MISFILES! or WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN THAT BOX? (1)

MISFILES! or WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN THAT BOX? (1)

Misfiles. All of them. My organizational skills failed me and these were just hanging out on top of the "Favorite Plays/Musicals" box. Oops. My bad! They represent a diverse collection of shows. Let's begin.

VENUS IN FUR – Lyceum Theatre, New York

March, 2012.  David Ives' 2010 play was much-lauded when it arrived in 2011 at MTC's Friedman Theatre, via an off-Broadway production at the Classic Stage Company, later transferring to the Lyceum for a commercial run. It received, for the most part, favorable reviews with its female star, Nina Arianda, becoming very much that season's critics' darling. It was touted as being funny, sexy, dangerous and erotic, with critics making much of the sexually-charged, sadomasochistic power plays between the play's two characters. I found it not funny enough and not terribly sexy or erotic, and the S&M aspects all seemed rather tame and not dangerous at all. Forty-five minutes in, I was ready either for it to end or for it to get better, become more involving. Sadly, it trudged along for another forty-five minutes or so, and didn't. I admired the actors, a handsome Hugh Dancy, and the aforementioned Ms. Arianda, and I applauded their hard work, but I simply didn't care. Perhaps I was having an off night. Perhaps they were having an off night. Or perhaps, nobody was having an off night, and it just wasn't all that good. Variety called the play pretentious and overwritten. I agree on both counts. – at the Lyceum Theatre, New York

Sidebar: Nina Arianda would win that year's Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play, which shocked me since I didn't see the magic everyone was raving about, in an upset that robbed the brilliant Tracie Bennett the deserved win for her performance in End of the Rainbow.

VERY GOOD EDDIE – Studebaker Theatre, Chicago

October, 1976. Producer legend David Merrick brought The Goodspeed Opera House's production of Jerome Kern's 1915 musical Very Good Eddie to New York right before Christmas in 1975. With not a single Kern standard to be heard, this small, relatively unknown piece of early, non-operetta musical theatre pretty much charmed the New York critics, and it enjoyed a modest, yet profitable, run of 304 performances. Midway through its equally modest three-month tour, "direct from Broadway," Very Good Eddie stopped off for a month-long stay at the Studebaker Theatre, the smallest of Chicago's touring houses. It didn't especially charm the Tribune's critic, her major complaint being the lack of hearing and understanding what was being sung and spoken on the Studebaker stage. I didn't have a bit of trouble either hearing or understanding, but this is one of those shows of which I have absolutely no recollection, and not remembering anything about a musical is rare for me, so I can't tell you whether Very Good Eddie was very good or merely very meh. I suspect the latter. – at the Studebaker Theatre, Chicago

Sidebar: Ed Dixon was in the cast, in what appears to be a primarily dancing role, if his song of "I've Got to Dance" is any indication. We loved Ed Dixon's remarkable one-man show, Georgie, which we had the pleasure of seeing on a recent trip to New York. Very Good Eddie was relatively early in his impressive career.

And while we're in a nostalgic mood….

NO, NO, NANETTE

 – 46th Street Theatre, New York

Standing Room $4.00! Could you die?

June, 1971. Could a hit 1925 musical still work in 1971 America, an America beset with protest and war and a new Broadway sound with the arrival of Hair a couple of seasons back? As No, No, Nanette proved, the answer was "absolutely." With a cast of, wait for it, forty-five (!!!), headed by film's favorite tapper of the 30s, Ruby Keeler, Broadway favorite Jack Gilford, Broadway sweetheart Susan Watson, Broadway über-pro Helen Gallagher, hoofer Bobby Van, and acclaimed comic, and out lesbian, Patsy Kelly, Nanette was a beautifully designed, class operation from the first notes of the overture to the final curtain following bows. With new orchestrations (and please note the "at the twin pianos" credit…you don't see that today!), Vincent Youmans, Irving Caesar, and Otto Harbach's songs, loaded with melody and crisp lyrics, sounded, if not exactly new, then skillfully refreshed. Even the familiar standards, like "Tea for Two" and "I Want to Be Happy" had a freshness to them. Burt Shevelove "adapted" the original book by Otto Harbach and Frank Mandel, though I suspect he did more than just merely adapt. The chorus boys and girls often entered and exited scenes without any real explanation as to how or why 30-odd people were hanging out at the Smith household, and there was an archness to some of the dialogue that caused my eyes to roll, but it was done with honesty, sincerity, and lack of irony, so you really didn't care that sometimes things just didn't make sense. For example, after Jack Gilford and Susan Watson exited after singing "I Want to Be Happy," why did a handful of chorus boys enter strumming ukuleles? When Ruby Keller came down the staircase to join the boys, why is she wearing tap shoes? It all became irrelevant in a few moments because, hold on to your hats, boys and girls, Ruby. Is. Going. To. Tap!!!!! And she did, boy, did she ever!, and more chorus members joined in and soon the 46th Street Theatre stage was filled to the brim with tapping people led by a 61-year-old woman who did not miss a beat…or a tap. And the audience exploded! And even though you still didn't know where those damn ukuleles came from, you just didn't care. Ruby tapped. Life was good. And no, she couldn't act her way out of a sack, but she was gracious and just plain nice, so again, didn't care. Susan Watson and Roger Rathburn were cute and wholesome as the ingenue and juvenile, though at 33 and 31, respectively, they were a tad too old to be called that, but they sang and danced beautifully and were overall adorable. Patsy Kelly, perhaps not surprisingly, chewed the scenery, and the audience loved her for it, but I must have been in the minority because I wasn't bowled over by her. Everyone else was playing it straight; she was playing it strictly for laughs. (To be fair, she won that year's Tony for Supporting Actress in a Musical, so her approach obviously worked for her.) Jack Gilford was professional, but he annoyed me for some reason. Too cute, maybe? Too I'm-going-to-break-into-a-chorus-of-"Meeskite," perhaps? I'm glad I saw him, but… When all is said and done, Ruby Keeler notwithstanding, the show's true stars were the smooth talking, smooth singing, and smooth dancing Bobby Van and the drop-dead-fabulous Helen Gallagher. Both remarkable together and individually. Their "You Can Dance with Any Girl" was a textbook example of just how exciting couples dancing can be. Undisputed high point of the show, however, was Gallagher's torchy "'Where-Has-My-Hubby-Gone' Blues" in the third act. (Again, chorus boys appeared out of nowhere to provide backup vocals. Again, nobody cared.) The pinnacle of a career that had spanned by this point nearly thirty years, including a Tony for a revival of Pal Joey, the title character in Hazel Flagg, the original Nickie in Sweet Charity, and later Gwen Verdon's replacement, and playing both Gooch and Vera in the original Broadway run of Mame, No, No, Nanette finally allowed Gallagher the long-overdue opportunity to step into the spotlight as a Star. She won the 1971 Tony for Best Actress in a Musical, an honor richly deserved. She was amazing. I was obsessed with her performance. A glorious evening of nostalgia and tap. I was twenty. I was in Standing Room. I was one happy young man. – at the 46th Street Theatre, New York

Sidebar: This was the second show I saw during my first official visit to New York. (My first two trips were not parent-approved. They thought I was visiting school chums in Normal. Yes, I lied to my parents. Sue me. And please remember that in 1971 the age of consent for males was 21, so I was still a minor!). I went with an ISU friend and we had a ball. Spent a week at a hotel that no longer exists as a hotel, and was a bit dicey back in 1971 (the Times Square Motor Hotel at 43rd & 8th), and saw a lot of shows. The trip ended on a sour note when my luggage was stolen from my friend's locked car in downtown Washington, D.C. while parked in front of the American Legion headquarters. "In God We Trust," indeed! Since I was a minor, the cops had to call my folks. I was mortified!

More Sidebar: No, No, Nanette ushered in a brief period of nostalgic-driven revivals of 1920s musicals, featuring beloved stars of the past, both distant and not-so-distant. Irene, the next big one to come down the pike starred Debbie Reynolds, got really mediocre reviews, sold a lot of tickets, but never paid back its costs. (Patsy Kelly was in that one as well.) So maybe nostalgia wasn't a sure thing. But producer Harry Rigby just didn't get the memo and on his third go, produced the really pretty awful Good News, which starred Alice Faye and John Payne, who left the show during previews and was replaced by Gene Nelson. It wasn't good in Chicago, a stop on its tryout tour, and the New York critics would have none of it. It lasted a scant 16 performances. For a fascinating, tell-all tale about Mr. Rigby and the subterfuge and intrigue behind-the-scenes at Nanette, a good read is The Making of No, No, Nanette by Don Dunn.

  

– Shubert Theatre, Chicago

Typical display ad in the Sunday Chicago Tribune Arts & Fun section.

"Hamilton," currently at the PrivateBank Theatre (née

 Shubert) charges $82.00 for a seat in the Balcony (née

Second Balcony) today. My $5.00 ticket seems like an absolute steal!

November, 1972. Back in the day, producers struck the road while the Broadway hit status iron was still hot and sent out national companies within a year or so after the show's premiere in New York. In Nanette's case, the First National Company started criss-crossing the nation only eleven months after the Broadway opening. And, they toured with stars. (Sadly, practically the only times you get genuine above-title names today are in out-of-town tryouts or in New York itself, with regional theatres sometimes snagging a big name for their seasons. I guess stars just don't tour anymore.) Nine months into its tour, Nanette settled in at Chicago's Shubert for an extended run with film star Virginia Mayo and tenor Dennis Day as the draw. Not quite Ruby Keeler and Jack Gilford, but whatever. (For the record, June Allyson, arguably a bigger name, started the tour, but left when her contract expired shortly before the Chicago opening.) With a cast of 37, slightly smaller than in New York, Nanette looked and sounded like the big smash hit it was. Virginia Mayo played the Ruby Keeler role with spunk, tap-danced with flair, and certainly had better acting chops and a better voice than Keeler. Mayo was better than the role called for, but having said that, however, the excitement that Keeler brought was missing. Judy Canova, in the Patsy Kelly role, basically bulldozed her way through the part, garnering a lot of laughs, but lacking even a soupçon of subtlety. Dennis Day was fine in the thankless of role of Mayo's husband. As in New York, the true stars of the show were Jerry Antes and Sandra Deel in the Bobby Van and Helen Gallagher roles. Both brought an exciting level of polish and professionalism that elevated the show. The young leads were charming, the ensemble busy as ever, and everyone at the Shubert had a grand time. – at the Shubert Theatre, Chicago    

– Shubert Theatre, Chicago

 A display ad welcome. Note the "and ANNE ROGERS" billing. That's pretty much top billing.

 

January,1973. Anne Rogers' opening night! By the time Nanette's run hit the three-month mark, the cast had undergone major changes. And, perhaps as a nod to its Chicago audiences, producer Cyma Rubin, known not affectionately as "The Black Witch," had the good sense to cast three Chicago favorites as part of the cast overhaul. Playing the Dennis Day role now was Elliott Reid, returning to Chicago after a very long run at the Blackstone as Felix in The Odd Couple. Anthony S. Teague, who endeared himself to audiences and critics alike as Chuck Baxter in Promises, Promises at the Shubert, was now playing the Jerry Antes role, a role he played previously in New York. But the Chicago favorite that sparked the most press and excitement was the return of Anne Rogers to Chicago to take over the role of Lucille from Sandra Deel. Having created the role of Polly in the original London production of The Boy Friend, and this was before the show hit Broadway with a young Julie Andrews in her Broadway debut, Rogers was more than familiar with the twenties and brought that knowledge to the role, imbuing it with sophisticated world-weariness that gave added depth to Lucille, yet retained the fun of the part. Her "'Where-Has-My-Hubby-Gone' Blues" stopped the show cold. Okay, I'll admit I'm a bit prejudiced here, since Ms. Rogers was a big favorite at the time, but she was damn sensational. The show itself continued to chug along like a well-oiled machine. It would close two months later after what was called a "disappointing" twenty week run, and the tour would end. (Note: Nanette was the latest show to close early in Chicago. In 1968, the Celeste Holm-led Mame would end its tour after six months in Chicago. In 1971, Promises, Promises closed after an eight month engagement at the Shubert, a long run for a tour stop by anyone's standard, but far short of the planned year-long stay.) – at the Shubert Theatre, Chicago

Sidebar: Anne Rogers first won the hearts of Chicago theatregoers as Eliza Doolittle when My Fair Lady played Chicago. Primarily a West End star, she has been quoted as saying she truly loved Chicago and Chicago returned the favor. She only appeared in two Broadway shows: Half a Sixpence, for the two weeks prior to launching the national tour, which would play Chicago (see previous post), and as a replacement for Dorothy Brock (the Tammy Grimes role) during the long initial run of 42nd Street. She appeared in Zenda, which closed out of town in 1963. In London, she played Eliza for three years, succeeding Julie Andrews, then starred in She Loves Me and I Do! I Do! She would also recreate Lucille for the London version of Nanette. One of her more interesting credits is a turn at the long-gone-and-much-lamented Ivanhoe Theatre in A Shot in the Dark. At 83, she's primarily retired now and only makes rare appearances on stage.

THE NETHER – Lucille Lortel Theatre, New York

February, 2015. After watching Jennifer Haley's "The Nether," one can never think of the Internet in quite the same way again. In a world where you can be anyone you want to be and where you can log onto virtual reality sites under false names and cloaks of anonymity and where cyber behaviour rarely has consequences, and where you're encouraged to indulge in your darkest fantasies without fear of reprisal, who's to say what is right or wrong? In the real world, these excursions into the realms of the netherworld result in no crimes, produce no victims. Or do they? Thought-provoking, provocative, and very, very, disturbingly creepy, this extremely well-acted (Frank Wood, Merritt Wever, in a role completely different from her "Nurse Jackie" character, Peter Friedman, Sophia Anne Caruso, and Ben Rosenfield) and well-designed play often felt like it should be an episode of "Black Mirror." It certainly will not be everyone's cup of tea. And I wanted to take a shower after the performance. Yes, it was that ishy. And compelling. – at the Lucille Lortel Theatre, New York

That's it for now. Up next….more misfiles!

© 2017 Jeffrey Geddes

MUSICAL MAYHEM: MY TOP TWENTY-FIVE MUSICALS – Part 12: THE TOP TEN – #7

MUSICAL MAYHEM: MY TOP TWENTY-FIVE MUSICALS – Part 12

THE TOP TEN – #7

It's a tie! One is a long-time favorite; the other a show that formerly was among my top twenty-five, but after seeing a chamber-sized version of it in London, the show shot without hesitation to the #7 spot. Hence the tie. And here they are.

# 7: 110 IN THE SHADE  – Book by N. Richard Nash; Music by Harvey Schmidt; Lyrics by Tom Jones

Composer Harvey Schmidt and his lyricist partner Tom Jones are synonymous with the world's longest-running musical, the timeless The Fantasticks, which is still delighting audiences around the world, and, remarkably, almost continuously in New York City, with a break of only four years, since it opened at off-Broadway's Sullivan Street Playhouse, where I first saw the show, in 1960. It just recently announced a closing date for their historic run. They need never write another melody or another set of lyrics in their lives. Perhaps because of the phenomenal success of The Fantasticks, it is surprising that their actual theatrical output, in comparison to other composer/lyricist teams, is not especially large. An off-Broadway Philemon, rarely done, which was, remarkably, produced at Fort Sheridan, IL, an unusual choice for an Army base theatre; two Broadway-bound musicals which closed out-of-town, Collette, featuring Diana Rigg, and Mirette, both shows unknown today; and Grover's Corner, Our Town set to music and popular among regional theatres at one time. Their Broadway catalog consists of only three original shows, 1966's very commercial, but quite wonderful I Do! I Do!; 1969's avant-garde musical fable, Celebration, which was short-lived, but with a score that ranks among my favorites, and, incidentally, a show I performed in at Barat College way, way back in 1972; and their 1963 Broadway debut, the beautiful 110 in the Shade.

N. Richard Nash's 1954 play, The Rainmaker, was never a Broadway smash, recording a modest 125-performance run. A movie version starring Katharine Hepburn, as the plain Lizzie Curry, was a popular 1956 release. It's not a "big" property. It's about people, the struggle to be content with who you are, the search for love, the need to belong. Nash adapted his play for the musical and Schmidt and Jones were hired to provide the score for their Broadway debut. As a book show, it plays well today, despite being firmly a show of its era, with a comedy sub-plot of the virginal youngest brother and his equally virginal girlfriend, which provides charm, but seems tacked on. It's Schmidt and Jones' incandescent score which sends this modest musical into musical theatre heaven. 110 in the Shade, like its source material, still isn't a "big" show and that's part of what makes the show so magical. It's still about people. It's still about dreams. It's still about faith in yourself. It's still about love and belonging. And the score….ah, that glorious, glorious score. I have been in love with this show since I first saw a production of it in 1968 at Evanston Township High School. "Another Hot Day" frequently opened our set when best friend Pat and I would perform for clubs and summer band concerts, and "A Man and a Woman" and "Simple Little Things" were usually part of the programs as well. I own the score. I have three CD versions of the show featuring Inga Swenson, Karen Ziemba, and Audra McDonald giving different, yet all valid, vocal takes on Lizzie. 110 opened in the same season as Hello, Dolly! and Funny Girl so, like the delightful High Spirits, it was overshadowed by those two powerhouse shows. It carved out a modest 330-performance run, enough of a run to make a profit. It may not be the most popular show in Tams-Witmark's library, but it certainly is one of the most lustrous. 

February, 2003. On a layover in Washington, I went straight from the airport to the theatre. This was the first show I saw at the wonderful Signature Theatre, one of the best regional theatres in the country. This was also the first professional production I saw of 110 in the Shade. I was definitely not disappointed. Back in the early 60s when 110 was first produced, big casts were the thing for musicals and the modest 110 boasted a cast of thirty-eight! With Schmidt and Jones participation and cooperation, director Eric Schaeffer trimmed away the casting fat, added new orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick to highlight the excellent ten-piece orchestra, reinstated a cut song for Starbuck, and gave Lizzie a new song in Act One. In Signature's old space in a former auto garage, director Schaeffer staged his production, with its small cast of thirteen, effectively in thrust style, with nobody more than three or four rows away from the stage. In that intimate setting, Schaeffer and his talented cast, musicians, and designers were able to focus on the story and the characters. Jacqueline Piro's journey as Lizzie was filled with emotion, skill, and nuance and she sang Schmidt and Jones' score with a sparkling radiance. Matt Bogart's Starbuck was all alpha-male swagger, yet the smart reinsertion of "Evenin' Star," gave him a vulnerability that smoothed over some of Starbuck's über-masculinity. It didn't hurt that Bogart is one handsome stud with a powerful voice. I've always been a huge fan of the role of File and James Moye brought him vividly to life. It was a quiet, sensitive portrayal that had the audience rooting for him from the start. From start to finish, a lovely show, complete with rain at the end! – at the Signature Theatre, Arlington, VA

Sidebar: Years later Bob and I would see James Moye step in as Oscar Jaffe for Peter Gallagher in On the Twentieth Century during an early preview. He was sensational…and a better singer than Mr. Gallagher.

May, 2007. Audra McDonald as Lizzie? Co-starring with the legendary John Cullum? Yes, please. Using Jonathan Tunick's gorgeous orchestrations from Signature's production, with assured direction by Lonny Price, musical direction by the brilliant Paul Gemignani, and a stunning set and costume design by Santo Loquasto with atmospheric lights by Christopher Akerlind, this altogether beautiful show filled Studio 54 with humanity and warmth. Signature's production had a cast of thirteen; Roundabout's was slightly larger at seventeen, but maintained an intimacy that let the characters and story shine. This was an exemplary cast in all respects. Among the ensemble members were Colleen Fitzpatrick, Valisia Lekae Little, Mamie Parris (!), Betsy Wolfe, Will Swenson (!!), and Michael Scott, a Broadway vet who was involved with Such a Pretty Face, my off-Broadway showcase, early in its development. Bobby Steggert and Carla Duren were so damn cute as Jimmy and Snookie, you forgot how extraneous their plotline is. John Cullum was a warm and tender father. Christopher Innvar gave a, for lack of a better word, niceness to File that was refreshing. Steve Kazee was a seductive, sexy Starbuck, despite an unexplained biker vibe, with the pipes to match. But it was the heavenly Ms. McDonald whose portrayal of Lizzie was both wise, yet with a touch of cynicism, and romantic, with a dose of reality. She gave the part some comic touches that kept Lizzie from becoming maudlin, and what she did with the score is nothing short of a wonder. The added song for Lizzie was dropped for this production. (I don't really remember the number all that well, except I was wondering why it was there. It wasn't a bad song, just not needed.) The joys of this gem of a musical were on full display in this wonderful production. – at Studio 54, New York

July, 2010. "Why would you travel to Orem, Utah, of all places, to see 110 in the Shade?" you ask. "Give me one good reason." I can do better. I can give you two good reasons: Audra McDonald and Will Swenson, by this time a couple, performing in a special two-week fundraising engagement for the Swenson family "store," the Hale Center Theater Orem. Let's face it, the prospect of seeing McDonald recreate Lizzie Curry in an intimate, 300-seat in-the-round theatre was simply not something I could pass up, so I ordered tickets literally moments after they became available to the public and was rewarded with second row seats. I could literally touch McDonald when she played some of her scenes. Luminous as always, she tailored her performance to the space and took care not to overwhelm the production, but still delivered an all-out star turn. When she sang those final notes in "Old Maid," you could literally feel the audience holding its collective breath and then bursting into rapturous applause as the first act came to a close. A year earlier, we saw Swenson in his Tony-nominated performance as Berger in Hair, and he's a sexy, talented man. Here, he's still sexy and still talented, and his easy rapport with McDonald was undeniable, but I felt his performance was a bit muted, affecting, but muted. (For the record, both Steve Kazee and Will Swenson were excellent Starbucks, but neither gentleman quite matched the animal sexiness and vocal prowess of Signature's Matt Bogart.) Nicely staged, beautifully lit and effectively designed, this was not merely the Audra and Will show. They were supported by a cast of eighteen actors who, without exception, met the high bar set by McDonald and Swenson. One criticism: the show used a recorded track, but one that was actually controlled by the conductor, which gave the actors the leeway to actually perform the numbers, but which, at times, sounded undernourished and tinny. The Hale Center Theater Orem itself is comfortable and a lovely venue to see a show. We were enchanted. – at the Hale Center Theater Orem, Orem, Utah.

Sidebar: As I mentioned above, the HCTO is the Swenson family "store," part of a small theatre chain founded by Will Swenson's grandparents. Will's brother is one of the managing directors. Now, we wore our Roundabout 110 tee-shirts at the performance. During the intermission, a man introduced himself as Will's brother and asked if we'd seen the show in New York. I said "yes" and told Cody Swenson that Bob and I had come from Chicago to Orem specifically to see Audra and his brother. I congratulated him on a terrific show so far and returned to my seat. Later, hanging out at the stage door, some of the ensemble came out, saw us in our 110 tees, and said, "Are you the Chicago boys?" Huh? Apparently, we had become somewhat of backstage celebrities. Charming young men and women, many going into their senior year at Brigham Young University. "Will and Audra want to meet you," said one. And so we met them. Lovely, gracious folks and just genuinely pleased we would come such a distance to see them and support the theatre. A wonderful ending to a wonderful evening.

Really intimate space. Much smaller than Marriott in Lincolnshire.

But....lots of lights.

Jeff with Jared Young. He played Jimmy Curry.

Will...handsome and personable.

Jeff and Audra. I resisted the temptation to genuflect.

Bob with members of the really talented ensemble. Look at those young faces, not yet scarred and disillusioned by the industry. I wonder how many of them are still acting?

 And the newest member of the Top Ten Club….

# 7: TITANIC – Book by Peter Stone, Music and Lyrics by Maury Yeston

(revised) The pre-opening buzz was lethal. The technical problems were legion, frequently stopping the show mid-performance. Preview walkouts were numerous. The ten-million-dollar show didn't have an iceberg's chance in hell and most critics and theatre columnists predicted the show, like its namesake, would sink at its opening performance, if it made it there at all. But despite a legendarily hellish preview period, vicious pre-opening press on a daily basis, and neutral-to-negative notices, Titanic proved everyone wrong by winning five Tony Awards two months later, including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score, and ended up with a respectable, if, unfortunately, unprofitable, run of over 800 performances. It perhaps will never again receive a production like its original one, and maybe that's a good thing, but over time, the show has proven that first impressions can often be wrong and has become somewhat of a cult musical, admired for both its faults and for its magnificent virtues. This is not a perfect show. In the original production, it seemed long with too many characters, too many, at least, to keep track of and care about. In its original production at the Lunt-Fontanne, the storyline of 2nd Class passenger Alice Beane bordered precariously on being unsympathetically annoying. The character became less grating in the joyous staged concert version, but it took the scaled-down chamber version we saw at London's Charing Cross Theatre to finally put Alice Beane into focus. She's still not the most sympathetic character, but, you understand her almost desperate attempt to be more upwardly mobile than she is. Finally, I got Alice Beane. The number that I'm sure the creatives thought would be the takeaway hit song, "Still," while certainly touching, has never particularly moved me. But then…ah, but then. Let's be honest. The sinking of the Titanic is still, over one hundred years later, a story that intrigues and captures the imagination of so many people. It's a human story of greed, hubris, ambition, love, bravery and courage that still resonates. Titanic's story shows us people at the best and at their worst. We, perhaps despite ourselves, get involved with this familiar story. We know some of our favorite characters will die, yet we still want the outcome to be different. And at the end, we are moved. And that's primarily due to Peter Stone's book and Maury Yeston's magnificent score. If you haven't listened to the cast recording lately, spend some time listening to the musical glories of this show. There are many treasures there, but none as great as the opening sequence of music that is the most thrilling opening of any show I've seen. This show beat the odds. For that, we should be thankful.

Sidebar: For the record, my other top favorite openings are "Ragtime" from Ragtime, "Willkommen" from Cabaret (1998), "Walk Him Up the Stairs" from Purlie and the opening of Follies up to and including "Beautiful Girls."

(edited from an earlier post)

December, 1998. As mentioned earlier, Titanic pretty much confounded its critics and not only won a bunch of Tony Awards, but also acquired a sizeable number of devoted fans and embarked on a very respectable two-year run. We saw this about twenty months after its opening. By then the show had long settled into its berth at the Lunt-Fontanne (sorry…I'll stop the shipboard references now) and the largely replacement cast of seasoned Broadway pros brought this sweeping tale to life. In the reviews, much was made of the intricate, yet not particularly opulent, scenic design…I suspected most reviewers were disappointed it wasn't more luxe...but I found the use of levels to reflect the various decks and the shipboard hierarchy to be effective. Most impressive was the scenic coup de théâtre in the First Class Smoking Room as the hydraulics worked overtime and furniture and actor Matthew Bennett, playing Titanic's architect, Thomas Andrews, tilted and slid offstage representing the ship as it sank. Really quite brilliant. Least impressive, the scenic "what-the-hell-were-they-thinking" use of a miniature Titanic zipping along the upstage wall at the conclusion of Act One, then disappearing offstage with a crash, symbolizing, I assume, the collision with the iceberg. Really rather silly and it elicited more than a few laughs, not the reaction the designers were aiming for, I suspect. In an otherwise elegant production, it was quite cheesy. The opening sequence soared; Martin Moran and Clarke Thorell shone in their duet "The Proposal/The Night was Alive;" John Cunningham provided years of Broadway experience as a noble Captain Smith; Adam Pelty made the most out of the eerie and prophetic "No Moon;" Jennifer Piech, Theresa McCarthy and Emily Loesser, daughter of composer Frank Loesser, were notable and feisty as the three Kates. Unfortunately, I felt Kay Walbye's Alice Beane was cloying and how much of that had to do with the performance itself and how much of it had to do with the writing of the part is debatable. I will say, however, that in the staged concert version, the character came across better. For the record, the Lunt's balcony is painfully tight. Poor Bob's leg were crushed. We took empty seats in the orchestra for Act Two. – at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, New York

(edited from an earlier post)

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

May, 2016. This is the production that catapulted Titanic from Honor Roll status to my #7 show. A textbook example of "less is more," this was the second preview of a return engagement of 2013's ecstatically-received Southwark Theatre's chamber-sized Titanic. This is one of my favorite shows and this intimate version, minus the bells and whistles of the Broadway original, told its tale with almost heartbreaking humanity. Spare in design, yet lit to death, to great effect, the seven-piece orchestra (2 keyboards, a violin, a viola, a cello, a bass and percussion) was rich and full. The deceptive sparseness of the production (the set was simple, but so very versatile) let director Thom Southerland concentrate on the story and its characters. Sometimes bells and whistles and fancy stuff get in the way of storytelling. The cast of twenty worked with clarity and focus and brought this familiar story to life. With vivid performances and thrilling singing, I have to admit that even this old curmudgeon was teary-eyed several times throughout the evening. Absolutely sensational. Godspeed, Titanic! - at the Charing Cross Theatre, London

And so we come to the end of another installment. See you soon!

© 2017Jeffrey Geddes