Love Never Ends: Sequel to Phantom of the Opera

DVD Live on April 11, 2011 @ Sydney's Melbourne Theatre 

Love Never Dies picks up 10 years after the finale to The Phantom of the Opera. It is set in 1907, which we are to understand is 10 years after the original Phantom (which actually took place in 1881, but who cares). It is also the lovechild of Side Show + Barnum + the original Phantom, with hints of Titantic, Show Boat, Cabaret, & Ragtime. I was surprised at how well this musical created a nostalgia for Phantom (my very first Broadway show) while still creating a setting all its' own [click HERE is a full plot, including spoilers]. Overall, I was not disappointed, which is a surprising feat for a musical sequel of this proportion. The storyline was engaging, the characters were developed, the songs were sufficient, and the staging was fresh, stylish, & innovative. It's not a show I'd justify buying tickets for, but the Netflix selection was pretty good time. Now, some musical highlights: 

Love Never Dies 

A lovely song. I love it in Love Never Dies almost as much as I loved it in The Beautiful Game. 

The Beauty Underneath 
A weird, Vegas-esque duet showing the eeerrie bond/similarities between the Phantom & Christine's 10-year-old son.

Dear Old Friend

A great quartet about the awkward reuniting dance between Christine, Raoul, Meg, & Mme. Giry.

Big Fish: World Premiere

I didn't love this movie, but also hadn't seen it in so long that I forgot why. Luckily, the movie was on TV the other day, so it gave me a chance to remember the cause for my distaste. It wasn't that the movie was so bad; a cast comprised of Ewan McGregor, Alison Lohman, Jessica Lange, Billy Crudup, & Albert Finney with direction by Tim Burton couldn't really be that bad. It’s that Daniel Wallace’s short story was not a great cinematic fit; luckily this short story was created for a musical theatre adaptation; the artistry, interpretation, & performance quality of this production not only exceeded my expectations, but set a new Broadway bar in my book. The grandiose story-telling & picture-painting in this musical is reason why the musical exists: sometimes there are moments & emotions so substantial that nothing short of a song preformed in a setting of suspended reality will suffice to communicate them. 

10 REASONS WHY BIG FISH RULED: 

• PRE-BROADWAY WORLD PREMIERE: It is a rare & awesome opportunity to see a pre-Broadway tour that everyone should take advantage of whenever possible. 
• REMINISCENCE OF CLASSIC MUSICALS: Musicals are not islands. A Great American Musical cannot exist without influence from an authentic theme & its’ predecessor musicals. Big Fish’s most notable musical influences derived from: the schmoozy traveling salesman dynamic + all-American, Pleasantville set from The Music Man; Side Show’s freak-show/circus dynamic; Whistle Down the Wind’s sad,  Southern, & hopeful sound; & the contemporary sound/energy of Spring Awakening. 
• WATERLAND by GRAHAM SWIFT: Waterland is one of my favorite novels of all time. The basic premise is that, just as our bodies are 90% water & 10% mass, our beings are 90% past & 10% present. Will Bloom [Edward's son] presented a similar metaphor: 10% of an iceberg shows over the ocean while 90% still swims under the sea. It is strange how the imagery surrounding swamps, cycles, & water consistently serves to force us to re-visit our pasts & picture our futures, but it is an effective & dynamic image that was utilized impeccably in this production. This water/reality is a interesting theory in which I have always found truth & I was excited to find one of my universal truths present in this bright, new musical. Go read this book after you see the show!

• SUSAN STROMAN: Ms. Stroman is an all-star who has won 5 Tony Awards for direction & choreography, most notably nabbing a record-breaking 12 Tony Awards for a little show called The Producers (which also made its’ pre-Broadway debut in Chicago). But, more importantly, she & I share Wilmington, DE as our home-town. Thank you for representing women in theatre from the greatest little city in the world, Ms. Stroman! [if you are reading this, Ms. Stroman, let’s go get some meatball sandwiches from Wawa, Italian ice from Rita’s, or a Bobbie from Capriotti’s…anytime, my treat.]
• CHOREOGRAPHER/DIRECTOR DYNAMIC: Playwrights frequently turn director, but the case is not so frequent for choreographers turned director. Personally, I think that choreographers make excellent directors: they make their staging choices are more inventive, exotic, excellent, & (above all) GRACEFUL. That grace was especially necessary for a show with such extensive sets.
• THE SETS: Seriously, there were 30 sets & they weren’t cop-out sets that incorporated slight changes to differentiate…they were fulfilling, imaginative, differing sets that used every inch of stage space & every application of creative & contemporary innovations. We were taken to the inside the belly of a giant fish, a daffodils field, a circus ring, split-set hospital rooms, a witch’s woods, scooping elephant’s poop behind the circus curtain, the list goes on & on & on...

• KATE BALDWIN as Sandra Bloom: In the film, the role was shared by Alison Lohman & Jessica Lange, but Ms. Baldwin played the role in it’s entirety in the musical adaptation. She is a truly stunning woman & almost reminded of me a young Glenn Close [I’d also like to see her play Mother in Ragtime]. She belted beautifully & performed with an ageless grace that lit up the stage every time she appeared. 
• NORBERT LEO BUTZ as Edward Bloom: In the movie, Albert Finney played old Edward & Ewan McGregor played young Edward; in the musical, Butz played the role alone in its’ entirety. Butz made his Broadway debut in the original cast of Rent & grew into something of Broadway royalty. He has won 2 Tony Awards [Catch Me if You Can & Dirty Rotten Scoundrels] & originated the role Fiyero in Wicked. Edward Bloom is an extremely demanding role that only a seasoned actor like Butz could conquer & conquer it he did. His singing was strong, his acting was poignant, his storytelling was engaging, & his performance was overall impeccable. I predict Mr. Butz will be adding a trophy to his collection this year. 

• ANDREW LIPPA: Mr. Lippa won me over with his score for The Wild Party & re-affirmed by love with The Addams Family (another pre-Broadway Chicago opening).  His musicals tend to have an upbeat, almost jazzy, borderline rocker vibe that always remain true to classic musical theatre sound. 
• THE FATHER DYNAMIC: Tim Burton's [movie director] father died from a heart attack,which was a motivating force in his choice to make this film. Andrew Lippa [music/lyrics], & John August [book] both lost their fathers to cancer. So did I; as the child of a cancer-killed father, it was difficult to sit through the final minutes of this production, but I have to applaud their authentic interpretation of this intense, insane, & indescribable personal hell. It was difficult, shocking, & beautiful musical finale, but don’t the adjectives difficult, shocking & beautiful describe every quality musical you've ever seen?

Both John August & I lost our fathers to cancer a few years apart. So when we wrote the final scene of the play we withheld that scene from ourselves & let the desire to write that scene build up over a very long period of time. One day, we were in a hotel room, I cannot even recall where because we used to meet all over the country & work on the show. We sat in the room & John said, “This is what I want you to do, I want you to talk about your relationship with your father, things that made you sad & things you wish you had done or said.” We both started talking about our fathers & burst out crying & became incredibly emotional, and then he looked at me & said, “Okay, go write the song right now.” And I did, right there with John in the room. He was working on the scene & I was working on the song, it’s called ‘How It Ends.’ It speaks to a truth about how we feel about our own lives & how we feel about our fathers.

New City 4.4.13 Dennis Polkow 

Living Room Playmakers: Three Stories

This was the inaugural production of The Living Room Playmakers! The show took place in an awesome, preserved Rogers Park mansion & traveled to different settings in the mansion for each of the three plays [1st play in the dining room, 2nd  the attic, & 3rd  in the basement]. I love this idea of moving to different locations during a production. It is an idea that is utilized by Theatre Hikes & a trend I shall coin Adventure Theatre. Adventure Theatre is awesome & I hope to see it flourish. I mean, it’s always awesome when a play’s opening “turn off your cellphones” speech includes instructions to bring your coat & follow the flashlight. Besides the innovative & mobile setting, The Living Room Playmakers provided intelligent, excellent, & well-executed performances in a lovely & approachable setting. Our host Alex Benjamin was engaging & articulate, the sound design by Jessy Smith was impeccable, & Daniel Immerwahr’s live music was a wonderful addition. The featured art by Jaclyn Mednicov also served as a beautiful enrichment to the theatrical productions: her paintings were a beautiful collection of industrial & apocalyptic landscapes [and reminded me of my sister’s art!]. 

THE DANCE LESSON

Written by Erin Austin // Directed by Alex Paul Young 

Aram Monisoff as Noah // Jin You as Morgan // Helene Alter-Dyche as Portia 

The premise for this piece was pretty straightforward: it is a weekday night & Noah has arranged for dancing lessons with his workaholic fiancée Morgan for their close-coming wedding.  Their dance instructor, Portia, comes ready to teach them to truly dance, but what they are looking for is a way to not make fools of themselves during the first dance at their wedding. The script was concisely written & pleasantly punctuated with cool, isolated moments of a man & woman envisioning their future & remembering their past. For being a simple script set in a dining room, the production was surprisingly full. They used every inch of their performance space by entering/exiting from the front door, kitchen, living room, & the porch that anchored the back wall of the performance space. The costumes were also perfectly appropriate for the needs of script.  All three actors gave pitch-perfect performances: Aram Monisoff created an open-hearted accountant who romanticized his glorious moments dancing in Carousel & Jin You played his perfectly paired fiancée who was fully committed to her man but still a driven, type-A working woman. Although they were very different, both actors communicated an appreciation for each other’s differences, despite the irritation it might occasionally cause. The highlight of this piece was Helene Alter-Dyche’s performance as Portia: in a role that could have been campy or over-acted, Ms. Alter-Dyche played a dynamic, though refreshingly quiet, eccentric. Picture Norma Desmond, but with a heart. And I really loved her main sentiment: We Don’t Dance. Until We Do. 

HOUSEBOAT

Written by Chad Eschman // Directed by Erin Murray 

Naomi Rosen as Ashley // Abby Zan Scwhartz as Carly 

Houseboat took place in a seemingly near but disturbingly distant future where Lake Michigan is overflowing the city & some *crazy creatures* are flooding the city along with the water. Ashley & Carly are two sisters in their attic waiting for their mother to return until Carly reveals she had been *bitten* & the time has come for them to fend for themselves. This play was equally well-defined in character-development & a driving plot. I especially enjoyed the dynamic of two sisters left alone together to face a disaster. In that sense, it is a coming-of-age story where the younger sister needs to be taught how to use a gun rather than apply make-up. It is also interesting to explore how individuals have such different reactions to the same disaster; Ashley envisioned the idealized glory aspect of a disaster & suggests making a contemporary Ark to master the flood, while the Carly snapped into adulthood & grabbed the reigns to save what was left of her family. All three pieces used their respective space well, but the attic was my favorite setting. It felt like a full-set & there were moments were one could forget that this was an actual attic as opposed to a set [scenic design by Kristin Abhalter & Sarah Berkeley]. 

THE BRIDE

Written by J.L. Rumberger // Directed by Damon Krometis 

J.L. Rumberger as The Bride

Here’s the set-up: a bride is waiting with her father at the back of a church when *something* sweeps the church & annihilates everyone. The Bride’s father shoves her out of the way & she locks herself in the church’s basement. We never learned the details of what happened or how long she has/will be in this basement, but we did get to know The Bride very well. When we first met The Bride -- sitting in her tattered dress, in a basement of white-washed brick & exposed pipes, crafting what appeared to be Amish crafts -- she seemed crazy & disjointed, but we soon realized a world ended on this woman’s wedding day. Her creepy crosses [crafted from wooden shards & strips of wedding dress] are actually makeshift grave markers for every individual she’s every known, almost making this piece the unsettling picture of the opposite of a funeral. We know what it’s like for a group of people to come together to honor the memory of one person, but what if one person is mourning the world? That’s heavy stuff. Luckily, the script was crafted cleverly with contemporary humor & a wholly-relatable character. She seemed like any bride, having ridiculous wedding day tiffs & living up Her Day; but she also could quietly break your heart her moments of relating to Castaway & slowly losing grip on her happy memories. The only play I can align this show to would be Profiles’ production of Bachelorette, but this script was written with a purpose & point that was much more relevant than the crass female frivolity that Bachelorette celebrated. This was better...

Aspects of Love @ Theo Ubique

Aspects of Love first appeared in 1983 as a cabaret project crafted by Andrew Lloyd Webber & Trevor Nunn. It fully debuted onstage 5 years later at London’s Prince of Wales Theatre, where it ran for 1,325 performances. A replica production opened on Broadway in 1990 & ran for 376 performances. In September of 1991, a revised version commenced a 29-city tour that ended in  June of 1993.  From 1993-94, a similar production toured the U.K. The original West End & Broadway productions reflected a grandiose, spectacular approach which the touring productions pared down to become a more intimate, character/relationship-based chamber piece. Theo Ubique chose to produce the version used in the tours & it was a smart decision. I’ve never seen Aspects of Love (although I can’t remember a time when I didn’t want to, seeing as it was one of my first favorite musicals) & I can’t imagine seeing it in any other capacity. The simplification of this contextually complicated show was a necessary move by the creative team; the setting of a bar/restaurant was a perfect one for producing this improved, updated piece of musical theatre history. 

Based on the novella of the same name by David Garnett, Aspects of Love is one of Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber’s lesser performed but arguably, one of his more intricate, complicated and most personal works. Spanning across 17 years (1947-1964), the story tightly centres on an ever increasing entanglement of relationships, conquests, betrayals and losses. Focusing on actress Rose Vibert, her admiring fan Alex Dillingham, his underage cousin Jenny, his uncle George, and George’s mistress, sculptress Giulietta Trapani, the musical is entirely sung through, reaching a mix between a chamber musical and intimate modern opera.

~theo ubique website

Michael Ball singing Love Changes Everything @ Andrew Lloyd Webbers 50th Birthday Celebration

THE THEATRE: I have long wanted to visit Theo Ubique [pronounced thee-ooh (Greek for god) oob-eeh-kay (Latin for "everywhere")]. They incorporated these two cultural corners of Western society due to the influence of theatre on their society in terms of communal storytelling. To further abide by this artistic vision of intimacy in storytelling, Theo Ubique also presents its' productions in a cabaret format with the option of a pre-show 3-course dinner served by the actors for $25. My inaugural visit to Theo Ubique was great & I regret not seeing a production earlier; specifically, I wish I had seen  their interpretations of Smokey Joe's Cafe (my mom's favorite musical), The Light in the Piazza (written by my boy Adam Guettel & recipient of rave reviews), or Cats (I have an emotional attachment). 

THE PRODUCTION: I can't say enough good things. They clearly cast based on singing ability first & foremost because there was no weak vocal link in this 10-person cast. However, just because the cast was comprised of singers does not mean their acting suffered in anyway. This cast was solid overall & were very much in-tune with the subtle & significant dynamics of their characters. The set was forced to be simple due to the cabaret setting, but that didn't cause them to slack on the set pieces that were incorporated; the set was comprised of quiet & quality pieces that served a variety of purposes throughout the production. The costumes were perfectly stylish, appropriate & obviously intentional in their vision & execution (especially Rose's dress in Act I & the show's infamous Celia gown). My one complaint with the vision behind the costume design was that Jenny's costumes were too juvenile; they were well-executed & I understand the purpose behind their vision was to communicate her youth, but the idea was taken too far. 

THE PLAYERS: 

Kelli Harrington as ROSE: Ms. Harrington is a goddess. Rose is a difficult role & I was fully expecting the most pivotal leading lady to inevitably drop the ball in some way or another. I could not have been more wrong & Ms. Harrington could not have been more right, perfect, & [insert favorite adjective here because I was left speechless]. I missed Theo Ubique’s recent legendary production of Light on the Piazza, although I was on the wait-list for tickets. Ms. Harrington won the 2012 Non-Equity Jeff Award for Best Actress & I’m sure she deserved it [also: this lady deserves Equity Membership more than anyone I’ve ever encountered]. I would bet that the clever choice to produce this show was based on knowing they had Ms. Harrington to cast as the leading lady & carry the show. Smart move, Theo Ubique! This lady rules.

This not Kelli Harrington, but Sarah Brightman in what appears to be a 1980's theatre music video singing Rose's big ballad.  

Matthew Keffer as ALEX: This man was blessed with an amazing set of lungs. He was a truly stellar Alex; it is a difficult role that marries family ties, sexuality, & the coming-of-age. I’m sure there were a lot of men who wanted this role & the director certainly chose the best-equipped. His singing capabilities were matched only by his exceptional, subtle, & insightful acting.  I can’t say enough good things about his performance: I love Michael Ball, but this man was created to play Alex. 

Sean Thomas as GEORGE: His singing capabilities were amazing & unmatched. However, he lacked the imposing, masculine presence & graceful, charming panache that so defines George’s character.

Colette Todd as GIULIETTA: Her voice is undoubtedly glorious, rich, & classically-trained. In terms of character, she adequately incorporated  Giulietta’s earthy, exciting, enticing charm; she also played Nancy in Oliver!, which is a similarly sensual role & one that would showcase her amazing vocal ability. 

Daniel Waters as MARCEL: His performance served as highlight as a  minor role. His bio credited a production of RAGTIME in which he played J.P. Morgan; I wish I had seen that production because Mr. Waters conquered this role & would certainly conquer that one. 

Rochelle Therrien as JENNY: I have always envisioned Jenny with as a blond, but Ms. Therrien presented a fresh, beautiful interpretation of Jenny that blew my imaginings out of the water. She sang with the most lovely little lilt & infused the second act with a very necessary sense of fresh & sweet air. I saw Ms. Therrien in Liberal Arts: The Musical & was impressed with her talents; this production served as a much stronger showcase for this lady’s amazing voice & performance capabilities.

I Love Lucy: Live OnStage @ The Broadway Playhouse

"IT'S 1952. 
You & I are part of a studio audience 
watching a taping of I Love Lucy, 

the early TV sitcom starring Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz...
of course, we see Lucy & Desi and company 

do their stuff in the 2 episodes that are 
theoretically being recorded.
It's a pleasant illusion for the most part."

~Tony Adler, The Chicago Reader

I am very glad I read Mr. Adler's review before seeing this show. I didn't realize the title I Love Lucy: Live On Stage would be taken so literally in this musical adaptation [and honestly don't understand why that was the artistic vision chosen by the creators of this show, but still held hope]. I had also seen a brief preview of LUCY at the Broadway in Chicago Summer Series Concert, which appeared promising. So, I entered the theatre with semi-high hopes. 

All my hopes were crushed. 

Sirena Irwin & Bill Mendietas were sub-par & generic choices for our Lucy & Ricky. Their performances qualified more as off-kilter charicature than thoughtful interpretations of this iconic couple. As Ethel & Fred, Joanna Daniels & Curtis Pettyjohn brought a little more to the table in terms of acting with an appropriate degree of authenticity [and were styled in a much less cartoony manner]. I'm sure all the performers are actually quite talented, but I don't think this material would have allowed any actor the opportunity to shine. 

Re-creating two episodes being filmed in front of a live studio audience did not offer the audience any fresh perspective on the TV show I Love Lucy. Rather, it presented a sub-par interpretation of something awesome without offering any innovative style, perspective, or information. Lucille Ball was a firecracker & trail-blazer, but, most importantly, she still serves as one of the most important women in the history of American comedic entertainment. Before there was Tina, Chelsea, Ellen, & Mindy, there was LUCY. And learning about the woman behind the laughs would have been a much more enriching, enlightening, & authentic theatrical experience than trying to transpose a few vintage episodes to the stage. 

There has been a recent string of musicals that pay homage to some of our more glorious female representatives. This musical did not take that historic route, but here are some musicals that did:

• Scandalous: The Life and Trials of Aimee Semple McPherson starring Carolee Carmello [who I saw in The Scarlet Pimpernel & LOVED as the Parade's original Lucille Frank]. 
• End of the Rainbow starring Tracie Bennet as Judy Garland
• Bombshell: The (fictitious) musical on the TV show SMASH that should be real & is the story of Marilyn Monroe
• Evita [2012 Broadway revival] starring Argentinean actress Elena Roger as Eva Peron. 
• One Name Only @ Black Ensemble Theatre: A Chicago world-premiere tribute to The Ladies of Soul which featured the music of Aretha, Gladys, Patti, Chaka with a special tribute to Whitney.

I also find it interesting that there is a show for the theatre that is based off of a television show that is an homage rather than a spoof. The only TV-based musical I've ever seen was Gorilla Tango Theatre's Attend The Tale of Danny Tanner, which was an awesome, gory, re-imagined version of Full House; but to see the same principle applied in a more literal manner would be a fun trend to erupt onstage. Some shows I'd like to see: 

• LOST: It is my favorite show ever, after all. The storyline(s) were highly complicated though, so it would have to be something like Potted Potter, which melds the entire Harry Potter series into a 90-minute recap. Or like the time I saw Henry the IV Parts 1 & 2 @ The National Theatre, which was an 8-hour event complete with a break for dinner. 
• My So-Called Life: It could be performed like a gloomier, more suburban but equally angsty & awesome RENT. Good luck finding someone to stand up to the original Jordan Catalano though 
• Sex & the City: I firmly believe the sassy & urban Cosmo Girls are an underrated demographic in the theatre world. Profiles made a smart move by appealing to their production of Bachelorette. However, I think the SATC musical could easily marry the this TV-trend with the Chick Flick Musical trend to produce something glorious. 
• Six Feet Under: Dark musicals work. I'm picturing something like Martin McDonagh meets The Addams Family Musical meets John Patrick Shanley: one that is satirically dark, at the root focuses on the importance of family values, and is presented in a clean, contemporary manner.

HELLCAB @ Profiles Theatre

Will Kern's Hellcab tells the story of a Russian immigrant turned Chicago cab-driver & his horrible Christmas Eve. It was first produced in 1992 by Famous Door Theatre & was originally intended to be a late-night show with 12 performances. Instead, it became one of Chicago's longest-running shows by running almost a decade. Will Kern also adapted the screenplay & directed the 1997 film Chicago Cab, which appeared Austin's 1998 South By Southwest Filmfest & featured an all-star ensemble cast including Julianne Moore, John C. Reilly, Gillian Anderson, John Cusack, Laurie Metcalf, & Tracy Letts. 

The setting was clearly Chicago & clearly the 1990's [as was clearly displayed by the $4 dollar fares]. As someone who transplanted to Chicago, I am somewhat familiar with the current, local culture but removed from this different & darker Chicago of the 1990's. The production did a brilliant job of creating a picture of this world this strangely familiar yet starkly different culture. The set [designed by Shaun Renfro] required minimal elements of design, but every aspect was extremely well-done. The managed to acquire a real-car & splattered the walls of the theatre were with authentically-executed graffiti to skillfully construct yesterday's Chicago. 

Konstantin Khrustov & Darrell Cox

In this 20th Anniversary Production, Director & Profiles Co-Artistic Director Darrell W. Cox chose to cast one actor for each of the 34 roles [the original production was comprised of a 6-person cast]. I'm not 100% sure how I feel about this decision, but I am more in favor of it than opposed. It was definitely a perk to allow the audience to get to know each new character as an individual while simultaneously allowing us to relate to the constant flow people dropping in on the cab-driver's life. It also allowed each character to be cast with specific regard to the parameters of their role rather than the appeal of being able to pull off several roles. The con of this casting decision is that it costs the audience the ability to fully appreciate the skill-sets that these 34 actors, all of whom presented pristine performances. From the couple requiring the nearest motel to the trash-talking Yankees fans to the recently raped woman in shock, every actor was a pitch-perfect casting choice. The highlight of this cast was undoubtedly the man behind the wheel: Konstantin Khrustov played our cab-driver & he could not have been better. He worked well with the constant, constrictive struggle that plagues all workers in tip-based industries: having to deal with & depend on the tip-givers. His physicality was spot-on because his subtle interactions with the steering wheel, the elements, & the cab itself provided a consistent undertone of authenticity. He created an engaging, surprising, & enriching character whose quiet humor & intriuging perspective provided an impeccable performance [& production]. This one's a winner--go see it! 

Les Miserables: The Movie!

IT HAS FINALLY ARRIVED!!! 

AND IT RULED. 

It has been a long road from the initial cast, recasting decisions, 

the final cast announcement, & the trailer release 

to finally have this Christmas present arrive. 

[believe I was there on Christmas Day with Christmas bells on.]

• Hugh Jackman served as the backbone, brain, & beauty of this film in his performance of Jean ValJean. I initially thought he might seem too young, but that was a non-issue. His experience as a stage actor clearly infused his performance; his acting & singing were matched in excellence, awesomeness, & impressiveness.
• As Eponine, Samantha Barks brought a similar sense of theatrical professionalism to her performance; her singing was strong, her physical appearance was traditional & perfect (although her waist was freakishly tiny) & she presented an Eponine that was more pitiable than pathetic. Her role seemed more pivotal to this plotline in the film version & her rendition of “A Little Fall of Rain” was genuinely heart-breaking. 
• The role of Gavroche serves as a tiny bright spot of sorts, Daniel Huttlestone’s performance of Gavroche provided an equally bright spot in the movie. The moment of Javert pinning his pin to Gavroche’s tiny, fallen body & the aligning of Gavroche to baby Javert (“I am from the gutter, too” ~ Javert, "The Confrontation") was my favorite moment of the entire movie. 
• Speaking of Javert (incidentally, my favorite character), Russell Crowe was a great actor & sub-par singer. His singing wasn’t awful but it lacked the authoritative confidence that defines Javert; these short-comings became especially apparent during the confrontations between Javert & Jean ValJean.
• As Cosette, Amanda Seyfried was stunning in her effervescent beauty, created a fuller character than Cosette is often presented, & sang adequately. She had many moments of  a perfect & bird-like twittery sound, but, more often than not, she reached for notes & barely reached them. One thing I loved about Seyfried’s Cosette: she was blond! Cosette is traditionally brunette in the stage version, which never made sense considering she is Fantine’s daughter & Fantine’s flowing blond hair is a defining characteristic. 
• Speaking of Fantine’s flowing blond hair, where was it? I just want to know why they unnecessarily changed this iconic part of her character. Besides, the hair issue, Anne Hathaway was a pretty stellar Fantine. I really didn’t expect to like her in the role. In my nearly-never-wrong opinion, she peaked at The Devil Wears Prada & casting directors have been too generous in the roles in which they cast her (hello, Jane Austen). Apparently, I was wrong because she rocked as Fantine; her acting was thoughtful & she nailed the wide spectrum of emotions that fall upon Fantine. Her rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream" was refreshingly flawless & made me hear a song I’ve heard 10,000+ times in a new light (especially her angry growling delivery of “…he took my childhood in his stride, but he was gone when autumn came…”). Another perfect, gut-kicker moment was her dying eyes lighting up as ValJean carried her away from the whore-docks & promised to deliver Cosette to her. Well done, Anne! I’ll be rooting for you on Oscar night. 
• Eddie Redmayne played Marius & he presented the perfect balance of  man & boy. I didn’t realize he could sing, but was pretty impressed with his voice 90% of the time. I felt more understanding of this Marius: his past, his convictions towards the revolution, the crazy consuming feeling of first love, the need to take care of/provide for Cosette, & his relationship with ValJean…all of these aspects of Marius as an individual were more highly heightened & allowed the audience member a further investment in the future of his character.
• Helena Bonham Carter & Sacha Baren Cohen as The Thenardiers: Obviously, they were both funny, well-cast, & provided the necessary punctuating funny moments. However, they were what I expected them to be since these roles aren’t too removed from their normally-expected roles. Granted, S.B. Cohen doesn’t generally sing, but seeing H.B. Carter stuff meat into a grinder was a bit too much of a Sweeney Todd flashback for me. This is the lesson we learned from Samantha Barks beating out Taylor Swift for Eponine applies to the Thenardiers: even if a known face is a good fit for a role, an unknown actor might allow the audience to disappear into the story more. 
• Lastly, having Colm Wilkinson [the original & impeccable Jean ValJean] play the Bishop who re-routes ValJean's life was the best casting choice of them all. He is an exceptional performer who can conquer any role; but casting him as The Bishop who guides ValJean when he is the actor who guides the actors who play ValJean was so crazy clever, sentimental for the long-time Les Mis lovers, & respectful to the stage-version of the musical that I was crying within the first 10 minutes of the movie. One of many smart moves by our director, Mr. Tom Hooper. 

NOW GO SEE LES MISERABLES!!!

ONCE on Broadway

ONCE is based off of an awesome 2006 Irish musical-movie that was directed by John Carney. It starred musicians Glen Hansard (from the Irish folk band The Frames) & Markéta Irglová, who collaborated musically prior to the film & performed/composed all of the movie's original numbers. The movie's surprisingly supple skeleton of a storyline matched with a quietly striking dynamic between the actors  & heightened by stunning/haunting musical score made for a revolutionary film. The film was produced for only $160,000, but received enthusiastic reviews & a number of awards (2007 Independent Spirit Award for best foreign film, a Grammy nomination for the whole soundtrack, & the 2007 Academy Award for Best Original Song for "Falling Slowly." ONCE's shift from a movie-musical to one created for the stage has proven even more successful  & beloved than the film version. Enda Walsh adapted the screen play, John Tiffany served as director, Bob Crowley crafted the set/costume design & Steve Kazee & Cristin Milioti were cast as our Guy & Girl (both performers were nominated for Tony Awards but only Kazee won; Milioti was robbed.). It was named the Best Musical of 2012 by The Outer Critics' Circle, Drama League, The New York Drama Critics' Circle, & The Tony Awards. Winning Best New Musical by any of these groups is impressive, but to sweep them all is pretty exceptional. 

[Falling Slowly also served as the soundtrack for my sister's first dance with her husband]

BEN HOPE as GUY 

Clearly, I did not see Steve Kazee in his Tony Award-winning performance. But I don't mind. In the olden days, I would have been frustrated at missing out on seeing this awesome guy in a part in which he obviously ruled, but I've grown up. If I want to see Steve Kazee play Guy, all I need to do is plug his name into a YouTube search. There is something inherently refreshing & awesome about seeing an understudy. Even though the audience might register an initial feeling of disappointment, that disappointment is apparent in tri-folds by the excitement & adrenaline by the actor who gets to finally play the role. The pressure & excitement always comes through & that factor has been known to outshine the tired routine of an actor who has become comfortable in the awesomeness of his luck. The understudy never takes a performance opportunity for granted; for that reason, I have rarely been disappointed by the performance & Mr. Hope's performance quality was no exception. I had the opportunity to talk to Mr. Hope after the performance & found out he had not played the role of Guy in 3 weeks; his most recent understudy role was as the actor/drummer. For having not played the role regularly/in almost a month, Mr. Hope still presented a rich & enriching performance & the quality of my experience was not even slightly compromised by the presence of an understudy in a leading role. After reading his bio in the Playbill, I found out Mr. Hope is an accomplished musician whose strengths transcend being pigeon-holed into one role. Lesson (re)learned: sometimes there is something underneath the understudy that makes the show. 

Cristin & Me. 

CRISTIN MILIOTI as GIRL

To be honest, I didn't think she [or anyone] would be able to climb this mountain of a role. It's not that the role is exceedingly difficult, but Markéta Irglová crafted & created this role so impeccably in the movie that it had to be impossible to re-imagine. Luckily for us, Ms. Milioti has no interest in seeing the film until her run has ended. Her approach is clearly a clever one because she dominated this role. She brought a new level of charm to this role that is so essential in live performance; she portrayed an understated quirkiness, a cute/quiet humor, & the imperative infusion of intrigue. Her performance had a lot to live up to & she still managed to portray confidently humble impeccability. 

P.S. I have mad respect for this actress because, although this role's cornerstone is her ability as a pianist, she had no piano skills prior to the audition process to this show. She was director John Tiffany's hands-down favorite, so they gave her 10 days to practice piano, become impeccable, & come back to impress them. And impress them she did. 

P.P.S. After the drive back to DE from NYC, I was watching a 30 Rock rerun & who was the guest star? Ms. Milioti herself!! I knew I had seen her face before, but wigs can really distort a girl's memory. Seeing her play a ditzy, comedic blonde after watching her dominate as a strangely smart Czech pianist just reaffirmed my opinion that this broad from Cherry Hill, NJ is the real deal. 

The cast of ONCE, with my sister performing the best photo bomb ever.

BROADWAY TRENDWATCH:

The Decline of Design: The Broadway of today tends to utilize more stationary sets & singular costumes. The days of Miss Saigon's helicopter & the Phantom's lair have been left in the 90's; contemporary Broadway is stream-lined, stylized, & smartly executed. I'm a definite fan of this paring down, but I'll still never turn down a twirling barricade. 

Instrumental Actors: Sam Mendes' 1998 revival of Cabaret started this trend while simultaneously introducing the idea of a an orchestra/band being suspended above/behind the stage (in a world where they orchestra had never lived anywhere but the pit). This choice provides the audience a fresh perspective & appreciation regarding the musicians, as well as a much more engaging production. 

The Breaking Down of the Fourth Wall: This trend first became apparent to me during Spring Awakening. They had two sets of mini-bleachers set up on the outer edges of the stage (perpendicular to the audience). I didn't sit in these seats (and did think sitting in them would be be too visually restrictive). During the 2008 production of Equus on Broadway, the stage-seating was suspended in a semi-circle behind & above the stage; the effect was cool & I appreciated sitting closer to the action than I ever would have been able to afford in a standard seat. Once figured out the best way I have seen so far to allow audience members to break through the fourth wall: their stationary set was a bar that served as a cash bar for the audience before the show & during intermission. It was pretty cool; plus, I got a bottle of water AND got to set food on an actual Broadway stage for only $5! 

National Theatre Live: ReView/PreView

The View from The National 

Here’s the deal on NationalTheatreLive: Britain's Royal National Theatre creates some of the world’s most glorious productions & they thought it was only be fair to share the awesomeness. So, they film productions & present them via satellites to various movie theatres.  The plays are presented live in Britain, but the screenings may be delayed up to 4 weeks for airings in the U.S [However, it was recently announced that The National Theatre will open NYC-based office to allow the filming/live phenomena to apply to North American-based productions as well. It is a sensible move forward since shows from The National Theatre have been recently appearing on Broadway: we had War Horse last year (which has also made the leap from Broadway to Broadway in Chicago from Dec. 18-Jan. 5 @ The Cadillac Palace) & One Man Two Guvnors this year. I saw a preview of War Horse at Broadway in Chicago's Summer Concert & can't wait to see it live.]

Book Sale outside The National 

David Sabel, overseer of The National’s digital media, has stated, "The history of filmed theatre does not have a great track record, so we went into the series as something of an experiment." I do not entirely agree with this statement. There have been filmed stage releases that have been huge hits in my book [Sunday in the Park with George, Passion, Legally Blonde: The Musical produced by MTV], as well as films of awesome theatre concerts [Hey, Mr. Producer, The Phantom of the Opera 25th Anniversary Concert, Les Miserables @ Royal Albert Hall] that also ruled. I do agree that this is an untapped & underappreciated avenue, but the track record thus far has proven successful & enjoyable [though much more for filmed musicals over plays]. I saw The Curious Incident of the Dog in Night-Time on Oct. 17 @ The Music Box Theatre & it was great. It had an innovative & contemporary script, insane & impressive set design, and impeccable & inspiring actors. Pretty much everything I expected & more.

The witches from MacBeth

David Sabel has also stated: "What’s exciting is that there is now an audience who may never set foot inside the National but can still have a meaningful relationship with us." I couldn’t agree with this statement more. During the summer before my senior year of college, I did a theatre study abroad in England & fell in love with the National Theatre. I saw Henry IV Parts 1 & 2 (in one very long/awesome afternoon/evening) & The House of Bernarda Alba. They were such stellar & exceptional productions that I will forever trust anything produced by the National Theatre. [It was also on this trip that I first realized I wanted to be a theatre critic.]

Chicago's NationalTheatreLive Fall Schedule:

FRANKENSTEIN: Oct. 30: Northwestern’s Josephine Louis Theatre @ 7 & 10:30 

[I already have my tickets.] 

THE LAST OF THE HAUSSMAN: 

Nov. 7: The Music Box Theatre @ 7 // Nov. 13: Northwestern’s Josephine Louis Theatre @ 7 

TIMON OF ATHENS:

Nov. 27: Northwestern’s Ethel M. Barber Theatre @ 7 // Nov. 28: The Music Box Theatre @ 7 

Ticket Prices: Northwestern: $20/$10 student // Music Box Theatre: $18/$15 in advance.