On the Town: On the Streets of New York, New York

The video below is the opening number from the Broadway revival of the musical, On the Town. The musical is returning to Broadway in September, and they filmed the opening number, "New York, New York," to promote the show. I love that they actually filmed the number throughout New York City. You'll have to watch the 1949 film to see how closely they recreated the opening number from that movie.

I have pictures from my recent trip to New York of the many of the places where they filmed this number.

Central Park

Bethesda Fountain - Central Park

Little Italy

One World Trade Center - from a yacht

Steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Radio City Music Hall

Musician in Central Park

Atlas - Rockefeller Center

Empire State Building

On the Town will be playing at the Foxwoods Theatre. When I was in New York in June, the marquee for Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark was still up, even though the show closed in January.

Times Square

I will most certainly be posting more photos from my New York trip soon.

Peter Pan will Fly Live this Christmas

After the success of The Sound of Music Live, NBC has decided to take a chance on airing another live musical. Peter Pan (which was originally filmed live on television in 1955 with Mary Martin in the title role), will be broadcast for the holiday season. I think it's interesting that they are doing another show that Mary Martin was in (she was Maria in the original Broadway version of The Sound of Music, if you didn't know). Maybe next year they'll do South Pacific (please, no!), or I Do, I Do (hmmm), or One Touch of Venus (yes, please!).

Robert Greenblatt, Entertainment chairman at NBC said, "We’re very pleased to be underway on Peter Pan as our next live holiday musical for the whole family. In the hopes that lightning strikes twice, we think we’ve landed on another great Broadway musical, which ironically also starred Mary Martin, that is a timeless classic for all audiences, young and old, who just never want to grow up.”

He also said, “Get ready for flying children and some kind of state-of-the-art light technology for Tinkerbell.” Regarding the flying, Greenblatt said, “You see the wires, it’s part of the charm of the show, we’ll do what we can to disguise them.”

So, I'm excited that NBC will be airing another musical live, but I'm not excited about their choice. Peter Pan the musical really isn't a favorite of mine. I was hoping that they would choose a show that hasn't already been on television, and, to be frank, one that I actually like. However, it's a good choice because people are familiar with it, it's a very family-friendly musical, and they can cast a big name in the title role. I just hope that this time they cast someone who can really fly. *wink* (You thought I was going to say "act," didn't you? Nope, I wasn't going to go there.)

How do you feel about Peter Pan being NBC's next live musical project?

I'll Never See Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark on Broadway

Okay, I'm not saying I'll never see the musical on Broadway because I don't want to, because I would see pretty much anything on Broadway if I could. I'm saying I'll never see it because, after three years, the most expensive Broadway musical ever is closing.

Even though Spider-Man has grossed around $203 million dollars, the $75 million dollar musical is closing at a loss of $60 million. Ouch, that hurts!

However, this is not the end of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. Producers are moving the show to Las Vegas, where this aerial-heavy type of show does very well. They're hoping to see any kind of return on their investment in Sin City.

Side note: Another big musical may be taking Spidey's place in the Foxwood Theater. Producers of the Australian musical, King Kong, may be moving their 20-foot tall title character into the theatre. Let's hope the producers don't lose $60 million dollars on this $30 million dollar musical.

Casting News for NBC's The Sound of Music

Stephen Moyer (True Blood) will join Carrie Underwood in NBC's new version of The Sound of Music as Captain Von Trapp. It's an interesting choice, and I hope he can sing. I have no doubt about the singing of three other actors who have joined the cast. Five-time Tony award winner, Audra McDonald (Private Practice), will play the Mother Abbess, Laura Benanti (Tony award winner for Gypsy) will play Baroness Elsa Schrader, and Christian Borle (Smash, Tony award winner for Peter and the Starcatcher) will play Max Dettweiler. I love it when the casting directors for movie (and television) musicals  look to Broadway for the roles. They have made smart choices so far, since this show is going to be broadcast live.

Side note: I had the pleasure of seeing Audra McDonald in concert a few weeks ago. I knew she had an incredible voice, but she is amazing live. I can understand why she won all of those Tony awards. She will make an amazing Mother Abbess, and when she sings "Climb Every Mountain," she is going to blow everyone away.

Strictly Ballroom, the Musical

A Life Lived in Fear is a Life Half Lived

Before The Great Gatsby, before Australia, before Moulin Rouge, before William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet, Baz Luhrmann made a little film called Strictly Ballroom. I immediately fell in love with this quirky movie when I saw it 20 years ago.

For many years since I saw it I have heard rumors that the film was being adapted into a musical. Now, the rumor is no longer a rumor. Strictly Ballroom, the musical, will be opening in Sydney in March 2014.

Now, I'm not much for adapting every movie into a musical. I don't think just any movie can be adapted to the stage - let alone add music to it. However, Strictly Ballroom is the perfect movie to adapt into a musical - if it's done right.  And the original creative team from the film will be the ones to bring it to life on the stage. Baz Luhrmann (director, co-writer), Craig Pearce (co-writer), John O'Connell (choreographer), and Catherine Martin (set and costume designer). With that group at the helm, it's sure to keep its original charm and "quirkiness."

I hope it's good, I hope it's successful, and I hope it comes to Broadway someday. And I hope that eventually I'll get to see it.

Stage Review: Urinetown, the Musical

Urinetown isn't the best title for a musical, but it certainly is a good musical, when it's directed and performed well. The production that is running at Hale Center Theater - Orem until June 15, is definitely directed and performed well.

Whoever directs this very original musical has to understand the humor of this musical in order for the production to shine. And in the hands of the talented director/choreographer David Tinney (whom I was able to work with when I did The Drowsy Chaperone), the clever script, silly story, and bright music certainly shine. The success is in the details, and every detail in this show is well thought out. Tiny gestures have been carefully blocked and you can tell that the cast is fully committed to each step and choice. Every aspect of the show, the choreography, the acting, the music, the set, come together in perfect harmony.

I love seeing friends I have done shows with before, and I'm continually blown away with their talent. Rachel Woodward (pictured above) plays Hope Cladwell. She and I were in a production of The Importance of Being Earnest three years ago. Her portrayal of Hope is spot on, and her comic timing was perfect. Her singing voice is also very clear and beautiful. Taylor Eliason plays Officer Lockstock. He was great in the role. You could tell that he was having great fun, and that is very important in a role like Lockstock, especially with the kind of humor in the show. We were in The Drowsy Chaperone three years ago (with Dave Tinney as director), and I knew then how talented he was.

The rest of the cast was stellar as well. Alex King was a great Bobby, and Amber Dodge was also a  stand-out. The production numbers were excellent. The choreography was great fun and very creative. A few numbers that were stand-outs were "Cop Song," "Snuff that Girl," and "Run, Freedom, Run."

My friend (who is also an actor and director) and I left the theater singing the praises of this production. It is so exciting and exhilarating to see good theatre. There is nothing like it for me. I haven't done a show in a long time because I've really been enjoying my free time (rehearsals and performances take a lot of time), but after seeing this show I am so ready to do another production.

Doctor Who: The Musical, Starring Cookie Monster and Grover

I am not a fan of Sesame Street (shocker, I know), and I didn't watch it much when I was young. And... I've never been a fan of Cookie Monster saying "me" when he should say "I." (I can't understand why a children's educational show would teach incorrect grammar.) However, I am a huge fan of Doctor Who and musicals, and I think this video is hilarious. I'm surprised I didn't see this video back in September.



If you want to see Cookie Monster and Grover take on The Hunger Games, The Avengers, and Newsroom too, click here.

Stage Review: The Addams Family

I recently saw the touring production of The Addams Family. The talent on stage was very good, but the book was excruciatingly bad, but perhaps that’s supposed to be a compliment for the family called Addams.

The plot is a little like “You Can’t Take it With You.” A grownup Wednesday has met a nice, normal boy, Lucas, and they want to get married. Wednesday has invited Lucas and his parents to the Addams home for dinner. She begs everyone in her family to try to act “normal.” One of the best lines in the show was from Grandma, who says, “Define normal.”

Judging from the opening number, “When You’re an Addams,” which included the entire family (except Cousin It and Thing, although they did have small cameos in the show), and a handful of Addams ancestors, I thought that the musical would be a fun, nostalgic romp into the world of the Addams family. I was wrong. The song introduced the family well and the choreography was good, but the book just didn't live up to the opening number.

I liked Wednesday’s first number, “Pulled,” as she sings how Lucas is pulling her in a “new a direction,” and she likes it. She suddenly has a sunny disposition, and bunny rabbits make her want to cry. She's even thinking of going to DisneyWorld - twice, and listening to Liberace's greatest hits. This definitely is not the Wednesday we all know. Although, she sings the songs as she tortures her little brother, Pugsley, who of course, enjoys it.

Each actor fit their character well. The only character who didn't look exactly as they were in TV series was Wednesday. She is now eighteen and no longer has her hair in braids, but a short bob.

Gomez was played by Douglas Sills, a Broadway performer whom I was first introduced to through the original cast album of The Scarlet Pimpernel. He was the perfect Percy/Pimpernel, and I fell in love with his voice. Sills was great as Gomez, and I’m glad we saw him, and not Nathan Lane, who originated the role in the Broadway musical. Doug’s voice was much better, and he’s much more attractive than Nathan Lane. He is a light in a musical that isn't very bright. It was also nice to see the sweet relationship between Gomez and Wednesday.

Blake Hammond was great as Uncle Fester. However, his solo, “The Moon and Me,” was puzzling to me. It felt like the song was just thrown in there to give him a solo number in the show. The staging was very strange, and made absolutely no sense.

Pugsley’s (Patrick D. Kennedy) singing voice was very good. His solo “What If” was very impressive for a kid. His acting was so-so, but that’s not surprising for younger actors.

One of the highlights of the show was Tom Corbeil as Lurch. He was perfect in the role. I don’t know how tall he actually was, but he was heads above everyone else. He didn't do much talking (that you could understand anyway), and he didn't sing until the end, but when he finally did sing, you could understand why, according to his bio, he’s been in many operas.

The ensemble was great. They played the Addams ancestors, so even though their costumes were from different eras and cultures, they were all white. It was a great look, especially when they were all dancing together.

The costumes were spot-on. The only complaint I had was that Morticia’s dress was cut so low that it left nothing to the imagination. I don’t remember Carolyn Jones’s dress looking anything like that in the TV series. I’m sure Angelica Huston’s dress wasn't even that low in the film (I've never seen it). The dress was more Elvira-like than Moriticia.

When Morticia requests that after dinner the family and guests play “the game,” and Wednesday protests because she just wants a “normal” dinner, I expected something scary or gruesome. After all, this is the Addams family. Well, the “game” was a quite a disappointment. It was as far from “Addamsy” as you can get.

The set was wonderful. The way in which the curtain was used was very clever. Sometimes it would be lifted on just one side of the stage for a scene, and it made the scenes feel a little more intimate. The rest of the sets were simple, but were great visually, from the graveyard to the inside of the Addams home.

The final number was disappointing, especially when the opening number was so fun. I wanted the end of the show to be upbeat and fun too, but it wasn't  The show is supposed to be funny, and the final number was so serious.

Sometimes the book of a musical is rewritten for touring productions if the show didn't receive great reviews on Broadway. I believe the book for The Addams Family was reworked prior to the tour, but I think it needs more rewriting; it could really be a fun show. Oh, and they could also make a costume change for Morticia.

Stage Review: Little Women

Little Women, at Centerpoint Legacy Theatre, is a beautiful production.

All of the actors are very strong vocally and in their character development. The actors who play the four sisters have wonderful chemistry, and their relationships with Marmie (their mother) are believable, especially between Jo and Marmie, as they are really mother and daughter. This relationship made the song, "Days of Plenty," which Marmie sings to Jo, even more touching.

The costumes were incredible, and I especially loved Amy's black dress and hat she wears when she returns from Europe. The set worked well for each scene. The actors had wonderful voices, and they had a beautiful score to work with.

I have to give a special shout-out to my friend Megan, who plays Amy, the youngest March sister (she's the only blond sister). She does a wonderful job showing her growth in the musical from a spoiled little girl to a lovely, mature young woman. This is Megan's second time playing the role, and I enjoyed seeing her play the character again.

All in all, this was just a delightful production, filled with beautiful music, humor, delight, sorrow, and wonderful acting.

It closes Saturday, so hurry and go see it!

Stage Review: Beauty and the Beast

I have seen many productions of Beauty and the Beast, the first being a touring production of it many years ago. I've seen so many, that I have become a little disenchanted (no pun intended) with it. So, when the touring production came through Salt Lake City again, I wasn't expecting anything new.

I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised.

Changes have been made to the touring show, and I liked many of the changes. Here are a few:

1. Maurice's song, "No Matter What," has been cut, and I have to say that I didn't miss it. It has never been my favorite song. Instead of the song, Maurice talks to Belle about her mother, and how she changed him. That dialogue connects with the song that Belle sings in Act II, "Change in Me."
2. Monsieur D'Arque's song was also cut. Didn't miss it either.
3. The sets and costumes are new. They are not an exact imitation of the movie anymore, which I liked. They aren't quite as grand as they were before, but I like the simplicity.

There have always been moments in many productions in B&B that have bugged me, and this production fixed a couple of those moments. It's like the director somehow heard my complaints (I've never posted the complaints on the web).

1. At the beginning, when Belle discovers her father is lost in the woods, she runs right into the woods without stopping anywhere, and the next time we see her in the woods, she is wearing a cloak. When did she put it on? In this production, right before she has the scene with Lefou, she goes into the house and comes out wearing her cloak. Problem solved.
2. When we see Belle in the woods after she has run away from the Beast, again she has a cloak on. Did she take time to run to her room to get it? In this production, we see her run past the Beast as he sings "If I Can't Love Her." Now at least we know that somehow she got the cloak, so it's not bizarre when we see her the next time with a cloak.

There were many moments I liked in this production.

1. At the beginning of "Be Our Guest" someone put a lobster bib on Belle. Hi. Larry. Us.
2. Madame de la Grande Bouche's costume is a shaped like a Marie Antoinette dress. She takes the clothes out of the sides of the the dress, instead of out of a drawer in the front of her costume.
3. The song, "Gaston," starts outside of the tavern, and moves into the tavern toward the end of the song. The choreography in that song was the best I've seen for that number.
4. The Silly girls were a stand-out.
4. When Belle and the Beast are eating together, and they're both nervous, Belle twists her hair, and then the Beast twists his hair the same way. Great moment.

Didn't Like:

1. When the old woman in the prologue turns into the beautiful woman, it's a large puppet. That didn't work for me. I like her being a real woman.
2. Gaston pronounces the French words incorrectly, and though it's a little funny, it's really silly because he is French.
3. Although I liked the Beast, he didn't sing the right notes in the verse of "If I Can't Love Her," and it was really hard to listen to. And I love that song.

Stage Review: Xanadu

Is there a decade easier to make fun of than the 1980s? I think not.

Xanadu, the musical, is based on the 80's film of the same name. The movie was a flop, for a good reason - it was a bad movie. So, the question is, why would you create a musical based on a bad movie? Because it's perfect to make fun of. And because the movie had great music.

Hale Center Theater Orem's production of Xanadu is hilarious, and I don't think I've ever laughed so much at any show - play, musical, or movie.

Plot:

Sonny is an artist in Venice Beach, who thinks he in a failure, so he decides to kill himself. The seven muses, Greek demigods who give humans inspiration, come out of a chalk drawing that Sonny drew on a wall. Clio, the head muse, decides to help him. She comes to earth and disguises herself as a leg-warmer-wearing roller skater, named Kira. Oh, and she also sports an Australian accent. She helps him reach his dream of opening a roller disco (remember those?).

Review:

The choreography by Jennifer Hill-Barlow is a great throwback to the 80s. it takes the best and worst of the decade and weaves them together perfectly.

Delaney Westfall is perfect as Clio/Kira. Her acting and singing voice are spot-on for the role, and she had a little of that Olivia Newton-John look going for her, which doesn't hurt either. She also has to spend most of the show on roller skates, for which she deserves major props.

David Guy Holmes plays Sonny with an innocence that is needed for his character. His voice is perfect for the style of music, and he brings an enthusiasm that is infectious.

Another standout performance was Ali Bennett as Calliope, muse of epic poetry. Her comic timing was incredible. She made every scene she was in a joy to watch.

Not very many musicals based on Greek mythology have been hits, or even good, but this is the exception to the rule. I highly recommend Xanadu, especially if you remember the 1980s, fondly or not.

A Nun on Roller Skates

A couple of years ago I was in an original musical, which was written by a friend, called Hands Up! It is based on a book by Paul Magrs, and is a comedy about a puppeteer and his Bat puppet that kills other puppets.

There is a "dream ballet" in the middle of the musical, and in the middle of that dream ballet I glided across the stage on roller skates, dressed as a nun.

It was very random.

Just like I am.

That is all.