Monday, June 06, 2005
Fame Lives On At NSMT!
When “Fame, The Musical” debuted in the 1990’s, many loyal fans of the movie grumbled because the title track was abbreviated, and all of the songs, including “Out Here On My Own” and “I Sing The Body Electric,” were omitted.
Well, if you want to see the movie, see the movie.
To give credit to Book Writer Jose Fernandez and Lyricist Jacques Levy, they have created an original musical, rather than recycling the film onto a stage (a common and unfortunate trend today on Broadway).
While the book may not reach the intended dramatic tension and the songs are more pop than grit, the final result is an honest reflection of the pains and angst of high school sung in realistic words.
Director/Choreographer Richard Stafford, whose credits include North Shore Music Theatre’s Cats and Swing!, has proven that he can handle large casts with ease and create dancing that is stylish as well as energetic. This is proven in the second number “Hard Work” which has both students and audience members exploding out of their seats.
While there are no weak links in the cast, attention must be given to Eric Anthony whose Tyrone is his own creation instead of a carbon copy the movie or the TV show. The same is said for Lynnette N. Pyram’s Carmen. Her facial expressions alone demonstrate the actor’s maturity and comprehension of the character.
Thank you, Mr. Stafford, for hiring actors to play the music students who can actually play their instruments! It is very frustrating to see actors pretend to play a piano while someone in the pit does it for them.
Inga Ballard as English Teacher Miss Sherman has her own moment as she admits her feelings about her students in the painfully sincere “These Are My Children.”
With clever lighting and excellent use of a mini stairway/hallway, Richard Stafford’s hard work has definitely paid off.
Well, if you want to see the movie, see the movie.
To give credit to Book Writer Jose Fernandez and Lyricist Jacques Levy, they have created an original musical, rather than recycling the film onto a stage (a common and unfortunate trend today on Broadway).
While the book may not reach the intended dramatic tension and the songs are more pop than grit, the final result is an honest reflection of the pains and angst of high school sung in realistic words.
Director/Choreographer Richard Stafford, whose credits include North Shore Music Theatre’s Cats and Swing!, has proven that he can handle large casts with ease and create dancing that is stylish as well as energetic. This is proven in the second number “Hard Work” which has both students and audience members exploding out of their seats.
While there are no weak links in the cast, attention must be given to Eric Anthony whose Tyrone is his own creation instead of a carbon copy the movie or the TV show. The same is said for Lynnette N. Pyram’s Carmen. Her facial expressions alone demonstrate the actor’s maturity and comprehension of the character.
Thank you, Mr. Stafford, for hiring actors to play the music students who can actually play their instruments! It is very frustrating to see actors pretend to play a piano while someone in the pit does it for them.
Inga Ballard as English Teacher Miss Sherman has her own moment as she admits her feelings about her students in the painfully sincere “These Are My Children.”
With clever lighting and excellent use of a mini stairway/hallway, Richard Stafford’s hard work has definitely paid off.
The Winners
BEST PLAY-Doubt, John Patrick Shanley
REVIVAL/PLAY-Glengarry Glen Ross
DIRECTOR-Doug Hughes, Doubt
LEADING ACTOR-Bill Irwin, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
FEATURED ACTOR-Liev Schreiber, Glengarry Glen Ross
LEADING ACTRESS-Cherry Jones, Doubt
FEATURED ACTRESS-Adrianne Lenox, Doubt
SCENIC DESIGN-The Pillowman, Scott Pask
LIGHTING DESIGN-The Pillowman, Brian MacDevitt
COSTUME DESIGN-The Rivals, Jess Goldstein
BEST MUSICAL-Monty Python's Spamalot
REVIVAL/MUSICAL-La Cage Aux Folles
DIRECTOR-Mike Nichols, Monty Python's Spamalot
LEADING ACTOR-Norbert Leo Butz-Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
FEATURED ACTOR-Dan Fogler, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
LEADING ACTRESS-Victoria Clark, The Light in the Piazza
FEATURED ACTRESS-Sara Ramirez, Monty Python's Spamalot
BOOK-The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Rachel Sheinkin
SCORE-The Light in the Piazza, Adam Guettel
ORCHESTRATIONS-The Light in the Piazza, Ted Sperling, Adam Guettel, & Bruce Coughlin
CHOREOGRAPHY-La Cage Aux Folles, Jerry Mitchell
SCENIC DESIGN-The Light in the Piazza, Michael Yeargan
LIGHTING DESIGN-The Light in the Piazza, Christopher Akerlind
COSTUME DESIGN-The Light in the Piazza, Catherine Zuber
BEST SPECIAL THEATRICAL EVENT-700 Sundays
REVIVAL/PLAY-Glengarry Glen Ross
DIRECTOR-Doug Hughes, Doubt
LEADING ACTOR-Bill Irwin, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
FEATURED ACTOR-Liev Schreiber, Glengarry Glen Ross
LEADING ACTRESS-Cherry Jones, Doubt
FEATURED ACTRESS-Adrianne Lenox, Doubt
SCENIC DESIGN-The Pillowman, Scott Pask
LIGHTING DESIGN-The Pillowman, Brian MacDevitt
COSTUME DESIGN-The Rivals, Jess Goldstein
BEST MUSICAL-Monty Python's Spamalot
REVIVAL/MUSICAL-La Cage Aux Folles
DIRECTOR-Mike Nichols, Monty Python's Spamalot
LEADING ACTOR-Norbert Leo Butz-Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
FEATURED ACTOR-Dan Fogler, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
LEADING ACTRESS-Victoria Clark, The Light in the Piazza
FEATURED ACTRESS-Sara Ramirez, Monty Python's Spamalot
BOOK-The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Rachel Sheinkin
SCORE-The Light in the Piazza, Adam Guettel
ORCHESTRATIONS-The Light in the Piazza, Ted Sperling, Adam Guettel, & Bruce Coughlin
CHOREOGRAPHY-La Cage Aux Folles, Jerry Mitchell
SCENIC DESIGN-The Light in the Piazza, Michael Yeargan
LIGHTING DESIGN-The Light in the Piazza, Christopher Akerlind
COSTUME DESIGN-The Light in the Piazza, Catherine Zuber
BEST SPECIAL THEATRICAL EVENT-700 Sundays
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