Memories of '09

Looking back, 2009 has been a great year for me. One of the highlights was spending two months in London - and thus, two months of all the West End theater I could fit in. To wrap it up, I thought I'd make a quick list of some of my favorite theater-related memories of the year.

I've made two lists - one Wicked, and one general theater. Otherwise my Wicked moments might have taken over!

Wicked in 2009

5. Sabrina Carter as Elphaba - My last time seeing Wicked in London turned out to be her first full performance, and I loved seeing her make the role her own. She's definitely my favorite of London's current Elphies, and I hope she's bumped up to standby in 2010.

4. Kendra Kassebaum as Glinda - I went to San Francisco intending to see Wicked once, but loved her so much I went back the next night. She really puts so much depth into Glinda, and she stole the show for me.

3. Meeting Stephen Schwartz - Originally he was scheduled to perform at my school in 2008, but it was postponed. So when it finally happened in 2009, I couldn't be happier.

2. Wicked's final performance in LA - The atmosphere of the audience was amazing, and the performances that night were among the best I've seen.

1. Kerry Ellis: Cast Change and Great British Songbook - My first, and favorite, Elphaba. I wasn't really upset that she was leaving, but just thrilled that I could see her one more time. And her performance at the GBS certainly leaves me very excited to see what's in her future.

General Theater in 2009

5. Romeo and Juliet at the Globe - So I was about 20 minutes late due to bus confusion and traffic. And we were groundlings, standing the whole time. And then it started to rain. But still, seeing Romeo and Juliet at the Globe is pretty legit.

4. Forbidden Broadway x 2 - Once in Malibu, and once in London. Hilarious both times, but quite interesting to note the changes between the two. (The second being slightly modified for a West End audience.)

3. Sister Act - Not really a groundbreaking show, but lots of fun, with some fantastic singers.

2. Scott Alan at LA's M Bar - Great performances, and lots of laughter. Read this entry for more details.

1. West End Live - A whole day of free musical performances? Count me in!

Tell me, what were some of your favorite theater memories from the past year?

Attend the Tale of Sweeney Todd

Long time no blog! I'm wrapping up my final semester of college, which has resulted in too many papers and projects, and not enough time to write a new entry.

On November 14, my job as an usher at my school's theater finally paid off when I got to watch our student production of Sweeney Todd for free. I had to stand the whole time, and it's not like tickets were expensive to start with (only $10 for students), but I was excited to watch it just the same.

My school is very conservative, and that's generally been reflected in the fall musical. My freshman year it was Damn Yankees, and last year it was Thoroughly Modern Millie. (I'm not sure what it was the year in-between, as I was in London at the time, but I'm sure it was a show in the same vein.) So it was quite a surprise when it was announced that Sweeney would be the show this year.

I don't have the time to go into too many details right now, but I loved the show. Great sets, a talented cast, and funnier than I'd expected. I had the pleasure of seeing it again the following afternoon, this time as an actual audience member, and was glad for the opportunity to catch some of the lines I'd missed the first time around (as I'd escorted late arrivals to their seats).

Then over Thanksgiving break I watched the 2007 movie version, to compare. It was interesting to see the adaption, but I still strongly prefer what I saw on stage. I'm not sure how much of this is due to our specific cast, and how much comes from general differences between the musical and the movie, but I found our Sweeney to be much more understandable and our Mrs. Lovett to be much more personable than their counterparts in the film.

I was also highly disappointed that one of my favorite songs, "Kiss Me," was cut from the movie. Not only is it entertaining (It was a gate! It's the gate! We don't have a gate!), but it allows for further development of Johanna. I loved her in the musical, but didn't care for her much in the movie.

I now have 25 pages of a novel to write, and one week to complete it in. So long, farewell, and I'll blog again once finals are over.

Defying Gravity Falls Flat

I was excited when I first heard that Glee would be covering "Defying Gravity" on an upcoming episode. Though I don't consider myself a Gleek, I have been watching the show each week, and was eager to hear how they'd approach the song.

My excitement quickly turned to disappoint when I heard the song. They used the pop arrangement that Idina Menzel released as a solo, which just doesn't do the song justice. Defying Gravity is about Elphaba's realization that she's no longer happy with following the status quo. Now that she sees the Wizard for who he really is, she's deciding that she needs to take action, needs to defy gravity, to do the impossible. As Elphaba's emotions build, so does the song, until she finally breaks free in the last verse, ending with a yell of triumph.

Of course, some of the impact is lost when sung out of context, but it shouldn't be gone completely. The pop arrangement used is too passive, never building or going anywhere. The last verse, the most memorable part from the original, was cut, yet they still left the big money note. Either cut the ending completely, or do it as it was written, but don't pick and choose. As it is, the ending of Glee's version is jarring and out of place, and appears to have been left just so Lea could sing it, rather than as a natural progression of the song.

While I disliked the arrangement, I do think that both Lea Michele and Chris Colfer did well with what they were given. And I actually enjoyed the version in the episode more than the iTunes version, if only because seeing the characters as they sang at least added a little more emotion to the song.

It was their originality in songs like "Don't Stop Believing" that really hooked me to Glee in the first place. Hopefully Glee will return to those roots, rather than reusing arrangements that weren't very good to start with.

Coming Around to Next to Normal

First, I'm trying to win tickets to see In the Heights, when it comes to LA next summer. If you could spare a couple seconds and just click this link, I would really appreciate it.

Now, moving on... Over the past few days I’ve been listening to the cast recording of “Next to Normal” on repeat. And for most of that time I was still trying to decide if I actually liked it or not.

I first gave the musical a listen in May, on a long bus ride. Earlier that day I had listened to “The Last 5 Years” for the first time as well, and was hooked from the first song. “Next to Normal,” on the other hand, failed to hold my attention.

So it wasn’t until the past week or so that I really gave it another chance, and it was partially because I was just looking for something new to listen to. One time through, still nothing. Second time, zip. Third… one of the songs actually stuck, “Superboy and the Invisible Girl.” So I listened to that one on repeat for a while (and learned all the lyrics, and scribbled them in the margins of my notebooks) before returning to the rest of the CD.

And now, according to the play count on iTunes, I’m on my 15th listen of the whole thing. In addition to “Superboy,” many of the other songs have also lodged themselves into my head. Once you've listened to something so many times, the melodies start to stick.

But it's not really the music itself that's finally gotten to me, but rather the story and characters behind it. Natalie especially stood out, first in "Superboy," then in "Everything Else," and just her sarcastic comments in general ("It's going well..."). And then after that, it took a few more listens to better understand the parallels between Henry and Natalie, and Dan and Diana. It probably wouldn't taken so long had I been paying full attention to the music, but I simply let it play while I did other things.

I still wouldn't say that I'm in love with the show, but I like it a lot more now than I did after my initial listen, during the summer. And it's gone from a show I'd see just because I've heard it's good, to a show I really would like to see. Hopefully someday I'll get the chance.

No Good Voice Goes Unpunished

Wicked needs to give its leading ladies a break, and make their Elphaba standbys into alternates.

In 2008, Caissie Levy had to end her contract early in LA due to vocal problems. Teal Wicks took over as lead, but fell sick in the last few days of her run. This sickness carried over to the San Francisco production, which she opened early this year (though the standby Vicki Noon actually performed the first preview), and Teal had to take over a full month off to recover.

Kerry Ellis, who is arguably one of the strongest Elphabas vocally when she's on her game, had various vocal problems and sickness throughout her three years in the role as well. Most notably near the end of her first London run she missed many shows, and that unfortunately carried over to Broadway as well in mid 2008.

In summer of 2009, Amanda Harrison, Melbourne's Elphaba, had to take a full two months off, and returned only just in time to close the production before moving to Sydney.

And more recently Alexia Khadime in London (pictured above) has been off more often than she's been on. At the moment Alexia and Ashleigh Gray (s/b) are switching off, and Shona White (Elphaba s/b from 2008) has been brought back in case she's needed.

These are just the more recent, and severe, examples. Nearly all the women who played Elphaba for an extended period of time have finished with varying degrees of vocal damage.

There are, of course, exceptions. Nicole Parker recently finished a 6 month run on Broadway with excellent attendance. She also often noted how Wicked is a "24-hour-a-day job," and all of her days were spent preparing for that evening's performance.

But Teal had excellent attendance as well through the majority of her time in LA, as did Alexia during her first run in London. Who's to say Nicole wouldn't suffer if she were to return?

The German production of Wicked has an Elphaba alternate, and I believe the remaining productions should follow their example. Elphaba is demanding not only vocally, but also physically due to the amount of time the character is on stage, and the weight of her costume (especially her Act 2 dress!).

Let an Elphaba alternate go one just once or twice a week. The lead will stay healthier. The standby-turned-alternate now gets guaranteed scheduled shows. Fans will know with greater confidence when their prefered Elphaba will be on, and most of the general public who sees the show won't know any different. Not to mention the powers that be won't have to do as much scrambling to find temporary covers for Elphaba when the lead is gone for extended periods of time. (Before setting up Shona's return, the producers were ready to have Stephanie J Block take over for two weeks in London!)

Seems like everyone wins.

"That's also from the show!"

Not much to say this time around, just sharing a new youtube video that I've fallen in love with:

In the Heights: Run This Tour

(I'd embed it, but the video overlapped with the sidebar on the right.)

I haven't yet had the pleasure of seeing In the Heights, but you can bet I'll be at the Pantages next summer when the tour comes through. And while I would have loved, of course, to see Lin-Manuel Miranda in the show, I'm really looking forward now to seeing how Kyle Beltran does as lead.

Scott Alan in Concert

Scott Alan. Where to start?

I went to his concert in Hollywood on September 19, and it was perhaps the best $15 I've spent in a long time. The venue, M Bar, was smaller than I'd expected (according to their website, they have an approximate seating capacity of 95), and I ended up sitting in a booth right at the very front.

It was a very casual and entertaining evening. Scott sang the majority of the songs, with each of his six guests (Eden Espinosa, Hadley Fraser, Jenna Leigh Green, Megan Hilty, Maurice Murphy, and Tracie Thoms) singing one song each.

While I'd been fairly well acquainted with the music from Scott's two cds, I knew very little about Scott himself. That soon changed, as between songs Scott talked about his experiences that inspired the songs, as well as any other random stories that came to mind. (Ever wonder how Scott and Megan Hilty met? It was at Shoshana Bean's Rosh Hashanah party. They were on the same team for charades, and came in last place. Apparently Megan's really bad at it.)

I really loved the simplistic arrangement of all the songs, using just a piano, and I found myself paying much more attention to the lyrics than I had before. Unfortunately, due to our viewing angle, I could only see Scott's back as he sang, but the emotions were still clear in his voice.

Much of the humor throughout the night came from Scott's interactions with the guest performers, who all seemed ready to give him a hard time. While talking about the original version of "Let Love Begin," Tracie described it as a Zoloft commercial: "He's like, 'This song is about coming out of depression!' I was like, 'I know. I could tell. Obviously.'"

Other hilarious highlights included Eden confronting Scott about not being asked back to his London concerts, Jenna challenging Scott's reasoning for her not being on his cds yet (he said it was because she was in LA - she told him there are planes), and then Megan oh-so-helpfully pointing out that she and Eden had been in LA, but flew to NY to record their songs.

Of course, each of the guests gave great vocal performances as well. As soon as I'd heard Scott was doing a concert in LA I knew I'd go, regardless of who else was there, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't excited about the guests once they were announced! I was especially excited about Jenna, since I missed seeing her as Nessa by a matter of days when she left the LA production, so I was glad to finally see her in something.

I could probably go on and on mentioning different things I liked from throughout the night, but instead I'll leave you with three videos I recorded from the concert: Megan singing "The Dance," Eden singing "Please Don't Let Me Go," and Jenna singing "Soar." Enjoy!

Today this could be / The greatest day of our lives...

The following was written for my Critical and Editorial Writing class I'm currently taking; we had to write a music review. Given the obvious theater connection, I thought I'd share it here.

Kerry Ellis is no stranger to the stage. For the past two and a half years she starred as Elphaba in “Wicked,” and was the first British actress to play the part both in London’s West End and on Broadway. Her previous roles include Fantine in “Les Miserables,” creating the character Meat in “We Will Rock You,” and understudying Eliza Doolittle in “My Fair Lady.” In December of 2008, Kerry sang her rock version of “Defying Gravity” on the Royal Variety Performance,” with Brian May accompanying her on guitar.

But at her first solo concert, singing “The Great British Songbook,” at the Shaw Theatre, she revealed her big fear: Talking.

“I should tell a joke, but I don’t do jokes,” she rambled after completing three songs, while the show was temporarily stopped due to technical difficulties. “Not funny, don’t do banter, don’t do talking. All night, I’ve been here, ‘Don’t make me talk, don’t make me talk.’ What do they do? Make me talk. Brilliant.”

And yet her nerves disappear the second she starts singing. Immediately after the technical issues were fixed, Kerry jumped right into the frantic “Lost in Translation,” a song from the new musical “Lift”: “She went to Paris/ Can you believe it?/ She just woke up and f-cked off to Paris.”

Small gasps were heard throughout the sold-out audience. To many of Kerry’s fans who know her primarily from the family-friendly musical “Wicked,” it came as a bit of a surprise to suddenly hear her curse. (And for those who missed it the first time, the word came around again a minute later.)

But that was the beauty of the concert. For once the audience wasn’t seeing Kerry as one of her characters. She could finally be herself on stage, and choose the songs she wanted to sing. Knowing her strengths, Kerry said she would “let the music do most of the talking,” and the result was a truly unforgettable show in which she both connected with the audience and showcased her incredible ability to sing anything and sound amazing.

Kerry Ellis was the second artist to participate in the Shaw Theatre’s “Great British Songbook” series, which features songs written by British composers and lyricists. She was originally scheduled to perform for only two nights, but the demand for tickets was so great that an additional two dates were added. With only 400 seats, the small theater made for a much more intimate atmosphere than Kerry’s previous stage performances.

The night began with Take That’s “Greatest Day.” As the band onstage played the opening notes, members of the audience craned their necks and tried to peer into the shadows of the stage, anxious for Kerry’s appearance. Still lurking out of view, she began to sing, the lyrics surely striking a chord with many of her fans: “Today this could be the greatest day of our lives/ Let’s make a new start, the future is ours tonight.”

At the start of the second verse she suddenly emerged from the back of the theater, and was greeted by a standing ovation and massive screams. Kerry fed off of the enthusiastic audience throughout the 90 minute concert, responding to shouts of “We love you Kerry!” with a flattered, “Aw, I love you too!”

An Andrew Lloyd Webber medley in the first half was included as a nod to her musical theater background. It began with a slow a cappella verse of “Unexpected Song,” her rich vocals completely captivating on their own: “I have never felt like this/ For once I’m lost for words/ Your smile has really thrown me.” The medley ended with an all-out rock version of “Memory” that would fit in right alongside her rock recordings of “Defying Gravity” and “I’m Not That Girl,” which are found on her “Wicked in Rock” EP.

Two more medleys followed, one of various Bond themes (during which the spastic light display partially blinded the audience), and one featuring Annie Lennox. The first act ended with “Rule the World,” (“Yeah you and me we can light up the sky/ If you stay by my side, we can rule the world”), and Kerry scampered back up the stairs to the back of the theater, to exit in the same fashion as she entered.

The second act opened with Duffy’s “Rain on Your Parade,” featuring four young, male back-up dancers. Although Kerry mostly swayed as they danced sensually around her, her stage presence and confidence ensured that she remained the center of attention. Next came an calming acoustic version of Goldfrapp’s “A&E,” in which the simplicity of Kerry’s smooth voice with a single guitar came together in a haunting melody.

First night nerves got the better of her as she began one of her scripted song introductions out of place, starting to talk about her time in New York before her Musical Director quickly corrected her. “But we’re not talking about that bit yet,” she amended with a cheeky grin, “First night and all.”

She smoothly continued into talking about her love of “boy rocker bands,” and lamented that she never gets to sing their music, but “tonight, I sing what I want.” The medley included “The Scientist” and “Fix You” by Coldplay, and her theater background shone through as she openly displayed the emotions from the songs. The overactive lights aided in helping it to feel like a real rock concert, but were a little too much for the small theater.

It was then time for her New York medley, which included perfectly chosen songs that reflected back on her own five-month stay in city. “Englishman in New York” is a catchy, upbeat song about being a “legal alien” in another country: “I don’t drink coffee I drink tea my dear/ I like my toast done on one side/ And you can hear it in my accent when I talk/ I’m an Englishman in New York.”

Her personal connection to the songs was clear to the audience, many of whom had likely spent her time on Broadway counting the days until she’d return. This connection was most acknowledged during “Without You,” which continues with another upbeat melody: “Tell me what I’ve always known/ Life is love and love’s at home/ Wonder if they miss me in London,” was met with huge cheers and screams from the audience, assuring Kerry that she had most definitely been missed.

One of the largest highlights of the night came at the end of the second half, where she finished with a Snow Patrol medley that combined “Chasing Cars” and “Run.” As the evening’s close was rapidly approaching, it felt as though Kerry were saying goodbye through the song: “I’ll sing it one last time for you/ Then I really have to go/ You’ve been the only thing that’s right/ In all I’ve done.” She effortlessly riffed her way through the score, her powerful voice filling the theater.

But the night wasn’t quite over yet. Following two minutes of continuous cheering, with intermittent chants of “Kerry! Kerry! Kerry!,” she returned the stage to sing Queen’s “Who Wants to Live Forever.” And she still had one more surprise up her sleeve: Brian May.

As soon as his prominent profile was spotted as he stepped forward into the light, guitar in hand, the crowd went crazy, jumping to their feet and screaming loud enough to drown out Kerry’s singing.

The two had met and become friends while working on “We Will Rock You,” and Brian May is now producing her album. It’s truly a sign of how much respect May has for Kerry, that he joined her onstage during the encore for not just one, but two songs (“I can’t drag Brian out here and just get him to do one song,” Kerry exclaimed when the applause for the first finally died down).

And so the night finally ended with “A Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” in which Kerry danced around, played air guitar, and shared smiles with Brian May. The audience joined in on the fun, clapping along, and even singing a few lines after encouragement from Kerry. While watching her perform it’s easy to forget her flustered song introductions, for she gives the impression that she was simply meant to be on stage.

Although “Kerry Ellis Sings The Great British Songbook,” ran for a mere four nights in June, Kerry has expressed her hopes to someday take the show on tour through the UK. Recently she has appeared in various other concerts throughout England, and is continuing to work on her debut album with Brian May.

In the Theater Business ...Kinda

This past weekend I worked my first shift as an usher at my school's theater. I was in need of an on-campus job to make some extra cash, and heard from a friend of mine they were hiring. So I figured, why not?

Somehow it ended up reminding me quite a bit of my summer jobs as a ride attendant at amusement parks: You work while others play. My "uniform" for the night (white shirt, black pants, red tie) is admittedly a big improvement when compared to the affectionately named "Taco Bell Reject" outfit I used to wear, or the one that made me look like a Forest Ranger. But whether you're working at a theme park or a theater, excellent guest service is a must to make sure your guests are happy. (It's the Disney in me - they're "guests," not "customers." I also still always point with two fingers.)

I stood by the entrance doors, smiling and scanning tickets, telling people to enjoy the show. And I felt like I was back at Disneyland, giving directions and answering questions, trying to keep that smile on my face. I was glad to have my amusement park days behind me, so it was strange to be so strongly reminded of them.

Of course, there are still many differences. I'm inside. With air conditioning. I won't be worried about fainting while operating kiddy rides. Hopefully sometimes I'll even get to sit inside and watch the shows. (This weekend I wasn't so lucky to get such a position.) And certainly it'll be interesting to see some of the behind the scenes operations.

With my rapidly approaching graduation in early December, I won't be there long. But I figure, if I want to write about theater, it can't hurt to work in one for a bit, right?

Musings of Two Movie-Based Musicals

Today the cast of 9 to 5 took their final bows, ending a Broadway run that lasted 4 months and 7 days. Rather than simply share my thoughts on 9 to 5 (which I saw during the LA tryout), I thought it might be interesting to compare it to another recent movie-based musical I’ve seen: Sister Act.

The two shows have quite a few similarities. Both were based successful comedic movies which had musical ties: “9 to 5” won two Grammys and was certified Platinum. Sister Act featured a large amount of singing throughout, and its soundtrack was certified Gold. Each musical also had large involvement and support from a star of the original movie cast; Dolly Parton wrote the music and lyrics of 9 to 5, while Whoopie Goldberg was a producer for Sister Act. And, to be frank, both feature rather outlandish storylines (kidnapping your boss and singing disco nuns??).

Having never seen (nor, that I can recall, heard of) either of the two original films prior to their musical’s release, I knew very little about the plot of either show. What I did know was gathered from online forum discussions, and the occasional online news article. And, to be honest, neither storyline alone was enough to really want to make me see the show.

My decision see 9 to 5 was based solely on the cast. Specifically, I went because of Megan Hilty (who I had previously seen as Glinda), and having Stephanie J Block was an added plus. Had I not been familiar with any of the cast, I doubt I would have gone.

All I knew about the cast of Sister Act was it included Katie Rowley Jones (who I had previously seen as Nessa), but I had no idea how large or small a part Katie played. My decision to go was actually made after seeing the cast perform “Raise Your Voice,” at West End Live in Leicester Square. I loved the song, the energy from the cast, and seeing Katie belt out her solo sure didn’t hurt. I was hooked, and a mere two days later went to see the show.

Both shows are the type to see when you’re simply looking to have fun and be entertained, and they both certainly made me laugh. Stephanie J Block has surprisingly good comedic timing, and Claire Greenway and Julia Sutton were standout among Sister Act’s nuns. However, both shows had their weaknesses as well, including a few songs each I certainly could do without. In 9 to 5 my attention wandered when the focus was on Mr. Hart or Roz, and in Sister Act I felt it slowed down when we were with Shank and his cronies for too long.

But when it comes to songs I really did enjoy, Sister Act takes the lead. Just about everything featuring the nuns was enjoyable, and especially entertaining to watch. Katie Rowley Jones ended up being one of my favorite parts of the show, and her “The Life I Never Led” is my most played of the cast recording.

Of the songs in 9 to 5, Stephanie’s big belting “Get Out And Stay Out” is the only one I really listen to repeatedly. The song I was most looking forward to having on the cast recording, “Out of Control,” ended up being cut from the show. While the songs work within the context of the show, I don’t find the majority very catchy, nor do I find myself with much of a desire to listen to them.

I could go on with comparisons, but overall, I left 9 to 5 with no real desire to see it again, except perhaps once on Broadway if I ever got the chance, just to see what changes were made. On the other hand, I would love to see Sister Act again if I had the opportunity. No doubt much of this is based upon my personal preference, as while I wouldn't call 9 to 5 a bad musical, by any means, I just didn't care much for the story.

Perhaps it’s not completely fair for me to compare the two, considering I saw 9 to 5 while it was still being worked on in LA, but considering the similarities, I couldn’t help but look at the two side-by-side. It will certainly be interesting to see how well Sister Act continues to do in the West End, and what type of reception 9 to 5 receives when it goes on the road next year.

The Other End of the Spectrum

While driving through the streets of LA last week on our way to Legally Blonde, I was reminded of another show I saw in the area, nearly a year ago. It was a play, and about as far from my Legally Blonde experience as you can get.

First, a bit of background info: When I was in London in 2007, I took a course on British Theater, and one of the plays we read was Crave, by Sarah Kane. Skip forward one year, we’re all back at our school in Malibu, and one of my fellow Londoners discovered that Crave was playing in a small theater in LA. Although reading the play utterly confused me, I thought it’d be interesting to see performed. All in all, six of us decided to go.

Despite instructions from our GPS system - or perhaps because of them - we ended up completely lost trying to find the theater. Turns out the address we had written down was slightly incorrect, and we had to call someone back on campus to get online and get us the right one. Then when we were finally going the right way, we hit traffic. Perfect.

Our group was in two cars, and the car I wasn’t in arrived at the theater first. Upon hearing we were still on our way, the theater waited for us to arrive before they started. I think my car finally arrived around 20 minutes late, by which point they’d decided to start without us, but just barely; we only missed a minute or two.

As we took our seats, it was quickly clear why they’d been so kind to wait for us: Our group of 6 made up two-thirds of the audience. Although it looked like the theater could hold up to 25 (five rows of five seats each), the only other people there were an older couple, and a young man (who we later found out was a friend of one of the actresses).

Turns out, seeing Crave on stage helped in no way with my understanding of the material. It didn’t help that they used the simplest staging possible - each character sat on a box, looking straight at the audience the whole time. (For comparison, my professor in London said the best production he’s seen involved the four characters packing up an apartment and moving out the boxes.) At times I actually felt like laughing at the absurdness of it all, but I held it in; even though I was in the back row, I was pretty sure the actors could see me just fine. But despite my thoughts on the source material itself, I had to admit the actors were very talented.

When I look back on that night, I don’t think specifically of the performance itself, but rather the overall experience. After becoming accustomed to seeing the big-budget hits on the West End, it was a reminder that there’s still more out there. Often I’m guilty paying attention only to the shows with big theaters and lots of awards, but there’s still a lot of quality theater beyond that if you look a little deeper.

Review - Legally Blonde

The Pantages is pink.

Well, not entirely. It’s decorated with pink banners and posters, and only through September 6th. And after seeing Wicked at the Pantages seven times, I thought for sure it’d feel somewhat strange to be there for Legally Blonde instead. Surpringly, it wasn’t. That might actually be because I’ve always considered the Apollo Victoria in London my true Wicked home, but that’s another blog within itself.

So Friday night I went to see the Legally Blonde tour, with my two sisters and a friend. My friend is very much into musicals, my sisters not so much (though this was one they wanted to see, as opposed to being dragged along). Our seats were near the back of the mezzanine, giving us a nice overall view, but we were just too far back to see facial expressions.

Had I not known that the tour sets were scaled down from Broadway, I probably would have been perfectly happy with them. However, having seen the MTV airing, I couldn’t help but miss the giant sorority house in the opening, and nit-pick the other changes. When I asked my sisters what they thought of the sets (simply curious about their opinions as non-theater-goers, and completely forgetting that they helped to build sets at our college last year), they said the jail was amazing, but weren’t very impressed by the rest.

I found Becky Gulsvig very believable as Elle, in a way that I was never quite convinced with Laura Bell Bundy (perhaps because Becky looks so much more like Reese Witherspoon). But I had a love-hate relationship with her voice: It’s very high pitched, and at times almost nasally. Sometimes it fit the character well, yet other times was borderline annoying. I would love to see the show again, with a much closer seat, to get a better grip on the nuances of her portrayal.

I didn’t leave the theater with strong feelings one way or the other regarding D.B. Bonds or Megan Lewis, who play Emmett and Vivienne, respectively. I have no complaints on either of their performances, but they didn’t stand out either. On one hand, I feel sitting closer (and thus seeing facial expressions) could have made a big difference. But I don’t want to blame it entirely on our seats, as I was sitting in the back row of the mezzanine the one and only time I saw Caissie Levy as Elphaba, who subsequently became one of my favorites.

While I thought Natalie Joy Johnson was an excellent Enid in the original Broadway cast, I was less than satisfied with her Paulette. I found her portrayal closer to Paulette in the movie, which I understand that some may prefer, but I missed Orfeh. Natalie was timid and awkward, as opposed to Orfeh’s loud and spunky, which I feel helps make the character more engaging. “Ireland” is one of my favorites on the cast recording, but Friday night I was left under-whelmed.

The surprising standout was Jeff McLean as Warner. I’ve never especially enjoyed “Serious,” but with him singing I was disappointed when the song ended! Absolutely amazing. Not only does he have a gorgeous voice, but the subtle riffs he was including made it even better. At intermission my sisters asked me if “Warner” had anymore songs, because they wanted to hear him again! And when we met him afterward at stage door, it went something like this:

Me: “You’ve got a really good voice.”
Sister #1: “Like, an amazing voice.”
Sister #2: “Like, you were one of the best ones in the show.”
Jeff: *something along the lines of a very flattered thank you*

All in all it was an enjoyable night at the theater. It may not be a groundbreaking show, but it’s fun, with some catchy songs to boot.

And now I’m off to return to that “rich romantic planet,” more commonly known as Malibu. Three years of school there, and I’ve yet to find riches or romance. Wish my luck for my final semester!

"A Very Potter Musical" is Totally Awesome

I've been a Harry Potter fan since 1999. The word "fan" doesn't really cover it, but somehow the Harry Potter fandom still hasn't come up with a collective name for its members (a la "Trekkies" or "Rentheads"). I have full Gryffindor robes, went to the midnight releases, and bought everything from the socks to the trading cards. While I still love the books dearly, my obsessiveness began to move to the back burner in 2007, once the final book was released and I discovered Wicked.

So when I heard some college kids wrote a Harry Potter musical and put it on youtube, I was intrigued. How do you fit the seven book series into a single musical, especially considering the seventh book is being split into two movies?

The (perhaps, obvious) answer: You don't. Instead they molded together storylines from throughout the series, especially focusing on books 1, 4, and 7. And how to prevent the obsessive fans from nit-picking everything that differs from the books? Make it a parody!

"Harry Potter: The Musical," as it was originally titled, was uploaded to youtube so the friends and family of the cast could watch. But it wasn't long before thousands of Harry Potter fans all over the world were watching, and loving every second. Fearing the wrath of Warner Brothers, the creators removed and reuploaded the show as "A Very Potter Musical" - now with improved video quality, but lacking many of the dirtier jokes.

Admittedly, it took me some time to make it through the musical, which is split into 23 videos (and clocks in at a whopping 2 hours, 46 minutes). This was partly due to a lack of time, and partly due to me getting distracted between videos.

I found the real strengths of the show to be in the book and casting. The writers did an extremely good job of merging over 4,000 pages into a single storyline, keeping it entertaining, and still original.

Some of my favorite lines were those which poked fun directly at the series itself, such as when the characters were discussing where to search for horcruxes:

Hermione: Or it could be hidden somewhere around the mundane British countryside. Our search could entail months of depressive camping, breaking into Gringotts, and drinking boatloads of Polyjuice Potion.

Harry: Well the medallion says that's dumb, so we're not gonna do that.

Regarding the cast, in an ingenious move Lauren Lopez was cast as Draco, stealing each scene she appeared in. Bonnie Gruesen's Hermione is spot-on perfect (and she has the bushy hair!), and Joe Walker brought a humanizing side to Voldemort while still keeping him evil. Darren Criss starred as the totally awesome, guitar playing, Harry, while Joey Richter ate his way through the show as Ron.

The songs for the most part were well done, especially considering they were all written within about a two week time span. "Get Back to Hogwarts" and "Granger Danger" are both surprisingly catchy - I've had both of them stuck in my head the past few days. Another of my favorites, "Voldemort is Going Down," was taught to the cast only a day before opening.

It's a shame that if an official Harry Potter musical is ever produced, it won't be this one. Although it's not perfect, I can't imagine a better way to approach the project. Seeing as it's unlikely to be performed again (many of the cast has now graduated, and the music was never written out), thank Merlin for youtube.

Icon credit to dancingraphics on livejournal

Review - The Light in the Piazza

Last month I had the pleasure of seeing a production of The Light in the Piazza, at El Portal Theater in North Hollywood. I knew very little about the show beforehand - I’d glanced at its wikipedia page, and knew that the cast recording was highly praised.

The first thing that struck me upon entering was the small size of the theater; the circular stage was halfway surrounded by a mere three rows of seats. But I quickly learned that the small-scale sets were in no way reflective of small-scale performances.

Stephanie Wall did a great job of portraying Clara’s innocence, slowly showing more layers as time progressed, and has a beautiful voice. She is currently performing at Disneyland’s California Adventures in both High School Musical 3 and Playhouse Disney, but I’m looking forward to seeing what future theater projects she takes on.

Blake McIver Ewing had the double duty of acting as Fabrizio as well as the Executive Producer. He’s come a long way from his days as a child actor (he was Waldo in The Little Rascals, and Michelle’s friend Derek in Full House; having watched both in my childhood, I was secretly thrilled), and has a surprisingly strong voice as well.

The remaining company, including Mary Donnelly Haskell as Margaret Johnson, was well cast, with no visible weaknesses. My only, small, complaint for the production was due to how the seats surrounded the stage, sightlines couldn’t always allow for everyone to see the main action. It wasn’t often a problem for me, but the issue did come up a few times.

Despite the great cast, and beautiful songs, I left not quite sure what to think of the musical. The most climactic came near the end of act 1, and there was no real climax to lead into the end of the second act. I was left with no sense closure, and while sometimes open endings work well, in this case to me it felt more like a quick attempt to wrap things up.

Performances ran from July 10 - 26, but when I met Stephanie after the show she said they're hoping to have another run sometime in the fall, so anyone who's interested should keep an eye on the theater's website for updates. Though I wasn't satisfied with the ending, I'd still see the show again, especially if it was with this same cast.

For fun, you can watch Stephanie performing in High School Musical 2 at California Adventures here on youtube.

And you can watch Blake singing L-O-V-E in The Little Rascals here on youtube, starting at about 4:00.

Welcome to Broadway Unlimited!

When I was 5, my favorite movie was The Sound of Music.

I didn't fully understand all of the political details, but I loved it anyway. As I was the same age as Gretl, she was my favorite of the children. I would march around as she did, say her lines with her, sing along. Once I even built a barrier of sorts in the living room, piling objects on top of each other (only adding to the wall when Gretl wasn't in the current scene, of course), so I'd have something to hide behind when the von Trapps are hiding in the cemetery.

For years that was the extent of my interest in musicals. I saw other movie-musicals, and a few amateur productions, but nothing especially stood out. The only professional show my parents took me to was Cats, sometime in high school. I generally have a pretty good memory, but it made such a little impression on me that I can't even remember for sure what year that was.

And then starting in September 2007, I studied abroad in London for two semesters. When I arrived, I knew nothing about the West End, or London's theater repuation. By the time I left, I'd seen Wicked 5 times, Les Miserables, Rent Remixed, The Lion King, Mary Poppins, Billy Elliot, and We Will Rock You.

I'd found a new love.

Since then I've tried to see shows that come through LA. I returned to London this past summer for two months to complete a journalism internship, and while there I saw as many musicals as I could. After I graduate from college, I'd like to be a theater journalist.

And that's where this blog comes in. I figured I might as well get the ball rolling, and gain some experience with writing about theater. I'm still a novice to the world of musicals, but I'll be using this blog to share my thoughts and opinions, and reviews of any shows I'm lucky enough to see. It won't be limited strictly to Broadway, but will extend to anything theater-related. If you have any responses to anything you read on here, I'd love to hear them!

It took me 15 years to make the leap from singing along with "Do-Re-Mi" to being amazed while viewing a live musical. While I wish it hadn't taken me as long, I'm glad I've made it.