A QUICK TRIP TO NEW YORK - JULY, 2013

A QUICK TRIP TO NEW YORK - JULY, 2013

Michael Urie's critically acclaimed turn in Buyer and Cellar  was the impetus for this quick 2-night trip to New York. The hotel near the South Ferry Terminal was an elevator nightmare and the weather on Sunday provided us with an unexpected extra night at an okay Holiday Inn in Queens. Because of all the displaced passengers due to the weather the previous day, we found ourselves flying home to Chicago via the direct route, through Minneapolis. What? You mean there are non-stop flights? Really? Ah…the joys of standby travel. Hotel and travel challenges notwithstanding, we saw some really great shows. Here they are.

July, 2013. Those frisky orphans under Miss Hannigan's loving care were just as delightful the second time around. Taylor Richardson, the Annie cover and now one of two "regular" Annies, was wonderful with a confidence and energy that lit up the stage. Anthony Warlow is still the best Warbucks I've seen. Three cheers for the talented and hard-working ensemble. And finally, all hail the divine Faith Prince whose delicious portrayal of Miss Hannigan is a truly worthy successor to the legendary Dorothy Loudon's original. Faith rocked it! Now if only something could be done about the generally lackluster staging, especially the this-should-be-a-showstopper-but-not-with-this-staging  blandness of "Easy Street." - at the Palace Theatre, New York

July, 2013. Clever, often very funny, sweet and, more than once, honestly touching, this is a delightful small-scale musical with a terrific cast and a tuneful rock-infused score that boasts at least two really, really good ballads and one hysterical comic number delivered to perfection by Rory O'Malley. The entire ensemble cast is first-rate (Heath Calvert, Bryan Fenkart, Roe Hartrampf, Autumn Hulbert, Leslie Kritzer, Lauren Molina, Rory O'Malley and Aleque Reid) and each gets at least one moment to shine. First class production values. (I said small-scale, not small budget.) This will be done everywhere in the next few years. I liked it lots. - at the Second Stage Theatre, New York

July, 2013.  This was the reason for the trip and it was so worth the trip! Jonathan Tolin's well-written play provided a solid foundation for Michael Urie's stunning tour-de-force as Alex, the caretaker of Barbra Streisand's basement shopping mall on her Malibu estate. (Yes, she actually has this. Seriously.) With no amplification and a simple production design, Urie created a world of fascinating, fleshed-out characters from Barbra Streisand to Alex's boyfriend, Barry, in an outstanding performance. Beneath all the laughs, though, lurked a human tale which made this one man show more than just a string of well-constructed one-liners. Highly recommended. We loved it. (PS: Just read where Buyer and Cellar and Mr. Urie will be coming to Chicago in Spring, 2014. Yay!) - at the Barrow Street Theatre, New York

July, 2013. Hysterical farce with everything except slamming doors. We laughed ourselves silly. The uber-talented cast seemed to have as much fun performing this as we did watching them, if that's even possible. Here they are: Brian Avers, Max Baker, Steven Boyer, Arnie Burton (I must play his parts one day), Carson Elrod (too, too funny), David Furr, John McMartin, Lorenzo Pisoni, and Jennifer Westfeldt (priceless as two sisters).  For me, one of the highlights of the show was to see yet another terrific performance from John McMartin. I first saw McMartin in Follies in 1971 and more than forty years later, he's still consistently delighting audiences. He is a true theatre treasure. Gorgeous physical production.  I was surprised, delightedly so, by the lobby sign that invited playgoers to take pictures of the set before and after the show and during the interval. What a terrific idea. Everyone wants to do it anyhow and it frees the ushers from being camera cops. Thanks to the designer Donyale Werle and the various unions involved for  this unexpected treat. Enormous fun. Bob absolutely must direct this! - at the NY City Center Stage 1 (MTC), New York

That's all for now. Live theatre is a gift. See a play or musical this week!