REVIEW: Rent

Everything is RENT

No matter how many times you experience it, RENT is an American musical classic. In my case, seeing the new tour of RENT at the Warner Theatre meant experiencing the show for the 15th time. Seeing it this time however meant that, for the first time, I would see a performance with two of the original stars, Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal. Of course, both performers starred in the film version of RENT, but this would be my first time seeing them live onstage.

Honestly, I expected to be disappointed. I expected to see two actors playing characters far too young for them. After all, they were the originals in 1996—13 years ago. At that time, they were age-appropriate for Mark and Roger. How could they possibly still be right for these roles? Having recently experienced an aged Ted Neeley in his pathetic star turn in Jesus Christ Superstar at this same theatre, I had good reason to be skeptical.

I was surprised and delighted to see that Rapp and Pascal could still pull it off. They looked great, sounded great, and for the most part seemed completely engaged in the show. Only once or twice did Pascal appear to be exhibiting a “just get me through this” mentality. They seemed genuinely committed—committed to their roles, committed to the show, and committed to giving this rock concert-like (and capacity) audience a great performance.

Each time I see RENT, I see something different. The show is layered with content and subtext, the staging complex, and the subtleties rich. Tonight I realized that during the ballad Without You, Angel, Mimi, and Roger take turns on the hospital bed with an IV next to it—a brilliantly simple and effective demonstration of the never-ending and random hospital visits that someone with AIDS faces. And, when Mimi is trying to seduce Roger, she is parroting the same words from the HIV support group, “No day but today.”

This time, I took a friend who had never experienced RENT. She didn’t see it on Broadway or any of the tours to the DC area. She even managed to escape seeing the film. After the show, the first thing she said was, “Can we see it again?”

When RENT first hit the NY stage, I kept the cast recording in my car CD-changer for well over a year. I was completely obsessed with the music and it became a vital part of my life. Having seen the show several times on Broadway, many times in cities across the country, and even London’s West End production, it remains one of my favorite shows of all time. In fact, when the Broadway production announced its closing, I made the journey back to New York for one final visit with my friends in Alphabet City.

Seeing this tour was a sweet reminder of who these friends are. It made me realize again, how much I miss Maureen, Joanne, Roger, Mark, Tom, Benny, Mimi and of course Angel. They will be with me forever. And, the CD set is now back in my car.

REVIEW: The Rise and Fall of Annie Hall

Today, I saw a new production at Washington DC’s Theatre J called The Rise and Fall of Annie Hall. Perhaps the best part of my experience today was the dinner and cocktails with friends that followed at a local restaurant called Logan Tavern – the Buffalo shrimp appetizer was absolutely amazing. The show at Theatre J, on the other hand, was perfectly adequate, but not outstanding.

Logan Tavern’s Buffalo shrimp were tender, spicy, and delicious. The show was a little bland and somewhat flavorless.

The modern comedy focuses on a would-be Broadway musical book writer (Josh Lefkowitz) and his gay, stoner composer friend (Matt Anderson) who set their sights on securing the rights to write the musical version of Woody Allen’s Annie Hall. The humor in the script is lacking and the characters in the show become more stereotype than interesting.

One of the funniest moments in the show was unscripted, and involved an elderly couple in the front row of the audience who dropped their box-office issued hearing devices. They both took turns standing up, fishing around under their seats, complaining in full voice that they couldn’t find their hearing aids. Meanwhile, the actors were struggling to continue the action onstage. Just at that moment, the narrator of the story has a line where he says something like, “Maybe I’m just being an asshole.” When he delivered that line, he broke the magical fourth wall of the stage, and said it DIRECTLY to the disruptive couple. It didn’t help, but it was entertaining, and it warranted a good round of the giggles from me and my fellow theatre-goers.

The Rise and Fall of Annie Hall is not a bad play. This is an average production, with an average cast, an average design, and average direction. I just wish it could borrow some of the spice and intensity of the wonderful Buffalo shrimp at Logan Tavern. We would all have been a little more satisfied.

REVIEW: Ragtime

When I heard that Washington DC’s Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts was opening an all-new production of Ragtime, my first reaction was … why? After all, it was only about 9 years ago that Ragtime closed on Broadway—a production that ran for about 2 years, earned 13 Tony nominations and won 4 Tonys including Best Music and Lyrics. That same production earned 14 Drama Desk nominations and earned 5 Awards including Best New Musical.

Having seen the original production three times—the LA premiere, the Broadway production, and the First National Tour, I thought I knew the show, the staging, and the overall concept. I love Ragtime. So why do we need a new production, when the original was by most accounts (including my own), close to perfection?

As the curtain rises at the Kennedy Center, these questions are gone. This is not just a new production; it is a different production. It is, in many ways, a better production. The glorious music is still there, courtesy of Stephen Flaherty. Lynn Ahrens’ brilliant lyrics are still there, and the captivating book by Terrence McNally is unchanged.

The difference is the vast human emotion brought to the forefront in this re-envisioned interpretation.

The performances at the Kennedy Center are incredible and solid across the cast. Quentin Earl Darrington who stars as Coalhouse Walker is mesmerizing. I found it difficult to take my eyes off him even for a second. His voice is commanding yet gentle and when he discovers he has fathered a child, a full range of emotions flows over his face. Darrington is a master at conveying emotion. We understand every thought going through his head, without hearing a single word. As the story progresses Darrington’s Coalhouse transforms. His innocence and bright-eyed wonder are gone, and he becomes determined, jaded, and angry. And as the show reaches a dramatic conclusion, he is transformed yet again. When he sings, “Make Them Hear You,” the audience is too captivated to utter a sound. We somehow know that he has made peace with his fate. In the show’s final minutes, we know what’s about to happen, and because of Darrington’s outstanding performance, we sense Coalhouse does too. Quentin Earl Darrington gives us a rare and brilliant evening of theatre.

While every single member of this cast should be singled out for their contribution to this show, three performances are exceptional—Christiane Noll as Mother, Manoel Felciano as Tateh, and Bobby Steggert as Mother’s Younger Brother.

Christiane Noll’s vocals are stellar, and her rendition of “Back to Before” in Act Two, brings down the house. At the performance I saw, the conclusion of this song prompted shouts of “Brava”—a common occurrence at opera performances, but a rarity from musical theatre audiences. The accolades are well-deserved. Her entire performance is spot on.

Tateh, played by Manoel Felciano, is a poor immigrant. He and his daughter are traveling to America to seek a better life. Felciano’s performance evokes the fears and uncertainty that any immigrant must feel coming to this country. But Felciano’s Tateh is also full of hope and determination to provide a better life for his child. He is a skilled actor and demonstrates a keen rapport with his young co-star, Sara Rosenthal, who plays Tateh’s daughter, The Young Girl.

Mother’s Younger Brother, played by Bobby Steggert, offers another standout performance. When you first see Steggert, you might wonder how he could possible fit into this production—he seems shy, introverted, and nervous. What we discover however, is a young man struggling to understand who he is and coming to terms with the bigotry around him. Steggert allows us to see Younger Brother develop and make decisions—real choices about his place in the world. Throughout the show, we see him metamorphosis from a weak, nervous, misguided kid, to an assertive, strong-willed man who makes decisions based on what he believes rather than what his is told to believe. The transformation is breathtaking to witness.

This production looks different too. A magnificent three story metal structure designed by Derek McLane dominates the stage. The scaffolding-like set represents many places—auto assembly line, train station, immigration center, textile factory, and ultimately the JP Morgan Library in New York. The use of the platforms and stairs is ingenious and director/choreographer Marcia Milgrom Dodge takes full advantage of the space. Through her intricate staging, she brings life to an otherwise sculptural still life. The actors use the space effortlessly and never are we confused about where we are in time or place.

An original costume design by Santo Loquasto (who designed the original Broadway costumes) helps to reinforce the differences in class, race, and national origin. His subtle, yet distinct choices are beautifully executed and exaggerate the inherent conflict between the characters. Lighting design, by Donald Holder is equally effective, complimenting the entire production in a beautiful and theatrical way.

This Ragtime is exceptional. And while there is buzz about a New York transfer, do not risk missing it.

Ragtime at the Kennedy Center has been extended to May 17.

REVIEW: Blithe Spirit

Blithe Spirit, by Noël Coward, is a wonderful play. It is light, funny, and has been performed to death by community theatres from coast to coast. It is extremely difficult to pull off a great production of Blithe Spirit without brilliantly skilled performers. Fortunately, the current Broadway production of Blithe Spirit has a full cast of qualified and brilliant stars.

Angela Lansbury, who plays the eccentric Madame Arcati, is a joy to watch. Her every movement, gesture, or glance reflects an artist who is confident in her abilities and understands the process of developing a character. I’ve been a fan of Ms. Lansbury forever, and I was thrilled to have the opportunity to see her in this play. I was not disappointed. Her performance is finely honed and exactly right.

Lucky for the audience, Ms. Lansbury is surrounded by brilliant performers. Rupert Everett is Charles, Christine Ebersole is Elvira, and Jayne Atkinson is Ruth.

Rupert Everett is wonderful as Charles. He hits his stride early in Act One and carries it right through to the end of Act Two. Occasionally, an actor who spends most of his time in front of a camera is not convincing on a stage with a live audience. The two crafts are so different; it’s sometime hard to transition from one to the other. Not so with Mr. Everett. He seems at home on the stage.

Christine Ebersole, who won great acclaim for her performance in Grey Gardens, is magnificent as the spirited Elvira. She glides across the stage and is deliciously mischievous. Her movements are beautifully enhanced by the ethereal costume designed by Martin Paklidenaz. Ms. Ebersole also provides the vocals for the delightful interludes between scenes. The clear tone of her voice is unmistakable and the Noël Coward songbook works well to set the mood for the following scene.

Jayne Atkinson’s Ruth is troubled, stern, and venerable. While her character is somewhat unlikeable in Act One, by the middle of Act Two not only has she won us over, we feel sympathy for her.

Susan Louise O’Connor, in her Broadway debut, brilliantly plays the skittish servant, Edith. She is a bundle of energy and is appropriately comical. I look forward to seeing O’Connor in a more prominent role soon! She is a delight.

Simon Jones and Deborah Rush provide serviceable performances as Dr. and Mrs. Bradman.

Peter J. Davison provides a set design full of surprises and magic, and Brian MacDevitt’s lighting creates the appropriately eerie atmosphere for spirits to materialize.

Director, Michael Blakemore must have had fun with this show. Ms. Lansbury is extremely animated and I can only imagine the rehearsals where the two of them created her pre-séance warm-up routine. This cast appears to be having tremendous fun. That fun extends well beyond the proscenium and infects the audience. I thoroughly enjoyed their performances.

Blithe Spirit continues an open-ended run at the Shubert Theatre in New York City.

REVIEW: Exit the King

I love musical theatre; it’s a passion. To be honest, seeing a non-musical is not always something that I look forward to – especially an absurdist play by Eugene Ionesco.

But when the elements of a play work, they really work. Exit the King at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre really works. This theatrical brilliance is the result of collaboration between Geoffrey Rush and Neil Armfield who share credit for adapting Ionesco’s weighty text. Armfield also directs the production, and Rush takes a star turn as the ill-fated King Berenger. Berenger has single-handedly run his country into the ground—several wars have been lost, the environment is suffering, the country is in financial ruins and yet he refuses to acknowledge any of it.

Geoffrey Rush is a brilliant actor. His King Berenger is self-absorbed, demanding, and pathetically tragic. He attacks this role with gusto, and the result is a theatrical gift. It is rare to have the opportunity to see an actor of this caliber. His speeches seem like stream of consciousness ranting rather than scripted dialogue, and his physical performance is spontaneous and fresh. Rush dives into the world of Berenger and takes us along; we understand his needs, feel his pain, and ultimately experience his death together.

Rush and Armfield have assembled an all-star cast for this production. The King’s first wife, icy Queen Marguerite is played by Susan Sarandon, and his younger, vibrant and naïve second wife, Queen Marie, is played by Lauren Ambrose. Both talented actors do justice to their roles. Ambrose is wonderful as she flits about the stage doing everything she can to comfort her King and prolong the inevitable. Sarandon takes the opposite approach, portraying her Queen Marguerite as cold, calculating, and impatiently waiting for the King to die.

But the play is not all gloom and doom. Comic relief is provided by a team of supporting cast members lead by Andrea Martin as Juliette, the royal family’s nurse, housekeeper, cook and chief bottle washer. Martin is hysterical as she attempts to cater to the needs of each of her royal subjects.

The role of The Guard is masterfully played by Brian Hutchison who embraces this seemingly minor role and gives us the performance of a true artist. His affected speech pattern and exaggerated interpretation of The Guard captivates the audience. With perfect comic timing, he is responsible for one of the biggest laughs of the night—a moment that broke the concentration of both Sarandon and Ambrose who tried uncomfortably to conceal their laughter.

William Sadler delivers a serviceable performance in the role of The Doctor.

Dale Ferguson, set and costume designer, has created a simple, functional world for the King’s final hours. The lighting design by Damien Cooper illustrates Berenger’s angst as lights suspended over the audience pulse along with the King’s final heartbeats. John Rodgers, composer, provides a score so subtle and film-like that, if not for the live musicians in the Ethel Barrymore box seats, you might not notice it. If it were absent however, you would most definitely miss it.

The two hours between lights up and final bows is pure theatre. This story is masterfully told and brilliantly acted. Every element works in this intimate telling of a King’s final hours. We feel Berenger’s struggle to hold on. We are encouraged when he seems to gain energy. In the show’s final 15 minutes, as Marguerite methodically, patiently, and caringly escorts Berenger to his throne for the last time, we are with him—almost holding our breath as he climbs the stairs. And when he exhales for the last time, we are both relieved and saddened. But most of all, we are exhilarated by the amazing theatrical journey we have just taken.

Exit the King continues an open-ended run at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on Broadway in New York City.

REVIEW: Shrek the Musical with a big, green heart!

What show looks like Spamalot, has the adult humor of Avenue Q, and features tongue in cheek nods to about a dozen iconic Broadway shows? The undeniable answer is Shrek, now playing on Broadway at the Broadway Theatre.

Shrek is fun. As a musical, there is really nothing new here—this is not earth-shattering, avant-garde theatre. The music by Jeanine Tesori is fine, the book and lyrics by David Linsay-Abaire are clever, and Jason Moore’s direction is effective. This team has created a perfectly entertaining evening on Broadway.

Tim Hatley, set, costume, and puppet designer, and Hugh Vanstone, lighting designer, have created a world for Shrek that looks and feels very similar to their Spamalot creation from a few years ago. The scene transitions are reminiscent of almost any major Broadway musical. But that’s ok because part of the charm of Shrek is the very intentional nod to other Broadway show moments.

To any avid theatre goer, Shrek is like taking a brilliant musical theatre history class where one gets to see moments from legendary shows including A Chorus Line, Dreamgirls, Sweet Charity, 42nd Street, Gypsy, Beauty and the Beast, and many more. Much of the theatre-insider humor is lost on the tourist audience, but for those of us who relish every musical theatre moment, these are the Easter eggs in the grass. It’s like a very high budget production of Forbidden Broadway.

At the very heart of Shrek is Brian D’Arcy James, who plays the big, green ogre. His voice is pure, and he is immensely likeable as the shunned monster. Sutton Foster’s Princess Fiona is demanding, funny and sentimental. When the two of them come together, there is magic in the air. But the real chemistry on stage is between D’Arcy James and his Donkey sidekick, played to perfection by Daniel Breaker. Breaker has comic timing and reaction of a caliber rarely seen on any stage. With one look or hoof gesture, Breaker says more than pages of written dialogue. Breaker and D’Arcy James look like they are having a great time. Their camaraderie feels real and their performances will almost certainly earn them both Tony nominations (leading and supporting actors in a musical).

The two other standout supporting actors are Christopher Sieber as the vertically challenged Lord Farquaad and John Tartaglia as Pinocchio. It seems a shame that both are forced to perform the show in some sort of torturous and unnatural style. Sieber is hysterical while playing Farquaad completely on his knees. Tartaglia delivers a wonderful wooden boy performance completely in falsetto. Both bring real heart to these extremely demanding roles.

Shrek has a simple story and message that works on many levels. For the kids, there is plenty of simple, funny, big green ogre humor. For adolescents and adults who still enjoy bathroom humor, you’ll find lots to make you laugh (including one scene that puts Blazing Saddles to shame). And for audiences of all ages there is the heart-warming lesson that people should be valued for who they are regardless of their differences. This message is reinforced by the entire company, lead by Pinocchio, in the show stopping production number, Freak Flag. We are reminded to embrace all people (aka Freaks), and to be ourselves, whether we are fat pigs, have religious differences (including witches), or are crossdressing predators like Little Red Riding Hood’s wolf (a self proclaimed "Tranny Hot Mess"). To punctuate the message, Pinocchio, in a high pitched and slightly effeminate voice, asserts, “I’m wood! I’m good! Get used to it!”

Shrek is a fun night of theatre. I suspect that parents who bring their children to see it will be forced to explain some of the adult humor. I particularly enjoyed listening to the concessionaire telling children they needed to get their parents’ permission to buy the shirt featuring a gingerbread man. The shirt simply says, “Eat me!”

The concessionaire explains to the child, “It sort of has a double meaning.” That could be said for much of Shrek, and that’s precisely what gives it such a heart.