Sure, the sophisticated Stephen Sondheim tuner had only been selling tickets through January 9, 2011, anyway. But with the celebrated replacements Bernadette Peters and Elaine Stritch originally scheduled only through November 7, coupled with the revival's previous plans to close last June 20, I couldn't help but hope the producers could pull a fifth and sixth rabbit out of their stylish hat in terms of its headlining cast.
Instead, the producers announced today a hat trick of another kind. While confirming the show's closure for the second time (and presumably final) time, they simultaneously announced that Peters and Stritch have extended their contracts through the closing date of January 9.
A Little Night Music will have enjoyed a remarkable Rialto run of 425 regular performances, after first wowing the critics across the pond. Trevor Nunn's production captured my heart when I first saw it nearly two years ago in London where his vision worked exceedingly well in the Menier Chocolate Factory's thimble-sized theatre.
Having seen that incarnation and knowing what to expect with Nunn's spare staging, I wasn't at all let down in quite the way many of my colleagues were by the time the show turned up on Broadway. However, I was every bit as genuinely disappointed by Catherine Zeta-Jones's brassy performance as I was genuinely moved by Angela Lansbury. Yet when Peters and Stritch took over as replacements, I couldn't help but believe I had just witnessedthe definitive portrayal of Desiree as manifested in "Send In The Clowns."
Was this a perfect revival? Certainly not. But it surely has provided audiences with a wonderfully rare opportunity to hear some of Sondheim's very best music back on the Broadway stage. And you know what? It sure was rich.
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
Two nights ago, I had a fabulously ridiculous dream.
In it, I was seeing a Broadway show alongside The New York Times' critics Ben Brantley and Charles Isherwood, two men I've never met in person, but have certainly observed. It was a bizarre dream to be sure, especially since much like the rest of last season, I found myself disagreeing with Isherwood's assessment of the show, but agreeing with Brantley's (fortunately in this phantasm, the Gray Lady's senior critic was responsible for writing the review).
Imagine my delight upon waking to find myself agreeing with Isherwood regarding his excellent assessment of replacement casts.
In particular, I could not agree with him more that A Little Night Musicconstitutes the "must-see" production this summer. It's been positively transformed, largely on the heartstopping performance of Bernadette Peters. So transformative was her rendition of "Send In The Clowns" that you could hear a pin drop as she delivered it.
Having also seen Peters and her replacement Reba McEntire in the most recent Broadway revival of Annie Get Your Gun, I have to admit to concurring with his assessment that McEntire's performance eclipsed that of the tried-and-true Broadway Baby she replaced. I enjoyed Bernadette Peters in the title role, but the scrappy McEntire was born to play Annie Oakley. It is rather ironic that until I saw Peters as Desiree Armfeldt, Reba McEntire was my favorite Broadway replacement I ever had the thrill of seeing.
Additional props to Isherwood not only for discussing how truly disappointing the successors to Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick were in The Producers, but also for mentioning the fine replacements Jonathan Pryce and Estelle Parsons made for John Lithgow (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) and Deanna Dunagan (August: Osage County), respectively. While I thought Pryce's sophisticated delivery of the con artist Lawrence was an improvement over Lithgow, I'm convinced after beholding Dunagan perform as Violet Weston yet again last week that no one can ever quite match her bravura Tony Award-winning performance.
That goes double, by the way, for Dunagan's co-star Rondi Reed as Mattie Fae Aiken. I've witnessed two other actresses attempt making that delicious role their own. Try as they might, neither could erase my fond memory of the quintessential Mattie Fae. Coincidentally, Reed has also succeeded in winning my heart as the absolute best of the dozen or more Madame Morribles I've ever seen in Wicked.
So, dear readers, who are your favorite replacements? Or if your fabulously ridiculous dreams could come true, whom would you want to see as replacements in a current Broadway show?
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
Talk about the difference between night and, well, Night.
What was once a rare champagne in London when I first caught Trevor Nunn's effervescent little revival of A Little Night Music at the cozy Menier Chocolate Factory had merely become just an amiable sparkling wine when it finally transferred to Broadway late last year.
Fizzy and fun, to be sure, but mass market nonetheless.
All the striations of intimacy I experienced at the Menier had seemingly been dispensed with in attempts to broaden its box office appeal as widely as possible. But given last season will best be remembered as the one in which the Great White Way was overrun with Hollywood stars, it seemed to be the price we had to pay for seeing A Little Night Music back on Broadway's boards after a 35 year absence.
The revival succeeded primarily on the backbone of the indefatigable Menier holdover Alexander Hanson (who continues to astound as Frederik Egerman) and the enormous strengths of Angela Lansbury (who miraculously made fig newtons out of figs). Say what you will about Jason Carr's spare orchestrations, David Farley's simple scenic design and Hartley T. A. Kemp's dim lighting, but I believe if you have a transcendant Desiree, any issues with them fade away. But because this revival first opened with one who was not, the problematic elements seemed to take center stage.
After a brief hiatus for the show after the departure of its two previous leads, I'm happy to report that what once was figs, is now a sumptuous feast on Broadway (and yet again for those of us fortunate enough to see the Menier production). A Little Night Music's holdover cast seems immensely more assured as they've grown tremendously into their roles since the show first opened in 2009. They exude enormous confidence even if their characters do not. And that's half the battle.
But more significantly (and blessedly), the entirely intoxicating Bernadette Peters demonstrates how richly textured and sparkling Desiree Armfeldt can ... no, should .... be.
Peters offers a spellbinding master class in highly stylized nuance that is at once completely winning, enchanting and altogether shattering. As a valiant trouper and schemer who thoroughly understands that her weekend in the country may very well prove to be her last true opportunity in finding peace within herself and love in the man she's always loved, Peters' Armfeldt has every subtle shading necessary to effectively balance Desiree's lust for life with her darkest fears. After witnessing her heartwrenching rendition of "Send In The Clowns," you can't help but contemplate, "So this is how it's done."
Assuming the mantle as Desiree's mother, Madame Armfeldt, Elaine Stritch cackles a cacophany of delight and crackles with charm, even as she sometimes cracks from the untold pressure of hastily learning her lines. While her "Liaisons" could easily be dubbed liaisons and on and on, Stritch recovers well and soldiers valiantly on, managing to effectively offer her own unique and endearing interpretation of the lady who's been with kings and seen some things that a lady ought not to see. Still, you can't help but wonder if this Madame Armfeldt had considered herself a Bohemian in her own youth.
It's impossible to walk away from this newly fermented A Little Night Music without marveling at how definitively rich and absolutely ingenious Stephen Sondheim's glorious musical truly is. Finally, with a Desiree for the ages, A Little Night Music has aged into the first-rate vintage bubbly we've been thirsting for.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
Next week, this inspiring Iowa icon will turn 81. So my weekend in the country will also include a well-timed birthday celebration. And to bring the post full circle, that makes Duffy just a tad senior to Mr. Sondheim, doesn't it?!
Happy anniversary, Joe and Duffy (and happy birthday, too)!
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
The week immediately following the Tony Awards often tends to be one of transitions. Often, nominated shows and/or original cast members take their final bows.
This year is no different as the just crowned Tony-winning Best Actress in a Musical Catherine Zeta-Jones and her Tony-nominated co-star Angela Lansbury offer their final performances in A Little Night Musicthis Sunday. (Leave it to my dear friend SarahB for snaring coveted house tickets to be a part of it all.)
While A Little Night Music had previously posted its closing notice when its producers seemed to have long given up on finding suitable replacements, along came a new buzz of rumors that the ultimate dream pairing in Great White Way replacements were actually in negotiations: Broadway legends Bernadette Peters and Elaine Stritch.
Some (including me) were even swooning at the idea that they could be lured into taking over the juicy roles of Desiree and Madame Armfeldt. In particular, many were thinking Ms. Peters could finally provide the nuanced performance we'd been waiting for (click here for my SOB Review to see what I thought of the Tony winner she's replacing).
Then on June 7, theatre lovers rejoiced at the news. While the show would remain dark for three weeks commencing immediately after this Sunday's final performances by Catherine Zeta-Jones and Angela Lansbury, the musical would resume on July 13 with Bernadette Peters and Elaine Stritch. The dynamic duo are contracted through this November; however, tickets are now on sale through the first full week of 2011.
In addition to A Little Night Music, what other major shows are bringing in replacements?
Even though I wasn't a very big fan of this work, I thought Spader and Grier acquitted themselves very well, thus I find the casting of Izzard and Haysbert (in his Broadway debut) rather intriguing. But the one problemetic original cast member, Richard Thomas, somehow remains in the cast.
The big news over the last couple weeks for next to normal should have been that Alice Ripley was leaving the show for which she earned her 2009 Tony Award to tour with the production nationally and that real husband-and-wife actors Jason Danieley and Marin Mazziewill take over the roles of this show's couple beginning July 19.
Instead, a flipplant Facebook remark by Ripley rippled like an electroshock wave through the gay community. Ripley has since apologized.
When Mazzie and Danieley succeed Ripley and Brian d'Arcy James, it will be first time this married duo will ever have been in a Broadway show together. As for the once "criminally underused" d'Arcy James, he not only created next to normal's Dan Goodman Off-Broadway and came "full circle" in returning to the role as a Broadway replacement himself for J. Robert Spencer, but now he is departing to perform once again in the next show on my list.
next to normal remains an open-ended run (meaning no closing date has been posted).
Because time doesn't stand still, only three of the four original Broadway principals -- Laura Linney, Brian d'Arcy James and Eric Begosian -- will return to the production. But the fourth, Alicia Silverstone (who had also been in the world premiere mounting of the play on the West Coast) will not be joining them. She will be replaced by film actress Christina Ricci in her Broadway debut.
Time Stands Still resumes performances at the Cort on September 23 with a second opening night slated for October 7. The limited engagement is currently scheduled through January 23, 2011.
Currently, of those four shows, I already have tickets to see A Little Night Music and am contemplating a revisit to Time Stands Still. How about you? Will any of these new names lure you back to see what these replacements can do?
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
Broadway Box Office Tweets Tony Edition - Week Ending June 13, 2010
Broadway Box Office Tweets Tony Edition - Week Ending June 13, 2010
If you follow me on Twitter, you'll know that each Monday, I offer my quick analysis of each preceding week's box office on Broadway.
This past week was a particularly good one for the Great White Way as box office totals swelled by just over $2 million more than the previous week, no doubt as audiences flocked to see all the Tony nominated shows prior to Sunday night's award ceremonies.
For your viewing pleasure, here are my tweets in chronological order for the week ending June 13, 2010:
4:30 pm June 13 - WICKED/LION KING/ADDAMS FAMILY/BILLY ELLIOT/PROMISES PROMISES/JERSEY BOYS/FENCES each grossed $1 million+ last week
4:31 pm June 13 - Sold-out WICKED last week's top grossing Broadway show with $1,614,485. Average ticket price: $111.56
4:32 pm June 13 - Standing room only FENCES week's top grossing play $1,057,269 & week's highest capacity: 101.5%. Av tx priced $120.65
4:33 pm June 13 - A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC was week's highest priced ticket. Av price: $122.26. Grosses $911,429 on 100.1% capacity
4:34 pm June 13 - COLLECTED STORIES had last week's lowest gross: $117,408 & last week's lowest av tix priced: $30.55 (73.9% capacity)
4:35 pm June 13 - RACE had last week's lowest capacity of 59.1% grossing $358,328 & average tickets priced $71.64.
4:36 pm June 13 - AMERICAN IDIOT had biggest increase in capacity. Up 20.5% to 73.3%. Grosses w/av tix priced $86,66
4:37 pm June 13 - EVERYDAY RAPTURE & FENCES had week's "biggest" capacity drop of .1% & .2% respectively. Every other show gained
4:38 pm June 13 - WICKED stayed steady in 100% capacity week over week. They don't sell standing room only tickets
4:39 pm June 13 - Overall, Broadway box office was up 9.14% week over week. Grosses up more than $2 million to $21,958,013
6:14 pm June 13 - NEXT FALL producer Richard Willis hopes to keep show open through summer despite no Tony wins & low box office demand
Feel free to comment and let me know if you're surprised by any of these results.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
During the 2009-10 Theatrical Season, I've had the opportunity to see over 80 performances of a wide range of new and revived musicals and plays, as well as other theatrical events.
This year's musical revivals were, on the whole, better -- if only marginally -- than the season's new musicals, but there were some major misfires among them. Yet there were some real gems I was fortunate enough to see.
So, without further ado, here is my list of the "5 Best Musical Revivals" over the 12 months ending April 30, 2010:
5 -Ragtime (Neil Simon Theatre, New York City, New York)
Few musicals have captured the shifting American landscape inherently contained at the dawn of the 20th Century as powerfully as Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens' underappreciated heartfelt musical Ragtime.
In Marcia Milgrom Dodge's genuinely moving yet short-lived new revival, Christiane Noll imbued her Mother with grace, dignity and substance. She was complemented by Bobby Steggert's brilliant performance as her younger brother.
Yes, Trevor Nunn's revival of Stephen Sondheim's glorious A Little Night Music was at the top of my list last year, but since the Broadway production feels so different, I'm judging this incarnation on its own. While this nearly replicated staging of the London work hardly fills the stage and could have -- should have -- been scaled appropriately upward, it mostly works because of the splendid score and ingenious storyline.
While the incandescent Catherine Zeta-Jones' megawatt star power certainly lights up the stage, albeit with a similarly forced "I'll prove to them I'm up to the challenge" moxie she demonstrated in "Chicago," it's Angela Lansbury (Madame Armfeldt) who commands the stage every time she's on it. It's pure bliss to see her return to Broadway in a musical role, and it's more than enough to land the revival on my list.
Sure, the tale is as old as time. But St. Paul's Ordway made Disney's Beauty And The Beast revival seem like new again. In a surprising delight, Robert Johanson's incredibly fresh and fully-realized revival was stunning with spirited acting, boisterous singing and rousing choreography.
Jeremiah James brought exceptional depth to the role of the Beast, humanizing him with tremendous skill. The comedic triple threat Jonathan Burgard succeeded in stealing practically every scene by adding real muscle to his Gaston. They helped make this Beauty And The Beast offering a feast for the eyes to behold.
Revived with unmistakable sparkle, however tarnished, by director Terry Johnson, this downsized La Cage Aux Follesis what it is. It's a solid period piece populated with men who may dress in drag, but have more guts, ironically enough, in coming to terms with who they are than their less flamboyant counterparts.
Harvey Fierstein's book and Jerry Herman's glorious tunes get to the heart of how any relationship, gay or straight, endures. And as performed by Kelsey Grammer (Georges) and Douglas Hodge (Albin), it's not only deeply moving, it's practically heartbreaking. Hodge in particular scores with his defiantly scorching rendition of "I Am What I Am."
1 - The Full Monty (McKnight Theatre, Theatre Latté Da, Ordway Center For The Performing Arts, St. Paul, Minnesota)
Last fall, I offered just two words to my dear readers: "Drop everything" to get to St. Paul to see The Full Monty.In one of those rarest of rarities, Theater Latté Da's excellent and thoroughly enjoyable production was actually much better than the Broadway original.
Under Peter Rothstein's exceptional, confident direction, Terrence McNally's book and David Yazbek's underrated score became even more salient, all the more gripping and certainly more entertaining today.
Rothstein's direction was a marvel unto itself. In what was his best production yet, he stripped The Full Monty down to its grittiest, barest essentials and dressed it up with one of the best ensembles I saw anywhere this past year. No wonder so many Minnesotans shook their money-makers over to the Ordway to catch this sexy, fun and uplifting Full Monty.
So what were the best new revivals of musicals you saw over the past year? I invite you to join the conversation by sharing your theatre experiences with me.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
Broadway Box Office Tweets - Week Ending May 31, 2010
If you follow me on Twitter, you'll know that each Monday, I offer my quick analysis of each preceding week's box office on Broadway. Because of the Memorial Day holiday, we had to wait until today to get our fix.
For your viewing pleasure, here are my tweets in chronological order for the week ending May 31, 2010:
3:26 pm June 2 - Last week's Broadway box office was down 2.17% from last week. Total gross was $22,320,549. Average tix priced $80.51
3:27 pm June 2 - WICKED, LION KING, ADDAMS FAMILY, BILLY ELLIOT,PROMISES PROMISES, JERSEY BOYS, FENCES each gross $1 million+ last week
3:28 pm June 2 - Sold-out WICKED Broadway's top grossing show last week pulling in $1,570,390. Average ticket priced $108.51
3:29 pm June 2 - With week's highest capacity (101.6%) FENCES gains momentum as top grossing play $1,002,741.Average tix priced $114.32
3:30 pm June 2 - A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC boasts last week's highest average ticket price of $115.52. Grosses $795,273 on 92.4% capacity
3:31 pm June 2 - COLLECTED STORIES had 2 of bottom 3.Lowest grossing show of week $134,885/lowest av tix priced $42.18. 61.5% capacity
3:32 pm June 2 - RACE had week's lowest capacity at just 48.7% down 4.3% from last week. Grossed $308,931. Average ticket price $74.89
3:34 pm June 2 - It must be tourist season, as PHANTOM OF THE OPERA had week's top capacity increase of 81.% to 94.3%. Grosses $923,158
3:37 pm June 2 - COME FLY AWAY had week's largest capacity drop: 11.7% to 57.4%.Grossed $713,653 with av tix priced $96.44
3:39 pm June 2 - ADDAMS FAMILY still strong with steady box office gross of $1,307,046. Average ticket price $112.52 w/ 95.6% capacity
Feel free to comment and let me know if you're surprised by any of these results.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
Broadway Box Office Tweets - Week Ending May 23, 2010
If you follow me on Twitter, you'll know that each Monday, I offer my quick analysis of each preceding week's box office on Broadway.
For your viewing pleasure, here are my tweets in chronological order for the week ending May 23, 2010:
4:40 pm May 23rd - WICKED, LION KING, ADDAMS FAMILY, PROMISES PROMISES, BILLY ELLIOT, JERSEY BOYS all have million $ weeks on Broadway
4:41 pm May 23rd - Sold-out WICKED is once again Broadway's top grossing show last week with $1,576,010. Average ticket price is $108.90
4:43 pm May 23rd - FENCES once again Broadway's top grossing play w/$985,577. Also week's highest capacity: 101.7%. Av tix priced $112.30
4:44 pm May 23rd - Week's highest average ticket price: $115.67 for A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC. Show grossed $751,745 on just 87.3% capacity
4:46 pm May 23rd - NEXT FALL was Broadway's lowest grossing show last week: $150,982. Capacity just 54.3%. Average ticket price: $59.05
4:47 pm May 23rd - HAIR had Broadway's lowest capacity last week: 51%. Grossed $407,172 with average ticket price of $70.71
4:49 pm May 23rdh - Broadway's cheapest ticket last week was COLLECTED STORIES' $45.79. Grossed only $156,680 on 65.8% capacity.
4:50 pm May 23rd - Snap! ADDAMS FAMILY gets last laugh as box office increases to $1,312,216 gross. Av tix priced $109.79/98.4% capacity
4:53 pm May 23rd - CHICAGO has Broadway's biggest capacity increase of week: 13.5% to 89%. Grosses $597,460. Average ticket price: $77.72
4:55 pm May 23rd - HAIR has Broadway's biggest capacity decline last week of 10% to 51%. But gross increases from $401,681 to $407,172
4:57 pm May 23rd - With several weak weeks in a row, could HAIR be showing danger signs exhibited by most Broadway fare before they announce closings?
Feel free to comment and let me know if you're surprised by any of these results.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
Broadway Box Office Tweets- Week Ending May 16, 2010
If you follow me on Twitter, you'll know that each Monday, I offer my quick analysis of each preceding week's box office on Broadway.
For your viewing pleasure, here are my tweets in chronological order for the week ending May 16, 2010:
3:40 pm May 16th - WICKED, LION KING, ADDAMS FAMILY, PROMISES PROMISES, BILLY ELLIOT, JERSEY BOYS all earned $1 million+ last week
3:41 pm May 16th - Sold-out WICKED was Broadway's top earning show last week again with $1,549,754 and average ticket price of $107.09
3:42 pm May 16th - FENCES swung for second $1 million week and missed by a hair. Show still top earning Broadway play with $992,252
3:43 pm May 16th - FENCES attracted week's highest capacity on Broadway of 101.7% with average tickets selling for $113.01
3:45 pm May 16th - Broadway's top average ticket price last week was for LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC: $115.37.Show earned $821,698. 95.6% capacity
3:47 pm May 16th - Broadway's lowest earner last week was NEXT FALL: taking in just $152,021. Capacity at 52.8%. Av tix priced: $61.10
3:49 pm May 16th - GOD OF CARNAGE had last week's lowest capacity of just 51.9%. Show earned $292,793 with average tickets priced $65.37
3:50 pm May 16th - EVERYDAY RAPTURE may have had last week's lowest average ticket price-$49.19-but earned $206,516 on 70.9% capacity
3:52 pm May 16th - MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET looks almost like 1/2 million w/ week's top capacity increase of 8.3% to 57.7%. Earned $462,545
3:54 pm May 16th - HAIR had week's biggest capacity drop of 6.9% to 61%. Earned $401,681, which was up from last week.
3:55 pm May 16th - Despite critics, ADDAMS FAMILY & PROMISES PROMISES improve at box office by $20K and $43K respectively.
Feel free to comment and let me know if you're surprised by any of these results.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
Well, not quite like this. Be careful what you wish for.
This nearly replicated staging, which worked extraordinarily well in that tiny black box in London, hardly fills the stage of the Walter Kerr. While the show is still good and very much worth seeing, the quaintness across the pond could have -- should have -- been scaled appropriately upward from enhanced orchestrations (Jason Carr) to set design (David Farley) in order to fit its new venue with the luster it deserves.
What I had really wished was that the Broadway transfer would bring with it Hannah Waddingham as Desiree and Maureen Lipman as her mother Madame Armfeldt. Instead, the only actor who has made the journey across the pond is Alexander Hanson, whose exceptional rendering of Desiree's one-time love is as tender and heartfelt as ever.
As truly enchanting as the initial Menier incarnation was, what made it all the lovelier was its superb cast headlined by Waddingham. While the incandescent Catherine Zeta-Jones doesn't hold a candle to Waddingham's nuanced portrayal, her megawatt star power does light up the stage, albeit with a similarly forced "I'll prove to them I'm up to the challenge" moxie she demonstrated in "Chicago." You can't help but admire her for trying, but subtlety is not one of her strongest suits.
Fortunately, the replacement of Lipman with Angela Lansbury works infinitely better. While Hugh Wheeler's book relegates Madame Armfeldt to a wheelchair, Lansbury commands the stage every time she's on it, whether in song or in her humor-filled chiding. It's pure bliss to see her return to Broadway in a musical role.
Then there's the splendid music. While not fully orchestrated for ultimate impact, Sondheim's score must be among his most beautiful. Coupled with Wheeler's ingenious storyline, it is what really makes this Broadway revival sing, even if not nearly as rhapsodically as it did in London.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
SOB's Favorite Shows Of The Noughties: #10 - A Little Night Music
SOB's Favorite Shows Of The Noughties: #10 - A Little Night Music (2008, Menier Chocolate Factory, London, United Kingdom)
Introduction: Hard as it is to comprehend that we're already 119 months into this "new" millennium, we are fast approaching the end of its first decade. While we have yet to agree on what exactly we should call the '00s, I'll take a cue from the fine folks at The Times of London and the BBC and henceforth refer to them at the Noughties. With that small introduction, I'm pleased to present my list of plays and musicals that wowed me the most during that time. Out of the hundreds and hundreds of shows I've seen over the last ten years, I give you my countdown of my 25 personal favorite shows of the Noughties.
Wasn't this rich?! Who would have thought that a show staged in a style so deceptively simple could be so sublime, not to mention utterly romantic. Rich, indeed.
Now, if you're not a romantic at heart, you need not have bothered. But for the rest of us, there was the pure heaven found in Trevor Nunn's gorgeous revival of A Little Night Music. It enveloped every one of my senses like a welcome salve for these troubled times. Only a heart of stone could not be moved by Stephen Sondheim's ravishing score and Hugh Wheeler's über-clever book.
Thanks to Nunn's deft and gentle touch, this tale of requited love in turn-of-the-20th-Century Sweden felt timeless, transcending all expectations. It made me feel a twinge in my heart and left a tear in my eye. While I have not yet seen the current Broadway transfer (I will do so in January), the intimacy of the tiny Menier made this a revival utterly unmissable on both sides of the Atlantic.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post. I paid my own way for this performance.
In my subsequent SOB Review, I waxed rhapsodic in my praise:
Isn't it rich?!
Who would have thought that a show staged in a style so deceptively simple could be so sublime, not to mention utterly romantic. Rich, indeed.
Now, if you're not a romantic at heart, you need not bother. But for the rest of us, Trevor Nunn's gorgeous revival of A Little Night Music is pure heaven.
So smitten was I that I closed my review rather wistfully:
There's little doubt that the bewitching allure of this excellent revival will follow other Menier productions to the West End, but how about to Broadway?
Well, maybe next year ... or so we can hope!
A little more than two months later, it was announced that the revival would indeed transfer to a West End berth. Then, just two months ago, came confirmation that the musical would be produced on Broadway with Catherine Zeta-Jones making her Great White Way debut in the coveted role of Desiree Armfeldt alongside Angela Lansbury as her mother, Madame Armfeldt.
Now, finally, we're but 24 hours away from the first preview and I know I'm not alone in anxiously awaiting my turn to see it fresh on the Main Stem after a long absence of more than 35 years.
Welcome back, A Little Night Music! This Thanksgiving, we're giving thanks that you're back on Broadway.
United States unemployment has climbed to 9.8% and rising. Experts say the real unemployment rate is significantly higher due to the number who are now chronically unemployed.
Consumer credit plummeted another $12 billion in August as part of the longest series of declines since 1991.
Consumer confidence slid back to just 53.1% last month, no doubt thanks in part to diminishing pay raises. While this year's median pay raise was a paltry 2%, I know more people who received no increase whatsoever this year and aren't expecting one next year.
To quote Superior Donuts' Arthur Przybyszewski, "It's ugly out there." And to place a twist on the response from the play's Lady Boyle, we're not even talking about the weather.
Now, if there is a "bright" side, the Consumer Price Index through September actually decreased by 1.5% year over year, helping ease some inflationary fears. No doubt reacting to the challenging economy, New York City hotel rates dropped by 30% due largely to a drop in travelers.
Yet, right in the heart of Manhattan in that midtown fantastical section -- surrounded, yet unaffected by reality -- known as Broadway, 28 shows are currently treading the boards with several more slated to begin previews over the next few weeks. Never mind that just last December, everyone -- including, regretfully, yours truly -- was engaged in a feeding frenzy, stoking the fear that the recession was spelling the death knell for the Great White Way. Sure, 13 shows closed in January, but many had long since passed their freshness dates, while others were already slated to close before the onslaught of what are traditionally the toughest, coldest months of the year.
Now with over 30 Rialto shows from which to choose by month's end and ticket prices going up, not down, Broadway producers appear out of sync with economic realities. Never mind that Wall Street is miles apart from Main Street, it's the Main Stem that seems to be living on another planet.
How else do you explain how a spare import like A Little Night Music, which I caught during its initial Menier Chocolate Factory run in London for the equivalent of $30, is now selling rear mezzanine seats for $102 and premium seats for $375?! Sure it has the legendary Angela Lansbury and Oscar winner Catherine Zeta-Jones, but the extraordinary ticket pricing smacks of pure greed. No wonder Kevin Daly of Theatre Aficionado At Large dubbed the incoming revival as "A Little Price Gouging."
This is exactly the time, when things are falling apart, when the economy is bad, it's the time to drop ticket prices, it's the time to create free nights, it's the time to figure out how to produce even though the economics say "don't produce."
Sure the overall dollar volume earned on Broadway during the 2008-09 Theatrical Season increased from $937.5 million to $943.3 million, but the overall attendance dropped from 12.27 million to 12.15 million meaning the remaining theatregoers are paying more than ever before.
Certainly these numbers are likely to continue moving in the same direction in the short run. However, in the long-term with the economy continuing to sputter, and more potential theatregoers watching their every penny out of fear that they could be the next to lose their jobs, the returns can't help but diminish.
What's the end result? Broadway becomes another vestige of the elite. Some would argue it's already become that. Others would argue, "It's the economy, stupid." I hope those latter voices are heard before it's too late.
Today, at long last and after what seems like months of endless speculation came confirmation that what is arguably Stephen Sondheim's greatest lifetime triumph -- A Little Night Music -- is finally coming back to Broadway after a long overdue 35 year absence.
I'm truly not sure what is more remarkable about this Trevor Nunn-helmed import from London.
On the one hand, you have Academy Award-winning actress Catherine Zeta-Jones making her Broadway debut in the coveted role of Desiree Armfeldt. While a Rialto novice, a very young Zeta-Jones made her West End debut in Annie. She also appeared in the London production of 42nd Street-- incredibly, she was cast in the leading role of Peggy Sawyer after both the regular actress and understudy already filling the part fell ill! The rest, as they say, is history. After wowing us as Velma Kelly in the film production of "Chicago," Zeta-Jones indicated shortly thereafter that she would someday love to tackle a musical on Broadway. That day is soon to come.
On the other hand -- and this is a mighty huge hand -- you have the legendary Angela Lansbury. The beloved five-time Tony-winning veteran of 11 Great White Way shows over the last 52 years is defying all odds by agreeing once more to one last crack at a Main Stem stage. This time, she'll be portraying Madame Armfeldt. Could it be that she'll earn her sixth Tony?
Also particularly noteworthy is that this production marks only the very first time A Little Night Music will have been revived on Broadway. Hard to believe for a musical that inspires swoons from virtually all comers who have ever seen it performed.
Regular readers will note that even I was swept away. After seeing Nunn's earliest incarnation of A Little Night Music in London last November, I summed up my rapturous SOB Review by pining:
There's little doubt that the bewitching allure of this excellent revival will follow other Menier productions to the West End, but how about to Broadway?
Well, maybe next year ... or so we can hope!
According to the announcement made today, my complete wish is coming true. A Little Night Music will begin previews at the Walter Kerr Theatre on November 24. Opening night is currently scheduled for December 13.
While complete casting has not been announced, we do know that Alexander Hanson will reprise his London role as Fredrik Egerman. Lansbury, Zeta-Jones and Hanson will be joined by Erin Davie (Countess Charlotte Malcolm), Hunter Ryan Herdlicka (Henry Egerman), Leigh Ann Larkin (Petra), Aaron Lazar (Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm) and Ramona Mallory (Anne Egerman).
The first Broadway production of A Little Night Music was directed by the great Harold Prince. The musical opened February 25, 1973, at the Shubert Theatre. Not only would the show earn a whopping 12 Tony Award nominations, but it would reap of six of the top honors including Best Musical, Best Original Score (Sondheim), Best Book of a Musical (Hugh Wheeler), Best Actress in a Musical (Glynis Johns), Best Featured Actress in a Musical (Patricia Elliott) and Best Costume Design (Florence Klotz - a Tony that I have had the thrill of holding myself).
Just seven months after first opening, the tuner transferred to Broadway's Majestic Theatre, where it played until August 3, 1974. All totaled, A Little Night Music enjoyed 601 regular performances on the Great White Way.
While I for one would have loved to have seen both Hannah Waddingham and Maureen Lipman recreate their roles from the London stage, you can bet that as the casting of Zeta-Jones and Lansbury will make this one of Broadway's most sought-after tickets of the year, I will be cueing up enthusiastically. To put it simply -- I can't wait.
Now, before I launch into which Broadway shows would get my Tony vote if I couldactually vote and my own prognostications on who will win, here’s how the best of the best rank in my personal countdown of the “10 Best” theatrical productions I saw over the course of the 2008-09 Theatrical Season:
Top 10 Worthiness:9 To 5 wins by being so thoroughly and consistently entertaining. Not only exceedingly fun and funny, but Dolly Parton has delivered one of this season's most melodic scores, with plenty of tunes to keep you humming long after departing the theatre. You'd be hard pressed not to revel in 9 To 5's frivolity.
9 - The Cripple Of Inishmaan Venue: Linda Gross Theater, Atlantic Theater Company, New York, New York
Top 10 Worthiness:Martin McDonagh's The Cripple Of Inishmaan crackled with wit and pathos. With frequent McDonagh collaborator Garry Hynes at the helm, the playwright intrigues with his surprising compassion for humanity.
Exceptional Standout Performances: Excellent ensemble, but special nods to Aaron Monaghan and David Pearce.
Status: Closed after enjoying extended limited run.
Top 10 Worthiness: With a fierce, electrifying direction from Michael Greif, Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt’s next to normal is nothing if not atypical for Great White Way musical fare. But in tackling mental illness and its continued social stigma head-on, next to normal marks a welcome if downright shocking departure for Broadway.
Venue: Max Theatre, Signature, Arlington, Virginia
Top 10 Worthiness: John Kander and the late Fred Ebb's spellbinding "new" musical The Visit read like a who's who of the stage, including Terrence McNally with his shrewdly clever book, Ann Reinking for her captivating choreography and fine direction from Frank Galati. Kander & Ebb's score proved a formidible co-star.
Venue: Ethel Barrymore Theatre, New York, New York
Top 10 Worthiness: When David Mamet's good, he's just about as stimulating and entertaining as any playwright can be. He's the real deal. In Neil Pepe's astounding and absorbing revival of Mamet's gutbusting Speed-The-Plow, this is almost as good as it gets.
Top 10 Worthiness:Michael Grandage's West End revival of Anton Chekhov's Ivanov was so vibrant and alive with pleasure, brimming with dark humor throughout, that I found myself completely rapt with attention. With excellent new adaptation from Tom Stoppard, Ivanov was both entertaining and enlightening, soaring with one of the year's best ensembles on either side of the Atlantic.
Top 10 Worthiness: Tracy Letts' profoundly moving new play Superior Donuts intelligently combats some urban myths about race and feels genuine, gritty and real, right down to its climactic brawl. There's plenty of humanity and heart to be found deep inside of this thoughtful and entertaining play.
Venue: Menier Chocolate Factory, London, United Kingdom
Top 10 Worthiness: There's pure heaven found in Trevor Nunn's gorgeous London revival of A Little Night Music. It enveloped every one of my senses like a welcome salve for these troubled times. Transcending all expectations, only a heart of stone could not be moved by Stephen Sondheim's ravishing score and Hugh Wheeler's über-clever book.
Top 10 Worthiness: Thornton Wilder’s classic stage drama Our Town has never looked better. Stripped down to its bare essentials by director David Cromer, it's hard to imagine live theatre could get anymore intimate than this. Making the case against living in the past, this mind-blowing production simply can’t be missed.
Status: Limited run scheduled through September 27, 2009.
Venue: The Circle in the Square Theatre, New York, New York
Top 10 Worthiness: Alan Ayckbourn's uproariously hilarious The Norman Conquests cuts with remarkable, exacting precision, but it also slices and dices its six fully-rounded characters in this jujitsu of love. Matthew Warchus' brilliant direction of each installment makes each story accessible and comprehensible in its own right. Yet it's only after seeing all three that all the complex pieces truly come together as an unequivocal masterpiece. This is the best show I've seen all year anywhere.
Rain: A Tribute To The Beatles Limited run extended through May 31, 2011 (Show will go on hiatus starting January 15 and reopen at Brooks Atkinson Theatre on February 8)
Rock Of Ages - Open-ended run (Show will go on hiatus starting January 9 and reopen at Helen Hayes Theatre in March)
As someone who has been involved in both politics and public relations, it's no wonder I love watching theatre. Good or bad, it's the raw energy of seeing a live performance that gets my adrenaline pumping. From the moment I saw my very first Broadway show ("Annie" in London in 1979), I was hooked. Now I see as many as 70 shows each year ranging from soaring musicals to two-hander plays. And these eyes just may be in an audience near you!
A Little Less Night Music Come January
Sure, the sophisticated Stephen Sondheim tuner had only been selling tickets through January 9, 2011, anyway. But with the celebrated replacements Bernadette Peters and Elaine Stritch originally scheduled only through November 7, coupled with the revival's previous plans to close last June 20, I couldn't help but hope the producers could pull a fifth and sixth rabbit out of their stylish hat in terms of its headlining cast.
Race
next to normal
