A Passing Feeling for My Fair Lady

Am I getting jaded or are things not aging well? Maybe both?

Photo by © Joan Marcus

If you were to ask people to name the first thing that comes to mind when you say the word musical, one of the first is likely to be My Fair Lady. Its vaunted pedigree, from the book adapted from George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion, to the original Broadway performances starring Rex Harrsion and the one and only Julie Andrews, to the film starring an effervescent Audrey Heburn (bolstered by Marnie Nixon's stunning vocalizations), is about as elite as a musical's could be and well beloved by fans all over the world.

Photo by © Joan Marcus

I, like I suspect of many readers, was raised watching and loving the movie version of My Fair Lady. I knew every word by my early teens and dreamed of playing Eliza Doolittle someday.

Photo by © Joan Marcus

The current tour at the Orpheum is an admirable rendition of this beloved show (I won't bother recapping the plot as I assume it's quite familiar to most readers - if you really need a synopsis, click here). Laird Mackintosh is horrifically (but appropriately) conceited as Professor Henry Higgins; I cannot comment on Kevin Pariseau's rendition of Higgins' kindly counterpart Colonel Pickering, as he was sick the night we attended, but his substitute was warmly enjoyable in the role. Shereen Ahmed's nimble voice trills through Eliza's plight as Higgins' dusty but determined plaything, and I respected that she kept up a good fight throughout her role. Sam Simahk is sparklingly silly as Freddy Eysford-Hill, and Adam Grupper clearly relishes the role of scoundrely Alfred P. Doolittle. The ensemble cast is quite strong and are fun to watch swanning around the gilt stage in their elaborate costumes.

Photo by © Joan Marcus

I was quite dazzled by the vastness of the set design, which includes endless (but quickly moving) painted backdrops and scrims. The focus, however, lay on a deliciously detailed, rotating 360 degree view of Higgins' home, a truly remarkable feat of scenic design that is flexibly and versatilely used. I was really impressed at how seamlessly this piece moved in and out and the variety of experiences created with just the one element; it had to have been mind-bogglingly expensive to build and I have zero clue how they move that thing weekly between faraway cities, but damn it's impressive. The costumes are likewise delightfully luxe and period-appropriate, and production design junkies overall will find endless amounts of eye candy to enjoy throughout this staging.

Photo by © Joan Marcus

All that said, it surprised me when, sitting through this very well-produced tour of a classic musical that I was raised to love, things just didn't hit quite right. In the era of #metoo, revitalized women's movements, and the all-too-prevalent sexism hitting our female changemakers on all fronts (R.I.P. Elizabeth Warren's devastatingly impressive presidential campaign), I just couldn't find a way to enjoy this show. Higgins' allegedly comedic insults came off as screeching misogyny; Eliza's ignored protestations rang a little too similarly to domestic abuse; and Higgins' mild comeuppance towards the end just couldn't satisfy the thorough thrashing I wanted him to get.

Photo by © Joan Marcus

Please note, dear reader, that I fully realize that all of the above impressions are thoroughly subjective and are my own opinion. The audience laughed right on cue and seemed to have a dapper time watching this show, and I suspect that any other long-term fans will equally adore this well-produced version. It's got everything that Broadway-lovers seek, and the production design is truly gorgeous and special. This post is not a screed against the show or a treatise on why you shouldn't attend.

Photo by © Joan Marcus

This review is, simply, my confession: I have a severe case of sexism fatigue, and My Fair Lady triggered right into it. This is a beautiful production and please go if you enjoy My Fair Lady, or if you've never seen it and want to experience a well-made version. You'll get your money's worth. The magic was just gone for me this time around, and I'm left mourning the days when it was easy for me to slip into a theater and shut my filter off. The world has changed around many of these classic old shows, and it's just harder and harder for me to watch them simply as fictional stage plays without my modern gaze.

Photo by © Joan Marcus

If you want to get tickets to My Fair Lady go quick - it's only open through this weekend. Click on this link to order them.

Photo by © Joan Marcus

The Band's Visit Is A Quiet Masterpiece

This is the one. The one I've been waiting for. 

Photo by Matthew Murphy

I can't describe to you how incredibly excited I was to see The Band's Visit last night. I was hooked ever since seeing Katrina Lenk's magnificent performance of "Omar Sharif" at the 2018 Tony Awards (the same night she won best performance by a leading actress in a musical). I wasn't able to see a performance with the original cast in New York City, so I was thrilled to find it coming to Minneapolis as part of the Broadway tours through Hennepin Theater Trust.

Photo by Matthew Murphy

The Band's Visit is quite simple on the surface, telling the story of a small group of Egyptian musicians who get lost on their way to perform for the opening of a new Arab Cultural Center in Israel due to a mix-up of the name of the town they are to visit (they end up in Bet Hatikva, rather than Petah Tikvah). The troupe is stranded with little money and taken in by a cafe owner named Dina, who feeds them and finds homestays for them to pass the night until the next bus to Petah Tikvah will run. Dina immediately connects with the conductor Tewfiq and contemplates a romantic relationship with him as she later gives him a tour of Bet Hatikva, a dream that seems to flourish until withering as she learns his sad past. Haled, a younger member of the band, sneaks out to enjoy a night on the town and ends up counseling a shy young man named Papi in the art of flirting. Simon, an older musician, witnesses a fight and difficult relationship between the husband and wife he is staying with. His music provides a sense of peace to them as they resolve their fight. A boy waits endlessly by a payphone for his girlfriend to call. Much like the nearby sea, life ebbs and flows in Bet Hatikva until the night ends, the band boards their bus to Petah Tikvah, and Dina's life returns to the everyday cycles it always endured.

Photo by Matthew Murphy

There has been a lot of hype about this show (it did win 10 Tony Awards, after all) and I wasn't disappointed. The success of The Band's Visit begins and ends with Chilina Kennedy who is magnificent as Dina. Kennedy has a dynamic voice and sexy, lithe presence that does complete justice to this complex character. James Rana was quietly lovely as the shy and tortured Tewfiq, and his understated performance added real power to this role. Joe Joseph blessed us with a gorgeous voice as Haled, and his smooth stylings provided welcome comedic moments and some beautiful romantic ballads. The musical standout of the show for me may have been Mike Cefalo's unexpected star as the young Telephone Guy, with a haunting solo that rose admirably into chorus to close out the show with "Answer Me." I also have to shout out the crew of silent musicians who played their instruments live on stage in various formations. They were spot-on and added a rich additional layer of perspective to the staging, almost like an extra group of friends to watch with, that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Photo by Matthew Murphy

The clever set is, like the show, much more than it first appears. Seemingly a drab collection of sandy colored buildings, each structure unfolds into varying levels of depth to provide totally new settings (for example, flip open a wall and an alleyway is suddenly a roller skating club). A turntable stage cleverly allows for dynamic choreography and scene changes, quickly transitioning us through locations and plotlines. Several well-chosen projections are also included, almost creating dreamscapes as characters describe their inner desires, and I appreciated the mystical affect they offered.

Photo by Matthew Murphy

We live in a noisy world. A disjointed world. A hurting world. A world in chaos. The success of a show like The Band's Visit, an uncomfortably quiet, emotionally haunting, darkly comedic, 90 minute meditation on finding beauty through life's hardest moments in one of the most conflict-ridden areas of the earth, is hardly assured. And yet... I couldn't help thinking in the dark theater, sitting in communion with my fellow arts lovers as the stunning strings of "Omar Sharif" wafted through the air like the most precious incense and Chilina Kennedy gracefully wended like altar smoke around the moonlit stage, that maybe The Band's Visit is exactly what such a world needs.

Photo by Matthew Murphy

This is a production that defies all attempts to classify itself into dichotomies, staying firmly put in the much messier, harder but truer, world of the liminal. There is no good or bad, villain or hero, right or wrong. Actions taken with good intentions have devastating consequences, just as actions that might be classified as bad or immoral provide some of the only moments of happiness these characters experience. I found it a moving, vital salve to the extreme noise that confronts me every time I look at my newsfeeds. Sometimes the best thing we can do for ourselves is to turn off the noise, listen to the sounds around us, and silently conduct our bodies into harmony with the natural world, weeping hearts and all. The Band's Visit is a lovely, wistful balm for what ails us all these days and highly worth a visit. Click here for more information or to buy your tickets before it leaves town on December 15.

Photo by Matthew Murphy

Phantom of the Opera Remains a Hit

Which of the old grand dame musicals is your favorite? 

Photo by Matthew Murphy

I'm thinking the tours that never seem to die - Lion King, Les Miserables, Beauty and the Beast, basically anything Andrew Lloyd Webber has ever made - and return time and again to our historic stages. Is there one you just can't seem to help returning to?

Photo by Matthew Murphy

Mine has to be the Phantom of the Opera. The transcendent original Broadway recording starring Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman was one of the first three CDs I ever owned on my own, and I wore that thing out playing it on repeat and pretending to be Christine Daae.

Photo by Matthew Murphy

That's probably the reason I've now seen the touring production so many times. It also doesn't hurt that despite my nostalgia, the 25th anniversary production as redesigned by Cameron Mackintosh is a gorgeous representation of the best Broadway has to offer with powerful musicians and stunning, exquisitely detailed sets and costumes.

Photo by Matthew Murphy

I won't waste anyone's time re-hashing the plot or production design - see my post about this current tour from two years ago (click here) which still stands, or the original (click here) for that detail. What I will do is update a few of the newer castings and let you decide how many times you should see this theatrical classic.

Photo by Matthew Murphy

Derrick Davis returns in the role of the Phantom, and he remains the undeniable star of this show. His supple, passionate voice is my second favorite Phantom only to Michael Crawford (extremely high praise), and he is honestly the main reason I decided to see this show again. He's a 100% performer, oozing the Phantom from his scaly facial prosthetics to his tippity toes, and he leaves everything on that stage by the end of the performance. Emma Grimsley is a new add as Christine Daae. She can certainly sing circles into the role, but I didn't sense quite the level of passion from her as I wanted. The same goes for Jordan Craig as Raoul; he can sing, but the chemistry between he and Grimsley fell a little flat (which for me is a driving point of the show's believability, especially with a Phantom as magnetic as Davis). Trista Moldovan returns as Carlotta and presents all the ego the role deserves; and Susan Moniz is a new add as Madame Giry, one I greatly enjoyed following throughout the show.

Photo by Matthew Murphy

I stand by my earlier exhortations that you splurge on closer seats to the stage for this production; I don't normally say so, but the extra money here really will be well spent. The design is truly out of this world, and you will get infinitely more pleasure out of plunging into that luxurious world if you can really see all its fine points. Phantom of the Opera remains a wonderful option for an early Christmas gift or escape from your family over the Thanksgiving holiday. Don't miss it before it's gone on December 1; click here for more information or to buy tickets.

Photo by Matthew Murphy

Mean Girls is Deliciously Devious

"On Wednesdays we wear pink."

Photo by Joan Marcus

*Pretty sure* there's nothing better than posting a review of my first time seeing the Broadway version of Mean Girls on October 3 (aka #MeanGirls day itself). Just had to throw that out there for any other superfans.

The Goonies of my generation, Mean Girls is the iconic story penned by Tina Fey long before she left Saturday Night Live's hallowed halls. It tells the story of Cady Heron, a teenager who grew up in Africa and moves to the U.S. to enter her first ever public school in her junior year of high school. Cady has heretofore been socially isolated during her time growing up in Africa and does not understand the American teen psyche; she is completely unprepared for the mind games and harassment her peers inflict on one another as she struggles to navigate this new world.

After experiencing some backstabbing herself, Cady allies with Damian and Janis, two of the few at school who are not aligned with a clique, to take down the school's resident bully and queen bee: Regina, the ringleader of the uber cool (and incredibly snobby) "plastics" clique. The trouble is that although the trick works - Regina is briefly unseated from her throne - the process turns Cady more plastic than Regina was, completely disconnected from her authenticity and moral compass. Everything comes to a head when the full scope of the plastics' bullying is expose to the entire school, even capturing some teachers in its midst. Some hard truths are shared, building a path for a new era of treating others with kindness and dignity in the school.

The original film, now 15 years old (!!), has a veritable who's who of today's movie stars. The cast includes Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Tim Meadows, Ana Gasteyer, Amy Poehler, Tina Fey and Amanda Seyfriend, and a host of other delicious cameos. One of the best parts about Mean Girls is its whiplash-inducing, hyper-trendy quips. I wasn't sure how that would play out in a world of smart phones and social media that has emerged since the movie aired, but I needn't have worried; there have been some smart updates to the book to reflect current teen trends, and the jokes hit their mark almost all of the time.

Photo by Joan Marcus

A surprisingly strong cast helps that humor land, and their enthusiasm and sharp vocals make the story soar. Mariah Rose Faith is delicious as the diabolical Regina; her low alto saunter into every room was delightful to watch. Adante Carter is adorable as Cady's crush Aaron, shining his treacly dimples all over the place. Kabir Bery was hilarious as Kevin Gnapoor, the head of the mathletes; his rap interludes delighted the audience. Megan Masako Haley brings real poignancy to her role of Gretchen, Regina's best friend; she is the first character to crack the facade of teen popularity, and I found a lot of depth in her performance. Jonalyn Saxer is hilarious as Regina's dumb bestie Karen, continuing to surprise. Danielle Wade does an admirable Cady, wresting the portrayal from Lindsay Lohan's memorable turn in 2004, and she makes the role seem fresh. The crowd loved Eric Huffman as Damian "too gay to function" Hubbard; he has a sweetness the movie missed. But my overall standout was Mary Kate Morrissey as Janis, the art student who conceives the whole plot to take Regina down. Morrissey has gravitas and a true Linda Ronstadt-level rock and roll voice. I loved her swag and I especially liked how her character has been expanded to provide a moral arc through the story.

Normally I feel like the excessive use of projection on Broadway shows is "cheating;" this is one of the first shows I've seen that might change my mind. The set is really a dynamic sculpture of LED screens that rapidly shift us between Africa, a Chicago public high school and a spoiled brat's bedroom. Used with some well-chosen props, it makes the scene transitions lightning fast so we can focus on the physical, dynamic dancing. I was surprised how much I enjoyed the choreography, the closest thing to "hiplet" (hip hop + ballet - click here to see more) I've seen on a Broadway stage. It all feels modern, fresh, timely and young.

I've heard many people say the reason they love Mamma Mia so much is that it's a true feel good, positive show and they love to leave the theater with a smile on their face. I think the same case could be made for Mean Girls; it's so much fun to see a diverse, vivacious, mostly female cast having the time of their lives. Mean Girls has a real moral compass and important message to share with today's teens (and their parents if we're being honest) in addition to being a damn good time. As a long time fan of the film I entered this with a healthy skepticism but I'm relieved to report that this show really works as a Broadway musical! It's a great excuse to get some bonding with the Gen Z-ers (or Millennials) in your life, so buy some tickets to take a youthful date before Mean Girls sashays away on October 13. Click here for more information or to get tickets.

The Play That Goes Wrong is a Hysterical Mess

What if absolutely nothing went right? 

Photo by Jeremy Daniel

That's the question asked in the seriously committed physical comedy The Play That Goes Wrong (TPTGW), the latest in the traveling Broadway series at Hennepin Theatre Trust's Orpheum Theater.

Photo by Jeremy Daniel

A play within a play, TPTGW is supposed to be a devastating performance of a murder mystery on a college theater campus (think Clue). Unfortunately it never achieves the gravitas it wants, because literally everything goes south from the second the curtains open. Sets fall apart, actors forget their lines, props are misplaced, technicians get distracted, effects come in at the wrong times (or don't come in at all) - go down the list of the worst case scenarios you can imagine for live performances, and something is going to be awry at every single stage of this accidental horror show. The result is a heavily physical comedy that can't help but get you laughing at some point; the plot is so absurdly over the top that you just can't believe what you're seeing. There are several special effects that even had me gasping in shock, and I was amazed at how committed the performers were to this show.

Photo by Jeremy Daniel

A play like TPTGW only works if everyone is on board, and this cast is in it to win it. It's a taut group of eight performers, each of whom end up serving multiple roles in the play as events unravel and further support is needed to keep the show going. Annie Twilloil is the jack of all trades as the crew member who is forced on stage when the only female performer, played by a vivacious Sandra Wilkinson, is knocked out by a set piece. The two women have very different styles and duke it out, and I enjoyed the contrasting temperaments they displayed. Max Bennett takes clear delight in the absurdities, and his balletic movements made an odd contrast to the roaring dumpster fire of a production surrounding him. Jonathan Harris has the fewest lines as "victim" Charles Haversham, but his wordless stage exits were the funniest thing to me in the entire show. Robert Grove's carefully rehearsed basso voice is just the kind of outrageous exaggeration a show like this needs, and Trevor Watson's disgusting antics as the out of control stage hand shed unwelcome light behind the scenes. Dennis Tyde was charming as the memory-challenged butler Perkins, and Chris Bean has a smooth, lithe delivery as the only cast member worth their salt.

Photo by Jeremy Daniel

If this show gives any value outside of comedy, it's in demonstrating the extreme importance of good, safe production design and technician work. It's easy to take for granted how hard it is to make safe, visually exciting set pieces. There is a horror to be found in the comedic antics of this group; if this were a real life scenario it would be extremely dangerous and even life threatening. I'd like to take this opportunity to give a resounding round of applause for the unsung heroes of our #tctheater community, the stage hands and set builders and costume and scenic designers who spend thousands of hours ensuring that every performer is able to safely act their part. It's unfathomably hard work that very rarely is adequately applauded, and The Play That Goes Wrong does an amazing job of demonstrating why those roles are so important.

Photo by Jeremy Daniel

I also enjoyed the light TPTGW sheds on choreography. Too often people associate choreography and blocking solely with musicals; while musicals provide the most obvious example of choreography, it's also very important in plays. I think it's especially important in comedies, where timing is everything; in a physical comedy such as TPTGW, where the disintegrating set is almost a character of itself, is even more important than usual. There are several moments in this show where a person standing even an inch to the left or right could mean serious injury to their person, and this group clearly has run through every conceivable scenario to ensure they stay safe. It's a masterful physical performance and is sure to awe even the most jaded theater goer with how daring it collectively is.

Photo by Jeremy Daniel

TPTGW is not a perfect play. It's a little too long for my taste (I think it could well do with an intermission-trimming haircut) and can become a little overwrought. We get the point after seeing a joke repeated two or three times - going up to five or six is overkill and unnecessarily time consuming. This is definitely on the farther end of the spectrum for "dumb" humor, so if physical comedy isn't your jam it might be a tougher sell. All that said though, I was very impressed with the amount of spectacle on stage and the sheer bravado of the choreography. If there were ever meaning behind the cliche phrases "all for one and one for all" and "the show must go on no matter the cost," this cast absolutely defines it. They are totally fearless and seem like they're having a lot of fun, and isn't that what live theater is supposed to be all about? This is a very different kind of Broadway play than usually tours through the Orpheum, so I think it's worth a look if you want a change of pace. For more information about TPTGW or to buy tickets, click on this link.

Photo by Jeremy Daniel

Hello, Dolly! Still Has It Thanks to Betty Buckley

The show is in good hands with the legendary Betty Buckley

Photo by Julieta Cervantes

We seem to be in an era of revivals, these days. Carousel, My Fair Lady, Oklahoma! and Hello, Dolly! Have been making waves on Broadway for a few years now. Of all these recent revivals, Hello, Dolly! is the first to make it to the Twin Cities - and it was actually worth the wait.

Photo by Julieta Cervantes

I've reviewed Hello, Dolly! before (most recently the Chanhassen Dinner Theatre's fun production) and I was honestly feeling uninspired when I learned it was on this year's touring Broadway circuit. I once heard this show described as a dowager that doesn't age well, and I have often shared similar sentiments. Been there, done that... who cares?

Photo by Julieta Cervantes

So imagine my surprise, then, when I encountered a spunky, lively production that leans right into that dated material to enhance the comedic effect and find something deeper to say. Dolly Levi is still meddling in her matchmaking ways, holding people hostage and steering them towards her preferred endings; there are still sexist old white dudes and a host of highly gendered lyrics. But it's all delivered here with a wink and a smile, and the sheer joy this cast brings to their parts got the audience deeply engaged from the very beginning.

Photo by Julieta Cervantes

It doesn't hurt that Broadway legend Betty Buckley came out for this tour; a wise choice, considering Broadway attendees got to savor performances from Bette Midler and Bernadette Peters (the original cinematic Dolly was Barbra Streisand... what's up with all these B-named primadonnas starring in this show!). It was an immense pleasure to watch a theatrical legend swan around for a couple of hours, and Buckley clearly relishes every second. Her monologues were especially powerful, bringing real tears to her (and many audience members) eyes. She is deliciously foiled by Lewis Stadlen as the blustery Horace Vandergelder. Stadlen is a complete riot, a lethal stylistic blend of Nathan Lane, Tony Shalhoub and Burl Ives, and he's my favorite actor I've ever seen in that role. He had the audience roaring with laughter at the first note (not an easy feat, considering some of his solo lyrics), and watching he and Buckley spar through their scenes was an absolute delight. The rest of the cast has sunny smiles and strong singing voices, and they anchor the rest of the show so that Buckley and Stadlen can shine. It's a true group effort, and combined with Robert Billig's masterful conduction of the pit orchestra, musical lovers are sure to be delighted with the experience.

Photo by Julieta Cervantes

I found myself surprisingly engaged in the production design of this Hello, Dolly! as well. No expense was spared in the lavish sets, and this production served me all the Broadway glitz and glam that I found sorely lacking in the recent tour of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in the same theater. We have trap doors! A working steam train! Three-D, watercolor painted scrims! Easter egg dyed costumes! Luscious velvet restaurant curtains! Absolute mountains of props! It's all the OG theater stuff I grew up entranced by, and hats off to the amazing production designers for executing a fully fleshed, over the top vision that was a true feast for the senses. The choreography by David Chase deserves a special call-out - dancers are absolutely flying around this stage in rickety 1900s-era heels with nary a care, and their fearless performance added to the showstopper scenes (especially that butler scene in the Harmonia Gardens restaurant - *how gorgina*, as Jonathan Van Ness would say).

Photo by Julieta Cervantes

All of this to say, if you've seen Hello, Dolly! before, I think this traveling production is still worth a stop this weekend. If you haven't seen it yet, then this is a must-visit. You'll get to see a Broadway legend at her most fabulous and vaunted, paired with a dreamy (and equally legendary) comedic partner. The production design and dancing are likely to dazzle even the most jaded theater goer and the musical performances are no slouch either. Tickets to shows like this tend to be pricey and you don't always know if they're worth the admission. I think this is a solid bet on bang for your buck, if you like that showy Broadway kind of thing. Definitely look into it by clicking here for more information and to get tickets.

Photo by Julieta Cervantes

Review in Brief: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Is this really a world of pure imagination? 

Photo by Joan Marcus

How do you feel about Roald Dahl?

Let me back up. It seems to me that when it comes to opinions about the tenor of art marketed towards children, there are two decidedly different camps. On the Disney-fication side are those who only want positive, colorful, sanitized versions of stories. "Let the kids be kids," they might say; "protect their innocence." On the other side are the dark-hearted "realists" - the Brothers' Grimms and Roald Dahls - who say "this world is trash - kids should know that as soon as possible."

Photo by Joan Marcus

Because of this deeply split perspective, your opinion on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, now showing at the Orpheum Theater through Sunday, might vary wildly. Dahl aficionados should leave pleased at a standard presentation of one of his most beloved stories. Disney fans will likely leave disappointed at the lack of spectacle they are used to in signature stagings like Lion King or Aladdin.

Photo by Joan Marcus

Quickly for those in the dark: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory tells the story of Charlie Bucket, a young boy living in extreme poverty under the ominous shadow of a candy factory. Charlie loves chocolate - a treat he only receives once a year - and dreams of touring the factory to learn how his hero Willy Wonka makes all of his favorite treats. Unbeknownst to Charlie he meets his hero in disguise and inspires him to open his factory up to tours for children with golden tickets and a contest to win a lifetime supply of Wonka chocolate. The chance to win a golden ticket inspires a worldwide Wonka frenzy, and despite all odds Charlie gets his golden ticket to enter the contest. A number of odd (and horrifying) things happen during the factory tour, but Charlie ultimately leaves Wonka with everything he desires most.

Photo by Joan Marcus

There were a few real standouts among the cast of this show. As Charlie's mother, Amanda Rose boasts a pristine voice and winning Ellie Kemper-like quality that I found totally charming. Rueby Wood was the image of Charlie, and he steered the show with a confidence quite outside his age. James Young was a little wobbly in the vocals as Charlie's Grandpa Joe, but his sweet mannerism and blustery delivery made the character a highlight. Benjamin Howes skips Johnny Depp and heads straight to a Gene Wilder iteration of Willy Wonka, a decision that seemed to be a crowd pleaser. And something about Daniel Quadrino's cameos as Mike Teavee had me giggling in stitches throughout the show - "Chocolate Neeeeeews!" might just become my new tagline thanks to him.

Photo by Joan Marcus

To be honest, I found the production design overall a little underwhelming. I came expecting the Dahl equivalent of the Cave of Wonders, but the bulk of the production relied so heavily on projections that it almost felt like I was watching a movie with live actors. I wanted a little more of the tactile magic I've seen in other shows and the preponderance of projections felt like it stole that magic away. I realize that not everything can be Disney level, but Willy Wonka's factory is such a fantastical world - can't we do a little more to bring that magic to physical life?

Photo by Joan Marcus

I'm somewhere between the Dahl vs. Disney camps - I appreciate Dahl's perspective, but sometimes it can be a little *too* dark for me. The main reason I wanted to see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory live was to re-discover that sense of wonder in the factory; this seemed like the perfect kind of show to go really over the top. While the overall effect was successful, it didn't have that magical, lush quality that I was looking for. The audience was delighted throughout the show with the Oompa Loompas and kitschy asides, so if you're a giant fan of this story you will probably still enjoy it. There are several ear-worms among the soundtrack - "Willy Wonka," "Pure Imagination" and "If Your Father Were Here" were all standouts - that I haven't stopped humming since I left the theater. I'm glad I saw Charlie and the Chocolate Factory this time around, but I don't think I'll attend again. If you want to check it out on your own (and you should! don't take my word for it), make sure to click here for more information and to buy tickets.

Photo by Joan Marcus

Reviewed in Brief: Rock of Ages at the Orpheum

Every rose has it's thorn... 

Photo by Jeremy Daniel

And I pricked myself on a few at the touring performance of Rock of Ages last weekend.

Photo by Jeremy Daniel

The crowd was ready to rock and roll (literally) as the first shreds came off the axe on stage Friday night. The opening number for Rock of Ages was truly electric; concert floodlights beamed through the audience and the hardcore backup band really went for it. Rock of Ages was on, and the crowd couldn't have been happier.

Photo by Jeremy Daniel

Rock of Ages is basically the Mamma Mia of hair rock - many of your 1980s-era favorite earworms are loosely connected by a fabricated story attempting to make sense of the range of songs. The main difference here is that while Mamma Mia features only work by Abba (and has a decently fleshed out plot to support it), Rock of Ages hits across the spectrum of rock and roll bands - and the story is far floppier. Technically it's about a love story between two aspiring performers whose romance is interrupted by the appearance of a very famous, and very destructive, aging rock star; but the chemistry wasn't there for me, the content felt dated (especially in the era of #metoo), and overall I just wasn't buying what this show was laying down.

Photo by Jeremy Daniel

The women were the standout vocalists here; particularly Kristina Walz and Emily Croft. Sam Harvey revealed a limber voice (and some thoroughly shredded abs) as smutty rock star Stacee Jaxx, and Anthony Nuccio did a decent imitation of Stephen Tyler-screaming vocals as the lead love interest Drew. Katie LaMark infused leading lady Sherrie with far more energy than I'd have thought possible for the caricature it draws, and she sold the vintage lewks with total conviction that I had to admire. John-Michael Breen squeezed out several laughs as the narrator, Lonny, and his dirty sense of humor was welcome despite the content to keep the show feeling like it was self aware. This cast sounded better to me as an ensemble than individually, but there was some definite vocal power, especially after they got warmed up.

Photo by Jeremy Daniel

The "visual storytelling" (which I believe is a code for set design?) by David Gallo reminded me of those we typically see for Rent - gritty, grungy, and made of durable materials. As the bulk of the plot takes place in and between rock and roll clubs (think First Avenue in the Prince era), lighting and sound design (by Mike Baldassari and Cody Spencer, respectively) played a major role. In both instances it was pretty loud for me - the lights in particular could be blinding during bigger musical numbers, and the amps felt turned up about as high as they could go.

Photo by Jeremy Daniel

I have to say that overall something about Rock of Ages just felt... remiss? There was plenty of enthusiasm for the show on and off stage, but this one just wasn't for me personally. I've never preferred a Tom Cruise movie adaptation over a live performance of literally anything, but I suppose there's a first time for everything. At the end of the day though - what do I really know? Despite my lackluster reaction, this is also the only show I've seen people actually stand up to dance through at the Orpheum before the close of Act I. There were many loud cheers and hoots coming from the audience from the first chord and generally everyone else seemed to love it - so don't take my word for it. If you're a rock and roll aficionado, you may just enjoy this show. Rock of Ages is touring very briefly through the country this winter; for more information click here.