“Noises Off” – University of Michigan Theatre – is hilarious fun (review) February 19, 2012
Posted by ronannarbor in Ann Arbor, Theatre.Tags: hilarious play, John Neville-Andrews, Noises Off, UM Noises Off, University of Michigan Theatre and Drama
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Okay, so its not the first time you have probably seen Michael Frayn’s “Noises Off” in Ann Arbor (it makes regular appearances on our various stages)– but its by far the best production you’ll see, thanks to John Neville-Andrews hilarious staging currently on-stage at the Lydia Mendelssohn Theater, presented by the University of Michigan, Department of Theatre and Drama.
Comprised of student performers, and guest performer Equity actress Naz Edwards, the farce flies by in what seems much shorter time than it’s 2 hour 40 minute running time might otherwise suggest. In three acts, the first sets the stage at the final rehearsal of a British farce “Nothing On” pre-tour (in the best insider joke in the show, the actors don’t know if it’s a dress rehearsal or a tech rehearsal); the second Act takes place during a performance a week into the run from the vantage point of backstage as personal relationships begin to unravel and the sight gags start to fly fast and furious; and Act Three seven weeks into the tour, from the audience vantage point, as the show has started to unravel. It’s tremendous fun and this is a five-star production.
Naz Edwards turns in a pitch perfect Dotty Otley, preparing plates of sardines and forgetting blocking for important props (like the phone). Reed Campbell plays overwrought director Lloyd Dallas, and his meltdowns are a joy to behold. Philip Maxwell and Sophie Hindley play Garry and Brooke, the couple around which the pending sex-farce revolves. Maxwell’s physical comedy is grand, and exchange student Hindley is simply marvelous in (and out) of clothing, She is the funniest Brooke I have ever seen play the part, and every single blocking motion is wrong. What makes it even funnier, is that when things are falling apart 7 weeks into the tour, her blocking remains identical to that at final dress. Shannon Eagen plays peppy “Poppy” with a sense of self-knowingness; and Casey Hanley brings a warmth and hilarity to trouser-dropping Frederick. A pants-dropped hop up the long staircase earns well-deserved applause. The same voyage down those same steps later by Maxwell tripping over a misplaced box earns him the “Dick Van Dyke” physical comedy award for this production. Stage manager and Assistant stage manager are played well by Zoe Kanters and Eric Krawczyk, and old-man Selsdon is well-acted by Avery DiUbaldo (never an easy feat for a young student to play an aging character on stage — carried off here with great skill.)
John Neville-Andrews keeps the action moving swiftly. This is a very difficult show to direct and this production is a Neville-Andrews masterwork of slamming doors, perfectly timed sight-gags, and some brilliant personal touches. He does a particularly good job with the women in this production, never allowing them to disappear into the background which can happen with this show. Those who have never seen the show before (hard to imagine in Ann Arbor, but obviously the case from some of the blank reactions of the senior older folks sitting around me) might need a second viewing to take it all in. Gary Decker’s set is terrific (and the backstage view marvelous). Katelyn Rouse’s costumes look great, and Andrew Lott’s lighting design looks clean and crisp both onstage, backstage, and offstage – in particular when the set revolves and the occasional glimpses of the show “onstage” shine through the central window from “backstage” without ever losing focus on the action backstage.
Finally — do not bypass the program insert — a hilarious spoof of the program for “Nothing On”. There, you will learn that “Cinemagoers saw Brooke in The Girl in Room 14, where she played the Girl in Room 312″, and that Selsdon had “several good supporting roles in Hollywood, including stand-in to Robert Newton”. Hilarious stuff that — and the funniest evening I have had at any theater in years.
Slick “Smokey Joe’s Cafe”, Encore Musical Theatre Company (review) February 5, 2012
Posted by ronannarbor in Detroit, musical theater, Musicals, Theatre.Tags: Encore Musical Theatre Company, Lieber and Stoller, Smokey Joe's Cafe
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This is a good news-bad news review. Before I go further, let me just say that the very talented cast in Encore’s SMOKEY JOE’S CAFE sings well, dances well, and has stage presence to spare. The set looks great. The lighting right on target. The band sounds great. So what goes wrong?
Well…nothing that Encore could do about it, besides maybe pick a better show. I’m not a fan of revues, and that is what Smokey Joe is…two hours of Lieber and Stoller songs in a hodgepodge revue that has no storyline and which resorts to lights-down-lights-up scene changes for transitions. And not all of those songs are good. In fact, many of them are not.
It’s all sort of like watching a cruise ship show — no, it’s exactly like watching a cruise ship show — slick; well done; but ultimately unsatisfying as you head out of the theater and back to the ship’s casino.
The very talented ensemble cast sing, dance, and work very hard to please. It’s hard to single out any exceptions, so let me just say that the (entirely non-equity) cast is composed of Brian E. Buckner, Steve DeBruyne, Sebastian Gerstner, Cara Manor, Terrence D. Owens, Jr., Fatima Poggi, Thalia Shramm, and Amy Smidebush. Mysteriously missing is the 9th cast member the show is written for.
Most of the show glides along just great, with solos, combos and group numbers that feature each cast member individually, as well as in boy and girl groups. Missing is any sense of who these people are, except for very broad strokes that don’t hold as the show progresses. Might as well be variety show numbers following one after the other. I had that same sense after seeing the Broadway production (which inexplicably ran almost 5 years in the 90′s), so it’s not the fault of the hard-working folks at Encore. Some numbers work better than others: “Jailhouse Rock” and “Stand By Me” smolder….while “On Broadway” falls flat, not only because of the over-involved choreography, but also because the vocal mix just doesn’t work (it didn’t work on Broadway either, where it looked like the guys were going to swallow their body mics).
But that’s another thing — if ever a show calls out for body mics, it’s Smokey Joe. Soloists here are sometimes overwhelmed by the (offstage) band, and at other times by their own cast mates. They all sound great, and the blend is very good — but you lose the soloists entirely in places.
Leo Babcock has designed a dandy set with two sweeping curved staircases. Sharon Larkey Urick’s costumes are serviceable without ever really evoking the 50′s or early 60′s. Matthew Tomich’s lighting design is generally spot on (except in one instance where beautifully spot-lit Steve and Thalia are suddenly aglow in full stage brightness that made my pupils spin).
All in all, I would always prefer a book musical (although Encore’s upcoming season of community theater type fare doesn’t make me want to run and buy tickets to any of them), but Smokey Joe’s Cafe is a well-done, well-produced musical revue. In her program note, Barbara F. Cullen states that the show is “so much more than a musical revue”. I beg to differ, and would actually say its the worst kind of musical revue – the type that has nothing but musical numbers and very little heart. That is not to slight this production which is top notch, but exactly what you would expect of a production of this show.
Smokey Joe’s Cafe continues at the Encore Musical Theatre Company through February 26th, 3126 Broad Street, Dexter, MI 734-268-6200 or www.theencoretheatre.org
Surprise! To fix “The Addams Family” musical get rid of Nathan Lane (review – tour – Wharton Center, East Lansing) February 4, 2012
Posted by ronannarbor in Broadway Musicals, Broadway Tour, Entertainment, musical theater, Musicals.Tags: The Addams family Musical, The Addams Family tour
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When I originally reviewed The Addams Family musical, I was among the minority that enjoyed it a lot. Now on tour it’s a much better show, and its not just because the script has been reworked.
The tour, currently passing through East Lansing at the Wharton Center, is significantly different from the show seen in pre-Broadway Chicago, and from a design standpoint very different from the Broadway Rubik’s Cube set that assembled and re-assembled itself in fulll view of the audience. It’s passable, but not as good design-wise.
But from an acting point of view its stunningly different, and who would have thought that getting rid of Nathan Lane would make such a huge difference — but it does. Douglas Sills makes for a superb Gomez, while Sara Gettelfinger holds her own as Morticia. The rest of the tour cast is excellent, and its a virtual who’s who of University of Michigan musical theater graduates.
I’m not sure why Broadway never warmed to the musical (although it did run 725 performances and 34 previews despite generally lackluster reviews). It’s funny, it’s tuneful, and the characters are outrageous. There’s a funny book (even if it is a direct rip-off of La Cage aux Folles), and plenty of topical references to keep you on your toes, and it’s all fun. Clearly, Broadway is not currently in the mood for fun — but audiences sure are, as witnessed at both performances I have see.
But, wow — let me get back to Douglas Sills — where Nathan Lane dropped lines, dropped his accent throughout the show, and generally mugged-it-up, Doug has a natural humor; a great voice; and no need to mug — the part plays itself, and he makes the most of his lithe body and quick facial expressions to change the character completely from what Lane brought (did not bring) to the part. There is also chemistry between he and Sara as Morticia, something that Lane never achieved with Bebe Neuwirth. Sills performance completely changes the entire feeling of the show, and the cast responds remarkably.
Are there problems — well, yeah. Besides the aforementioned dumbing-down of the set, there is the ongoing problem of an ensemble chorus that doesn’t do a heck of a lot but hover around in the background as ghosts. Nothing has been changed more from the original Chicago production than the use of the Ensemble, and I am not sure it is any type of improvement. A sequence in which they hide behind cutout trees is just embarrassing.
But those who have not seen The Addams Family will enjoy the show – all the small things that make it such a fun night out are still there (including the curtain tassel that falls off the act curtain and runs away). You could do a lot worse than to spend a few hours with this hilarious family.
The view from Macworld iWorld 2012 January 29, 2012
Posted by ronannarbor in Apple, Gizmos.Tags: Macworld iWorld 2012
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It’s the ultimate Apple/Mac geek fest — the annual Macworld conference in San Francisco’s Moscone Center….this year re-named “Macworld iWorld” to emphasize the role that the internet now has. There was fear a few years back that Apple (who chose to stop attending the conference) would sound the death knell for Macworld — far from. There were more exhibits this year than ever. The emphasis on music, art, and writing increases yearly, and the even has become a “must attend” for Mac geeks like myself.
So, what did things look like this year? Well, there was a much larger emphasis on apps than in the past, for all versions of iOS (iPhone, iPad, and Lion). There was also a significant decrease in hardware presence, and much more on software. Xerox and HP, for example, while maintaining booths really had trouble attracting visitors — most flocked to the nearby scanner displays instead (Scansnap was doing swift business). Let’s face it — when was the last time you actually printed a photo instead of sharing it with friends by email, iPhone, or Facebook? There was also a heavy emphasis on social events — evening parties, concerts, jam sessions heavily geared toward tech support folks who know what phrases like “the grapefruit is pink” means…
There was also a de-emphasis on the servers/work stations hardware, and much more emphasis on iPad/iPhone accessories (the ubiquitous iPhone and iPad cases, bumpers, and hard shells were omnipresent, ranging from the superb to the deranged).
What stood out? Well, folio keyboards for the iPad were big — and had huge draws. Zagg had a strong presence, and they were selling their iPad 2 zagg folios at discount….myself, I went directly for the new clamcase for iPad 2 and am waiting for its delivery in a few days — see clamcase.com
Input devices were also big — there were two separate pen/paintbrush-type styli for the iPad and iPhone and both even won best in show 2012 – check out the Jot Touch pen, for example — these were selling like hotcakes right off the floor… http://adonit.net/product/jot-touch/ But it wasn’t just limited to physical input — microphones for the iPhone and iPad were also hot this year, and several won best in show honors.
Want to see possibly the most jaw-dropping new application ever?….and its free on iTunes — check out TourWrist for iPad….it’s seriously the most amazing photo software you could imagine, creating 360 degree panoramas that look drop dead gorgeous on the iPad.
Also a big breakthrough — Smile software has adapted it’s PDFpen software for Mac to the iPad — PDFpen will allow Mac users to finally say goodbye to Adobe forever — something that didn’t go unnoticed at Macworld/iWorld — there was no Adobe presence at the conference at all.
Finally — and this is always a big part of Macworld — there was the camaraderie — thousands and thousands of Apple Mac fans found a place to share all that tech geek knowledge; nobody thought twice about meeting new friends with a simple “what’s your favorite app?”; and Moscone Center came to life with the world of iPhones and iPads and Lions…and nobody blinked when a Mac geek from Ann Arbor got up on stage on the second floor concourse and helped jam to some Coldplay songs on a iPad-keyboard while others from Iowa, Berkeley, and San Jose jammed on their iPad “guitars”…although ultimately it did remind me of that classic “HIMYM” scene in which Barney eggs on Ted who is dancing a rain dance with a “still funny….still funny….and now it’s just sad.”
Will America buy “Smash”? – NBC – Pilot episode (review) January 18, 2012
Posted by ronannarbor in Broadway Musicals, musical theater, TV.Tags: Smash NBC, Smash pilot episode review
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Your going to love it or your going to hate it, but there isn’t anyone that will be able to say that SMASH isn’t slick, well-produced, and professional when it comes to musical numbers. It’s no GLEE (thankfully); but will America buy into a show about creating a Broadway show?
In the pilot episode, (to air February 6th), Debra Messing and Christian Borle play musical theater writers/composers/lyricists of a new Broadway musical based on the life of Marilyn Monroe. Those of us of a certain age will remember there actually WAS a Broadway flop musical in the 80′s called Marilyn: A Musical Fable (which Frank Rich called “incoherent to the point of being loony”). That flop is referenced here in passing by Messing’s husband, played by Brian d’Arcy James. He’s the biggest Broadway star in the show – here delegated to a thankless non-singing character.
WIthout having written a script, and with only a song to demo, they somehow get picked up by producer Anjelica Huston, who may or may not have enough money to produce the show. But she’s in it to get back at her in-process divorce from her husband, another Broadway producer. Within the first 15 minutes of the pilot, they suddenly have three songs and a draft of the script (um, yeah)….and by the midway point, they are auditioning director/choreographer Jack Davenport (yes, that Jack Davenport, who has yet to find a suitable role in any U.S. television show — someone please find this man a decent part!) – who is set up to be the antagonist opposite Borle’s writer/composer.
Bring on the auditions — Likable American Idol loser Katharine McPhee and “Wicked” veteran Megan Hilty step up to fill the bill as two actresses competing for the part of Marilyn. Throw in a subplot right out of Dynasty involving director Davenport, and you have the basic makings of SMASH.
The show is designed to follow the workshop development of the show in NYC over the course of the season, and in its climax this spring move to Boston for an out-of-town tryout.
Yes, the show is entertaining. The musical numbers are well-staged, and the use of fantasy sequences to suggest what rehearsal songs might look like “on stage” work well. There is a lot of dancing here, and it is professional and slick, the exact opposite of the haphazard GLEE sequences.
It’s also all overwrought and somehow wrong. Auditioners are not even given three bars of piano-accompanied audition when a full orchestra already sweeps in, as if to say “this is a really big budget show, kinda like Glee, but for adults, so listen and enjoy, and buy our soundtrack.” I have never in my years of theater ever heard of a producer picking up a show based on one song, and no written script. While there is a casting couch at work on Broadway to be sure, it certainly doesn’t work the way its implied in this show either. Messing seems out of place, and Borle here is reduced to a sniping gay stereotype — so good in Legally Blonde and Angels in America on Broadway, here he’s wasted in a part that virtually falls apart before your eyes.
The show is filled with a virtual whose who of Broadway performers — so watch backgrounds carefully to spot your friends. Most are appearing as line-less studio assistants and errand-boys. A few get to dance and sing.
In short, it’s an entertaining pilot, that should keep theater folks arguing about realities vs exaggerations, while the rest of the country makes a decision as to whether a show about Broadway actors, producers, and creative teams will be interesting enough to viewers to keep this novelty going. I’m going to tune in again — albeit the next night since NBC has very unfortunately decided to put the show on opposite Castle and Hawaii-5-0. I suggest they move it pretty fast if they want to pick up a tv audience. I dunno about you, but most of my theater friends watch Castle at that time, and personally 5-0 has become a guilty pleasure. On Comcast, two shows at a time and that’s it — making no room even to DVR Smash…
A word of warning — if you download and view the pilot (free) on iTunes, please DO NOT watch the “coming season” trailer at the end of the pilot episode. If you watch it carefully, it gives away who will get the role, and how the show will develop. Don’t watch it – it’s already partially ruined it for me…if you want a nice insider snapshot of the show, read the Brian d’Arcy James interview on IMDB – he carefully describes what the development of a Broadway musical is really about, and very carefully avoids talking about the unrealistic elements depicted in Smash.
The show has already created a stir in the NYC Broadway community in forums such as All That Chat, where multithread topics discuss the lack of reality of the creation process depicted here, as well as the shear fact that only one of the auditioners for the Marilyn part is appropriate for the role and there is zero doubt who would get that part in reality. I repeat — DO NOT watch the coming season trailer which gives it away and will cause even more controversy when it is revealed a few episodes into the series.
Will America buy it? There are a lot of theater fans out there — if the show avoids the pitfalls of playing for personal drama instead of the inherent drama in the actual development of a show itself, it might stand a chance. But I bet with NBC’s track record this show will quickly veer off in the wrong direction.
2011 Holiday Release Movies – Capsule Reviews January 1, 2012
Posted by ronannarbor in Movies.Tags: Holiday movie releases 2011
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In lieu of full reviews for each of the following films as I have done in past holiday seasons, this year the movies are so well known and so thoroughly reviewed elsewhere that I will merely add capsule review summaries….From the sublime to the terrible:
THE ARTIST, currently front runner for Best Picture, and deservedly so, is a throwback to silent movies of the 20′s, with a modern sensibility. It ends with a three minute tap sequence that is easily one of the movie highlights of the year. I loved this movie top to bottom, and if you enjoy the craft of movie making and story telling, then don’t miss it.
Hand in hand is its modern partner HUGO, Martin Scorsese’s paean to the creation of film making. Based on the children’s book, it faithfully captures the spirit of the novel, while adding a depth of artistic celebration of all things good in films. Highly enjoyable, moreso for adults than children.
WAR HORSE galloped into movie theaters on Christmas Day, and it’s a splendid adaptation of the book by Spielberg and company. Sure, it’s more magical on stage at the Vivian Beaumont theater at Lincoln Center with those gorgeous Handspring Puppet Company horses, but the story shimmers on the big screen. Filmed for family audiences, Spielberg’s violence quotient is toned down, while never eliminating the horrors of the war story beneath. Highly recommended.
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 4: GHOST PROTOCOL is easily the best of the lot, and easily the best action movie of the holiday season. Jeremy Renner turns in an excellent performance, and Tom Cruise is tolerable. The action sequences are staged with brio and playfulness. You’ll have a great time, and woe-be-to-you if you have a fear of heights, because the centerpiece sequence of the film on the exterior of the world’s tallest building is brilliant – and nausea inducing, especially if seen in IMAX.
George Clooney scores another hit in the drama THE DESCENDANTS, which owes more than half it’s storyline to Terms of Endearment. The acting here is brilliant, and the film is a subtle study of grief, forgiveness, and those coincidences that give life meaning. Look for a Best Picture nomination. But don’t think it’s a fluff piece. This is serious drama, and its well acted and played, and the cinematography transports you to a Hawaii that most of us have never seen.
Also dealing with grief is the woefully misnamed WE BOUGHT A ZOO, which is really more about death, letting go, and moving on, and much less about the “hilarious zoo story” the movie is advertised to be to suck in your 7 year olds. There is little here for them, other than some adorable animals that make cameo appearances. But it’s really a family drama about learning to move on after the death of your spouse. I loved this movie, despite its schmaltz, and continue to admire what Cameron Crowe is able to do with minor material, and how good of an actor Matt Damon is becoming.
If you’ve already seen the Swedish version of GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO you’ve already seen the better of the two versions, although this is a perfectly good adaptation. Mostly you leave thinking that this was only the first third of the trilogy, and it’s a long one at that. The jarring Swedish accents by its international cast are also somewhat offputting. Its worth a viewing, but there are other films I’d see first.
THE MUPPETS is a perfectly awesome work of whimsy, thanks to Jason Segal and those hilarious Jim Henson creations. You’ll most likely find yourself tearing up often during this film if you are old enough to remember the original tv show and movies, and guaranteed during “Rainbow Connection” near the end of the film. Are you a Muppet of a Man, or a Very Manly Muppet? Go see this movie.
SHERLOCK HOLMES: GAME OF SHADOWS is basically a remake of the first movie, with a slightly more interesting story. Guy Ritchie has created a perfectly entertaining movie, while creating a London that is soul-less and bland. The sequel travels outside the UK for a good portion of the film, and its better for it. A decent evening out, but you won’t remember any of it the next morning.
THE ADVENTURES OF TIN TIN is mind-numbingly dull…most of us in the US did not grow up with this character, and its evident twenty minutes into the movie when you are on your third chase scene (all brilliantly drawn), when the under-12′s start gabbing, running around the theatre, and heading to the refreshment stands. The movie does nothing to create new fans, and doesn’t do much to keep those who are fans happy either.
Even worse is the mind and eye-numbing NEW YEAR’S EVE — in fact, you’ll want to stick a fork in your eyes by the time the twentieth major actor is introduced about fifteen minutes into the movie. In all honesty I lasted another 15 minutes and walked out at the half-hour mark, right around the time the film begins to get even more gag-bysmal. It’s the second worst reviewed movie of the year for very good reason. You have been warned.
YOUNG ADULT is a perfectly presentable movie if you a) like snarky and borderline psychotic lead characters; b) like Jason Reitman movies (yuck), and c) really have a love of those “go home to find yourself” movies…This is the second most feel-bad movie of the year. You won’t hate yourself for seeing the movie, but you might find yourself going home and deleting lots of old high school acquaintances from your Facebook contacts.
Several smaller films are still hanging around: MELANCHOLIA (the most feel-bad movie of the year) continues to show that Lars Von Trier is one of the best story-tellers around, and that his movies continue to become more depressing as the go on. MARGIN CALL is a brilliant look at the world of finance that most of us would never know about otherwise: it stars an excellent Zachary Quinto and ensemble cast, and views more like a play than a movie. Both Melancholia and Margin Call, while available at movie theaters, are also available on iTunes for rent or purchase, as well as Netflix. Also still hanging around are the less-than-blockbuster J. EDGAR, which has some excellent performances, and MY WEEK WITH MARILYN which seemed like it was a week too long to me.
ARTHUR CHRISTMAS is a decent enough Christmas movie, with creepy CGI-based animation that still hasn’t figured out how to make human faces workable. The story is lightweight and funny, and although it is far from the “instant Christmas classic” that it is advertised to be, it will keep the “Prep and Landing” crowd satisfied.
One more for your consideration — mostly because it will certainly be considered for Acadamy Awards this year….on DVD and download is the August release THE HELP. If you have not seen it yet, rent it or buy it now. You’ll thank yourself for going back to watch this feature. In a similar boat is 50/50, the largely unseen fall release about a young man with cancer that is among my top 5 movies of the year.
And that’s the capsule summary for the holiday season. The only movies I did not go see are any of the horror movies, which I do not go to see, and any movies geared to the under-10 crowd (i.e. the Chipmunks movies).
My choices for the Best 5 Movies of the year?
1. THE ARTIST
2. 50/50
3. WAR HORSE
4. THE DESCENDANTS
5. HUGO
and I have to add a sentimental sixth: THE HELP
Funniest TV Quotes 2011 December 27, 2011
Posted by ronannarbor in Entertainment, TV.Tags: funniest tv quotes 2011
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It’s that time of year again! Granted I have not seen every single minute of every tv show this past year — but its been darn close…So here they are, this year’s Funniest TV quotes….
“I did not know you are not allowed to say “suck it” to security at the airport” – The Middle
Sue: “Dad, you don’t have to medicate with alcohol.” Mike: “Look around, I think I do.” – The Middle
“I told you all about these bells….” – The New Girl
“I have complete faith in you”….”Oh, that’s what everyone says, at first” — Last Man Standing
“Our house is where fun comes to die” — The Middle
Leonard: “Do you think we can outrun him?” Sheldon: “I don’t need to outrun him, I just need to outrun YOU” — Big bang Theory
“Who might be up for a wee bit of mischief?” ”Leprechauns?” — Rules of Engagement
“How long are you going to ignore me?” ”Until the shame cloud clears” — Modern Family
“Hey, what now? – Happy Endings
“Want to play Librarian?….I’ll read and six hours later you tell me the Library is closing” — The Middle
“in my country, its considered really bad luck if the house burns down” – Modern Family
“Ever since Dalia failed her career aptitude test we’ve been working really hard to make sure she has one.” ”A career?” ”No, an aptitude” — Suburgatory
“He’s a total Matthau” — The New Girl
“It’s just that when I hear him say things like “I want a Divorce” and “You Disgust me” I begin to think that something is wrong.” — Rules of Engagement
“Yours is a true Cinderella story. You stayed in the ball for eight weeks, now it’s midnight and it’s time for you to go home.” — DWTS
“Okay, that went a little too far” — Grimm
“At our age it’s not things that make us happy….its cigarettes and booze” — The Middle
“We’re a family and families talk about things” ”No, No they don’t. They ignore them until they go away”….The New Girl
“There are a lot of things I’m not into…I’m not into kale, but it keeps showing up on my dinner plate” — Last Man Standing
“Oh, Heavens to Gretzky!” – Canadian Barney, How I Met Your Mother
“What gave you the idea for my Day of Beauty?” ”All the Other Days” — Rules of Engagement
“There’s something about an underdog that really inspires the unexceptional” — The Office
“Sweetheart, I would love to be wrong…I just don’t live with the right people for that” — Modern Family
“Next thing you know, there’ll be stop signs at every corner…go ask Canada how that worked out?” — Modern Family
Howard: “Ma, do you mind if Bernadette sleeps over tonight?” Mother’s Voice: “Frankly after all your sleepovers with the little brown boy, a girl is a relief” — Big Bang Theory
“Fiber makes me….sad”…Fiber One commercial
“My circus-like childhood makes the most bizarre things seem normal” – Wizards of Waverly Place
“Lemon, you risked everything for the show that TV Guide once called “Still On”…30Rock
”I want them to share clothes, do each others hair and gossip about boys. Like i did with Mitchell.” ~Claire, Modern Family
“The idea of all of us vacationing together is so bad I’m making up a new word — ‘gagbysmal’ ” — Grayson, Cougar Town
“You are not giving him that…” ”Even if he drinks his other gift first?” — Modern Family
“What’s happening people? Our hubris will be our undoing” – Modern Family
“Why did you bring him, he’s harshing my buzz” – The Big Bang Theory
“Sir, if you say one more syllable, that’s a haiku” — 30Rock
“I could hardly drink my morning shower scotch” — 30Rock
“What is this multi-billion dollar system missing?” ”Multi-billion dollars” — Modern Family
“It’s OK Jack — you made a bad decision and bought something you didn’t understand…like when I bought tickets to “Black Swan” — 30 Rock
“Reese Witherspoon is just a like-able version of me” — Jenna, 30Rock
“I’ve pretty much reached my target weight….the problem is I haven’t yet reached my target height” — Manny, Modern Family
“You pierced Lily’s ears??” ”Did you see both sides? I didn’t just do the gay ear…” — Gloria, Modern Family
“Is it hot in here, big man?” — Better With You
“Number of days without work related injury: 0″ – Mike’s Office, The Middle
“How are we going to take care of that? Look around — this is where things come to break” — The Middle
“It’s America Night, and It’s so good to see Cheryl showing off the Rocky Mountains there” — Len, DWTS
“Should vaginatorium be capitalized?” — 30Rock
“Years from now some of these children will still be talking about the way I Sondheim-ized them.” — Modern Family
“If you pester celebrities long enough eventually they have to notice you”…Mr. Sunshine
“You are a devourer of dreams…You are PacMan in cargo pants…” – Danny to Steve, Hawaii Five-0
“Here we go, your loud and proud, you have your dumplings boiling over” …DWTS Bruno to Wendy Williams
“Dancing is movement to music…well, you did move, and there was music”… DWTS Len to Mike Catherwood
“I need to look good for my party, and I refuse to wear anything in my size or appropriate for my age”…Angie, 30Rock
“We are beyond blotting and rubbing, we’ve moved on to sweating and crying.”…Modern Family
“You want to put me in a Rudy-mindset?” – Perfect Couples
“Oh Dude, Scooby got out.”…HIMYM
“It’s like the Apple Store…without the ethnic diversity” — Outsourced
“I’m fired? Great…this is the CandleShack at the mall all over again.” — Will Forte, HIMYM
“What’s wrong with Canada???…Your milk comes in bags…bags!…and your Pavilion at Epcot doesn’t have a ride!” — 30Rock
“I’ve had three chances. Floyd, then Carol, and I was once in an elevator with Tom Brokaw. And I blew all three… Opportunities!” — Liz, 30Rock
“I could never pretend to love my beautiful daughter, Emily Dickinson the cat.” – Liz Lemon, 30Rock
“My work has been stressful too…I have a big memo due by the end of the month” — The Middle
“He certainly wasn’t a Swiss prostitute that Martha Stewart recommended to me.” — Jack , 30Rock
“I just try to be really really honest with people when I think that they suck” — Glee
“What do your ears hear when we talk??” – Rules of Engagement
“Don’t harsh on Smith, he just bought you all drinks” – Cougar Town
“If I can dance on woodchips at camp, I can dance on Anything!”…The Middle
“It’s not you, its me…thinking you can do it…I’m a tough coach, there’ll be tears…from both of us”…The Middle
“Hey, look at you square dancing in the garage…where the neighbors can see”…The Middle
“What scares you about riding a bike?” ”Losing control and falling down” — Gloria, Modern Family
“Clare was furious….she said I had betrayed her on every level. So I called the florist and ordered a dozen mylar balloons. Good luck staying mad at that” – Phil, Modern Family
“Laser Tag knows no age restrictions…kind of like strippers in the midwest” – How I Met Your Mother
“I have a fire drill tomorrow…If I’m going to keep my hands to myself and line up in an orderly fashion I am going to have to get my sleep” – Brick, The Middle
“Why does fun always have a price?” The Middle
“I want to hear all about Mitchell in High School….did he have a beard?” ”You’re looking at her” — Modern Family
“Why do I have to watch a French movie?….I didn’t do anything wrong”…Phil, Modern Family
Broadway Reviews – Bonnie & Clyde; On a Clear Day; Follies; Lysistrata Jones; War Horse December 19, 2011
Posted by ronannarbor in Broadway Musicals, musical theater, Musicals, Theatre.Tags: Bernadette Peters, Bonnie & Clyde musical, Follies, Harry Connick Jr., Jeremy Jordan, Laura Osnes, Lysistrata Jones, On A Clear Day You Can See Forever, War Horse Broadway, WIldhorn
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Nothing like some Broadway for the holidays!…from the ridiculous to the superb….
Lets go from the worst to the best from this holiday visit:
On a Clear Day You can See Forever, the book-plagued but melody-lush Lerner and Lane musical, stars Harry Connick Jr so it is selling tickets well, despite dismal reviews after opening last week. And those dismal reviews are well-earned.
Director Michael Mayer decided the already terrible book wasn’t good enough, so he had Peter Parnell write an even worse one. In this version, Daisy is replaced by David, an ineffectual gay man who is the reincarnation of 40′s singer bombshell Melinda with whom Psychiatrist Connick Jr falls in love. David (a good David Turner) has a decent boyfriend (Drew Gehling, very good) to whom he has trouble committing, now that he is falling in love with straight Psychiatrist Connick Jr. The more Psychiatrist Connick Jr. hypnotizes David to get at Melinda (a sublime Jessie Mueller), the more convoluted, unbelievable, and disinteresting it all gets. There are some mind-bogglingly awful costumes provided by Catherine Zuber and some even worse sets designed by Christine Jones — all over-lit by Kevin Adams.
The music is lush and sounds great. In particular Jessie Mueller’s big band numbers bring some life to the proceedings (most of her songs are imported from Lerner and Lane’s movie Royal Wedding) with additional songs imported from the movie version, as if the musical isn’t already too long.
Harry Connick Jr, the clear star around whom this production is built, sings well, moves stiffly, and looks like he would rather be anywhere else but on stage at the St. James Theater. Most likely across the street reprising his own Broadway concert from last season, alas, delegated to Hugh Jackman this winter. Don’t expect this one to be around past January — so see it now if you must. 2 stars (of 4), and 1 star if it were not for the good leading cast.
By the way — post-show, W 44th Street becomes one of the biggest crowd control problems I have seen in New York in years. Since both shows end at the same time, and huge crowds grow in front of the stagedoors of both Hugh Jackman’s concert across the street, and those awaiting Psychiatrist Connick Jr. The street is blocked off to all traffic, and it’s general chaos. Plan your escape route in advance.
At the end of the block, there is a crowd-control problem of it’s own in Follies at the Marquis Theater.
The ugly poster design for the show should be enough to warn you of what is to come: a sumptiously costumed, overly star-laden adaptation of Sondheim’s Follies. Imported from the Kennedy Center, the show stars bland Ron Raines as Ben (sorry Ron, I know you were my next door neighbor in NYC for years, but its true); the too-old Bernadette Peters as Sally (she gets unintentional laughs when she says “what am I going to do with the rest of my life at the age of 49″); the too-young Danny Burstein as Buddy; and the excellent Jan Maxwell as Phyllis.
Also crammed in are Elaine Paige, not given enough to do; Don Correia (a virtual afterthought); Terri White (in the sole standout number in the show, Whose that Woman); and a handful of other Broadway work horses.
Granted, I have never liked Follies as a show — it’s plotless meanderings are driven by the emotional content of two relationships falling apart. The symbology of “ghosts” floating throughout the dilapidating theater overkill. The parallels to “young” Sally, Ben, Buddy, and Phyllis hitting you over the head throughout. Here, the ghosts are dressed in some of the most glamorous costumes to grace the Broadway stage in many years (Gregg Barnes) — it’s a shame you can’t see them in Natasha Katz’s woefully under-lit design.
It’s all very pretty, and well staged by Eric Schaeffer, but its tired, and ultimately uninvolving. If the cast hasn’t gripped you and caused you to feel something for them, by the time you get to Loveland, the whole thing is just an exercise in stage design. And that’s what you have here. Colorful and bland. 3 out of 4 stars. Worth seeing, if you have the time. It closes at the end of January, so you have another month.
It’s a good season for musicals on both 44th and 45th streets. Down the road, the new Bonnie & Clyde is quickly driving into oblivion (it closes on December 30th).
Now, let me preface this with the statement that I really really liked Bonnie & Clyde, and I am saddened that the producers chose to close it (most likely due to the horrible reviews from the NYTimes and from the WSJ). The audience all seemed to enjoy it too — and the single comment I heard the most at intermission was shock that the show had posted a closing notice.
This is Wildhorn’s strongest score to date; and it has a quartet of very appealing leads in Jeremy Jordan (Clyde); Laura Osnes (Bonnie); Claybourne Elder (Buck) and Melissa Van Der Schyff (Blanche). Jeremy and Laura, in particular, are sexy together, and they bring a level of interest to two characters who could otherwise be seen as quite unsympathetic. You already know how it ends (in fact, it’s made clear in the first measures of the show exactly how it will end), but it’s well written and it reaches its conclusion logically and not without feeling.
Tobin Osts set and costumes are spot-on, and there is generous use of projections by Aaron Rhyne (also well done). Local Encore Artistic Director Dan Cooney is in the Ensemble and is fun in many of the small roles that he plays. In fact, this entire ensemble is terrific.
Closing the show will, however, allow Jeremy Jordan to return to Newsies (opening in March), and look for him to become a major breakout star once his movie Joyful Noise arrives in movie theaters.
There’s an air of “dead-show-walking” when you see a musical knowing it has already posted a notice. But it gives one a good glimpse into how New York critics are currently out of touch with popular theater and audience likes/dislikes. This is a show that in seasons past might have run for months and months. Now, in our economic climate, producers are unwilling to take any risk in the show, and are closing it on December 30th to allow them to take their tax write-offs this spring rather than next. It’s all sad. 3 stars out of 4.
But wait — there’s a surprise in store a few blocks north!
Chalk up another hit for Douglas Carter Beane, who has created the funniest, craziest, and warmest script of the season in adapting Aristophanes Lysistrata to modern-day college basketball players and cheerleaders.
The show has an off-Broadway feel (not surprising, given it’s off-Broadway roots) which is fresh on Broadway. Stylistically, the musical is very similar to Xanadu from a few seasons back. There are a few dirty jokes and some lame “drawings” in which the cheerleaders demonstrate what will be withheld from the men on the basketball team if they don’t win a game (the school has not won a game in 33 years).
The ensemble cast is wonderful top to bottom, and they are clearly having fun. Director/Choreograper Dan Knechtges keeps it all moving at a swift, entertaining pace, and Lewis Flinn has written some genuine tuners. Yep, a musical with a great script, great cast, great music. And despite rave reviews, virtually no audience. I saw it papered by friends. Half the house seemed to be papered. If this one doesn’t pick up some legit paying audience, it’s not going to be around for long. See it now, it’s well worth it. 3 1/2 stars out of 4.
Finally — a visit to New York’s War Horse, at Lincoln Center which I originally saw in London several years ago.
There isn’t much I can add to the many rave reviews that this production has received (including the Tony award for Best Play this spring). Combining some live-action, with amazing puppetry, and whizbang scenic design, the show is even larger in it’s Vivian Beaumont home. It’s hard to imagine this show touring — but there is one in the works for the coming season, so you will be able to see it for yourself soon if you can’t make it to New York.
I’m looking forward to the movie this Christmas (based on the book, not this theatrical version); but there is something about seeing the sheer theater magic take place before your eyes that make this a very special show indeed. Having seen it twice now, I can tell how the show manipulates the emotions (the tears come in the exact same places night after night); but its so well done that you go with it and you emerge in a somewhat transfixed state. War is hell. People know that. Seen through the eyes of the horses who don’t comprehend but do react to noise, pain, shock, and gunshots, it illuminates the horrors of war in a way that sometimes people alone can not. 4 stars out of 4.
Excellent “A Christmas Story, the musical” – tour (review) November 20, 2011
Posted by ronannarbor in Broadway Musicals, Broadway Tour, musical theater, Musicals, Theatre.Tags: A Christmas Story the musical
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Thoroughly surprising, superbly entertaining, and exquisitely designed, A Christmas Story, the musical makes a two week stop at the Fisher Theater in Detroit. And the show is awesome fun. Don’t hesitate and get tickets now before they are gobbled up over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend…
Like the best adaptations, the musical doesn’t just mimic the movie (although the requisite lines and scenes are all there) but expands on it and adds its own layer of musical theater storytelling. With book by Joseph Robinette and Music and Lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, it moves swiftly along through its many (23) scenes, and its smoothly and creatively directed by John Rando and choreographed by Warren Carlyle.
Everything looks great on Walt Spangler’s set (halfway through the show, you’ll find yourself wondering where all that stuff fits backstage) and its dressed lovingly in Elizabeth Hope Clancy’s costumes. Set both in 1975 and 1940, the production flows effortlessly between the two eras. Gene Weygandt plays Jean Shepherd narrating a Christmas Eve radio show, with his sidekick foley artist (sound effects) Nick Gaswirth. But it doesn’t stay there — throughout the production Gene/Jean joins the action in the 40′s story that he is narrating, and its an effect that works well throughout the production.
The entire cast is strong (and how thrilling to see so many University of Michigan Musical Theater program alumni involved with this show –from music and lyrics to actors….unless I missed I few, I counted 8 of them)…and adults and kids fare equally well. At my performance, Carl Kimbrough performed Ralphie. I am going back later this week to see Clarke Hallum in the part (yes, I loved the show that much). Rachel Bay Jones creates an excellent mother in a role expanded from the movie, and John Bolton delivers a mesmerizing performance as the father — in a part in which he practically channels the spirit of Paul Lynde in a superb outing. The many kids in the show act, dance (and tap!) their way through many sequences and songs and don’t miss a beat keeping up with the adults in all the fun.
The sole misstep in the production comes at the end, when the clever, ironic, and nod-nod-wink-wink cleverness suddenly dissolves into a couple minutes of holiday-cheer and family-dreck. It’s not off-putting, but it puts a damper on what has come before. Thankfully, it’s followed by a clever and funny curtain call that sends you out of the theater humming. Yes, really. The show has a hummable infectious score that contains a few bonefide new showtune standards. If you want the music on CD, you have to purchase it in the theater lobby, it won’t be released publicly until the fall of 2012.
So, what are you waiting for? Get your tickets before they are gone, and the tour moves on. Hopefully it will be back again next season, because this is a Christmas story that you can see over and over again. Its the first show in years that has toured Detroit pre-Broadway that really deserves to be there next Christmas. See it here first.
Ain’t no doubtin’ you’ll have a good time at Performance Network this holiday season – Ain’t Misbehavin’ (Review) November 19, 2011
Posted by ronannarbor in Ann Arbor, Entertainment, musical theater, Musicals, Theatre.Tags: Ain't Misbehavin' musical
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Performance Network has brought Ann Arbor an early Christmas present with their current production of Ain’t Misbehavin’, the Fats Waller musical show.
Winner of the 1978 Tony Award for Best Musical, (it surprisingly beat out On the Twentieth Century, not surprisingly The Act, Dancin’ and Runaways), the show revived musical reviews, and while it has no direct storyline, it follows a group of singers/performers in an after hours club as they sing, complain, flirt, booze it up, and generally have a fun time. The idea is, the audience should have a fun time as well. And they do.
Dan Walker’s excellent set invokes a basement-level nightclub, with band center stage, and some audience seated at cabaret tables on the sides (Note: I would recommend you NOT select the side seats for this production – virtually all action takes place facing front and center).
Darrian Ford, Jennifer Cole, Kron Moore, james Bown, and K. Edmonds comprise the 5-member cast, while Ryan MacKenzie Lewis and his four-piece ensemble can arguably be considered the sixth member (Ryan – piano; Brad Faryniarz – saxaphones; Chris Morelli – bass; Billy Harrington – drums). The entire ensemble swings; there is more energy on stage here than might be needed to light the Christmas lights on Main Street for the holidays.
Yeah, okay, so I can note some minor quibbles about the slightly pitchy vocals on opening night (especially in Act One); but all was well by Act Two (which is better written to begin with). It doesn’t really matter in a show which is well sung, well directed (by Tim Edward Rhoze), and well-choreographed (Robin Wilson). The hand-built costumes by Suzanne Young are exquisite. Charles Sutherland’s properties help evoke the era; and Mary Cole lights it all prettily, with red, green, and blue gels coming to life in the bigger numbers.
Each of the performers has plenty of opportunity to shine in solos, duets, and ensemble numbers; but its Darrian Ford that explodes across the stage, in particular making “The Viper’s Drag” a standout, as well as his dancing throughout. To be honest, it’s hard to recreate roles so tied to the likes of the larger-than-life Ken Page, Nell Carter, and Andre DeShields…but this cast holds its own in what is ultimately a highly entertaining holiday treat. Fats Wallers music is tuneful, sharp-witted, and often funny.
To be sure, I would rather have seen a book musical in this holiday slot — but Ain’t Misbehavin’ is a sure-footed entertaining evening. It’s the perfect compliment to dinner and drinks before the show in downtown Ann Arbor, so you can make a night (or afternoon) of it. Ask about the Prix Fixe dinner option at The Raven’s Club when making your reservations. Ain’t no doubtin’ you will have a good time.
