Until I have words to describe this disaster, please check out what others are saying... here.
*Note: I saw final dress rehearsal on Tuesday 10/20.
Saturday, October 24, 2015
The Haunted Train
I went to see this show because my roommate was the music director/the band -- I say "the band" because there was only a piano. First of all, I'd never been to Theater For A New City on the Lower East Side before. It was... not the nicest space ever. There are a bunch of theaters in the building, and "The Haunted Train" was in a small basement theater. I guess you could call the theater a black box since it's literally a room made of cinder blocks that is painted black. The theater space itself was perfect for this particular show.
There were two moments of this new musical that were so preachy I wanted to get up and walk out. A show about mental illness is bound to have preachy moments, and "The Haunted Train" was no exception. Let's start a revolution so patients locked up in psych wards aren't taken advantage of! Here here! Interestingly enough, the few times the script was weakest were the times the music died down the most.
The songs were the most entertaining part of the show -- partly because the voices of the five actors were incredible. We all know it takes an amazing voice to get me really into a musical. The main character, Cloyd, played by Jarrad Biron Green was just a total delight to watch and listen to. Everyone else sang beautifully, but Green could act and sing (often at the same time).
Overall, I was impressed by this musical. It wasn't perfect, but it wasn't the worst thing I've seen in the last few weeks by far. Did it feel a bit like a rip-off of "Next to Normal" once in a while? Yes. But it was original enough that I wasn't totally bothered by the last song ending on the word "light" a la the finale of N2N (okay fine, that one ends on "dark" but you know what I mean). My biggest problem was the length -- 100 minutes with no intermission. Cut out the two preachy parts and it would've cut down the show and been a much more reasonable length. But having no intermission in a musical that deals with mental health and being locked up was very smart, as it gave off an air of danger. While it was obvious you weren't locked in and unable to get out during the duration of the piece (we were told we could get out if necessary through a VERY loud door), once the lights went out it was clear you were supposed to feel as though you were in the hospital right along with Cloyd.
I was told by someone I went to college with who happened to see the show the night before I did that a giant rat scurried across the stage at one point... did I mention the theater itself was janky?
There were two moments of this new musical that were so preachy I wanted to get up and walk out. A show about mental illness is bound to have preachy moments, and "The Haunted Train" was no exception. Let's start a revolution so patients locked up in psych wards aren't taken advantage of! Here here! Interestingly enough, the few times the script was weakest were the times the music died down the most.
The songs were the most entertaining part of the show -- partly because the voices of the five actors were incredible. We all know it takes an amazing voice to get me really into a musical. The main character, Cloyd, played by Jarrad Biron Green was just a total delight to watch and listen to. Everyone else sang beautifully, but Green could act and sing (often at the same time).
Overall, I was impressed by this musical. It wasn't perfect, but it wasn't the worst thing I've seen in the last few weeks by far. Did it feel a bit like a rip-off of "Next to Normal" once in a while? Yes. But it was original enough that I wasn't totally bothered by the last song ending on the word "light" a la the finale of N2N (okay fine, that one ends on "dark" but you know what I mean). My biggest problem was the length -- 100 minutes with no intermission. Cut out the two preachy parts and it would've cut down the show and been a much more reasonable length. But having no intermission in a musical that deals with mental health and being locked up was very smart, as it gave off an air of danger. While it was obvious you weren't locked in and unable to get out during the duration of the piece (we were told we could get out if necessary through a VERY loud door), once the lights went out it was clear you were supposed to feel as though you were in the hospital right along with Cloyd.
I was told by someone I went to college with who happened to see the show the night before I did that a giant rat scurried across the stage at one point... did I mention the theater itself was janky?
Monday, October 19, 2015
The 39 Steps
Last year when I was at McCarter, I saw Ken Ludwig's "Baskerville" many times and experienced the show from the inside out. I wish I had seen "39 Steps" BEFORE seeing "Baskerville" because they're so similar and one clearly took tropes and ideas from the other. The Off-Broadway production of "39 Steps" was very low-key and seemingly low-budget. The acting, aside from the lone woman who was an understudy, was superb. The lone woman didn't seem to know what it means to project because I had trouble hearing her throughout the show.
I like the Union Square Theatre quite a bit and it was the perfect location for this show. Unfortunately the audience was very small - maybe 100 people were there. But every single person on that stage gave off the aura that they were having fun and loving every second of the performance. That's an amazing feeling as an audience member - to feel like the actors aren't concerned about the number of butts in seats, but rather just living in the moment and performing.
I didn't dislike the show, but I didn't love it either. Nothing blew me away, but I enjoyed myself.
I like the Union Square Theatre quite a bit and it was the perfect location for this show. Unfortunately the audience was very small - maybe 100 people were there. But every single person on that stage gave off the aura that they were having fun and loving every second of the performance. That's an amazing feeling as an audience member - to feel like the actors aren't concerned about the number of butts in seats, but rather just living in the moment and performing.
I didn't dislike the show, but I didn't love it either. Nothing blew me away, but I enjoyed myself.
The Gin Game
Alright. So, I'm writing this after the reviews came out, and the NY Times review is a rave as I knew it would be. I'll start by saying I was given a comp to the show, and it's no shock that my opinions on shows can be skewed when I don't pay for my ticket.
By no means was this a bad piece of theater, but it just wasn't exciting or noteworthy. I cannot imagine paying full price to just sit and watch these two actors (no doubt they're legends) bicker and play gin rummy for two hours. Someone told me that the show was basically watching your grandparents fighting except on a stage. But why do I want to see that when I could just experience it? (Well not anymore if you know what I mean, but at one point I could've.)
I'm glad I got to see James Earl Jones and Cicily Tyson onstage - both were great. I have nothing bad to say about the play, production, or performances. I just didn't really care about what was happening. I didn't have much of a stake in the outcome. The play went around and around in circles, never really going anywhere. The audience seemed to be LOVING it, totally eating every word up. At one point I turned to my friend and asked why the audience was applauding, because really there was rarely a need for the abundance of applause. People were getting so into it! And I was kind of like oh okay well I'm glad I saw Mufasa onstage before... well, before he can't perform any longer.
By no means was this a bad piece of theater, but it just wasn't exciting or noteworthy. I cannot imagine paying full price to just sit and watch these two actors (no doubt they're legends) bicker and play gin rummy for two hours. Someone told me that the show was basically watching your grandparents fighting except on a stage. But why do I want to see that when I could just experience it? (Well not anymore if you know what I mean, but at one point I could've.)
I'm glad I got to see James Earl Jones and Cicily Tyson onstage - both were great. I have nothing bad to say about the play, production, or performances. I just didn't really care about what was happening. I didn't have much of a stake in the outcome. The play went around and around in circles, never really going anywhere. The audience seemed to be LOVING it, totally eating every word up. At one point I turned to my friend and asked why the audience was applauding, because really there was rarely a need for the abundance of applause. People were getting so into it! And I was kind of like oh okay well I'm glad I saw Mufasa onstage before... well, before he can't perform any longer.
Thursday, October 15, 2015
Ripcord
Never in my life have I been so utterly dismayed by a first act only to love the second act of a play. The utter dislike of the first act was no fault of the acting or direction, rather the play itself. So many bizarre and unfathomable things happen that I found myself wondering if was actually seeing a piece of professional theater with a world renowned actress. Too much was going on. I think that's what the issue was. There were too many set changes and blackouts. I was constantly taken out of the world of the play.
But the second act was quite remarkable. The story line took a turn for the better, the relationships between characters were more interesting and realistic, and I just got a lot more out of the second act. Ripcord was not the best show I've seen lately, but certainly not the worst. It was nice to see Holland Taylor, and she was fabulous as expected.
But the second act was quite remarkable. The story line took a turn for the better, the relationships between characters were more interesting and realistic, and I just got a lot more out of the second act. Ripcord was not the best show I've seen lately, but certainly not the worst. It was nice to see Holland Taylor, and she was fabulous as expected.
Saturday, September 26, 2015
The Christians
I don't think it's any surprise that I enjoy plays and musicals of a religious nature. So when I first heard about The Christians at Playwright's Horizons I bought a ticket on the assumption that it was going to be my kind of thing. I judged a book by the cover, I guess you could say.
The Christians is indeed a play of a religious nature. But I should've done some research before walking into the theater. I should've had some idea of the piece, it's history, and maybe learned a little about the playwright. This wasn't the kind of show you could just walk into without knowing the playwright's (Lucas Hnath) background, and a bit about other shows he's written. I wish I had known what I know now about him when I arrived at the theater.
I'm about to go on a little rant. Do not read further if you're sensitive re: religion because it's not going to be pleasant.
I was infuriated by The Christians. Not because of the physical production or the acting - honestly I didn't care about most of that. The words spoken made me angry. I absolutely believe religion is the root of all evil. It pisses me off. It makes me furious that a woman can marry a man and be in his religious shadow for 22 years (this is part of the play, not just a hypothetical situation), without expressing her own beliefs because she loves him and is willing to play her part of preacher's wife. Marriages in my family have been torn apart by religion. Whatever religious beliefs I might've held as a kid were completely destroyed when I watched members of my family go through the whole "my beliefs are too strong to be married to you because you're not religious enough" situation. I try so hard to be accepting and to understand how people find healing power in God or whatever, but I can't imagine believing in something I cannot put my hands on. Religion is intangible, God is intangible, and I can't understand how you can put all your faith in something intangible. I've been preached at in churches so many times in my life (at weddings, funerals, etc.) - told that I'm going to hell because I don't believe in whatever is being spewed at me. It makes me feel physically sick. There were moments during The Christians where my stomach turned over.
What I appreciated about The Christians is how incredibly divisive it is. Out of the thousands of people who will see the show during its run, every patron's own personal experience with religion will determine how they feel upon walking out of the theater. Me? I felt reaffirmed in my Atheist beliefs. I felt unsettled. Also, how does anyone have the time and attention and head-space to deal with the voice of God? I can't even deal with my own voice inside my head telling me what to do, think, feel.
The production was fine. I wasn't a huge fan of the use of microphones, which I'm told is a production element Lucas Hnath uses frequently. It made sense, made me feel like I was in a megachurch, during the sermons. But no one has a private conversation in their bedroom using a microphone. And if we're talking about God hearing what's going on? Well, pretty sure you don't need a microphone for God to hear you, right? Isn't that the point? The acting was good - again it was perfect for the play because Preacher Paul could've stepped out of any church. I liked the music and the choir. It was funny at times and moving at others.
I'm so incredibly firm on my beliefs (or lack there of I guess), that it was difficult for me to feel anything for the characters... except the wife. All those years ago the preacher's wife married a man believing she would spend the rest of her life with him, that they would grow old together and be connected through their religion. Little did she know he was keeping secrets - he had radical beliefs buried deep down that he wasn't sharing. The wife is left with a choice, stay and be miserable or leave. She leaves, THANK GOODNESS, but not before expressing her utter devotion and love to the man who destroyed her life.
It's impossible for a play like The Christians not to offend, to mean different things to different people, and I'm a perfect example of that. This is the first time where my personal struggles and beliefs have gotten so in the way that I wasn't able to be objective about a piece of theater. I take full responsibility for how I felt about the show -- it's not a fault of the show.
I waited to post this until a few weeks after I saw the show, trying to figure out if my thoughts would change or I would have a moment of brilliance where it all became clear to me. But that didn't happen. So this post is what you get. And I'm sorry if I offended anyone during my anti-religious rant.
The Christians is indeed a play of a religious nature. But I should've done some research before walking into the theater. I should've had some idea of the piece, it's history, and maybe learned a little about the playwright. This wasn't the kind of show you could just walk into without knowing the playwright's (Lucas Hnath) background, and a bit about other shows he's written. I wish I had known what I know now about him when I arrived at the theater.
I'm about to go on a little rant. Do not read further if you're sensitive re: religion because it's not going to be pleasant.
I was infuriated by The Christians. Not because of the physical production or the acting - honestly I didn't care about most of that. The words spoken made me angry. I absolutely believe religion is the root of all evil. It pisses me off. It makes me furious that a woman can marry a man and be in his religious shadow for 22 years (this is part of the play, not just a hypothetical situation), without expressing her own beliefs because she loves him and is willing to play her part of preacher's wife. Marriages in my family have been torn apart by religion. Whatever religious beliefs I might've held as a kid were completely destroyed when I watched members of my family go through the whole "my beliefs are too strong to be married to you because you're not religious enough" situation. I try so hard to be accepting and to understand how people find healing power in God or whatever, but I can't imagine believing in something I cannot put my hands on. Religion is intangible, God is intangible, and I can't understand how you can put all your faith in something intangible. I've been preached at in churches so many times in my life (at weddings, funerals, etc.) - told that I'm going to hell because I don't believe in whatever is being spewed at me. It makes me feel physically sick. There were moments during The Christians where my stomach turned over.
What I appreciated about The Christians is how incredibly divisive it is. Out of the thousands of people who will see the show during its run, every patron's own personal experience with religion will determine how they feel upon walking out of the theater. Me? I felt reaffirmed in my Atheist beliefs. I felt unsettled. Also, how does anyone have the time and attention and head-space to deal with the voice of God? I can't even deal with my own voice inside my head telling me what to do, think, feel.
The production was fine. I wasn't a huge fan of the use of microphones, which I'm told is a production element Lucas Hnath uses frequently. It made sense, made me feel like I was in a megachurch, during the sermons. But no one has a private conversation in their bedroom using a microphone. And if we're talking about God hearing what's going on? Well, pretty sure you don't need a microphone for God to hear you, right? Isn't that the point? The acting was good - again it was perfect for the play because Preacher Paul could've stepped out of any church. I liked the music and the choir. It was funny at times and moving at others.
I'm so incredibly firm on my beliefs (or lack there of I guess), that it was difficult for me to feel anything for the characters... except the wife. All those years ago the preacher's wife married a man believing she would spend the rest of her life with him, that they would grow old together and be connected through their religion. Little did she know he was keeping secrets - he had radical beliefs buried deep down that he wasn't sharing. The wife is left with a choice, stay and be miserable or leave. She leaves, THANK GOODNESS, but not before expressing her utter devotion and love to the man who destroyed her life.
It's impossible for a play like The Christians not to offend, to mean different things to different people, and I'm a perfect example of that. This is the first time where my personal struggles and beliefs have gotten so in the way that I wasn't able to be objective about a piece of theater. I take full responsibility for how I felt about the show -- it's not a fault of the show.
I waited to post this until a few weeks after I saw the show, trying to figure out if my thoughts would change or I would have a moment of brilliance where it all became clear to me. But that didn't happen. So this post is what you get. And I'm sorry if I offended anyone during my anti-religious rant.
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
The Legend of Georgia McBride
The word "legend" in the title of this play says it all. It's a fairy-tale really, where the princess is a broken (and broke) man with a baby on the way and a job as an Elvis impersonator that sends him home with nothing in his pockets but disappointment. But guess what? There's a happy ending. A sappy, happy, heart-warming ending. Not my favorite kind of ending, but it worked here.
The Legend of Georgia McBride was the most spectacular drag show I've ever been to.
Now, I haven't witnessed many drag queens perform -- unlike my mother and sister who spent every night in Miami Beach last March at the same drag club. But I'm pretty confident in my ability to recognize good drag when I see it, and let me tell you the drag show I saw onstage at the Lucille Lortel Theatre tonight? Well, it was just great. And a really great drag show would've been a fun way to spend an evening, but Georgia McBride provided a narrative as well! It wasn't the most brilliant narrative I've seen play out onstage, but who cares? I wasn't there to have my mind blown. I was there to have a good time.
Honestly, I'm not sure when the last time I laughed so hard at a show was. The jokes were spot on. The costumes were pretty darn impressive. It was one of the most joyous evenings I've had at the theater in a long time. Also, the show was an hour and forty minutes with no intermission and started at 7:00 pm. The play was over by 8:45 pm, and the talk-back with the cast and crew was over by 9:15 pm. I wish every night at the theater was timed like that.
My interest in the show was piqued after I found out Matthew Lopez was the playwright. Last winter (spring maybe?) I saw Reverberation at Hartford Stage and was just blown away. To be quite honest, I had high expectations walking into Georgia McBride because I loved the last Lopez piece I saw so much. My expectations weren't exactly met, but it didn't matter. There's just no way to compare. Two completely different shows, both great in their own right.
I was happy to see all five actors stay for the talk-back because I always enjoy seeing them interact with each other as real people and not characters. The choreographer, director, and one of MCC's Artistic Directors were also in attendance. The questions asked by audience members were not earth shattering by any means, but the cast had some good answers to stupidly asked questions. To me that shows the actors understand the meaning behind what they're saying and doing onstage. Many of them had been with the production for years in various iterations and it was obvious they were all very invested in the piece.
Two of the five performers were stunning in every way -- Dave Thomas Brown (Casey) and Matt McGrath (Tracy). Brown made a gorgeous woman, and his transformation into a remarkable drag queen was exciting to watch. McGrath was just made to play the role of a drag mother and stole the scene time and time again. There was something about the character of Jo (Casey's wife) that just didn't sit right with me. She wasn't as believable as the others. As a character Jo was well written, but I had issues with the Afton Williamson's delivery of lines.
My biggest problem with the entire production? SPOILER ALERT. The freaking babies at the end. It was enough for Jo to come out without the baby bump, we didn't need to see the twin babies (one in pink and one in blue) too. I get that it tied together the theme of family (which, as the actors discussed in the talkback, was extremely important), but for me it killed any sense of realism because they were SO OBVIOUSLY dolls. But let's be real, unless we start casting out of maternity wings, this is how babies will be represented onstage.
All in all? I liked it. It didn't blow my mind. But I laughed... a lot. And I got to spend a night with friends -- both of which loved the show. Do you realize how unusual it is to see a show with two extremely critical theater-going friends and all three of you walk out at the end smiling? Let me be the first to tell, it's rare. So hats off to the cast and crew of The Legend of Georgia McBride for taking away my resting bitch-face for the evening!
The Legend of Georgia McBride was the most spectacular drag show I've ever been to.
Now, I haven't witnessed many drag queens perform -- unlike my mother and sister who spent every night in Miami Beach last March at the same drag club. But I'm pretty confident in my ability to recognize good drag when I see it, and let me tell you the drag show I saw onstage at the Lucille Lortel Theatre tonight? Well, it was just great. And a really great drag show would've been a fun way to spend an evening, but Georgia McBride provided a narrative as well! It wasn't the most brilliant narrative I've seen play out onstage, but who cares? I wasn't there to have my mind blown. I was there to have a good time.
Honestly, I'm not sure when the last time I laughed so hard at a show was. The jokes were spot on. The costumes were pretty darn impressive. It was one of the most joyous evenings I've had at the theater in a long time. Also, the show was an hour and forty minutes with no intermission and started at 7:00 pm. The play was over by 8:45 pm, and the talk-back with the cast and crew was over by 9:15 pm. I wish every night at the theater was timed like that.
My interest in the show was piqued after I found out Matthew Lopez was the playwright. Last winter (spring maybe?) I saw Reverberation at Hartford Stage and was just blown away. To be quite honest, I had high expectations walking into Georgia McBride because I loved the last Lopez piece I saw so much. My expectations weren't exactly met, but it didn't matter. There's just no way to compare. Two completely different shows, both great in their own right.
I was happy to see all five actors stay for the talk-back because I always enjoy seeing them interact with each other as real people and not characters. The choreographer, director, and one of MCC's Artistic Directors were also in attendance. The questions asked by audience members were not earth shattering by any means, but the cast had some good answers to stupidly asked questions. To me that shows the actors understand the meaning behind what they're saying and doing onstage. Many of them had been with the production for years in various iterations and it was obvious they were all very invested in the piece.
Two of the five performers were stunning in every way -- Dave Thomas Brown (Casey) and Matt McGrath (Tracy). Brown made a gorgeous woman, and his transformation into a remarkable drag queen was exciting to watch. McGrath was just made to play the role of a drag mother and stole the scene time and time again. There was something about the character of Jo (Casey's wife) that just didn't sit right with me. She wasn't as believable as the others. As a character Jo was well written, but I had issues with the Afton Williamson's delivery of lines.
My biggest problem with the entire production? SPOILER ALERT. The freaking babies at the end. It was enough for Jo to come out without the baby bump, we didn't need to see the twin babies (one in pink and one in blue) too. I get that it tied together the theme of family (which, as the actors discussed in the talkback, was extremely important), but for me it killed any sense of realism because they were SO OBVIOUSLY dolls. But let's be real, unless we start casting out of maternity wings, this is how babies will be represented onstage.
All in all? I liked it. It didn't blow my mind. But I laughed... a lot. And I got to spend a night with friends -- both of which loved the show. Do you realize how unusual it is to see a show with two extremely critical theater-going friends and all three of you walk out at the end smiling? Let me be the first to tell, it's rare. So hats off to the cast and crew of The Legend of Georgia McBride for taking away my resting bitch-face for the evening!
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