Spring Awakening Tour San Diego Opening Night ...

[Jonny boy]

Posted: 8/16/08 at 2:27pm

So... I will start off by saying that having seen the original cast and now, the new tour cast,that the tour is in great shape! Also... the newly renovated Balboa Theater is beautiful...
Alright so... Christy Altomare was beautiful as Wendla. Her voice is very pure and her acting seemed very real. I think she was perfectly cast. I do like Lea Michelle's voice better in general but, for this role Christy's soft, innocent, pure voice works. IMO her acting was far superior to Lea's... it didnt seem so contrived.....
Blake Bahoff was brilliant as Moritz! After see JGJ I wondered how anyone would be able to compare. Blake Bashoff was actually better vocally and his acting was just as good. Different, but a Great performance!!
Steffi D. was good as Ilsa. Acting wise she blew Lauren Pritchard out of the water but, vocally I prefer Pritchard.
Riabko was good as Melchior. I thought he was very similar to Groff with acting ability and vocals...
Andy Mientus and Ben Moss are too cute in their roles as Hanschen and Ernst. Both of them have the Perfect innocent faces and big blue eyes. Overall compared to the original cast I would have to say that they didn't get as many laughs but were just as good in different ways..
During the curtain call 2 of the cast members brought me to tears, Anthony Medina and Gabrielle Garza were so thrilled to be up there. They both had tears streaming down their face! I can only imagine the rush they have to be feeling to have the opportunity to be part of such a big show at such a young age! Congrads to the cast for a great Opening night.....
If you have a chance to go see the tour I highly recommend it.... and if anyone is going in S.F. in a few weeks and would like to meet up at the show let me know... It would be nice to meet some other BWW peeps!



Updated On: 8/17/08 at 02:27 PM

[broadwayfan7]

Posted: 8/16/08 at 2:30pm

Thank you very much for your review! Glad to hear the show is in great shape and that Andy was "too cute!"

[musicaltheater1]

Posted: 8/16/08 at 3:13pm

I have tickets to their farewell performance. I heard good reviews from this tour preview. By the way, here's the San Diego poster. I know it's OBC on the image. The Balboa Theater is the city's newly renovated historical theater in the downtown area.

Updated On: 8/16/08 at 03:13 PM

[adamgreer]

Posted: 8/16/08 at 3:28pm

I agree about Bashoff. He is wonderful.

However, having seen both Groff and Riabko, comparing their acting is ridiculous. Riabko is a horrible actor. Groff brought a lot more depth to the role. I will concede, however, that Riabko is a much better singer, and probably the best sung Melchior to date (but I haven't seen Hunter yet...next week).

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 8/16/08 at 6:41pm

Aw, it's great to hear about Gabby Garza. She went to school with me. :)

~Steven

[Jonny boy]

Posted: 8/16/08 at 11:12pm

Ya... she was great! you could tell she is a sweetheart=-)

[Glory]

Posted: 8/17/08 at 12:22am

do they have on stage seating for the tour?

[TooDarnHot]

Posted: 8/17/08 at 1:47am

how was Kimiko Glenn (Thea) ???

[rowlinvale2]

Posted: 8/17/08 at 2:39am

Nice review. =] I'll be seeing it in San Francisco a few times.

Glory, yes they are doing stage seating for the tour.

[Jonny boy]

Posted: 8/17/08 at 2:57am

TDH .. Kimiko Glenn was absolutely perfect!She looked like she has been doing it forever... She is way too cute for words! How old is she? She looks like she is 12...

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 8/17/08 at 9:46am

How are they selling stage seating for the tour - as rush, lotto, or with the other tickets? I would love to sit onstage in Boston. I can't find them online for other cities.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 8/17/08 at 10:43am

last I heard the individual theater would be able to determine how stage seat sales would be handled. But most have been right along with general sale.


Seeing how Boston JUST put Chorus Line Tix up for individual sale, I think it will be a few more months before they release individual seats for SA. (But I'll be looking for stage seats in Boston as well!)

[Glory]

Posted: 8/17/08 at 11:24am

awesome to know! i'd love to sit on stage in Boston, I'll be there this coming Saturday in NYC on stage haha :) I cant get enough of it!

[taylorPHENOMENON2]

Posted: 8/17/08 at 11:27am

Speaking of Boston (sorry to threadjack), is it known yet on how long the cast's contracts will be?
I'd love to see Bashoff again, and Riabko, but previous posts have planted the idea that they will be long gone before Boston.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 8/17/08 at 11:38am

Bashoff will definitely NOT make it to Boston. (Which saddens me.) He will be the first one to leave....sometime in January. Gerard Canonico (current B'way Moritz) will be taking over. A new Moritz has (reportedly) been hired to take over on B'way in Jan.

You have a better chance of seeing Riabko but I wouldn't hold your breath. He's contracted through March last I heard. Matt Shingledecker (tour George and ensemble from B'way) is slated to take over the role when he does leave.

Personally: I'm rooting for Shingledecker. I did not care for Riabko in the role. (Although he's one of the nicest kids you could hope to meet.)

[oohshizz146]

Posted: 8/17/08 at 12:14pm

I feel the same about Bashoff. I've seen him twice on Broadway, and before that I never thought anyone could compare to JGJ.

"Anthony Medina and Gabrielle Garza were so thrilled to be up there. They both had tears streaming down their face! I can only imagine the rush they have to be feeling to have the opportunity to be part of such a big show at such a young age!"
--How old are they? 16? ((THATS ADORABLE^^^!!!)

[dramamama611]

Posted: 8/17/08 at 12:17pm

I'm pretty sure that everyone in the tour had to be a minimum of 18 because of the varying labor laws state to state.

[sandiego33]

Posted: 8/17/08 at 12:20pm

Going tonight. Can't wait.

[LimelightMike]

Posted: 8/17/08 at 2:08pm

"--How old are they? 16? ((THATS ADORABLE^^^!!!)"

Mr. Medina is 19 years of age.

I'm not too sure how old Ms. Garza is, though.

[eatlasagna]

Posted: 8/17/08 at 2:42pm

go to broadwaysd.com and they have information on stage seating... it's 40 bucks and it's two tickets per person per household... they are very detailed on how that process works... i think i may have to get onstage seating

[TooDarnHot]

Posted: 8/17/08 at 3:24pm

I believe everyone is at least 18 yrs. of age


Johnny Boy - so glad to hear about Kimiko (Thea)!! She's an old student of mine. Such a brilliantly talented girl. Cute and Asian too! she just turned 19 yrs. of age ... I know, she's petite.

[Jonny boy]

Posted: 8/17/08 at 4:25pm

Wow... she looks young! TDH you taught her well.... she did great!

[Bobby Maler]

Posted: 8/21/08 at 1:11am

The Myspace Tour page just posted a bulletin with this link to Riabko and Altomare doing an interview and singing WOYB on the CW morning show in San Diego. I LOVE Christy's voice. It's huskier than Lea Michele's. Kind of smoky. I love that Kyle is also playing the accompaniment. The song sounds really different but I love it!

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 8/23/08 at 5:07pm

I'm going tomorrow. I specifically purchased tickets for the right side of the orchestra section. I'm pretty excited.

[je veux te voir2]

Posted: 8/23/08 at 5:44pm

gooood I had high hopes for Kimiko, nice to hear she's doing well. She went to Boston Conservatory for a year before getting this job. Fantastic for her!

Her age, it has to be either 18 or 19, since she's in the 2011 class.