skynyc

I've mentioned here before that I've seen many different Mama Roses in Gypsy...16 to be exact...and 13 Hedwigs. But don't count either of those shows as my favorites...just amazing examples of roles that can be interpreted in many ways. My faves include Ragtime, Drood, 1776, Nine, and Little Night Music. I've always been a goer, not a doer. But love hearing backstage stories. The community of a show is always so intense and special.

Jane Eyre was against the juggernaut of The Producers. I agree it had some lovely moments, and Barbour and Shaddow were both great. I also remember noticing the lighting for the first time...which means I wasn't fully engaged with what was happening on stage.

Another play to highly recommend. Grangeville by Samuel Hunter is opening tonight at the Signature on 42nd St. Hunter wrote among others, The Whale, which when filmed won Brendon Fraser the Oscar. Hunter excels in creating broken individuals who are desperately in need of something...and usually leaves us with a sense of hope, that they may find it. His Little Bear Ridge Road played in Chicago last Summer and was my favorite new play of the year. Grangeville stars Paul Sparks and Brian J. Smith, both recognizable from stage and screen. Smith played the hot Chicago cop in 2 seasons of Sens-8 and won a Tony nomination as the Gentleman Caller in the Cherry Jones Glass Menagerie. Sparks was in Boardwalk Empire and House of Cards and many others and was in the original Take Me Out on Broadway. Both performers are extraordinary, playing a estranged stepbrothers dealing with the passing of their mother. Show is a taut 90 minutes with no intermission...I expect it will extend by a week or two after the reviews come out. this one affected my entirely party differently. Growing up gay in rural Idaho, which is a recurring theme in Hunter's work (since he grew up gay in rural Idaho) only scratches the surface.

I had fun with him, this was Fall before the Pandemic. He was a little late, and must have had another engagement after, because he was very efficient. We didn't even get to the bedroom...he just came in and took charge. Which actually appealed. Would have liked to get to know him a little after; I do love pillow talk, but after being bent over the arm of the sofa, there wasn't a pillow handy. LOL

Off Broadway on 42nd St. Enjoyable imagining of the first meet-up between Tennessee Williams and Marlon Brando...who comes to audition for Streetcar. Cast is great. Robin Lord Taylor playing Williams is best known as The Penguin from the TV show Gotham. He's terrific as the overdrinking annoying genius. Brandon Flynn, also with a myriad of TV credits, is very sexy and powerful as Brando. I found it to be a worthy 85 minutes. I may go again with other friends.

It's TONS of fun. I saw it in Chicago and they fixed a lot of the problems from the second act. Opening number is just riotous. And there's not a shred of scenery left after all the chewing. Have a drink first to be fully relaxed and ready to laugh. I did find that Michelle Williams sang her songs well, but couldn't deliver a line...or walk in the costumes. Would love to see it again with HER understudy. And there's a descending the staircase moment that rivals Hello Dolly and Sunset Blvd (the original). Enjoy.

A Tale of Two Gypsys. A week ago Saturday night, I saw Gypsy at the Majestic theater in New York City Audra McDonald. Joy Woods. Danny Burstein. Last Saturday I saw Gypsy at the OFC theater in Rochester, New York. Jodi Benson. Delaney Benson. (Jodi’s daughter). Tripp Hansen. The production values couldn’t have been more different. But I couldn’t have loved either more. Briefly: Audra’s Rose is ferocious. She’s terrifying and damaged and sociopathic. Her operatic voice crashes between her middle and high ranges heightening her characters agony. Her Rose’s Turn is exhausting, every movement, look, and gesture performed to an adoring audience who rapturously leapt to their feet at the numbers conclusion, Audra's Rose was fully aware they were there and played to them. Joy Woods as Louise transforms beautifully, but has an elegance that belies her background. Danny Bernstein, perfect in everything, makes Herbie heartbreaking. A 25-piece orchestra playing the original (tweaked) arrangements fill the 1680-seat Majestic gorgeously. Jodi’s Rose is common and delusional. Her bright and brassy tones perfectly put over the Styne/Sondheim score in all of its glory. She caught humorous nuances I’ve never seen. Her Rose’s Turn was truly played to an enormous audience that didn’t exist except in Rose’s imagination—a full house above and beyond the actual sold-out 199-seat crowd, and we were mesmerized by Benson’s desperation. Delaney Benson as Louise, and even as Gypsy Rose Lee, had a coarseness, and self-deprecating humor fitting for an uneducated young woman raised on the road by someone like Rose. Tripp Hansen, who was in the original Crazy for You with Jodi Benson, was the mildest Herbie I’ve seen. Small in stature, he played up the blandness of Herbie that made his obsequiousness so believable. A 16-piece local Orchestra did good service to this difficult score in this, their fifth performance. This unique “double-bill“ only brought to full light the brilliance of the material, the reason many consider this to be the greatest American musical. And the reason I continue to travel to see different performers, put their spin on the role. I will post further when I’ve had more time to think about it. And adding thoughts of some of my other Roses.

I saw this again this weekend and found myself equally charmed knowing what was going to happen. Don't let anyone give you details, just get a ticket and go.

BTW: "Gimmick" is the discount code that was sent to me for discount tix. I got what was on the website for $239 for $150 for January. I went to box office so no fees. According to mailer good through tickets in January-February...purchased in December. (And of course: "Offer can be revoked at any time", meaning if ticket sales pick up.)

taking this string further afield...Cerveris (who was tremendous in Hedwig) was replaced there by Kevin Cahoon who was recently riotous as the dad-joking uncle in Shucked, and is now playing Zaza in La Cage at the Pasadena Playhouse.

Off topic, I know, but Cerveris is in another lackluster show now...Tammy Faye which opens tomorrow and I expect will close next week. Not sure if it even deserves it's own thread.

Thanks for the nudge...I didn't have a ticket, but got a single on the last day. So glad I did. A masterful production of a true American Masterpiece.

yes...posted in that thread. Not a great play but really fun to see MF on stage. I got it cheap and that was good.

My two favorite Normas were actually Diahann Carroll whom I saw in Toronto...she brought a haughtiness to the beginning that slow faded away to show her vulnerability that was impressive. And Karen Mason who was Glenn's standby in LA and NY. And I believe she did the tour.

I don't want to say too much. Much of the fun of this show was the fact that I knew only two things going in. 1. The story is about two "Helper Bots" who have become outdated and "retired" by their owners. (Typing that me makes me think about the two old laptops and five old cell phones under my bed.) 2. Darrin Criss plays one of them. He impresses me every time I see him. 1:45 without intermission. The time mostly flew. Production values exquisite. Exiting the theater we stopped to just look at others leaving...were they as charmed as we were? Completely original concept, book, and score. Such a rarity these days. Word of mouth seems very strong. I already have two more sets of tickets.

I also appreciated things about the new revival...BN's comment about "Park and Bark" made me laugh, but it's absolutely true...her two big numbers were pretty outstanding. Back Where I Belong has always been one of my fave ALW numbers, but I realized here, it was partly because as the song grew, the folks around her, "recognizing" her, added to the aura of her memory. Here...the silhouetted cast behind her just made her seem so out of place, as to have never been there. This Norma was too self-aware to be believed that she was didn't realize her situation. However, this Joe Gillis was the first portrayal that created such a Hollywood type that he was completely unsympathetic...which was very interesting. At no moment does he connect with Norma or Betty. Am very selective to whom I am recommending this, but I am also curious to go some Tuesday to see Mandy G's take. (I've seen 8 other Normas in more classic interpretations.)

I'm still saddened by the loss of Gavin Creel, had the good fortune to see him many times, always a star. His "Museum" show this Spring, Walking on Through was so great I went back twice. Glad that they'll dim the lights. The Broadway folks seem so short-sighted about this...making a tribute is good PR. I have made sure to be in Times Square a dozen times for various tributes...and every time, have either then gone to a show, or a restaurant in the area. The argument that they want to keep it "special and distinguished" is crazy. I know it creates an extra project for workers to prepare, upload, initiate, etc., but I am guessing that many of these folks worked at one time with the performers being memorialized, so they're probably not too upset to have to do it.

They're both fun to see on stage and there are some good laughs. Farrow's character is quite far-fetched, and her arc is almost farcical. But it was fun and the audience loved it. Two huge black SUVs parked next to the stage door upon exiting. I got it on TodayTix on one of their no-fee weekends...mezzanine side for $45. That was the perfect price for me.

Hard to pick one, but agree with BN above that Little Bear Ridge Road at Steppenwolf in Chicago right now is one of the best I've seen in awhile. Subtle and funny and heartbreaking look at two broken people trying to connect. Laurie Metcalf is amazing.

If you can get to Irish Rep on 22nd Street in the next week, Bill Irwin's On Beckett is all about the the words. It's a great interpretive look at some of Samuel Beckett's writing. Highly recommend.

A dear-departed pal was Tulsa on Broadway under her...she left to tour and he stayed to work with Betty Grable and subsequently Ginger Rogers. "Ethel was professional, Ginger was pleasant, but Betty was an absolute sweetheart."

Love this and so jealous. I once asked a theater-loving friend who'd seen thousands of shows since the late-forties, if he could go back and see one show, what would it be? He replied..."Anything with Ethel Merman".

I'm not a huge fan of the Tonys whose Board of Directors seems to want to keep them in the 1970s, but will watch this year because there are some really interesting races. I won't say that there will be upsets, because I think there are several categories, where there are several folks getting a lot of buzz. I do think Merrily has a lock on Best Musical Revival, Actor, Featured Actor, Featured Actress, Director, and Orchestration. And I think Stereophonic will win Best Play, Director, Sound...but with most of the cast competing against each other in the acting categories, I suspect they'll cancel each other out. (Hey, Tony committee: Where's an award for ENSEMBLE?) But many of the other categories? Best Actor/Play...both Jeremy Strong and Leslie Odom, Jr, getting buzz...Purlie is closed, but it was great, and Enemy of the People is the one nominated show I have not seen, so I cannot "vote". Best Actress/Play...Jessica Lange, Rachel McAdams, and Sara Paulson, all deserving. (Jessica and Sarah both won the Drama Desk, over the men! DD is now not separating Actor/Actress and just doubling number of nominees in each category and naming two winners. This year 8 of the 9 acting awards went to women.) Best Actress/Musical...Malea Joi Moon, Kelli O'Hara, and Marianne Plunkett. I know several Tony voters and their votes are spread. Malea is so young...Kelli's show has closed...Marianne barely sings...but they're all giving amazing performances. Best Featured Actress/Play...if anyone from Stereophonic was going to break through it might be Sarah Pidgeon here, but this is Kara Young's third consecutive nomination. Is it her year? The design awards are tough to call. Committee determines whether projections are Scenic Design or Lighting Design depending on the show...why not make that a separate category? My favorite Scenic Design (including projections) was Great Gatsby which wasn't nominated. Best Revival/Play...both Appropriate and Purlie have ardent fans. Purlie has a LOT more producers, and if they all have votes.... Best Musical...this is where it could be REALLY interesting...most often, there's one show that gets Best Musical, Book, Score, Choreography, and Direction. This year Direction will most certainly go to Maria Friedman for Merrily Revival. But I suspect this year, the winners of the other categories will NOT be the same. It will be interesting to see. I'll be watching with friends...and I have definite favorites.

I was impressed by every aspect of the show. Performances, vocals, projections, production value...but was completely unmoved by any of it. Not sorry to have seen...we had good seats, (and no one directly in front of us); I just didn't connect with it at all. I would recommend to Who fans, but there's a lot on the boards now, and I'd see it fairly quick. It only got one Tony nomination, (Best Revival/Musical) and that is one of the few catagories this year that is a total lock: Merrily.

Off this topic, but I love Porchlight...travel to Chciago a couple times a year to see their stuff. And E Faye Butler is directing a production of Ain't Misbehavin' this Summer at the Drury Lane...may have to go back (and catch pre-Broadway Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.)