Review of A Christmas Carol at the Long Beach Playhouse

Hiya!

Recently, my son had to attend a stage play for his high school drama class, and looking around on the internet my wife found that the Long Beach Playhouse was currently running their version of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, and since it was convenient we picked up some tickets. I was not super enthusiastic about this, but it really worked out well and we all had a great time.

The Long Beach Playhouse has been around since 1929, and during this time they have put on more than 1,000 shows, which is not surprising considering they put on a new show every three weeks. This really is a local treasure, and over 35,000 people. This company has their own facility with two different stages, and A Christmas Carol was performed in their 200-seat Mainstage Theatre.

This is the fourth time that these folks have put on this show, and it is different every time. The basic story is what you will expect it to be, but it has been re-imagined by Gregory Cohen with direction by 'Phie Mura
 and scenic design by Andrew Vonderschmitt. There are only ten actors, so they play multiple roles, and scenery and props are kept to a minimum to the point where the actors are the props and scenery at times (Lisa March did a fantastic job as the fireplace).

But, just because the production has been stripped in some areas this does not mean that the audience is missing out on anything. As this is such a small theatre it is very intimate and the crowd is drawn into the transformation of Ebinezer Scrooge from a miserable old git into a slightly manic do-gooder.

The play moves along quickly, coming in at around 90 minutes with an intermission at the 45 minute mark. All of themes of the original story are kept, and the actors are wonderful. Scrooge was played by Gregory Cohen, and he nailed the essence of the elderly miser. Other standout performance were Leigh Hayes as the Ghost of Christmas Past and Gary Williams as the Ghost of Christmas Present. And who could not love Carmel Artstein’s take on Tiny Tim! The other players did very well too, and there was hardly a flubbed line or missed cue to be found. You would be hard-pressed to find a community theatre that could do better.

The cast crew, music, staging and direction all came together and it was really a terrific show. As I said earlier, I did not really want to go but I ended up having a great time and it put me into the spirit of the holiday season. Long Beach Playhouse’s A Christmas Carol is a wonderful experience that is uniquely staged, and if you are a local I recommend that you get out to see it before it closes on Sunday, December 20.

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!

Review: Bullets over Broadway, the Musical at the St. James Theatre in New York City

Hello!

If you love musical theatre, you owe it to yourself to see at least one show on Broadway in your lifetime. No matter how good the 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 roles are filled only the best are selected. Also, after a show had played for a few months, 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 last month I got to check out Woody Allen’s Bullets over Broadway, the Musical at the St. James Theatre on 44th Street next to Sardi’s. This 1700-seat house opened in 1927, and it is an interesting place to see a show. The seats are tiny, and legroom is tight, and if you are in the balcony there are oodles of steps to walk up, and no elevator in sight. Luckily our show was not sold out, so we could spread out a little in the balcony. It is a cool theatre, though, with great acoustics and pretty good lines of sight, not to mention $18 cocktails.

Bullets over Broadway is based on Woody Allan’s 1994 film of the same name. The film had an all-star cast and was well-received, with seven Academy Award nominations (and Dianne Wiest winning for Best Supporting Actress), and positive critical reviews. I don’t think it did so hot at the box office, but that was not enough to keep Allan from seeing how well Mel Brooks did with The Producers, and taking a shot at making it a Broadway musical.

The show opened at the St. James in April of this year, and the plot follows fairly closely to that of the movie. The show is set in the late 1920s in New York City, and it is the story of a playwriter (David) who gets his show financed by agreeing to hire a gangster’s girlfriend (Olive) to be one of the leads, even though she cannot act. The show is terrible, but the woman’s bodyguard (Cheech) makes suggestions to improve the play and ends up rewriting the whole thing. This story has everything: dancing girls, adultery, violence, betrayal, substance abuse and eating disorders. What more could you ask for?

Woody wrote the movie and adapted it for the stage musical, and the production is directed and choreographed by Susan Stroman and produced by Julian Schlossberg and Letty Aronson. They took the easy route on the score, and used popular songs from the 1920s and 1930s. Musical Supervisor Glen Kelly adapted these songs and added some lyrics here and there. Meh.

Almost everything is there for Bullets over Broadway, the Musical to be a hit. The Santo Loquasto sets are first rate, with a great rotation of elements that come up through the floor. William Ivey Lon’s costumes are gorgeous, and the lighting and sound are spot on. The audience can see and hear everything perfectly, unless they cannot see around the person in front of them, of course. They even had a dog and a Model A Ford that cruised around the stage!

There is a huge cast working on this show, including a 19-piece orchestra under the direction of Andy Einhorn, a 16 member ensemble, a 7 member chorus line and 22 credited cast members. God know how many crewmembers are behind the scenes.

They did not skimp on the cast, and they got Zach Braff to take the lead part of David Dhyne, and Vincent Pastore to play the gangster, Nick Valenti, and Nick Cordero to play Cheech. This is Braff’s Broadway debut and he did very well, with good acting skills and passable dancing and singing. Pastore’s acting was wooden and singing was terrible, but he was supposed to be a gangster, so he gets a pass. But Cordero’s portrayal of Cheech stole the show – he has stage presence galore and is on his way to bigger and better things. The female roles were more secondary, which is not surprising in a Woody Allan production, but all performed their parts flawlessly.

It was disappointing that they could not be bothered to write original music for a Broadway show, but that is the only criticism that I have. It is much faster-paced and more exciting than the movie, and I think the story translated well to the stage. It certainly is funny and entertaining, which is a nice outcome from an evening at the theatre!

I think it is worth your time to check it out Woody Allan’s Bullets over Broadway, The Musical if you are in the New York City area in the next month. It is supposed to close on August 24, and who knows what the future plans are for the show. It might be too big to take on tour....

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 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!

Review of Jekyll and Hyde at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood, California

Aloha!

Although I love the classics I still enjoy getting out to see newer musicals, so it was refreshing to see Jekyll & Hyde at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood this weekend. It is not exactly a new show,though, as it has been around since 1997.

This stage musical is an adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1886 novella, Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Using music by Frank Wildhorn and Leslie Bricusse’s book, this Tony-nominated musical had its original run on Broadway from 1997 to 2001. You may be familiar with one of its songs, "This is the Moment" which was played a few times at the Olympics. Also, the original run got a lot of press due to some notable cast replacements for Dr. Jekyll (and Mr. Hyde), including Sebastian Bach from Skid Row and David Hasselhoff. Seriously. Since 2001, there have been a few touring productions, but I never had the opportunity to attend any of them.

To prepare for its Broadway revival in April 2013, Jekyll & Hyde kicked off a 25-week tour in San Diego with 15 stops along the way. The score has been streamlined and the production modernized to appeal to a more widespread audience. The leads include Constantine Maroulis in the title role, with Deborah Cox as Lucy and Teal Wicks performing Emma’s role.

The Pantages is my favorite place in Los Angeles to see a musical show. Parking is easy (easy for Hollywood, anyway), and it is a beautifully restored Art Deco theatre. The venue is laid out well, and there are really not any bad seats. Unlike other recent shows I have been to recently, the crowd was bereft of old folks and little kids. Perhaps the mature subject matter and the dark story drove them away. The show was sold out anyway…

Jekyll & Hyde is a visual treat, thanks to Tobin Ost. The stage was set with lighted margins that could be moved to crop the individual scenes perfectly. They used a limited number of set panels that were moved, turned and angled so that projected images on them could portray different locales, ideas and images. Jeff Croiter’s lighting was neatly accomplished, and overall the sparse scenery was so innovative and efficient that I was blown away.

Besides handling the scenic design, Ost was also in charge of costumes. He captured the spirit of late 19th century London and clothed the diverse cast of characters perfectly. This show included every kind of person from prostitutes to clergy, with plenty of other classes filling the spaces in between.

This production is staffed with a 12-piece orchestra under the direction of Steven Landau, with a few core members that are augmented with local musicians as the tour moves from city to city. They are professionals and with the way they performed the well-written score there was nothing for me to criticize. The overall sound was fine with just a few instances where the singers were too soft, but then again it is really tricky to get a musical like this perfectly mic’d.

The cast for Jekyll & Hyde was well-chosen, with Constantine Maroulis taking the title roles, Deborah Cox playing Lucy the gorgeous prostitute, and Teal Wicks as Jekyll’s fiancé, Emma. All of them are fine singers and good actors, and they were only limited by the material they were asked to perform. The secondary cast of characters were also very good, and the singing ability of the chorus was perhaps the best I have ever seen.

So, everything was in place for this to be a fine show and it was very entertaining, but it could have been so much better if the lyrical content had not been so flat. The songs that Maroulis had to sing had too many words in them so they came off awkwardly. The show tries to convey too many details via song and it became rather muddled, especially during the first act. Had Bricusse used half as many words to tell the story, it would have been so much more effective – it is not like the plot is that complicated. In contrast, the songs that Cox and Wicks sang were so much more simple and beautiful that it was really quite jarring.

I am glad I finally got to see this show, but this very good production could have been perfect with a few re-writes. It is worth seeing just for the opportunity to see Deborah Cox, who stole the show.

Anyway, your chance to see Jekyll & Hyde in Los Angeles has passed, but there will be a few more stops on the tour, including Des Moines and West Palm Beach. And, of course it will be playing Broadway from April 18 to June 30, 2013, at the Marquis Theatre with the same leads. Check it out if you get the chance!

By the way, it was recently announced that Mike Medavoy and Rick Nicita are planning to release a film adaptation of this musical in collaboration with the original authors Frank Wildhorn and Leslie Bricusse. I am looking forward to seeing what they come up with.

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!

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!