A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder

Broadway

Walter Kerr Theatre

December 22, 2013

Hi everyone. For this blog entry, I’ve decided to use a slightly different format. I thought it might be nice to provide my followers/readers with some different perspectives for a change. I saw this show with my mother, and my friend Heather saw the show the week before I did. I prepared a short list of questions about the show and asked both of them to share their answers with my blog followers. I hope you enjoy the responses, and I also hope that they encourage you to check out this musical! 

Quick synopsis: The setting is London, England. The year is 1909. Monty Navarro (Bryce Pinkham) learns that he is the ninth D’Ysquith in line to inherit the Earldom of Highhurst, and conveniently decides to eliminate the eight heirs (all played by Jefferson Mays) ahead of him. Hilarity ensues.

1.) Who had the best death?

Heather: I'd say the priest (Reverend Lord Ezekial D’Ysquith) because his "death pose" was funny, and the aunt (Lady Hyacinth D’Ysquith) because it took three times to kill her. 

Mom: The best death goes to the priest.  What a way to die!  It was hysterical.

Me: Not to be redundant, but THE PRIEST had the most hilarious and dramatic death of all the heirs. A horrific way to die, yet it was acted out with comedic perfection by Jefferson Mays! 

2.) Which heir would you like to have lunch with?

Heather: The gay cousin!! (Henry D’Ysquith) He'd definitely be the most fun to have lunch with!! (But his bees aren't allowed!)

Mom: The rich guy with the fur coat who fell through the ice! 

Me: Lord Adalbert D’Ysquith, so I could help him to understand the poor!

3.) Who gave the best performance and why?

Heather: I loved Bryce Pinkhams's performance because he plays a wonderful antagonist, but Jefferson Mays takes the cake...eight different roles...that's a major challenge, and he did every role fantastically. 

Mom: The best performance was the guy who had the eight parts (Jefferson Mays).  He was great in the way he portrayed all of them.  He was my favorite performer. 

Me: All of the performances were great. Of course, Jefferson Mays was incredible in his portrayal of so many characters! I loved watching him move from character to character with ease. However, I love love love Bryce Pinkham (Monty Navarro). He was my favorite- he plays the sketchy, creepy murderer SO WELL (thinking back to Ghost as well). We were fortunate to be sitting just a few rows from the stage and we could see his facial expressions very clearly, and some of his expressions were just hilarious. He is very capable of embodying that creepy persona! 

4.) Who will get nominated for a Tony Award and why? 

Heather: Jefferson Mays, hands down. Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Musical. It takes talent to play eight roles, and his talent is above and beyond.

Mom: I would say the two leads should get nominated (Jefferson Mays and Bryce Pinkham).  They both did a fantastic job making the show hilarious and fun to watch.

Me: Jefferson Mays and Bryce Pinkham should both be nominated, but a lot will depend on the other shows that will be opening this spring. There might be a lot of competition this year. I also wouldn’t mind if Jane Carr (Miss Shingle) or Lauren Worsham (Phoebe D’Ysquith) were nominated. 

5.) Would you recommend this show, and if so, to whom would you recommend it?

Heather: Yes, I would recommend this!! I'd recommend it to anyone looking to laugh, this show is clever and original. I actually begged a friend to take a chance and see it with me, with her fully knowing I'd never seen it, just based on reviews. She wasn't disappointed, and neither was I!! Incidentally, I'd also recommended it to strangers on the street, and sold them on it too! So I would say that this would be ideal for just about any adult with a good sense of humor! 

Mom: I would definitely recommend it, as I did Kinky Boots, to all my friends.  I went to see both shows without knowing anything about them and truly enjoyed both.  This one was a comedy that makes you laugh and you come out of the theater feeling good.  It was very entertaining.

Me: Yes, absolutely. This is probably my favorite Broadway show (so far) of the 2013-2014 season and is currently the show that I’m recommending to everyone. I agree that this show would be enjoyed by anyone who wants to laugh and see some super-talented Broadway actors give stellar performances! 

WICKED

1st National Tour
Boston Opera House 8-17-13 (matinee)
Providence Performing Arts Center 12-29-13 (matinee), 1-4-14 (matinee), 1-7-14

Today, the First National Tour of Wicked will once again vacate the Providence Performing Arts Center, moving on to another American city. Celebrating its 10th anniversary in October, Wicked has become a familiar old friend to many theatre-goers who have seen the show multiple times... some in the double digits.... some reaching the TRIPLE digits (now that’s dedication). I, myself, just hit #14-- one Broadway performance and 13 National Tour performances in Boston, Providence, Philadelphia, and Hartford. For a while, Wicked followed me around the United States as I moved from New England to Philadelphia and then back to New England, and so it’s been quite easy to catch a performance at least once or twice per year. As I said, Wicked is like an old familiar friend, one that offers a simple but beautiful message, while simultaneously blowing the audience away with its electrifying score and breathtaking special effects. Wicked is, indeed, something special. 

If you follow my blog, you are very likely to have seen Wicked at some point, and so I doubt that a long synopsis is warranted. Suffice it to say, Wicked is described as “the untold story of the witches of Oz. Long before Dorothy drops in, two other girls meet in the land of Oz. One, born with emerald-green skin, is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular. Wicked tells the story of their remarkable odyssey, how these two unlikely friends grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good” (retrieved from http://www.wickedthemusical.com/the-show). I would add that its Ozian origins may attract an audience, but Wicked is truly its own story, and a much, MUCH better story than The Wizard of Oz. 

The purpose of this blog is not to review Wicked. I really don’t need to do that. Wicked has not only established its place in modern day musical theatre, but has also raised the bar for other new musicals during the last ten years, and that speaks louder than anything I could write. Instead, I would like to share some of the things I enjoyed about this particular cast. 

GINA BECK AS G(A)LINDA
Gina Beck comes from the West End production on Wicked, where she played Galinda for two years. We should all welcome her to the U.S. because she was a fantastic Galinda! 

1.) I love her accent. Obviously, she is from the U.K., but she spoke with an American accent that suggested the slightest hint of British. The accent was perfect for Galinda- it made the character seem less childish and truly from the “Upper Uplands.”  

2.) I’ve seen many actresses emphasize the childish, egotistical side of Galinda, and sure, watching her act like an airhead or a dumb blonde is perfectly funny, but sometimes I miss the depth. Of all the Galindas I’ve seen, Gina was the most balanced.  By balanced, I mean that she was the perfect amount of childishness, self-absorption, and ignorance, which was perfectly balanced with insight, sincerity, and kindness. She didn’t overplay the ditziness (thank goodness). It never seemed that she was trying too hard to give an over-the-top performance; rather, she embodied the character naturally. She was also one of the strongest Galindas vocally that I’ve heard to date. 

ALISON LUFF AS ELPHABA
This was my first time seeing Alison Luff perform, and she has certainly joined the ranks of the preceding Elphabas that I’ve been fortunate to see. Her Elphaba was young, vulnerable, and sweet. 

1.) What really stood out about her performance were her scenes with Galinda. The chemistry between the two witches just seemed more apparent with these two actresses. I enjoyed “For Good” more than I typically do. Actually, I felt like I was hearing the song for the first time (again). 

LAUREL HARRIS AS ELPHABA (standby)

Oh no, that dreaded piece of paper just fell out of your playbill!  Have no fear. Laurel Harris will not disappoint you, not even one bit. Between Boston and Providence, I saw Laurel twice as Elphaba and Alison twice as Elphaba. Both were fantastic. So have no fear. 

1.) I think Laurel is one of those Elphabas who makes it look really easy. Being on stage for three hours, singing songs like “The Wizard and I”, “Defying Gravity”, and “No Good Deed” surely cannot be easy, yet everything about her performance was done with ease. 

2.) Great belter. I wish I’d seen her as Eva Peron on Broadway. 

JOHN DAVIDSON AS THE WIZARD

1.) Best Wizard I’ve ever seen, hands down. Confession: I usually view the Wizard as a character that exists solely to propel the plot forward, not as a comedic role. I don’t know exactly what made this Wizard different from the others. His comedic timing? His mannerisms?  I have no idea. But, he was SO FUNNY. I loved his scenes. And for the first time, I actually felt sorry for the Wizard when (SPOILER) he finds out that Elphaba was his daughter. 

ALISON FRASER AS MADAME MORRIBLE

1.) Again, she is another cast member that seemed to breathe some new life into a character that’s been portrayed by many before her. She portrayed Morrible as younger and a bit more quirky and eccentric… yet kind of endearing?  She may be a villain, but I didn't hate her this time! 

So there you have it! Thanks for reading! Oz speed. 

"My Favorite Things" About The Sound of Music LIVE

The Sound of Music is probably my all-time favorite musical, so you can imagine how thrilled I was to hear about plans for a live TV broadcast this December.  A few weeks have passed since the live performance aired on NBC and there has been a lot of "buzz" (for lack of a better word) about the quality of the production and some of the individual performances. I think this "buzz" has died down a bit, and so this might be a better time to cautiously assert my own opinion regarding the live performance. One of my favorite aspects of live theatre is the ability to see the same story replayed and re-imagined by different actors and actresses, sometimes within the same production (as with an understudy or replacement actor) or in a brand new production, years or generations after the story's inception (as with The Sound of Music Live or any revival). In either situation, I love the variety that live theatre provides. A particular story is never precisely the same from one performance to the next. Some people embrace variety and other people don't. Non-theatre-goers often criticize me for seeing a particular play or musical multiple times. "Why would you want to see Wicked eleven times? Or Memphis and Next to Normal five times?" Why indeed. Because a show is never exactly the same. The story-telling, the energy, the meaning are always a bit different. And I love this.

But I digress. Overall, I felt positively about NBC's production of The Sound of Music. I thought that some very wise casting choices were made, specifically, Christian Borle, Laura Benanti, Audra McDonald, Christiane Noll, and all of the children. And as I stated above, I really enjoyed watching a new interpretation of the musical and its beloved characters. In the spirit of keeping the commentary positive, I've listed some of "my favorite things" (yup, I said it) about The Sound of Music Live below.

1.) Carrie Underwood's singing

She may not be an acclaimed actress, but I enjoyed hearing a unique interpretation of the familiar score. No one can argue that Carrie Underwood is not a talented singer. The style of her singing is vastly different from Julie Andrews, and I enjoyed a more modern and perhaps younger approach to the role in general. With some hard work and acting lessons, she could be a future musical theatre performer. Let's root for her to improve and shine!

2.) The Goatherd song

My true confession. I love the goatherd song. Of all of Maria's songs, I thought this one was performed and staged the best. Who knew Carrie Underwood could yodel?

3.) Broadway actors

I love that NBC cast some real theatre actors in this Broadway musical. In my opinion, it was the talented group of Broadway actors that really shone in this production. Laura Benanti was absolutely fantastic as Elsa; in fact, this was the first version of The Sound of Music in which I didn't hate Elsa because Benanti seemed to tap into her human side. Audra McDonald as the Mother Abbess was perfection.

4.) The Attention

It's not every day that a major TV network airs a live musical. Musical theatre is rarely awarded any attention on network television, with the exception of the annual Tony Awards. Further, not every American is fortunate to live near New York City or another major city where the National Tours of Broadway shows perform. For some Americans, especially children, NBC's production of The Sound of Music may be their first exposure to musical theatre. It essentially allows access to musical theatre for millions of Americans who would otherwise be unexposed. I hope that my fellow theatre-goers understand the value of this. The fact that NBC is planning on airing other live musicals in the future is critical in supporting the arts in this country. And hopefully, the day will come when major television networks don't need to cast celebrities to improve ratings. (I'm not sure if this is realistic, but one can dream…)

Favorite Performances of 2013

Happy New Year, everyone! Today, I'm taking some time to reflect on my favorite theatre experiences of 2013. I was fortunate to see many entertaining productions on Broadway, tour, and off-Broadway. I've listed a few of my favorites below. Be sure to comment and share your own favorites. Here's to a great year of theatre in 2014! 

1.) Murder Ballad played off-Broadway at the Union Square Theatre this past summer. This production was very unique and intimate, unlike most of the big Broadway and National touring productions that I see on a regular basis. The music was raw and haunting, as were the individual performances. And I always love a twist at the end. 

2.) The Tony Award winning production of Christopher Durang's Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike was one of the most comedic, yet poignant plays I have seen to date. Kristine Nielsen (Sonia) and David Hyde Pierce (Vanya) were especially hilarious, and I so wanted Kristine to win the Tony Award. With talent of that caliber, her day will come. 

3.) I saw Diane Paulus' production of Pippin at the American Repertory Theatre (A.R.T.) in Boston in January of 2013 and knew instantly that it was something very special. During the past year, the show has transferred to Broadway, garnered multiple Tony Awards, and is enjoying a successful run at the Music Box Theatre. Once again, Diane Paulus has demonstrated her remarkable talent. 

4.) Kinky Boots, the Tony Award winner for Best Musical in 2013, is still going strong. Who would have thought that a musical about women's boots for men would be a box office success?  I definitely attribute part of its success to Cyndi Lauper's score and the individual performances of some of the actors, especially Tony Award winner Billy Porter, Stark Sands, and Annaleigh Ashford. The message of acceptance is also one that the world needs to hear from time to time. P.S. Kudos to Macy's for supporting this timely show. 

5.) The Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC) has offered an unusually solid season so far. This fall, the touring companies of Evita, Once, Ghost, Phantom of the Opera, and Wicked have performed at PPAC. All of these shows are favorites of mine. And there's more to come- The Book of Mormon will be playing at PPAC this spring. 

6.) A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder is the most recent addition to the long list of musicals I have seen. (I will be posting a blog soon!) I appreciated the skilled acting, clever comedy, and originality of the piece and would recommend this show to any theatre-goer. Hopefully, this musical will enjoy a solid Broadway run. 

7.) Does anyone remember Hands on a Hardbody? This show had a lot of heart, but that wasn't enough to sustain a long run on Broadway.  I'm so glad I had the opportunity to see it.