A Chorus Line (Tuesday, 12.26.06, 8:00 p.m.)
Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre (Broadway)
Starring: Charlotte D’Amboise (Cassie), Michael Barresse (Zach), Ken Alan (Bobby), Brad Anderson (Don), Michelle Aravena (Tricia), David Baum (Roy), Mike Cannon (Tom), E. Clayton Cornelious (Butch), Natalie Cortez (Diana), Mara Davi (Maggie), Jessica Lee Goldyn (Val), Deidre Goodwin (Sheila), Tyler Hanes (Larry), Nadine Isenegger (Lois), James T. Lane (Richie), Pamela Farello (Vicki), Paul McGill (Mark), Heather Parcells (Judy), Michael Paternostro (Greg), Alisan Porter (Bebe), Jeffrey Schecter (Mike), Lisa Ho (Connie), Jason Tam (Paul), Grant Turner (Frank), Chryssie Whitehead (Kristine), Tony Yazbeck (Al)
In the opening number of A Chorus Line, the would-be choristers dance, learning the steps as part of the audition process. There is electricity in the air. The music pumps and sounds fresh and new, the remarkable dancers strut their stuff. One senses something magical is about to happen. I must confess that I was too young to actually see the original cast in the original production, and while I am familiar with the original cast recording, I can’t really compare the revival to the very original. (Though I did finally see the original run in 1987, about 12 years into its original run.) The opening moments lend a sense that the evening is going to bring an emotional high -- the kind that led the original production to become the huge success that it was.
This spanking new Chorus Line, though, never quite achieves that lift and never reaches the emotional heights that one anticipates in those opening moments of the show. To be sure, most of the important elements seem to be there -- excellent dancing, competent singing, and even a few fine moment of drama here and there. But by the end of the evening, there’s clearly something missing. Even as the dancers in this Chorus Line strut their stuff, they seem to be taking all the right steps without actually feeling the emotional pulse of the show.
It’s hard to say whether this is simply a let down from anticipation, or whether there is in fact something missing from this production. I suspect part of the problem is that this Chorus Line attempts to stay too close and too true to the original production. Rather than trying to bring something new and original, the producers seemed more concerned with recreating as much of the original production as possible. Perhaps a fresh take on things would have brought that fresh emotion to make the piece soar.
The producers did at least try to assemble the most able cast possible. The cast certainly looks good, and they dance with tremendous agility. That says, they never seem able to achieve any emotional lift. In the central role of Cassie is Charlotte D’Amboise. D’Amboise is a very likeable, hard-working theatre veteran. She is a consummate and competent performer who seems constantly to be employed, having taken over lead roles in show like Chicago and Sweet Charity, to name a few. She would seem perfect for the role. In fact, she is a better actor than most of the others on stage. She has some nice moments in her exchanges with Zach, and does well in the chorus dance numbers. But for some reason she falls a little flat in her big number -- the Music and the Mirror, with her voice faltering at times and even her dancing feeling a little hesitant. The number is a built-in emotional crescendo, but for some reason D’Amboise is never quite able to make the most of her moment.
Michael Barresse is rather unmemorable as Zach. He comes across as somewhat wooden, though truth be told the character as written spends most of his time off stage and doesn't get much of a chance to really interact with the other characters. The rest of the cast consists of excellent dancers, and where they excel most is in the chorus numbers. But as individual actors portraying individual characters, nobody really registers. Several of the actors struggle a bit vocally, which does not help, and so Hamlisch’s score at times just doesn’t sing the way it is supposed to. Even when they the actors manage to sing acceptably, they often don’t seem to capture the emotional core of the songs. A good example of this is Natalie Cortez’s rendition of “What I Did For Love?”, which, while sweet, never strikes any hits home. Deidre Goodwin is another example of a performer who has tremendous presence, but whose singing of “At the Ballet” does little to enhance her character.
Of the ensemble, Jason Tam, as Paul, comes the closest to achieving his character’s promise, delivering a beautiful monologue which provides the singular most genuine moment of drama in the course of the evening. (I've seen a number of reviews criticizing him, but I found no obvious fault with his performance.) He is the only one (other than Cassie) who truly gets a chance to reveal himself in any meaningful way, and it is probably the emotional highlight of the evening. Also fully successful in inhabiting her character is Jessica Lee Goldyn, who as Val gives a delicious performance of "Dance 10, Looks 3."
As for the show as a whole, it is all competently told, but in the end, this Chorus Line just doesn’t move us the way you would expect. The dancers form the chorus well, but the spotlights on the individual characters seem just a little dim. There are occasional glimpses of something special, but this Chorus Line ends out just being another show with a couple of good ensemble numbers.
Friday, December 29, 2006
Thursday, December 21, 2006
The Apple Tree (12.20.06)
The Apple Tree (Wednesday, 12.20.06, 8:00 p.m.)
Studio 54, New York, NY
By: Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick (book, music, lyrics)
Starring: Kristin Chenoweth (Eve, Princess Barbara, Passionella), Brian d’Arcy James (Adam, Sanjar, Flip, The Prince, Charming), Marc Kudisch (The Snake, Balladeer, Narrator), Walter Charles (King Arik, Mr. Fallible, Producer)
Is there a bigger talent that Kristin Chenoweth? Witness her on stage in the Roundabout’s new production of “The Apple Tree,” and it will be difficult to argue that there is. Chenoweth, who plays the lead roles in the three vignettes that form this musical, is at her absolute comic best. She is blithe and joyous as Eve, mischievous as Barbara, and touching as Passionella. She even convinces us that she can’t sing when the part calls for it. She is wonderful.
Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for The Apple Tree which, while a nice vehicle for Ms. Chenoweth, is otherwise rather dull and uninteresting. Sure, Bock and Harnick’s songs sound pretty and have a snap to them, but by and large the piece, which attempts to tell the story of the relationship between men and women starting with Eden, is lacking is any momentum or in anything interesting to say. One or two common “jokes” threaded throughout the show notwithstanding, there is little connection among the show’s three parts.
The first part -- a retelling of the story of Adam and Eve -- is also probably the show’s best. Largely performed on a bar stage using minimal props and some ladders, the piece -- which is the show’s first act -- is both humorous and touching. d’Arcy James and Chenoweth play Adam and Eve, respectively, and are both charming and humorous. Although much of the dialogue and interaction borders on cliché, it is nevertheless accessible and humorous, and not all that intellectually challenging. Marc Kudisch has some nice moments as The Snake. If there were ever an actor right for such a cartoonish character as this, it is Kudisch. It’s a delicious featured performance.
The show, unfortunately, goes downhill from there. The retelling of the Lady or the Tiger falls relatively flat. Quite frankly, we don’t really care whether Sanjar gets the Lady or the Tiger at all. Things get even worse when we get to Passionella. Although Chenoweth is arguably at her most adorable here (and although there is a sweet, happy ending), but of the 60s Passionella feel comes across as garish and even tacky.The Apple Tree is a highly flawed show, and it really must be viewed solely as a comic vehicle for Chenoweth. Viewed as such, it is a resounding success. Viewed otherwise, it falls far short of the mark either for classic musicals or the Roundabout Theatre.
Studio 54, New York, NY
By: Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick (book, music, lyrics)
Starring: Kristin Chenoweth (Eve, Princess Barbara, Passionella), Brian d’Arcy James (Adam, Sanjar, Flip, The Prince, Charming), Marc Kudisch (The Snake, Balladeer, Narrator), Walter Charles (King Arik, Mr. Fallible, Producer)
Is there a bigger talent that Kristin Chenoweth? Witness her on stage in the Roundabout’s new production of “The Apple Tree,” and it will be difficult to argue that there is. Chenoweth, who plays the lead roles in the three vignettes that form this musical, is at her absolute comic best. She is blithe and joyous as Eve, mischievous as Barbara, and touching as Passionella. She even convinces us that she can’t sing when the part calls for it. She is wonderful.
Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for The Apple Tree which, while a nice vehicle for Ms. Chenoweth, is otherwise rather dull and uninteresting. Sure, Bock and Harnick’s songs sound pretty and have a snap to them, but by and large the piece, which attempts to tell the story of the relationship between men and women starting with Eden, is lacking is any momentum or in anything interesting to say. One or two common “jokes” threaded throughout the show notwithstanding, there is little connection among the show’s three parts.
The first part -- a retelling of the story of Adam and Eve -- is also probably the show’s best. Largely performed on a bar stage using minimal props and some ladders, the piece -- which is the show’s first act -- is both humorous and touching. d’Arcy James and Chenoweth play Adam and Eve, respectively, and are both charming and humorous. Although much of the dialogue and interaction borders on cliché, it is nevertheless accessible and humorous, and not all that intellectually challenging. Marc Kudisch has some nice moments as The Snake. If there were ever an actor right for such a cartoonish character as this, it is Kudisch. It’s a delicious featured performance.
The show, unfortunately, goes downhill from there. The retelling of the Lady or the Tiger falls relatively flat. Quite frankly, we don’t really care whether Sanjar gets the Lady or the Tiger at all. Things get even worse when we get to Passionella. Although Chenoweth is arguably at her most adorable here (and although there is a sweet, happy ending), but of the 60s Passionella feel comes across as garish and even tacky.The Apple Tree is a highly flawed show, and it really must be viewed solely as a comic vehicle for Chenoweth. Viewed as such, it is a resounding success. Viewed otherwise, it falls far short of the mark either for classic musicals or the Roundabout Theatre.
Review-Spring Awakening (12.19.06)
Spring Awakening (Monday, 12.19.06, 8:00 p.m.)
Eugene O'Neill Theatre
Starring: Starring: Jonathan Groff (Melchior), Lea Michele (Wendla), John Gallagher, Jr. (Moritz), Lauren Pritchard (Ilse), Lilli Cooper (Martha), Phoebe Strole (Anna), Remy Zaken (Thea), Brian Charles Johnson (Otto), Jonathan B. Wright (Hanschen), Skylar Astin (Georg), Robert Hager (understudy, Ernst), Stephen Spinella (adult men), Christine Estabrook (adult women)
When Spring Awakening opened on Broadway, the reviewers could not have raved more. “A Miracle,” “the best new musical in a generation” – the accolades kept coming. Could it be that the reviewers were a bit overzealous in their praise? Could the show be that good?
It just may be.
When I saw the off-Broadway incarnation of this show this past summer, I saw a production that was energetic, young, rough, raw, perhaps even a little unfinished. I enjoyed it, and admired the freshness that the show had. I also thought that with a little work, it could be refined further. But I never really considered it an ideal candidate for Broadway transfer. Yet somewhere between 20th and 49th Streets, the creative team worked its magic and, miraculously turned this rough raw bundle of energy into a true gem. This Spring Awakening is nothing short of exquisite, a gorgeous and moving piece of theatre that is truly transfixing, especially in the blissful second act.
At the center of this diamond are Melchior (Groff) and Wendla (Michele), the two young lovers who could not be more different in tone, but who both have spirits yearning to break free. Young Melchior is handsome and charismatic, a confident leader willing to rebel. Wendla is a fragile child, a delicate free-thinker yearning to be a woman, but lacking the role model to do so and trapped by her own naivete. Groff and Michele are fantastic in their respective roles. Groff is powerful and captivating, a magnetic presence with a crystal-clear tenor capable of matching the rock beats of “All That’s Known” and “Totally Fucked” with precision and clarity, but also equally at ease delivering a delicate tribute to his friend in the gorgeous and moving “Left Behind.” Michele, meanwhile, is delicate and fragile and beautiful, yet with an edgy streak that only occasionally surfaces. Her singing is absolutely captivating, enhanced by her willingness to use softer tones rather than constantly belt. Together, the two characters come across very differently, but they are a terrific pair.
Completing the threesome is John Gallagher, Jr., who is terrific as Moritz. He is alternately sad and jubilant, but always intense. Gallagher sings the rock score well, but it is his awkward presence that lends itself so well to the role. In the show’s penultimate number, Gallagher’s appearance through the mist is breathtaking, his clear but slightly edgy voice piercing through. It is a terrific moment.
The remainder of the ensemble is terrific, singing well and making the most of more limited material. Lauren Pritchard is especially memorable, delivering soulful renditions of two key Act II songs. Filling the various adult roles are Christine Estabrook and Stephen Spinella, both giving terrific performances in a variety of different roles. Estabrook does some fine comic work, while Spinella creates one of the great moments as Moritz’s father late in the second act. The two do a surprisingly good job at capturing the essence of the various roles.
Duncan Shiek’s brilliant score sounds terrific, with some absolutely gorgeous moments particularly in the second act. Although I still find that two or three of the numbers in the first act have an unfinished quality (they almost seem “cut off” before the musical motif has finished), the second act is seamless. The singing is uniformly excellent, appropriate to the moments they intend to create. The on-stage orchestra, including the piano accompaniment by one of the actors, is uniformly excellent.
The more expansive stage has been decorated to mirror the original Atlantic Theatre’s church-setting, but the wider stage gives the actors a little more breathing room. There is some excellent lighting design that complements the period appropriate set. If there is a weakness, it is the choreography, which consists of much stomping and jumping. That said, it is rare that the body movements are not appropriate to the moment or to the piece.
Wedikind’s original play, written more than 100 years ago, is no longer groundbreaking in this day and age, and I heard at least a few comment during intermission that they felt they had seen the story before. That said, Shiek and Sater’s retelling of this tale is very fresh and emotionally raw, and yet they have captured an elegance and exquisiteness in the story’s telling that was lacking downtown. This Spring Awakening is, indeed, an awakening, and one not to be missed.
Eugene O'Neill Theatre
Starring: Starring: Jonathan Groff (Melchior), Lea Michele (Wendla), John Gallagher, Jr. (Moritz), Lauren Pritchard (Ilse), Lilli Cooper (Martha), Phoebe Strole (Anna), Remy Zaken (Thea), Brian Charles Johnson (Otto), Jonathan B. Wright (Hanschen), Skylar Astin (Georg), Robert Hager (understudy, Ernst), Stephen Spinella (adult men), Christine Estabrook (adult women)
When Spring Awakening opened on Broadway, the reviewers could not have raved more. “A Miracle,” “the best new musical in a generation” – the accolades kept coming. Could it be that the reviewers were a bit overzealous in their praise? Could the show be that good?
It just may be.
When I saw the off-Broadway incarnation of this show this past summer, I saw a production that was energetic, young, rough, raw, perhaps even a little unfinished. I enjoyed it, and admired the freshness that the show had. I also thought that with a little work, it could be refined further. But I never really considered it an ideal candidate for Broadway transfer. Yet somewhere between 20th and 49th Streets, the creative team worked its magic and, miraculously turned this rough raw bundle of energy into a true gem. This Spring Awakening is nothing short of exquisite, a gorgeous and moving piece of theatre that is truly transfixing, especially in the blissful second act.
At the center of this diamond are Melchior (Groff) and Wendla (Michele), the two young lovers who could not be more different in tone, but who both have spirits yearning to break free. Young Melchior is handsome and charismatic, a confident leader willing to rebel. Wendla is a fragile child, a delicate free-thinker yearning to be a woman, but lacking the role model to do so and trapped by her own naivete. Groff and Michele are fantastic in their respective roles. Groff is powerful and captivating, a magnetic presence with a crystal-clear tenor capable of matching the rock beats of “All That’s Known” and “Totally Fucked” with precision and clarity, but also equally at ease delivering a delicate tribute to his friend in the gorgeous and moving “Left Behind.” Michele, meanwhile, is delicate and fragile and beautiful, yet with an edgy streak that only occasionally surfaces. Her singing is absolutely captivating, enhanced by her willingness to use softer tones rather than constantly belt. Together, the two characters come across very differently, but they are a terrific pair.
Completing the threesome is John Gallagher, Jr., who is terrific as Moritz. He is alternately sad and jubilant, but always intense. Gallagher sings the rock score well, but it is his awkward presence that lends itself so well to the role. In the show’s penultimate number, Gallagher’s appearance through the mist is breathtaking, his clear but slightly edgy voice piercing through. It is a terrific moment.
The remainder of the ensemble is terrific, singing well and making the most of more limited material. Lauren Pritchard is especially memorable, delivering soulful renditions of two key Act II songs. Filling the various adult roles are Christine Estabrook and Stephen Spinella, both giving terrific performances in a variety of different roles. Estabrook does some fine comic work, while Spinella creates one of the great moments as Moritz’s father late in the second act. The two do a surprisingly good job at capturing the essence of the various roles.
Duncan Shiek’s brilliant score sounds terrific, with some absolutely gorgeous moments particularly in the second act. Although I still find that two or three of the numbers in the first act have an unfinished quality (they almost seem “cut off” before the musical motif has finished), the second act is seamless. The singing is uniformly excellent, appropriate to the moments they intend to create. The on-stage orchestra, including the piano accompaniment by one of the actors, is uniformly excellent.
The more expansive stage has been decorated to mirror the original Atlantic Theatre’s church-setting, but the wider stage gives the actors a little more breathing room. There is some excellent lighting design that complements the period appropriate set. If there is a weakness, it is the choreography, which consists of much stomping and jumping. That said, it is rare that the body movements are not appropriate to the moment or to the piece.
Wedikind’s original play, written more than 100 years ago, is no longer groundbreaking in this day and age, and I heard at least a few comment during intermission that they felt they had seen the story before. That said, Shiek and Sater’s retelling of this tale is very fresh and emotionally raw, and yet they have captured an elegance and exquisiteness in the story’s telling that was lacking downtown. This Spring Awakening is, indeed, an awakening, and one not to be missed.
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