ROCKY
Posted: March 12, 2014 Filed under: Broadway, Musical | Tags: adrian, ahrensflaherty, alextimbers, andykarl, margoseibert, musical, review, rocky, rockybalboa, rockybroadway, rockymusical, slystallone, sylvesterstallone, wintergarden Leave a comment
Well, that was a surprise. I gotta say: I was wary going into ROCKY – and admittedly even remained so on and off throughout Act I – but man oh man, this new musical may be the shock winner of the season. I think you all need to prepare yourselves for a whole lot of “ROCKY is a Knock-Out” headlines.
Before I dive into the details, let me get this out of the way first: I have never seen the movie. I know! I know! None of them! I should get on that stat. I think it gave me a unique perspective though, since I would guess most people attending know the films quite well.
Act I is relatively solid. There is a lot of exposition to cover, and it takes a little time to find its groove, but things kick into gear with Adrian’s first big song, “Raining.” For me though, Act II is where the show totally takes off. It’s non-stop, high energy, and reaches ultimate entertainment value. And have no fear – it includes all of the iconic moments you would expect from a Rocky musical. The training montages are kick-ass. There are Rockys everywhere! Instead of multiple Phantoms crossing bridges or lots of Spidermen flying across the stage, now you get Rockys in grey sweats. Also, the projections of the streets of Philadelphia as he trains are great and manage not to go overboard – what Ghost the Musical was trying to do and failed. Ghost looked over-produced whereas this just looks cool. Cool is key if you’re going to put Rocky Balboa in musical format. Who knew they could successfully make that character sing?
The leads are very strong. There’s the always-reliable Andy Karl in the title role. You may have seen Andy in The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Jersey Boys, or perhaps as the UPS guy in Legally Blonde, to name a few. But this is his first “carrying-the-show” role. He plays a reserved, tough Rocky and doesn’t make a parody out of the iconic Sly impression. He makes it his own yet still honors certain aspects of Stallone’s performance. And then you have Margo Seibert making her exciting Broadway debut as Adrian. And damn, this girl can sing. Here’s an inside look at both the stars and the show itself.
The book was co-written by Stallone and Thomas Meehan (whose award-winning work includes Annie, The Producers, and Hairspray). The new score is written by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, the Tony-winning writing team of Ragtime, A Man of No Importance, and Once on This Island. Or perhaps you’re a fan of the animated film, Anastasia (I sure am). The ROCKY score is full of power ballads, sweet duets, and everyone’s favorite pump-up song, “Eye of the Tiger.” And of course there’s the man of the hour, director Alex Timbers, who returns to Broadway with yet another innovative experiment in new theatricality.
I so want to tell you about what they do for the big fight in the end, but I don’t think it would be fair of me to spoil it. Just know this: it’s awesome. I’ve never seen anything like this in a theatre. It’s excellently choreographed and packed with fantastic lighting and super cool effects. The last 20 minutes were so exhilarating that Matt and I ran out of the theatre with the beat thumping in our heads and our hearts racing. The audience was so worked up by the 15th round that we were all cheering together on the literal edges of our seats. I was practically on my feet shouting “Adrian” too.
This production may just be the punch Broadway doesn’t see coming. Go see it!
ROCKY
Music by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, Book by Thomas Meehan and Sylvester Stallone, Directed by Alex Timbers
Winter Garden Theatre, Opening March 13th
Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy
Pictured: Andy Karl and Terence Archie
What’s It All About? Bacharach Reimagined
Posted: February 11, 2014 Filed under: Musical, Off-Broadway | Tags: alfie, bacharach, burtbacharach, concert, kyleriabko, nytw, review, whatsitallabout, whatsnewpussycat Leave a comment
I’m so mad at myself for waiting so long to see this show. Mostly because it means I wasn’t able to tell you about it until now. And time is short, folks. This piece, after receiving multiple extensions, is closing this coming Sunday at New York Theatre Workshop. Get to it. There are still a few days left to check out this stellar Bacharach concert.
Yup, it’s a concert. Do not expect a story or book! This is simply wonderful song after wonderful song presented in a unique, engrossing way. I imagine people could be disappointed if they expected plot, but in my mind, it’s all about feeling the music.
Kyle Riabko, who is 26 and so talented, has taken the work of Burt Bacharach and arranged it for modern audiences. He has extracted these songs from the 50s and 60s, added his own style, and managed to do so without harming the essence of the music. Listen to him sing a few tunes here. Burt Bacharach is one of those artists where you don’t actually realize how many songs of his you know. When you listen to the canon, like in this show, you’re constantly thinking, “Oh yeah, I know this. This is Burt Bacharach, too?” All of his major hits are covered in this production plus songs I’d never heard before and loved just as much.
The music is performed by an incredibly gifted group of musicians and vocalists. These seven jump around playing multiple instruments and singing their hearts out. There is a sense of comfort and clarity in the room as they jam together, and their relationships with one another emanate out into the house. Plus they sound amazing. New York Theatre Workshop, you’re going to do a cast recording, right? I mean, I’m not really giving you a choice. You must release an album. I will help you promote it. Call me.
I’m also in love with not just the sound of the show but the design. The stage picture is beautiful. The entire theatre has been transformed, covered wall to wall in carpets, and lamps scattered across the stage. I know, carpets don’t sound super fancy, but I walked in and caught my breath at the beauty of the space. There’s also a mini-tower of instruments upstage center, à la this guy at the Seattle Rock ‘n’ Roll Museum, that the performers climb on, occasionally grabbing a new guitar to play. The lighting design is stunning. The choreography is simple and not overdone. Oh, and there is also some awesome limited onstage seating on super comfy couches. It was like chilling in someone’s living room. But that someone is super, super cool. And they have a band.
What’s great about this show is it knows exactly what it is and what it wants to accomplish. It’s not pretending to be anything else. No one is pushing or showing off. It’s simply a chance for you to experience 90 minutes packed with familiar songs shared in a new way and look around to see everyone else bobbing their heads and tapping their feet right alongside you. That may just be what it’s all about, Alfie.
What’s It All About? Bacharach Reimagined
Music by Burt Bacharach, Lyrics by Hal David, Arranged by Kyle Riabko, Directed by Steven Hoggett
New York Theatre Workshop through February 16th
Photo Credit: Joan Marcus
Pictured: Kyle Riabko
The Bridges of Madison County
Posted: February 4, 2014 Filed under: Becca Doodle - Meh, Broadway, Drama, Musical | Tags: bridgesofmadisoncounty, fallingintoyou, francesca, hunterfoster, iowa, jasonrobertbrown, kelliohara, moonlighting, review, robertkincaid, stevenpasquale, thebridgesofmadisoncounty 3 Comments
A few short weeks ago I wrote a post about the upcoming production of The Bridges of Madison County. It has since arrived on Broadway and is set to open on February 20th (check out photos here). So, how did it measure up to expectations? Honestly, it’s quite the mix.
Here’s the basic premise. It’s 1965 in Madison County, Iowa. We open on a housewife named Francesca (Kelli O’Hara), who lives with her husband Bud (Hunter Foster) and their two kids. Hubbie and the kids are heading out of town for a few days for some cattle steer contest thing that makes absolutely no sense to an East Coast girl like me. Fran is still adjusting to Iowan life. She’s originally from Italy and looks pretty darn bored with her daily chores in this flat town. Enter Robert Kincaid (Steven Pasquale)! He’s the dreamy, traveling photographer who pulls into town right when Fran’s family hits the road. Most everyone coming to this show knows that these two are destined to fall in love from the second he asks for directions to one of the covered bridges…of Madison County. And oddly enough, it’s these two we root for despite the fact that it’s an extramarital affair. Bud isn’t a bad guy by any means, but we still want this for Francesca.
The first act is like a beautiful, slow crescendo. It’s full of folksy tunes and soaring, lush ballads. It is also funnier than I expected. It’s hard to believe Steven Pasquale has never done a Broadway musical before, but finally audiences are getting a chance to hear his pipes, which of course sound amazing alongside the glory that is Kelli O’Hara (everything she touches is gold). The story relies on a strong bond between the two leads, and there is great chemistry between O’Hara and Pasquale. Over the course of Act I, the string on the violin is pulled tighter and tighter as the sexual tension builds between them. The ensemble isn’t used as effectively. They’re either under-utilized or one-dimensional. I like the snooping yet caring neighbor (Cass Morgan) for comedy purposes and also having a real face to the husband and kids out at the cattle event, but everything else somewhat fades to the background. Even the supporting characters feel like filler, because we are really just waiting for Robert and Francesca to be together.
It starts out so strong. All through the first half I was curious, longing for the next song, eager for the upcoming moment. That eagerness slowly faded during Act II. In fact, it turned into a distant memory. To sport a 90s reference, like the Energizer bunny, the show keeps going and going and going (running time is 2 hours and 35 minutes). The second act falls off track and turns into the same idea set to music over and over again. Want to hear another song about love? Here’s one. How about one about loss? Hit it! Oooh, love AND loss? That’s new! Bring it on. I know it sounds harsh, but I was disappointed to be disappointed.
I think it’s mainly a storytelling issue. After Robert and Francesca get together, there isn’t much left to cover or to fill the time. There is the fact that Fran is left with a decision to make: does she stay with her family or run off with Rob to take lots of pictures of bridges? The thing is, her decision is made sometime in Act II and then there is still another 20 minutes of material. All of a sudden we find ourselves in a montage time leap, jumping years into the future. I wonder if this happens in the movie/book as well. The plot problem reminds me of the “Moonlighting” curse which people like to bring up for every TV show known to man with a will-they-or-won’t-they couple. You know the drill: once a couple gets together, people assume the show will fall apart and lose viewers. I personally don’t think a relationship has to kill a show. Now, if the sexual tension was all the show had going for it, then there were problems to begin with. A couple can get together, but the writing has to keep up!
Musically, the two duets between Francesca and Robert are the big highlights: Falling Into You and One Second and a Million Miles. They also each have an 11 o’clock number, but by that point it’s all so repetitive we care less and less. Granted, it might just be me (and the people who were griping around me). I’m curious to see what the reviews will be and if changes are made during the preview period. I hear there are folks coming out of this show sobbing. So who knows? I like to think I’m a romantic and I always love to root for the couple, but the story left something to be desired after these crazy kids got together.
The Bridges of Madison County
Written by Jason Robert Brown and Marsha Norman, Directed by Barlett Sher
Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, opening night February 20th
Photo Credit: Joan Marcus
Pictured: Kelli O’Hara and Steven Pasquale
Six by Sondheim
Posted: January 21, 2014 Filed under: Movie, Musical, Spotlight on TV | Tags: alittlenightmusic, beingalive, company, deanjones, documentary, follies, hbo, jameslapine, merrilywerollalong, review, sixbysondheim, sondheim, stephensondheim, sundayintheparkwithgeorge, westsidestory 1 Comment
Early in December, a documentary called Six by Sondheim aired on HBO about the life and career of Stephen Sondheim. I watched it the other week thanks to my friend’s HBO GO login information. You know who you are. Thaaaanks!
What’s cool about this documentary is that most of it is made up of interviews with Sondheim himself. He’s never shied away from speaking to the media so the filmmakers were able to collect interviews spanning his career. These interviews are then presented through the framework of six Sondheim songs, the six songs that arguably best encapsulate his career. Within this structure, we move through his writing history as he shares anecdotes, stories about Oscar Hammerstein, what inspires him, his working habits, and from where these six songs stem. The songs are also performed throughout the documentary: “Something’s Coming” from West Side Story, “Opening Doors” from Merrily We Roll Along, “Send in the Clowns” from A Little Night Music, “I’m Still Here” from Follies, “Being Alive” from Company, and “Sunday” from Sunday in the Park with George.
Sondheim says some pretty wonderful things about composing, acting, and art as a whole. Several of the numbers are presented as mini-performances within the documentary, produced and performed by Broadway folks. A few felt a little over-produced in my opinion. The songs that were most effective were the ones with footage of the original companies (West Side Story, Company, and Sunday in the Park with George). For example, “Being Alive” from Company was a video of the very first Bobby, played by Dean Jones, in the studio recording the cast album. Now I know this song very, very well and have listened to it hundreds of times, but I sat there on my couch and just started crying. I love that a song can affect me in such a way even after all these years of listening to it.
So for the Sondheim fans out there, I do recommend a viewing. On second thought, even if you’re not a fan (seriously, what’s that about?), maybe this will be a good way for you to learn more about where he’s coming from with his writing. If anything, you’ll get a fascinating inside look at the man himself.
Six by Sondheim
Directed by James Lapine
Aired on HBO on December 9, 2013
The Sound of Music Live!
Posted: January 6, 2014 Filed under: Movie, Musical, Spotlight on TV | Tags: audramcdonald, carrieunderwood, christianborle, laurabenanti, live, maria, musical, nbc, review, soundofmusic, stephenmoyer, thehillsarealive, thesoundofmusiclive, vontrapp 2 Comments
Amidst my Christmas holiday week of movie watching (American Hustle, Casablanca, City Island, and Frozen a second time), I managed to find the time to finally sit down and view The Sound of Music Live! I have since been debating whether or not to post about it. I feel like everyone and their mother have already put their two cents in, particularly in the theatre community, and it was quite the mix of feelings. It seemed like this musical broadcast became either a personal affront to viewers or a personal accomplishment. There was a lot of hate and a lot of preaching back to that hate. My Facebook news feed blew up the way it does when there’s a big football game on, and I end up having no idea what anyone’s status means. But I figure things have died down a bit, and I suppose it can’t hurt to throw a couple more pennies into the mix, right?
Let’s start with the good, shall we? There was some lovely singing, smooth camera work, and solid nun talent. Vampire Bill – I mean, Stephen Moyer? He did a pretty decent job! That kid playing Kurt? Great. He was in it. Audra? Clearly. Do we even need to talk about her? Everyone already knows she’s a goddess. It was a pleasure to have real theatre folks involved like Christian Borle as Max. There’s an extra comfort level in watching stage actors do what they do best, especially those who already have TV experience.
But let’s be serious, I’m mostly writing this review so I can brag about Laura Benanti. I love her, love her, love her, and I’m so glad people are finally starting to take notice of her abilities. I was never drawn to Elsa growing up. I didn’t understand the character, but now she’s clear to me. Laura brings a naturalism to the role, to live filming, to song, to everything. And thank god we had her for some laughs.
Of course there were weak links, but I honestly don’t want to dig into them too much. I don’t know what was up with the costumes. Some of the kids were hard to watch. The mountain set was awkward, although the scene changes were smooth and well done.
Listen, I know you’re all waiting for me to rip into Carrie, but I don’t really want to do that. The critics have been cruel enough. I’ll just say this: I feel bad that she and the people who represent her thought this was a good idea. She’s talented and clearly can sing, but she is simply not an actress. This doesn’t make her untalented; it just makes her not an actress. There isn’t an acting instinct in her bones. I was frankly very uncomfortable watching her speak any dialogue. I also feel bad that they yanked all of the “Southerness” out of her. This at least gives her character and flavor. True, Maria shouldn’t be a Southern belle, but without it, she came across as vanilla and bland. I understand that Carrie was cast to draw in viewers. Hopefully next time they’ll find a name that can better carry a show.
All that said I’m thrilled they took on this endeavor. It’s a wonderful chance for people who don’t live in a big theatre city to get to see a musical on screen. To this day, musicals still don’t get a lot of respect. People consider them merely fluffy or lame; they’re all flash and spectacle and couldn’t possibly affect audiences the way plays can. The fact that NBC is going to do another live musical due to the ratings The Sound of Music got is fantastic as far as I’m concerned. Folks associating musical theatre with high ratings? I don’t know about you, but as a musical theatre fan through and through, I’ll take that any day.
The Sound of Music Live!
Directed by Rob Ashford and Beth McCarthy-Miller
Aired live on NBC on December 5, 2013
Photo Credit: Will Hart
Pictured: Stephen Moyer and Laura Benanti
Becca on Broadway 