Friday, November 29, 2024

Friday 5: 5 Wicked Thoughts (A Sort of Review)


5 Wicked Thoughts


After months of movie hype, we finally saw Wicked (Part 1). Did it live up to the hype? Was it as good as the Broadway show? Was it better? We have thoughts on that... and they may contain spoilers.


1. I loved the nods to The Wizard of Oz.
From the direct references to the film to the explanations of why things are the way they are in the original story, Wicked is both a tribute and an education! Among my favorites are the use of the original film's title font for this film, explaining why the brick road is yellow, and having Elphaba ride a bicycle with a basket that looks a lot like Miss Gulch in the MGM classic.


2. It features some great cameos.
Aside from a main cast full of Broadway people, there are some great cameos for the eagle-eyed theater fan. Both the show's composer and book writer pop up in Emerald City. Did you catch Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman  in "One Short Day"? Or how about former Elphaba Stephanie J. Block greeting Glinda in Munchkinland? Of course, the best cameos - which were really small roles - were Broadway originals, Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel as the stars of "Wizomania."


3. Excellent expansion of the stage version.
Speaking of "Wizomania," I loved the way the "show" became a centerpiece of "One Short Day." Kristin and Idina were delightful, and their chemistry was remarkable. They have not lost a thing in the intervening 20 years - Idina's battle cry was a thrill. But the number also provided more backstory on what the Ozians believe about the Wizard's mythology. Another expansion I loved was the whole story and flashback to Elphie's childhood. It explains so much and deepens the characters of both Elphaba and Nessarose (and also their father). Then there's the fuller details and use of the Grimmerie that really heightens our understanding of her powers. There are many things added that genuinely enhanced the whole story, and especially some of the darker themes (the rise of fascism, racism, and a dangerous "other"ism) that would have made the stage version even more compelling. Plot holes are filled, and I think (so far, anyway) I much prefer the film to the show. It didn't feel like 2 hours and 40 minutes to me.

4. The score has never sounded better.
I guess it's not really fair to compare a 23 piece pit orchestra with a symphony orchestra with a 100+ members. Jonathan Beard's orchestrations are gorgeous and the end credits scoring is truly beautiful.


5. The intensity of the film made it feel like an adventure film as much as a musical.
There were several scenes that were very intense in tone, content and visuals. The "No One Mourns the Wicked" sequence was pretty frightening. The intense screams of the Munchkins and the burning of the Wicked Witch in effigy raised the hair on the back of my neck. Then there's the transformation of Chistery into a flying monkey (and all of the others), and Madame Morrible's (Michelle Yeoh) full reveal as an evil sorceress. But I especially loved the build up and filming of the "Defying Gravity" sequence. I think I held my breath through the whole thing!

I could do another Friday 5 on just the cast (I may just do that) - heck, I could do 5 on Jonathan Bailey all by himself. Thanks for reading!

Wednesday, November 27, 2024

When the "Best" Isn't Your "Favorite": A Strange Loop vs Girl From The North Country (and Six)

When the "Best Musical" Isn't Your "Favorite":
A Strange Loop vs Girl From the North Country (and Six)


It's been a while since we posted an article in this series, so we thought we'd revive it with what may be a somewhat controversial take on a critically acclaimed and beloved show. 

In the 2021-2022 season there were six Best Musical nominees: Girl From the North Country, MJ, Mr. Saturday Night, Paradise Square, Six and A Strange Loop. We saw four of them. Most of them got solidly positive reviews, but one - A Strange Loop - was a critical darling, and was awarded the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Audiences were polarized, with theater buffs and trend setters falling all over themselves to appreciate and applaud the piece. 

It is a decidedly modern musical in its themes and point of view, to be sure. Whole communities and minorities (not just racial) were being seen for the first time in this piece, and that, if nothing else, deserves not only its accolades, but its rightful place in history. It would go on to win the Tony Award for Best Musical.  
But, as the title of this series suggests, it may have been the "best" musical, but it wasn't my favorite. Not even my second or third of that season. 

At the time, I didn't formally review the show, but I can summarize my thoughts this way: I greatly admire its ambition and its author, Michael R. Jackson, and I am thrilled that his voice and what that represents is being heard and taken seriously. But as a musical, I find it to be sloppy as it tries to be ground breaking but is, by and large an old-fashioned show with songs that don't stay with you, and worse yet, lyrics that range from sophomoric to amateurish. In short, the ideas are profound while the execution was, I'll be polite, less than adequate.

On the other hand, the 2021-2022 season did offer not one but two really great shows. One, Girl From the North Country, really satisfied my "musical as an art form" side, while the other, Six, hit my "musicals can be just plain fun" side. 
What I love about Six is its energy and creativity. Smart and very funny, it is masterful in its choreography, sharp homages in the score to a variety of female pop icons, and a slick, but important message about empowerment. Still, it is a slight entertainment that knows what it is and fulfills its promise. It is still running...


If I had to choose just one musical as my favorite of that season, though, it would be Girl, a show we almost missed had we not gotten tickets for one of its final week of performances. One of the few jukebox musicals to succeed as an original drama, I found myself so focused and immersed in what was going on that I was completely unaware of anything around me. Not a Bob Dylan fan, I was unfamiliar with any of the songs, and so in a way, for me it was an original musical (not unlike this season's Swept Away). The story was enthralling, the acting was sublime (kudos to Mare Winningham!), and the staging was art in motion (kudos to Conor McPherson!). It was a show that made me better for having seen it.

Do you have a favorite show that wasn't that season's "best?" Let us know!

Monday, November 25, 2024

2024 - 2025 Broadway Musical Logos: Death Becomes Her

The latest musical based on a film has come to the Main Stem, headlined by two beloved divas, a pop star and a Broadway favorite. With pretty excellent reviews, an A-list cast and a popular film as its source, Death Becomes Her has all the makings of a big hit. Will the show's logo make much difference? I think so, since a good sized portion of any New York audience is made up of tourists who don't follow reviews and don't know the who's who of Broadway names. Without film stars on the marquee, but with a well-known (albeit 30+ years old) movie title, the show art does need to help bring the show to the attention of those visiting Times Square.

2024 - 2025 Broadway Musical Logos:
Death Becomes Her

The key art here has a lot in common with its motion picture relative. The central image should be familiar to the film's fans, while the title lettering is very similar to movie's advertising. Of course, there are small tweaks that update it and make the musical version its own identity.

Perhaps the biggest difference between the two is that the stage logo doesn't include the Bruce Willis character, played by Christopher Sieber. No offense to him, but he is not the name Willis is. And really, even on the movie poster, he barely registers - you really only see his head and the wild pictures of Streep and Hawn are what draw the eye. Broadway is diva land, and so capturing stars Megan Hilty and Jennifer Simard with those iconic looks is the prudent choice. Just to mix it up, their dresses are switched from the originals.

The font used is virtually identical, though the coloring is much more interesting, a smoky, marbled purple is mysterious and evil adjacent. I love the subtle cracks in the letters - even marble ages even as it "lives forever." And that eternal light in the center draws the eye and helps create foreboding shadows, and gives the title great dimension. 

  

On the show card/Playbill version (as well as the online advertising), there's a
 cheeky tagline: "Musical Comedy Revitalized." And another version starts with the hilarious twist on a familiar saying - emphasis on the "bitch." Show queens, rejoice! While the slogans require one to know something about the plot, they do serve to announce that it is, in fact a musical, and that it will be catty fun and lively. Similarly, the Playbill image is dependent on certain knowledge of the story and the magical elixir that grants a reprieve from aging and death. There's something kind of cool and intriguing about the hands - rich, elegant and perfectly manicured - one holding the vile, the other lifting the stopper. Both versions appeal to me; I love the detail and especially the colors. It is vibrant and compelling.

Grade: A
 

Friday, November 22, 2024

Broadway Games: Marquee Match-Up VII

Like most theater fans, we long ago set a goal of seeing a show in each of Broadway's 41 theaters. We've been lucky enough to have done just that some time ago. How many have you been to? Whether you've been to all of them or not, we bet you can remember which shows you've seen and where! This week's game has a lot to do with that. 

Broadway Games:
Marquee Match-up VII

DIRECTIONS: Match each of the marquees with two of the shows below. They may be current, past or future shows. Good luck!

1.    2.   3. 

4 .  5. 

A.  B.  C. 

D.  E.  F. 

G. 

H.  I.  J. 





 
 

Wednesday, November 20, 2024

Review: Swept Away

Review of the Sunday, November 10, 2024 matinee preview performance at the Longacre Theatre in New York City. Starring John Gallagher, Jr., Stark Sands, Wayne Duvall and Adrian Blake Enscoe. 
Book by John Logan. Music and lyrics by The Avett Brothers. Arrangements and orchestrations by Chris Miller and Brian Usifer. Scenic design by Rachel Hauck. Costume design by Susan Hilferty. Lighting design by Kevin Adams. Sound design by John Shivers. Choreography by David Neumann. Direction by Michael Mayer. 90 minutes with no intermission.

I'm wondering if taking longer to write a review of a show than that show takes to perform is a good thing. Whether or not it is remains to be seen, but it is nonetheless true. You are reading the third version of my thoughts on the new musical, Swept Away, which opened last night. Maybe part of the reason for that is that since I saw it some ten days ago, it hasn't really left my mind, or maybe it is because what I think about it seems to change with the tide. No matter the reason, this show is perplexing and thought-provoking. And that's better than being left cold by it.

Technically, the show is beautiful to look at and listen to. That's no surprise considering the caliber of the design team. A mostly quiet, almost ethereal show, John Shivers' sound design is clear as a bell and appropriately atmospheric, while Susan Hilferty's costumes convey the seriousness of the piece and the harsh realities of 19th Century whalers. Each man in the company has costumes with fully unique details that silently portray their characters, even though we ultimately only get to know four of them.

The real stars of the design team, though, are Kevin Adams (lighting) and Rachel Hauck (scenery). Adams creates a world of bright hope with yellow washes of color and gentle blues in a calm sea, and in stark contrast, a dangerous world of man vs sea, with foreboding greens and sharp blasts of white light, then later, gloomy pools of light and darkness. He never disappoints. Hauck's ship design is stunning, as its sheer size overwhelms and awes, teetering dangerously close to patrons in the first few rows, and later, as it morphs into a tragically sinking ship, settling as an upright monolith of beams and reflections. We are left then with another stark contrast - the large ship has given way to a small, singular life boat. The memory of what was looms large over everything that happens from this moment on.

A study in contrasts, Swept Away is really two short musicals: one a boisterous seafaring spectacle with larger than life characters, who sing, dance and swashbuckle with gusto, the other, a dark character study. David Neumann's boisterous, hyper-masculine choreography is both fun and tragic, as we know the fate of the men who are full of life one minute and gone the next. Similarly, Michael Mayer's direction takes on two opposing themes: a zesty reverence for men whose lives are cut short, and then, a solemn character study of survival, introspection and sacrifice. Mayer deftly portrays both. He gives the entire crew moments to shine, and then bringing the heartbreaking conclusion that even had they lived, their lives were headed toward a crushing end, soon to become obsolete. Were these career whalers perhaps spared a longer death by being taken out of the equation while doing what they loved? As the show settles into a quiet sense of dread, he directs moments of revelation juxtaposed against moments of deafening silence - we contemplate life and death, regret and resignation right along with the four men who are left to their own devices.

In creating this dichotomy, the score, made up of folk-rock songs from a concept album by The Avett Brothers, serves not to really advance the plot, but more so to reveal mood and character. Ultimately, the songs have a sameness about them that is both comforting and repetitive. As the survivors survive, the music becomes less interesting (boring, even), and one wonders if they were trying to mimic the monotony of weeks in a boat with nothing but the waves happening? Still, the music fits the mood, and the lyrics are poetic and revealing. 

Then there is the book by John Logan, who seems to be wrestling with bringing these contrasts to full light. On the one hand, the framing device tells you the end before the piece is even three minutes old. On the other hand, it isn't really about the inevitable conclusion, but rather, the journey to that end. As it starts, the scenes are quick with exposition, and we get a clear picture about who the four men are, but then as they are set in their static situation, the characters also become static. Since they can't really move, the action needs to come from the dialogue. Sure, there are flare-ups, and the final twist earned appropriate gasps, but there isn't enough development to generate more than passing interest and a nagging impatience to get to the end promised us in the opening moments. Dare I say, the show might have benefited from some expansion and some trimming?

All of that said, the real reason this musical needs to be seen is its main cast. These four men are each remarkable individually and as a collective whole. Wayne Duvall is Captain, a formidable man set in his ways, and regretting that his way of life has not afforded him a fuller one. His moments on the lifeboat are really wonderfully rendered bits of madness as his survivor's guilt is exacerbated by visions of his men begging to be saved swirling around his semi-consciousness. His cries of remorse are chilling. Broadway newcomer Adrian Blake Enscoe is Little Brother, a young man with love in his heart and an insatiable need for adventure. His exuberance in the opening scenes is completely infectious, and offers a harsh counterpoint to his scenes in the boat, where Little Brother, severely injured, clings to hope and life. Enscoe is definitely an actor to watch for - he has that "it" factor and then some. 

In sharp contrast, Big Brother is a God-fearing religious man with an unflinching sense of duty, made all the more significant because the wasn't even supposed to be on the ship. 
Stark Sands brings this relatively complex character to vibrant life, being fully believable in his piousness and his inspiring love for his brother. It is nice to see him in a dramatic role with chances to show off his many solo talents. The role of Mate is a very complicated one in that he is a man who has lived his life selfishly and with little regard for the consequences of his choices. Played with a fierce bravado, and balanced with moments of desperate uncertainty, John Gallagher Jr. is really pretty magnificent. Beautifully sung and brilliantly acted, I haven't seen him be this good since his Tony-winning turn in Spring Awakening. I just wish he had more to work with.

It is the rare thing to say that a show could benefit from more scenes and songs, but in this case it's true. The stakes need to be higher and the characters need more depth. Maybe the contrasts need to be even sharper, more extreme. Knowing how it turns out even before it starts can actually work for a show - just ask the people behind Titanic. All of that said, even if I wasn't completely swept away, I'm glad I spent some time with four men in a boat.


📸: E. Madrid

Tuesday, November 19, 2024

2024 - 2025 Broadway Musical Logos: Swept Away

The fall Broadway season has been a pretty busy one for musicals this year. The newest of them, Swept Away, has one of my favorite logos. Everything about it intrigues me. I can say for sure that I am not alone in feeling this way. When I saw it just over a week ago, several people stopped to look at it outside the Longacre Theatre, including the three people who asked me to take their picture with it. (More about that in a future article.) 

2024 - 2025 Broadway Musical Logos:
Swept Away


So why am I (and others) drawn to it? Lets start with the title and tagline. I really love the font they used - an old-fashioned font that feels both 19th Century nautical - penny dreadful-ish and bold and gallant. The parchment color and texture they used fits the overall color scheme and really stands out. And the tagline, "A New Musical Tale," works in the typical "a new musical" way, and by adding "tale," it entices with the inferred adventure and mythic feel the piece seems to be going for.



The colors of the rest of the key art are as eye-catching as the title, and that color is used to highlight the rest of the image. The sea green-blue and black combine to offer a sort of two-tone pen and ink feel. The color choice definitely fits the seafaring theme, while the pen and ink style with extreme detail and realism is a great representation of the very way a late 19th Century story might be told in newspaper accounts of the time. Think back to the time before photographs accompanied titillating stories of heroism and epic adventures. The central image depicts the four characters at the height of their misfortune, tempest-tossed and facing their fate in a tiny lifeboat in an overwhelming gigantic sea. All of this looks so compelling, I can tell you that it did, in fact, impact my personal choice to purchase tickets.

TOP: Little Brother (Adrian Blake Enscoe), Big Brother (Stark Sands)
BELOW: Captain (Wayne Duvall), Mate (John Gallagher, Jr.)

The show art is also extended to specific iterations that adorn the outside of the theater and in advertising. Each of the four images depicts - in amazing life-like detail - a character and a thematic question that matches each character's place in the story. They provide food for thought before and after the performance, the perfect way to advertise a new show.

Grade: A+

Friday, November 15, 2024

Review: Our Town

Review of the Saturday, November 9, 2024 matinee performance at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre in New York City. Starring Jim Parsons, Zoey Deutch, Katie Holmes, Billy Eugene Jones, Ephraim Sykes, Richard Thomas, Michelle Wilson, Julie Halston and Donald Webber, Jr.  Written by Thornton Wilder. Scenic design by Beowulf Boritt. Costume design by Dede Ayite and Audrey Peterson. Lighting design by Allen Lee Hughes. Sound design by Justin Ellington. Direction by Kenny Leon. 1 hour, 50 minutes with no intermission.

Perhaps I went into Our Town with unrealistic expectations. The Thornton Wilder classic is one of my favorites; I've seen it several times, performed scenes from it in high school and college, and studied the text as well. Also, after his exhilarating production of Purlie Victorious, I couldn't wait to see what Kenny Leon would bring to this venerable classic. Boy, I was disappointed. For all of its "for our generation" hype, it was flat and boring. Worse yet, the cast looked as bored as I was. This revival committed what I consider the very worst of theatrical sins: it left me feeling nothing at all. Not bad enough to hate, not daring enough to be even the tiniest bit intrigued, and even the decent parts weren't worth giving much of a second thought.

First, what worked for me offers little surprise. Beowulf Boritt's set design was exactly what the play needed, no more, no less, though the Act 3 setting was nicely revealed and rendered. Similarly, Allen Lee Hughes' moody area lighting fit the nebulous nature of the work's requirements; the lanterns that hung over the stage in reaching up into the balcony were lovely, serving as guiding lights, stars, and whatever other momentary need there was. 

As far as the actors go, there were four absolute standouts: the mothers and central children of the piece. As Mrs. Gibbs, the doctor's wife and icon of housewivery, Michelle Williams brought the energy up every time she entered, and Katie Holmes does some heavy lifting with the built in mundanity of her role. Both did what I think Wilder expected by giving subtext and gravitas to their line readings. As George Gibbs, awkward teenager/mature man before his time, Ephraim Sykes also lifted the whole thing out of its self-inflicted doldrums with each speech, gesture and movement, while Zoey Deutch as Emily Webb, the confident, smart young woman and object of George's affections, burst open each scene she was in, too. And when the two of them were together, their chemistry wrapped over the audience like a warm blanket. All four actors come the closest to what I think Mr. Leon was going for - characters that are both of their time (1901) and of our time (2024). I can't even put my finger on how exactly they did that, but you could sense it nonetheless.

Considerably less effective were the costume designs of 
Dede Ayite. Though it is obvious (too obvious) that she was trying to convey the "then is now" directive of the production, what appeared on stage was such an inconsistent hodgepodge of styles and eras that it took you out of the scenes it was so jarring. Little House on the Prairie dresses for some, canvas bodices and short shorts/skirts for others. Some looking like they were part of a forgotten revival of The Music Man, with still others dressed for office work in the 1970s and 80s. One of the "ladies of a certain age" came to the wedding dressed like a community theater Joanne from Company. And the milkman was in what appeared to be a denim onesie and combat boots! I heard more than one patron discussing it as we were leaving, "Were the costumes confusing, or was it me?" No, ma'am, it wasn't you. 


Then there were the actors. Some were completely wasted: Jim Parsons, who I adore, it pains me to say, was not good. Sure he knew his many lines, but he played the Stage Manager as a bearded Sheldon Cooper, same gesticulating and quirky affectations and all. Richard Thomas brought nothing to his role as Mr. Webb. Not even at the funeral for his daughter did he seem even mildly upset. The usually funny and smart Julie Halston was ridiculous stereotype who seemed like she was pushing for laughs. Not that I can blame her - anything for a response. Others were shockingly amateurish. Billy Eugene Jones, as the perpetually exhausted Dr. Gibbs, gave line readings you'd expect from a high school kid reading the play aloud in English class. And if other characters on stage hadn't gossiped about it, you'd never know Donald Webber, Jr.'s Simon Stimson was the town drunk. I mean there's hiding it, and there's not playing it at all. Is it a good thing when the rest of the townspeople - representations of all types of day-to-day folks - were so nondescript as to be virtually meaningless?

I thought this might be the first show in years I've been to that didn't get a standing ovation, but of course, someone stood and slowly everyone was on their feet. The applause, however, did not match the ovation, so at least there's that. I did not stand, and the lady next to me, who had been audibly sobbing at the end, gave me some serious stink eye, as if to say, "what is wrong with you??" To each their own.

📸: D. Rader
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