One That Got Away: Parade

With the recent passing of Brent Carver, I've been thinking a great deal about how fortunate I was to have seen his Tony-winning turn in Kiss of the Spider Woman three times. So natural, so intense, so heart-breaking. I've also been thinking of another of his acclaimed performances - as Leo Frank in Parade. Like many theater fans, this was One That Got Away from me. 

It wasn't that the 1998-1999 Broadway season was a crowded one. It was that the show had an unfortunately short run. And so I had to settle with imagining the performance while listening to the wonderful original Broadway cast recording. What I wouldn't have given to see the cast belting "The Old Red Hills of Home" and "Where Will You Stand When the Flood Comes?" Or to have seen Mr. Carver and Carolee Carmello singing "All the Wasted Time" live before me. The score of the show is full of so many of such moments; the regret at missing out ran deep.

Fortunately, I did finally get a chance to see the show, in a wonderful regional production at Ford's Theater in Washington, D.C. starring Euan Morton. I'm so glad I saw it; it is a cherished memory. Still, I regret missing the original, and I look forward to an eventual Broadway revival.

The original production played at the Vivian Beaumont at Lincoln Center, playing 39 previews and 85 performances before closing. It was nominated for 9 Tony awards, including Best Musical and Best Direction (Harold Prince). It won Best Book (Alfred Uhry) and Best Score (Jason Robert Brown).

#2425

#TBT: OBCR: Finding Neverland

The Peter Pan story resonates with me much like Harry Potter resonates with the generations after mine (for the record, I love Harry Potter). And the Peter Pan story has come in many forms, from Disney to Hook to Peter and the Star Catcher to the sweet film Finding Neverland. So, when the stage version came to be, I was very excited to see it. Early reports were negative - plus a lot of grousing over the recasting of Jeremy Jordan to Matthew Morrison - but that didn't squash my enthusiasm. I have long since gotten past letting public sentiment determine how much I will like a show. And I saw the show during late previews, so I assume it was close to, if not already, set.

Well, I loved it. As much, if not more than the film. The creative staging by Diane Paulus and the fanciful Broadway meets modern/jazz choreography by Mia Michaels activated my imagination as any good spin on Peter Pan should. I remember vividly the theatricality "Circus In Your Mind" and the delightfully crazy dancing and sliding around the floor during "We Own the Night." Nothing prepared me for the visually stunning/emotionally devastating final scene. I gasped and sobbed. I was not alone.

So how is the cast recording? I love it as much as I do the show itself. The score, by Gary Barlow and Eliot Kennedy, is delightful from start to finish. I particularly enjoy the homage to the Broadway musical version of Peter Pan in the tarantella-esque style of the songs for Frohman/Captain Hook (Kelsey Grammer, in fine, bellowing voice), and the playful tones for the songs for the children. The ballads of both hope and despair for Sylvia (sung beautifully by Laura Michelle Kelly) are designed perfectly for full emotional impact, even by just listening to them. And the songs for J.M. Barrie run the gamut from emotional ballads to jaunty tunes of fancy mirroring the character's evolution. Matthew Morrison is ideally suited to the score - he has the pipes for such range. That said, I wish I had had the opportunity to hear what Jeremy Jordan sounded like. (Here, as in the theater, I wish Carolee Carmello had more to do.) My favorite numbers include "Believe," "We Own the Night," "Sylvia's Lullaby," "Circus of Your Mind," (great effects!), and "Stronger." Those are all in act one. I love pretty much every single track from act two.

The CD booklet is also first rate. Includes liner notes from Diane Paulus, Gary Barlow and Eliot Kennedy, and a full synopsis. There are full credits and lyrics, and more than a dozen full color production photos. I suggest giving this another listen. There is a lot to take in; the more you hear it, the richer the experience.

Grade: A+

Fun Facts about Finding Neverland...

• The original production played 33 previews and 565 performances, opening April 15, 2015 and closing on August 21, 2016 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre.
• Actor Bryan Cranston was a principal producer of both the Broadway production and the National Tour.
• Kelsey Grammer fulfilled his six month contract in two parts: opening the show and staying for three and a half months, then returning for an additional two and a half months later in the run.
• One of Carolee Carmello's replacements, legendary star Sandy Duncan, was with the show for four days. Days.
• The show's original "Peter Pan" was played by So You Think You Can Dance champion Melanie Moore. Her replacement was Amy Yakima, another SYTYCD champion.
• On Broadway, Porthos was played by a real dog named Jack. Pre-Broadway, Porthos was played by a human named by Thayne Jasperson. You may remember him from Newsies and Hamilton...
• The score was the first (and to date the only) for Brits Gary Barlow and Eliot Kennedy. Barlow was one the lead singer of the pop group Take That, while Kennedy has written songs with/for such pop stars as Bryan Adams and The Spice Girls.
• Finding Neverland received 0 Tony Award nominations.

📸: C. Rosegg
#2189

TheatreScene Thursday: Tonys, Tonys, Tonys (and Darren Criss)

Well, the TheatreScene was all about the Tonys this week, right?  Well, almost!

The Serious and Tony-Nominated Moves
of The Curious Incident

First things first - even though I only correctly predicted 77% of the musical Tony Awards nominations (my buddy Mike guessed an even more impressive 80%!), there really weren't any huge surprises to the ones I got wrong.  I think several of the categories will be really hard to predict, which is nice for a change.  I think that speaks well of the overall quality of this year's crop of shows.  Of course, I'm happy with some nice choices, like remembering the wonderful score to The Last Ship, and the awesome inclusion of the spectacular movement of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time in the choreography category.  And there were some disappointments for me, too: I really hoped that John Doyle's brilliant direction of The Visit would have been recognized, and the complete shut out of Finding Neverland does not diminish my love or enjoyment of it.

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate Carmello and Hewitt's talents.  

But they sure have been in a lot of flops!

Speaking of Neverland, I've read lots of people opining on the "Weinstein Effect" and the possibility that there was backlash against the show because its lead producer is less than well-loved by many in the industry.  But I wonder if it's really more like "Carmello Curse"?  Aside from Falsettos, every show Carolee Carmello has originated a role in has been either a critical failure or a monetary one - and usually both.  Scandalous...Lestat...Parade On the other hand, she usually comes out smelling like a rose with several awards nominations for roles in these stinkers.  Doctor Zhivago may also have suffered a Tony shut out due to the "Hewitt Effect" - Tom Hewitt's track record in originating roles is even worse.  Only The Rocky Horror Show was a moderate hit on his resume.

My favorite moment of Tony Nominations Week is the reaction of Fun Home's Beth Malone to her new status as Best Leading Actress Tony nominee.  After expressing her joy, relief, surprise and gratitude, she kept it real with this picture she sent in to Playbill.  I love her even more now!

And here's my favorite show picture of the week:

I know there are plenty of naysayers about Darren Criss taking over in Hedwig, but I'm thinking he might bring something interesting and exciting to the whole gig.  (And he looks amazing in those leather shorts!)  I'll let you know what I think of his work (and that of Rebecca Naomi Jones) after I make a return visit to the Belasco next month!

Don't forget to cast your vote in this week's "Trendsday" Poll! (Click the "Vote Now" icon at the top of the left column on this page!)

Jeff

Is SCANDALOUS Scandalous?

UPDATE AT BOTTOM OF THIS BLOG ENTRY

As of  the time I wrote this blog, the facts are these:

• The matinee and evening performances Scandalous - the final two previews - have been cancelled.
• The official reason is that star Carolee Carmello was put on immediate, short-term vocal rest by her physician.
• Opening Night is still scheduled for tonight, November 15th. 

And let me say now that I wish Ms. Carmello a speedy recovery and a happy Opening Night, if, in fact, she is ailing as reported.  She is a terrific performer who deserves the benefit of the doubt.  And if that is the case, and she really sings nearly every number and spends only 11 minutes off stage, then shame on the producers for not having a shorter preview schedule per week.  Lots of shows do that.  Or like Evita, have a scheduled alternate learn the show with her and do 2 shows a week.  (It should be noted that despite the complaining on message boards, it is NOT common for the understudies to get much, if any rehearsal during previews, so that is not really an option.)

That said, part of me smells something fishy here.  Let's call it Post Spider-Man Skepticism.

• Are they allowing Ms. Carmello an "out" for bad reviews? Isn't too late?  The reviewers that have seen the show have seen the show.
• Are they giving an excuse not to officially open?  Perhaps.  But calling it this late in the game is foolish.  Again, reviewers (many of them, anyway) have already seen it.  Will they be gracious and not print them?  Or well they get fed up and print eventually anyway, like they did with Spider-Man?  One can assume that threshold will be much shorter than it was before.  And let's face it, the sharks are circling this one.
• Is this just a diversion to take some of the sting out of the reviews?  Assuming they are as bad as the word-of-mouth, the general public may think that the poor health of the star is a decent excuse.
• And what about this "surprise" announcement about the show to air on the Today show on Thursday?  Hmmm... could Kathie Lee Gifford be saving the day, going on for Carolee?  Postpones the official opening, short-term.  AND opens the door for an ailing star to gracefully leave the show, gets the show more time to change things so it can open with Gifford in the lead role.  Even if all it does is buy time and really lets Carmello heal, the tickets sales will soar.  Let's face it - they are literally giving away tickets and people are STILL not coming.  Or a compromise - Gifford plays two shows a week...

Or maybe it is just as they are reporting.  Carolee Carmello is a trouper and will knock it out of the park in front of friends and family.  At least she'll have that if the show opens and closes on November 15th, anyway.

UPDATE: The Today show "special announcement" (as of about 9AM) regarding Scandalous was apparently another red herring.  It was the usual segment... backstage to meet the cast, interview the author (in this case KLG)...nothing special, and no announcement that I heard.  Mostly, I'm ticked at myself for adding to their viewer numbers by falling for this.  Last minute PR that smacks of self-indulgent trickery never sits well with me.  The reviews will be what the reviews will be and we'll see how long it lasts.  Ticketmaster is still selling months in advance... including opening night seats.  But I hear TDF has taken it down.  Interesting...  Selfishly, I hope it makes it until 11/25 so I can see it.  And my review will be what it will be.  Still, I hate going into a show with a bad attitude...

Before you go...

...have you VOTED in this month's THEATRE POLL?  It is in the left column!
...have you VOTED in this week's HOT or NOT?  CLICK the ELF icon in the upper left column and vote BEFORE 6PM TONIGHT!
...have you read the latest from WAYNE ALAN WILCOX?  Find out how an actor prepares!  Click HIS PIC to read all about it!
...have you checked this month's BROADWAY BOY, DROOD's WILL CHASE?  He's a pretty amazing guy!  CLICK his picture in the right hand column to find out more! 

Jeff

4.076

Comments? Questions? @jkstheatrescene (Twitter); jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com (Email); or leave a comment below and check a box!