If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
I thought she was fantastic on the 15th. I had specifically gone to see Scott Stangland go on as Pierre and I enjoyed seeing the standby/understudy/ensemble swings go on - if either Josh Groban or Denee Benton are out, the show is still in great hands.
I caught her at the matinee performance yesterday. I thought she was great, such a lovely voice and great comedic timing. I'm curious how her portrayal compares to Denee's - I'm trying to think of how to put it, but at times her portrayal comes off somewhat Disney Princess-like? It's hard to explain. I expected Natasha to be naive, but not quite so silly and goofy. Being that this was my first time seeing the show, I have nothing to compare it to, so I'm not sure how much of that is direction/how the character is written vs the individual choices of Denee vs Lauren (or, previously, Phillipa Soo.)
On a side note, I don't think I stopped smiling the whole show. It was so much more pure fun than I imagined just listening to the off-Broadway cast recording.
I saw Courtney Bassett on for Mary at the Wednesday matinee, and she was just exquisite. What a powerful performance, vocally and every other way. "The Private and Intimate...of the House" was a knockout.
"I'm a comedian, but in my spare time, things bother me." Garry Shandling