seen the show at different times during the run with different cast members and I think he was good from the start but has become much more comfortable and polished as the show has progressed. In fact, except for a few posts on this board, audience members and tweets show that he is a crowd favorite and the reason this show is still running.

[Gink]

Posted: 3/30/13 at 11:23pm

We saw it last week and thought Broderick was hilarious--his deadpan-man child totally worked for us. Actually, everyone in the production was hilarious--fun night!

[Kelly2]

Posted: 3/31/13 at 1:07am

You say "deadpan", I say "dead".

[goldenboy]

Posted: 3/31/13 at 11:11am

Jessie Mueller is over-rated and has a great agent.
I for one will not be seeing her in Nice Work having loved it
with Kelli O'Hara and understudy Joey Sorge.
Did not care for her in Clear Day.
In Clear Day she sang out of the side of her mouth and was in a word bland. I don't understand some people's love affair with this performer. She did fine in Drood but by no means a stand out.

[eperkins]

Posted: 3/31/13 at 11:14am

I too adore Jessie Mueller!

[mc1227]

Posted: 3/31/13 at 11:22am

In fairness to Jessie, her role in Drood did not allow a standout performance, but she was certainly memorable and solid. The only standout performances in Drood, imo, were Jim Norton and Andrew Samonsky. What I am looking forward to seeing in Nice Work is her comedic ability. I often think of her as a younger version of Andrea Martin. I think the pairing with Broderick will make the show worth seeing again. Kelli is s'wonderful and I loved her in the role but am looking forward to seeing Jessie's interpretation of the role.

[Kelly2]

Posted: 3/31/13 at 11:40am

Goldenboy correct me if I'm wrong but didn't you admit to not having actually seen her perform live in On a Clear Day? Perhaps that's why your impression of her is so distorted. I am by no means suggesting that people are not allowed to dislike her as a performer, nobody is universally beloved, but Drood is hardly the best representation of her work as an actress. I found her best performances to be in Carousel and Into the Woods, and IMO, they showed more of her range and gave her more of a chance to sing in a classic theatre style.

I'm not sure what you're talking about regarding her singing from the side of her mouth, but her singing in Clear Day was certainly stylized to fit the period from which her character is from. Her vocals in that are very different from her vocals in Into the Woods and Carousel which allowed her to use her soprano and more legit theatre voice to, in my opinion, great effect.

She clearly does have a great agent but I don't think judging her based off of two of her smallest and most stylized parts and using that as a way to discredit her talent as a performer is really fair to her. Not that you have to be fair to her, but, y'know, it is a thread discussing her talent.

And yes, I know, me defending her is predictable, we all saw this coming. Let's just accept it and move on together. S'wonderful! xoxoxo

Updated On: 3/31/13 at 11:40 AM

[Emmaloucbway]

Posted: 3/31/13 at 12:02pm

Saw it last night. Absolutely loved Mueller. I preferred her performance to O'Hara's. Matthew was even worse than he was when I first saw the show. Still a fun night at the theatre. Judy Kaye was out yesterday too.

[goldenboy]

Posted: 3/31/13 at 12:12pm

I did see Clear Day. The reading with Mark Kudish and Jessie Mueller and the show with Harry Conick Jr.(By the way, Mark Kudish was better) Had the same impression of her twice. Bland and sings out of the side of her mouth. I did think she did a good job in Drood and am willing to give her a chance in something else so this is specifically for her role in On a Clear Day.

I remember thinking incredulously "that is who they got to replace Barbara Harris? Barbara Streisand? and Kristin Chenowith?"

Updated On: 3/31/13 at 12:12 PM

[Kelly2]

Posted: 3/31/13 at 12:19pm

Well, I think it's a tall order for anyone to replace Barbara Harris or Barbra Streisand, Chenoweth I would not put on that pedestal. But I was thoroughly charmed by Jessie in Clear Day nonetheless.

I am jealous you got to see Kudisch, since Harry Connick Jr's "acting" was painful in places.

[goldenboy]

Posted: 3/31/13 at 6:35pm

Kudish was terrific in the role. Ironically, the producers told me to ignore Kudish's characterization because "Connick will bring a warmth that Kudish can't bring to it." Laughing cause Kudish was much better and much more right for it.

[sowren1020]

Posted: 3/31/13 at 7:15pm

I'm astounded that anyone would think that Matthew Broderick is even passable in NICE WORK. He seems exhausted and in extreme pain or just plain bored, playing the same character he's played in things he's been in for ages. Will Chase was a much better choice when he took over the role. I don't understand how the producers for that show thought Broderick was a viable choice in the first place, he can't sing or dance. Jessie Mueller, on the other hand, for me has had real talent in everything she's done.

Updated On: 3/31/13 at 07:15 PM

[Kelly2]

Posted: 3/31/13 at 7:18pm

I can't agree enough with the criticism of Broderick. Honestly, I went in with an open mind even though I'd heard bad things, but it was even worse than I heard. He literally says almost all of his lines in the same bored, disinterested voice. To be deadpan requires intention and humor and Broderick is lacking in both. His dancing is also sloppy and opposite Mueller, whose energy level was high and despite it being her first show, was very sharp in her dancing and her humor, it was even more obvious that he was dragging.

If I ever knew he'd be out, that would most certainly be when I'd make a return visit. I'd love to see the show with a Jimmy who seemed even remotely close to alive.

[perfectlymarvelous]

Posted: 3/31/13 at 7:38pm

Broderick seemed like such a strange choice for this role from the beginning. I saw Will Chase in the role when he took over and he was wonderful, and I couldn't imagine Broderick being anything but terrible.

I would really love to see Jessie Mueller but I'm not sure I want to sit through Broderick in this show, to be honest.

[Patash]

Posted: 3/31/13 at 7:44pm

The role Broderick plays, as I understood it in the show, is a rich, but dull as dirt man who has no personality. Even his mother wants to disown him because he is so lackluster. Tell me again why Broderick is so "wrong" for this role. I frankly thought he was perfect.