Review of Musical Theatre West’s Les Miserables

Hello!

I have been a season subscriber to Musical Theatre West for a few years, and have almost always been impressed with what they have been able to put together for their fans. So, I was beside myself when I saw that Les Miserables, one of the most popular musicals of all time, was on the schedule for the 2014-2015 season. I had the chance to see it this time around and came away a little underwhelmed, unfortunately.

Musical Theatre West has been around since 1952, when it started out as the Whittier Civic Light Opera. Their productions evolved over time, and they went from being an all-volunteer operation to producing full seasons, currently under the capable leadership and vision of Executive Director/produce Paul Garman. Their big shows are hosted by the Carpenter Performing Arts Center at Cal State Long Beach, which is a lovely venue with plenty of conveniently located parking. And only two bathrooms...

Les Miserables is based on the 1862 Victor Hugo historical novel from 1862, and it is set in the early 19th century France, up until the 1835 June Rebellion in Paris. It is a heavy read, but it is a fascinating book that spends most of its text discussing French History. It is worth the effort to thumb through it.

The musical version was introduced in France in 1980, with the original Broadway run from 1987 to 1993. Since then it has had two Broadway revivals and numerous national tours, but very few local theatre companies have staged this show. Musical Theatre West certainly gave it a good shot, after 20 years of trying to get rights to the show.

I will skip the storyline, as you are probably familiar enough with it by now, but it is a tragic story of love, politics, and death.

It is probably best to start with the cast, and they landed a really big name, Davis Gaines (Phantom of the Opera on Broadway), to play Inspector Javert. He was joined by Michael Hunsaker at Jean Valjean, Madison Parks as the grown-up Cosette, Devin Archer as Marius, and Emily Martin as Eponine. Stand-out performances came from Norman Large as Thenardier and Ruth Williamson as his wife. There was a huge cast, with over 30 actors in the production.

They also put together a very good orchestra, with almost 20 musicians in the pit. Andrew Bryan was the musical director, and he did a great job of bringing Schonberg’s music to life. As always, it is disappointing to see that the musicians got no credit in the program. Shameful.

Cliff Simon’s sets were very good were very good, but Paul Black’s lighting was spectacular and really helped to set the mood of the show. Karen St. Pierre’s costumes were authentic, and nothing seemed out of place.

All of these elements set everything up for a very good production, but it really fell flat in real life, and for a lot of reasons. Maybe they should have called it “Meh Miserables.”

For starters, the show itself is a bit iffy (sorry, fans), and if everything is not done perfectly it is really a slog. It comes in at a running time of over 3 hours, and it is all singing and no dialogue. The chorus was not up to the complicated lyrics, and their timing and emphasis was off, which made it seem even longer

The sound was, quite simply, terrible. With that many singers and actors on stage, there are a lot of microphones to keep track of, and there were numerous times when microphones were not turned on when they were supposed to be. This was a major distraction, not to mention a killer of the storyline if the audience was not familiar with the show. Also, the sound was way too loud at times, and after 3 hours it can really wear you down. Keep in mind that I mostly review rock shows, so I am intimately familiar with what too loud is.

Les Miserables was just a bit too grand of a show for Musical Theatre West to pull off, and it was one of their very few mis-steps in a long history of putting on excellent shows. The show has closed, so you missed out this time around. Or maybe not. Anyway, it is time to start thinking about tickets for the last show of this season, Singin’ in the Rain, which will be playing from July 10th through 26th. Also, now is the time to make plans for next year’s season, which will include My Fair Lady, West Side Story, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Sister Act. You can’t beat the value!

Mahalo!

Review of Wicked at the Gershwin Theatre in New York City

Hello!

If you love musical theatre, you have to see at least one show on Broadway before you die. No matter how good the local theatre company shows are that you have seen, nothing compares to how tight of a performance you will see in New York City. This is the place that actors, dancers and musicians aspire to perform, and when the roles are filled only the best are selected. Also, after a show had played for a few months (or years), there are no silly mistakes and the sound is completely dialed in. It makes for a complete audio and visual experience.

Whenever I travel to the Tri-State area, I always make a point to get into the city to see a show, and a few days ago I got to check out the legendary Wicked at the Gershwin Theatre on 51st Street in the Paramount Plaza building. This 1933-seat house is the biggest theatre on Broadway, and it is one of the newer ones, having opened in 1972. This means the seats are not as tiny, and it turned out to be a great place to see the show. The acoustics and lines of sight are excellent, which is to be expected if you are throwing down cash for one of the best shows in town.

Wicked (the Untold Story of the Witches of Oz) is based on Gregory Maguire’s novel of the same name. Grammy and Academy Award-winning lyricist and composer Stephen Schwartz found the book, and negotiated to have it made into a musical, as Universal owned the rights, and had planned to turn it into a film. Schwartz wrote the lyrics and music, and Emmy-Award winner Winnie Holzman wrote the book.

The original cast had Kristen Chenoweth and Idina Menzel in the leads, and after tuning things up in San Francisco, the show opened at the Gershwin in 2003 and has been running ever since. That means over 4600 performances and close to $900 million at the box office. They planned to make the film version after the musical lost momentum, but they might need to rethink that. This show is a juggernaut!

The musical provides a different perspective of the more familiar Oz story, as this one comes from the point of view of Elphaba (the Wicked Witch of the West) and Glinda the Good. It begins before Dorothy’s arrival, and continues on though bucket of water incident. There is a little bit of everything: a love story, sibling rivalry, the corruption of power, and a fall from grace. What more could you ask for?

I could not ask for anything more than I got that evening – the Broadway production of Wicked was the best stage show I have ever seen.

For starters, perfect actors were chosen for the leads. They did not have to rely on the age-old trick of getting a famous TV or movie actor to draw the crowds in, so they staffed the production with top-tier actors and dancers that can actually sing (sorry, Zach Braff). Caroline Bowman and Kara Lindsay earned the roles of Elphaba and Glinda, Kelli Barrett played Nessarose, Kathy Fitzgerald was Madame Morrible, Tom McGowan played the Wizard, and Matt Shingledecker took on the role of Fiyero.

The 22-member chorus kept busy with costume changes, playing the flying monkeys, students, palace guards and the good-natured citizen of Oz. Their dance routines were spot-on, and nothing they did detracted from the overall show, helped in part by the flawless and innovative choreography of James Lynn Abbott.

Costumes for the cast were designed by Susan Hilferty, and they capered about amongst gorgeous natural and steampunk industrial sets by Eugene Lee. The elements on the stage were innovative in the way they were introduced to the scenes and also in the way the cast interacted with them. There were also some pretty cool animated objects, but I will not ruin the surprises for you in case you have not seen the show. The visuals were rounded out by some neat projections by Elaine J. McCarthy and lighting that was designed by Kenneth Posner.

Aurally, Tony Meola’s sound was perfect, as the actors voices sounded natural and were at the right volume, and the 23-member orchestra under the direction of by Bryan Perri, was mixed with the vocals so that there were no distractions and everything was balanced.

That word sums this show up: “balanced.” Nothing stood out or detracted from the story. Everything element and feature was high-quality, but I did not walk away saying “Wow, the sound was good!” or “Boy, the costumes were neat!” I left the theatre thinking about what a wonderful experience I had, and not realizing that 2 hours and 45 minutes had passed (with the 15 minute intermission).

For once I have nothing to complain about, and have only praise for a show, which never happens.

It is worth the time and effort to check out Wicked at the Gershwin Theatre if you ever make it to New York City. I know touring versions are available from time-to-time (it is actually playing in Los Angeles right now), but seeing this show will make for a magical evening. I promise!

Mahalo!

Once at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood, California

Aloha!

I am fortunate to have the opportunity to see many musicals each year, and not all of them are winners, but many are very good and some are winners. We saw the touring production of Once at the Pantages Theatre on opening weekend, and it was one of the winners.

The Pantages is a real throwback and is one of the oldest theatres in the Los Angeles area. It opened in 1930, and survived the transition to a movie house and back to a regular theatre, and it got a full restoration about 10 years ago. This is a huge theatre, which plays a bit into how this show is received.

Once is a pretty new show that is based on a 2007 film of the same name. It is a story of unrequited love between two young musicians who have a lot of other stuff going on in their lives. Their relationship cannot go anywhere, but the true beauty of the story is in the caring they show for each other. Set in Dublin, there is an undercurrent of conflict due to diversity of the population, and this plays in to the story as well.

John Carney’s film was very good, but it did not have a big budget and did not get a lot of traction in its original release, but it did come away with an Academy Award for best song with “Falling Slowly.”. It Broadway incarnation got the full treatment under the direction of Diane Paulus, with a book by Edna Walsh and music by Glen Hansard and Marketa Iglova, and it went on to win 8 Tony Awards in 2012. Supposedly the story is based on the relationship between Hansard and Iglova (the stars if the film) – believe it or not.

I was warned ahead of time to show up early for the show and was a little gobsmacked to see a lot of the audience on the stage. The set is a bar, and the audience was invited up to buy drinks and be entertained by the musicians onstage. After the audience was shooed away the musicians remained, and it turned out that they were the actors and musicians for the show. By the way, the audience was invited up again at the intermission.

The bar set took up the entire stage and remained up for the who show. It has mirrors everywhere so the audience did not miss any of the action on the stage. Small scenic elements were brought on and off the stage to transform it into a home, a recording studio, and a bank. The actors were the musicians, and when they were not in the scene they would sit off to the sides and play the melodies as needed.

The cast was incredible, and they were all first rate singers and musicians, and they all had great stage presence. The leads were played by Stuart Ward (Guy) and Dani de Waal (girl), and they were convincing actors with tremendous voices (plus they played a mean guitar and piano, respectively). The other 11 members of the cast portrayed the girl’s family and the town’s people and they fleshed out the rest of the story nicely. John Tiffany directed this production with Martin Lowe as musical director and Steven Hoggett as choreographer.

The rest of the pieces all fell into place for this one. The costumes were simple, but worked, and the lighting from Natasha Katz was remarkable. The songs are all very solid and heartfelt, and for a change the sound in the house was very good. The Pantages is a huge hall that is tough to fill properly with sound, and this is the closest they have gotten in recent history. Once has a quiet and intimate feel, and it would really be better suited to a smaller venue.

Once is a charming show, and there is a good reason why it won all of those Tony awards -- it could be the best new musical of the decade. From the cast to the music to the staging they got everything right on this one, and you should make the time to see it if you get the opportunity.

Your chance to see Once at the Pantages in Hollywood is almost over, as it closes on August 10, but this is a touring company that has a lot of stops left (including San Diego and Costa Mesa for you locals) so you still have the chance to track it down and see it for yourself.

Mahalo!

Review of Ghost the Musical at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood, California

Howdy!

A stage musical based on the 1990 Patrick Swayze / Demi Moore tearjerker “Ghost.” Whoever thought of this might have suggested it as a joke, but it kind of works. We checked out “Ghost the Musical” last weekend at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood, California and it would have been ok if the production itself did not have major problems.

The plot of the musical is pulled directly from the movie. If you saw it 24 years ago, you will probably be able to figure out what is going on. If not, you might want to pull it up on Netflix or read the Wikipedia entry ahead of time because it is hard to understand a lot of what is sung here (more on this later). Pretty much, Sam is betrayed by his best friend, Carl, and is killed in this unfortunate conspiracy. He has to use his spiritual form to save his distraught woman, Molly, from certain doom while acting as the hand of god by making the bad guys repay all of their karmic debt.

This could be a wonderfully written show, with music by Dave Stewart (The Eurythmics) and Glen Ballard (yes, that Glen Ballard), and a book by Bruce Joel Rubin -- the music seemed fine, but the lyrics were tough to decipher. The show has changed little since it appeared first on Broadway a few years ago; it certainly is not Tony Award fodder, even though the original film somehow brought home a few Oscars and a half billion in box office sales.

This 2014 version of Ghost is a touring production, and it is making stops throughout the United States. The creative staff have done a wonderful job, with veteran Matthew Warchus taking on the director role and Ashley Wallen doing a fine job with the choreography. Paul Kieve’s illusions, Jon Driscoll’s projections and Paul Weimer’s scenic designs were all first-rate, and were almost worth the price of admission. This fine crew used all of these pieces effectively and it should have been a very tight show.

The leads were very good, as they were convincing actors and good singers (not to mention attractive). Steven Grant Douglas played Sam, Katie Postotnik was Molly, and Robby Haltiwanger got to be the dastardly Carl. But, Carla Stewart’s portrayal of Oda Mae, the reluctant psychic, stole the show.

Almost 20 cast members were in the ensemble, and were the best part of the show for me. They were great singers and dancers, and a good chorus is the essential glue that holds a show together.

Mathew Smedal directed the 11-piece orchestra that was mostly staffed with touring musicians, with a few locals thrown into the mix. Keyboards were used extensively to help make the mood in many of the scenes, and I think the orchestra did a fabulous job, with the exception of a drummer that could not control his volume.

Ghost the Musical’s sets are first-rate, and were a little more complicated than most current musicals, and they were cleverly repurposed to achieve different effects and scenes. I especially liked the flyaway and swing effects.

There are some very rough spots in Ghost, unfortunately. The sound was terrible, and it may have been the worst that I have ever heard. The drums were overpowering, and the rest of the orchestra’s mix was cranked to try to match their output to the point where it was physically painful and the vocals were drowned out. Even then, on the louder numbers all that could be made out from the orchestra was the drums. There was no way that anybody in the house could understand the subway ghost. The producers should be embarrassed, and I think that in the year 2014 they could have done a lot better than this.

Also, many of the songs were sung with multiple melodies running concurrently, so that the lyrics were unintelligible, even on the softer songs that were not overpowered by the orchestra.

These things were deal-breakers for what could have been a pretty good show, and I have to say, “don’t waste your time.” If you decide to check it out Ghost the Musical anyway, proceed at your own risk. It is playing in LA through July 13th, and will then be moving on to Costa Mesa and Las Vegas.

Mahalo!

Review of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the Pantages Theatre

Hello!

Somehow I have managed to make it this far through life without ever seeing Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, one of the more popular modern musicals. Well, I remedied this oversight last month at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood, California.

The Pantages has been a mainstay of Hollywood culture since it opened in 1930. It started as a vaudeville theatre, but it has hosted all manner of shows, operated as a movie theatre, and was even the home of the Academy Award Ceremonies for 10 years. Rumor has it that when Howard Hughes owned the theatre he had his offices on the second floor. Creepy. Anyway, the theatre had a $10 million renovation in 2000, and it is still in marvelous condition. For this show we had seats near the back of the orchestra section, and were able to see and hear everything well. It is a lovely place to see a show, with the added bonus of easy parking (for $10) and plentiful places to dine before or after the show. It is certainly worth the drive.

The plot of Joseph is pulled straight out of the Old Testament of the Bible, and it is a bit complex; if you are not familiar with the story you might want to study up ahead of time so you do not get lost. It is the story of a young man who is given everything, but jealousy from his brothers results in him having to start over again at the lowest rungs of society and make his way back to the top through his inner fortitude and the grace of God. The events are full of treachery and forgiveness, and thousands of years later it is still mesmerizing, whether you believe in the Bible or not.

This is a wonderfully written show, with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice, and it holds up well from when it was first appeared on Broadway in 1982. There is very little dialogue that is not sung, but the story still comes across loud and clear. Overall, the musical is very well-regarded, and it has won a trunkload of awards over the years.

The 2014 version of Joseph is a touring production, and it is making stops throughout the United States. The creative staff have done a wonderful job, with Tony Award winner Andy Blankenbuehler taking on the director and choreographer roles. Beowulf Borritt (best name ever) took care of the scenic design, Howell Binkley designed the lighting, Jennifer Caprio coordinated the costumes, and Daniel Brodie handled the video and projection elements. This fine crew used all of these pieces and created a very tight show.

Almost 20 cast members were in the ensemble, and they helped make the show for me. They were great singers and dancers, and a good chorus is the essential glue that holds a show together. The group numbers with the brothers were the highlight of the show for me.

Wayne Green conducted the 14-piece orchestra that was mostly staffed with touring musicians, with a few locals thrown into the mix. Keyboards were used extensively to help make the mood in many of the scenes, and overall the orchestra did a fabulous job. There were no miscues or odd dynamics that drew away from the onstage action, which is just as it should be.

Joseph’s sets are first-rate, and in current style are relatively simple and are repurposed to achieve different effects and scenes. I especially liked the effect of changing the aperture of the stage using the front curtains, as well as the projection elements. Things like this keep old musicals fresh.

The lighting was well-done and cemented the mood for many of the scenes. Unfortunately the sound was muddy and poorly mixed at times, so I had some trouble focusing on and differentiating the music and vocals. In the year 2014 this is unacceptable – live sound equipment has come a long way.

Unfortunately the leads were the weak link of this production, though both are popular American Idol alumni. Ace Young played Joseph, and the nicest thing I can say about him is that he is certainly a hunky dude that looks good with his shirt off. His dance moves were wooden, and much of the material was out of his vocal range and style. Eeek – this is not an easy role to fill! Young’s real-life wife, Diana DeGarmo took the narrator role which is the like tape that covers over significant holes in the story. She has lovely stage presence and vocal range galore, but most of what she sang was sharp to the point where everything was shrill and edgy. This could have been a problem with not being able to hear the orchestra (see above), and if so, shame on the sound guys.

I am lukewarm on recommending this touring version of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Everything was great except for the sound and the major leads, which says a lot. If you have not seen the show before it might be worth your time just so you can see what all of the fuss is about. If you are a diehard fan I would let it slide until it comes around next time. If you just have to see it, Los Angeles was only the first stop, and the tour will be traveling all over the country until April 2105. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Mahalo!

Review of Green Day’s American Idiot at the Pantages Theatre

Hello!

I think that one of the best popular albums of the past decade is Green Day’s American Idiot. This 2004 album is musically perfect, and has great lyrics and a very good theme throughout. I am not the only one that likes the album – over 10 million copies were sold and it won a Grammy for Best Rock Album of 2005. In 2010 it was adapted to a stage musical that earned two Tony awards and great reviews, but I never got the chance to see it on Broadway. So, when the touring company made its stop at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood last month, we had to stop in to see what it was all about.

The Pantages has been a Hollywood cultural icon since it opened in 1930. It started as a vaudeville theatre, but it has hosted all manner of shows, operated as a movie theatre, and was even the home of the Academy Award Ceremonies for 10 years. Rumor has it that when Howard Hughes owned the theatre he had his offices on the second floor. Creepy. Anyway, the theatre had a $10 million renovation in 2000, and it is still in marvelous condition. For this show we had seats around the middle of the orchestra section, and were able to see and hear everything well. It is a lovely place to see a show, with the added bonus of easy parking (for $10) and plentiful places to dine before or after the show. It is certainly worth the drive!

The plot of American Idiot is relevant to today’s disaffected youth. It is the story of three young men, and how they deal with the pressures of living in the post-911 United States. The audience gets to watch them grow up as they take different paths to find themselves, and it is a mesmerizing event.

This is a wonderfully written show, with music Green Day, lyrics by Billie Joe Armstrong and a book by Armstrong and Michael Mayer, and this rock opera translates well to the stage. There is very little dialogue that is not sung, but the story still comes across loud and clear and it has a powerful message that clearly shows the divide between generations.

The 2014 version of American Idiot was a touring production that made stops throughout the United States, finishing up on May 25. The creative staff did a wonderful job, with Michael Mayer taking the directorial role, Steven Hoggett as choreographer, Christine Jones with set design, Kevin Adams with the lighting, and musical supervision by Tom Kitt. Between them they have won plenty of Tonys and a Pulitzer, so you know they were more than capable of creating a very tight show.

There are only seven main roles in the musical, with Jared Nepute, Casey O’Farrell and Dan Tracy taking the leads. After the show got rolling, they split the spotlight as the audience learned about the separate paths they were taking. Each of them has good rock chops, which is good considering the source material. The other four main characters and the ten members of the ensemble were responsible for maintaining the momentum and hitting their energetic dance cues, and they all did well (it was the end of the tour, so they had plenty of time to figure it out). By the way, as a middle-aged guy, it was striking how young the entire cast is.

Instead of a traditional orchestra in the pit, the music was presented on the stage by a five-piece rock band with the musical director, Evan Jay Newman, on keys, David Abrams and Diego Rojas on guitars, Josh Sebo on bass and Ben Marino on drums. Theses talented professionals set the mood, and there were no miscues or odd dynamics that drew away from the onstage action.

American Idiot’s sets are amazing and are definitely worthy of a Tony. Most striking were the arrays of video monitors that either played synchronized or random images to great effect. The rest of the sets were clever repurposed throughout, and the timing of the flyaways and on and off stage movements were impressive. Just seeing this was worth the price of admission -- it was a lot more complicated than most modern musical productions.

The lighting was well-done and cemented the mood for many of the scenes. And for a change I have nothing to complain about in the sound department. It was well-mixed, and I had no trouble focusing on and differentiating the music or vocals.

So, the plot was smart, the acting, singing, and dancing were excellent, and the music was tremendously popular even before the musical came out. What is not to like? When American Idiot comes around again, I heartily recommend that you get out see it. There is no doubt that they will put together another tour, as it was very successful this time around.

Mahalo!

Review of Musical Theatre West’s Young Frankenstein

Musical Theatre West has kicked off their 61st season with Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein, and unfortunately it was not entirely what I hoped it would be…

Musical Theatre West has been around since 1952, when it started out as the Whittier Civic Light Opera. Their productions evolved over time, and they went from being an all-volunteer operation to producing full seasons. They currently perform at the Richard and Karen Carpenter Performing Arts Center at Cal State Long Beach, which is a lovely venue with plenty of conveniently located parking.

This musical is based on Mel Brooks’ 1974 film, Young Frankenstein. After Brooks had such a huge success with his stage production of The Producers (also adapted from one of his movies), he went to work on this one. He wrote the songs and lyrics and Thomas Meehan contributed to the book. The show opened in 2007 and played on Broadway for a little over a year; since then it has been through a couple of national tours, and now it is available for regional productions.

The plot and characters mirror the movie fairly closely, and the few changes that Brooks and Meehan made do not alter the final outcome. This is a musical, and all of the leads (the good doctor, Elizabeth, Inga, Frau Blucher, Igor, the Inspector and the monster) each get to take on at least one song.

Young Frankenstein was well casted, and all of the leads did a super job. Their singing, dancing, acting and comic timing were spot on. The male leads include Zachary Ford as Dr.Frankenstein, Ben Liebert as Igor, and Danny Blaylock as the monster. They put on the big boy pants by taking on the roles that are personified by Gene Wilder, Marty Feldman and Peter Boyle. Liebert stole the show because his personality shined through consistently, and his character had the best lines which he nailed every time.

The ladies did a lovely job too, with Andi Davis as the lovely Inga, Tracy Lore as Frau Blucher and Rebecca Ann Johnson as Elizabeth (the doctor’s girlfriend). Each of these characters was more lewd than the next, culminating in a refreshing bit of girl/girl touching. All three are very good singers, and I could find no flaws with their performances, which is quite a compliment and they also face comparisons with the top-flight movie cast.

Lauren Kadel did well to follow the original direction and choreography that was put together by Susan Stroman. This is a complex (and lengthy) show, and it flowed nicely from scene to scene with no distractions. The sets were clever, but seemed a bit worn in spots, but keep in mind that my seat was very close to the stage. From that vantage point I did have the opportunity to see how good Jamie Brown’s costumes were. Jean-Yves Tessier’s lighting was very effective making the shadow dance scene come off wonderfully. Oh yes -- I loved the giant monster puppet.

The 14-piece orchestra was under the direction of Corey Hirsch, and they did well, but I was puzzled that the musician’s names did not appear in the program. A big plus was that the sound was right on track with a good mix, and the actors/singers were easy to understand.

It sounds like all of the right pieces are there, so what is my problem? Young Frankenstein is weak and is just not a very good stage musical. Unlike Brooks’ The Producers, this show is based on a hugely popular movie, so many of the comedic gags have been seen before. With most of the surprises gone, the flaws in the simplistic songs and awkward lyrics are very obvious-- Mel Brooks should collaborate more when he writes his musicals. Brooks’ score is simplistic and derivative of other works, and the lyrics were overly complicated and relied on dated comedic references. As a whole, none of the songs stood out as being the least bit special. Also, the nearly three-hour run time (an hour and a half to the intermission!) is a bit much to take.

If you decide to check Young Frankenstein out, it is playing through this weekend, and seats are still available. Be mindful that there is plenty of bawdy adult content, and I would certainly not take a child to this show.

The Musical Theatre West 2013-2014 season is looking up after this one, with The Music Man, ‘S Wonderful and Beauty and the Beast on tap. Check out their website at musical.org for details about tickets and packages.

Review of Evita at the Pantages Theater in Hollywood California

Hello!

Somehow I have managed to make it this far through life without ever seeing Evita, one of the more popular modern musicals. Well, I remedied this oversight last weekend at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood, California.

The Pantages has been a mainstay of Hollywood culture since it opened in 1930. It started as a vaudeville theatre, but it has hosted all manner of shows, operated as a movie theatre, and was even the home of the Academy Award Ceremonies for 10 years. Rumor has it that when Howard Hughes owned the theatre he had his offices on the second floor. Creepy. Anyway, the theatre had a $10 million renovation in 2000, and it is still in marvelous condition. For this show we had seats near the back of the orchestra section, and were able to see and hear everything well. It is a lovely place to see a show, with the added bonus of easy parking (for $10) and plentiful places to dine before or after the show. It is certainly worth the drive…

The plot of Evita is fairly simple. It is the story of Eva, a young woman from the country that used everything she had (in every way possible) to claw her way to the top. This culminated in her marriage to Juan Peron (who would become president), and she became the spiritual leader of Argentina. She died of cancer at the age of 33, and reached a level of sainthood amongst a portion of the populace. This musical provides a decidedly one-sided view of these events, so I would encourage you to do some research on her, as it is quite an amazing story.

This is a wonderfully written show, with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, and book by Tim Rice, and it holds up well from when it was first produced in 1978. There is very little dialogue that is not sung, but the story still comes across loud and clear. Overall, the musical is very well-regarded, and it has won a trunkload of awards over the years.

The 2013 version of Evita is a touring production, and it is making stops throughout the United States. The creative staff have done a wonderful job, with Michael Grandage taking the directorial role, Rob Ashford as choreographer, Christopher Oram with scenic and costume design and Neil Austin with the lighting. They took all of these elements and created a very tight show.

Caroline Bowman took the lead, and Eva has to be one of the most difficult musical theatre roles ever. There is a metric ton of stage time, and most of it is spent singing complicated lyrics. She played the role well, as she had the chops to pull off the singing, dancing and acting. Che (the narrator) was played by Josh Young, and though this character is like tape that covers over significant holes in the story, he did a very nice job with it. And lastly, Sean MacLaughlin played Juan Peron, which was a surprisingly small role for the president to take.

Over 20 cast members were in the ensemble, and they helped make the show for me. They were great singers and dancers, and a good chorus is the essential glue that holds a show together.

William Waldrop conducted the 17-piece orchestra that was mostly staffed with local musicians. Keyboards were used extensively to help make the mood in many of the scenes, and overall the orchestra did a fabulous job. There were no miscues or odd dynamics that drew away from the onstage action, which is just as it should be.

Evita’s sets are first-rate, and in current style are relatively simple and are repurposed to achieve different effects and scenes. I especially liked the building façade that could be made into an indoor or outdoor scene simply by moving it, rearranging the chandeliers and re-lighting it. Also, the conversion of Eva’s steamer trunks into a dais and her hospital bed into a coffin were quite clever. They were able to provide historical newsreel footage concurrently with some of the scenes, which could have been confusing, but actually worked out very well.

The lighting was well-done and cemented the mood for many of the scenes. And for a change I have nothing to complain about in the sound department. It was well-mixed, and I had no trouble focusing on and differentiating the music or vocals.

I heartily recommend that you get out and see Evita while it is still in Los Angeles, so you had better hurry before the show closes on November 10. And if you live out of the area, this is just the start of their tour, and they will be travelling all over the country before they finish up in June 2014 in South Carolina.

Mahalo!

Review of Priscilla Queen of the Desert at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood, California

Aloha!

I recently had the opportunity of the Priscilla Queen of the Desert stage musical at the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles, and was blown away by the production. This is fun show that is really well done, and it was definitely worth the braving the terrible traffic to get there.

The stage show is adapted from the 1994 movie by the same name. This film is a cult classic, with a fairly bizarre storyline. It is a tale of two drag queens and a transsexual woman that travel across Australia from Sydney to Alice Springs to perform a drag act, and meet the surprise son of one of the drag queens. Priscilla is the name of the tour bus that they use for the journey, and you can probably figure out the queen thing for yourself. It is full of sexist stereotypes and a bit of mild racism, but is still a pretty fun movie in a campy way. I liked it…

Priscilla Queen of the Desert was adapted into a musical in 2006 (also in Australia), and eventually moved on to Europe and Broadway in New York. The 2011 Broadway version was produced by veteran show woman Bette Midler. It was well-received by audiences and critics, and was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award Best New Musical award, and picked up a Tony for Best Costume Design.

This rendition of Priscilla is the first national tour of the musical, which kicked off earlier this year at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis, and will finish up in September in Denver. The basic story follows that of the movie, with a few plot difference and timing changes, and includes a couple dozen singing and dancing numbers, mostly based on 1970s and 1980s pop and disco tunes. This show has a truly fun playlist, and a great book by Stephan Elliott and Alan Scott, the story carries very well from the movie to the theatre. Well, it is quite a bit happier than the movie, actually, which is what I had hoped for.

The sets and lighting were spectacular. The centerpiece is Priscilla, and it moved about on stage as needed and turned around so you could see its festive interior for some of the scenes. It also had oodles of built in lights so it could change colors as needed, and there were a number of sequences that took place on its. It was a striking effect and it really made the show for me.

The costumes were equally good. There were plenty of changes, and each one was more outlandish than the one before. Costume designers Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardner really outdid themselves.

The leads were well-chosen for their roles, and they did an admirable job of singing, dancing and acting. Wade McCollum took the lead as Tick (or Mitzi), and I felt true empathy for his character’s troubles. Scott Willis played Bernadette (the older transsexual), and Bryan West took on the role of Adam (Felicia). Willis and West had a great chemistry and the conflict from their opposing roles (traditional versus Modern drag queen) was really something to behold. West’s “Material Girl” was a awe-inspiring!

Joe Hart did a fine job as the “straight man,” as he was quite believable. I felt a little bad for Chelsea Zeno, who had to play the role of Cynthia, Bob’s gold-digging wife. She did well, but the role is racist and comes from misogynistic angle, and I don’t think it has a place in a 21st century musical.

The ensemble was a feast for all of the senses, with a pack of hunky and bitchy male dancers in almost no clothes, and a trio of divas that would miraculous appear all over the stage (and above) to sing for the masses. Well done, Emily Afton, Bre Jackson, and Brit West!

The orchestra was small (about 10 folks), but how many musicians do you need for the 70s and 80s hits they were cranking out? They did a fine job of capturing the spirit of the originals, while giving them a unique tone, and I did not hear any miscues.

The only bad thing I have to say is that though the musical and vocals were great the sound engineer did a terrible job of mixing them. The vocals were often overpowered by the guitar and bass, which is a shame for everybody involved.

Despite this trouble, I have to wholeheartedly recommend Priscilla Queen of the Desert. The book, singing, acting dancing, costumes, sets and lighting were all spot on. It was the craziest and most fun musical I have ever seen, and it provided a 2 ½ hour escape from reality, which is exactly what I expect from musical theatre. The tour has left Los Angeles, but if it comes your way you have to check it out when it hits your town – you will be glad you did!

Mahalo!

Review of A Chorus Line by Musical Theatre West at the Carpenter Center in Long Beach, CA

Aloha!

Musical Theatre West is a true Southland treasure, and for their 60th anniversary season they selected a bunch of really solid shows, including an all-time favorite: A Chorus Line. It is always a treat to see this show, and if you have not seen it in person, this is a great opportunity to see it in a fun venue!

On the off chance that you know nothing at all about A Chorus Line, here are some essential tidbits. This is one of the most successful musicals in Broadway history, debuting in 1975, and running for over 6,000 performances during its first run. It won 9 Tony awards and a Pulitzer Prize along the way (I did not know they had a Pulitzer for drama).

It deserved these awards as the writing is first-rate, with music by Marvin Hamlisch, lyrics by Edward Kleban and a book by James Kirkwood, Jr. and Nicholas Dante. The story is about a group of Broadway dancers that are auditioning for places on a chorus line, and we learn about them through their stories and interactions with the director. Some songs you may know from A Chorus Line are "Nothing," "What I Did For Love," and "One.” Some of the pop culture references are dated, but overall the musical remains timeless (plus it would be a shame to remove the George Harrison references).

If you have seen the show before, you will not surprised by the sets, which are minimal. They use the traditional rotating mirrored panels, which they must have sourced from one of the big set rental places. They were tatty in spots, and a distraction from the close-up seats.

With almost no scenery, the lighting becomes a huge deal, and the lights were fabulous. There are a lot of dialogue and singing scenes that use lighting to highlight individual performers, and Jean-Yves Tessier’s lighting designs hit the mark every time.

The costumes may seem a bit easier, as they are supposed to represent typical dancer practice attire, but if you stop a think about it for a minute, there was a lot of planning that went into selecting togs for each performer. Each character has a distinct personality, and their clothing summed up each of them succinctly. Of course, the finale used the typical sparkly top-hat costumes, and these were up to par. Possibly these were rented too?

The orchestra pit was empty, so it would be easy to assume that they used canned music, but executive director / producer Paul Garman made it a point to tell the audience beforehand that there was a 20-piece orchestra on stage behind the panels. This is the way A Chorus Line was originally presented, so good on them. But what a terrible sin it is that there was no mention of this in the program, nor was there a list of the musicians who performed. What a shame, because they did a fabulous job. I will give the musical director no credit for his contributions since he did not make sure that his musicians got their fair share. Unfortunately I may be related to him…

Despite the good performances, the sound engineers did not do a good job with the orchestra or the vocalists. Many times the vocals were drowned out by the orchestra, which is unfortunate, as there are so many clever lyrics in this show. Their production of Oklahoma! had the same problem, so they certainly need to look into this.

Due to the nature of A Chorus Line, it would be quite a surprise if the dancing and acting were not up to par and there were no disappointments here. I thought the cast was well-chosen and very talented, and that Roger Castellano did an admirable job with the choreography. I wish I could write a little bit about all of the actors/dancers, but I am afraid that would be a tad dull, so I should stick with the true standouts.

The leads of Zach (the director) and his ex-girlfriend Cassie were both well-done by Chuck Saculla and Chryssie Whitehead, although I had a hard time believing that Cassie was supposed to be too old for the chorus, as she still looks quite young. But there were some other truly outstanding performances from the supporting cast.

Steven Rada is at the top of my list, as his portrayal of Paul (the young man who got into the business in the drag queen revue) was truly heartfelt. His dancing was spectacular, but his acting was even better. With the quality of his performance, I expect we will see a lot more of him.

His counterpoint was Ayme Olivo, who took the role of Diana. She had two big singing numbers, “Nothing” and “What I did for Love,” and she knocked them both out of the park. She was very convincing, and her character’s love of show business was very believable.

Theresa Murray portrayed the perfect Kristine (the girl that just cannot sing). I bet she really can sing, and she certainly can act and her comedic timing is perfect.

And lastly, I am jealous of Marco Ramos, who is as skinny as a rail and can sing like a girl. My god he was ideal for this role!

Overall, this was a great rendition of A Chorus Line. Musical Theatre West was able to capture the spirit of the original 1970’s production while entertaining a 20th-century audience, which is no small task. I love having such a great theatre company in my own backyard.

Sadly, I must chide the other audience members for some truly awful breaches of theatre etiquette as there were more than enough fools in attendance that were unable to silence their cell phones. Damn it, and damn them. I hope they get terrible cold sores and their phones break before their contracts are up.

Despite this, the Carpenter Center is a fine place to see a show. You do not have to drive to Hollywood and hassle with parking, and all of the 1,000 seats in the house are very good. But, I would be remiss if I did not warn parents that this is not a good musical to take young kids to. There is plenty of rough language and mature subject matter, plus this show runs two hours with no intermission. Get a babysitter and save yourself a lot of heartache.

Due to demand, they added a few more shows, but A Chorus Line is closing on Sunday, April 28, so you only have a few more opportunities to catch the show. There are still a few seats available, so check www.musical.org for details. The Carpenter Performing Arts Center is located at 6200 East Atherton Street in Long Beach on the campus of Cal State Long Beach, and parking is $5.

Mahalo!

Pantages Theatre 2013-2014 Season

Aloha!

I have really enjoyed out Broadway L.A. 2012-2013 season ticket package, so I was excited when I got the announcement letter for the 2013-2014 season at the Pantages. It looks like there is going to be a lot of good stuff going on there in the next year!

The Pantages is located at Hollywood and Vine in Hollywood California, and it has been a Southern California treasure since it opened in 1930. It started as a vaudeville theatre, but it has hosted all manner of shows, operated as a movie theatre, and was even the home of the Academy Award Ceremonies for 10 years. Rumor has it that when Howard Hughes owned the theatre he had his offices on the second floor. Creepy. Anyway, the theatre had a $10 million renovation in 2000, and it is still in marvelous condition.

The Pantages is the place to go for musicals in Los Angeles, and I had a blast at each of the shows I attended this season. The music, sets and acting were fabulous in each of them. This seasons’ line-up includes:

Book of Mormon -- starts January 21, 2014

The Lion King -- November 20, 2013 to January 12, 2014

Once -- July 15 to August 10, 2014

The Wizard of OZ -- September 17 to October 6, 2013

Evita – October 23 to November 10, 2013

Ghost – June 27 to July 13, 2014

The Music of Andre Lloyd Webber – June 3 to June 22, 2014

Optional add-on shows include War Horse and Green Day’s American Idiot.

If you do not want to buy the whole season, they will let you drop Book of Mormon and/or The Lion King. These are the most popular shows, so there is not really going to be much flexibility with the packages. For more ticket information, including show times and prices, check out their web site at www.hollywoodpantages.com

As usual, I will be writing reviews for each of the shows that I will be attending, so stay tuned to Rex and the Bass.

Mahalo!

Musical Theatre West’s Oklahoma! Review

Howdy!

Musical Theatre West assembled a terrific season for their 60th anniversary and they have included one of my top five favorite musicals – Oklahoma! I think every single person in the western hemisphere has seen this musical, either the Academy Award-winning 1955 big screen version (with the smoking hot Shirley Jones and that dreamy Gordon MacRae), or in person. Heck, many of you probably were in the musical in high school…

In case you grew up under an uncultured rock, here are a few key details. This was Rodgers and Hammerstein’s first hit book musical, and it is now 70 years old. It is set in pre-statehood Oklahoma in 1907, and is an age-old love story of men fighting for the love of lovely young prairie gals, and conflict abounds. Besides the title track, there are quite a few great songs, including “Kansas City,” “People Will Say We’re in Love,” and “I Cain’t Say No.” And there is also a Rodgers and Hammerstein dream ballet, which they revisited in subsequent shows, such as Carousel.

Musical Theatre West staffed this show with a live orchestra and a big cast that are led by Davis Gaines as director (his debut in the role), Lee Martino as choreographer and Dennis Castellano as musical director. Apparently this is a symbiotic relationship as the acting, dancing and music were perfectly integrated throughout. Anthony Ward went with a more modern stage design, with sparse sets, and it worked out well, and Jean-Yves Tessier’s lighting and Jessica Olson’s costumes were also very good. The sound was not consistent – the singers were occasionally drowned out by the pit orchestra (which was also mic’d), so I am blaming the sound guys for this one.

Despite the dicey sound, the cast really pulled this show off. The main love triangle of Curley (Bryant Martin), Laurey (Madison Claire Parks) and Jud (Christopher Newell) was perfect. Actually, it is not really a love triangle, as everybody hates Jud, but all three of these actors had a great chemistry with each other and were very believable. Martin and Parks voices were well-matched, which is vital as their duets are integral to the show. And Newell’s take on Jud Fry was appropriately scary and creepy.

Contrasting with this serious relationship is the comedic love triangle of Ado Annie (Teya Patt), Will Parker (Luke Hawkins) and Ali Hakim (Amin El Gamal). Patt’s version of Annie is perhaps the best I’ve seen and her confidence on the stage translates well to the character. Hawkins worked dancing magic but still kept his cowboy persona, and Gamal had perfect comedic timing.

The dancing was universally good, climaxing with the dream ballet sequence. This is never my favorite part of the show as I feel it kills the flow, but it was very well done. Lee Martino’s showed inventiveness with her choreography, and it was very well laid-out, and at times even unabashedly sexy. The ensemble was stocked with capable dancers, and Katya Preiser and Steve Ewing were breathtaking as Dream Laurey and Dream Curly.

For a change, the Carpenter Center was the weak link of this production. The parking guys had their heads in their butts, the temperature of the theatre was freezing, and I have never seen longer restroom lines -- I think all 1000 people at the show must have had to go pee at the intermission. I am willing to forgive this because this is usually a great place to see a show, and the rest of the performance was so great.

Rising above the problems with the venue and the sound, Musical Theatre West really knocked this one out of the park, and it turned out to be a great three hour show! Not only was this the best show I have seen MTW perform, it is the best live version of Oklahoma! I have ever attended. If you are only familiar with the movie version, you are in for a treat if you see this show as there is a lot of stuff they left out of the film.

Oklahoma! closes this Sunday, so you only have a few more opportunities to catch the show, and there are still a few seats available, so check www.musical.org for details. The Carpenter Performing Arts Center is located at 6200 East Atherton Street in Long Beach, on the campus of Cal State Long Beach, and parking is $5.

Mahalo!

Musical Theatre West 42nd Street Review

Buenos dias, amigos!

Musical Theatre West has kicked off their 60th season with an old favorite, 42nd Street. This musical is based on the novel by Bradford Ropes and its subsequent 1933 film adaptation. It debuted on Broadway in 1980 and has become a staple of regional theatre since then.

This is the story of director Julian Marsh and his efforts to debut a new musical comedy, Pretty Lady, in the midst of the economic ruin of the Great Depression. Subplots include the romantic life and waning career of the aging leading lady Dorothy Brock, and the travails of Peggy Sawyer as she breaks into show business and becomes a star. There are a few easily recognizable songs, including “We’re in the Money,” “Lullaby of Broadway,” and (of course) “42nd Street.” Tragically, “I Only Have Eyes for You” was left out of this version.

This show has music by the legendary Harry Warren, lyrics by Al Dublin and a book from Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble. The fictional Pretty Lady has no plot, and 42nd Street does little better, with lots of great song and dance numbers that are barely held together with a story, but it does not really matter. This is pure entertainment with something for everyone, and every show does not have to be the next My Fair Lady or Les Miserables.

Musical Theatre West has gone all out to make 42nd Street a success, with a live orchestra and a huge cast that is well suited to this show. Jon Engstrom took the role of director and choreographer, and the show was a visually exciting experience. The music was beautiful and well paced by musical director Michael Borth, who knows the score like the back of his hand.

The wardrobe was great, with a few odd choices, such as the Renaissance Fair-clad paperboy, but the rental sets were a bit tatty around the edges. That is probably my fault for getting seats too close to the stage. The sound guys did a perfect job, and the cast was perfectly mic’d, which I do not hear very often. The guys at the Book of Mormon Pantages shows could have learned a thing or two from these guys. As always, the Carpenter Center is a neat place to see a show, and I do not think that any of the 1000 seats are bad.

42nd Street was well cast, with Damon Kirshe taking the lead as Julian Marsh. He is a classically good-looking man and quite a strong singer too. He has an impressive stage presence, and though his character had more than its fair share of clichés in the script, he played them off well with just the right touch of imperiousness, greasiness and emotion. Tracy Lore is a doll with a beautiful voice; her character (Dorothy Brock) is supposed to have two left feet, but Tracy shows an incredible amount of grace and poise on stage. And Tessa Grady was darling as Peggy Sawyer, with incredible tap work, golden lyrics and the ultimate starry-eyed hopeful guise. She stole the show.

The chorus is a huge part of this show, and they were all very good. From their epic tap routine that started the show to the finale, “42nd Street” they kept it together and added a lot to every scene they were in. Without their dancing and singing skills (and their dizzying number of costume changes), this show would have been impossible to pull off.

Musical Theatre West hit it out of the park with 42nd Street, and it was a pleasurable 2 ½ hours for me and my wife. We are looking forward to their next production, Oklahoma!, which is a show with a lot better book and some truly incredible songs. I am sure that this crew will be able to pull it off with no problems.

42nd Street closes this Sunday, so you only have four more opportunities to catch the show: November 8th, 9th and 10th at 8pm, and November 11 at 2PM. The Carpenter Performing Arts Center is located at 6200 East Atherton Street in Long Beach, on the campus of Cal State Long Beach, and parking is $5. There are still a few seats available, so check musical.org for details.

Mahalo!

Review of The Addams Family Musical Comedy at the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles

Greetings!

I love musical theatre and was excited to get out last weekend to check out the touring production of The Addams Family. This show was at the beautifully restored Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles, which is a fabulous place to visit. It was also a bargain ($22 orchestra seat)s, so it was a no-brainer when I was thinking about picking up tickets.

I will admit that the concept of making a musical from a 1960’s TV sitcom (or a 75-year old cartoon) indicates that there really are no new ideas out there. But the characters are classic and so well known that less character development is needed, which comes in handy when telling a story through a stage musical.

The Addams Family musical comedy opened on Broadway in 2010 with Bebe Neuwirth and Nathan Lane in the leading roles. It initially received kind of stinky reviews as the plot was lame, which is surprising because the book was written by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, and the music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa. These are not nubes. Since then it has been re-written, and through countless performances little tweaks have been made to turn this into a very good show. You’ll have to trust me on this, because I am not going to spoil the plot for you (this time).

This 2+ hour show (with an intermission) uses a real orchestra made up of about a dozen folks, most of whom are local performers. This includes keyboards, drums and other percussion, electric guitars and bass, strings, brass and woodwinds. A little bit of everything. I love having live music at a show, and they were very good, though the sound was a but muddy and thumpy at times (particularly in the second act).

As this is a touring production, the sets could not be as fantastic as the Broadway show, so the designers had to get creative. The minimal set changes were well mitigated by clever use of the curtains and lighting as well as the movement of smaller elements. This led to an efficient flow and made each scene feel unique.

The Addams’ costumes were exactly what you would expect if you have seen the tv show. Morticia was able to show off her goodies well, and came up with a surprise at the end too. The costume folks were able to use their creativity when putting together the Addams ancestors’ togs, and did a fine job.

The puppetry was also fun, as it allowed a few extra characters into the mix. This also helped out with set changes and helped tell a few other parts of the story. You will see what I mean if you get around to seeing the show.

All of these things are needed for the show to make it, but there is one last piece, and that is the cast. Fortunately The Addams Family has a solid cast, because these characters are so well known.

The main character in this show is the patriarch, Gomez Addams, who is played by Douglas Sills, a Tony-nominated actor with oodles of experience. He has a good voice, stage presence, and fine comedic timing. And he is a nice looking man, too.

Sara Gettelfinger was chosen to play Morticia, the deadpan mother of the year candidate. I already mentioned that she wore the costume well, but she also has a strong voice and can dance well. This is a tough role to fill, because everybody expects her to act just like the television Morticia. She did fine.

The main love interests (and causes of all the Addams family’s problems) were Wednesday Addams and Lucas Beineke, who were played by Cortney Wolfson and Brian Justin Crum, respectively. Their performances were adequate, but there was nothing they did to make them stand out from the thousands of other pretty actors who make a run at the big time every year.

Grandma Addams was almost a non-entity in the show, other than providing a few comic spots, and being the delivery device for some of the plot devices. Uncle Fester (Blake Hammond) could have stolen the show but his part was simply not quite good enough. His big number towards the end was entertaining, but at the same time made me wonder what kind of drugs the authors were taking when they wrote it. It was a real Twin Peaks moment.

None of the shortcomings I mentioned above were dealbreakers, and I still found The Addams Family to be very entertaining. It is a heck of a value, and you should check it out when it comes to your town!

Mahalo!