We just did a four day trip, and so here's my "what we saw" review. I'm happy to say there wasn't a bad show in the bunch:
Tootsie: Front left orchestra, great view. The cast was excellent, particularly Sarah Styles, Andy Grotelueschen, and Santino Fontana. Music was fine - Yazbeck isn’t always tuneful, but he’s rarely bland. Loved the production numbers, like the Verona costumes change. The book was hilarious - that being said, Michael is an anti-hero and I’m not sure if he *really* grew by the end.
Stepping into a box of snakes here: I don’t think Tootsie set out to be transphobic, but the script would have benefited from having a trans person read and give feedback. A few of the lines made me wince.
Overall I had a good time and am glad I saw it.
Hadestown: Front right orchestra, second row. Probably too close, but still an excellent view (at least once I got a booster seat!)
My favorite out of everything we saw. Mitchell’s score and Chauvkin’s staging are simply gorgeous. There were moments (like during Wait for Me) where my mouth was literally hanging open. I hear the complaint that Eurydice and Orpheus aren’t nuanced, but in the context of a myth, it didn’t bother me. I got what Reeve Carney was going for, and I prefer his “touched” interpretation over Orpheus as a rock star. Eva Noblezada has my vote for Best Actress. I’ve loved Amber Gray since Great Comet, and am so happy she gets to shine here. Andre de Shields and Patrick Page are also excellent.
The Prom:
Front right orchestra. My second viewing, and The Prom has just gotten stronger. This show just has so much *heart*, and that really carries it a long way. I don't see The Prom winning over Hadestown, but I'd really like it to be recognized for something at the Tonys. As discussed in the Drama Desk thread, some of the elements of Tootsie may be stronger, but The Prom's sincerity edges it out for me. Isabelle McCalla was particularly on fire - she had tears were streaming down her cheeks in Alyssa Greene.
The Ferryman:
Right front orchestra. I'm more for musicals than plays, but I'm really glad I saw this one. Obviously it's about Ireland 30+ years ago, but the themes (e.g. around how extremism is passed through generations) felt very timely.
As others have said, it’s 3 hours but goes by very fast. I was impressed with how Jez Butterworth took all these small moments in the day of a family, and wove them together into something so grand. I wouldn’t have guessed this was a replacement cast. Kudos especially to Brian d’Arcy James and Holley Fain, but there really wasn't a weak link among the cast.
Octet:
First row in the folding chairs. Unfortunately I came down with a cold on the last day of our trip, and this probably influenced my experience. I wanted to love Octet, but I ended up just liking it. Dave Malloy’s music is gorgeous as always, and the cast was fantastic. Loved the church basement setup. My biggest complaint was the lack of subtlety around how technology is changing our brains for the worse. I don't disagree with that, but it felt like the same message over and over.
We have tickets for a second viewing in a few weeks (long story), and I look forward to reassessing Octet when I feel better.
Sounds like a good trip. I'll be seeing 7 shows in 4 days at the end of June:
Wed @ 8 - My Fair Lady Thurs @ 2 - Frankie and Johnny Thurs @ 8 - John Cameron Mitchell: Origin of Love Tour Fri @ 8 - Tootsie Sat @ 2 - Beetlejuice Sat @ 5:30 - Camp Morning Wood Sat @ 8 - Hadestown
And 8 shows in 5 days if you count the closing performance of the FALSETTOS tour I am seeing Sunday evening in Charlotte, NC on my way home.
Broadway Bob* said: "Sounds like a good trip. I'll be seeing 7 shows in 4 days at the end of June:
Wed @ 8 - My Fair Lady Thurs @ 2 - Frankie and Johnny Thurs @ 8 - John Cameron Mitchell: Origin of Love Tour Fri @ 8 - Tootsie Sat @ 2 - Beetlejuice Sat @ 5:30 - Camp Morning Wood Sat @ 8 - Hadestown
And 8 shows in 5 days if you count the closing performance of the FALSETTOS tour I am seeing Sunday evening in Charlotte, NC on my way home."
Looks like a good lineup - enjoy! I'm impressed that you're doing a three show day! I'll happily do a two-show day, but I think any more than that starts to really test my endurance.
Thank you Kitsune for the trip report! I’m seeing Hadestown in August and that seems like a lifetime away. Very excited, as I’ll also be seeing Moulin Rouge that evening. Can’t do more than two shows a day. I’d be burned out! lol
Exciting! I’m seeing Tootsie from the rear mezz this week, hope it’s not too far! Also seeing Ink, and All My Sons. Hoping to catch The Ferryman one more time as well if I can! Although, since I’m staying in Brooklyn, catching Fairview is becoming a top priority. My cousin and her girlfriend saw it and just couldn’t recommend it enough! I’d love to catch Octet though too.
Sorry you got sick, but I'm glad you enjoyed the shows.
Tootsie is an ideal first show in a lot of ways and our reactions were similar. It's genuinely funny, and Mike Barrett, don't worry about the rear mezzanine. We got tickets at the last minute, and were off to side in the fifth row. While I'm sure better seats would have been better, the mezzanine is a good place to see some of the impressive production numbers. And the Marquis is comfortable and has good sightlines for a larger house. Sarah Stiles does run off with "What's Gonna Happen" in hilarious fashion, and it's an impressive cast overall. The problem with the show, ironically in some ways, is that very funny book. There are a couple of scenes in Act Two, including the big reveal, that just didn't work for me. And I agree that Michael doesn't really change. That's not a requirement, and the coda is fine, but I think it's one reason why the musical leaves some people cold - even if they laughed the whole time.
Hadestown was the show I liked most on my trip too. I was in the rear orchestra, dead center, so I had a somewhat different perspective. I thought Reeve Carney has been unfairly criticized. While I might have preferred his character to be a little less 'touched,' he makes it work. The show cannot succeed without "Epic III" blowing you away, and it impressed me almost as much as the extraordinary "Wait For Me." Even with Chavkin's directorial prowess and the choreography and other performers, Carney is the centerpiece. I also thought the second act and the overall book were underrated. The musical ends in such a beautiful, satisfying way. The show was simply on another level compared to the other new musicals I saw - and I didn't dislike any of them.
I enjoyed The Prom, although I don't think I liked it as much as you did. The lead performances are excellent, the songs are forgettable (but fun in the moment) and the conflicts are resolved a bit too easily, even for a musical comedy. That said, I understand why some people prefer this show to Tootsie, which is easier to admire than to love.
The Ferryman was the one play, along with Ink, that I regretted not seeing.
BroadwayBob, I don't know how you can pull off a three-show today, but have fun. You're seeing a couple of other shows that I saw last month. Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune is wonderfully acted, flawed in my view, but interesting to discuss afterward. My Fair Lady, which I had never seen before, is wonderful. I'm sure John Cameron Mitchell will put on a good show.
Nice to see someone point out Isabelle McCalla killing it in The Prom. We went in April and had front row seats and she blew us away. She is acting the hell out of that role and crying on command 8 times a week. It's ultimately a small part but I can't wait to see what she does next.
Kitsune said: "Eva Noblezada has my vote for Best Actress. I’ve loved Amber Gray since Great Comet, and am so happy she gets to shine here. Andre de Shields and Patrick Page are also excellent."
I love Stephanie J Block and have seen CHER SHOW a few times and would love for her to win but I can see how Eva may cause an upset. I loved her performance in Hadestown.
As for the Prom, I always get teary-eyed when Isabelle sings "Alyssa Greene". I need to watch The Prom again sometime this month.
joined:12/29/06
joined:
12/29/06
Posted: 6/3/19 at 4:10pm