In The Heights Out In Depths Of Winter
This morning, it was announced that
Lin-Manuel Miranda's
In The Heights would close January 9, 2011, after 1,185 regular performances on Broadway. In tandem with the closing notice, it was also announced that Miranda will return to the role of Usnavi on December 25 for the last two weeks of performances.
While the Tony-winning Best Musical of 2008 has been hovering in the 60-plus percent capacity range over the last month,
a story posted yesterday by
The New York Times'
Patrick Healy underscored the ongoing challenges
In The Heights and a handful of other shows face:
Most plays need to earn 40 percent to 45 percent of their maximum possible gross to cover weekly running costs....
Other musicals that were under the 55 percent threshold last week were two shows that opened last spring, American Idiot (at a modest 39 percent) and Million Dollar Quartet (47 percent), as well as long-running hits Chicago, In the Heights, Mary Poppins, Next to Normal and West Side Story (which previously posted a closing notice for January 2).
I can't help but wonder how many of the other shows on Healy's list will post their closing notices in the weeks to come. Currently, 15 Broadway shows are scheduled to close during the month of January 2011. Although to be fair, 10 of them were only originally slated as limited runs.
This year,
In The Heights resorted to stuntcasting, first with
Corbin Bleu of "
High School Musical" fame taking on the role of Usnavi, and more recently with "
American Idol" winner
Jordin Sparks joining the cast as Nina. Unfortunately, Sparks' addition hardly ignited any additional box office for the show, and she's currently set to depart the production on November 14.
Personally, I admired and certainly liked
In The Heights when I saw it in April 2008, but didn't think it rose to the lofty heights of a Broadway musical.
I wrote:
While Miranda & Co. deserve enormous credit for wearing their ginormous hearts on their sleeves, pants legs and virtually everything else in sight including via an impressive 11 o'clock graffiti-cum-work-of-art, I discovered even I'm capable of finding a mushy musical just a tad too treacly.
Despite the promise of something new, including Miranda's hotter than salsa hip-hop funk, In The Heights never quite soars, even with the ebullient energy infused through Andy Blankenbuehler's joyous choreography. Instead, it's a hackneyed pastiche of storytelling we've seen too many times before.
On the plus side -- and it is a huge plus -- is that In The Heights provides a significant and positive yet all too rare depiction of a slice of our Hispanic community on stage. In that respect, it remains a solid winner.
In addition to opportunities to see the show on Broadway through January 9, a
touring production is winding its way through the United States and
Puerto Rico through April 2011 (its next stop is
Sacramento in early November).
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: Box Office, Broadway, Closing Notices, In The Heights, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Musical
Broadway's Labor Day PerformancesWhile you might think it's the rare Broadway show that plays on a Monday,
six current productions offer performances when the rest of the Great White Way takes a well-deserved rest.
Even on Labor Day.
So this year, as I offer my holiday greetings, I'd like to offer my own special salute to the hardworking men and women in the cast and crew of the following shows who are troupers in every way.
And to work on this Labor Day holiday? They have my respect and admiration.
Broadway shows performing on Labor Day 2010 include:
ChicagoIn The HeightsMamma Mia!Next To NormalThe Phantom Of The OperaRock Of AgesSo why not go and give these folks a huge hand by going to see them live on stage this evening!
Happy Labor Day!
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: Broadway, Chicago, In The Heights, Labor Day, Mamma Mia, Monday Performance, Next To Normal, Rock Of Ages, Special Messages, The Phantom Of The Opera
Broadway Box Office Tweets - Week Ending July 4, 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 summer holiday
week ending July 4, 2010:
3:15 pm July 6 - WICKED, LION KING, ADDAMS FAMILY, FENCES, BILLY ELLIOT, MARY POPPINS, PROMISES PROMISES each enjoy $1 million+ box office
3:16 pm July 6 - Sold-out WICKED still Broadway's top weekly grossing show: $1,620,851. Average ticket price: $112.00
3:17 pm July 6 - FENCES still Broadway's top grossing play taking in $1,164,529 last week, up $26,000 week over week
3:18 pm July 6 - FENCES is #1 Broadway show in terms of average ticket price: $132.65. Top tickets selling for $425.00
3:19 pm July 6 - FENCES, which ends Broadway run on Sunday, also has Broadway's highest capacity. Standing room only at 101.7%
3:20 pm July 6 - EVERYDAY RAPTURE had Broadway's lowest gross $171,942 & average ticket price $39.69. Capacity still at 73.2%
3:21 pm July 6 - COME FLY AWAY had Broadway's lowest capacity last week: 43% (drop of 11.6%). Gross: $515,296. Av tix priced: $93.01
3:22 pm July 6 - Just-closed NEXT FALL has week's biggest capacity increase of 25.5% to 90.1%. Grosses: $257,274. Av tix priced: $60.58
3:22 pm July 6 - IN THE HEIGHTS has Broadway's biggest capacity drop of 12.8% to 69.3%. Grossed $515,540. Average ticket price: $69.20
3:24 pm July 6 - Overall, Broadway's week over week grosses were down 9% or nearly $1.7 million to $18,840,132
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.Labels: average ticket price, Broadway, Broadway Box Office, Capacity, Come Fly Away, Everyday Rapture, Fences, In The Heights, Next Fall, Wicked
Grammy HeightsLast evening, 2008's Tony Award-winning Best Musical,
In the Heights earned another top entertain-ment honor -- its second of the big four. Its
original cast recording won a
Grammy for Best Musical Show Album.
Kurt Deutsch,
Alex Lacamoire, Andrés Levin,
Lin-Manuel Miranda (also composer of the score), Joel Moss and
Bill Sherman were honored as producers of the recording.
In The Heights beat out
Gypsy,
South Pacific,
The Little Mermaid and
Young Frankenstein. As much as I preferred
Gypsy and
South Pacific on stage, I have to admit that
In The Heights really does sound much better on CD.
Congratulations to Lin-Manuel Miranda for another huge win. Although given the thousands of Grammy categories, I'm sure even he can appreciate how dubious these awards truly are.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, Grammy Awards, Gypsy, In The Heights, Lin-Manuel Miranda, South Pacific, The Little Mermaid, Young Frankenstein
In The Pursuit Of (Theatrical) Happiness
In observance of this, the
232nd birthday for the United States of America, I'm taking this national holiday off.
But if you're in New York and feeling particularly patriotic, yet still wish to see a great Broadway show, here are my picks for the shows that will make you proud to be an American:
In The Heights - What could be better than a Tony-winning Best Musical that celebrates the incredible melting pot that is America? And with its first act showstopping number "The Club/Fireworks" that specifically celebrates Independence Day, this is a quintessential American musical. (Ironically, this show is dark on July 4, but it's open for business the rest of the holiday weekend.)
August: Osage County - Finally, a contemporary American play that's both a critical and commercial success. And Time magazine's top play of the past year. And a Pulitzer Prize winner. And the winner of the Tony for Best Play. Playwright
Tracy Letts summed it up best in his acceptance speech by noting wryly about its producers, "They did an amazing thing. They decided to produce an American play on Broadway with theatre actors." Amen. (The July 4 performance begins at 7:30 p.m. EDT.)
Hairspray - John Waters' 2003 Tony Award-winning Best Musical remains, in essence, a glorious paean to the American spirit and ability to right itself. Despite its 1962 setting, it remains a hopeful show for our nation's very future. (The July 4 performance begins at 3:00 p.m. EDT.)
South Pacific - As we continue to lose the last of our "greatest generation," this gorgeous Tony Award-winning Best Revival of a Musical reminds us why these heroic men and women are held in such high esteem historically. This ultimate All-American Rodgers and Hammerstein tuner may just make you want to stand up and cheer. (The July 4 performance begins at 8:00 p.m. EDT.)
Thurgood - There's one Broadway show that not only honors one of the 20th Century's most important patriots, but it serves as an excellent history lesson, too. This riveting one-man show respects the achievements of our nation's first African-American Supreme Court Justice and his enormous contributions toward racial equality and the pursuit of happiness for all Americans. (The July 4 performance begins at 8:00 p.m. EDT.)
Happy Independence Day!
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: August Osage County, Broadway, Hairspray, In The Heights, Independence Day, South Pacific, Special Messages, Thurgood
SOB Tony Photo: Julie White And Lin-Manuel MirandaGreat to catch up with two Tony Award-winners at the Tony Gala.
My apologies to both
Julie White (
The Little Dog Laughed) and
Lin-Manuel Miranda (
In The Heights) for not capturing that little Tony Award better. But you get the SOB picture.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:Things I Learned At The Tonys... (June 17, 2008)
Tony Awards: Win Place Show (June 16, 2008)
Tony Time (June 15, 2008)
Strange: Passing In The Heights For Best Musical? (June 13, 2008)
SOB's 2008 Tony Picks - Who Will Win (June 10, 2008)
SOB's 2008 Tony Picks - Part III (June 6, 2008)
SOB's 2008 Tony Picks - Part II (June 5, 2008)
SOB's 2008 Tony Picks - Part I (June 4, 2008)
And The Tony Nominees Go To... (May 12, 2008)
Labels: In The Heights, Julie White, Lin-Manuel Miranda, The Little Dog Laughed, Tony Awards
Strange: Passing In The Heights For Best Musical?On Tuesday,
I offered what some may have thought was a pretty outrageous Tony prediction: that
Xanadu might actually be benefitting from that little viral campaign and
would win the Tony for Best Musical.
Of course, no one from of a pool of twelve respected
prognosticators polled by the Los Angeles Times was so bold as to name
Xanadu as a potential Best Musical winner among their Tony predictions. For the record, I still stand by my prediction -- and Rocco at
What's Good/What Blows in New York Theatre would clearly be a very happy blogger if my soothsaying were to hold up.
Well, no sooner had I sayeth that sooth than Gil at
Broadway Abridged and I began conversing about whether a spike in votes from
Xanadu's campaign might actually help push
Passing Strange over the finish line.
Next thing I knew, good ol' Michael Riedel at
New York Post was telling us all how close the race would be between
In The Heights and Passing Strange:
...if you look closely at your Shubert Alley tea leaves, you can discern the makings of an upset or two.
After making Sarah over at
Adventures in the Endless Pursuit of Entertainment practically faint by feigning that he thought
Patti LuPone could actually lose, Riedel boldly stated:
...now that I've got your attention . . . Passing Strange seems to be gaining quickly on the Best Musical front-runner, In the Heights. You hear the same thing from voters: "I think In the Heights will win, but I'm voting for Passing Strange.
The conventional wisdom was that In the Heights would triumph because (1) it's doing better at the box office and (2) being energetic and bland, it can tour the country more readily than its edgier, rougher rival.
But Passing Strange has a trump card that's been well-played: Stew, its charismatic creator and star.
He and his porkpie hat have been all over town this past month, charming pretty close to all of the 765 Tony voters. (Well, maybe not John Simon.)
Accompanying Stew on his rounds is his collaborator, Heidi Rodewald. She's very shy but has a winning personality.
Both are new to Broadway, which adds to their appeal. And it's been fun watching them befriend theater royalty such as Marian Seldes ("I adore Stew") and Edward Albee.
Well come
on! With Marian Seldes in one's corner, how could it
not be gaining traction among other prime voters?
UPDATE (10:35 a.m. EDT): In his column this morning, Riedel says that Passing Strange will
win.And traction is the word this morning, according to the informal polling conducted by
The New York Times' Campbell Robertson,
who offers that the race is indeed very close, but the last-minute surge is working:
...when it’s this close, you are wise to surrender all responsibility and bow to the math. And the poll numbers say: Passing Strange.
A well-earned tip of the hat must be paid to ModernFabulousity,
who dared to go far out on a limb in predicting, on June 2 no less, that
Passing Strange would win!
Not so fast, appears to be the retort from
New York magazine's
Vulture column. While they take heart in the sudden horserace, they
ultimately conclude about the possibility of a Passing Strange upset:
We doubt it. It's one thing to give the Best Musical award to a show like Spring Awakening, which is rockish and fun but is still made by people who love musical theater and Broadway. It's another thing to give the award to a show that consciously rejects Broadway tradition -- to great effect, it must be said -- written by and starring a guy who's made it clear he doesn't really care for, well, Broadway. "If you asked all of us, you could probably count the number of Broadway shows we've seen on two hands," Stew says, describing himself as a guy "you have to drag to the theater."
Contrast this to In the Heights, whose Lin-Manuel Miranda speaks enthusiastically about his love of musicals, and whose show embraces those traditions even as it spices them up with a touch of reggaeton and hip-hop. Sure, this makes the show a little more "energetic and bland," as Riedel snipes, but it also makes it a much better crowd-pleaser than Passing Strange, even if Passing Strange is more innovative a show. Argue all you want about which musical is better, but if you were a Tony voter -- that is, in most cases, a devoted Broadway lover -- which one would you vote for?
Well,
Vulture, since you
have asked, this devoted Broadway lover would vote for
Passing Strange.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:SOB's 2008 Tony Picks - Who Will Win (June 10, 2008)
SOB's 2008 Tony Picks - Part III (June 6, 2008)
SOB's 2008 Tony Picks - Part II (June 5, 2008)
SOB's 2008 Tony Picks - Part I (June 4, 2008)
And The Tony Nominees Go To... (May 12, 2008)
Labels: Broadway, Broadway Abridged, In The Heights, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Michael Riedel, Passing Strange, Predictions, Stew, Tony Awards, Tony Nominations, Xanadu
SOB's 2008 Tony Picks - Part IIIWith just over one week to go before the American Theatre Wing’s 62nd annual
Tony Awards ceremonies honor the best of Broadway's 2007-08 Theatrical Season, I'm in the midst of offering my own prognostications on whom I believe
should win.
Yesterday,
I provided my picks for the acting categories and before that
my picks for best shows, as well as for musical book and score. Today, I tackle the creative direction categories.
As previously mentioned, this is the first year in which I've seen every nominated work and performance. So while I'm no theatre professional, I profess to having an opinion on every last category. Let me know if you agree on whom you believe should win (vs. those you think actually will).
Here are the nominees and my picks:
Best Scenic Design of a Play
Peter McKintosh -
The 39 StepsScott Pask -
Les Liaisons DangereusesTodd Rosenthal -
August: Osage CountyAnthony Ward -
Macbeth
Should Win: Scott Pask -
Les Liaisons Dangereuses As evidenced this season by his work on
The Ritz,
November and
Cry-Baby, Scott Pask has been one majorly busy man. But none of his set designs were more elaborate than the mesmerizing and sumptuous
Versaillesque milieu he recreated for
Les Liaisons Dangereuses.
Todd Rosenthal's three-story work for
August: Osage County was pretty lofty in its own right, but Pask's set design effectively took me back to 18th Century France.
Best Scenic Design of a MusicalDavid Farley and Timothy Bird & The Knifedge Creative Network -
Sunday In The Park With GeorgeAnna Louizos -
In The HeightsRobin Wagner -
The New Mel Brooks Musical Young FrankensteinMichael Yeargan -
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific
Should Win: David Farley and
Timothy Bird &
The Knifedge Creative Network -
Sunday In The Park With GeorgeIn a field crowded with very worthy nominees (yes,
including Young Frankenstein), one team stands brilliantly apart.
Initially, necessity became
Sunday In The Park With George's mother of invention. In its earliest incarnation as the musical was strapped for cash, Tim Bird and The Knifedge Creative Network helped fill in the blanks of David Farley's effectively colorless set design with an enthralling, radiant projection design that is unequivocally the true star of the show. Together, they have made this tuner a gorgeous work of art worthy of a great master.
Best Costume Design of a Play
Gregory Gale -
Cyrano de BergeracRob Howell -
Boeing-BoeingKatrina Lindsay -
Les Liaisons DangereusesPeter McKintosh -
The 39 Steps
Should Win: Rob Howell -
Boeing-Boeing Pulling double duty,
Rob Howell's ingenious and vibrant red, blue and yellow set and costume designs literally help set the stage for the three flight attendants served up in this
tour de farce.
Even though Howell's designs go hand-in-hand, he's only been awarded one nomination. For all of his first-class work, he gets my vote as the best.
Best Costume Design of a Musical
David Farley -
Sunday In The Park With GeorgeMartin Pakledinaz -
GypsyPaul Tazewell -
In The HeightsCatherine Zuber -
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific 
Should Win: Martin Pakledinaz -
GypsyOne of the key reasons why this
Gypsy sparkles so brilliantly is because of Martin Pakledinaz's never-ending razzle-dazzling costume designs ranging from the frumpy to the fabulous.
Even though this is a revival, and we've seen variations on these designs before, Pakledinaz makes them all seem vividly fresh and real, whether it's the unholy trinity of Mazeppa, Electra and Tessie Tura or the metamorphosis of Louise into
Gypsy Rose Lee. Stunning. Absolutely stunning.
Best Lighting Design of a Play
Kevin Adams -
The 39 StepsHoward Harrison -
MacbethDonald Holder -
Les Liaisons DangereusesAnn G. Wrightson -
August: Osage County
Should Win: Ann G. Wrightson -
August: Osage CountyThere's some serious competition here, but I have to narrow my choices down to Donald Holder and Ann G. Wrightson. My nod must go to the latter.
Whether it was the portentous flashes from the squad car or the flicker of the never-seen television set, Wrightson's subtle illuminations helped drive the drama and humor of
August: Osage County even further.
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Ken Billington -
Sunday In The Park With GeorgeHowell Binkley -
In The HeightsDonald Holder -
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South PacificNatasha Katz -
The Little Mermaid 
Should Win: Donald Holder -
Rodgers & Hammerstein's South PacificThere's also some stiff competition in this lighting category. Here, my choices come down to Howell Binkley and Donald Holder, both of whom expertly captured the movement of the sun into nighttime.
But Holder's artistry in evoking each blissful moment of this gorgeous revival with perfectly drawn brilliance makes
South Pacific absolutely radiant. Close call here, but Holder gets my nod.
Best Sound Design of a PlaySimon Baker -
Boeing-BoeingAdam Cork -
MacbethIan Dickson -
Rock ‘N’ RollMic Pool -
The 39 Steps
Should Win: Mic Pool -
The 39 StepsFinally, acknowledgement for the vital work that goes into providing essential sound designs for Broadway shows. This is the first year awards will be bestowed in this category.
While something tells me that the Tony voters will go with the more bombastic (read:
LOUD) nominee, whose work often drowned-out the already difficult-to-hear language of the Bard, it was Mic Pool's integral sound design that enabled
The 39 Steps' audience to sense where this comedy was going in spite of its simple set design.
Best Sound Design of a MusicalAcme Sound Partners -
In The HeightsSebastian Frost -
Sunday In The Park With GeorgeScott Lehrer -
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South PacificDan Moses Schreier -
Gypsy
Should Win: Scott Lehrer -
Rodgers & Hammerstein's South PacificTwo words: shower scene. Scott Leher somehow managed to mic
Kelli O'Hara in such a way that she lathered up and effortlessly sang "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out Of My Hair" in a shower. Without getting electrocuted.
Oh, and the rest of his sound design was pretty fantastic, too.
Best Orchestrations
Jason Carr -
Sunday In The Park With George
Alex Lacamoire & Bill Sherman -
In The Heights
Stew & Heidi Rodewald -
Passing Strange
Jonathan Tunick -
A Catered Affair
Should Win: Alex Lacamoire &
Bill Sherman -
In The Heights
While you may have thought I'd be inclined to go with Stew and Heidi Rodewald yet again (given my love for
Passing Strange) it's time to give due props to
In The Heights.
Taking
Lin-Manuel Miranda's exuberent score and turning it into an even hotter than salsa hip-hop funk, Alex Lacamoire and Bill Sherman not only succeed in turning up the heat, but they've single-handedly taken
In The Heights to the heights I had hoped the rest of the show would be.
Best Choreography
Rob Ashford -
Cry-Baby
Andy Blankenbuehler -
In The Heights
Christopher Gattelli -
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific
Dan Knechtges -
Xanadu
Should Win: Dan Knechtges -
Xanadu
Without a doubt, Rob Ashford's work was
the best thing about
Cry-Baby, and Andy Blankenbuehler certainly provided one of the year's most exhilarating displays of dance on stage in
In The Heights, surely making him a Tony favorite. But try doing all that on wheels, and backwards while you're at it.
An essential part of
Xanadu's
brilliant magic is derived directly from Dan Knechtges' daring roller-boogie choreography. When you consider the miniscule stage of the
Helen Hayes Theatre and the injuries notoriously inflicted on certain cast members negotiating their way across it in good old-fashioned roller skates, Knechtges' choreography was clearly fraught with danger. But the very essence of live theatre is danger. And it dazzled all the way.
Best Direction of a Play
Maria Aitken -
The 39 StepsConor McPherson -
The SeafarerAnna D. Shapiro -
August: Osage CountyMatthew Warchus -
Boeing-Boeing
Should Win: Anna D. Shapiro -
August: Osage CountyWhen you direct the year's best show, it stands to reason that you'll be the person to beat for Best Director.
But Shapiro more than earns this honor as she's taken a superb script and excellent ensemble and directed them into something unique that is both heartfelt and visceral. Its dramatic punch hits every bit as hard as the humor. Credit Shapiro with sharpening this play into a razor-edged, whip-smart American classic.
Best Direction of a Musical
Sam Buntrock -
Sunday In The Park With GeorgeThomas Kail -
In The HeightsArthur Laurents -
GypsyBartlett Sher -
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South PacificBarlett Sher -
South Pacific
Here's the category about which I'm most conflicted. Make no mistake, I adore just about everything that
Arthur Laurents has done to make
Gypsy the absolute Best Revival of a Musical this year. But as someone who's now taken his third crack at the work -- and he's been nominated for the 1975 revival -- perhaps it's time to recognize someone else.
That someone else, of course, is Bartlett Sher, whose loving interpretation of
South Pacific is both surprisingly innovative yet entirely natural, making his revival majestic. For a show in which racial bigotry is the issue, he also almost imperceptibly underscores the racial divide by slyly segregating what lonely African American troops inhabit this island to the sidelines.
As conflicted as I feel, I am compelled to give it to Sher.
Whoopi Goldberg hosts the 2008 Tony Awards on Sunday, June 15. The CBS broadcast begins at 8 p.m. EDT.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:
SOB's 2008 Tony Picks - Part II (June 5, 2008)
SOB's 2008 Tony Picks - Part I (June 4, 2008)
And The Tony Nominees Go To... (May 12, 2008)
Labels: August Osage County, Boeing-Boeing, Gypsy, In The Heights, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, South Pacific, Sunday In The Park With George, The 39 Steps, Tony Awards, Xanadu
In The Heights (The SOB Review) - Richard Rodgers Theatre
**1/2 (out of ****)First up, I'm a very sentimental man. In fact, I'm soft and gooey to the core. Some would go so far as to say I'm the epitome of a sentimental fool.
So after all that's been said about
Lin-Manuel Miranda's exuberant new tuner
In The Heights, I was prepared to be smitten from the get-go. I left thinking it was very likable, but a feeling of "Is that it?" persisted.
While Miranda & Co. deserve enormous credit for wearing their ginormous hearts on their sleeves, pants legs and virtually everything else in sight including via an impressive 11 o'clock graffiti-cum-work-of-art, I discovered even I'm capable of finding a mushy musical just a tad too treacly.
Don't get me wrong.
I was thrilled by Miranda's incredible backstory in which he began writing this fable while still in college. I admire his profile in perseverance as he shepherded the show, first through a successful Off-Broadway run and now on Broadway. And most of all, I am truly ecstatic that there is a profoundly positive depiction of New York's Latino life beyond the stereotypes that, quite incredibly and shamefully, a few too many critics thought was missing.
But -- and I'm sorry to say it's a
big but -- despite the promise of something new, including Miranda's hotter than salsa hip-hop funk,
In The Heights never quite soars, even with the ebullient energy infused through
Andy Blankenbuehler's joyous choreography (making him the odds-on favorite come Tony time). Instead, it's a hackneyed pastiche of storytelling we've seen too many times before. In other words,
Quiara Alegría Hudes' book dwells on the same old, same old technique.
With one notable exception, every major character -- and there are too many -- has his or her own moment in the spotlight, almost as if to make up for lost time and the depressing dearth of stage vehicles for the Hispanic community. If Lin-Manuel Miranda's hilariously named Usnavi serves as the heart of
In The Heights, then Sonny, portrayed by the human sparkplug known as
Robin De Jesús, is the show's very soul. So exceptional was his engaging performance, I actually felt cheated when De Jesús was denied his turn in the solo spotlight.
But ultimately, this is strictly quibbling given the absolute crowd-pleaser that is
In The Heights. Thanks to its infectious beat, some knock-out numbers like the nearly showstopping "The Club/Fireworks," and impeccable cast -- including
Mandy Gonzalez as struggling student Nina,
Olga Merediz as the neighborhood's honorary matriarch Abuela Claudia,
Andréa Burns as the saucy Daniela, and the welcome Broadway return for
Priscilla Lopez as Nina's mother Camila -- Miranda serves up an impressive, earnest freshman effort.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Is The F-Word Really Family Friendly? (April 11, 2008)
Early Tony Handicapping (March 25, 2008)
Glory Days Yet To Come This Broadway Season? (March 19, 2008)
Heights Opens: Did Critics Offer High Marks? (March 10, 2008)
A Chorus Line: From Priscilla To Mario Lopez (March 5, 2008)
Off-Broadway Hit Seeks Greater White Way Heights (May 23, 2007)
Labels: Broadway, In The Heights, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Musical, The SOB Review
Is The F-Word Really Family Friendly?As most of my dear readers know, I love great theatre and don't shy away from much in the way of content.
In fact, my favorite show of the past year is the Pulitzer Prize-winning play by
Tracy Letts,
August: Osage County, which is not only littered with broken dreams, but sprinkled with plenty of prickly four letter words.
But I was struck a few weeks ago when watching one local New York City television critic tout the Latino-themed
In The Heights as "family friendly." My curiosity was piqued because, quite ironically, I was about to see the musical that very evening. Given this critics' ringing endorsement for the whole family, I was more than a little surprised when I heard the
F-bomb dropped during my performance.
Now, as regular readers also know, the F-word is not used on this site. I don't use it here, nor do I allow commenters to use it, because quite frankly, when it comes right down to it, I think it's ultimately a lazy word used too freely and gratuitously by poseurs afraid of being deemed unhip -- sort of analogous to teenagers who think that smoking makes them look cool. I also don't use it because I want this site to remain family-friendly, a place I wouldn't be embarrassed if my own mother checked it out (and lo and behold, after a google search, she has, all on her own).
Personally, while I have become inured to hearing this word uttered in almost every major new play or musical I've seen, as well as added to productions like the new revival of
Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, I still don't believe this, ahem,
rutting word (thank you very much,
Tennessee Williams!) is exactly
family friendly.
It may come as a shock to some people in the entertainment industry that some parents would prefer to shield their children's tender young ears from the assault of the F-bomb. But those same parents would be forgiven for mistakenly thinking that a critic's declaration of "family-friendly" provides the all-clear sign, that they won't have to hear what is still ostensibly considered the English language's most vulgar word.
Within days of my seeing
In The Heights, which by the way, I actually liked, I was struck by an editorial in
USA Today on how technology has outpaced the
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in its "crackdown on obscenity." I was struck by the following passage from that
March 31 editorial:
For the record, here's what started the ruckus: Cher said critics had been predicting for 40 years that she was on her way out, adding, "So f—- 'em." At the Golden Globes, Bono called his award "really, really f——— brilliant!"
Not exactly family fare, obviously, and over time viewers complained, as did assorted members of Congress and a group called the Parents Television Council, which seeks to reduce indecency in the entertainment industry.
* * *
(The FCC's crackdown on broadcasters) comes from good intentions. Network television has grown both cruder and more sexually explicit over the years, leaving many a family uncomfortably surprised.
So, dear readers, what do you think? Should critics and others be more prudent when recommending a show for the whole family? Or have we reached a point in our civilization where it no longer matters?
I'll be curious to hear what you have to say -- but please avoid any obscenities!
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: August Osage County, Broadway, Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, F-Bomb, In The Heights, Musical, Obscenities, Play, Tracy Letts
Heights Opens: Did Critics Offer High Marks?Before I begin, please allow me to offer my humblest apologies to regular readers for being
so very tardy in offering up this critics' capsule for
In The Heights, as well as for completely failing to post my regular opening night feature.
I have an added omelet the size of
Washington Heights on my face after receiving such a
terrific, gracious nod from Modern Fabulousity over the weekend. To all of his regular readers, welcome to Steve On Broadway (SOB)!
Yesterday, the big musical Valentine to the neighborhood at the northern tip of Manhattan opened at Rialto's
Richard Rodgers Theatre, after first conquering Off-Broadway last summer. Conceived and scored by
Lin-Manuel Miranda,
In The Heights comes to Broadway with a fresh book by
Quiara Alegría Hudes and is directed by
Thomas Kail and choreographed by
Andy Blankenbuehler.
Miranda not only conceived the show, he's also starring in it along with
Andréa Burns,
Janet Dacal,
Robin De Jesús,
Carlos Gomez,
Mandy Gonzalez,
Christopher Jackson,
Priscilla Lopez,
Olga Merediz,
Karen Olivo,
Eliseo Román and
Seth Stewart.
Singing its praises as "an uncalculated charmer,"
David Rooney of
Variety strikes a high note: "What makes
In the Heights so unique, however, is that despite the driving pulse of its Latin-American rhythms, blending hip-hop, rap, jazz, pop, salsa and merengue, this buoyant musical also nods reverently to the traditions of the show tune.... [T]he musical's plucky marriage of youthful freshness and lovingly old-fashioned craft is hard to resist. The chief criticism leveled at the show in its previous incarnation was Quiara Alegria Hudes' sentimental book, which takes a sanitized view of a close-knit group of folks in Washington Heights.... But that idealized perspective can be as endearing as it is limiting. It's a musical, after all, not a ghetto angstfest. The story's conflicts have been sharpened in the move, its emotional tensions deepened and its characters more fully shaped...."
Saluting "this scrappy little musical about chasing your dreams and finding your true home," while noting it "is Mr. Miranda’s own dream come true,"
Charles Isherwood of
The New York Times shows remarkable enthusiasm among his criticisms: "If you stroll down to the Richard Rodgers Theater, where the spirited musical “In the Heights” opened on Sunday night, you’ll discover a singular new sensation, Lin-Manuel Miranda, commanding the spotlight as if he were born in the wings.... Directed by Thomas Kail, it is basically a salsa-flavored soap opera, and if there is an equivalent of schmaltz in Spanish, this musical is happily swimming in it.... Directed by Thomas Kail, it is basically a salsa-flavored soap opera, and if there is an equivalent of schmaltz in Spanish, this musical is happily swimming in it."
Proclaiming
In The Heights as "an upbeat sweetheart of an urban folk tale,"
Linda Winer of
Newsday is mostly complimentary: "Broadway's first Latino musical created by Latinos is a big, pulsing power-surge of a show.... But every time the middling book, by Quirara Alegría Hudes, steps over the gooey ledge of sentimentality, the crackling cast of mostly newcomers grabs back the sensibilities with one of Miranda's salsa/rap/Broadway songs or one of Andy Blankenbuehler's smart and slinky street/modern dances.... What's new is the authenticity of the immigrant stories, directed by Thomas Kail with standard Broadway types but a heartening minimum of stereotypes. And what's important is the music."
Paradoxically concluding it's "deeply flawed and deeply pleasurable,"
The New York Sun's
Eric Grode writes why the two aren't mutually exclusive: "And so we have
In the Heights," a padded, undisciplined, and almost irresistible blend of Broadway sentiment and a pan-Latino sonic hodgepodge of salsa, merengue, hip-hop, and even reggaeton. Along with director Thomas Kail and book writer Quiara Alegría Hudes, the impish composer-lyricist-star has turned this Upper Upper West Side story into, to quote one of the many dance numbers choreographed with street-smart vitality by Andy Blankenbuehler, a 'Carnaval del Barrio.' It doesn't always seem to know where it's going or why, but it makes the path look awfully tempting."
Pining for "a few people being real, nasty and maybe both, and being able to sing about it,"
New York Post's
Clive Barnes nevertheless musters up a two-and-a-half star review: "Unfortunately,
In the Heights doesn't stray more than a brief subway ride from middle-age Broadway's comfort zone.... So the music is fun, the lyrics are clever, and Miranda is the finest performer of that name since Carmen. And while no one else in the cast is at his level, or has his chances, most are pretty damn good.... There is no real plot, no true drama. Everyone is as cute as a litter of kittens."
Dismissing that this doesn't match "earlier, headier heights,"
Joe Dziemianowicz of New York's
Daily News pffers one outright pan: "The problem is that although the show is set in Washington Heights in 2008, the creators -- Lin-Manuel Miranda (concept and songs) and Quiara Alegría Hudes (story) -- have sensibilities stuck in the 1950s. The issues and dilemmas facing the characters don't really match those of contemporary society.... What it lacks in story and believability it makes up for in a vibrant rap- and salsa-flavored score, spirited dances and great-looking design. And the cast is sweeter than dollops of dulce de leche."
I'm due to visit
The Heights a bit later this month and will have my own SOB Review shortly thereafter. But in the meantime, I can picture many an advertisement blaring lots of good critical soundbites, thus ensuring that this show may be around for quite awhile.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:A Chorus Line: From Priscilla To Mario Lopez (March 5, 2008)
Off-Broadway Hit Seeks Greater White Way Heights (May 23, 2007)
Labels: Broadway, Critics' Capsule, In The Heights, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Musical, Opening Night, Transfer
A Chorus Line: From Priscilla To Mario LopezOh, how the mighty have fallen.
Once a
cutting-edge show originally starring
Priscilla Lopez (pictured, left),
A Chorus Line is now a revival caught
jumping the shark with
Mario Lopez (pictured, right).
I'll leave the choicest comments to my friend Chris Caggiano over at
Everything I Know I Learned In Musicals.
P.S. I can't wait to see the
real deal later this month when I see
In The Heights at the
Richard Rodgers Theatre.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for A Chorus Line tickets.Click here for In The Heights tickets.Labels: A Chorus Line, Blogs, Broadway, Everything I Know I Learned From Musicals, In The Heights, Jump The Shark, Mario Lopez, Musical, Priscilla Lopez, Stunt Casting
Which Upcoming Broadway Musicals Will You See?Now that the 2007 Tony Awards are history, I'd like to cordially invite you to vote in my latest SOB Poll (found on the right-hand margin) for each of the the upcoming Broadway musicals -- already slated for the 2007-08 Theatrical Season -- that you plan to see.
Feel free to vote for as many of the ten selections of new musicals and revivals as you want. Your choices include:
After voting, feel free to share why each of the shows you've selected pique your interest.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:Grandage Guys And Dolls Set For Great White Way (June 6, 2007)
Not Unlucky: 13 Headed To Broadway (May 25, 2007)
Off-Broadway Hit Seeks Greater White Way Heights (May 23, 2007)
Sunday In The Park With Daniel And Jenna (May 7, 2007)
Max And Laura Go Together (March 26, 2007)
Fierstein To Musicalize Bette Davis' Fave Flick (March 21, 2007)
Mermaid Casting Anything But Little (March 20, 2007)
It's Official: Mullally Cast In Young Frankenstein (March 9, 2007)
Broadway Can-Du? (December 18, 2006)
Trevor Nunn's West End Porgy and Bess Will Transfer to Broadway (July 25, 2006)
Labels: 13, A Catered Affair, Broadway, Grease, Guys And Dolls, In The Heights, Musical, Porgy And Bess, SOB Poll, Sunday In The Park With George, The Little Mermaid, Xanadu, Young Frankenstein
Off-Broadway Hit Seeks Greater White Way HeightsPerhaps drawing inspiration from the phenomenal success of
Spring Awakening and its Tony-nominated move from Off-Broadway to the Great White Way, the spicy hot Off-Broadway hit
In the Heights aims to follow a similar trajectory by transferring to Rialto sometime during the new theatrical season.
The musical set in Manhattan's Latino Washington Heights neighborhood includes a score by Obie winner
Lin-Manuel Miranda and book by
Quiara Alegria Hudes. The show will hit Broadway after revisions are made to the existing show that will enjoy its final performance at 37 Arts this July 15.
Looks like this new season is on course to mix it up with continued innovation for the Broadway musical.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, First Word On New Show, In The Heights, Musical, Off-Broadway, Transfer
