THE CHER SHOW- 2/21
Cher is a larger than life figure. Her music, while great, is very uniquely suited to her. So how could anyone play her? Stephanie Block does an excellent job playing the icon that is Cher and giving her songs the proper treatment. While Micaela Diamond is rather sub-par, the glorious and glamorous production (designed by Bob Mackie) more than makes up for any faults the book or performances might have. Jarrod Spector makes a great Sonny Bono, unlikable but charming at the same time. The song-interrupted-by-reflection style services the piece well, and the direction is creative. The choreography helps add to the spectacle, as does the 15-minute Mackie fashion parade. Teal Wicks, with her sharp wit and acting skills, is one of the highlights of the show as well. After you leave the show, you will want to “turn back time” and see it again.
THE PROM-3/7
One of the best shows of this season. One of the best shows I’ve ever seen. A musical comedy in the true Golden Age style. The performances are deliciously hammy and funny and each one’s singing is a pleasure to listen to. The book is funny, “inside”, and has a message without being preachy. The songs exemplify a kind of joy, even in ballads such as “We Look To You” that we don’t get enough of these days. The frenetic direction and choreography enhance the sheer excitement of the show. The vibrant costumes and sets as well as the fun though slightly in-your-face orchestrations, create a joyous, funny though serious romp that will truly make you wish there were more musicals like it. The world of Caitlin Kinnunen as Emma, a lesbian girl treated badly by homophobes in her school, while upsetting, still contains songs like “Just Breathe” and “Dance With You” whose hopeful and simple melodies distract from the sadness of the situation, eventually fixed by the razzle-dazzle. Brooks Ashmanskas gives one of the best star performances I’ve ever seen. So much humor goes into his performance that it is truly his show. Beth Leavel, Michael Potts, and Christopher Sieber are all truly great stars -- Leavel with her star quality and humor, Potts with his godly aura, the gravitas of the show, and Sieber with his sheer talent in every area, . I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Angie Schworer, who steals the show with “Zazz”, the chorus girl who finally gets to shine, and does she ever. The second time I saw it, I think I looked forward to her the most.
A JEWISH JOKE- 3/9
Before I write this review, I would like to thank Show-Score. This show, The Cradle Will Rock, and Life Sucks I have all seen absolutely free due to Show-Score. All you have to do is write 6 short reviews of shows, and you start getting free offers for wonderful shows like this.
A Jewish Joke was at different times funny and sad, each masterfully in turn. It is about a Jewish comedy writer during the Blacklist, featuring his phone conversations with his partner. He must come to terms with the fact he will be punished because his partner once attended a Communist meeting. He has to ask himself if he can bring himself to name his partner’s name, or else be blacklisted. Interrupted by funny jokes in the true Jewish sensibility, it is a bittersweet warning tale of persecution, betrayal, how far we can go, and when is it so bad a joke can’t fix it. A delightful and deeply moving play, it was both educational and had an entertaining and moving narrative.
No comments:
Post a Comment