Sondheim On Sondheim (The SOB Review) - Studio 54, Roundabout Theatre Company, New York City, New York
**1/2 (out of ****)Veritably playing into the hands of the would-be gift-giver in search of the perfect present for the ultimate
Stephen Sondheim fan,
Sondheim On Sondheim works as a mixed blessing for everyone else.
Now, let me be absolutely clear.
I've long since become a Sondheim-phile. I adore Sondheim. I cherish his music. I've actively sought out his works, including many of the lesser performed ones. Shortly before his 80th birthday, I even had an opportunity to meet him and then listen to him answer countless questions to further illuminate his creative process. In short, I revere him as one of the most intelligent, thoughtful and witty composers in the history of musical theatre. This genius we know as Stephen Sondheim is certainly nothing short of a living treasure.
And there's much to love and admire about this often hagiographic tribute revue, which was conceived and directed by one of Sondheim's frequent collaborators,
James Lapine. For starters, compliments of
Peter Flaherty's continuously unfolding projection design, Sondheim himself lords over the festivities with a banquet of anecodotes, along with a plethora of individuals trying to sing "Send In The Clowns" with varying success captured on YouTube. Yet I learned more about Sondheim during that aforementioned live Q&A than I did via the video snippets.
This revue does offer tremendous insights into how some of his songs made it into the final works, and how many -- shared here for the first time on Broadway -- did not. One of my favorite moments came as the precursors to
Company's "Being Alive" demonstrated a captivating progression of creative thought from "Multitude of Amys" to "Happily Ever After" to that ultimate song to perfectly underscore Bobby's journey throughout the show. And to hear "Being Alive" delivered so gloriously by
Norm Lewis was icing on the cake.
All in all,
Sondheim On Sondheim carries eight tunes that never made it into the shows for which they were originally written. While it's lovely to hear anything Sondheim has composed (and I ate it up), it becomes resoundingly evident why many of them weren't used.
Then there are the great -- and, alas, not so great performances -- themselves spanning nineteen of his shows.
In addition to Lewis, it was thrilling to finally see the great
Barbara Cook perform live (even if the teleprompter hanging off the mezzannine turned on each time she took to the stage); she's still in remarkable voice.
Euan Morton and
Leslie Kritzer's vignettes from
Merrily We Roll Along not only made the best case for a full Broadway revival, but their very public audition should also serve to significantly increase their chances to be cast in it. And a ceremoniously frockless Vanessa Williams added radiance and the most sass since she was defrocked unceremoniously a quarter century ago.
Unfortunately, missteps include the usually reliable
Tom Wopat being assigned "Epiphany" from
Sweeney Todd; whether it was the song choice or his performance, it just didn't work. The same goes for
Erin Mackey and
Matthew Scott; they're fine singers, but both seemed out of their element throughout the show and detracted more than they added.
Still,
Sondheim On Sondheim ranks as one of those shows I would not -- make that
could not -- have missed. Overall, it's a nice tribute, but it pales in comparison to actually seeing one of his exceptional works.
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.Labels: Barbara Cook, Broadway, Euan Morton, James Lapine, Leslie Kritzer, Musical, Norm Lewis, Revue, Sondheim On Sonheim, Stephen Sondheim, The SOB Review, Tom Wopat
SOB's Best Of 2007-08: Best Special Theatrical EventsIn addition to all musicals and plays I've taken in during the 2007-08 Theatrical Season, there are a number of concerts, readings, individual performances and spectacular stagings that defied narrowly-defined categories. Since the Tony Awards define those types of shows as "Special Theatrical Events" (even though there are no nominees in that category this year), I do the same.
In my personal "5 Best" list of the greatest special theatrical events of the past year, you'll notice a vast and eclectic array of acclaimed talent and showmanship. Here's the list:
5 - Radio City Christmas Spectacular (Radio City Music Hall, New York, NY)
Unapologetically celebrating the true meaning of Christmas, the
Radio City Christmas Spectacular practically dared the kid-at-heart in everyone to come out. Celebrating its 75th anniversary in style, the
Radio City Christmas Spectacular offered a dazzling 90-minute variety show that simply refused to slow down. With one old-fashioned magical moment after another, it managed to make me feel like a kid again, and was a welcome respite from the nasty scrooges one long New York block away responsible for keeping the stagehands strike going. At the famed music hall, however, it was peace on earth and jingle all the way.
4 - Jon Stewart (Orpheum Theatre, Minneapolis, MN)
He may be America's premier purveyor of "fake" news, but comedian
Jon Stewart and his uniformly funny stand-up routine were 100% genuine and clearly from the heart. Stewart delivered an authentic 95-minute performance with incredible humanity and compassion. In essence, he has become a de facto "Every Man" for our 21st Century. Stewart wisely used his stage performance to burnish his growing reputation as America's most articulate, thoughtful and stimulating humorist since the days of
Will Rogers. With a certifiably hopeful eye on the future, Stewart's routine made me stand up... and cheer.
3 - Maria Friedman: Re-arranged (Menier Chocolate Factory, London, United Kingdom)
The British have their own national treasure in
Maria Friedman, an amazing pillar of fortitude and grace. Headlining her own triumphant show
Maria Friedman: Re-arranged, the actress/singer provided a series of fully-realized vignettes, masterfully telling complete stories through her expressive eyes and beautiful voice. The remarkable fervent clarity with which Friedman comported herself on each and every song left me on quite an emotional high.
2 -Euan Morton: Here And Now (The Oak Room, The Algonquin Hotel, New York, NY)
The incredible musical instrument known as
Euan Morton took to
The Algonquin Hotel's intimate
Oak Room Cabaret for a brief cabaret stint giving smart New Yorkers (and others) a first hand opportunity to be charmed by this delightful golden-throated tenor. In his Oak Room appearance, he effortlessly belted out tune after tune, reaching every note with incredible ease and precision. Morton offered an eclectic mix that flowed perfectly, whether he was breathing new life into gorgeous old standards like
George Gershwin's classic "Someone To Watch Over Me" or offering his own fresh interpretations on more contemporary tunes like
Roy Orbison's giddily romantic "You Got It," and
Paul Simon's haunting "American Tune." Morton displayed a healthy dose of self-effacing humor, along with friendly and witty repartee with his audience. His performance brought a huge smile to my face.
1 - The Beatles Love (Love Theatre, Mirage, Las Vegas, NV)Although it had premiered one year before I saw it, the excellent
The Beatles Love was more than worth the wait. Talk about a mind-blowing, sensory overload event that more than effectively serves as the ultimate showcase for the catalogue of
The Beatles. Barely settling down long enough to let you catch your breath, the Fab Four's tunes are magically brought to life, incorporating the themes and emotions behind each one. I was entranced throughout the entire production, but renditions of "Rock And Roll Run," "Help" and "Revolution" certainly epitomize who these four lads from Liverpool were and what they came to represent. This was by far the best
Cirque du Soleil production I have yet to witness. And for that, it not only rates as the best special theatrical event I've seen all year, it's in a class all by itself -- it's the only reason why I want to return to Vegas.
What were the best special theatrical events 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).
Related Stories:The SOB Five "Worst" Of 2007-08 (May 23, 2008)
SOB's Best & Worst Of 2007-08 Theatre Season (May 22, 2008)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Top Ten Of The Year (June 4, 2007)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best New Musicals (May 22, 2007)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best New Plays (May 21, 2007)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best Revivals Of Musicals (May 18, 2007)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best Revivals Of Plays (May 16, 2007)
The SOB Five "Worst" Of 2006-07 (May 14, 2007)
SOB's Best & Worst Of 2006-07 Theatre Season (May 14, 2007)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #1 - Theater Of The New Ear (May 30, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #2 – Guys And Dolls (May 26, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #3 – Hedda Gabler (May 25, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #4 – A Blameless Life (May 24, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #5 – Reeling (May 23, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #6 – “MASTER HAROLD”…And The Boys (May 21, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #7 – Love Song (May 19, 2006)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #8 - Billy Elliot The Musical (May 18, 2006)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #9 - The Well-Appointed Room (May 17, 2006)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #10 - Sweeney Todd (May 15, 2006)
SOB's Best and Worst of 2005-06 Theatre Season (May 12, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2004-05 (May 26, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2003-04 (May 25, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2002-03 (May 25, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2001-02 (May 24, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2000-01 (May 23, 2006)
Labels: Euan Morton, Jon Stewart, Maria Friedman, Maria Friedman: Re-Arranged, Radio City Christmas Spectacular, SOB's Best Special Theatrical Events, The Beatles Love
Euan Morton: Here And Now (The SOB Review) - The Oak Room, The Algonquin Hotel, New York, NY**** (out of ****)Nearly six long years after first being introduced to the incredible musical instrument known as
Euan Morton, I finally had an opportunity to hear one of the stage's single, most beautiful male singing voices live yet again.
Back in the summer of 2002, I was fortunate to take in the original London production of
Taboo.
Having been an early fan of 80s pop band
Culture Club, I was drawn to the show with a promise of seeing
Boy George O'Dowd himself perform as performance artist
Leigh Bowery alongside his very own doppelgänger -- a younger version of himself, portrayed by a then-unknown Scottish double-threat named Euan Morton.
While I went in for Boy George, I came out a fan of the gifted young singer/actor, not only because he effectively became his character, but especially because of that voice, that sweetly angelic voice. He simply blew me away.
Thanks in part to all the negative publicity over the ill-fated Broadway mounting of
Taboo, I opted to count my blessings for having seen the much better received (and by most accounts, better
period) production in the West End and thus skipped the stateside version. The downside to that decision was that with the exception of Morton's 2004 benefit concert appearance in
Hair, there have been absolutely no other opportunities to see this amazing talent sing again on Broadway.
It was a bit of a consolation that Euan Morton eventually hit the Main Stem boards again in last fall's terrific production of
Cyrano de Bergerac in which he took on the dual roles of Lignière and Théophraste Renaudot. While Morton further burnished his solid acting credentials, there was no chance of hearing his dulcet tones.
Thankfully, the fine folks at
The Algonquin Hotel have been savvy enough to bring him into their intimate
Oak Room Cabaret for a
brief weekend stint during the month of March. It gave smart New Yorkers (and others) a first hand look at and listen to how charming and delightful this golden throated tenor truly is. In his Oak Room appearance, he effortlessly belted out tune after tune, reaching every note with incredible ease and precision.
And mind you, it wasn't just a rehash of showtunes. No, Morton offered an eclectic mix that flowed perfectly, whether he was breathing new life into gorgeous old standards like
George Gershwin's classic "Someone To Watch Over Me" or offering his own fresh interpretations on more contemporary tunes like
Roy Orbison's giddily romantic "You Got It," and
Paul Simon's haunting "American Tune" -- a song that has long since been among my all-time personal favorites.
Speaking of haunting, it seemed as though the ghost of
Dorothy Parker herself was trying to interfere with Morton's act as the piano reverberated strangely. Without losing his composure, Morton displayed a healthy dose self-effacing humor, along with friendly and witty repartee with his audience. It's no wonder he is such a consummate performer. It's also no small wonder big names like
Alan Cumming and
Raúl Esparza showed up the same night I was there to applaud his work.
And I was certainly applauding as well, not to mention taking heart that Euan Morton is excited about participating in a workshop for what could very well be one of his next stage musicals -- a bio in which he portrays the legendary
Charlie Chaplin. So it was apropos that one of the final tunes he performed was a heartwrenching rendition of Chaplin's "Smile."
Despite the tears in my eyes, it sure brought a huge smile to my face.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Cabaret Act, Euan Morton, Here And Now, New York City, Off-Broadway, Taboo, The SOB Review
Cyrano Critics Offer Thumbs Down By A NoseCritics were decidedly mixed on the merits of reviving
Cyrano de Bergerac for the twelfth time on Broadway. Under
David Leveaux's direction,
Edmond Rostand's classic opened last night at the
Richard Rodgers Theatre and stars
Kevin Kline in the title role with
Jennifer Garner as Roxane.
Calling the show "a double shot of silvery hokum, sweet but surprisingly potent,"
The New York Times'
Ben Brantley offers -- perhaps astoundingly -- the single most positive review: "(Leveaux) is the perfect man to bring
Cyrano into the 21st century, presenting the play’s flowery sensibility without making audiences feel they’ve been doused in perfume.... Mr. Kline knows what he’s doing. His bluster-free take on a man of bluster grows on you by stealth, and once you’re used to it, it makes wonderfully good sense....Ms. Garner, I am pleased to report, makes Roxane a girl worth pining over."
Positing that Cyrano is one of those plays that "wear their elegance within,"
Linda Winer of
Newsday is mostly upbeat: "Kline, arguably New York's best argument for a popular classical theater, is not the only deeply satisfying pleasure in
Cyrano de Bergerac....Jennifer Garner has moved with astonishing grace from being a TV double-agent in "Alias" to making her Broadway debut as Roxane....Garner, who studied theater before TV and movies snapped her up, breaks the recent Broadway curse of the Hollywood stars. With a lamb face and long serious bones, she flips comfortably from the comic to the plucky and, finally, to the heroic."
Despite deadpanning "A great play, it isn't,"
New York Post's
Clive Barnes summons up some good things to say in his two-and-a-half star review: "In the
Cyrano that opened last night, Kline dishes out panache, clashes swords, flashes wicked grins and, finally, dampens hankies with the best of them. But there is more to
Cyrano than braggadocio and sentimentality, as the great
Sir Ralph Richardson first demonstrated more years ago than I care to calculate, and now Kline helps confirm....[I]f you just go to see Kline, battling against all odds -- and, even while looking far too handsome, acting his good-natured heart out -- you will certainly get your money's worth."
Criticizing it as an "only intermittently effective revival,"
David Rooney of
Variety delivers a less-than-glowing critique: "We get gorgeous stage pictures and an eloquent if oddly low-energy performance in the title role from Kevin Kline but not much in the way of real passion....In contrast to the bold design statements, Leveaux imposes a modern, naturalistic feel on a play that should thrum with melodramatic grandness and hyperbole. It's all a little tame and sober: Even the soaring declarations of love lack intensity."
Saying "It looks expensive, and it feels cheap,"
Eric Grode of the
New York Sun delivers a solid pan: "Kevin Kline doesn't do a blessed thing wrong in the title role of
Cyrano de Bergerac. And, as his whip-smart inamorata, Roxane, Jennifer Garner does almost nothing right. Yet David Leveaux's boisterous revival of Edmond Rostand's 1897 swords-and-sobs verse drama never offers the lift one can receive from great or, in those rare but almost as unforgettable moments, terrible theater. It just lumbers around the stage, dragging along a slew of staggering drunkards, giggling wenches and preening soldiers like so many stray puppies. It looks expensive, and it feels cheap."
Labeling the production "emotionally stillborn,"
Joe Dziemianowicz of New York's
Daily News also heaps on the scorn: "The listlessness of the three-hour production is all the more disappointing since Edmond Rostand's 1897 play is rich with drama, comedy, romance and even swashbuckling....(Kline is) never larger-than-life thrilling, and that's what's needed to make the story soar. It doesn't help that Kline gets swallowed up in the cavernous playing area devised by director David Leveaux....Jennifer Garner...brings her natural beauty to Roxane, but she's miscast....As Christian,
Daniel Sunjata...is okay-looking, but he rivals an onstage leafless tree for stark woodenness."
So with these reviews in mind, I'll be taking in a performance of the play over the next few days and will provide my own SOB Review shortly thereafter. The limited run of
Cyrano de Bergerac is scheduled to run through December 23.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Opening Night By A Nose (November 1, 2007)
Cyrano On Broadway: In-Klined To Garner Success? (August 2, 2007)
Labels: Broadway, Chris Sarandon, Critics' Capsule, Cyrano de Bergerac, Daniel Sunjata, Euan Morton, Jennifer Garner, Kevin Kline, Play, Revival
Opening Night By A NoseIt's been 23 years since
Cyrano de Bergerac was last performed on the Great White Way. In the
1984 production -- the 11th revival of
Edmond Rostand's classic play about love and a very large proboscis --
Derek Jacobi portrayed Cyrano to
Sinéad Cusack's Roxane.
Tonight, the 13th incarnation opens at the
Richard Rodgers Theatre. With
David Leveaux at the helm,
Kevin Kline takes on the titular role while Mrs.
Ben Affleck (
Jennifer Garner) portrays Roxane. It also marks happy Broadway returns for
Daniel Sunjata (last
seen in 2003's
Take Me Out),
Euan Morton (
Taboo) and
Chris Sarandon (
The Light In The Piazza).
Although
Walter Hampden had the title role for each of the five revivals spanning 1923 to 1936, it was
José Ferrer who famously made the role his own in both the
1946 revival and the
1950 film version. Not only did Ferrer wind up taking home the very first
Tony Award for Best Actor in a Dramatic Role (he was up against just one other actor --
Fredric March -- in
Years Ago), but he also won the Best Actor Oscar a few years later.
As much as Ferrer became synonymous with the character, his was merely the eighth revival of the play, which was first produced on Broadway all the way back in 1898 at the
Garden Theatre.
Will the thirteenth time prove lucky for Kline and company? Find out tomorrow as I provide a critics' capsule.
Cyrano de Bergerac's limited run ends on December 21.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Cyrano On Broadway: In-Klined To Garner Success? (August 2, 2007)
Labels: Broadway, Chris Sarandon, Cyrano de Bergerac, Daniel Sunjata, Euan Morton, Jennifer Garner, Kevin Kline, Opening Night, Play, Revival
Sondheim On Sondheim (The SOB Review) - Studio 54, Roundabout Theatre Company, New York City, New York
