Broadway and Beyond

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I just can't believe she has any kind of voice left at all after all that raspy screeching she did in Rent. Had to be hard on the pipes.

[Deleted]

I know this message is kind of old, but:

I found out that previews for the revival of Company start a week before my birthday, and the amazing Raul Esparza is playing the lead role. As soon as tickets go on sale I will try to get some for my birthday, because that might be the best birthday ever.

GO, if you possibly can. I saw it in previews in Cinncinnati, and it's so, so good. The entire cast is just amazing, especially those who played ten different instruments. There was a moment where one actress had a saxophone around her neck while playing a flute. But it's so, so amazing, and not at all gimmicky.

[goggle]

No, it's not old, because I (the original poster of that message) just went last Friday. I really enjoyed it, but I think my parents being older and possibly relating to the story better enjoyed it more. The cast was really good at singing, acting, and playing instruments. Unfortunately, the people seated behind us were obviously drunk, but they didn't ruin it much.

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Man, I'm feeling the urge to see some shows. Sadly the next thing I'll be going to is Mama Mia. Which I'm excited about but not the same way as if I had tickets for A Chorus Line or something. I've never bothered to go to Mama Mia because I'm not a huge fan of the idea of tribute shows but some friends of mine are going to the show before Christmas so I figured why not.

[jynni]

I saw a tour of Mamma Mia a few years back and while it's not exactly the best show, it is a fun show. I don't think I've ever had that much fun watching a show. It helped when you can tell the cast is having a fabulous time as well.

[proper stranger]

I had a great time at Mamma Mia, too. I loved the curtain call sing-a-long to "Dancing Queen".

I saw The Light in the Piazza this weekend. Not the most immediately catchy score, but lovely music nonetheless. I was really moved by the mother-daughter relationship portrayed in the show. Also, the young actor playing Fabrizio had a fantastic voice and was hot, hot, hot. ;D

Goggle, did you see the Sweeney Todd revival also directed by John Doyle? I'm curious as to how the two productions compare. Didn't he recently stage a similar-style Mack and Mabel in London?

Man, I really want to go to New York and see some of these new shows. In addition to A Chorus Line (which I've never seen onstage), I want to see Spring Awakening. I really like Duncan Sheik's music and am intrigued by the idea of him writing a musical. One of the few perks of the job I recently left was that the company paid for a plane trip to NYC every winter. Stupid money!

Am I the only one amused that there is already a revival of Les Miserables, less than 10 (5?) years after it left Broadway?

[jynni]

properstranger said:

Am I the only one amused that there is already a revival of Les Miserables, less than 10 (5?) years after it left Broadway?

Less than five - it closed in 2003.

From what I've heard barely anything has been changed from the original production. A different song for Gavroche, some costume changes etc. Personally, I felt the show was in more serious need of an overhaul - it really drags in a few places.

I'd really like to see A Chorus Line - if only to see what the fuss is about. I just can't imagine the show really being that good.

[Deleted]

Light in the Piazza is coming to Chicago next year. I have the soundtrack but wasn't blown away by the songs but I'll probably go see it.

jynni have you seen any version of A Chorus Line?

I saw it once performed in St. Louis at the Muny theatre. I just like that show so much. I think the songs are fun and pack a lot of emotion without being too terribly melodramatic. Plus, the end chorus line always sort of freaks me out. All that pain, emotional torture, hoping, dreaming and scheming to just sort of fade into the background of a show.

[jynni]

I've seen the movie (which I actually thought was okay with the exception of the actress playing Cassie) and a terrible community theater production. Which is why I'd like to see the Broadway production - I understand it's probably a very hard show to pull off. It requires top notch dancers who are also good actors and at least competent singers.

I guess it's just a show that lives and dies with it's cast or at least with the lead (Cassie - if this part is badly cast, I could see it throwing the whole show down the tank - kind of like when Sutton Foster left "Millie" ). I guess this is true for most shows - only the huge ass spectacles can usually get away with a mediocre cast for any length of time.

Speaking of Sutton Foster, I saw her as Eponine in the Les Miz tour several years ago. I tell that woman probably has the best stage presence I've ever seen. You just can't take your eyes off her when she's onstage. I would've loved to have seen her in "Millie". I saw a tour of that show and it was bad - not just a bad production, it's a bad show - I can totally see why it closed soon after Sutton left. It wouldn't matter how good the rest of the cast is, if the Millie sucks, the show will suck too.

Of course, there are times you have good shows with a bad cast. The aforementioned tour of Les Miz was probably just about the best show I've ever seen. Every single member of the cast was just phenomenal. However, I saw another tour of Les Miz a few years ago that was so bad we left before it was over. It's the only show I've ever left early.

[Deleted]

Last night I went to see Mama Mia (I know, I know, why?) but it was for a girl's night and some friends picked it. What a bizarre boring weird musical. The story is insanely weird and the ABBA songs barely make sense in the context of what's going on. Plus, everyone on stage decided that their one mood is going to be "Manic" and they all leapt around like they were crazed.