Merrily We Roll Along at the Wallis

About a week ago I realized that, hey, I don't necessarily need someone to go to a show with me. Obviously it’s nice to share a moment with someone you know, but when you're sitting in a theatre, you're silent and staring at the same thing as the other (insert number of seats in any given theatre) people in that room. After I came to this realization, I went onto GoldStar, bought tickets to see Merrily We Roll Along, and drove myself to Beverly Hills. 

What I knew about this show going in is the following:

• Written by Stephen Sondheim
• Opened and closed in two weeks
• Has a reputation of never being properly staged
• Jason Alexander was in the OBC (yes, I grew up with Seinfeld on every day in my house)
• Opening Doors  

Naturally, I was hopeful about this show. I always am. I never want a show to do bad or be bad because thats just bad karma. Also, I had the great fortune of seeing Deaf West’s Spring Awakening last summer at the Wallis and absolutely adored Michael Arden’s work with that show. When I heard that he was going to be putting Merrily up at the Wallis I knew I had to see it and see for myself if the show really is impossible to stage.

Because I was by myself, I found myself less worried. Whenever I go to a show with my parents or with a friend that is not necessarily a theatre-goer, I find myself worried that they are not having a good time or understanding the show, making the connection I have to it less intense. But when I sat myself between a couple to my right and a father and son to my left, and the lights went down, I was able to intently focus all of my attention on the action on the stage. Instantly I was swept up in the party thrown in Frank’s honor and felt a part of it all, though that may have been helped in part by the 5th row seats (thank you GoldStar).

Now, my thoughts on the actual show vary. Am I supposed to like Frank? He seems so self involved. He says he wants one thing but goes for another, but that could have to do with the fact that in that first scene he says the one mistake he made over and over was saying yes when he meant to say no. Charlie is the only successful one. He goes after what he wants, eventually winning a Pulitzer for the work he wants to do. He is happily married with a wife and kids and with a successful career. Mary is sadly unsuccessful. She's developed a drinking problem and is still in love with Frank no matter how many wives he cheats on. She wrote one book that seems to have been very successful but the dissolution of the Mary/Frank/Charlie friendship seems to take a massive toll on her professional life. However, there is some sort of silver lining in the fact that while madly in love with Frank, she never ends up with him. If she had, chances are that he would have cheated on her just as he had Beth and Gussie. 

I think the fact that the show works backwards is such an interesting take. At first I didn't understand it, but when we hit the finale and you see the excitement these characters have for the future and their potential the point is really hammered in. That basically devastated me, broke my heart, and sent tears down my cheeks. 

These kids have so much hope and knowing how it all ends is heartbreakingly, beautifully devastating. They want to make a difference in the world, create works that matter, and do it all together. I suppose this show shows that you can get what you want, but it all comes with consequences and sacrifices, and sometimes those come in the form of friendships falling apart in the pursuit of those dreams. 

While this is the only production I have seen, I really enjoyed a lot of what could only be personal Arden touches. The set is one that exposes backstage. You can see vanities and clothing racks. I took this to be because the show is about friends and writing for Broadway, this element adds to the behind-the-scenes feel. You never see the musical, but you see what goes into it. 

The transitions are just as important to the show as the scenes themselves. With the three dancers in the transitions chasing dreams, encapsulating the hopes and dreams that Mary, Charlie, and Frank had when they were practically children adds so much to the storytelling. When, during the finale, each of these dancers takes the place of these characters on the rooftop and they talk about what a time it is to be alive, the floodgates burst open. I really enjoyed this show. A lot. More than a lot. I loved this show. 

I didn't know I could love Wayne Brady more as a performer than I already did, but watching him sing Franklin Shepard Inc. was just pure joy. He is such a charismatic performer with so much depth. We all know he’s great at comedy, but the dramatics this show calls for at times was something I did not expect. Also, Donna Vivino, who just might have the best No Good Deed anyone has ever illegally recorded, was phenomenal. She plays Mary with such hope and sadness and love and I was so drawn into her performance. Aaron Lazar did such a wonderful job with Frank that while he is literally the worst, you are still hoping the best for him. 

I just have so many thoughts and feelings about this show, new opinions come creeping into my brain each time I think about it. I truly loved this show so much that I saw it twice in three days, the second time was with a friend who also loves Michael Arden’s work. To make a bold claim, I think Merrily We Roll Along may just be my favorite musical. 

Stray Thoughts:

• I believe Sondheim created rap
• I actually found the song "Its a Hit" to be funny because of how much of a hit this show originally was not
• Kevin McHale and Darren Criss were at the first performance I was at
• Aaron Lazar forgot the line "I saw My Fair Lady" and stammered it out, the second time

Pence at Hamilton

Last night at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in New York City a performance of Hamilton took place. This should have been just like any other performance of this show, but it was not. As it has been WILDLY reported, Vice President-elect Mike Pence was in the audience. As he made his way to his seat, he was greeted with a cacophony, a mixed response of cheers, but also overwhelming boos. 

To be expected, theaters are full of people with not necessarily conservative views. Theatres are typically full of more liberal minded people. So when the Vice President-elect walks in to a show that praises immigrants like Hamilton and Lafayette and shows that women like Angelica Schuyler are intellectually equal to men. This is a show that doesn't put the founding fathers or any politicians on pedestals, but paints them in a realistic light. Yes, of course, hip hop, rap, r&b, and jazz weren't things then and people didn't break into song, but it is still so realistic. 

Apparently throughout the show, when the line “Immigrants, we get the job done” was said, the audience made sure to go EXTRA crazy, in order to solidify the message. The audience wanted to show Pence that this is something they all believed and make sure that he is hearing them as their representative. 

Also there were reports of a lot of noise when King George III says, “When your people say they hate you…” for obvious reasons. 

Yes, a lot of people at the Rodgers last night hate both Trump and Pence. They stand for a lot of things they do not believe in. I guarantee most of that audience cried the morning of November 9, 2016 when the future was solidified. A lot of them were scared and hurt, and they have every right to feel that way. 

These people and likeminded people across the globe felt like finally they were able to show their true feelings towards this man. Trying to make him hear them in the only way they could see fit in the moment. 

Now, the video, seen here. 

This is the transcript of what President-elect Donald Trump finds to be harassment. Written by Lin Manuel Miranda, Thomas Kail, and Jeffrey Seller and spoken by Brandon Victor Dixon:

“Thank you so much for joining us tonight. You know, we had a guest in the audience this evening. And Vice President-elect Pence, I see you're walking out but I hope you will hear us just a few more moments. There's nothing to boo here ladies and gentlemen. There's nothing to boo here, we're all here sharing a story of love.
We have a message for you, sir. We hope that you will hear us out. And I encourage everybody to pull out your phones and tweet and post because this message needs to be spread far and wide, OK?
Vice President-elect Pence, we welcome you and we truly thank you for joining us here at Hamilton: An American Musical, we really do. We, sir, we are the diverse America who are alarmed and anxious that your new administration will not protect us — our planet, our children, our parents — or defend us and uphold our inalienable rights, sir. But we truly hope that this show has inspired you to uphold our American values and to work on behalf of all of us. All of us.
Again, we truly thank you for sharing this show. This wonderful American story told by a diverse group of men [and] women of different colors, creeds, and orientations.”

Donald Trump then tweeted this:

What part of this is rude or harassment? Im serious! How could any of this be considered rude? If anything, this is pure courage. 

This show stars Javier Muñoz as Hamilton, an openly gay man who has shared with the world the health battles he has been through. He has fought cancer in the past year and will forever live with HIV. Yet, he remains positive and motivated to tell stories on stage. Last night, he performed the role of Hamilton for a man who, as governor of Indiana, funded conversion therapy facilities. That takes such courage to stand on that stage as a gay man to do that and defy the future Vice President with just your pure existence. 

The man who actually reads the statement, Brandon Victor Dixon is not lacking in the courage department either. He became the face of that statement. Dixon, who just last season starred in Shuffle Along, a show about the first all black Broadway show and the discrimination and racism that company faced, is now in a lead role in one of the biggest musicals Broadway has ever seen. That company shows what America looks like now, whether or not Pence would like to admit it. That show is, as it has been said several times before, America then told by America now. 

The statement itself is a plea. It pleads with Pence to remember those on stage as he takes office in the coming months. The statement is one of that just asks to be remembered and not be overlooked. There is nothing harassing in it or mean or negative. It is to tell this incoming Vice President that we all hope he is inspired by the acts that happened on that stage, showing just how important all cultures are to the fabric of this country. And it was told from once Vice President to another. 

Brandon Victor Dixon thanked VP-elect Pence for coming to the show and listening to what they had to say.

It is clear to see that there is no harassment going on here. These people tell stories for a living. The story they told last night just so happened to be a real story about real politicians and a real Vice President that got a little too upset when things wouldn't go his way. 

Since last night several people have weighed in on Twitter. 

Christopher Jackson, formerly George Washington in Hamilton

Gavin Newsom, 49th Lt. Gov. of California

Guy Branum, comedian

Ben Siemon, actor

Kevin Porter, co-host of Gilmore Guys podcast

This is clearly a very challenging and difficult time for many Americans, but this (Hamilton's) is the kind of class that needs to be shown in the coming times. I have hope for the theatre community and for America because without hope, we have nothing. 

Hedwig on Broadway, Hedwig on Tour

I was in New York City the day the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage. It was Pride Month, Pride Week, and my friends and I already had plans to attend the Pride Parade at the end of the week. The day it happened there was this strange sort of excitement in the city with the give-no-fucks attitude. Obviously, being in New York, I was going to be seeing a Broadway show that night, Something Rotten! It was wonderful, it was great, but its not what this post is about. We are here to discuss Hedwig and the Angry Inch. 

The day after the Supreme Court decision was made, my friends and I went to TKTS down at the South Street Seaport and, by just a random decision, bought tickets to see Hedwig and the Angry Inch. It was late June of 2015, Darren Criss was Hedwig, Rebecca Naomi Jones was Yitzhak, and the show was strange. It was a 90 minute confusing art piece that made absolutely no sense until the last 10 minutes. And yet, it was perfect. It was such an interesting, different, confusing character that was necessary in the world of theatre, necessary on Broadway. We were forever changed by it. Confused and elated, but changed.

Cut to— November 2016, Los Angeles, California. The Pantages Theatre in Hollywood. It’s few days before this country made that decision that still leaves me befuddled. Across the street they’ve opened a Shake Shack, only adding to the feeling of being back in New York. Things are great. 

As my friend Danielle and I sit down at our table at Shake Shack, we talk about how excited we are to see this show again with an actually have an idea of what is going on. There are two older men sitting next to us, one of whom interrupts us to ask if we are excited about the show. Turns out they are going to the show tonight too. He tells us of the multiple times he's seen this show, going all the way back to New York in 1998 at the Jane Street Theatre. He assumes we are here for Darren, and in a way, we are. To us, he is Hedwig. Neither of us have seen the movie or any other incarnations since, Darren is all we know as Hedwig, and he is all we need to know. 

Now, the show itself. Like I said earlier, its such a strange, confusing, confounding, brilliant, wonderful, and truly touching show. The show is done like a concert, telling the story from Hansel to Hedwig. Along the way we learn that there is pent up aggression and emotional issues that Hedwig has not had to face until tonight where they are all brought to the surface. You don’t see this happening until the very end and actually get a moment to truly process what you’ve just witnessed. Thats when it hits you. Thats when you feel for Hedwig and are still left with a few questions but are overall satisfied. 

My first venture into this show was after a long day in New York, it was rainy, it was hot, I was with the same girls for 3 days straight without a moment to myself. I was not necessarily in my right mind. The show was not easily digestible, so not having a clear mind is a definite hindrance, but the music was rockin’ and the atmosphere was great. Even without really understanding the show, I knew I loved it. Darren was amazing and Rebecca was terrific. I knew I didn’t know what was going on, and I knew I loved it.

My second venture into this show was much different. I spent the day at home with my family, resting, before driving to pick up Danielle (who had actually seen the show with me in New York) and heading over to the theatre. Also, by pure coincidence, a friend I hadn’t seen since high school was there and we were able to catch up, which was nice (a week later she won a contest and saw the show again with a backstage tour and meet and greet). Having an understanding of the show and the story made it easier to digest and enjoy. The local shout-outs were a blast because we actually understood them this time (I’m talking about you, West Covina). The Saturday night audience was living for this experience just as much as we were. With this better understanding and the audience vibing on the experience, the second time around was so much better. As much as I love New York, as much as I love Broadway, this second experience was pure magic. 

Now, as I’ve written before, I can be a tad impulsive. I’ve talked about my body taking over and buying Hamilton Chicago tickets without my brain even thinking about it. This morning I was talking to Danielle about how much I want to see Hedwig again and my finger slipped. We bought tickets again. I’m so excited! Third time’s the charm, so they say, but first and second were definite charmers. I’ll be sure to post an update next weekend.

Sometimes my impulses lead to wonderful, wonderful outcomes.

Another Adaptation: Board Games

Now, I have made it known across several platforms and in many conversations that I do not condone musical adaptations of other media. Yes, of course, some adaptations are wonderful (I'm talkin' Legally Blonde, Newsies, Hamilton, etc.) but, to me at lease, they just show a lack of creativity, that people cannot come up with their own stories. Or maybe it's worse. Maybe it's just that audiences only want what they already know, a gimmick.

While adaptations are currently running Broadway with no end in sight, more and more announcements of more and more adaptations are happening everyday. Today is no different. A couple of weeks ago Hasbro, yes the board game company, announced their intention of adapting Clue for the stage. Technically speaking, this is going to be an adaptation of an adaption as they are using the 1985 movie as its basis.

However, this might lead to an interesting stage show. The film had 3 alternate endings which could lend itself to a sort of create-your-own-adventure stage show, think The Mystery of Edwin Drood. If you remember, The Mystery of Edwin Drood had several alternate musical numbers and the audience would vote for their favorite characters. I believe a style such as this would work well for this type of show.

This all being said, back in June of this year Hasbro announced different plans for a musical adaptation of their other quite popular board game, Monopoly. This one is a bit different, as there is not a film serving as its base. Still, this one might not be terrible, and I actually have high hopes for it.

I'm reminded of a recent Show People interview that Paul Wontorek did with Nick Blaemire. In that interview, Blaemire spoke about his involvement in the Spongebob Squarepants musical, saying that it could so easily just be an episode up on the boards and yet it deals with intense topics like climate change, violence, and racism.

This is something that might work best with Monopoly. That game is the quintessential example of American greed. That game is about owning land, raising prices, and sending your friends to jail if they cannot afford it (where they remain until they can roll doubles in 3 turns, difficult in and of itself, and if they cant, they must pay a fine).

In this era of socially conscious audiences, Hasbro could definitely make a political statement with this new musical. It could star Mr. Monopoly as narrator and speak about the white collar crimes that continue to happen in this country.

Wow, when I decided to write on this I definitely thought I would have a much more cynical view of these adaptations, but it would seem that I am more optimistic than I thought. This all being said, as long as good new works continue to be produced, I will continue to love this wonderful, beautiful art form.

Tours vs. Broadway

I have been lucky enough to see a few original Broadway casts. Living and growing up in LA, it was my biggest dream to see an original Broadway cast rather than tours. Of course, I loved the touring casts, they were almost always absolutely phenomenal. Still, because I was never able to see the original Broadway casts I always wondered how the touring companies matched up with the OBC. Sometimes, like in the case of Rent, Mary Poppins, and Next to Normal, a couple of the original cast members would tour with the show, which was always an added bonus.



Now, the only show that I have seen both on Broadway and on tour is Cinderella, and I think there are some definite differences in the productions. When I saw Cinderella in October of 2013, it was the first show I had ever seen on Broadway. It was the first time I had ever been to New York and I was beyond excited. I then saw the touring production in April of 2015 at the Ahmanson Theatre, I was just as excited and loved to be able to share the show with my mom, who was not there in New York the first time.



Can I just say how obsessed I am with Rodgers and Hammerstein? Like, has there ever been a more perfect cannon of work by any other composer(s)? Their music is absolutely astounding, it is just so beautiful and powerful, and some of the most pure and classic showtunes that have ever existed.

My thoughts on the show itself was that it was a nice show. Now, the book was fitting for the story. What I mean is that it reads like a children's book. It doesn't have much meat to it and seems to only work towards getting the moral point across. I did like that Douglas Carter Beane added to the story by having the Prince's eyes opened to the injustices happening in his kingdom. However, it was visually beautiful. William Ivey Long's costumes are some of the most stunning pieces of art I have ever had the pleasure of seeing. The sets that Anna Louizos created were beautiful and transported you into this fairy tale that seemed almost effortless.





When it comes to the audiences of the productions, I think Los Angeles audiences received the show better. Maybe it was because I saw the Broadway production in October on a Monday and the house wasn't filled, but the audience just seemed very polite and clapping only after songs, not having much energy. The LA production was a Saturday night and I very clearly remember seeing a girl in her teens sitting in front of me who was BEYOND thrilled to be seeing the show, she was LIVING for Marie and was dressed in a beautiful blue dress that resembled Cinderella's. The audience in LA was just filled with so much more energy and excitement.

Now, while that's the only show I have seen in both New York and LA, next month I will be seeing another. In November I am seeing Hedwig and the Angry Inch with Darren Criss and Lena Hall. When I saw Hedwig on Broadway, I saw it with Darren Criss and Rebecca Naomi Jones, and I am so curious to see the differences between Yitzhaks. Im also curious to see Lena Hall, particularly because she won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress and, to me, that roll doesn't seem to warrant an award, considering the rolls it was nominated against.

 


I am so excited about the coming productions I saw on Broadway that I fully intend to see in LA when they finally arrive. Shows like Hamilton and Something Rotten are the ones at the top of my list.

This all being said, I love seeing different casts and productions of shows (obviously, I'm seeing Hamilton in Chicago). I love seeing what different actors and directors do with the shows, the visions they take on. I love seeing the creativity that comes out of the minds of these actors and directors. I just love theatre and will continue to support it as long as I can.

What Just Happened?

Something happened this morning.
I was in class waiting for the lecture to start and the next thing I know I had purchased tickets for Hamilton Chicago. It's all still a blur as to how it all happened but before I knew it I had my wallet out and I was transferring money from my savings into my checking and thanking God that my final check from my internship came last night. So, yeah, I'm going to see Hamilton in Chicago next March.


So, why did this happen? How did this happen? Why did I have such an out of body experience that I can barely remember pulling my wallet out to buy these tickets? The same thing happened this past March when I was in New York and saw Hamilton and bought a signed playbill and prop to help support BC/EFA.


I truly would do almost anything for Broadway. But why? Why do I love it so much?
I remember being a really young child and just barely getting the grasp of television and I just assumed that everything I was watching was live, that anytime there was a rerun the actors would just do the show again. I thought that when I saw Corey Matthews and Shawn Hunter trying to straighten Corey's hair and it becomes rock solid twice in the same week, they were acting out the scenes once more. I attribute this to why I love theatre so much. The medium is so easy to understand, it's instant. I don't have to try to pretend that I understand how television or film or even radio matter.
Theatre is one of the oldest art forms. A person can perform without any technology at all and still convey the message.

I love the simplicity of theatre, the live aspect of it. Theatre has an ability that I so rarely come across in TV or film where I can be actually moved to tears. Theatre has a such a strange and wonderful  hold on my heart that I wouldn't want it to ever be replaced.
I saw my first professional show when I was 12 and it was the Los Angeles production of Wicked and I fell in love. The picture below was actually my Facebook profile pictures when I was 13. When I was 15, I saw the tour of In the Heights and wept like a baby. To date, I have seen 62 different shows and really see no point in stopping.

I love watching theatre develop and, especially in a so connected world with social media, seeing new and emerging playwrights and composers grow their audience from Off-Broadway to Broadway. Its such an amazing community to support. There are always new things and exciting things happening on the Broadway boards and I can't wait to one day be a part of it.
It's been almost 10 years since I first saw Wicked and how I've changed and how Broadway has changed is such an amazing journey to be on.

Changing the Direction from Tourism

I was having a conversation with a friend the other day about theatre that started off simple enough with us talking about our absolute confusion of Cats and all of the success it's had. Both of us have seen this show and neither of us can come up with a sound theory as to why it's a phenomenon. I don't know about her, but I have never had a conversation with someone about this show and the other person think it’s a good show. She then made a comment about how she doesn’t understand Andrew Lloyd Webber beyond The Phantom of the Opera and that she couldn’t understand how Love Never Dies even became anything. 

This made me think about what I believe to be an actual issue on Broadway: a lack of an original thought. To my friend and myself, Love Never Dies was just really bad fan fiction. It was a sequel to The Phantom of the Opera and it was, I assume, Andrew Lloyd Webber deciding that he didn’t like the way Gaston Leroux ended the novel, seeing that there were so many #TeamPhantom fans, and realizing that he was going to have an audience regardless. This is the man who basically ran both the West End and Broadway in the 80’s and people tend to bow down to him, he was knighted for God’s sake. Because of this, Andrew Lloyd Webber is surrounded by “Yes Men” who I’m sure tell him everything he does is great... and not all of it is. 

Now, this isn’t supposed to be an Andrew Lloyd Webber rant, though that could be a whole other post, but not this one. This post is about the current lack of creativity happening on Broadway. 

Why is it that the last few years, Broadway has been absolutely FILLED with adaptations? Why is it that an original story is so hard to find? Everything is either a movie, book, or biography. And yes, of course these all are great shows, but as great as they are, I can’t help but feel these are all a tiny bit of a cheat. In 2012 and 2013, every single musical nominated for Best Musical at the Tony Awards was an adaptation. Granted, they were all, well mostly, amazing. I love Newsies, Kinky Boots, Once, etc. but they were all based on something, making them not an original concept.

What does this say about theatre, then? Are producers afraid of the audiences? Are the audiences afraid to take risks? Yes, of course producers want a success, and they see and understand that audiences want to make a safe choice with the one show they see while on vacation, so they produce shows that tourists will know they’ll like. This is one of the reasons why The Lion King is so popular. Everyone loves Disney, and The Lion King is such a success with both kids and parents. The thing is, it was already a musical so a stage adaptation wasn't such a far fetched idea. 

It’s not hard to understand that producers want to have a successful show. Its also not hard to understand that Broadway is expensive and a lot of families cannot afford to attend more than one Broadway show. Because of this, the families want to make sure that the show they are seeing is going to be something they’ll enjoy. Seeing a show where they know the basic storyline and characters is one way to do that.  But for a lot of these families, Broadway is an afterthought. It's an "Oh I'm in New York, I should see a Broadway show," kind of thing where they then buy tickets to shows that have been around for years and years rather than giving new works a chance. Not everyone who visits New York is there with the intention of seeing as many Broadway shows as possible. Not everyone is me. 

In recent years, the Broadway audience has been comprised of a lot of tourist. Two-thirds to be more specific. That is a hell of a lot. Is Broadway becoming less about the actual art form of theatre and more about a tourist destination? Are Broadway producers producing shows they think tourists will like? If that is what's happening, then I’m not sure that is the best direction. This raises an interesting idea: If we make theatre for tourists who themselves are not regular theatre goers, then theatre will start to be shaped by people who do not know what they are doing. 

I remember when The Bridges of Madison County closed (and while it is an adaptation I believe it fits the situation) I read a tweet or an article that said something along the lines of “we were making theatre for theatre goers, not for tourists,” and that is something that has always stuck with me. Tourists did not flock to the Schoenfeld in the spring of 2014 for one reason or another, but it closed, and yet won two Tony Awards. 

Clearly, the theatre community wants to make new and interesting musicals, but are producers relying too much on tourist traffic to let that happen? The Bridges of Madison County was a show with such beautiful and intriguing music that you had to pay attention to, you could not passively listen and understand. With shortening attention spans, this might not seem attractive to tourists who are not likely to see a show in their own home town. Because of this, it seems like producers are afraid to take a risk on producing works that require an attention span. To me it seems like Broadway producers are simultaneously afraid of and underestimating their audiences. 

So how do we change this? How do we satisfy both tourists and the hard-core theatergoers? Well, marketing, obviously. I think one of the best marketing campaigns I have seen for a Broadway show was the campaign for Something Rotten! This campaign was genius. The show that ultimately lost the Best Musical Tony to Fun Home (which is closing soon), used the defeat and their ‘rotten’ name to their advantage and celebrated their defeat. When they received a not-so-great New York Times review, they promoted the truth “A new show that opened on Wednesday night at the St. James Theatre” which showed their sense of humor. And it was an original idea for an original new musical. 

Word of mouth is another important factor. People who enter and win lotteries are more likely to talk about their experience, and if they see the show at such a discounted price they are going to be so jazzed about it, it will already add to their experience. When comps are handed out, people will still talk about the show with their friends and family. Word of mouth is so important. 

Starting the conversation online is another great factor. What I love is that Broadway.com has created the video blog series where they hand the camera to actors in different shows and have them make a connection with the audience and have them feel involved. Using social media to create connections between the shows, the actors, the creators, and the audience is such a great product of our time. 

Some things I think are great is that Broadway is becoming more popular with the incorporation of modern music styles, live network broadcasts of classic musicals starring legitimate Broadway performers, and PBS proshots of both plays and musicals. If these continue and more people visit New York with the intention of seeing musicals instead of it being an afterthought, we can move the art form in the right direction. 

So, to end this post, here are my closing thoughts:

Producers need to stop relying on adaptations

Audiences need to take chances

Producers cannot underestimate the audiences.

This felt long, but it was what I needed to say,

Until next time,

Katie

Our New Season

As we enter the post-Labor Day, back to school, end of summer atmosphere, I am only excited about the fact that it is now (though not officially, but generally considered) fall! While there was an opening or two over the summer, PARAMOUR and Cats (the former I know next to nothing about, and the latter I prefer not to talk about), fall is when we really kick it off.

This season is already shaping up to be stellar. While I'm not sure we will see as much ethnic and ability diversity this season as last, it's still sure to be entertaining.

Like mentioned before, both Cats and PARAMOUR have opened, and Holiday Inn just began previews last week on September 1st and opening a month from today on October 6th. Holiday Inn marks the Broadway return of Corbin Bleu (In the Heights, Godspell), who is also the newest Broadway.com video blogger, and Bryce Pinkham (Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder). This show can be seen at Roundabout Theatre Company's beautiful Studio 54 through January 1st. I love Studio 54, it is such a different theatre on Broadway with the orchestra in the boxes, hanging above the audience, and such a lovely foyer with beautiful chandeliers. What else could you expect from a renovated disco-turned-theatre.


At the end of the month, we will see the beginning previews of the revival of Falsettos, starring Stephanie J Block (returning to Broadway after having a beautiful baby), Christian Borle (most recently seen in his Tony Award winning role as William Shakespeare in Something Rotten!), and Andrew Rannells (who was last seen on Broadway as King George III in Hamilton). Previews begin September 29th with an October 27th opening over at the Walter Kerr.


The next show you can catch this fall is the Off-Broadway transfer of Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812, previews beginning October 16th with a November 14th opening. What. A. Show. This is one of the shows I am most excited for this season. Its an adaptation, yes, but its building a full blown musical from a section of War and Peace. The music from the Off-Broadway cast recording is so beautiful in its storytelling and simultaneously funny and heartbreaking. This is the show that Phillipa Soo began her post-Juilliard start, and now she is a Tony Award-nominated actress for Hamilton. However, Denèe Benton will now be portraying Natasha and making her Broadway debut. Congrats! This also marks the Broadway debut of Josh Groban who is no stranger to showtunes. His performance in Chess in Concert as Anatoly Sergievsky has always stood out in my mind. Another thing that so intrigues me about this show is that they are rearranging the seating in the newly vacant (RIP Les Miserables) Imperial Theatre. They are trying to recreate the feel of the Off-Broadway productions, and I am all about that.


Next up we have A Bronx Tale with previews starting November 3rd and opening December1st. Coming off a run at the Paper Mill Playhouse, this production brings along co-directors Jerry Zaks and Robert De Niro. Now, I was completely unaware that De Niro was a director, but with Zaks (who directed Sister Act and The Addams Family and Chazz Palmentari's original A Brox Tale) at his side, he's in good hands. We also get new music from Alan Menken and Glenn Slater which is something that can always be counted on as a good thing. We also get Nick Cordero (Waitress), Ariana DeBose (Hamilton), and Richard H. Blake (Legally Blonde, Jersey Boys) in starring roles.


For the first time on Broadway, there will be an all a capella musical In Transit at the Circle in the Square, previews beginning November 10th and an opening night of December 11th. Another Off-Broadway transfer will be making history this winter.


Dear Evan Hansen, the toast of Off-Broadway last season, will be making the transfer over to the Belasco with previews starting November 14th and opening on December 4th. From what I hear Ben Platt (Book of Mormon) absolutely kills this role and breaks the heart of every single audience member while singing the songs of Pasek and Paul. I am just so curious to see how Broadway reacts to this show.


Come From Away, which is currently playing at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. through October 9th, will be the first musical to open in 2017. Previews will start February 18th with an opening night of March 9th. A musical about travelers to New York City whose flights were diverted on 9/11 seems like such a strange plot for a musical and I am so concerned as to how New Yorkers are going to respond to a show with a subject matter that hits so close to home.


Our next musical is one that I will have the opportunity to see before New York does. Amélie, which is slated to open in the spring, will have a pre-Broadway run at the Ahmanson in Los Angeles, where I already have my tickets. Another adaptation for this season, had a successful and extended run at Berkeley Rep with Samantha Barks at the titular Amélie, will now star Phillipa Soo.


MISS SAIGON IS COMING BACK! I repeat MISS SAIGON IS COMING BACK! That's right! Miss Saigon, which just had a successful run on the West End, is returning to Broadway. I am way too excited about this. Obviously. Previews begin March 1st with an opening of March 23rd at the Broadway. I feel like not much information is known about this coming production aside from the fact that Jon Jon Briones and Eva Noblezada are set to star. Still. SO. EXCITED.


We are getting a revival of Hello, Dolly! starring Bette Midler and David Hyde Pierce this spring. Does much else need to be said? Previews start at the soon-to-be vacant Shubert on March 15th with an official opening of April 20th.


The Bandstand, another Paper Mill Playhouse transfer coming to broadway this season. Again, not much is known about the specifics of dates and theatre, but we will get the return of Laura Osnes (Grease, South Pacific, Bonnie and Clyde, Cinderella) and Corey Cott (Newsies, Gigi) which is quite exciting for me, specifically.


Christian Borle is going to be a busy man on Broadway with his second show of the season as Willie Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Another West End production coming to the states will feature a whole new score by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, but will include the iconic "Pure Imagination". Previews are set for March 28th with an opening of April 23rd at the Lunt-Fontanne.


And finally, the last scheduled musical of the season harkens back to my childhood. Anastasia. A preview date hasn't been announced but opening will be on April 24th at the Broadhurst. Another adaptation, this time of a terribly historically inaccurate cartoon that has somehow found it's place in my heart for the past nearly twenty years. In fact, this show will come to broadway in the year marking the film's 20th anniversary. Last night, I saw a clip of "Once Upon a December" from the Hartford Stage production and it was so beautiful that I immediately sent it to my friend who is absolutely obsessed with all things Romanov. This is definitely a show I am so looking forward to seeing.

From what I've been reading, this season is shaping out to be a fun one. Not as dark or as important as our previous "BroadwaySoDiverse" season, but a great one nonetheless. I can't wait to see the surprises and shocks that will come, the last minute replacements, the cast changes, and the drama that surrounds this thing we love called Broadway.

All my love,
Katie