Around the TheatreScene: August/September 2024

Over the course of each month, we'll collect pictures and newsy tidbits from the "TheatreScene." We'll be scouring Twitter, Instagram and other social media for interesting items. And we'd love to share your love of theater, too! Send us your pics from your theater scene - local stuff, school shows, fan art, stage door encounters! Send them to: jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com (careful of the spelling!).

Around the TheatreScene

August/September 2024

Back to School with The Outsiders

These guys have some of the greatest fans - and their fan art is so timely!

Opened: The Roommate

Dueling divas took to the stage of the Booth! Welcome back, Mia and Patti!

Closed: The Wiz

The super successful revival ended on a high note in the box office, and no less than acting icon Wendell Pierce went to the final performance!

FANTASTIC! Closing Night of THE WIZ on Broadway!! The National Tour begins! Coming to a city near you! “CAN YOU FEEL A BRAND NEW DAY?”🎶 Don’t Miss It! pic.twitter.com/V6dqZYki7U

— Wendell Pierce (@WendellPierce) August 18, 2024

Something's Coming!

Broadway newbies and folk rock stars The Avett Brothers are on the scene of their soon-to-preview new musical, Swept Away. This show is on our must-see list! 

Something's Coming! - Update!

Just when it looked like Maybe Happy Ending was maybe not happening, they've gone full court press on, well, press to herald its soon-to-preview show! These co-stars sure look excited!

 

🤖🤖 pic.twitter.com/Vkor9YQp3p

— Maybe Happy Ending Musical (@mhemusical) August 21, 2024

Broadway in the Comics
Whether it's a political cartoon captures a current show's importance, or a fun Fosse-themed meme (I want this on a t-shirt!)...

Broadway Beefcake

Here's some vintage beefcake... 

Before Jeremy Jordan became Jay Gatsby, he posed for the Rock of Ages pin-up calendar!

Before Darren Criss became a Helperbot named Oliver, he took his Opening Night bows as Hedwig!

Farewell

How fortunate we were to watch master actor James Earl Jones share his craft in the 2012 revival of The Best Man. Thank you for the privilege, sir. Rest in Peace.

Best of 2021: Performances

And so ends another trip around the sun. As theater fans, I'm sure you'll agree that the last two years have been brutal. Here's hoping that 2022 brings us even more live theater to enjoy and celebrate.

We end our retrospective week with a look at our favorite performances of the year.

THE BEST OF

PERFORMANCES

BEST GIRL GROUP: 

The Ladies in Waiting of Six

What's a queen without her entourage? At Six, the band is as much a part of the show as the actors. Oh boy, can they play!

BEST ENSEMBLE CAST: 

The Queens of Six

Precision, sass, and a show so tightly packed with dance moves, transitions and poses is rarely this well-executed. That you literally feel the "girl power" radiating off the stage, and a pervading confidence that these women fave each others' back makes the experience all the more satisfying.

BEST SUPPORTING ENSEMBLE: 

The cast of Diana

Sometimes campy, sometimes serious, and always a triple-threat, this group does it all with royal finesse. Surely they were exhausted after every performance, having completed Christopher Ashley's precise staging and Kelly Devine's energetic choreography!

BEST PAIR: 

Etai Benson as Paul and Matt Doyle as Jamie in Company

There wasn't a weak link in the entire cast, and each couple had their charms, but Etai and Matt were magic. Their palpable chemistry was off the charts, so endearing and so honest. One of the best things about sitting as close as we did was being able to see them have that same level of relationship evident in side glances, in passing and even across the stage.

BEST REPLACEMENT: 

Heidi Blickenstaff as Mary Jane in Jagged Little Pill

The role - and its Elizabeth Stanley legacy - is an enormous undertaking. Heidi made the role her own, and brought out an intensity and self-loathing that was painful to watch, which made watching her decent all the more emotional, and her personal reconciliation all the more cathartic.

   

Erin Davie (right) and Caissie Levy

      

Kevin S. McAllister, Samantha Williams (right) and Rashidra Scott

BEST INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE: 

Erin Davie (Diana), Caissie Levy, Kevin S. McAllister and Samantha Williams (Caroline, or Change), Rashidra Scott (Company)

All five of these actors were stand-outs on stages filled with stand-outs. Their dedication to bringing their individual characters to life with strength and specificity is matched by their commitment to being just one part of the bigger tapestry of their respective shows.

ICONIC PERFORMANCE: 

Patti LuPone as Joanne in Company

A performance years in the making in a role perfectly suited to the actor. Thousands of words have been written on this very topic, and I doubt I have anything to add to the discourse. All I will say is this: it was a privilege to witness every second she was on stage.

Broadway in a Box CD Review: Anything Goes 1987 Cast Recording

Broadway in a Box CD Review:

Anything Goes (1987)

At Christmas a few years ago, Jeff gave me a copy of Broadway in a Box: The Essential Broadway Musicals Collection. He has now given me the opportunity to use his blog to share my impressions of each of the 25 cast recordings contained in the set, in alphabetical order.

This week’s entry is about the 1987 Broadway Revival Cast Recording of Anything Goes.

I should admit at the outset that this show is not among my favorites, either in terms of music or story. While I did not see the production recorded on this CD - which Jeff assures me I would have enjoyed - I was completely underwhelmed by the more recent Tony-winning revival. Since many other people loved that one, I can only conclude that the show is just not my cup of tea.

Nonetheless, this CD had a number of truly enjoyable moments for me - in particular the exciting orchestral preludes and dance breaks spread liberally throughout the score. Even without the benefit of the visual spectacle that I’m sure accompanied them on stage, the music came across as vivid and exciting on the recording.

Likewise, most of the performances were excellent, particularly the venerable voice of Howard McGillin as Billy Crocker, as well as his frequent singing partner Kathleen Mahoney-Bennett as Hope Harcourt. They sounded great together in songs like “It’s De-Lovely” and “All Through The Night,” adding a dose of much-needed sweetness among all of the silliness of this show.

I’ve been a huge fan of Patti LuPone since I first listened to my library copy of Evita when I was 15 years old. I loved her delicious performance in the underrated Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown and in numerous other recordings, films, and TV shows; I even prefer her London recording of Sunset Boulevard. That being said - specifically in terms of listening to a recording of these songs - I don’t think she is a great fit for this material. Her sudden dynamic shifts and exaggerated vowels work for most of the characters she’s played, but they’re exactly what you don’t need for songs which frequently feature rapid-fire wordplay. At best, it’s a distraction from the material; at worst, as in “Blow, Gabriel, Blow,” she renders the lyrics indecipherable. Of course, I am certain that she was thrilling on stage, and I can’t wait to see her in Company.

Next up is the Original Broadway Cast Recording of Cabaret.

Thanks, Mike! Looking forward to next week already. Jeff 

#2596

LOGOS: Company (2020)

When I see the upcoming revival of Company this spring, it'll be the third Broadway production for me. This has always been one of my favorite Sondheim scores, and I really enjoy the psychology of the book. I'm hoping that this gender-reversed version will enlighten me even more about the very single Bobby/Bobbie. We have a lot in common. So when the newest iteration of the logo came out the other day, I studied it hard. I mean, I loved the title part of the logo already, but if this is the poster, I may just paper my apartment with it!

But let's take a look at that title-only part first. The use of a neon lights style here seems simultaneously very modern and timeless - and definitely urban. The color choices are also doing triple duty: the purple is feminine and strong (versus, say, pink), the bright blue with a red frame not only compliment the purple, they are definitely eye-catching. You see this in the visual cacophony, and your eye is still drawn to it. Even better, in many iterations, the "NY" seems somehow brighter - perfect for a New York set, New York production. And then there's that olive... The "Y" becomes a martini glass. Grown up, boozy, stylish...here's to the ladies who lunch. Everybody rise!

But that full treatment, right!? Each character in a separate little (NYC-sized apartment, maybe) box speaks to compartmentalization of our relationships. More importantly, each box tells us a lot about each character and their closest relationship - even the singles are telling. There isn't one pair or single that doesn't interest me here! And as a long-time fan of most everyone in the cast, this is a lot of fun to see them all in character at once.

Of course, the above-the-title stars are the biggest draw. A carefree and very tipsy Patti LuPone - dig that hairdo! - will certainly appeal musical theater fans, and a lot of gay men. The centerpiece photo - a very captivating Katrina Lenk - tells us everything we need to know. Here's a young, stylish woman bathed in red with an enigmatic expression, alone. Celebrating her birthday with a small cake and a bunch of shiny balloons (they even match the title!), she's alone. Surrounded by all of her friends, she's alone. Then there's the one red balloon drifting separately away. Maybe, in her red outfit, she sees herself in that single red balloon. She's alone, but alive.

Grade: A+

#2281

Ms. Broadway December 2019: The Joannes of Company

Last month's look back at the all of the Broadway Elder Prices proved to be quite popular, so we thought that we'd honor all those ladies who lunch by lifting a glass to all who have played the iconic Joanne in Company. Some pretty amazing women have played the role as you'll see. From the brilliant original Elaine Stritch all the way to the upcoming Broadway turn by the equally brilliant Patti LuPone. (We are reminded of the Sondheim Birthday Celebration moment when Elaine gave a standing ovation to Patti after the latter's blistering "Ladies Who Lunch." Icons doing iconic things - the perfect reason to be named Ms. Broadway December 2019. Everybody rise!

Ms. Broadway

December 2019

The Joannes of Company

The Original

Broadway, First National Tour, West End

Elaine Stritch

The Original Production Replacements

Jane Russell and Vivian Blaine

1995 Broadway Revival

Debra Monk

Kennedy Center Sondheim Celebration

Lynn Redgrave

2006 Broadway Revival

Barbara Walsh

2011 New York Philharmonic Concert Staging

Patti LuPone

2018 West End Revival and 2020 Broadway Revival

Patti LuPone

#2222

JK's Best Theater Experiences of 2017

While I was away from theater blogging over the past couple of years, life took me in a slightly different direction.  Still, my love for live theater never left me - and 2017 was no exception.  Granted, the last 365 days only afforded me the privilege of seeing 9 Broadway and off-Broadway productions and 1 National Tour.* But, boy, did I get a lot of bang for my buck!  Here are my best theater experiences for 2017:

Broadway 2017: Year of the Woman - and the men weren't too bad, either...:

LuPone and Ebersole in War Paint

This year afforded me the rare opportunity to have a true Diva Weekend of shows: in 2 days, I got to see Glenn Close, Patti LuPone, Christine Ebersole and Bette Midler! Will the stars ever align like this again?  I doubt it. And even though their respective shows varied in quality, there was never a moment where these ladies weren't true Broadway royalty. What an honor!

My Broadway year also included spectacular turns by several other of my favorite ladies: Amelie's Phillipa Soo, Pacific Overtures' Ann Harada, Sunday in the Park with George's Annaleigh Ashford (the first Dot to make me cry!), Hello, Dolly's Kate Baldwin, The Great Comet's Denee Benton (even better than the first time I saw her in 2016), and the always awesome Karen Ziemba and Emily Skinner of The Prince of Broadway.

This isn't to say that men weren't well represented in 2017. Not by a long shot. Amelie's Adam Chanler-Berat continues to be one of my favorite young performers, and there was the double-dose of excellence that was Sunset Boulevard and The Prince of Broadway's Michael Xavier, Sunday in the Park with George's Jake Gyllenhaal (the best George by far), Hello, Dolly's Gavin Creel and Taylor Trensch (who I hope to see in Dear Evan Hansen), and The Great Comet's Lucas Steele (even better than the first time I saw him in 2016).

Best Performance of a New Broadway Song:

Chanler-Berat, Soo and the "Booth"

Adam Chanler-Berat, Phillipa Soo and the Company performing "When the Booth Goes Bright" from Amelie
For me, the whole show was the most underrated, under-appreciated show of the year. I don't know about you, but I needed a romantic fantasy. Isn't there something to be said for a show this year that starts with a song called "Times Are Hard for Dreamers" and ends with "Where Do We Go From Here?" And this song moved me like no other in a new musical in 2017. Daniel Messe and Nathan Tysen are two writers I hope we here from again soon

Best New Performance of a Broadway Classic: 

One Dazzling Sally Bowles

Bryonha Marie Parham singing "Cabaret"
This Act One closer of The Prince of Broadway was a mouth-agape-can't-find-the-words stunner.  She was simply amazing. I'll just leave it at that.

Xavier, post-costume change

Honorable Mention: Michael Xavier singing "Sunset Boulevard"
A powerful performance that made this song a standout that it never was before.  Of course, it all started with entrance applause for a wet, bathing suit clad Xavier, and included a gasp-inducing costume "change." Nah. That helped. But the performance was amazing. The Tony nominators made a mistake leaving him off the list.

Best Return: Glenn Close as Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard

It's a Return... 23 years in the making

I enjoyed her in the original production, though I remember cringing a few times at her over-the-top take an an already over-the-top character. And though she still has not eclipsed my favorite Norma Desmond, Betty Buckley, the 2017 version she brought to the stage was powerful and heart-breaking. Close was absolutely right - the intervening years made for a deeper portrayal.

Best Legendary Performance: Bette Midler as Dolly Levi in Hello, Dolly!

3 Broadway Stand-outs

I have to admit that I never once forgot that I was watching Bette Midler instead of Dolly Levi, and normally that would be a deal breaker for me. But Bette being Bette is in a league of its own - and it is a fair argument to say that the role is ideally suited to the actress. The energy in the room combined with the 200% she gave every single second was an experience I'll never forget. To channel another Broadway legend, being in the room where a legend happens is rare indeed.

Best Replacement: Ingrid Michaelson as Sonya in Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812

Denee Benton and Ingrid Michaelson

While it may seem like stunt casting (and maybe it was), it was worth bringing this fantastic performer on board. Her chemistry with Benton was palpable, and her "Sonya Alone" was dynamite. Maybe you could say she was just doing the job she was hired to do, but you could never accuse Michaelson of phoning it in. Case in point: when she was "just" part of the ensemble - and relegated to the farthest point from the stage in the rear mezz, she danced and sang with her whole body and soul. I was in the front row of the front mezz, and she was what I was watching. I'm sure we can all think of a "star replacement" who didn't give 100%.

Best Cast of 2017:

Metcalf, Houdyshell, Rashad and Cooper
A Doll's House, Part 2

And the above lists don't even include the stunning tour de force of the entire company of A Doll's House, Part II! If there was ever a case for a full cast Tony Award, this was it. Tony winner Laurie Metcalf earned every accolade she got, as did the always wonderful Jane Houdyshell, and the understated elegance of Condola Rashad. (Chris Cooper more than held his own, too...)

Best Technical Element: The Chromolume in Sunday in the Park with George

Beowulf Boritt's Chromolume

The view from the cheap seats at the newly opened Hudson Theatre is among the best on Broadway as it is, but I sure was glad to have been sitting up there for this show.  I felt sorry for everyone below me.  They missed out on an amazing spectacle!

And the Top Honor of 2017 goes to...

Best Theater-going Experience of the Year: The First National Tour of Fun Home:

Over the years, I had the opportunity to see the birth of this landmark production at The Public, and its evolution into a profoundly moving, exhilarating (and profitable!) Tony-winning Broadway musical. In the process, I got to see each Medium Alison, Small Alison and Helen (Michael Cerveris and Beth Malone were in every performance I saw), and even attended the emotional, triumphant final performance at Circle-in-the-Square.  So, if I'm being totally honest, I went into the National Tour with a bit of trepidation - could I go back to enjoying a proscenium staging? Could I appreciate a different Alison and Bruce? Turns out, I worried for nothing.  It was spectacular. Sam Gold took the best of his Broadway staging and blended it seamlessly with his Public staging. Kate Shindle proved to be a terrific Alison, and Robert Petkoff offered a touching take on Bruce.  And there was a lovely, heartbreaking Helen in Susan Moniz's mesmerizing performance.  And remember this name: Abby Corrigan. This Medium Alison is going to be a big star.

* Amelie, Pacific Overtures, Sunset Boulevard, Hello, Dolly!, War Paint, Sunday in the Park with George, A Doll's House, Part 2, Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812, The Prince of Broadway, Fun Home

(Photos by J. Cervantes, J. Marcus, J. Pugiliese, B. Boritt, Getty Images)