SOB's Favorite Shows Of The Noughties: #13 - Passing Strange (2008, Belasco Theatre, New York City, NY)
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. Last year's absolute best, most cosmic musical was also the most unusual and unexpected, and yet somehow oh so real.
Passing Strange succeeded in taking the Great White Way in an entirely new, infinitely intelligent direction, compliments of a musician named
Stew. This exacting artist took us on a wild trip in quasi-strolling minstrel style, expertly telling the story of his own formative adult years with such humor, passion and grace that I found myself tearing up many times over as chills shot down my spine.
Stew's storytelling alter ego, Youth, was played with awkward charm by
Daniel Breaker, a sensationally expressive new stage star in an astonishing breakthrough role. Breaker was duly honored with a well-deserved Tony nomination.
Often veering toward the existential when it's not reminding you of "The Wizard Of Oz," Stew's ethereal odyssey wasn't as much about saying "there's no place like home" as it was reassuring you that you actually can go home again. I couldn't help but fall head over heels in love with this smoke-hazed tale.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new 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.Labels: Broadway, Daniel Breaker, Musical, Passing Strange, SOB's Favorite Shows Of The Noughties, Stew
Not Worth Passing UpYesterday, I saluted
ABBA and the team behind the
movie soundtrack for "
Mamma Mia!" on its ascension to the top of Billboard's Album Chart.
But today, I just have to say, the CD that I can't stop listening to is the
original cast recording for
Passing Strange. The sheer artistry, humor and intelligence on each and every track has me a bit depressed that it never attracted the audience it deserved. But thankfully,
Stew and
Heidi Rodewald is now available for the ages.
I just dare you to listen to it and not be similarly amazed.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Heidi Rodewald, Original Cast Recording, Passing Strange, Stew
Passing From BroadwayAfter months of rarely attracting the audiences it deserved (and ultimately needed),
Passing Strange will soon pass from the Broadway boards. This "real" musical, unlike any other, is set to close on July 20.
That closing date is important as it comes one day after Spike Lee is set to film the tuner in front of a live audience. While I agree with Aaron over at
‘kül That Sounds Cool that a full-on film of the stage version couldn't even begin to capture the experience of seeing
Stew's amazing, semi-autobiographical journey live, particuarly as a key component is his ability to break down the fourth wall, I guess
those of us who love this work deeply will have to take what we can get.
By the time it closes,
Passing Strange will have played 165 regular performances. Never mind that it was
the best reviewed new musical to hit Broadway this past year. The fact that it had an ill-defining marketing campaign, coupled with dubious choices regarding its Tony Awards musical selection, as well as the fact that it didn't win the coveted Tony for Best Musical as many had hoped, it's probably no wonder that the show played to over 50% capacity (and some weeks, just barely) a tad bit over half of the 22 weeks its been around. Last week, its capacity was down in the danger zone playing to a house with less than 38%.
Such a shame. Who knows when we'll have such an opportunity to pass this way again.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Things I Learned At The Tonys... (June 17, 2008)
Tony Awards: Win Place Show (June 16, 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 II (June 5, 2008)
SOB's 2008 Tony Picks - Part I (June 4, 2008)
SOB's Best Of 2007-08: Top Ten Of The Year (June 2, 2008)
SOB's Best Of 2007-08: Best New Musicals (May 29, 2008)
How 'kül Is This? Strange $25 Rush Ticket Offer (March 17, 2008)
Passing Strange (The SOB Review) (February 29, 2008)
Broadway's Strange Opening Night (February 28, 2008)
Strange Stagefellows (February 20, 2008)
Passing Strange Jersey Boys And Rock 'N' Roll: Downbeat Box Office (February 19, 2008)
Stranger Things Have Happened! (October 19, 2007)
Passing Strange To Broadway? (October 16, 2007)
Labels: Broadway, Closing Notices, Musical, Passing Strange, Stew
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 IIWith less than two weeks 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 best shows, as well as for musical book and score. Today, I tackle the acting 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 Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play
Ben Daniels -
Les Liaisons DangereusesLaurence Fishburne -
ThurgoodMark Rylance -
Boeing-BoeingRufus Sewell -
Rock ‘N’ RollPatrick Stewart -
Macbeth
Should Win: Mark Rylance -
Boeing-BoeingSure, another actor has received lots of acclaim for his performance
in a Shakespeare revival, but it's the comic, farcical turn by one of the greatest living interpreters of Shakespeare who is keeping them laughing at the Longacre -- in his long overdue Broadway debut, no less -- who is far more worthy of this award. Mark Rylance is absolutely brilliant.
If there's a close race, it
should be between Rylance and Rufus Sewell, who was by far the best thing going for the tedious
Rock 'N' Roll. As a master of slapstick comedy, Rylance deserves the last laugh.
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play Eve Best -
The HomecomingDeanna Dunagan -
August: Osage CountyKate Fleetwood -
MacbethS. Epatha Merkerson -
Come Back, Little ShebaAmy Morton -
August: Osage County
Should Win: Deanna Dunagan -
August: Osage CountyA very competitive category with Eve Best living up to her name, S. Epatha Merkerson turning in a surprisingly tender performance and the excellent Amy Morton going toe to toe with Deanna Dunagan in the year's best play.
Ultimately, it's Dunagan's breathtaking performance as the drug-addled matriarch Violet who should win the day. As I noted at the end of the last year, she gave one sensational, bravura performance for the ages.
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical
Daniel Evans -
Sunday In The Park With GeorgeLin-Manuel Miranda -
In The HeightsStew -
Passing StrangePaulo Szot -
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South PacificTom Wopat -
A Catered Affair
Should Win: Paulo Szot -
Rodgers & Hammerstein's South PacificAs wondrous a Broadway debut as Daniel Evans offered and as nuanced a performance as Tom Wopat gave, it was
South Pacific's Paulo Szot who singlehandedly delivered one enchanted evening, bringing on the tears through his rendition of "This Nearly Was Mine."
As the consummate leading man, Szot also has proven once and for all that the world of opera isn't quite so far away from that of theatre. Let's hope he makes it a habit.
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical
Kerry Butler -
XanaduPatti LuPone -
GypsyKelli O’Hara -
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South PacificFaith Prince -
A Catered AffairJenna Russell -
Sunday In The Park With George
Should Win: Patti LuPone -
GypsyWhat is it about the ladies, anyway?! And I mean that with the utmost respect.
By far the most competitive category with powerhouse performances through and through, all are deserving of the Tony. But this is no ordinary year, and since
Gypsy is no ordinary musical, one performance managed to eclipse the rest: Patti LuPone as a Rose who was at once sympathetic, conniving, sexy, funny, tragic and repulsive all at the same time. Brava, Patti! Brava!
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play
Bobby Cannavale -
MauritiusRaúl Esparza -
The HomecomingConleth Hill -
The SeafarerJim Norton -
The SeafarerDavid Pittu -
Is He Dead?
Should Win: Jim Norton -
The SeafarerI realize that there may be a sympathy vote out there for Raúl Esparza, whom many (including me) feel got gypped out of a Tony last year. Indeed, as great as his slithery performance in
The Homecoming was, if Tony voters are serious about awarding the best performance of
this year, they really need to choose between Conleth Hill and Jim Norton of
The Seafarer.
My pick is the breathtaking Jim Norton, who more than convinced me he had literally drunk himself blind. There's a reason why his performance was earlier awarded with an
Olivier. It was superb.
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play
Sinead Cusack -
Rock ‘N’ RollMary McCormack -
Boeing-BoeingLaurie Metcalf -
NovemberMartha Plimpton -
Top GirlsRondi Reed -
August: Osage County
Should Win: Rondi Reed -
August: Osage CountyIn yet another competitive category for actresses, it's easy to think that if Rondi Reed wins, it'll be because of the strong pull of the tide from the
August: Osage County juggernaut.
But her Mattie Fae is so deliciously complex and real
and flat-out funny thanks to Reed's outstanding performance that you'd be forgiven for thinking of her as your favorite crazy aunt. Reed offers one of the year's best performances.
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical
Daniel Breaker -
Passing StrangeDanny Burstein -
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South PacificRobin De Jesús -
In The HeightsChristopher Fitzgerald -
Young FrankensteinBoyd Gaines -
Gypsy
Should Win: Daniel Breaker -
Passing StrangeAmong the men, this should be the most competitive category -- I certainly enjoyed each of the outstanding performances offered by the actors above.
But one actor breaking away from the rest of the pack is
Passing Strange's Daniel Breaker, whose astonishing breakthrough role of Youth blew me away. Breaker conveys volumes with a simple roll of his eyes and displays a natural presence found far too infrequently on the stage. He made
Passing Strange come alive.
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical
de’Adre Aziza -
Passing StrangeLaura Benanti -
GypsyAndrea Martin -
The New Mel Brooks Musical Young FrankensteinOlga Merediz -
In The HeightsLoretta Ables Sayre -
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific
Should Win: Laura Benanti -
GypsyHands down, this award belongs to Laura Benanti in her best, most poignant performance yet.
As Louise, Benanti begins as a doe-eyed innocent, always eager to please, never fathoming her hidden talents or beauty. To watch her transition to the world's most famous stripper is to witness a major star claiming her rightful place in the spotlight.
Next up: my picks for the creative design awards.
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 I (June 4, 2008)
And The Tony Nominees Go To... (May 12, 2008)
Labels: August Osage County, Boeing-Boeing, Daniel Breaker, Deanna Dunagan, Gypsy, Jim Norton, Laura Benanti, Mark Rylance, Passing Strange, Patti LuPone, Paulo Szot, Rondi Reed, South Pacific, Tony Awards
SOB's 2008 Tony Picks - Part IWith less than two weeks 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 going to offer a little bit of prognosticating on whom I believe
should win.
First up are my picks for best shows, as well as for musical book and score.
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 Play
August: Osage County -
Author: Tracy Letts
Rock ‘N’ Roll - Author: Tom Stoppard
The Seafarer - Author: Conor McPherson
The 39 Steps - Author: Patrick Barlow
Should Win: August: Osage County - Author: Tracy Letts
Hands-down the best show I've seen on Broadway or anywhere else this past year.
With such an august ensemble, excellent writing and superb direction, the other three shows don't even come close.
Best MusicalCry-BabyIn The HeightsPassing StrangeXanadu
Should Win: Passing StrangeIn a field crowded with plenty of heart,
Passing Strange offers the biggest one of all in telling the infinitely smart and hip story of musician Stew's formative years all in his effort to be "real."
What can I say? I love this show and its gorgeous score still plays in my head long after I saw it.
Had
A Catered Affair been nominated, it would have been a close call for me, but
Passing Strange is my favorite new musical of the year.
Best Book of a Musical
Cry-Baby - Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan
In The Heights - Quiara Alegría Hudes
Passing Strange - Stew
Xanadu - Douglas Carter Beane
Should Win: Passing Strange - Stew
To anyone wondering whether this musical tells a story, the answer is "YES!" And a pretty profound one at that.
Lest the advertising and marketing campaign has soured you on this show before you even had a chance to see it, take note. This is a great musical with a great story.
Had
Xanadu not been all muddled near the end, it could have skated by
Passing Strange.
Best Original ScoreMusic and/or Lyrics Written for the Theatre
Cry-Baby - Music & Lyrics: David Javerbaum & Adam Schlesinger
In The Heights - Music & Lyrics: Lin-Manuel Miranda
The Little Mermaid - Music: Alan Menken, Lyrics: Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater
Passing Strange - Music: Stew and Heidi Rodewald, Lyrics: Stew
Should Win: Passing Strange - Music: Stew and Heidi Rodewald, Lyrics: Stew
I've had one dear friend question whether this is really a musical. Again, I fear that the ill-conceived marketing campaign has taken its toll at the box office.
But ostensibly, this is a musical through and through with the best new score of the year with lyrics that are among the most witty and intelligent offered by any show in years. Among its competition,
In The Heights comes the closest.
Best Revival of a Play
Boeing-BoeingThe HomecomingLes Liaisons DangereusesMacbeth
Should Win: Boeing-BoeingIn a category in which three of my favorite revivals of plays were not even nominated (
Cymbeline,
Pygmalion,
A Bronx Tale), I was heartened to see at least one of my picks up for the award.
Boeing-Boeing may not win due to a curse on comedies. But don't for one minute think these actors aren't working every bit as hard as those in the other shows. It is the funniest show currently on Broadway.
If I had to choose an alternate pick, it would be
The Homecoming thanks largely to its top drawer acting.
Best Revival of a Musical
GreaseGypsyRodgers & Hammerstein’s South PacificSunday In The Park With George
Should Win: GypsyIn any normal year, you'd likely never have to choose among three truly outstanding revivals in this category.
Grease is the only smudge on this astonishing category.
As beautiful as I found
South Pacific and
Sunday In The Park With George, I was completely swept away by the artistry involved in this latest revival of
Gypsy. Maybe it's because I've now seen it more than any other musical, but I've also never seen each of its characters more fully realized than those in this amazing incarnation.
Next up: my picks for the acting awards.
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:And The Tony Nominees Go To... (May 12, 2008)
Labels: August Osage County, Boeing-Boeing, Gypsy, Passing Strange, Tony Awards, Tony Nominations
SOB’s Best Of 2007-08: Top Ten Of The YearOver the past week and a half, I've offered up my "Best Of" lists for each of the five major stage categories observed by the Tony Awards, including
Best Special Theatrical Events,
Best Musical Revivals,
Best Play Revivals,
Best New Musicals and
Best New Plays.
Now, before I launch into which Broadway shows would get my Tony vote if
I could
actually 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 this exciting 2007-08 Theatrical Season:
10 - From Up HereVenue: Off-Broadway's New York City Center, Manhattan Theatre Club, New York, NY
Top 10 Worthiness: Liz Flahive's poignant, yet darkly funny
From Up Here provided a heaping healthy dose of what troubled teens need more than anything else: hope.
Exceptional Standout Performances: Tobias Segal and
Julie White.
Status: Closes June 8. Go see it. Now!
SOB Review Rating: ***1/2 (out of ****)
9 - The Seafarer
Venue: Broadway's Booth Theatre, New York, NY
Top 10 Worthiness: Conor McPherson's chilling, mesmerizing and often funny
The Seafarer was one helluva good morality play that came up all aces.
Exceptional Standout Performances: Jim Norton and
Conleth Hill.
Status: Closed, but look for regional theatre companies, including Chicago's
Steppenwolf, to mount productions over the next year.
SOB Review Rating: ***1/2 (out of ****)
8 - South PacificVenue: Broadway's Vivian Beaumont Theatre, Lincoln Center, New York, NY
Top 10 Worthiness: From the moment
Ted Sperling cues his 30-piece orchestra, commencing the initial swells from the overture for one of
Richard Rodgers and
Oscar Hammerstein II's most beloved musical scores, it's clear that this
Bartlett Sher-helmed
South Pacific is going to be a truly majestic revival.
Exceptional Standout Performances: Paulo Szot and
Kelli O'HaraStatus: Originally slated for limited run through June, but has since become an open-ended run. National tour is in the works.
SOB Review Rating: ***1/2 (out of ****)
7 - Dreamgirls
Venue: Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA
Top 10 Worthiness: Two words ...
Jennifer Holliday reprising her quintessential Effie Melody White in Atlanta's glorious revival of
Dreamgirls, which offered up some truly magical and electrifying performances from start to finish.
Exceptional Standout Performances: Jennifer Holliday and
David Jennings.
Status: Closed.
SOB Review Rating: **** (out of ****)
6 - Cymbeline
Venue: Broadway's Vivian Beaumont Theatre, Lincoln Center, New York, NY
Top 10 Worthiness: Lincoln Center's starry revival of
William Shakespeare's celestial
Cymbeline sent an unexpected, yet definable chill of delight shooting down my spine, thanks to
Mark Lamos' brilliant, sparkling vision.
Exceptional Standout Performances: Martha Plimpton,
John Cullum and
Paul O'Brien.
Status: Closed.
SOB Review Rating: **** (out of ****)
5 - A Catered AffairVenue: Broadway's Walter Kerr Theatre, New York, NY
Top 10 Worthiness: Like a rare vintage wine that deserves to be sipped and savored, the seriously sublime
A Catered Affair opens up across the tastebuds into a glorious bouquet making this beautifully-acted, earnest chamber musical, rich with integrity, very intoxicating.
Exceptional Standout Performances: Faith Prince,
Leslie Kritzer and
Tom WopatStatus: Open-ended run.
SOB Review Rating: **** (out of ****)
4 - The Beatles LoveVenue: Love Theatre, Mirage, Las Vegas, NV
Top 10 Worthiness: I blew my mind out with the excellent
The Beatles Love, which roundly serves as the ultimate showcase for the catalogue of
The Beatles via the best
Cirque du Soleil production I have yet to witness.
Exceptional Standout Performances: The entire troupe from Cirque du Soleil and those Four Lads from Liverpool.
Status: Open-ended run.
SOB Review Rating: **** (out of ****)
3 - Passing Strange
Venue: Broadway's Belasco Theatre, New York, NY
Top 10 Worthiness: Passing Strange was not only the year's most cosmic, most unusual and most unexpected new musical, it was also real, full of heart and simply the best new tuner to hit Broadway all year.
Exceptional Standout Performances: Stew and
Daniel Breaker.
Status: Open-ended run.
SOB Review Rating: **** (out of ****)
2 - Gypsy
Venue: Broadway's St. James Theatre, New York, NY
Suddenly, highfalutin words like "excellent," "superb" and "top-notch" just don't seem sufficient enough to adequately describe the unique, exhilarating experience of seeing
Arthur Laurents' incredible and thoroughly entertaining revival of
Gypsy, which is most definitely a performance for the ages. This is the best musical, period, of the year.
Exceptional Standout Performances: Patti LuPone,
Laura Benanti and
Boyd Gaines.
Status: Open-ended run.
SOB Review Rating: **** (out of ****)
1 - August: Osage CountyVenues: Downstairs Theatre, Steppenwolf, Chicago, IL;
Broadway's
Imperial Theatre, New York, NY;
Broadway's Music Box Theatre, New York, NY (present)
Tracy Letts' Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece
August: Osage County rates as the best-written, best-acted play I've ever seen at Chicago's
Steppenwolf and among the top five plays I've ever seen performed anywhere, anytime.
Anna D. Shapiro's direction has made this a razor-sharp, whip-smart American classic. Without a doubt, this is the best show of the year, and it will win the Tony for Best Play.
Exceptional Standout Performances: Deanna Dunagan,
Amy Morton,
Rondi Reed and
Francis Guinan.
Status: Open-ended run, now playing the Music Box Theatre on Broadway.
SOB Review Rating: **** (out of ****)
What shows would be on your top ten list? Do you think I've completely missed the boat, or would your choices largely mirror mine? I invite you to join the discussion and post your comments here.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:SOB's Best Of 2007-08: Best New Plays (May 30, 2008)
SOB's Best Of 2007-08: Best New Musicals (May 29, 2008)
SOB's Best Of 2007-08: Best Revivals Of Musicals (May 28, 2008)
SOB's Best Of 2007-08: Best Revivals Of Plays (May 27, 2008)
SOB's Best Of 2007-08: Best Special Theatrical Events (May 24, 2008)
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: A Catered Affair, August Osage County, Broadway, Cymbeline, Dreamgirls, From Up Here, Gypsy, Passing Strange, SOB's Best of 2007-08, South Pacific, The Beatles Love, The Seafarer
SOB's Best Of 2007-08: Best New MusicalsDuring the 2007-08 Theatrical Season, I've enjoyed the opportunity to see 13 new musicals. Perhaps "enjoyed" isn't quite the right word since that number proved a bit unlucky with three of these tuners turning up on my "
Worst 5" list.
The past year was not a particularly great one for new musicals with the vast majority of them falling a bit flat with me. But fortunately, there were some notable exceptions, enough to register, resonate and score on my personal "5 Best" list for the past twelve months:
5 - Queens Boulevard (Signature Theatre Company at the Peter Norton Space, New York, NY)
While a
certain neighborhood in the upper reaches of Manhattan has helped launch this season's mainstream ethnic musical sensation, those who ventured to
Queens Boulevard were treated to something quite otherworldly.
Charles Mee's rendition of the melting pot known as Queens was a varitable feast for the senses with the most beguiling first twenty minutes I've ever seen in a stage show.
Queens Boulevard centers on a bride (
Michi Barall) and groom (
Amir Arison) whose respective Japanese and Indian cultures come rhythmically together -- think Bollywood film with a Japanese accent. As a musical,
Queens Boulevard operated more like a quirkier New Age "
Moulin Rouge" with an eclectic fusion of tunes spanning the globe and some of the most mesmerizing choreography of the year.
Ironically enough, Mee has created a distinctly American fairy tale, and with multitude of cultures he's stuffed into his work, it really couldn't happen anywhere else but here.
4 - Xanadu (Helen Hayes Theatre, New York, NY)
You've just gotta love a show that doesn't take itself too seriously. And in the case of
Xanadu, how could it? Rather than take a straight approach, literally and figuratively, this
Xanadu revels and luxuriates in the extremely dubious nature of its source material about an Australian-accented mythical goddess who's brought to life by the clueless chalk-bearing mortal who drew her, while she flirts with her own mortality by falling in love with him. Indeed, this is the campiest, most outrageous fun I've had all year long.
Douglas Carter Beane's super silly, yet surprisingly engaging book, which is simply too preposterous to describe, offers copious amounts of winking and nodding. As the muse Clio/Kyra,
Kerry Butler proves a formidible force with a gorgeous voice coupled with plenty of comic timing.
Cheyenne Jackson more than ably glides on his rollerskates with charm to spare. Together as Clio's conspiring sisters,
Jackie Hoffman and
Mary Testa conjure up laughing spells that soar so beyond the top I found myself doubled over in fits of glee.
Is
Xanadu a great musical? Of course not, and fortunately, it doesn't aspire to be. But if you go into the show with an open mind, don't be surprised if you find this show working its way into your heart.
3 - The Glorious Ones (Mitzi Newhouse Theatre, Lincoln Center, New York, NY)
Who said nice things come in small packages? Well, in the case of
Lynn Ahrens and
Stephen Flaherty's
The Glorious Ones, you might instead say naughty things come in small packages. Though it may not exactly have risen to the exalted heights of all things glorious, the accomplished tunesmiths' latest work was certainly good -- if not-so-clean -- fun. With
Graciela Daniele's deft touch and Ahrens and Flaherty's comedic and at times compelling score,
The Glorious Ones was a debauched little diamond in the rough shining bright with a devilishly funny cast led by
Marc Kudisch as the charismatic 16th Century leader of a fledgling band of actors in the
commedia dell’arte (comic tradition).
Steeped in vulgarity and slapstick, this little frippery may not have been glorious. But it certainly was delightful fun.
2 - A Catered Affair (Walter Kerr Theatre, New York, NY)
Like a rare vintage wine that deserves to be sipped and savored, the seriously sublime
A Catered Affair opens up across the tastebuds into a glorious bouquet. When all is said and done, this beautifully-acted, earnest chamber musical is intoxicating. Rich with integrity,
Harvey Fierstein has vividly crafted a genuinely touching book that dares to wear its dry dignity on its sleeve, right alongside its huge beating heart. Fierstein's libretto has been wondrously blended with
John Bucchino's stirring score.
John Doyle's understated direction strikes the right balance between the many trials and inner demons the musical's principal characters face and the often hidden gentility each possesses, including
Faith Prince in the performance of her career.
With a workmanlike realism, this slice of fifties Bronx offers a humungous and unpretentious heart. For anyone who has a palate worthy of the best reserve,
A Catered Affair is a must-see.
1 - Passing Strange (Belasco Theatre, New York, NY)
The year's absolute best, most cosmic musical was also the most unusual and unexpected, and yet somehow
real.
Passing Strange succeeds in taking the Great White Way in an entirely new, infinitely intelligent direction. Its trajectory brilliantly takes a bohemian base and infuses gospel, rock, punk and soul music into a delicious, simmering hot, heterogeneous bouillabaisse, compliments of a musician named
Stew. This exacting artist takes us on a wild trip in quasi-strolling minstrel style, expertly telling the story of his own formative adult years with such humor, passion and grace that I found myself tearing up many times over as chills shot down my spine.
Stew's storytelling alter ego, Youth, is played with awkward charm by
Daniel Breaker, a sensationally expressive new stage star in an astonishing breakthrough role. Breaker has been duly honored (as I had predicted) with a well-deserved Tony nomination.
Often veering toward the existential when it's not reminding you of "The Wizard Of Oz," Stew's ethereal odyssey isn't as much about saying "there's no place like home" as it's reassuring you that you actually can go home again. I couldn't help but fall head over heels in love with this smoke-hazed tale. Far from strange, I look forward to passing this way again.
What were the best new 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).
Related Stories:SOB's Best Of 2007-08: Best Revivals Of Musicals (May 28, 2008)
SOB's Best Of 2007-08: Best Revivals Of Plays (May 27, 2008)
SOB's Best Of 2007-08: Best Special Theatrical Events (May 24, 2008)
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: A Catered Affair, Broadway, Musical, Off-Broadway, Passing Strange, Queens Boulevard, SOB's Best of 2007-08, The Glorious Ones, Xanadu
How 'kül Is This? Strange $25 Rush Ticket OfferMajor tip o' the hat on this fine St. Patrick's Day to Aaron Riccio of
‘kül That Sounds Cool and
MetaDrama and Show Showdown for being among the first to report something that not only sounds cool, it actually
is!
Aaron reports that the überkül musical
Passing Strange will now offer same-day $25 rush tickets for anyone wishing to see the show. Aaron writes:
In other words, now you have no excuse for not seeing Passing Strange. It's already clear that Passing Strange is a young, hip, vibrant show, unique in its stubborn charm to Broadway. This incentive carries that energy on by making Broadway really accessible to anyone passing through -- in the neighborhood and want to see something? For little more than twice the cost of a movie ticket, now you can.
My one and only concern: Broadway musicals need a consistent advance box office business and more than an average ticket price of $49.91 -- let alone $25 -- to remain open. When the last box office scores were posted a week ago,
Passing Strange had increased its capacity significantly ... but only to 49.3%.
UPDATE (3/17/08, 3:39 p.m. EDT): Last week for the first time in its relatively brief Broadway life, Passing Strange broke through the 50% capacity mark as it reached 55.5% with average ticket prices barely increasing to $50.89.
Will this
Strange gamble pay off for the
best new musical on Broadway? I sure hope so.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Did Critics Provide Passing Grades To Passing Strange? (February 29, 2008)
Passing Strange (The SOB Review) (February 29, 2008)
Broadway's Strange Opening Night (February 28, 2008)
Strange Stagefellows (February 20, 2008)
Passing Strange Jersey Boys And Rock 'N' Roll: Downbeat Box Office (February 19, 2008)
Stranger Things Have Happened! (October 19, 2007)
Passing Strange To Broadway? (October 16, 2007)
Labels: Blogs, Box Office, Broadway, kul That Sounds Cool, Musical, Passing Strange, Ticket Prices
Berkeley Rep: Theatre's New Left Coast Guard?In recent years, it's seemed as though three primary West Coast not-for-profits lead the pack when it comes to producing future Broadway fare, and they're all in Southern California: the
Old Globe (San Diego),
La Jolla Playhouse (just to the north of San Diego) and
Center Theatre Group (Los Angeles).
I've ventured to all three over the last few years to take in various shows in their pre-Broadway engagements and was struck by just how much they emulated big commercial theatres rather than the nonprofits they purport to be. And is it no surprise given some of the major Rialto hits they've produced? In late January, Isaac Butler at Parabasis had a
great post on the double-edged sword this "enhancement" effect has on not-for-profits that's most definitely worth reading.
In part through
Jack O'Brien's artistic leadership, the Old Globe helped shepherd
Into the Woods,
The Piano Lesson,
Two Trains Running,
Damn Yankees,
The Full Monty and
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, among other shows to the Great White Way.
At the nearby La Jolla Playhouse, under
Des McAnuff's guiding hand, shows like
Thoroughly Modern Millie,
I Am My Own Wife,
700 Sundays,
Jersey Boys and the upcoming
Cry-Baby first came to life prior to Broadway.
And up in the city that's known more for its devotion to film than live theatre, Center Theatre Group has earned its stripes under
Michael Ritchie's leadership by producing two highly successful Main Stem musicals:
The Drowsy Chaperone and
Curtains. It's also where the current
Come Back, Little Sheba revival got its start.
I don't begrudge any of them the commercial success they've achieved, but given that success, are each of these theatres really completely deserving of their 501(c)(3) status?
Interestingly enough, as
Joy Goodwin points out in this morning's
The New York Times, the Bay Area's 40 year-old Tony Award-winning
Berkeley Reperatory Theatre is slowly but surely staking its own claim in Manhattan, both on Broadway and Off-Broadway. The latest, perhaps greatest show it's had a major hand in producing is
Passing Strange, which opened last week to major critical buzz.
While the other three theatres offer fare that's arguably more commercially viable, it's refreshing to see a nonprofit doing what you'd hope a nonprofit would do -- taking greater risks in stretching the boundaries of artistic expression. If the result continues to be shows like
Passing Strange, I just may consider making a donation there as a way of demonstrating my solidarity and enthusiastic support for their vision and mission:
Berkeley Repertory Theatre seeks to set a national standard for ambitious programming, engagement with its audiences, and leadership within the community in which it resides. We endeavor to create a diverse body of work that expresses a rigorous, embracing aesthetic and reflects the highest artistic standards, and seek to maintain an environment in which talented artists can do their best work. We strive to engage our audiences in an ongoing dialogue of ideas, and encourage lifelong learning as a core community value. Through productions, outreach and education, Berkeley Rep aspires to use theatre as a means to challenge, thrill and galvanize what is best in the human spirit.
When it gets right down to it, isn't that really what live theatre is all about?
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Berkeley Rep, Broadway, California, not-for-profit, Parabasis, Passing Strange
Did Critics Provide Passing Grades To Passing Strange?Last evening, Broadway's most offbeat musical
Passing Strange opened at the
Belasco Theatre to some bona fide critical raves (including
mine), although there were some dissents.
The show is based on the early adult years of musician
Stew (née Mark Stewart) with music he co-wrote with
Heidi Rodewald. Directed by
Annie Dorsen and choreographed by
Karole Armitage, the tuner stars
Daniel Breaker (pictured) as Stew's younger self, along with
De'Adre Aziza,
Eisa Davis,
Colman Domingo,
Chad Goodridge and
Rebecca Naomi Jones.
Calling "it wonderful, and a welcome anomaly on Broadway,"
Charles Isherwood in
The New York Times sounds the clarion call: "Although it is far richer in wit, feeling and sheer personality than most of what is classified as musical theater in the neighborhood around Times Square these days, its big heart throbs to the sound of electric guitars, searing synthesizer chords, driving drums and lyrics delivered not in a clean croon but a throaty yelp....Stew brings an invigorating new perspective to the classic coming-of-age narrative. He brings a gently satiric touch too..... This jumpy character -- in the text he is simply called Youth -- is portrayed by the sensational Daniel Breaker, whose performance has grown tremendously since the Off Broadway run."
Asserting that "It's boldly atypical Broadway fare that pulses with a new kind of vitality,"
Variety's
David Rooney heaps on the laurels: "Stew and director/co-creator Annie Dorsen have fine-tuned the material, adding definition and removing most of the lulls from the previously rambling second act in particular....Dorsen's achievement here in giving the episodic musical a satisfying shape cannot be overstated. Working with choreographer Karole Armitage, she creates something propulsive and viscerally exciting out of minimalist staging....The appealing Breaker's light touch never falters, deftly offsetting the posturing pretensions of countercultural hipsterism with his character's youthful ingenuousness.... Whether this personal yet joyously inclusive show is a first step into the form or a one-time excursion,
Passing Strange breaks the mold with electrifying inventiveness."
Offering that "
Strange is truly unlike anything you've seen on Broadway,"
USA Today's
Elysa Gardner hails the show in her three-and-a-half star review: "Stew actually sends up cultural sacred cows, from performance art to punk rock. Racial stereotypes, too, are cleverly evoked and debunked, and there are lighthearted jabs at musical theater itself. But
Strange is no snark fest. Stew and Rodewald reject the sentimentality and bombast that some rock-influenced writers bring to Broadway, and their work has more of the emotional intuition and melodic invention that distinguish great musicals than anything
Andrew Lloyd Webber or his acolytes have come up with.
Strange's humor and heart are enhanced by the cast. Daniel Breaker makes Youth lovable despite his narcissism, and manages a funny, touching rapport with Stew, the narrator."
Praising it as "all smart and all enjoyable and all very good for the theater,"
Newsday's
Linda Winer clearly enjoyed the show: "What's inside is what gives this surface its remarkable traction. Annie Dorsen, a downtown director in her mainstream debut, keeps the seriously comic action -- to use Stew's favorite word -- real. With little more than a few chairs and a back wall (by
David Korins) of jukebox neon lights, the show manages to create at least three different communities of unpredictable individuals with complex internal lives and worldviews. Karole Armitage, a veteran modern-dance choreographer, gives raucous energy to purposefully haphazard running, sliding and spinning for joy. No Broadway unisons here....When Youth tries to impress his German friends with his ghetto-warrior 'Identity Song,' the thing turns out to be a vaudeville....Nobody gets naked here, but everyone is exposed."
Proclaiming it "a hell of a good time,"
The New York Sun's
Eric Grode is mostly positive: "It's a witty, boisterous, often heretical dissection of racial identity in all its modern-day fluidity....Director Annie Dorsen has recalibrated the performances of her excellent original cast for the larger space....Mr. Breaker has that exceedingly rare ability to make post-adolescent self-involvement and sanctimoniousness endearing, and he and Stew have developed an easy rapport that wasn't evident last year. When Youth grabs Stew's microphone during a climactic realization, taking brief ownership of his future, the effect is both offhanded and riveting."
Citing this as "one of the more audacious attempts to bring rock 'n' roll to Broadway,"
Frank Scheck of
The Hollywood Reporter is largely upbeat: "[W]hat it lacks in cohesion and theatrical imagination, it makes up for with musical passion and energy....[T]here's no denying the quality of the hard-driving, stylistically eclectic rock score, with the evening's best number, the hard-driving 'Amsterdam,' proving a true show-stopper. The fluid staging by Annie Dorsen and the minimal but energetic choreography by Karole Armitage add greatly to the show's impact. And the six-person ensemble, led by the highly engaging creator/narrator, deliver terrific performances."
Labeling
Passing Strange an "exuberant if flawed show,"
Joe Dziemianowicz of New York's
Daily News offers a mixed assessment: "[T]he story feels familiar and smacks of warmed-over '
Wizard of Oz.' The stocky, bald Stew wears hipster shades and a dark suit as he narrates, sings and strums guitar. But he might as well be dressed in
Dorothy Gale gingham and ruby slippers.
What makes the show fresh is the music, which Stew wrote with Heidi Rodewald. Its rhythms and sounds go from hard-thumping rock and groovy blues to funk, punk and gospel....Daniel Breaker is magnetic as the Youth. Eisa Davis adds hilarity and heartache as his caring, churchgoing mother."
Concluding that "although Broadway may not be (Stew's) alley, his offbeat beatness would be a delight to encounter in cabaret,"
New York Post's
Clive Barnes nevertheless musters up two and a half stars: "It's also beautifully performed by a beguiling cast -- fun people to be with, even if one has to be with them rather longer than one might have planned....This is a conceit less strange than the show's authors try to suggest: Self-invention is often a prelude to self-identification. Yet, for all its conventionality, Stew's book and particularly his lyrics are witty and pointed. He has a dry sense of humor that's perfectly on-target, and stands back from these presumably autobiographical vignettes with a wry but calculated modesty."
Overall, given the praise that has been showered on
Passing Strange, the question now is whether audiences will finally discover it and make it their own. Certainly, it does not help that the Belasco is on the other side of Broadway, away from the glare of most theatres. But it certainly deserves four times more than the 23.5% capacity crowd it drew last week.
So, if you're smart, I'd advise you to get thee right away to get tickets while excellent seats are still available. I'm sure they won't last long.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Passing Strange (The SOB Review) (February 29, 2008)
Broadway's Strange Opening Night (February 28, 2008)
Strange Stagefellows (February 20, 2008)
Passing Strange Jersey Boys And Rock 'N' Roll: Downbeat Box Office (February 19, 2008)
Stranger Things Have Happened! (October 19, 2007)
Passing Strange To Broadway? (October 16, 2007)
Labels: Broadway, Critics' Capsule, Daniel Breaker, Heidi Rodewald, Musical, Passing Strange, Stew, The Negro Problem
