N2N -- v2 & God of Carnage

Got to see some friends, got to see some shows. Life is Good, Broadway is Better.


Next to Normal (revisted)

I know, I know...I only saw this a few weeks ago. Additionally, when I left the theater I wasn't sure if I could see this again as it is emotionally draining. But I found I couldn't stop thinking about it, couldn't stop listening to the cd. The cd kept evoking emotions that it hadn't while in the theater. A deeper understanding, perhaps? (If you haven't heard some of the music, there is a player over on the left where you sample about 10 of the songs. It's purple, so a little hard to miss although you need to scroll down a little. Listen and read.)

So, I lucked into a third row seat and prepared myself for an emotional beating. Wow. The entire cast was simply on fire, so much more intense than when I originally viewed the show. I heard from others that the show was like that for all five shows of the weekend. (Impressing Tony voters, perhaps???) I don't care the reason -- it was a theatrical experience NOT to be missed.

The cast:
Alice Ripley -- I don't know how this woman does this show 8 times a week, especially the two a days! The tears and the emotion flow from her as simply as turnig on your faucet. She is giving the performance of a lifetime...and one that will be a measuring stick for years to come. Granted it is an amazing character to play and she's been at it for quite some time. But still, I am in awe. There are folks that complain about pitch problems she may or may not have, people complain about the quality of her voice. Pooh to them all. Alice Ripley is an amazing actress, and I love every quirk and nuance of her.

J. Robert Spencer -- I am "over" Brian d'arcy James no longer being a part of this show. Spencer's portrayal of the family's patriach has gotten so nuanced and stronger even if the few weeks since I last saw it. I love how his character has become consumed with his wife, although sadly at the expense of his daughter. His pain is more evident and the brave face is an ardently failing mask.

Jennifer Damiano -- 18 years old, 2nd B'way Show. Tony Nominee. I wish I could hate her, but she is so incredibly talented. I was listening to a version of N2N from approx 2 years ago, when the show was off b'way at 2nd Stage. I was astounded to hear how much Jenn's voice has grown and matured in that time. She was captivating.

Aaron Tveit -- First, may I just say, "YUM"? When Aaron appears without his shirt, I am fairly certain I had to catch my breath. And I've seen the man in that form of undress a few times. It's wrong that he's so pretty. But since he is the purest form of energy while onstage makes it ok. *spoiler* Aaron plays a spirit, a soul, a hallucintation, an imagination....how fitting. end of *spoiler* Sadly for many of you that haven't seen the show yet: Aaron is leaving N2N for an out of town stint in the premiere of "Catch Me If You Can" in Seattle. The plan is for him to return early September. Kyle Dean Massey will be his replacement....while I will most likely catch him in August, I do not know his work. He is cuter than all get out as I saw him at the stage door last week while I was waiting for a friend.



God of Carnage -- Tony Nominated for: Best new play and all four actors rec'd acting noms as well. Sadly, my seats are less than stellar. I am in the back half of the mezzanine. (As a side note: I find I am becoming more and more of a seat snob) The actors/directors played NOTHING to the mezzanine.

The play is certainly entertaining....but still lacking something. I still can't figure out what, though. The plot surrounds two couples that have come together to discuss a playground accident. This quickly unravels into an evening of accuasations, confessions, lies and redemption.

I love the actors: Marsha Gay Harden, Jeff Daniels, James Gandolfini and Hope Davis. I LIKE the premise. I even liked the performances...except for Ganolfini, who I couldn't understand about 1/3 of the time. There were moments that were PRICELESS. But for the most part, I just kept thinking: Really? Why? Am I missing the point? There seems to be no reason for these people to be talking about the stuff they are, and certainly no reason to tell us about it.


Next up:
THE TONY AWARDS! I'm not going (don't I wish?) but I am watching. FYI more than 1/2 of the awards will be given out PRE telcast and the only way to see them is on a live feed. PS...not too happy with the format this year. CBS wants less focus on the awards and speeches; more attention on the musicals. Even if they aren't NOMINATED or currently plyaing. Yup...you read that correctly: the TOUR casts of Legally Blonde, The Jersey Boys and some show I have forgotten will be performing at the Tony awards. I GET that the Tonys get a limited audience. I GET that viewership is down -- but it is for ALL award shows. I even GET that CBS wants to make money. But it IS a freakin' AWARD show after all, so let's not make it so obvious that it's simply a multi hour commercial for B'way.


Mary Stuart and a re-visit to Fuerzabruta. The day can't be much more diverse!

April's Shows -- Better Late Than Never!!

Ok...quite the whirlwind of Activity.


HAIR: I am the most confident I've ever been that Hair will win for Best Revival of a Musical. Not only do the other nominations have little to write home about; but Hair is extraordinary, moving and meaningful theatrical experience. I, indeed, did see this at Central Park this past summer and had my concerns for it's success INSIDE, as I felt the setting OF the park added a beautiful dimension to the story. Any fears I had are incredibly unfounded. Diane Paulus has re-imagined the production and beautifully directed it twice! She is incredibly deserving of her Tony nomination and I am actually hoping for her to win.

Since you can see my original review, I will just talk about a few noticeable differences.

Overall, the confines of the theater actually makes the production more intimate than at the vast openness of the Central Park theater. Theo (see below) put it into fabulous terms: At the park...it was for everyone...people walking through the park, the stars, the air. The theater-setting is more selfish and more about just us. The "us" meant all of us in the theater...not the cast. The amount of cast/audience interaction is insane. I've never been more molested, toyed with and entangled at a show. The energy this young cast expends is beyond the imagination. Gym memberships are not a necessity! I was lucky enough to sit in the front row, and landed front row tix again for August during my annual pilgrimage!

Gavin Creel (Thoroughly Modern Millie, Mary Poppins [London]) has replaced the boy toy of B'way, Jonathan Groff as Claude, the unsure and bewildered of the "Tribe". I adore Groff and adored him in this piece, but I have to admit, Creel brought "something" to the role that I didn't even know was missing. Creel was more centered, more thoughtful. I loved everything about his performance and how beautifully he fit in with the cast. Will Swenson (who should be picking up a Tony Award for Best Supporting Actor) was even better with Creel.

Caissie Levy as Sheila. There were many nay-sayers against Levy well before Hair opened on B'way. I'd never heard of her, so could care less. I loved her performance. I like the contrast she provides to the rest of the cast as the true protester...her Sheila wants to change the world. I was quite drawn to her plight.

There are a number of standouts (still from the Park's production) I'd like to mention for their unimaginable spirits and beauty, on and off stage.

Kacie Sheik -- her loopy and forlorn Jeanie is as delightful as she is. (Doesn't hurt that her brother is one of my musical idols, Duncan!)

Allison Case -- this girl is so incredibly powerful. No matter where she is on stage or what her character is doing, you cannot help but be drawn to her. She is light and beauty and emotion. I will liken her TO Jonathan Groff as being more "in the moment" than any other actors you are likely to see on a stage. I am not ashamed to admit: I got a little girl crush on Allison. I fangirl for her! (If that was too icky to read....too bad!)

Bryce Ryness -- continues his amazing portrayal of Woof. Loved him at the park, love him more now. (I cannot attest to Bryce's off stage beauty, as I haven't met him....yet.) His commitment is beautiful and you just want to be his mom. Go check out his band as well....wow! http://rynessband.com/music.html

Theo Stockman -- is a tribe member, and is glorious. Another ever present being, I found myself looking for him during the performance to "check in".

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NEXT TO NORMAL: This should be the Tony Winner for Best New Musical, but I fear it will lose to Billy Elliot. It is truly an ORIGINAL musical and thoughtful and moving and contemporary. (Look for music clips in my side bar, over there <------!!) N2N tells the story of a family riddled with problems. The most obvious is the mother's bi-polar diagnosis along with other mental issues. (To say more would require a spoiler alert!) It is heart-breaking, eye-opening, frightening and real. The cd is amazing and a constant on my playlist.

Sadly, N2N NEEDS to win the Tony to make it as a commercial success. It is not going to attract your average theater goer that thinks that have kept Phantom, Wicked and Mama Mia as long running shows. It's intellingent and sensitive, and a bit of a smack in the face with reality. The kind of show I thrive on.

Alice Ripley is a genius. If she does not win the Tony Award for Best Actress, then the Tony Awards are a total and complete sham. She is performing a tour de force. (I have no earthly idea if that spelled correctly.) The role is difficult, demanding and all encompassing. She is magnificent in all capacities.

J. Robert Spencer replaces Brian D'arcy James (now in Shrek -- more on that later) from the off b'way run. He is wonderful in his own right and worthy of his Tony nomination. I missed Brian, but that's a personal thing more than anything else.

Jenn Damiano as Natalie, the perfectionist daughter headed for trouble. Jenn made her b'way debut in Spring Awakening at 15, but left the show to pursue this role. She is outstanding. At 17, she too is nominated for a Tony Award for Supporting Actress. She is amazing, and I can only imagine what the future has in store for her.

Aaron Tveit, Gabe. Sadly, Aaron did not receive a nomination for his incredible performance in N2N. One of the few true slights in my opinion. He is ethereal and magical. (And he's phenomenal eye candy, too.)

*****

SHREK: Meh. I was disappointed. So were my kids. It was their least favorite show of our trip. I found the book as well as the music to be pedestrian. All the characters were 2-dimensional. I just wasn't made to care.

Sadly, for a family show, the language was suprisingly crude. Even my son remarked on it. It made him uncomfortable.

Sutton Foster (Fiona) is totally wasted here. Or perhaps her status at the "it" girl is fading.

Brian d'Arcy James does a great imitiation of Mike Myers, and physicalizes the part well. Big deal. I wish he'd stayed with N2N. Might Shrek end up running longer thereby providing him with a more consistent income: probably. But I wish he'd made the other choice.

Best part of the show? Neil Patrick Harris (The host of this year's Tony Awards, btw) He was sitting only a few row ahead of us. My daughter wanted to say hi, and he held her hand for a few moments (the result of an awkward failed handshake. I thought she was going to pass out! Priceless.

*****

WICKED: Then? I fell in love with this 5 years ago when I saw it with the original cast. I was not pleased when Avenue Q won the Tony award over it.

Now? It was....good. It's flaws of a weak book and lackluster character development screamed in my face. Luckily, my children where entranced...which is why I went back anyway. When my 8 year started to piece together how things were tying into The Wizard of Oz it was exhilarating! It was their favorite show. (And my son went begrudingly since it was his sister's choice.)

******

STOMP (off B'way): 15 years Stomp has been playing off b'way. It is still and amazing show full of suprises and energy and unique artistry. They are still putting in new material. We love this and would go back to see it again.

This was the first show my kids stage doored for, and I fear I have created a few monsters! They had to wait to get each performer sign their drumsticks. But they were delighted and in awe. The performers got a kick out them both.

Side note: having dinner near the theater we met Ben Baily and the crew of the Cash Cab. He was so kind to the kids. He invited them to come see and sit in the cab. They put the lights on and showed them all the cameras. We took pictures, they took pictures. My kids were in heaven!

2 Plays and a Musical and more!

And a little Seth Rudetsky, too. Who doesn't love some Seth? Got to catch his Sirius B'way show being taped...well, most of it. Me and my NY arrogance: I was SOOOO sure that I knew exactly where the show was being taped that I didn't bother to check the address.....and went about 6 blocks out of my way...which made me late. So, I missed Marc Shaiman (composer) and part of Kerry Butler (Xanadu). BUT was happy to catch the silliness of Chris Sieber (Shrek). A delight as always.

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And a little news: Next to Normal (formerly Feeling Electric) was one of my favorite OFF b'way shows from the 2007-08 season. It didn't get picked up and seemed to be "done". THEN it got a transfusion and a re-write and played November/December at the Arena Stage in DC to RAVE reviews. Such rave reviews that it just went into the recording studio to produce the Cast CD. (Hooray...my bootleg of it is sub-standard...not to mention there have been gads of changes.)

AND NOW ITS COMING TO BROADWAY: THIS SEASON! Bringing the DC cast....which, with the exception/replacement of Brian D'Arcy James (Port Authority, Titanic and Shrek) was the entire off B'way cast. Alice Ripley will almost definitely receive a Tony Nomination or her work in this touching, disturbing and frightening beautiful show. Aaron Tviet (Saved, Wicked) is a joy to behold on stage, although this must mean he is dropping OUT of the new show Catch Me If You Can....USUALLY a b'way contract has an initial run of one year. Jenn Damiano (OBC Spring Awakening) and few others.

N2N is taking the Longacre Theatre, but not planning on utilizing the mezzanine to keep the show from losing it's intimate feel. Previews are late March....opening mid April so that it is eligible for Tony consideration. This just changed the entire Tony race....sorry TOS, you just lost out! But wait a few days to see a post on my PREDICTIONS for Tony Noms.

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Now for the Show reviews (in order of viewing):

The Story of My Life
I will start with the most positive things I can about this new musical. Will Chase and Malcolm Gets turn in good performances, MAYBE even very good performances. I prefer Chase's singing to his acting but that is balanced because Gets' acting is far superior to his singing.

And...

And then....

Perhaps....

Nope...I've got nothing else to say positively....except it will positively have a short life and it will practically be ignored for Tony consideration.

The music is entirely forgettable. Boring even.

The book (the story) is too episodic to ever become invested. It never takes any chances, so there are not payoffs. It hasn't even made any decisions about its own theme and what the play wants to say. Is it a buddy story? A story about creative influences? A story of what we leave in our wake? I dunno.....because THEY don't know. All the questions that are raised are never answered. And somehow that's part of their point, sort of.

There are so many shows that now play without an intermission....here the reason is clear: the audience would have left in droves given the opportunity. In all honesty, I didn't HATE it enough to have left, I would have hoped that Act II cleared up and brought everything to some sort of wholeness.

The most egregious part I found with SOML simply came from the blatant ripoffs from Sondheim's Sunday in the Park with George. The set, some of the story, and even some specific LINES and the score: oh boy. If Sondheim were a fighting man, I suggest he might actually be able to sue them for their blatant use of his music.

NOTE: As of late Friday night; tickets are no longer being sold for The Story of My Life past Sunday's matinee. No official announcement has been made as to it's closing, but it is imminent. (The official reviews have not been kind, either.)


33 Variations
Only a week into previews, this new play by Moises Kaufman (The Laramie Project) is full of splendor, art, intrigue and love. Starring Jane Fonda, the story follows terminally ill (Lou Gehrig's Disease moving at an unexpected pace), music scholar Dr. Katherine Brandt, who is obsessively trying to finish her research/book on Beethoven and his obsession to completing all the variations that exist from a simple waltz. (Basically, the publisher asked many composers of the time to respond with ONE variation so that all of them could be published together....Beethoven writes 33 over many years.) This research in Baan, Germany is seen paralleling the (fictionalized) actual events of Beethoven, his assistant and the publisher. The strained relationship she has with her daughter is also brought to light as the daughter wants desperately to take care of her.

As a director and an actor, I love doing my homework/research on any play I'm working on, but I'm not sure a play alone has ever prompted me to learn more about the subject matter I'd just seen. I've already ordered a cd of Beethoven's variations and am looking for writings about the subject. I'm intrigued to learn more, so that I can more fully appreciate the beauty unfolding on the stage at the Eugene O'Neil theatre.

The acting was truly impeccable. Jane Fonda is SEVENTY and amazing. She takes so many risks with this work that so pay off. She is incredibly powerful on stage, it's hard to describe, even sitting quietly you are moved by her silence and stillness. The three men (Don Amendolia, Erik Steele and Zach Grenier) playing the early 19th Century portions captured the life and style beautifully. (Not everyone can play period.) Samantha Mathis, Colin Hanks and Susan Kellermann round out the cast superbly.

It's hard to get excited for contemporary costuming, but the period pieces are simply beautiful.

The set design is incredibly intriguing. Walls of sheet music encompass the stage and move fluidly by HUMAN HAND! Additionally, the use of (the ever popular) projections truly add a new dimension. Things were seemingly so simply, but in reality were part of the story: as it should be.

The SOUND design is impeccable. (and I can't even believe I'm mentioning the sound design!) All alone the sound created feelings ands moods that fully encompassed the plot lines and characterization. I don't think my words could do it justice. Add this to the live pianist playing the actual variations throughout is also a visceral impact.

I HOPE to see this again, but it is only a limited engagement. My fingers are crossed.


Hedda Gabler
Review on this (both professional and word of mouth) have been HORRIFIC. I went in expecting the worst. It wasn't. Mind you, it wasn't wonderful either.

I remember more heated discussions about Hedda Gabler in my Theater History class than I do about any single play we read. It was such a woman's story....in a time where women weren't given much voice. It is among my favorites. (I'm a fan of Ibsen, anyway.)

There are rumors galore that Mary Louise Parker (Hedda) is difficult to work with. There are rumors galore that MLP and the director, Ian Rickson, didn't see eye to eye and that she invariably led a revolt which caused the director to leave early. And it shows. The blocking and use of the set was not used to any advantage, and at many times it actually got in it's own way. These are things the audience shouldn't even NOTICE. Many of the actors turn in interesting performances. One such actor is Michael Cevaris -- most recently of Road Show and Sweeny Todd. Many have said the he was miscast in the role of Jorgen Tesman, but I disagree. Instead they are missing one of the most integral aspects of theatre: that sense of the world of the play, the being a part of the whole. This cast was not cohesive, they did not connect with the audience. It was more like watching individual character studies. All interesting, but none intertwined. These are all issues that the director brings to a production.

In this show, the sound design took AWAY from the story...too many times the music/sound itself detract my attention and left me wondering: what the hell WAS that?

I'm glad I went so that I got to see it for myself. But I couldn't really recommend Hedda.