Trailer Tuesdays: Pippin on Broadway

I already talked about my excitement for this revival a few weeks ago, so getting to see some footage from the show definitely makes me a happy camper.

What can I say? The show looks brilliant. The cirque work is phenomenal; Patina Miller is electric; costumes, sets, and lighting are all en pointe. If I could raise any complaint it would be that Matthew James Thomas’ (Pippin) snippet of “Corner of the Sky” sounds a little underwhelming, but to my ear it seems like a studio recording and those always come off sounding rather canned when paired with live footage. He sounds a lot better in “Morning Glow” towards the end of the trailer, so I’m going to give him the benefit of the doubt here.

I’m really happy with the way the company looks and sounds. It can be risky bringing in a group of specialized performers to a musical, in this case circus performers, because blending them in with the Broadway performers poses a challenge. Obviously, the circus troupe will be leagues ahead of the ensemble when performing acrobatics and the like, while the theatrical ensemble of trained singers and dancers will probably be stronger when those talents are called upon. Judging by the preview, these talents seem to have been blended very well and no one looks like they’re struggling with something that goes beyond their abilities in any aspect. Many kudos to Diane Paulus (Direction), Gypsy Snider (Circus), and Chet Walker (Choreography) for creating such a well-integrated production.

Now all I have to do is convince my New York buddy to see the show so I can see how everything works out in person!

Book Review: Not Since Carrie

Last week I reviewed Broadway Nights, a book I unexpectedly found at good ol’ Half-Price Books. Another book I was thrilled to come across in my used book store’s Performing Arts section was Ken Mandelbaum’s Not Since Carrie: 40 Years of Broadway Musical Flops. I’ve been keen on reading this book ever since I got interested in Carrie, the musical, several years ago, but hadn’t come across it in any of my bookstore visits (why I never looked online for it, I don’t know). I’m pretty sure I actually let out an audible gasp when I saw this copy wedged on the shelf and immediately snatched it up before proceeding to the register smiling like I had some kind of juicy secret. Hopefully I didn’t unnerve anyone too much, but I can’t really bring myself to be too bothered because I was on cloud nine.

To start with, I both love and hate the cover. I’m not fond of the typeface selected and really hate that it’s used for the title, subtitle, and author’s name. It’s just too much, especially for a typeface that’s so decorative and not particularly legible, and it kind of obscures the book’s name. Is it 40 Years of Broadway Musical Flops: Not Since Carrie or Not Since Carrie: 40 Years of Broadway Musical Flops? Yes, the “Not Since Carrie” part is larger, but being written in the same font and having everything perfectly aligned to the left makes it read more like a paragraph than a title. I much preferred the title as presented within the book:

Doesn’t that look nicer? Using different fonts to give emphasis and impact, and actually arranged like a title rather than a block of text? What I love bout the cover, of course, is the photo. Gah, I spent an inordinate amount of time just looking at that photo and picking up little details like the glittering floral design on Carrie’s dress that I was never able to see in online photos of the show.

A little costume porn goes a long way with me, so that saves the whole cover.

Anywho, 300+ words into this review, maybe it’s time to actually talk about the content of the book, huh? The first section included Mandelbaum’s acknowledgements, operational definition of a “Broadway Flop” (No more than 250 performances, no significant productions after closing, only shows which were intended to play Broadway even if they closed before making it to their opening, and only those with a narrative), and some preliminary information about the infamous musical from which the book gets its title.

Theatre Thursdays: Tony Time!

Yes, once again it’s that most exciting season for Broadway fans: Tony Time! Nominations have just been announced, kicking off speculation and debate among thespians everywhere pulling for their favorite shows/performers/creators and lamenting the inevitable snub of those who didn’t make it onto the ballot.

You can check the nominees (and pick your favorites) here on the New York Times’ site. I’ve gotta say, I’m a bit surprised by the nominations for Best Musical. For one, there’s not a single original musical to be found in the group: Bring it On, Kinky Boots and A Christmas Story are based on movies and Matilda is based on a book. While I have no problem with musical adaptations of existing works (Wicked, The Secret Garden, and Billy Elliot are firmly in my top ten favorite musicals) I do believe that original musicals need the publicity boost that comes from a Tony nomination more than a musical with built-in name recognition does, and let’s be honest: these awards are a business. I enjoy the event and am glad when my favorites win, but I honestly don’t believe that these awards honor excellence so much as they honor marketability.

That, however, is another reason I’m a bit surprised by the nominations: two of the nominated musicals (Bring it On and A Christmas Story) were limited run events which have already ended and won’t be boosted by this PR, at least not as readily as the currently running shows. Bring it On is supposed to go back out on the road again and A Christmas Story is likely to return as a seasonal event like How the Grinch Stole Christmas, but neither of those are happening right now and would probably sell very well with or without the nomination.

Do I sound too jaded? I’m a little jaded. Let’s throw it over to The Onion for their much more lighthearted, if still critical, article on Tony noms. As for me, I’ll do what I always do: watch the broadcast for the musical performances and take the actual awards with a grain of salt. Congratulations to all nominees and to fellow fans, remember: the award (or lack thereof) doesn’t prove or disprove the quality of the show/performer/creator, so try not to take it too hard if your favorite doesn’t win.

Book Review: Broadway Nights

I found the book Broadway Nights at my local Half-Price Books (because you never know what gems you might find in used book stores) and bought it straightaway. It’s a novel written by hilarious Broadway aficionado Seth Rudetsky, and it focuses on a not so young but not quite middle-aged pianist named Stephen who dreams of one day being the music director/conductor of a Broadway show.

I’m a fan of Seth as a comedian/host/entertainment personality, but I didn’t know anything about his writing talent. I’m glad to report that he does a very good job of creating both a story and the characters to populate it. This particular story is told by the character Stephen in the form of a journal which he is writing at his psychiatrist’s request. As such, the writing has a very rapid, stream-of-consciousness feel to it. There’s no lengthy purple prose to wade through, which is nice, and Seth’s big personality comes through on the page as clearly as if he were telling the story directly to the reader.

The whole book is written like this. I can definitely see it being annoying to some readers, and even I sometimes wished he were more focused, but presenting the novel as a journal made it work since a journal is meant to be someone’s collection of thoughts rather than a clearly advancing plot.

There are some interesting comments about masculinity and homophobia in the book (like how he bemoans the fact that he has to call his log a “journal” because a “diary” is for a girl) but it doesn’t feel preachy. Even when he rants against Republicans it’s humorous more than it is offensive and I’m impressed with his ability to make commentary without bearing down on the reader from his soapbox.

The biggest draw, though, is the insider’s look on how Broadway works, from the creation of musicals to their continued upkeep. Seth offers a unique perspective and shares great anecdotes of backstage life, some fabricated, some based in truth, but many which are actual true stories of theatre history and it’s fascinating to read his accounts. (Side-note: Seth Rudetsky should have been writing Smash all along because he actually knows what the world of Broadway is about and makes it interesting.)

I definitely recommend this book. It’s funny, fun, and informative. As a writer, Seth’s personality comes through very clearly on the page and, though the narrative occasionally got off track, it was never boring.

Theatre Thursdays: Pippin Broadway Revival

Stephen Schwartz’s 1972 musical Pippin returns to Broadway for the first time since closing in 1977. This show is pretty popular but I have never seen it and know almost nothing about it. I know the famous song “Corner of the Sky”.

And I know that Bob Fosse choreographed the original production, but beyond that I have almost no experience with this musical. As such, I’m excited that there is a revival currently running because it gives me an opportunity to see and hear more about the show. I’m already inclined to like it because I’ve yet to hear a work of Stephen Schwartz (the man behind Godspell, Wicked, and the Disney films The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Pocahontas) that I haven’t liked, so I don’t feel like I’m in danger of disliking the score. As for this particular production, there are also some specific things which excite me.

First: Patina Miller as Leading Player. This role was originally played by Ben Vereen and is traditionally a male role, so it will be very unique to see a woman in that role (I mean, for people who know the show. Everything’s brand new to me anyway.) and how it will work out. Patina herself is extremely talented, so even without the fact that her casting is breaking the gender norm it would be exciting anyway. She has this spark that she brings when she performs. I don’t know how to describe it but there’s so much joy and vitality in her singing and acting.

Ben Vereen and Patina Miller. Photo credit: broadway.com

Second: the circus inspiration. I believe the original setting of the show focused on a troupe of theatre performers so adjusting that to a circus act is an interesting choice and one which looks very promising to me. The spectacle of circus performing will add a really interesting layer to this very stylized show. Bob Fosse choreography (which is still inspiring the choreography in this new production) is very unique and in some ways whimsical and I think it will play very well in a circus show.

The good news is that the show is getting very good buzz. It’s still in previews so there’s no critical response yet, but word of mouth has been pretty positive about both cast and direction, so things are looking good for this revival!

Theatre Thursdays: Matilda the Musical

Broadway’s latest London import is the musical version of Roald Dahl’s Matilda, and I have to say I am really excited for it. I’ve never read Matilda but I always loved the movie. Athough I know this is based on the novel, it doesn’t seem radically different from the film, which follows a young girl named Matilda who has emotionally abusive parents and attends a school with an emotionally and physically abusive headmistress known as The Trunchbull. Through this adversity Matilda develops telekinetic powers which she uses to fight back against her tormentors.

Broadway.com has begun a video series about the making of the show and in the first episode the librettist pretty much outlines what I find so appealing about the show:

This idea that children don’t necessarily know more than adults, but have stronger convictions to what they believe is right and wrong is so true and so important. It’s easy to see this story as a bunch of bratty kids throwing a tantrum, or as a cliched “Bless the poor children” tale of under-appreciated youth, but instead the creative team seems to be coming at this story from the point of view of the children themselves. Doing this helps the work to feel more honest because so often when kids are written by adults they are written the way adults view childhood and usually come out exceedingly cute, bratty, intelligent, or ignorant. It’s hard to find writers who really capture that childhood isn’t so innocent and sweet or cruel and spoiled as adults remember.

I’m currently obsessed with the song “Revolting Children” which really captures this theme well:

I find the song clever in its use of the word “revolting” which The Trunchbull always uses to describe the children at her school by taking it from the adjective meaning “disgusting” and using it instead as the verb as in “being in the state of revolt” while the kids decide to stand up to their headmistress. The kids aren’t having a fit or simply complaining; they’re empowering themselves and taking back their dignity from someone who mistreated them.

Never again will I be bullied!

Never again will I doubt it when

my mummy says I’m a miracle!

Never again!

I find these lyrics beautiful and powerful because no one should be bullied or doubt that they have intrinsic worth and dignity. If the rest of the show supports this theme as well as this one number does I have a feeling it will quickly become one of my favorites.

The Broadway production is currently in previews with an opening date set for April 11 and tickets are starting as low as $37! If you’re in the city I’d say it’s probably worth a try for such a low price because barring lotto/student rush, you’re not usually going to find tickets that cheap for any show, especially one with the kind of name recognition this one carries. If I get a chance to see it I’ll certainly post a review here with a more informed opinion but right now I’m loving what I’ve seen thus far.

Theatre Thursdays: Re-staged Les Mis to play Broadway

The re-imagined production of Les Miserables which has been touring the UK and US simultaneously will be adding a third production to its credits: a sit-down Broadway engagement. The show, produced of course by that King Midas of musicals, Cameron Mackintosh, is set to take Broadway back to the barricades in Spring of 2014 at a yet-to-be-decided Shubert theater. The news that Les Mis would take Broadway for the third time has been floating around since the movie became such a huge hit but it wasn’t confirmed until recently what production would be seen on the Great White Way: the original, the new tour, or some other staging.

While I am a fan of Les Miserables, I didn’t feel especially excited for this revival. I suppose it’s just because the previous revival feels too recent to me to necessitate a third Broadway staging. Checking the dates, though, it has been a full five years since the 2006 Revival closed and will be over six by the time this production opens. Not to mention it was only three years between the original production’s closing and the revival’s opening.

Thoughts on the ‘Smash’ Premiere

A while ago I posted about this show after viewing the preview for the premiere. At the time, I was concerned for the show in terms of its story and character development but cautiously optimistic on a few counts. Now that the full premiere has aired I have a bit more to say. As is often the case with special two-hour episodes, the premiere was really just two episodes stuck together; the second episode even included its separate title card so there was no mistaking the fact. Both episodes had their strong points, but they had some glaring problems too.

‘Smash’ Season 2 Preview

The NBC show Smash is a show that I almost feel I like out of sheer force of will. I want to like it so I do, despite frequently being let down by it. Well, Smash will be returning for its second season on Tuesday, February 5 but a 44 minute sneak peek of the premiere is available on the channel’s website here. I’m looking forward to the premiere and following the show for another season, but there were a lot of issues with the show in season one, primarily due to its characterization and story development.

If you’re unfamiliar with the show, it follows the creation of a musical from conception to Broadway opening. The majority of the series, however, follows the personal lives of the people involved in the musical, from the creative team to the cast and this I believe is detrimental to the story. It’s not that the show couldn’t or shouldn’t focus on the characters’ lives outside the musical (though obviously I, personally, would like to see more focus on the theatre side of the story) but the problem is that the characters are so poorly written.

Theatre Thursdays: Wicked News Round-Up

Despite being a huge Wicked fan (I mean, check the username) I don’t think I’ve posted about it at all here. However, having just seen the show again a couple weeks ago, I’ve been in a Wicked mood — so I’m gonna post some fun news that’s been going on for the show as it nears its tenth year on Broadway.

Willemijn Verkaik will do a limited run as Elphaba on Broadway

Willemijn became a fast fan favorite when she opened the German production of Wicked and with her perfect witchy look and killer voice it’s not hard to understand why. On top of these great attributes Willemijn also brought her intense, passionate acting to the role. She went on to open the Dutch production of the show as well, getting to perform the show in her native language. Now this incredibly talented woman is going to get to make her Broadway debut and American audiences will get to experience firsthand what audiences in Stuttgart and Holland have already fallen in love with.

Enjoy Willemijn performing Elphaba’s signature “Defying Gravity” in all three languages in which she has performed/will perform the role:

More news under the cut!