for those of you jumping to conclusions about the set based on that Instagram picture: I saw the show in Atlanta and that picture looked like the set for the prologue scene set at a NY Opening Night. It's cartoonish but not terrible...but it IS indicative of the show's difficulty in deciding on a tone and a time. The jokes are circa 1965, the situation feels circa 1985 and the setting seems to be 2005...and its take on 'small town America' is just plai
I'm sure many young professionals can weigh in on your Arts vs Musical Theatre question, but here are a few things to be thinking about:
Musical Theatre training at the college level comes in a lot of flavors. There are BFA programs and BA programs, there are some programs where the musical theatre performers actually study in a BA or BFA Music program, there are some where you study for a BFA or BA in Acting or Theatre Arts. Some programs are run mor
I have never before weighed in-- on any site-- on anything remotely about politics, but I think a few things should be corrected or mentioned:
Dr Ford did NOT suspiciously time her accusation. She raised it, anonymously, with Senator Feinstein during the preliminary period when Kavanaugh's name was on the short list. My understanding was that Dr Ford presumed that there was preliminary fact-finding and investigating going on all the candidates, and she wanted to a
I saw it in Atlanta with the same cast and liked a lot about it. It was extremely funny (I won't spoil some of the better gags, but Broadway fans will get a true kick out of it) and the songs and staging were great.... but needed a lot of work-- the opening number, set at a opening night party, was so outdated as to resemble nothing so much as a Carol Burnett Show sketch (and not in a good way). Plus, the depiction of contemporary small-town high school lif
my favorite: saw HELLO DOLLY (Bette version) and had Quentin Tarantino right in back of me. He was speaking with a range of seatmates-- none of whom he seemed to know-- during intermission and I joined in. He's a huge musical theatre fan and I asked him what musical he'd like to film. He said he didn't think he could do a good job with a musical so he was unlikely to try it. I was surprised-- I think he'd do a great job wit
Saw it last night. Enjoyed it somewhat-- mainly thanks to Walters and Baranski and their younger incarnations. It really plays like a fun, energetic Bollywood musical where the dancing is largely made up of line dances that include lots of non-professionals, and the numbers are sort of shoehorned in on a regular basis, with little heed to plot or character. The actor who plays young Colin Firth reminds me of young Michael Crawford in the film version of H
I saw it and really liked it a lot in Atlanta. It's hilarious, but a 3rd grader will not necessarily find it funny-- most of the jokes are at the expense of Broadway narcissists, the cast of a bus-and-truck of Godspell and a bunch of small-town, small-minded bureaucrats. All stereotypes, delivered with panache. It's all bouncy and good-natured and works a lot better than it ought to.
I have two daughters beyond high school age (one still in college), and the college girl would tell you WAITRESS....with no hesitation whatsoever. She adored it, as have all of her friends. It has some pretty adult stuff in it (some of it gratuitous, and I'm no prude), but certainly milder than what's in store at Sweeney Todd! WAITRESS has a wonderful score and a story (and characters) that will resonate with your daughters. If
Was there tonight. I really enjoyed it, flaws and all, and I think the Encores audience did, too. The show is not so great, but I've always loved the score and the setting, and it's got moments that are just wonderful. This production does justice to the score, mitigates some of the not-so-good aspects of the book, and ultimately delivers the goods. I've never seen the show before, though I knew the score and enjoyed cli
If we eliminate local productions that might include some Equity performers and are considered professional productions (though wayyyy off Broadway), then the single Best Amateur Production I've ever seen was a RAGTIME done at French Woods (a performing arts summer camp in upstate NY). I have seen a number of RAGTIME productions (inc the pre-Broadway run in Toronto, the Original Broadway Cast, the Broadway revival and the national tour), and I loved them all. Bu
Given that I had high expectations (that were met) by great productions of everything from HEDWIG to A CHORUS LINE (original cast) to SWEENEY TODD (every cast), there have indeed been other times when my expectations were beyond exceeded. A few of my best surprises:
-- Michael C Hall as the Emcee in CABARET. I was disappointed that we had missed Alan Cumming (saw him a few years later in the revival of the revival), but the replacement was
It was my favorite show of last season, and I loved DEH and CFA and The Great Comet and Hello Dolly. But Groundhog Day touched me deeply and really gave me a jolt. I thought the score was beautiful, the performances were wonderful (all of them, not just the wildly talented Andy Karl) and the staging was ingenious. But its message and its themes really hit home, and I actively encouraged many of my friends to see it. They all enjoyed it tremendously, but
