Melting Faces and Taking Names

I really just wanted to name this post ‘An Ode to Alex Brightman’ but 1. That was way too forward and 2. He already knows how awesome he is (I hope so anyway). I digress though because over at the Winter Garden Theater I had my face shredded to PIECES when I saw “School of Rock-The Musical”. Okay let me start off by just saying, these kids are incredible, THIS SHOW is out of this world and I saw more energy in Alex Brightman than I would in an energizer bunny. The dude was jumping off desks and bopping around like a jumping bean. I mean COME ON.

I originally went to this show for my little sister who I thought would love it which she did, however I didn’t expect myself to have the experience I did in that theater (I think I had more fun than her). What they’re doing over at the Winter Garden is something magical. Alex Brightman, I am speechless I cannot say enough of all the wonderful things that has already been said about him as a person and his performance. You can tell just by his enthusiasm, energy and presence with those kids that he is in this business because he LOVES it.

The kids, my GOD those kids are something else, so talented and they are literally having the time of their lives on stage. I wish I could turn back the clock __ years and do what they’re doing if I could. Its actually insane, Isabella Russo (Summer) is nailing it in her role she gives it her own flare and sass to the character she’s so wonderfully created for the stage. Can I just talk about the end note she hits in her song “Time to Play”? SLAY GIRL. To add to that, I honestly didn’t even think they were playing their own instruments but jokes on me when I found out those kids actually PLAY (it took me a few to catch on oops). I was amazed to say the least.

Sierra Boggess is killing it as per usual, I’ve seen her play ingénue many times and seeing her have comedic moments and to see her do a complete 360 of personalities was so awesome it killed me at some moments. Her chemistry with Alex is like they’re the odd couple so funny and organic, I loved every second of their scenes together, (especially in the bar).

Back to Mr. Brightman for a sec, you sir (Im talking as if I know you) are freaking incredible, you deserve every ounce of praise and accolade from this role because it is nothing short of incredible what you do each night. Thank you for even being so kind, friendly and signing my sisters playbill, your show was her first stage door experience and she will still talk about it to this day how awesome you were (the playbill is in a frame for God sake). I sincerely hope you keep doing what you’re doing forever (I mean you’re doing this for a reason right?!?!) your talent, kindness and passion knows no bounds. You’re giving a powerhouse performance that deserves the recognition its been given because it is in no means easy but you sure as hell make it look like it. Thank you for being a class act.

I cannot wait to get my face shredded, torn off, melted and whatever other words I can use to say how hard this show rocked my world, again soon.

 

Why We Need ‘Dear Evan Hansen’

We live in an age where the world is changing fast around us, we search for answers we can’t find on our own, we feel things that we don’t know are true or not. We wear our hearts on our sleeve and our emotions like a bandaid waiting to be ripped off. We live in a world where we lose too many to suicide and where social media tends to rule above all in adolescence (ironic huh?). Dear Evan Hansen the show that addresses the poignant issues teens and families face today: friendship, loss, love, the effect social media has and the truth about lies. Ben Platt (“Pitch Perfect”) brings life for lack of a better word to Evan, a socially awkward and keeps to himself type of teenager who struggles with every teenagers problem in life with wanting to have a sense of belonging. Evan is trying to just make it through while battling depression, social anxieties and the feeling of invisibility.

Social media, what can I say that hasn’t already been said it’s just a different type of monster. What you choose to put out there is there for the rest of time, thoughts and opinions just like the ones I choose to write will be encrypted into the infinite world of the internet and beyond that. Evan simply doesn’t connect with others like we do within social media. You can like, share, comment, favorite, follow, I don’t think I need to go on but it should be said that there are so many Evan Hansen’s out there in the world that are afraid to have their own voice because of the voices of others. Everything that is put out on social media is subject to criticism, hate and talked about. Evan is quiet, never puts himself in situations to be criticized because it just would add to the anxieties he has already.

Your heart immediately just wants to lend itself out to Evan and the internal struggle he faces with who he is. The story and plot line will absolutely hit way too close to home for some but for others its an eye opener for what can happen when social media and life cross paths and take over. Teens are desperate and needy its really no surprise, don’t kid yourself if you’re a teen and say you’ve never thrived off of people’s attention, we will do anything for attention, love and friendship. Just like Evan had done with the death of his friend Connor. We find so much truth in the mess of lies Evan had put himself in. Its like you wind up getting everything you wished for but at the same time you end up with nothing at all. For the sake of not giving away too much (because everyone should go to see this show), I’ll end with this, if you are anyone feeling as though you’re alone or you don’t belong or you feel like an Evan Hansen PLEASE see this show and all it brings to the table.

Ben Platt and this cast is giving a performance that is not to be missed and he is telling Evan’s story at its best. To Justin Paul and Benj Pasek, thank you for bringing this story to the stage in a beautiful way, it is one that will resonate with audiences long after they leave the theater. From someone who has always struggled with the feeling of being an outsider and invisible to many, this is truly a remarkable piece of theater that I personally will be back to see again, this time with friends. P.S. your show stole all the tears my body had.

Dear Evan Hansen is still in previews with an opening night on May 1st running through May 22nd at Second Stage Theater. Like I said don’t walk, run to see this show.

Drama Desk Nominations Today!

Matthew Morrison and Vanessa Williams/TheaterMania.com

Vanessa Williams and Matthew Morrison will be announcing the 2016 Drama Desk Award Nominations at Feinsteins/54 Below this morning at 10am. You can watch the nominations live here at 10am and the awards will be held at Town Hall June 5th hosted by Drama Desk Award winner Michael Urie. This award is presented annually to honor outstanding achievement by artists on Broadway, Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway.

She Loves Me, Bright Star and  American Psycho led the award nominations with She Loves Me leading with nine nominations including those for Outstanding Actress in a Musical (Laura Benanti) and Outstanding Revival of a Musical. Bright Star and American Psycho follow behind with a respectable seven nominations. While Michael John LaChiusa’s  Off-Broadway show First Daughters Suite was celebrated with six nominations including Outstanding Musical.

Check out the full list of nominations here  on TheaterMania.com

 

Curtain Up! Happy Opening to Shuffle Along!

Tonight, April 28th stars of the stage and screen will gather at the Music Box Theater to celebrate the opening of “Shuffle Along” and its stars -Audra McDonald, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Billy Porter, Brandon Victor Dixon, Joshua Henry and more with direction coming from George C. Wolfe and Choreography by the “king of tap” Savion Glover, the audience sure is in for a swingin’ good time.

“Shuffle Along” is revived and reimagined from the 1921 hit musical which had been written, directed and starred by African-Americans. With its toe tapping jazz numbers and dance numbers filled with life, this musical was the unlikely hit of the 1920’s bringing a new light to the great white way during the depression in America. Uniting New York City one song at a time.

The opening of “Shuffle Along” marks the end to what was an incredible 2015-2016 season of Broadway.

Wishing the cast, crew and creatives of “Shuffle Along” great success and a fantastic opening night, no one will want to miss the powerhouse of talent exuding from this theater and show.

The Music Box Theater is located at: 239 W. 45th St.

Will She Drink? Theater Review: Tuck Everlasting

Photo credit to Sara Krulwich/NY Times

Touching,  endearing and a timeless (get it) story is being told on stage at the Broadhurst Theater. “Tuck Everlasting” a children’s novel by Natalie Babbitt, has been adapted for the stage. The book co-written by Claudia Sheer (“Dirty Blonde”) and notable YA author Tim Federle (“The Great American Whatever”) with Chris Miller (music) and Nathan Tysen (lyrics) putting together a gorgeous score to accompany this beloved children’s book onto the stage at the Broadhurst.

Direction and choreography comes from no one other than Casey Nicholaw, a broadway name stage when it comes to award winning musicals. Nicholaw has an accomplished four shows on the great white way, including hits like the dazzling “Aladdin” and the elizabethan comedic spoof “Something Rotten”. His work in “Tuck” is remarkably different from the show stopping numbers you would see in his other shows. The emotion shines through his telling of the philosophical question that is being provoked throughout the show. None the less to say his show stopping moves do show in a few numbers along with the stunning costumes to match the over the top choreography.

“Tuck” although being a very family oriented show presents the question, “If you could live forever, would you?” Is an everlasting life something worth living? The Tuck family- led by Carolee Carmello (“Finding Neverland”) as Mae Tuck, Michael Park as Angus Tuck, Andrew Keenan-Bolger (“Newsies”) as 17 year old Jesse Tuck and Robert Lenzi as older brother Miles Tuck- come to life in the opening number drinking from the water spring at the base of a tree, it is very much like a fountain of youth scenario.

In the same opening sequence, we meet young Winnie Foster, portrayed by 11 year old broadway newcomer Sarah Charles-Lewis. This performance by Lewis is simply one of the best child performances I have had the pleasure of watching. She truly brings Winnie to life on stage with strong vocal chops and the acting to match. Lewis has a spark in her eye and spunk in her attitude while expressing her frustration as Winnie is being held on a tight leash by her mother after her father passed nearly a year ago.

Winnie skips out against the wishes of her mother behind the woods where she meets 17 year old Jesse (Keenan-Bolger) drinking from that same fountain of youth spring. He invites her to climb a tree instead of drinking from the spring as he is doing. Soon Winnie meets the rest of the Tucks and discovers their everlasting secret that has been kept for so long. The spring holds a magic elixir making the whoever drinks it immortal. Jesse looks 17 but since he drank from the spring it has been 85 years making him 102.

Winnie loves spending her time with the Tucks, seeing how much fun it would to be them and to live forever. She soon sees that everlasting life doesn’t come with everlasting happiness. While deciding whether she should drink or not is the conflict being decided throughout the show. Lewis’ number “Everlasting” is sung with deep emotion and questionable tone with her repeating “Should I? Could I? Will I Drink” wanting to know if the secret to a happy life is everlasting or not.

The book is clear cut as Federle and Sheer both had added comedic relief with the characters Constable Joe (Fred Applegate) and Hugo (Michael Wartella), the two detectives who are sent out to look for Winnie when she does not return home.

It would be a crime not to comment on Broadway Veteran and resident villain at “Tuck” Mr. Terrance Mann, who plays the gleefully delicious villain as The Man in The Yellow Suit. Mann, who’s mission is to find out the Tucks and their secret of immortality gives a performance that is a stand out throughout the production.

The cast is something about this show that is to not be missed. Carmello’s 11’oclock number “Most Beautiful Day” is a powerhouse ballad and provide with a moving performance with vocals that can shake buildings. She creates a moving relationship throughout the show with Lewis as does Park and Keenan-Bolger who’s creating a friendship with someone he can confide in with his family’s secret this carries the plot throughout.

“Tucks” central theme can be daunting for young children, the theory of life and its ending. It is a story however that needs to be told with the moving score and easy to follow book it addresses the theme of life and what comes after effortlessly. Have tissues on hand and be ready for some tears after Angus addresses Winnie while fishing after performing the song “The Wheel”. He tells the young child “Don’t be afraid of death, Winnie. Be afraid of not being truly alive, you don’t need to live forever, you just need to live.”

The final moments of “Tuck Everlasting” however are the most memorable, Nicholaw’s ballet choreography completely takes over and is sweepingly gorgeous. The dancers and cast express without words the meaningfulness of what the story is trying to tell. It is an emotional force and thought provoking piece as well as a refreshing new American musical. “Tuck Everlasting” is truly a beautiful piece, with a cast that is unmatched and filled with everlasting talent. Here’s to “Tuck” bringing everlasting life and love to the great white way.

“Tuck Everlasting” is now open at the Broadhurst Theater, for tickets and more information go to Ticketmaster.com or the box office at the Broadhurst located at:

235 W. 44th street, Midtown West or call 212-541-8457

Did She Like It? Y E S