Love This Moment

2014-2015

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Broadway Reviews from your Theatre President!

"Gypsy"
Patti LuPone was incredible! If you want to see someone vomit their soul on stage, it was her! She earned a well deserved Tony! Seeing her, I completely understood what giving to your audience meant, and what it meant to leave everything on stage. She was fantastic! The show itself was good, but it wouldn't have been the same with out Ms. LuPone.

"Sunday in the Park with George"
I was a little underimpressed with the book for this show. The music is gorgeous, but the show lacks plot, and I felt like I didn't have enough time to get to know the characters. However, I absolutely adored Jenna Russell! She was absolutely stunning! She connected with the others on stage, and with the audience! "We Do Not Belong Together" was heart wrenching because she and Daniel Evans were communicating so beautifully! My heart was breaking for both of them! The second act was not my favorite, but I loved how the two acts tied together, with reoccurring things such as "Lesson #8." I did think the show effectively communicated the idea of being artists and connecting with those around us. That message was brought out beautifully by how well the actors connected with each other.

"Young Frankenstein"
So funny. So fun. Just a delightful play! All the performers were so fantastic, especially Christopher Fitzgerald as Igor. I don't know how anyone can give that much energy eight shows a week. If you're looking for typical big flashy Broadway musical, this is it.

"In the Heights"
Oh wow. Fantastic! So fresh and fun and uplifting! I can't stop listening to the music! it's so great! Youthful and fun and just absolutely gorgeous! I also got to meet the cast and they were all so friendly and personal and so sweet to this little star struck girl from Utah. the music is so creative! I was so glad it got the Tony! I wore my shirt while I watched them to support it! 96,000 was incredible! You could feel the energy...and I was almost on the very back row! The audience really got into this show, which was a neat feeling. There was a really sweet love song between Benny and Nina at the beginning of the second act was so honest and adorable and I loved it! I loved Mandy Gonzalez, who played Nina. I felt so much empathy for her! I loved them all! Just especially her and Lin Manuel Miranda and Robin de Jesus (I was so upset Boyd Gaines beat him for the Tony, even though I knew he would!)

"A Chorus Line"
So I'm not like Mr. Long where I absolutely love this show. I probably wouldn't go see it again, but I did love it. The dancing was so incredible! I don't know how people can get their bodies that much in sync. There was a really cool moment during "One" at the end, which serves as kind of a curtain call, where they all come out in a line and get their individual moment. And I kept waiting for my favorites to clap really loud for them, but I couldn't tell one from the other. They all looked so similar. And I thought that was so cool! It really brought out the message of the show, because I truly couldn't tell them apart. I also was disenchanted with Charlotte D'Ambois, who played Cassie. Music and the Mirror did not do it for me. Her vowels were wacky, and they really distracted me from the song. I'm sorry, I do like this show, it just really depresses me, and it was hard to watch after something as uplifting as "In the Heights." I just get tired of watching 17 people talk about the worst things that have ever happened to them! But that's just me.

"The Country Girl"
Starring Morgan Freeman, Frances McDormand, and Peter Gallegher (Sorry! Spelling!) The play itself was nothing special (though it's a play about theatre, and there were some really cool lines about acting. Freeman's character talked about how he has to "love his character" which is something Mr. Long always tells us, and I thought that was cool) But the three of them were fantastic! Freeman was the most natural actor I have ever seen onstage. He brought a human-ness to his character that so many actors forget! Your character is real! And he totally communicated that! I loved him so much! It was worth it just for the fantastic cast!

"RENT"
Rent was superb! I can totally see why it's been running for so long. The minimalist staging was absolutely perfect! The show connected, and I loved it so so so much! There were a few moments that just hit me right in the heart. And I know the show, and I've seen the movie, but there were a few lines that just knocked me over because of how they were presented. The lady who played Mimi connected in the same way Jenna Russell does. She was an understudy, but she was absolutely incredible for the same reason: I could feel her and she was in the moment. And the chemistry between her and Roger was fantastic! So real! And so fiery! "Goodbye Love" and "Your Eyes" almost killed me.

"Phantom of the Opera"
I went and saw this one because it's the only one that plays on Monday and I've never seen it on stage and it's kind of just a Broadway legend. It was really good. Again, big and flashy. Christine had a really cool Meisner moment in "The Point of No Return" that really impressed me. The show was pretty neat. It's just a novelty: You have to go see it just to say you have.

"Marry Poppins"
I am proud to admit, this show was far and away my favorite! Not just because all the actors were good and the set was incredible, but because it was so incredibly uplifting! There was not a swear word or any innuendoes or anything. This show just made me so happy! And that was so refreshing! I wish everyone could experience the happiness this show brought me! I felt like I was six years old again. And as great and powerful and pulitzer winning as some of these other shows were, there's something to be said for a show that just makes you happy!

There you have it. My reviews. Everyone go to New York!

Love, Mackenzi

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