NEW YORK IN A HURRY…AND A ROAD TRIP TO MILWAUKEE AND LINCOLNSHIRE

NEW YORK IN A HURRY…AND A ROAD TRIP TO MILWAUKEE AND LINCOLNSHIRE

It's been a while since I've posted a new episode. I've been so busy juggling a myriad of hats with an upcoming production of Cabaret  that Bob is directing now for an April opening, that I've had little time for much of anything else.  But, at long last…a bit of a mixed bag in this post with no real theme or connection. In February, I took a quick two-night trip to New York to see a concert version of Maury Yeston/Peter Stone's Titanic at Lincoln Center. Bob, sadly, had to stay home and suffer through load-in and the start of techs for a lackluster show for which he designed a simply amazing set. Neither of us were happy about that, but I soldiered on and managed to see two additional shows while in Manhattan. (You didn't think I'd let a Sunday go by without a performance, did you?) The other two entries are early March excursions to see a mediocre production of Cabaret and a thrilling production of An Iliad in Milwaukee.

New York first.

February, 2014. When Charles Busch is onstage with longtime friend and collaborator Julie Halston, you can feel the love, trust and fun and the stage sparkles. Add the delectable Cynthia Harris and you've got a mighty trio. There are three other characters and the talented actors all do well enough, but didn't leave much of an impression. To a large degree, that's because Busch's very enjoyable new play is also very uneven. It starts off like gangbusters, but then has a big dip in act two and never completely regains the potential of the wonderful first two scenes. Flaws aside, it's chockablock with delicious one-liners and has an abundance of heart. A fabulous set framed the action and the direction kept everything going smoothly. I liked it and it's always a treat to see Mr Busch and Ms Halston in action. - at 59E59 Theaters, New York

February, 2014. At three hours long, this could use some gentle and judicial trimming. I say this with great reluctance since I have no idea what should go. The second act sometimes gets a little pedantic, so I'd probably trim that down a bit. Effortless performances by a large cast with special kudos to John McMartin. At 84, he handily proves he still has the goods. He is without peer - a true actor's actor and I will happily see him in anything. Other outstanding turns by Michael McKean, Robert Petkoff, Christopher Liam Moore, Betsy Aidem, Roslyn Ruff and Brandon J. Dirden. Bums-in-seats star Bryan Cranston is remarkable as LBJ and makes us care for this complicated man even when he's a cold and unyielding bastard. It was an impressive performance. Everything about this production was top grade. Highly recommended. - at the Neil Simon Theatre, New York

February, 2014. Manhattan Concert Productions presented this. These are the same folks who produced last season's breathtaking concert edition of Ragtime. Last year's performance bordered on a religious experience; this year was no different. It was simply magnificent; a feast for the ears and the soul as Peter Stone and Maury Yeston brought the legendary tragic saga of the ill-fated R.M.S. Titanic to a human level, devoid of the special effects and stereotypes of James Cameron's much-lauded film. (Lest you get the wrong impression, I quite like Mr. Cameron's film. But it's often more spectacle than story.) From Captain to First Class Passenger to the Bellboy, director Don Stephenson and music director Kevin Stites gave us characters we may have loved or hated, Bruce Ismay was really a despicable human being, but we were interested in all of them and cared about many of them. This is not a perfect show. Not every number lands: the Strauses' "Still," ably sung by Alma Cuervo and Ron Raines, tugs at our emotions, but doesn't quite touch us the way the authors intended; "I Give You My Hand," a beautiful song cut during Broadway previews, is pretty to listen to, but seems grafted onto the proceedings; "Mr. Andrews' Vision," while powerful, perhaps could have better made it's point in a frantic spoken monologue. But, then, ladies and gentlemen, there is that opening sequence: a glorious experience that ranks as one of musical theatre's most singular opening numbers. According to the program, seven pieces of music make up this opening, ending with the goosebump-inducing "Godspeed Titanic," which also brings the show to its triumphant conclusion. It's a marvel of acting, singing, and, even in this concert setting, staging. Like last year, a 250-strong chorus added an extra thrilling element to the ensemble numbers. Many of the original cast members returned to reprise their roles and they were all greeted with enthusiastic "welcome home" entrance applause. This remarkable cast included, in addition to Ms. Cuervo and Mr. Raines, Michael Cerveris, David Constabile, John Bolton, John Cunningham, David Garrison, Jill Paice, Michele Ragusa, Ryan Silverman and other talented Broadway pros. Top honors, though went to David Elder as Frederick Fleet with a haunting "No Moon" to close Act One, Joseph Castinado, a high school junior, whose excitement at being in this production in the role of Bellboy was positively contagious and totally endearing, but most especially to Brian d'Arcy James (Frederick Barrett) and Martin Moran (Harold Bride) whose duet of "The Proposal/The Night Was Alive" stopped the show cold and when they appeared together at bows, brought the already loud and enthusiastic applause to a deafening roar of cheers and bravos. My good pal, Gina, joined me and she remarked that she'd seen nothing quite like this. I agree. - at Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center, New York

FYI, Cabaret is not about a bowler hat and a damn chair. Stop it this instant!

March, 2014. What I liked: the male ensemble's "Tomorrow Belongs to Me," the briefcase business during "The Money Song," the finale to Act One. What I didn't like: pretty much everything else. Sanitized and not at all sexy. It's unclear why Marriott chose to produce the 1998 Broadway revival since they excised all the edginess out of it. I suspect it had a great deal to do with being able to perform the revised 1998 song line-up inclusion of "Mein Herr," "Maybe This Time," "The Money Song" and "I Don't Care Much," none of which were remarkable. Director David H. Bell delivered a muted, bland production with muddy choreography by Matt Raftery, uninteresting acting and indifferent singing. Nancy Missimi's costumes looked as though she pulled the stock from Marriott's Thoroughly Modern Millie and called it a day. There were no surprises, not a single "wow" moment and it was about as dangerous as a Disney movie. The most hysterical moment occurred early in the proceedings when Bobby and Cliff kissed. A gasp went through the audience. I'm serious. A gasp. Really? People, it's 2014! Geez! Everything was very professional, but very dull. A disappointment. - at the Marriott Theatre, Lincolnshire IL

March, 2014. Sometimes you see a performance that is so amazing, so breathtaking in scope and execution, so singularly excellent that you simply can't find adequate words to describe it. This was the Milwaukee Rep's production of Lisa Peterson and Denis O'Hare's An Iliad. Surrounded by the typical production excellence that the Rep consistently delivers, actor Jim DeVita and cellist Alicia Storin, under the flawless direction of John Langs, created theatrical magic that transported the audience to another time, yet one that seemed disturbingly current, and another place, yet one that had a disquieting ring of familiarity. You could hear a pin drop throughout the performance and there were moments when I simply forgot to breathe. Powerful ideas and words; thrilling theatre. - at the Milwaukee Rep, Milwaukee

We're off to New York for a long weekend for the incredibly wonderful Broadway Backwards. Naturally, we'll see other shows as well. Stay tuned! In the meantime, go see a show. Cheers.

© 2014 Jeffrey Geddes