“Phantom of the Opera” tour, Wharton Center East Lansing (review)

Phantom makes its final stop in Michigan (the tour is about to close after 18 years) at the Wharton Center in East Lansing, and it is everything you expect – no more, no less. Andrew Lloyd Webber forever changed the face of musical theater tours when he emphasized the production values so that audiences on the road would see the identical show as on Broadway – down to the sets and costumes. So far, the musical tour has grossed OVER 5 BILLION dollars, so it has all paid off.

Tim Martin Gleason and Trista Moldovan in Phantom of the Opera

The third road company at the Wharton Center is first rate. Tim Martin Gleason (as the Phantom) has basically spent his professional life doing the show (starting in Ensemble then Raoul on tour and the Vegas spectacular) and now The Phantom. He is very good. Trista Moldovan (in the performance I saw) makes a fine Christine Daae – her voice is lovely. (At some performances, Kelly Jeanne Grant performs the role).

But nobody really comes to see Phantom to review the performances. It’s about the sets, the costumes, the music, the lights, and that Chandelier. And it all looks magnificent (even if the chandelier looks completely out of place in ultra-modern Wharton Center if you are sitting anywhere but center orchestra). When the phantom steals Christine away and takes her to his watery underground lair for the first time, the thrill of the candlelit boatride through the fog is still one of musical theater’s most indelible images — this is pure stage magic for a few minutes, and it’s one of my all-time favorite stage moments (see photo above).

The production tours with 27 trucks, and over 100 cast, crew, orchestra, and front-of-house personnel. This isn’t the first time Phantom has been an East Lansing boxoffice dynamo — but it is, sadly, the last.

If you haven’t seen Phantom before — for heavens sake, get a ticket and go enjoy this musical theater standard. If you have seen it before, you can probably take or leave this production, given it is identical to the performance you saw (wherever it was that you saw it.) But for theater purists, it’s your last chance to see the show with its original sets, costumes, stage effects and whatnot before your local community theaters start massacring the show a few years from now. This is a musical you DONT want to see performed by your local amateur group.

Phantom takes a lovely final bow at the Wharton Center. Highly Recommended.

Lush “South Pacific” on tour, Wharton Center, East Lansing (Review)

See it! Run, don’t walk. Sure, every college and community theatre across America has done South Pacific, but you haven’t seen it like this, and you haven’t heard it like this.

I first saw this production of South Pacific at the Vivian Beaumont Theater at Lincoln Center last season. I instantly fell in love with the current production from the moment the stage floor slid open and revealed the full orchestra beneath during the Overture. You don’t have that in this tour production, but the music still sounds fantastic, and the show looks gorgeous.

Slightly scaled down from the vast Beaumont stage in NYC, the sets are faithful recreations, and it’s quite amazing how well the show fills the Wharton space. It’s all beautifully lit, and the sound design is terrific.

Chalk it all up to crisp, imaginative, and slick direction by Bartlett Sher and a wonderful tour cast, led by Carmen Cusack as Nellie and Christopher Carl as Emile. The ensemble is strong, and they sound great backed by a full 25-piece orchestra. (Compare that to the normal tour orchestras that are usually 11 pieces).

The message of South Pacific rings as true today as it did in 1949 — in fact, so much of this production is spot-on that it’s hard to remember this is a 61-year old show. By the time Cable and Emile fly off on their spy mission and the stage fills with strategic maps and war-room activity, the pulse starts to pound, and the tears soon start to flow.

Go see this show. Miss it, and you will have missed one of the finest Broadway productions of the decade. Go. You will thank yourself later.

Top Notch cast leads “Spring Awakening” tour in Detroit (Review), but audience ignorance just as entertaining.

To be certain, Spring Awakening (aka the Duncan Sheik musical) is an acquired taste and is not for everybody. I personally think it is riveting must-see musical theater for adults…and I do mean adults. And the current tour that has landed at the Fisher Theater through May 9th is simply top-notch.

Wendla (Christy Altomare) and Melchior (Jake Epstein)

For those who have not seen the show before, we’re not talking about the awakening of flowers and blossoms in the springtime here — the show explores frank discussions (and misinformation) amongst teens and their ignorant parents in the late 1800’s about sex in all its forms, and the tragic outcome of misinformation and ignorance gone awry. It’s not for pre-teens, and it certainly isn’t for some teens.

Apparently, it isn’t for some adults either, as some of the ignorant and outlandish comments I heard during intermission and post-show made clearly apparent. I wasn’t aware that some Detroiters were so ignorant themselves, so the show speaks to our time as well as that in which the original play (with a long history of being banned and censored) was written upon which the musical is based. I’ve previously seen the production on Broadway and in East Lansing where I didn’t hear such intermission ignorance, so maybe it should have played the Power Center in Ann Arbor instead of the Fisher Theater in Detroit — none the less, it’s a provocative evening of alternative rock theater.

The terrific cast, lead by Christy Altomare as Wendla and Jake Epstein as Melchior rock the house. The voices in this show are great – and there is some fine, subtle acting from many of the young cast. There is also plenty of very un-subtle  acting, just the way you would expect. “The Bitch of Living” near the top of the first act, and “Totally Fucked” in the second act are true ensemble standouts. “The Word of Your Body” is simply lyrical in the hands of Altomare and Epstein.

Highly recommended — but, seriously, leave your young ones and your grandmother at home. And probably leave opinionated Uncle Mike at home as well, since this isn’t a show meant to change his world-view, merely to illustrate the danger of his ignorance.  Playing at the Fisher Theater, Detroit, through May 9th. Ticketmaster.com.

Thoroughly Entertaining “Promises, Promises” – Broadway, Review

Chalk another one up for Director/Choreographer Rob Ashford as he leads a talented and very funny cast of actors/singers/dancers in the Broadway revival of “Promises, Promises” which first appeared on Broadway in 1968. The Book written by Neil Simon, Music by Burt Bacharach, and Lyrics by Hal David instantly transport you to the 60’s; as does the set design, costume and wig work, and lighting.

Sean Hayes carries the comedic role of Chuck Baxter with stage presence, comedic timing practiced on years of episodes of Will and Grace, and charm. His singing voice is fine for the part, although he struggles a touch with higher notes and some of the endings of songs have been shortened so he doesn’t have to hold the notes as long as Jerry Orbach was able to in the original production.

Kristin Chenoweth is in fine vocal form in the role of Fran Kubelik, and this production gives her two additional songs added to the score (“I Say a Little Prayer” and “A House is Not a Home”). Many in the audience were clearly there to see Kristin, and she gets cheers and hoots after every song…the same annoying response she got while in Wicked where younger audience members mistook Broadway songs for American Idol numbers.

Tony Goldwyn turns in a nice performance as Sheldrake, and surprised many in the audience with his clear singing voice. He oozes charisma in every scene, and it’s easy to see what Fran would see in a lout like him. It’s harder to see what Fran would see in Baxter, but that’s where the story goes.

The cast is uniformly terrific, especially in the many many dance sequences throughout the show. Rob has added creative dance touches throughout, including a dance number during the Overture that not only sets the tone, but clearly defines the male/female take on office sexual politics in the early 60’s. They had me at the Overture.

Katie Finneran stops the show as alcoholic one-night-stand Marge. Her comic timing is to die for, and her dance sequence with Hayes earns well-deserved laughter through creative use of dance pratfalls and her own chemistry with Sean on stage. Terrific featured actress work here — look for a Tony nomination.

The set design is colorful and stunning. At times Scott Pask fills the stage with sparse furniture pieces to represent location; at other times he creates complete environments that capture New York City perfectly. Bruce Pask has built beautiful costumes for everyone, and they all look good in motion.

There isn’t a weak link in the cast or design. Jonathan Tunick’s orchestrastions sound “fab” as played by the large orchestra, which retains it’s backup girl singers in the pit.

Promises, Promises is a problematic piece to be sure. Not all of the music is up to Bacharach and Davis’s best work — but some of it is terrific. “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again” remains the signature tune, and got an extended ovation. It was wise to include both interpolated standards to round out the tunefulness of the show, even if they force Fran into a somewhat conflicted role throughout.

Some of the script has been tweaked; a few numbers slightly modified or moved; some awkward scripting reworked. Generous use of ad-libs and clever staging by Rob Ashford tie everything together in a way that makes the show zip and zoom throughout it’s 2 hour 40 minute length.

I had a tremendous time. Its great to see the types of things I grew up with being restaged and re-imagined. And it’s awesome to hear this almost-forgotten score again! Sean Hayes, Kristin Chenoweth, and Tony Goldwyn are true stars, and it shows throughout the production.

Highly recommended.

Dreary “A Little Night Music” – Broadway, Review

Study this picture:

If that set design looks good to you, evokes romanticism, and draws you in , by all sakes go see the revival of A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC at the Walter Kerr Theatre. It is, incidentally, the same set you will be staring at for three long hours.

A transfer from London’s Menier Chocolate Factory Theatre Company (Sunday in the Park, La Cage aux Folles). the production is lifeless and dreary, despite a first-rate cast.

Catherine Zeta-Jones is terrific as Desire Armfeldt. The production is lucky to have Angela Lansbury as Madame Armfeldt. And the rest of the cast is fine. I had a little trouble with Aaron Lazar’s Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm, stereotyping a part that is already stereotyped, but even that can be overlooked.

What can’t be overlooked is a production that has a horrible production design, music that is slowed-down in tempo to the point of a dirge, and such murky lighting that for long sections of ensemble you watch shapes move about in the near dark. The opening waltz with all characters mingling and intermingling with their partners is murky to the point that you can’t even recognize who is who. Sloppy, dark, and dreary. When we finally arrive in the country for Act II, you are still staring at the same dusty-mirrored drawing room walls. Might as well have stayed in the city.

I adore A Little Night Music. I’ve directed it before, and I’ve appeared in two separate productions. The current Broadway revival is a tremendous letdown, and pales in comparison to other professional (and some amateur!) productions of the show.

See it if you must, but you have been warned. The couple next to me both fell asleep during act I and were gone during act II. I had a hard time staying focused on the long production without anything visual to look at, and I know every line in this show.

Stunning “Ragtime” at University of Michigan Musical Theatre Program (Review)

The University of Michigan’s Musical Theatre Program has another stunning success on their hands. As usual, all performances are sold out, so beg, borrow, or take up any friend’s offer of an extra ticket to see this wonderful production. Seen on sold-out Friday night, this production proves once again why it is one of the top such programs in the country.

(Top) The entire cast of RAGTIME. (Bottom) Hava Kaplan, A.J. Holmes (photos courtesy of University of Michigan, 2010)

RAGTIME is one of those shows that stirs the soul (even though you are fully aware you are being shamelessly manipulated by the plot and storyline) and makes you feel something throughout it’s three hour run. From the extraordinary opening number featuring the full ensemble, to the stirring small-family unit finale. It’s one of my 10 favorite modern musicals. I saw it in the final weeks of it’s many-month Toronto development pre-Broadway, and couldn’t fall asleep for hours after walking back to my hotel room. The same thing occurred last night. Not without its problems (Grandfather has been whittled down to an afterthought, and a major character dies and is replaced by a new spouse with three lines of dialogue), the show is none-the-less spot-on in capturing three very different world-view experiences in turn of the century America (the previous turn-of-the-century, that is!).

Director Mark Madama has done a splendid job of directing his very talented ensemble cast (and the show is a true ensemble piece) mixing  large full-stage spectacle with quiet intimate reflective moments. The show’s three hour length never feels too long, nor too hurried. Choreographer Lyndy Franklin Smith does wonders with every musical number, and by the time the show reaches “Gettin’ Ready Rag” you want to jump onstage and join in the fun. Cynthia Kortman Westphal’s musical direction is top-notch and the cast sounds fantastic both individually and in ensemble. Jessica Hahn’s costumes and Dawn Rivard’s wig-work are great. It’s all well-lit and designed by David Neville, and kinda-well sound-mixed by Jim Lillie. The sound occasionally popped and crackled, but not to the point of annoyance nor distraction. That is bound to happen in a show where every single cast member is on a body-mic.

Performance-wise, the true standout in an excellent ensemble cast is A.J. Holmes as Tateh. His voice is terrific, but his acting brings life to this difficult role that ranges from broad energetic moments to quiet internalized grief, where a twinkling in his eye says more than words ever could. Bravo, AJ.

Equally strong performances are presented by clear-voiced Kent Overshown at Coalhouse; Britney Coleman as Sarah; Amanda Choate (Mother); Tyler Brunsman (Father); Joe Carroll (Younger Brother); Marken Greenwood (Emma Goldman) and Alle-Faye Monka (Evelyn Nesbit). The children in the show (Milo Tucker-Meyer and Hava Kaplan) are also terrific.

All of the featured performers are equally strong – and the payoff is a terrific and emotional finale, with a near-instant standing ovation. The script has manipulated you to tears. The cast has manipulated you to that ovation.

My one criticism: with very rare exception, I abhor orchestras on stage. This is not one of those exceptions. I know the recent Broadway trend has been to place the full orchestra on stage (Chicago, the Ragtime revival, Wonderful Town), but I hate it. It detracts from what is happening on stage, and Ragtime is a show that is written in clean, minimalist scenes. To have the percussionist bobbing and weaving across an 8 foot orchestra space, and the harp bopping back and forth while the Tuba player switches from one bright and shiny instrument to another bright and shiny instrument is merely distracting. Don’t get me wrong, they sound fantastic in this production. But in this case, quiet moments on stage that should be actors alone in a spotlight, are backed by distracting orchestra moves in silhouette that pull you out of the moment.

Congratulations to the University of Michigan Musical Theater Program for another fantastic production. Good luck seniors in your annual New York showcase! And to those who don’t hold tickets for the show, this is your reminder (as I did last year after 42nd Street) that tickets go on sale a year in advance, and season tickets as well as individual tickets can be purchased long in advance. And they have to be. This is by-far the highest quality musical theater you will see all year in Ann Arbor. Next spring’s Brigadoon is sure to be an equal stunner.

Truly Outstanding “Little Shop” at Performance Network, Ann Arbor (Review)

“Little Shop of Horrors”, currently on stage at Performance Network in Ann Arbor, is quite simply the best production of the show I have seen since the original Off-Broadway run at the Orpheum Theater in New York.

Director Carla Milarch keeps the production very true to it’s Off-Broadway roots, and infuses this production with an energy that is palpable; a creepiness factor that reminds you that this is campy horror; and an adult sense of humor that has been missing in most watered-down productions over the years (including the movie and the recent Broadway revival). But the show doesn’t stop there – the creative use of Naz Edwards as a living, breathing Audrey II brings a spirit to the show that I have not seen in others.

The cast from top to bottom is superb. Jason Richards is a fine actor in the role of Seymour, and he brings a wonderful voice to the show to boot. Courtney Myers as Audrey is an equally formidable actress, and matches him note for note. Their “Suddenly Seymour” is an emotional and uplifting musical highlight.

B.J. Love makes for an amiable Mushnik, and Aaron T. Moore is a talent trove of characters (he plays all the other parts). His rendition of “Now (It’s Just the Gas)” is one of the funniest (and dirtiest) I have seen.  I loved it.

Sharon Brooks, Sharriese Hamilton, and Diviin Huff make for a wonderful trio of urchin singers, and their costumes grow increasingly outlandish with each appearance. They sound terrific together, and each is a good actress in her own right.

Which brings us back to Naz Edwards. The show delightfully veers in a unique direction from the first moment she speaks on stage. Without giving away too much, hers is an Audrey II that will knock your socks off — clever, creepy, and very fun.

The technical quality of the production itself can’t be overstated. Monika Essen’s set design and costume design is spot-on and makes use of the stage in a way it hasn’t been utilized before through changeable scenery and the unique use of a lifting wall that folds into the ceiling. Very clever, colorful, and just right. It’s all well-lit by Justin Lang who incorporates black lights and some clever use of area lighting throughout the show.

Choreographer Phil Simmons creates choreography that is instantly era-recognizable, and R. MacKenzie Lewis and his three-piece orchestra provide not only terrific backup, but Mr. Lewis has done a wonderful job with the musical aspects of the show. This cast sounds fantastic. Wise use of microphones for the entire cast is used, and it all holds together well under Ken Faulk’s expert sound design.

It all comes together beautifully on the Performance Network stage – and the show feels neither too small nor too big. In fact, it feels exactly like it did back at the Orpheum Theatre when I saw it in 1982. And that made me feel very good indeed.

Little Shop of Horrors runs through May 9th with tickets available at performancenetwork.org or by phone at (734) 663-0681.

Wonderful cast in WICKED tour (Toledo, Stranahan) Review

I have now officially lost count of how many times I have seen Wicked between New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Detroit, East Lansing, and now Toledo. Okay, I’ll admit, I’ve become a Wicked junkie…I love the show from top to bottom, from song to song, from scene change to scene change.

The Wicked tour that has settled in at the Stranahan Theater in Toledo is terrific, and it’s headlined by a great cast. Natalie Daradich is a fine Glinda, Vicki Noon a terrific Elphaba. Marilyn Caskey brings a refined sense of humor to Madam Morrible, as does Don Amendolia to the role of the Wizard. Michelle London and Zach Hanna play off of each other nicely as Nessarose and Boq.

For Wicked purists, this is the B-tour; the set is slightly flattened to fit into smaller houses that don’t use as deep a stage and as bountiful a fly system. That means there is no bridge that cast members walk across, and everything looks a bit flattened set-wise. But it’s all beautifully lit, and the show works like a charm. If you’ve never seen the show before, you won’t notice anything different from the photos you see in the programs. Even those who have seen the show before might not notice the subtle set design changes.

My only complaint, as usual at the Stranahan, is the garbled sound. Wicked tours with its own extensive sound equipment. But the 2800 seat barn of a theater is difficult to fill with clear sound because of the sheer size. It won’t bother those who know the show and lyrics. If you don’t, pay close attention – some of the sound is garbled here, in particular in the choral numbers. Soloists fare better throughout.

If you don’t have your tickets already, good luck. This is an absolute Stranahan blockbuster with only scattered singles and side seating available for off-nights. If you can grab a ticket, get one. This is a highly emotionally-charged cast, and the chemistry on stage shows throughout.

(For the record it’s 9 — I’ve seen the show 9 times now….)

Stranahan Theater (Toledo) announces 2010-2011 Season

The Stranahan Theater in Toledo announced their 2010-2011 professional Broadway Series musical theater tour season, just in time to make sure their current box-office breaking crowds at “Wicked” get a new brochure with their programs this month…

A Chorus Line – Oct 28-31

Fiddler on the Roof – Feb 3-6

The Color Purple – March 10-13

Cirque Dreams Illumination – April 7-10

Legally Blonde The Musical – May 5-8

So far, this is the weakest of the local professional tour-house lineups for the coming season, rather than booking new first national tour companies which are heading to Detroit and Wharton Center.

Professional Musical Theater This week in SE Michigan

This is a big week this week for professional musical theater in the local area. Happy Easter, and go see a Broadway show!

The tour of AVENUE Q does a one-off on April 5th at the Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor.

At the Stranahan Theater in Toledo, WICKED has settled in for a multi-week run.

Wharton Center, East Lansing, is hosting the tour of A CHORUS LINE this coming week.

The Gem Theater in Detroit continues to host the recent off-Broadway hit, THE MARVELOUS WONDERETTES

Performance Network is opening LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS

Semi-Professional Encore Musical Theater in Dexter is opening JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR

Broadway in Detroit (Fisher Theater) hosts SPRING AWAKENING beginning April 20th

THE COLOR PURPLE is at DeVos Performance Hall in Grand Rapids this weekend