Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
ROCK OF AGES
As the opening song says, "it don't get better than this," and it is true. The touring company of ROCK OF AGES is in top-notch form, and the entire evening is nothing but fun, laughs, and good times.
Tony Nominee Constantine Maroulis is the perfect wanna-be rock star with impressive stage presence and acting/vocal ranges. His transition from handsome and humble barback to front man during "Cum on Feel the Noize" cements his star status.
Patrick Lewallen as Lonny/Narrator welcomes the audience immediately and just about steals every scene with his comedic timing and comprehension of the material, which is both over-the-top but credible.
Rebecca Fulkenberry's hearty and deep voice propel her portrayal of Sherrie with both sex appeal and charm.
The on-stage band "Arsenal" also invites the audience upon arrival and lets us in on the fun, and we know we are part of the party. The entire cast is of high quality and caliber.
Not to be overlooked is Jason Lyons's lighting design which impressively re-creates the arena rock concert feel and appeal of the 1980s.
Not of all the songs are played in full, but this keeps both the novelty and movement alive, and it all works.
If you're looking for "nothing but a good time," visit the Bourbon Room and ROCK OF AGES.
GRADE = A
Tony Nominee Constantine Maroulis is the perfect wanna-be rock star with impressive stage presence and acting/vocal ranges. His transition from handsome and humble barback to front man during "Cum on Feel the Noize" cements his star status.
Patrick Lewallen as Lonny/Narrator welcomes the audience immediately and just about steals every scene with his comedic timing and comprehension of the material, which is both over-the-top but credible.
Rebecca Fulkenberry's hearty and deep voice propel her portrayal of Sherrie with both sex appeal and charm.
The on-stage band "Arsenal" also invites the audience upon arrival and lets us in on the fun, and we know we are part of the party. The entire cast is of high quality and caliber.
Not to be overlooked is Jason Lyons's lighting design which impressively re-creates the arena rock concert feel and appeal of the 1980s.
Not of all the songs are played in full, but this keeps both the novelty and movement alive, and it all works.
If you're looking for "nothing but a good time," visit the Bourbon Room and ROCK OF AGES.
GRADE = A
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Monday, October 11, 2010
Monday, October 04, 2010
A Dirty Rotten Good Time!!
What a difference new house and a new director make! North Shore Music
Theatre's current production of DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS breathes new life
into a book that during the national tour appeared bland and
underwhelming. To be unfair, the score by David Yazbek resembled a
watered-down of his previous THE FULL MONTY. To be fair, the DRS tunes
sounded both professional and efficient at best.
Under the attentive direction of Mark Martino, both the story and humor
spring to vibrant life, and musical director Steven Freeman makes the
songs catchy and full of wit and wisdom.
Thanks, of course, also have to go to the outstanding leads Brent Barrett,
D.B. Bonds, and Brynn O'Malley, who play so well off each other one would
swear they'd been performing this production for years.
The same can be said for the featured roles performed by Jennifer Cody,
Lynne Winterstellar, and John Scherer, who are not only hilarious in their
own rights, but because they are clearly having a great time, the audience
is right there with them.
Not to be overlooked is Denis Jones's vivid and sharp choreography, and the ensemble is
a pure joy to experience.
The entire cast and crew know how give us what we want, and that's a
fun-filled afternoon or evening at a theatre who deserves future
productions such as this one.
GRADE - A.
Theatre's current production of DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS breathes new life
into a book that during the national tour appeared bland and
underwhelming. To be unfair, the score by David Yazbek resembled a
watered-down of his previous THE FULL MONTY. To be fair, the DRS tunes
sounded both professional and efficient at best.
Under the attentive direction of Mark Martino, both the story and humor
spring to vibrant life, and musical director Steven Freeman makes the
songs catchy and full of wit and wisdom.
Thanks, of course, also have to go to the outstanding leads Brent Barrett,
D.B. Bonds, and Brynn O'Malley, who play so well off each other one would
swear they'd been performing this production for years.
The same can be said for the featured roles performed by Jennifer Cody,
Lynne Winterstellar, and John Scherer, who are not only hilarious in their
own rights, but because they are clearly having a great time, the audience
is right there with them.
Not to be overlooked is Denis Jones's vivid and sharp choreography, and the ensemble is
a pure joy to experience.
The entire cast and crew know how give us what we want, and that's a
fun-filled afternoon or evening at a theatre who deserves future
productions such as this one.
GRADE - A.
Friday, August 06, 2010
JOSEPH @ NSMT
JOSEPH has always been more of a crowd-pleaser and less of a critic's darling, and this entertaining - if not slightly off-balanced - production could prove to be more of the same.
Arguably, the show has always belonged to the Brothers, but few directors acknowledge this. The exception is Jayme McDaniel, who is no stranger to the material. The production comes to vibrant life whenever his solid, strong unit is on stage either as siblings or as members of the ensemble. Their energy is infectious as they are provided dance breaks which feel fun instead of forced. Individual numbers "One More Angel," "Those Canaan Days," and "Benjamin Calypso" are genuinely entertaining.
Anthony Federov is a good-looking Joseph with a powerful voice, and he fares better when he is not over-pronouncing everything. The same can be said for Jennifer Paz, the gorgeous Narrator with a refreshing persona. Her delivery could be softened in some areas to be more effective.
According to his bio, McDaniel has staged the show before, and in some areas it seems that he has merely transplanted his previous production to this stage and forgot to transfer it to an arena setting. An example is when Joseph meets the Pharaoh, and there are men and women lined up on either side. The "let's face this side of the theatre now" approach during the dance is obvious.
The production is at its best when it strays from literal interpretation as when the Brothers sing "The dreams of our dear brother are..." ala "Cool" from WEST SIDE STORY. The Narrator is thoroughly enjoying her cocktail provided for her during the calypso number. However, seeing the Pharaoh portrayed as "The King" and watching a 1960s send-up of "Go, Go, Go Joseph" remind the audience just how stale and dated the show is.
Still, if you are looking for carefree family fare (except for the girls' costumes during "Potiphar") this JOSEPH will certainly do. B-
Arguably, the show has always belonged to the Brothers, but few directors acknowledge this. The exception is Jayme McDaniel, who is no stranger to the material. The production comes to vibrant life whenever his solid, strong unit is on stage either as siblings or as members of the ensemble. Their energy is infectious as they are provided dance breaks which feel fun instead of forced. Individual numbers "One More Angel," "Those Canaan Days," and "Benjamin Calypso" are genuinely entertaining.
Anthony Federov is a good-looking Joseph with a powerful voice, and he fares better when he is not over-pronouncing everything. The same can be said for Jennifer Paz, the gorgeous Narrator with a refreshing persona. Her delivery could be softened in some areas to be more effective.
According to his bio, McDaniel has staged the show before, and in some areas it seems that he has merely transplanted his previous production to this stage and forgot to transfer it to an arena setting. An example is when Joseph meets the Pharaoh, and there are men and women lined up on either side. The "let's face this side of the theatre now" approach during the dance is obvious.
The production is at its best when it strays from literal interpretation as when the Brothers sing "The dreams of our dear brother are..." ala "Cool" from WEST SIDE STORY. The Narrator is thoroughly enjoying her cocktail provided for her during the calypso number. However, seeing the Pharaoh portrayed as "The King" and watching a 1960s send-up of "Go, Go, Go Joseph" remind the audience just how stale and dated the show is.
Still, if you are looking for carefree family fare (except for the girls' costumes during "Potiphar") this JOSEPH will certainly do. B-
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Monday, May 03, 2010
GIN & IT
Review coming soon of GIN & IT playing at the Performance Space 122 in New York!
It is a performance piece about the Alfred Hitchcock movie ROPE.
It's hard to describe but awesome to watch.
Catch it now--you will NOT be disappointed!
It is a performance piece about the Alfred Hitchcock movie ROPE.
It's hard to describe but awesome to watch.
Catch it now--you will NOT be disappointed!
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Monday, January 11, 2010
BROADWAY ON CD
GLORY DAYS
music and lyrics by Nick Blaemire
book by James Gardiner
Ghostlight Records
So much can happen in one night.
Such is the concept behind GLORY DAYS, which debuted and closed in one night in 2008. Listening to the CD, it is easy to appreciate why the producers were excited about launching the production on the Great White Way - the musical is the perfect antidote to the exhausting parade of both movies-turned-musicals and over-the-top visual extravaganzas.
Unfortunately, it is also easy to understand how a cavernous theatre could swallow the intimate production, portrayed with refreshing reality by its four actors - Steven Booth, Andrew C. Hall, Adam Halpin, and Jesse JP Johnson.
The score - penned with heartbreaking honesty by Nick Blaemire - introduces us to four best buddies who reunite after their freshman year in college. We hear them struggle as they resist or accept change and face maturating and accepting life as it is and not how they wish it to be.
Fortunately, this slice-of-life avoids stilted and forced dialogue as many musicals before it have suffered; the friends' verbal exchanges are credible and accessible.
Hopefully, this charming musical will be re-discovered so it can enjoy more than one night of glory. B
music and lyrics by Nick Blaemire
book by James Gardiner
Ghostlight Records
So much can happen in one night.
Such is the concept behind GLORY DAYS, which debuted and closed in one night in 2008. Listening to the CD, it is easy to appreciate why the producers were excited about launching the production on the Great White Way - the musical is the perfect antidote to the exhausting parade of both movies-turned-musicals and over-the-top visual extravaganzas.
Unfortunately, it is also easy to understand how a cavernous theatre could swallow the intimate production, portrayed with refreshing reality by its four actors - Steven Booth, Andrew C. Hall, Adam Halpin, and Jesse JP Johnson.
The score - penned with heartbreaking honesty by Nick Blaemire - introduces us to four best buddies who reunite after their freshman year in college. We hear them struggle as they resist or accept change and face maturating and accepting life as it is and not how they wish it to be.
Fortunately, this slice-of-life avoids stilted and forced dialogue as many musicals before it have suffered; the friends' verbal exchanges are credible and accessible.
Hopefully, this charming musical will be re-discovered so it can enjoy more than one night of glory. B
Thursday, January 07, 2010
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