So, you all know that at Hillcrest, our responsibility as artists is to change the world. Well, I just read this article by Mia Michaels who is a brilliant choreographer (sometimes you can see her work on So You Think You Can Dance). Any way, she puts into words her thoughts on this issue in a way i never have been able to yet. I completely agree with her. Please read and discuss amongst yourselves, because this dirctly applies to what we do in theatre...
THE CALLING
"The calling in one’s life to be a creator is a huge responsibility to the world. There is no backing down once this realization of artistic destiny takes place. It is the commitment of one’s life, the artistic version of the monk. We are being used to affect and change the universe, shift the planet, and hopefully leave it forever altered. Once our calling takes place, it is our duty to respect, nurture, and dig into it so deeply that there is no other way of living. It becomes our life and our every breath. Everything we experience transforms into art.
Then there are those who choose but have not been chosen. They make it a career (a business if you will) and have a different take on it. It’s a different way of life. They do it for the love of recognition, money, and fame. These people operate in a thing called the entertainment business.
So many in this business have been successful without caring about creating their own voice or vocabulary, but just copying the great ones that have come before them. They constantly continue to repeat themselves without ever considering the reinvention of oneself, and without guilt or apologies. There is truth in both these worlds, they just have different heartbeats.We are now in a time of reality TV and instant celebrity.
It’s a time of mediocrity, not too much dignity or integrity on screens all over America. I am one of those so-called instant celebrities in the world’s eyes. It just happened over night. I dropped out of the sky and became a big-name choreographer with a face. The funny thing is I am just Mia doing what I have been doing for the last 25 years, but now I am MIA! Very funny and very strange.
The fame will pass. The show will close. The trends will change. What will remain constant are the true artists, visionaries, and creators, the ones that are called. They will stand as they are until they are gone.
I hope and pray to always stay true to my calling. A creator of beauty, ugliness, and worldly art of movement. I hope to be a constant because I am called."
---Mia Michaels
Love This Moment
2014-2015
2014-2015
Monday, June 30, 2008
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
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
Friday, June 20, 2008
New York
Hey everyone. So I just got back from New York and I thought I'd throw out a couple of reviews of the shows I saw, just so y'all can get more of a feel for what is going on right now in the theatre world. I know some of you also made it to Broadway this summer, so feel free to email me your reviews and I'll post them as well.
SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE (Broadway Musical Revival)
This was such a moving experience. I really felt like the performers and artists involved were communicating with us. You could tell they were very passionate about the message they were trying to send. I'll have to admit the first part was a bit slow and hard to get into, but as soon as Daniel Evans sang "Finishing the Hat," his emotional commitmet pulled me in and I never looked back. British actors Evans and Jenna Russell turned in absolutely gorgeous performances as George and Dot. Their listening and reacting were superb, and when Russell was fighting back tears during "We Do Not Belong Together" just so she could get the notes out, it was one of the most honest and real theatrical moments I've ever witnessed. In the second act, Evans pulled out an impressive American accent and characterization, and I, for the first time, felt like I understood why Sondheim wrote the second act of this show to take place 100 years after the first act. The show really made me think about why we are artists and the sacrifices we make to give something lasting to the world. Do we really understand the importance of what we do? The set design turned George's indoor studio into the creations in his mind using projections and digital animation. It was amazing. The supporting cast were all phenominal (Michael Cumpsty's 'traditional artist' Jules got me so mad I almost yelled at him during the show), but Russell and Evans were absolutely superb in what were probably the two most emotionally demanding and difficult roles I saw the whole trip. Loved it.
XANADU (New Broadway Musical)
This was definitely the goofiest show I saw. The whole play makes fun of the horrid 1980 film 'Xanadu' while also poking fun at modern-day musical theatre. Cheyenne Jackson used his vocal inflections to hilarious effect as the discouraged sidewalk artist who is inspired by an ancient Greek muse to open a roller-disco. The muse is forbidden by Zeus to fall in love, and when she does, she is banned from inspiring artists ever again, thus making 1980 the year in which "all art stopped being insightful and all musical theatre will have to draw from is old singer's radio songbooks and movies...not to mention the spectacle-centered mush that will forever be known to earthlings as Andrew Lloyd Webber." The satire was not only hilarious but a little bit thought-provoking, especially for us artists attempting to affect the world in these creativity-starved times. My favorite part, though, was an older actress named Jackie Hoffman who played one of the muse's 2 conniving older sisters. She used her face and characterization to 100% comedic effect every time she stepped on stage. I found myself just waiting for her to come back on stage. She was fabulous. Hers was probably one of my favorite comedic performances I've ever witnessed. Overall, Xanadu was very good, a lot of fun, and even a tad thought-provoking, but not my favorite show of the trip.
A CHORUS LINE (Broadway Musical Revival)
This is probably my favorite musical of all-time. I saw this revival last year when I was in New York, so this experience was a little less impactful. I must also say that the cast seemed quite low on energy and passion-less during the first part of the show. The dancing was of course phenominal and the story was still touching and thought-provoking, especially to performers and artists (hmmm...are we sensing a trend here?) Charlotte d'Ambroise as desparate dancer Cassie was underwhelming once again (I had hoped when I saw her last year, she was just having a bad night). The number "Music and the Mirror" is not a highlight of the show as it should be. Her singing and dancing were not fabulous. I was, however, moved by her acting as she tried to connect in some way to Mario Lopez's director Zach. Lopez was not giving her much to work with though. Although Lopez's dancing was surprisingly good, his acting seemed like he thought he was in an episode of "Saved by the Bell" rather than a Pulitzer Prize-winning piece of live theatre. There were some fun characterizations from Jeffrey Schecter, Jessica Lee Goldyn, James T. Lane, Heather Parcells, Katherine Tokarz, and Kevin Worley as Mike, Val, Richie, Judy, Kristine & Al (respectively). Understudy Jessica Lea Patty was disappointingly flat as Sheila, and none of the other performers seemed to really be dedicating themselves 100% to their characters. The highlight of the evening was Bryan Knowlton's delivery of Paul's famous monologue. Knowlton was extremely impressive as he seemed to emotionally connect to Paul's story in a way I've never seen done before. At the end of his piece, there didn't seem to be a dry eye in the place. Overall, I still love the show, but this time it was missing that special spark...
ALTAR BOYZ (Off-Broadway Musical)
Well, I don't think I've laughed that much in a long time. What a fun show! The show is basically a concert put on by a wannabe Christian boy-band whose mission is to lift wandering souls through their hip-hop, funk music. With songs like "Jesus Called Me On My Cell-phone" and "God Put The Rhythm In Me" the show was hilarious, but not really irreverent because of the earnestness (a word?) with which the boys performed the songs. The show even ended with a touching final number that sent a great message. Go figure. I must admit that I booked this show because I wanted to see Neil Haskell (one of my favorite dancers from last year's "So You Think You Can Dance") perform live. He was pretty good as the tough-guy band member Luke. He was a great dancer, but some of his acting was a little awkward. Ryan J. Ratliff was hilarious as the effeminate band member Mark. He had great comic timing and commitment. I also really liked understudy Joey Khoury as Jewish band member Abraham. He was surprisingly honest and real which added a great dimension to the show. The choreography was great and the show was fun to watch.
IN THE HEIGHTS (New Broadway Musical)
"HOLY CRAP!" I think I said that out loud after the cast finished their showstopping number "96,000" part-way through the first act. When the show was over, I was speechless. I was absolutely bowled over by the energy and spirit of this show. I don't know that I can say enough good things about it. The set, lighting, costumes, sound and choreography all were phenominal representations of life in a New York latin community called Washington Heights. The latin & hip-hop flavored music written by Lin-Manuel Miranda (who also starred in the show) has been stuck in my head ever since. I love it! I also loved the cast. Their performances were extremely personal and connected with me as if I had known these characters for a long time. Miranda was both fun and sympathetic as the central character Usnavi, and his 17 year-old cousin Sonny (played by an extremely funny and energetic Robin DeJesus) were probably my two favorite characters. Olga Merediz as Abuela Claudia, and Andrea Burns and Janet Dacal as the salon ladies were also extremely believable and fun to watch. Christopher Jackson, Mandy Gonzalez and Karen Olivo (what a voice!) were also very good. The ensemble was equally energetic and pulled the show up to an awe-inspiring level. The only low spots were mother and father team Carlos Gomez and (suprisingly) Priscilla Lopez. Something just wasn't right about their emotional commitment. The plot was also a little formulaic and the script a bit cheesy, but those slight faults were easily forgiven by the end of the show. The show had everything. It even gave me some interesting things to think about as far as relationships, community, and following your dreams. Hmmm... Absolutely loved it. My favorite show of the trip.
CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF (Broadway Play Revival)
This was not a great experience. This was mostly the fault of the audience, however. I do not understand what was going on. The audience (who seemed to be there because of the movie-star status of the actors rather than for the theatrical value of Tennessee Williams' award-winning script) was extremely disrespectful. Extremely. It was frustrating. I almost screamed. They laughed at every inappropriate time. They thought Terrence Howard attempting to beat his wife was funny. They thought Phylicia Rashad breaking down and bawling because her husband had cancer was hilarious. They thought James Earl Jones approaching his son about rumors of his homosexuality was absolutely riotous. I am positive Tennessee Williams was crying in his grave. With that said, it was kind of hard to really grasp the issues being brought up by this production as it was difficult to hear with constant chatter and food-wrappers making noise the whole show. I felt bad for the ators, who seemed to be trying very hard to do the show justice. Anika Noni Rose was fabulous as Maggie (the "Cat" mentioned allegorically in the title) and Phylicia Rashad was extremely believable as the aging matriarch of the family. Even Terrence Howard, who started off slow and monotonous, really came into his own in the second act. I was impressed. James Earl Jones, though, was phenominal. I think everyone needs to go see Mr. Jones perform live sometime before they die. He is an absolute legend of emotional power. His performance blew me away...even though the audience didn't seem to understand a word he was saying. Debbie Allen's direction was pretty bad. Some awkward staging and weird lighting design didn't help the audience understand anything. So overall, although I was extremely frustrated at the overall experience and don't think I understood fully what the show was supposed to have communicated, I was enlightened by seeing four very talented actors share their gift with me.
SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE (Broadway Musical Revival)
This was such a moving experience. I really felt like the performers and artists involved were communicating with us. You could tell they were very passionate about the message they were trying to send. I'll have to admit the first part was a bit slow and hard to get into, but as soon as Daniel Evans sang "Finishing the Hat," his emotional commitmet pulled me in and I never looked back. British actors Evans and Jenna Russell turned in absolutely gorgeous performances as George and Dot. Their listening and reacting were superb, and when Russell was fighting back tears during "We Do Not Belong Together" just so she could get the notes out, it was one of the most honest and real theatrical moments I've ever witnessed. In the second act, Evans pulled out an impressive American accent and characterization, and I, for the first time, felt like I understood why Sondheim wrote the second act of this show to take place 100 years after the first act. The show really made me think about why we are artists and the sacrifices we make to give something lasting to the world. Do we really understand the importance of what we do? The set design turned George's indoor studio into the creations in his mind using projections and digital animation. It was amazing. The supporting cast were all phenominal (Michael Cumpsty's 'traditional artist' Jules got me so mad I almost yelled at him during the show), but Russell and Evans were absolutely superb in what were probably the two most emotionally demanding and difficult roles I saw the whole trip. Loved it.
XANADU (New Broadway Musical)
This was definitely the goofiest show I saw. The whole play makes fun of the horrid 1980 film 'Xanadu' while also poking fun at modern-day musical theatre. Cheyenne Jackson used his vocal inflections to hilarious effect as the discouraged sidewalk artist who is inspired by an ancient Greek muse to open a roller-disco. The muse is forbidden by Zeus to fall in love, and when she does, she is banned from inspiring artists ever again, thus making 1980 the year in which "all art stopped being insightful and all musical theatre will have to draw from is old singer's radio songbooks and movies...not to mention the spectacle-centered mush that will forever be known to earthlings as Andrew Lloyd Webber." The satire was not only hilarious but a little bit thought-provoking, especially for us artists attempting to affect the world in these creativity-starved times. My favorite part, though, was an older actress named Jackie Hoffman who played one of the muse's 2 conniving older sisters. She used her face and characterization to 100% comedic effect every time she stepped on stage. I found myself just waiting for her to come back on stage. She was fabulous. Hers was probably one of my favorite comedic performances I've ever witnessed. Overall, Xanadu was very good, a lot of fun, and even a tad thought-provoking, but not my favorite show of the trip.
A CHORUS LINE (Broadway Musical Revival)
This is probably my favorite musical of all-time. I saw this revival last year when I was in New York, so this experience was a little less impactful. I must also say that the cast seemed quite low on energy and passion-less during the first part of the show. The dancing was of course phenominal and the story was still touching and thought-provoking, especially to performers and artists (hmmm...are we sensing a trend here?) Charlotte d'Ambroise as desparate dancer Cassie was underwhelming once again (I had hoped when I saw her last year, she was just having a bad night). The number "Music and the Mirror" is not a highlight of the show as it should be. Her singing and dancing were not fabulous. I was, however, moved by her acting as she tried to connect in some way to Mario Lopez's director Zach. Lopez was not giving her much to work with though. Although Lopez's dancing was surprisingly good, his acting seemed like he thought he was in an episode of "Saved by the Bell" rather than a Pulitzer Prize-winning piece of live theatre. There were some fun characterizations from Jeffrey Schecter, Jessica Lee Goldyn, James T. Lane, Heather Parcells, Katherine Tokarz, and Kevin Worley as Mike, Val, Richie, Judy, Kristine & Al (respectively). Understudy Jessica Lea Patty was disappointingly flat as Sheila, and none of the other performers seemed to really be dedicating themselves 100% to their characters. The highlight of the evening was Bryan Knowlton's delivery of Paul's famous monologue. Knowlton was extremely impressive as he seemed to emotionally connect to Paul's story in a way I've never seen done before. At the end of his piece, there didn't seem to be a dry eye in the place. Overall, I still love the show, but this time it was missing that special spark...
ALTAR BOYZ (Off-Broadway Musical)
Well, I don't think I've laughed that much in a long time. What a fun show! The show is basically a concert put on by a wannabe Christian boy-band whose mission is to lift wandering souls through their hip-hop, funk music. With songs like "Jesus Called Me On My Cell-phone" and "God Put The Rhythm In Me" the show was hilarious, but not really irreverent because of the earnestness (a word?) with which the boys performed the songs. The show even ended with a touching final number that sent a great message. Go figure. I must admit that I booked this show because I wanted to see Neil Haskell (one of my favorite dancers from last year's "So You Think You Can Dance") perform live. He was pretty good as the tough-guy band member Luke. He was a great dancer, but some of his acting was a little awkward. Ryan J. Ratliff was hilarious as the effeminate band member Mark. He had great comic timing and commitment. I also really liked understudy Joey Khoury as Jewish band member Abraham. He was surprisingly honest and real which added a great dimension to the show. The choreography was great and the show was fun to watch.
IN THE HEIGHTS (New Broadway Musical)
"HOLY CRAP!" I think I said that out loud after the cast finished their showstopping number "96,000" part-way through the first act. When the show was over, I was speechless. I was absolutely bowled over by the energy and spirit of this show. I don't know that I can say enough good things about it. The set, lighting, costumes, sound and choreography all were phenominal representations of life in a New York latin community called Washington Heights. The latin & hip-hop flavored music written by Lin-Manuel Miranda (who also starred in the show) has been stuck in my head ever since. I love it! I also loved the cast. Their performances were extremely personal and connected with me as if I had known these characters for a long time. Miranda was both fun and sympathetic as the central character Usnavi, and his 17 year-old cousin Sonny (played by an extremely funny and energetic Robin DeJesus) were probably my two favorite characters. Olga Merediz as Abuela Claudia, and Andrea Burns and Janet Dacal as the salon ladies were also extremely believable and fun to watch. Christopher Jackson, Mandy Gonzalez and Karen Olivo (what a voice!) were also very good. The ensemble was equally energetic and pulled the show up to an awe-inspiring level. The only low spots were mother and father team Carlos Gomez and (suprisingly) Priscilla Lopez. Something just wasn't right about their emotional commitment. The plot was also a little formulaic and the script a bit cheesy, but those slight faults were easily forgiven by the end of the show. The show had everything. It even gave me some interesting things to think about as far as relationships, community, and following your dreams. Hmmm... Absolutely loved it. My favorite show of the trip.
CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF (Broadway Play Revival)
This was not a great experience. This was mostly the fault of the audience, however. I do not understand what was going on. The audience (who seemed to be there because of the movie-star status of the actors rather than for the theatrical value of Tennessee Williams' award-winning script) was extremely disrespectful. Extremely. It was frustrating. I almost screamed. They laughed at every inappropriate time. They thought Terrence Howard attempting to beat his wife was funny. They thought Phylicia Rashad breaking down and bawling because her husband had cancer was hilarious. They thought James Earl Jones approaching his son about rumors of his homosexuality was absolutely riotous. I am positive Tennessee Williams was crying in his grave. With that said, it was kind of hard to really grasp the issues being brought up by this production as it was difficult to hear with constant chatter and food-wrappers making noise the whole show. I felt bad for the ators, who seemed to be trying very hard to do the show justice. Anika Noni Rose was fabulous as Maggie (the "Cat" mentioned allegorically in the title) and Phylicia Rashad was extremely believable as the aging matriarch of the family. Even Terrence Howard, who started off slow and monotonous, really came into his own in the second act. I was impressed. James Earl Jones, though, was phenominal. I think everyone needs to go see Mr. Jones perform live sometime before they die. He is an absolute legend of emotional power. His performance blew me away...even though the audience didn't seem to understand a word he was saying. Debbie Allen's direction was pretty bad. Some awkward staging and weird lighting design didn't help the audience understand anything. So overall, although I was extremely frustrated at the overall experience and don't think I understood fully what the show was supposed to have communicated, I was enlightened by seeing four very talented actors share their gift with me.
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