Category Archives: Broadway

That rascally rabbit

Posted on May 23, 2012 | 1 Comment

I am amused when Broadway audiences applaud the set at the start of a show…as if the couch needs a boost in self-esteem.

But perhaps the set for Harvey, which is in previews on Broadway, needs just that.

About 20 minutes into the performance last night — as the home of Elwood P. Dowd transforms into the dread psychiatric hospital — a loud clunk was heard.  The set shuddered.  All action grinded to a halt.

And poor Jim Parsons, who was faux reading a book in the library, scurried away as they dropped the curtain.

The curtain dropped a lot last night; a cable snapped in the set mechanism that couldn’t be quickly repaired.  So every time the set changed, the curtain dropped and the lights came up.

Harvey lasted almost three hours.

I intended to review the play today, but it wouldn’t be fair.  While I found Jim Parsons’ Dowd utterly charming, the show itself didn’t get a fair shake because of the constant interruptions and expansive running time.

I was literally nodding off at the end.  Bnd that wasn’t really Harvey’s fault…or was it?

Darn pooka.

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Posted in Animals, Broadway, Commentary, Entertainment, Humor, Life

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Broadway Harry

Posted on May 20, 2012 | Leave a comment

Potted Potter, the parody of the seven Harry Potter books now on Broadway, was tailor-made for kids.

It’s only 70-minutes long, is super high energy, and even features a quidditch match with audience participation.

 

No wonder I liked it so much.

Brits Dan Clarkson and Jeff Turner, who also wrote the show, bring all the characters to life with minimal props, costumes and staging.  The humor is decidedly British as well, but Potter lovers — and the family and friends who they drag along — will find it easy to translate.

Obviously some plot points are skipped in such a short synopsis, but the ones that made the cut are treated with high hilarity.  Favorites include Lord Voldemort, the dragons from book four, and the bigger-than-life quidditch snitch.

Dan and Jeff cracked up a few times during the show, but the reason was pretty obvious –

They are as wild about Harry as the audience.

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Posted in Books, Broadway, Comedy, Commentary, Entertainment, Humor, Life

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Twice

Posted on April 11, 2012 | 1 Comment

I loved the movie Once. 

So much that I boycotted the musical when it opened off-Broadway .  The original stars weren’t in it — how could the musical compare?

My heart was closed.

Then the show moved to Broadway, and the TV commercials began.  Yes, ‘guy’ and ‘girl’ were different, but their voices, the harmonies were as beautiful as the movie that inspired them.  So I decided to give the show a shot.

Last night I was in the audience for Once on Broadway. I loved the staging, a working Irish bar — they even served drinks during intermission — that was transformed throughout the evening by creative lighting.  Every actor also played an instrument, so there was no orchestra pit.

Most importantly, every voice, every note was perfection.  There were a lot of tears in the audience.  (People were talking about it as they left the theatre, so it wasn’t just me.)

The only thud in the production — which occurred at the start of the play and made me sad — was the playwright’s need to ‘funny up’ the script, making the characters extreme stereotypes of themselves.  This was especially true of ‘girl,’ who was a quirky, jokey one-liner, which was counter to her gentle spirit in the movie.

But once she and ‘guy’ began to sing, she softened and the music drove the show, as it did the movie.

And all was forgiven.

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Posted in Broadway, Commentary, Entertainment, Life, Movies, Music

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Alien encounter

Posted on February 24, 2012 | Leave a comment

A spaceship crashed in Manhattan last night.

You didn’t hear about it?  I did.  I was in the theatre that it hit.

That’s the back story of the off-Broadway musical Voca People playing now at New World Stages.

I hadn’t heard much about the show until Jimmy Fallon gave it a rave review.  Then it seemed like everyone was talking about it.

The eight performers — residents of the planet Voca performing to gain ‘life energy’ for their spaceship so they can return home — act as alien as they appear.  When they first walk on stage, they can’t even speak English; however, linking hands with an audience member quickly engages their ‘universal translator.’

Space age gimmicks aside, the vocals and harmonies of Voca People are — forgive me — out of this world.  The entire act is a capella; they create every note with only their mouths and microphones.  While I could have done without the narrative, the song selection, quality of performance and sheer energy made me an instant fan.

Seriously — they do a rendition of “Bohemian Rhapsody” that is worth the complete price of admission.  And their interaction with audience members is an endearing combination of awkward and awesome.

So, if you’re near the theatre district and see a UFO…

Run towards the light.

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Posted in Broadway, Celebrities, Commentary, Entertainment, Humor, Travel

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Shining stars

Posted on January 2, 2012 | 1 Comment

The lights on Broadway are a bit darker today…

…and not just because it’s Monday.

Hugh Jackman, Daniel Radcliffe and John Larroquette all completed their highly successful runs in Hugh Jackman: Back on Broadway and How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying respectively.

Living down the street, I was fortunate to see both shows multiple times.  They deserved all the critical and audience acclaim that was heaped upon them (much by me right here on The Egg).

But one stat from Jackman’s show deserves yet another mention.

While he earned over $14.6 million dollars during his 10-week run at the Broadhurst — setting records for that theatre alone — he also raised a record $1.8 million for the charity Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

I saw him raise $60,000 in one evening alone, auctioning simple meet-and-greets after the show.

The 2012 Broadway season has a hard act to follow!

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Posted in Broadway, Celebrities, Commentary, Entertainment, Life, New Years

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The gift

Posted on December 10, 2011 | Leave a comment

My good friend Caroline visited this past week, a gift from her husband for her birthday.

Nice one, Shaun.

During her four days in Manhattan, we saw two Broadway shows, a taping of Anderson, a movie on a rainy day, shopping, holiday lights, more shopping, and lots and lots of food, drink and wonderful conversation.

She was also able to reconnect with three other friends who call New York City home.

And while I know the chance to see Hugh Jackman perform live on stage was the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that spurred the last-minute trip, having so much time together to simply talk and catch up was an incredible luxury.

Would we have traded some of that time to meet Hugh in person?

Duh — of course.

We’re good friends.  We know what we really like!

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Posted in Broadway, Commentary, Entertainment, Friends, Humor, Life, Shopping, Travel

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The company way

Posted on December 9, 2011 | 1 Comment

Congratulations Harry!

You are Entertainment Weekly’s ’2011 Entertainer of the Year!’

I couldn’t be happier for you.

I guess I could have told you so in person tonight. I was in the audience for How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.

For the third time.

I know, I know…but I simply had to take my friend Caroline to see it before she left town.  It’s that good.

And while I had already seen it in March and April…well, that was a long, long time ago.  Things might have changed.  People’s performances might have altered.

And I was right.

The show was even better.

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Posted in Broadway, Celebrities, Humor, Life, Magazines

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Spirit stick

Posted on November 14, 2011 | Leave a comment

Do you remember the very first DVD you ever owned?

I do.

I had just bought a combo VHS/DVD player — back when they were still pretty pricey — and a friend gave me the campy cheerleader cult classic Bring it On.  (It wasn’t a classic back then; just campy.)

It also wasn’t a musical, but it is now, and not on Broadway. My west coast friends have the bragging rights to this one.

Bring it On: The Musical may be playing at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles through December 10th, but they have recruited a bunch of Broadway award-winners to their team:

  • Tony Award-winning writer Jeff Whitty (Avenue Q)
  • Tony Award-winning composer Lin-Manuel Miranda (In The Heights)
  • Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning composer Tom Kitt (Next to Normal)
  • Tony Award-winning director/choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler (In The Heights)

It’s gotta be good, right?

Tweets from audience members, both celebrity and ‘regular folk,’ have been very enthusiastic. The critics appear to have their doubts.

But it’s early yet.  There’s lots of time to polish.  Bring it On: The Musical is on a national tour, although no Broadway dates appear to be scheduled.

Yet.

I’m sexy, I’m cute,
I’m popular to boot.
I’m wanted, I’m hot,
I’m everything you’re not,
I’m pretty, I’m cool,
I dominate this school,
Who am I? Just guess,
Guys wanna touch my chest,
We cheer and we lead,
We act like we’re on speed,
Hate us ’cause we’re beautiful,
Well we don’t like you either,
We’re cheerleaders,
We are cheerleaders.

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Posted in Broadway, Commentary, Entertainment, Family, Humor, Life, Movies, Technology

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Will-a-Mania

Posted on August 15, 2011 | Leave a comment

August 15th is a big day in music history.

  • 1969: The Woodstock Music Festival opens.
  • 1965: The Beatles play Shea Stadium.
  • 1935: Will Rogers and Wiley Post die when their plane crashes after take-off in Barrow, Alaska.

Now, you might not put Will Rogers in the same music sphere as the Beatles, but for a Broadway fan, The Will Rogers Follies — winner of the 1991 Tony Award for Best Musical — is a pretty big deal.

Prior to that show, Will Rogers was just a name in the history books to me.  Once a year or so in movie theatres, I did see cans passed to raise money for the Will Rogers Institute, which funds medical research in asthma, tuberculosis and pulmonary diseases….but that was the extent of my knowledge.

Keith Carradine’s portrayal brought Rogers to life — his years in vaudeville and radio, his common sense approach to life, his wife, his politics and witticisms, and his love and support for the then fledgling aviation industry.

I used to listen to the musical’s soundtrack in my car driving back and forth to work…back when I had a car and actually worked in an office.  It has amazing energy and lyrics — perfect ‘pick-me-up’ music.

Who needs a car?  I’m gonna listen to Will today.

It is August 15th.

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Posted in Airplanes, Broadway, Celebrities, History, Humor, Life, Movies, Music, transportation, Travel

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God save the people

Posted on July 18, 2011 | 1 Comment

So, by now you’ve all heard about The Book of Mormon on Broadway.

Winner of 9 Tony awards, including Best Musical.  Recipient of nary a bad review.

Well, get ready.

Obviously, I’m not gonna trash the show.  I’ve seen it twice.  It was a religious experience…the good kind.

What I do want to complain about is the barrage of celebrity backstage visits at BOM — with accompanying pics that get tweeted out into the stratosphere ad nauseam.

Case in point:  Katie Couric went to see BOM recently.  Early the next morning, she was tweeting all about it, with a link to a photo of her with the entire cast on stage. And is she holding a rose as well?

Talk about overkill.

Even the BOM producers bragged when Oprah descended upon the show this past Saturday night.  They immediately posted pics on their Facebook page.

Show lead Andrew Rannells tweeted out a snap with the goddess herself and Gayle, saying “I have no words for this.”

Well…isn’t that special.

Now, I get as star struck as the next person, but in this instance, I have to cry FOUL.

Ever since the show was declared “the musical of the century” by The New York Times, BOM tix have been near impossible to procure by mere mortals like you and me.  Celebs are a different story altogether.

If anything, the backstage and onstage photos ops should be given to Joe and Jane Nobody — not the folks who are already breathing the rarefied air in the premium seats.

Come on, BOM — God is watching.

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