REVIEW: The Light in the Piazza (Encores!)

Review of the matinee performance on Sunday, June 25, 2023 at New York City Center. Starring Ruthie Ann Miles, Anna Zavelson, Shereen Ahmed, Andrea Burns, Rodd Cyrus, James D. Gish, Michael Hayden, and Ivan Hernandez. Book by Craig Lucas. Music and lyrics by Adam Guettel. Based on the novel by Elizabeth Spencer. Scenic design by Clint Ramos and Miguel Urbino. Costume design by Linda Cho. Lighting design by David Weiner. Sound design by Megumi Katayama. Music director Rob Berman. Choreography by Parker Esse. Direction by Chay Yew. 2 hours, 15 minutes with one intermission.

NOTE: This production closed following the evening performance on Sunday, June 25, 2023.

Grade: A+ 

The just-closed Encores! presentation of The Light in the Piazza is the perfect example of the joy and pain of the ethereal nature of the art form we love so much. It's that "capturing lightning in a bottle" thrill of witnessing a once in a lifetime moment, savoring the memory of it, and lamenting that it'll never happen again. The Adam Guettel - Craig Lucas musical, one of a small handful of masterpiece shows so far in the 21st century was given a miraculous revival by director Chay Yew, his creative team and a glorious company of actors. Some may disagree, but I found this minimalist (by necessity) version to be more wholly satisfying than the original.

Yew has carefully allowed the near-fantasy of the piece to walk hand-in-hand with both the melodramatic waves of emotion and the harsh intrusions of reality. It is at once otherworldly and grounded. From the dreamy opening ballet sequence (choreography by Parker Esse) to the trance-like movement of the company as they moved throughout the space, every moment was like a soothing sigh in the heat of summer. The staging was so expert and meaningful and yet unobtrusive; we all shared in a dreamlike existence for a couple of hours. The staging was aided by the scenic design of Clint Ramos and Miguel Urbino: a few well-chosen set pieces, floating statues and paintings, as well as a series of arches, instantly taking us to the breathtaking views of Italy, as well as Linda Cho's gorgeous mid-20th century costumes, vibrant and with striking silhouettes. David Weiner's wondrous use of light and shadow, full of warm, sunny shades and vibrant blues, added subliminal weight to the emotions of the moment.

Bringing this fable of mother-daughter triumphs, failures and growth to life is a stellar company of actors. How terrific it is that Encores!, given the short time between first rehearsal and final curtain, can assemble a cast of proven, beloved Broadway talent and first looks at a new generation at the same time. Where else can you find someone the caliber of Tony-nominee Michael Hayden in a bit part, or Drama Desk winner Andrea Burns in a comedic semi-supporting role. Both are outstanding, of course, the former bringing passive-aggressive conflict to the story, the latter bringing the show to a halt with shrieks of laughter from the audience and reveling in a character of remarkable strength. Then there's the quintessential Italian family headed by Burns and Ivan Hernandez, himself a sophisticated swirl of suave masculinity and debonair sensitivity. Rodd Cyrus is a riot of dimwitted youth and a smoldering sexuality that will help his character Giuseppe survive in life, and Shereen Ahmed adds fiery passion to every scene she's in as his wise-to-his-ways spouse, Franca. Together, the group is both familiar stereotypes and a family willing to grow together, all lovingly written and portrayed.

As the young love-struck Fabrizio, James D. Gish is so natural, so believable, you'd swear he really is an Italian boy with broken English. He wears his sincerity and heart on his sleeve. It is love at first sight for all involved on both sides of the proscenium. What a voice! What a presence! Here's hoping this marvelous young man gets roles he can sink his teeth into for longer than three weeks, and soon.

Everything you may have heard about Ruthie Ann Miles's bravura performance is true, and yet not praised enough. By turns fierce protector and terrified mother, she is a tower of strength, but always with the sense that she may crack like an ancient Roman statue at any moment. She sings the score brilliantly, and is very funny, too. I suspect that this a performance people will be talking about for years (even by those who didn't even see it); it is certainly on my very short list of definitive performances I've witnessed over the past four decades. I continue to marvel at the ever-expanding depth of her talents: can this really be the same human being playing the Beggar Woman in Sweeney Todd? And that look back - if you know you know - is rightfully already the stuff of theater legend.

Another very short list of mine is that of groundbreaking debut performances. This production just added a name to that list: Anna Zavelson. Before she even opened her mouth as she blew on to the City Center stage, I knew this force of nature is and will be a huge star. I'm talking Martin, Lansbury, McDonald level stardom. I'm getting tears in my eyes as I type this just thinking about what a privilege it was to bear witness to her work here. Every moment, every line reading, every glorious note she sang was pure perfection. It is this kind of talent that makes one really consider just why it is live theater that fulfills the artistic needs of my soul. Hyperbole? Not at all. This young actor transported me, broke my heart and healed it all at once. She is stunning.

The only flaw of this production is that it is over. Yet I have to wonder if an extended life for it might diminish the wonder. Lightning in a bottle should be kept a rare thing.

📸: J. Marcus

REVIEW: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Review of the matinee performance on Sunday, April 23, 2023 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in New York City. Starring Josh Groban, Annaleigh Ashford, Maria Bilbao, Nicholas Christopher, Jordan Fisher, Jamie Jackson, Gaten Matarazzo, Ruthie Ann Miles and John Rapson. Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Book by Hugh Wheeler. Based on an adaptation by Christopher Bomd. Orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick. Scenic design by Mimi Lien. Costume design by Emilio Sosa. Lighting design by Natasha Katz. Sound design by Nevin Steinberg. Choreography by Steven Hoggett. Direction by Thomas Kail. 2 hours, 45 minutes, including one intermission.

Grade: A+

Even if you think you've seen everything Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street can be, you need to see this brilliant revival as soon as you can snag a ticket! After seeing the original tour staging, an opera staging, Sweeneys huge, Sweeneys teeney, a "modern" concept, and even a dinner theater staging (they served pot pies, of course), I thought I'd seen it all. Turns out that going back to a full, lavish staging with an incomparable company of artists is exactly what I needed to see. Utterly thrilling, this is, hands down, the very best production of Stephen Sondheim's masterwork I have ever seen.

Directed by Hamilton's Thomas Kail with a breakneck pace, building tension and peeling back layer after layer of drama, and, inevitably, sheer terror, he has brought things out in this tale that have been missed in previous versions. It is tight and focused, and yet, somehow, epic and grand. He and choreographer Steven Hoggett have created a Sweeney that moves with a frantic breathlessness, adding intensity in unexpected ways. Even still, both find ways to slow things down just enough - and provide a giggle or two - to give us a chance to catch up. (I have to admit that when I first heard there was choreography at all, I was nervous. Happily, I didn't need to be.)

The creative team has brought its A-game. Mimi Lien's enormous black box settings seem to just appear out of the haze, with a foreboding sense of danger; her use of stage-wide bridges provides a sense of movement, oppression, and unique places to catch the action. Adding to this sense of apprehension while heightening the urgency is Natasha Katz's lighting, probably the best of her illustrious career, and definitely the best of the season. Darkness and light are opposing forces in the context of the script, and her design reflects that perfectly, and her frequent use of silhouetting is a dramatically chilling. Emilio Sosa's class-defining costumes immediately conjure a time and place where social status and power dynamics were the order of the day. Finally, whatever sound issues there were in early previews are gone; Nevin Steinberg's sound design is crystal clear and perfectly balanced - no small feat in the cavernous Lunt-Fontanne.

But...oh...the cast. God they're good! The large ensemble is filled with triple-threats, and they sing the score with such exacting perfection. Each member plays a variety of fully realized background characters that always add to but never distract from any scene they are in, and are always interesting to watch. Stand outs include the always amazing Timothy Hughes, Samantha Pollino, and extra charming Raymond J. Lee, who faces the razor twice! 

Nicholas Christopher has the distinction of being the first of over a dozen Pirelli's I've seen that delivers a completely audible contest sequence. He's a funny and sinister blast of energy, who ultimately gets what he deserves. Speaking of sinister, the villainous pair of Judge Turpin (Jamie Jackson) and Beadle Bamford (John Rapson) are evil incarnate - you feel a little dirty after every scene they are in. Both are superb character voice actors; even "Ladies in Their Sensitivities" and - gasp! - "Parlour Songs" are highlights here. Tony-winner Ruthie Ann Miles' Beggar Woman is probably the most complex I've seen, adding a poignant layer to the tragedy of her final scene. Utterly brilliant.

  

As the operetta-style lovers, Jordan Fisher (Anthony) and Maria Bilbao (Johanna) have fully embraced the hyperbole of their roles, creating not only moments of comic relief, but also a couple whose love at first sight is almost believable. Both sing beautifully - "Johanna" and "Green Finch and Linnet Bird" are lovely - and their voices blend beautifully in dramatic and hilarious effect in "Kiss Me" and "Ah, Miss!" For me, the biggest revelation of the performance was Gaten Matarazzo as the sweetly dim Tobias. He's endearing and pitiable, and like so many of the characters, desperate - for safety, love and a sense of belonging. Every time he sings and speaks, you sit forward just a bit so as not to miss a single nuance. So full-bodied is his performance that I found myself watching what he was doing even when he was not the center of attention, and he did not disappoint. Bravo, young man, bravo.

Finally, gloriously, the central pair of this melodrama are blissful perfection. Annaleigh Ashford delights with every twitch, tick and wiggle of her dual-bunned hairdo. Character is the order of the day with every word she utters and every note she sings. A younger skewing Mrs. Lovett, she uses her relative youth to her advantage - she's a sexier pie maker than we may be used to - and her hunger and desperation both ground her portrayal and heighten her extremes. Even with all of her physical comedy bits, she never goes overboard. Both "Wait" and "By the Sea" are delightful. There is a palpable chemistry between her and Josh Groban as the titular barber, a key to any Sweeney Todd. His is not a Todd we have seen before. No, he starts off with a brooding melancholy and evolves into a master of manipulation and vengeance. This slow build to a seething rage is quite effective, making his final, yes,  desperate killing spree a cathartic release. He's also quite funny and charming - necessary for a serial killer, right? That he can sing is never in doubt, though when he finally gets to unleash his instrument in "Epiphany," it is truly musical theater nirvana.

From the moment the music (under the skilled baton of Alex Lacamoire and the original, glorious Jonathan Tunick orchestrations) begins and smoke fills the stage, we are immediately transported to a different time. The company appeared from and within the shadows, and the hair on the back of my neck stood up. This is not a Sweeney for the faint of heart. And it just builds from there. Part psychological thriller, part horror show, part musical comedy, this production embraces all of it. It is traditional yet acutely modern. The result is one of the top theater experiences I've ever had. 

📸: M. Murphy & E. Zimmerman

REVIEW: Chess

Review of the Sunday, February 18 matinee performance at the Eisenhower Theatre at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. Starring Raul Esparza, Ramin Karimloo, Karen Olivo, Ruthie Ann Miles, Bryce Pinkham, Sean Allan Krill and Bradley Dean. Book by Danny Strong. Music by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus. Lyrics by Tim Rice. Musical Direction by Chris Fenwick. Orchestrations by Brian Usifer. Choreography by Lorin Latarro. Direction by Michael Mayer.  2 hours, 45 minutes, including intermission. show closed Sunday evening, February 18, 2018.

Grade: B+

Chess the musical, like chess the game, seems to have an infinite set of moves to play. While it's no surprise that the score (by Benny Andersson, Bjorn Ulvaeus and Tim Rice) remains the star of the show, the stunner is that this latest gambit was charged with crafting a decent book to match, this time by Danny Strong. Looks like there is a solid show there, one with considerable (and timely) bite. It's still not there, but it's the closest I've seen yet.

Don't get me wrong.  The show remains problematic on all fronts, including the score.  Songs have been added, cut, revised and/or rearranged.  I won't quibble with the numerous lyric changes over the most recent versions, with one exception.  "Someone Else's Story," if the team insists that it stay with Svetlana, then it must feature lyric changes - as it stands what she sings makes no sense, no matter how wonderfully delivered.  And if they must continue to rearrange the order of the songs, they really need to be mindful of where we are in the story. Case in point, "Heaven Help My Heart," a number for Florence, happens way too early in the story, and as currently played, she's not ready at that early point to declare life-changing love. She's too strong to drop everything and fall head over heels.  I'm fully on board with all the tinkering they want to do as long as it serves the story and characters. But let's face it, "Someone Else's Story" best fits Florence as she confronts her professional and romantic entanglements upon meeting Anatoly, just as "Heaven Help My Heart" would be better suited to a torn and hurting Svetlana.

Ramin Karimloo and the Chess Company

Strong's book, with its much clearer connection to actual historical events, has upped the stakes and created a (mostly) on-the-edge-of-your-seat political thriller.  And while the characterizations of the government players can be a little heavy handed, perilously close to stereotype, it is also alarmingly close to current events, both in terms of U.S./Russian relations, but also the whole idea of a madman with his finger caressing the nuclear button.  Perhaps the strongest facet of this element of the book is that both sides are the "bad guys" though it looks to the world like a them-or-us situation.  In today's world, we can see the no-win scenario brought by both sides, even as our own leaders try to shove a them vs us conflict down our throats.  Who knew there'd be a sort of comfort and nostalgia in a musical's portrayal of Cold War brinkmanship? But here we are.

It's the KGB (Bradley Dean) vs the CIA (Sean Allan Krill)

As to the production at hand, a semi-staged concert, it is mostly good news.  Given that format, director Michael Mayer has created a solid presentation, wisely focusing more on performance than actual staging. The musical direction (Chris Fenwick) and orchestrations (Brian Usifer) are strong.  Kevin Adams, as usual, has done a nice job with lighting, and David Rockwell's set with Darrel Maloney's projections add to the rock concert feel of the evening and add a sense of period and place at the same time. On the other hand, the costumes designed by Clint Ramos, range from serviceable - you can only do so much with men's business suits - to distracting and unattractive - Florence's dress is a hot mess, and Svetlana is in a Russian Red dress that looks like something the mother of the bride might wear. 

And there is the generally poor (I'm being kind here) sound design by Kai Harada which is a muddled affair, with the orchestra overpowering the soloists many times, and rendering the ensemble largely incomprehensible throughout.  I wondered how anyone who wasn't already familiar with the lyrics, or wasn't close enough to read lips, would be able to follow the story.  To be fair, this is not a problem for just this production.  It is a consistent issue at the Kennedy Center.

Karimloo and Ruthie Ann Miles

Finally, Lorin Latarro's choreography was a very weak link. Primarily, the dances were way too big for the small space the ensemble had to work with.  There were all kinds of leaps and spins, lifts and splits, but none were able to be fully executed because there were too many people in too little space.  More than once, I worried that there'd be a midair collision or two.  As a result, many times the effect ended up being an unwitting tribute 70's cruise ship shows.  That said, the ensemble itself, was very good.  And they are all, um, physically fit (you rock that gym bod, Adam Halpin!), put to its best use in the once good complete number, "One Night In Bangkok."

How wonderful for us that this amazing score was delivered by a first-rate principal cast.  With this more prominent emphasis on the covert "diplomacy" between the KGB and the CIA, both Bradley Dean and Sean Allan Krill shone, managing to bring comedy and a dark sense of foreboding every time they took center stage. Bryce Pinkham was a true standout as the narrator/Arbiter, with razor-sharp timing and a piercing stare. One of the biggest hands of the afternoon went to his "Arbiter's Song." Everything about his performance was excellent.

Face Off: Anatoly (Ramin Karimloo) vs Freddy (Raul Esparza)

As much as I love and respect Ruthie Ann Miles, she wasn't really up to even the limited demands of the role of Svetlana.  Apparently struggling with some sort of cold, she sounded nasally and her delivery of every line and song was pretty one-note. She managed tears during "Someone Else's Story," but the emotion didn't register even to those of us in the 3rd row.

The main love triangle was pretty close to perfection, even with one of the three seriously ill and powering through. Ramin Karimloo was truly fantastic, oozing angst and inner conflict. His soulful eyes and powerful voice (!) were utterly charming, with both "Where I Want to Be" and "Anthem" definite highlights of the afternoon. Karen Olivo offered a fiery, strong-willed Florence that was an effective counterpoint to the gentle bear of Karimloo's Anatoly. She has a powerful voice, and when the two of them sang together, it was a little piece of musical theater Heaven right here on Earth.

Rock Star! Raul Esparza and Karen Olivo

The wildcard of the penultimate performance was Raul Esparza, who, according to the pre-show announcement was suffering with a "severe throat infection" that he was "graciously" going to power through. That announcement was greeted with a collective groan, and I'm sure every fan of Chess thought, "Wow, 'Pity the Child' should be interesting..." I know I did.  Sure, he was raspy throughout, there were no "money notes" to be found, and he frequently auto-corrected down an octave or two.  But let me tell you, it actually added to his performance.  What an actor! And what a true professional.  I'd go as far as to say that his was the best acted Freddy I've ever seen.  I'm sure his throat is killing him this morning, but it was worth it.  And "Pity the Child"? Well, he got a thunderous ovation from the appreciative audience, and a hearty hand from the cast, who took the moment to break from the show and shower him with love.  Nice to see, and one of those this-is-why-I-love-live-theater moments.

So, Chess remains problematic, but this version is definitely a step in the right direction. As the lyric goes, "each game of chess means there's one less variation left to be played." We are now a few  moves closer to checkmate.


(Photos by T. Wood)

FLASHBACK FRIDAY: Ruthie Ann Miles in Here Lies Love

It isn't just the distance between the Public Theatre and Lincoln Center that tells just how far Tony-winner Ruthie Ann Miles has come in just a couple of years.   Before she made her groundbreaking Broadway debut as Lady Thiang, she made some serious waves Off-Broadway in her breakthrough role.  She was Imelda Marcos in Here Lies Love, and she won herself both a Lortel Award and a Theatre World Award!  Whatever comes next for her, I'll bet it'll be awesome!

Here's a look back:

You gotta give it to George, right?

Jeff