At This Theatre: The St. James: 2012-2025

  At This Theatre:

The St. James: 2012-2025

Opening 99 years ago as Erlanger's Theatre, the house played host to the George M. Cohan show, The Merry Malones, and then played host to the popular style of the day, the operetta. All of the big ones played there, including The Chocolate Soldier, The Merry Widow, Naughty Marietta and the entire Gilbert and Sullivan catalog.  

In 1932, the venue was renamed the St. James Theatre, and has since played host to some of Broadway's biggest plays and musicals. Among the more famous titles that have run at this 44th Street theater are the original productions of Pal Joey, Oklahoma!, The King and I, The Pajama Game, Flower Drum Song, Hello, Dolly!, Two Gentlemen of Verona, and On the Twentieth Century.

Last week, we talked about the shows we saw there between 1987 and 2011, found HERE. Today, we cover the 11 shows we've seen there since then. Soon, when we see Titanique. it'll be an even dozen, and 22 different productions total!

Number of Shows We Saw There (2012-2025): 11

Leap of Faith, Bring It On, Bullets Over Broadway, Side Show, Something Rotten!, Frozen, Into the Woods, New York, New York, Illinoise, Sunset Blvd., The Queen of Versailles

  

   

   

5 Favorite Shows We Saw There (2012-2025):

Something Rotten! (2015): They had me at the fantastic logo, but I stayed for the satire of Shakespearean excess, social commentary of all things Elizabethan, and the unlikely reverence for the modern Broadway musical. The script was smart, the score was full of fun toe-tappers and a great production number in "A Musical." I'm sure the cast - including Brian D'Arcy James, Christian Borle and my favorite, Heidi Blickenstaff - was having as much fun as the audience!

Frozen (2018): I loved the film version of this piece so much, and even though the stage version wasn't everything I had hoped it would be, I still loved seeing what they did with it. I found the puppetry of both Olaf and Sven to be charming and clever, and I was excited to see a new talent in Jelani Alladin as Kristoff. But it was the inspired casting of Patti Murin as Anna (I've been a fan of hers since Lysistrata Jones) and my beloved Caissie Levy as Elsa, who delivered a goose bump-inducing rendition of "Let It Go." A little more Disney magic would have put this right to the top, but a shirtless Timothy Hughes was a worthy substitute!

Into the Woods (2022): Who knew that a minimalist version of this Sondheim classic could possibly be the best version to date? Tight direction and a truly all-star cast really made this revival something special. Not a weak link in the company, the biggest surprise for me was just how great of an actress Sara Bareilles is. And, of course, what turned out to be a last chance to the singular talents of the late, great Gavin Creel made this an extra valuable experience. Can't forget the udder-ly charming star turn of Milky White, either!

Illinoise (2024): Brilliant. Truly brilliant. Going into it, I had some familiarity with the music Sufjan Stevens thanks to the film Call Me By Your Name, as well as the dance talents of Ricky Ubeda and Ben Cook, both of whom I'd seen in other shows, plus Gaby Diaz from So You Think You Can Dance. Still, nothing prepared me for the emotional thrill ride that Illinoise was. I laughed, I cried, I held my breath for nearly two hours, for fear I'd miss a single second. I wish I could see it again.

Sunset Blvd. (2024): I loved the original production so much, I was kind of dreading this revival. Within seconds of the curtain rising, I was completely lost in the crazy world of a new Norma Desmond, Joe Gillis and a Hollywood of indeterminate time. It was utterly mesmerizing and thrilling in ways that were not even possible with the original. The famous walk of the second act overture/"Sunset Boulevard" sequence is ten minutes of magic I will never forget. And of course, there were the electrifying performances of the entire company, while introducing us the the enormous talents of Nicole Scherzinger, Tom Francis and David Thaxton. And then there were two of the best understudies/future stars I've ever seen, Sydney Jones and new West End star, Diego Andres Rodriguez.

The other productions we saw that didn't make our top five were all noteworthy for several reasons including the opportunity to see new talents and established stars, designers and other creatives. Even shows that we really didn't like had plenty to admire. For example, while I thought the revival of Side Show paled in comparison to the original, I was just grateful to see it back on Broadway at all. And it was nice to see that the authors were still working to make it better. I was a little surprised that Leap of Faith didn't last a little longer, but we were pleased to see Raul Esparza, always a favorite, who hasn't been seen on Broadway since (Galileo will mark his return next season!), but that show also introduced us to a guy named Leslie Odom. Jr.! Easily my least favorite show that I saw there was Bullets Over Broadway, but in retrospect I am so glad I saw it, because I had one last chance to see the late Marin Mazzie and Nick Cordero, bot taken from us far too soon. Bring It On was a ton of fun, with four young actors making their Broadway debuts, and all of whom are among our favorites: Adrienne Warren, Jason Gotay, Taylor Louderman and Ariana DeBose!

Friday 5: 5 Favorite Joshua Henry Performances

Favorite Joshua Henry Performances

From the very first time I saw Joshua Henry on the St. James Theatre stage, I knew he had "it." That intangible-but-you-know-it-when-you-see-it thing that so many strive for but never quite get.My eye was drawn to him, and I've been a huge fan ever since.

American Idiot (Favorite Son - 2010)

Yes, my first time seeing Henry involved seeing him in his skivvies. Intriguing for about 5 seconds, when I found myself watching every movie he made, none of which had to do with his state of dress. Charisma, charm and that effortless star power. Green Day's "Favorite Son" became an instant favorite of mine.

Carousel (Billy Bigelow - 2018)

This was my first brush with Carousel as a whole show. I had, of course, seen and heard bits from the film and the more popular tunes from the score. While others were lamenting script changes, song removals and perceived casting issues, I was swept away and overwhelmed by this masterpiece. And I was thoroughly mesmerized by the powerfully complex portrayal of the conflicted Billy Bigelow of Mr. Henry. Amazing, breathtaking and completely satisfying. Brilliant.

Ragtime (Coalhouse Walker, Jr. - 2025)

I've made no secret of the fact that I was not a huge fan of the original production outside of its cast recording. This new revival was an altogether different story, and a much improved version. Henry has taken full advantage of the more character-focused, less spectacular version by making a grounded, fierce and brutally honest, human performance as Coalhouse Walker, Jr.. As an equally fervent fan of the role's originator, my liking of Henry's performance wasn't a given. Rather, it was fully earned. I don't think he's ever been better... which is no small feat considering the next role on this list.

The Scottsboro Boys (Haywood Patterson - 2010)

Until Ragtime came along, I'd have said that this brave performance was his best ever. Now I'd say it is a close tie. Raw, passionate and utterly heartbreaking, Henry's star turn in this short-lived classic is one I hold as a most cherished privilege to have witnessed. I maintain that this Kander and Ebb musical is nothing less than a masterpiece, and is to date still the greatest new musical of the 21st century, That he was a part of it is icing on the cake, I suppose. But that in no way over states his profound impact on the piece. People often say a performance is breathtaking - this one surely took mine away.

Violet (Flick - 2014)

What I loved about Joshua's performance here was how beautifully he played with his two co-stars. It was never about elevating himself, but rather working in what seemed to be in effortless tandem with them. Again this was no small feat considering how utterly smitten I was with Sutton Foster's performance (her best to date, by far). I loved the show, the actors and him. And what a delicious treat that his co-star here, Colin Donnell, is now his Ragtime co-star!

Broadway Games: Broadway Musicals Without Broadway or Musicals

Broadway Musicals Without

Broadway or Musicals

DIRECTIONS: Name the musicals below that don't include "Broadway." The remaining letters are in order.Blanks represent whole words that are missing.

1. WITESS (1 word)

2. NUM (1 word)

3. HE  VE  HEELS (3 words)

4. THE  MSTRE  F  EIN   ______ (5 words)

5. CRET (1 word)

DIRECTIONS: Name the musicals below that don't include "Musical." The remaining letters are in order. Blanks represent whole words that are missing.

6. HGO (1 word)

7. BEN  VT  O  B (4 words)

8. ROE (1 word)

9. HKED (1 word)

10. __  HOR  NE (3 words)

DIRECTIONS: Name the musicals below that don't include "Broadway Musical." The remaining letters are in order. Blanks represent whole words that are missing.

11. THE  N'S  VT (3 words)

12. TW  TNGE _______  ___  KE  ______  NE  K (8 words)

13. THE  TE (2 words)

14. EETEJE (1 word)

15. PETN  NEAT (2 words)

BONUS: E  E  E (3 words)

At This Theatre: The St. James: 1987-2011

 At This Theatre:

The St. James: 1987-2011

Through the years, I've seen more different productions at the St. James Theatre than at any other Broadway house - 21! So, in order to give them their due for this series, I've divided it into two articles. Today, we'll cover the first ten shows we saw there, beginning in 1987, when we saw the original production of 42nd Street, which famously tapped its way across 44th Street to move across the street from the Majestic Theatre to make room for The Phantom of the Opera.

Over that nearly quarter of a century of shows, we got to see ground-breaking shows, record setters, hits and flops, Broadway legends and dazzling newcomers that became legends in their own right.

Number of Shows We Saw There (1987-2011): 10

42nd Street, The Who's Tommy, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, High Society, The Civil War, The Producers, Gypsy (2008), Finian's Rainbow, American Idiot, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever

  

  

   

5 Favorite Shows We Saw There (1987-2011): Not every show was great, or even our cup of tea. But here are five that really stood out as memorable even all these years later.

The Who's Tommy (1993): This production was amazing from start to finish! Loud, uncompromising, and visually stunning, it was unlike anything I'd ever seen on Broadway before. The effects - something somewhat new called video projection - supplemented the vivid colors and textures of the technical elements. And the cast was stacked, too, including such fresh faces as Alice Ripley, Sherie Rene Scott, Norm Lewis, and, in the title role, a guy named Michael Cerveris. The show has since been revived, but I don't think anything could match that first experience.

The Civil War (1999): The Broadway "it" composer of the mid to late 1990s was Frank Wildhorn, then famous for Jekyll and Hyde and The Scarlet Pimpernel. At the time, his most ambitious project was The Civil War, a revue of sorts, held together by the reading of letters written by and to union and rebel soldiers. A moving, glorious tribute to the sacrifices, bravery and sheer audacity of America's darkest hour. A blend of period sounding ballads, country music and rousing Broadway production numbers, Wildhorn's score was wide-ranging and bold. The entire production asked a lot of the audience, which I loved, and that probably caused its sadly quick demise. The enormous company included Michel Bell, Matt Bogart, Leo Burmester, Cheryl Freeman, Capathia Jenkins, and Beth Leavel.

Gypsy (2008): Before Audra changed the entire Gypsy game, there was the definitive Rose of none other than Patti LuPone, who seemed born to play the titan of all musical roles. Then there was the always delightful Boyd Gaines as her Herbie, and the absolutely devastating Laura Benanti as the titular Gypsy Rose Lee. All three won Tonys that year, but if you ask me, it was the audience that really won.

Finian's Rainbow (2009): Rarely produced for a variety of reasons, I snapped up the chance to see this show when it transferred from New York City Center's Encores! production. Enhanced from that previous incarnation, it was slightly revised to address its more problematic aspects. Overall, though, the show embraced its old-fashioned-ness, and delivered a quaint, endearing three hours' entertainment. The production starred some high quality vocalists, including Cheyenne Jackson, Kate Baldwin, Christopher Fitzgerald, Jim Norton, Chuck Cooper and Terri White. One has to wonder if the show will ever be done again, a relic trapped by its passe themes and lack of universality. Still, the Lane-Harburg score is a gem, with several standards. I'm really glad I didn't miss it.

American Idiot (2010): Here is the show that Mike absolutely adores - it is among his all-time favorites. He loves to remind me that I hated it the first time we saw it in early previews. He convinced me to return, and I loved it. What a thrill ride! Stunning imagery, edgy vocals and a powerful, cohesive score. I loved it so much, I saw it three times on Broadway, and twice on tour, including an overnight car trip to catch the premiere of the national tour in Utica, New York. Who'd have thought? And the original cast! What an opportunity! Seeing John Gallagher, Jr., Stark Sands, Michael Esper, Rebecca Naomi Jones, and new guy named Joshua Henry share the stage was something I'll never forget!

That span of 24 years gave us lots of memories. Not only the five shows above, but the other five as well. For instance, 42nd Street was a chance to see the gold standard of a dying breed of Broadway musical - glitz, glamor, snappy dialogue and a score full of tunes you left humming as your exited the theater. Forum  gave us the chance to see Nathan Lane in his musical prime, and a fresh new talent, Mary Testa. High Society was largely forgettable, but a young girl named Anna Kendrick gave a performance that you knew was just the beginning of a long career. I never did see what the big deal was about The Producers. I really hated it, but it was great to see some favorites, nonetheless, like Matthew Broderick, Roger Bart and Cady Huffman. Then there was On a Clear Day... featuring the very definition of a "phoned in" performance by Harry Connick, Jr., though it introduced me to a new favorite performer, and the talk of the season, Jesse Mueller. None of these will ever make my favorites list, but each proves one of the greatest lessons I've learned about seeing shows: every experience in the theater offers something positive!

Look for part two of this article next Monday!