Summer Theater Roundup

A SUMMER OF THEATER

This is a paragraph or two on some of the shows I have seen this summer.

ANASTASIA

i have seen this show 4 times. Ahrens’ and Flaherty’s score is pleasant to hear sometimes, and sometimes deeply moving. Their lyrics are always clever, and most of their characters are endearing. Max Von Essen, who plays Gleb, the villain, one of my favorite performers, manages to equal the brilliance of Ramin Karimloo, who played it originally. They were both downright scary. The other replacements do not shine quite as bright. The book, by Terrence McNally, is not very clever, but the songs more than make up for it. For those of you who want to “come out of the theater humming”, you definitely will in this show. As I can verify by having met some of them 4 times, the actors in this show are as nice as they are talented. 

CHITA RIVERA: LIVE IN CONCERT

What more extraordinary than to see a true legend of Broadway onstage. She did some of her hits, like “All That Jazz”, and some of her flops, like “Camille, Collette, Fifi”, from Seventh Heaven, which was my personal favorite, and also a rather bland song from Jacques Brel… that the lighting did something to improve. The stage at the 92nd Street Y is usually not one for effects, but I suppose for her they made an exception. She did two songs from The Visit, which I found somewhat bland, though I’m sure her enthusiasts didn’t. I was pleased to hear “Chief Cook and Bottle Washer” from The Rink, as were many there. She didn’t tell many anecdotes, she did say in her interviews that “she never gives dirt”, and while she payed tribute to several friends, it would have been nice to hear more about her experiences in those shows. She can also still dance amazingly, despite a car accident and being in her 80s, and she even has a concert date at 54 Below booked for New Year’s next year! So let’s look forward to seeing more of Chita!
MEAN GIRLS

Mean Girls is a show with jokes and pop songs that are funny and catchy, but it’s just for fun, and it’s not supposed to be analyzed as a great work of art. Tina Fey manages to write funny dialogue, Nell Benjamin witty if disingenuous lyrics, and Jeff Richmond can’t write music. The performers in this show are wasted on it. One of my personal favorites was Erika Henningsen, who shines, and although she has been criticized for seeming fake, I think she seems very real. She gets to shine in her song "It Roars", and although she's not quite as good as she is on the cast album, some of the projections make this more effective than it would be otherwise. (e.g., a fake "plane" from Africa to America) The part where she feels awkward is represented convincingly as a dance metaphor. She shows the journey to power very well, and makes you sympathize with Cady, even when she becomes "a clone" of Regina. "Stupid With Love", not containing the best lyrics, is a fun song, if a bit bland. Here you can see a bit what is meant by her "thin emotion", but really, what opportunities does that song give? "More is Better", a totally forgettable song, almost the opposite of an "I want" song, more of an "I got" song, is about how now that she's popular she is better, hence the title. Taylor Louderman, as Regina, is funny and appropriately domineering, without being overdone, and much better than her movie counterpart. She is given appropriate material, and manages to milk every drop out of it. Ashley Park, who plays Gretchen, is somewhat annoying though also endearing, especially in “What’s Wrong With Me?” Kate Rockwell, as Karen, is awful. She’s annoying and tacky. Grey Henson, as Damian, is so good in his number “Stop”, that it had me uncontrollably laughing. Henson manages to be funny without stooping to being tacky/insultingly stereotypical. Barrett Wilbert Weed, as Janis, is not very good, and she always seems angry, not a good quality in a performer. The supporting cast is fairly good, but nothing worth mentioning. I recommend this show to anyone out for a good time, however people who like a serious show that gives them something to think about, this is not for you.
SPONGEBOB

I’m going to have to keep this one brief, or it will turn into a brutal tirade on all the show’s faults. It distresses me that this is some people’s first Broadway show, because this is not what Broadway is like. Spongebob is a completely mindless and annoying show that gets on your nerves. I don’t think even a young child would enjoy it because there’s just nothing there. When you peel away the great spectacle, what’s there but treacly nothingness? Gavin Lee, as Squidward, is one exception to that rule. He is funny, and has references to musicals. Other than that, the cast is as mediocre as the material.

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF IN YIDDISH

This is a total reimagining of Fiddler, different from the 2016 revival in every way. It’s more serious, especially in a pogrom scene, you hear more graphic screams and sirens. It takes on a more serious tone, which the cast helps. Steven Skybell, as Tevye, gives an incredibly moving performance. The young performers, except for Motel, are nothing special. Motel played his role very well, though not better than Adam Kantor, one of the best young actors now. Jackie Hoffman, as Yente, doesn’t chew up the scenery, and there are times when we even wish we would. The production is extremely realistic and moving, and I do recommend it to everyone. 

Diary of a Mad Playwright Book Review

Diary of a Mad Playwright, by James Kirkwood, is an account of the show Legends, as told by a mad playwright. Though Terrence McNally says, in the introduction, that it is not good gossip, it is certainly something you can’t hear anywhere else. He talks about the original choices, Harvey Fierstein and Betty Bloolips (a drag performer), and how he thought that was insane, though no more insane than its ended up being. He talks about the insane process to get Mary Martin, she being frustratingly noncommittal. Getting Carol Channing was more straight forward. He talks about Kevin Eggers, the impossible, self-righteous, and jerky producer, the typical producer, Ahmet Ertegun (“The Dread Turk”), and the ever-absent director, Clifford. The director went off to England immediately after it opened, causing the show to re-lapse. Kirkwood had to somewhat “stand in” as director. He once got so mad at Kevin Eggers that he asked his underworld friends how much it would be to “disappear” someone. Mary Martin had an odd sort of mental block where she could not remember a line. They tried everything, even hypnotism. At last, for the first half of the run, her lines and blocking were fed her through a monitor in her ear. They opened to outstanding reviews for the actresses, but for the playwright they pulled no punches. Something like this would continue to happen in every town on their tour. They kept making changes, like adding another scene for the late Gary Beach, wherein he imitates Channing. Channing objected to this, but it was kept in the show. Eggers and he often disagreed about when it was appropriate to cut, and Kirkwood, after screaming and pouting, usually got his way. While both the ladies loved Kirkwood, they weren’t always so nice to each other. While, being co-stars, they would support each other, they did not become best friends. Channing disapproved of Mary not knowing her lines, and Mary of Channing audibly correcting her on stage. They realized they needed help, their director was in London, and no one else was taking power, so whoever was left sort of banded together, like survivors of a war. They all became directors, and it resulted in too many cooks in one kitchen. Eggers wanted to cut Martin’s mastectomy speech, the only serious moment in this comedy. Martin, Channing, and Kirkwood were against it. In fact, after Eggers suggested it, Martin announced she would no longer continue to play the show on Broadway. Even after an infuriated letter from Kirkwood, calling them ”two of the dumbest white ladies he’d ever met”, they still wouldn’t go on. They had several names in the pot, Debbie Reynolds, Elaine Stritch, Shirley MacLaine, the list goes on and on. However, none ever materialized. Kirkwood said his goodbyes to the cast, Annie-Joe Edwards, the first maid, who miraculously did a split, but occasionally acted sullen, Roxy Rokker, current maid, who was hired after long discussion, Gary Beach, crooked producer, who always got his laughs, Eric Riley, stripper, who everyone loved- he was a breath of fresh air, and Trish Garland, the choreographer who’s work was long and hard. He never got to say goodbye to the ladies, saying that at the same time there was “too much to say and not enough”. He writes that they may do another revival. In fact, they did, in about 2009, also a just-touring production. Will it ever see the light of Broadway? Who knows? Kirkwood has pictures in his book before each chapter, showing him going gradually insane. First has him in a straitjacket, next has him showing a book to a statue, next has him evilly grinning in a straitjacket, and finally, his Christmas card, him with the two ladies. He told Mike Nichols he was “thinking about doing the same thing this year, but with Xs grease penciled over their faces”. This book is not reading the play, it’s being James Kirkwood. He lets you get into his experience rather than just telling you about it. As McNally correctly states in his introduction, he allows you to feel for the characters, and you along with him are sad when the show does;t come to Ne work, frustrated with everyone in the cast and crew, and want it to succeed. It’s a book that’s important to read for every theater fan.