Rain: A Tribute To The Beatles (The SOB Review) - Neil Simon Theatre, New York, New York
***1/2 (out of ****)
Move over
Jersey Boys. There's a new kid on your block and it's called
Rain: A Tribute To The Beatles.
Just as the
British invasion led by
The Beatles basically ended the reign of the
Four Seasons at the top of the pop charts back in early 1964 -- and we all know who
won that battle -- the invasion of West 52nd Street by the vastly superior
Rain deserves to do the same on Broadway. Too bad it's just a limited run.
Rain: A Tribute To The Beatles is performing just two blocks away from the storied
Ed Sullivan Theater, from which the four lads from Liverpool launched their opening salvo in a campaign for American airwave supremacy. But ironically,
Rain is also directly across the street from
Jersey Boys, which, let's be totally honest, has always been much more about the music than its hackneyed storyline.
Unlike that Tony Award-winning Best Musical of 2006,
Rain makes no pretense of having a book, and that's in part what makes this so much more satisfying. Instead, it delivers an incredibly solid, straight-forward and absolutely enthralling concert with some of
the Fab Four's greatest hits almost exactly, note-for-note, the way they were originally performed. Yet, the score is packaged as a fascinating history lesson neatly encapsulating the turbulent sixties.
Close your eyes, and you'll likely think you're listening to a recording. But open them up, and you'll see performers who bear more than a passing resemblance to the real deal, particularly
Joey Curatolo as Paul McCartney and
Steve Landes as John Lennon. Possessing practically all of McCartney's mannerisms, looks and even voice, Curatolo nails the most prolific Beatle perfectly. Landes blew my mind in eerily channeling Lennon. (And it isn't lost on me that
Rain takes a rest on December 8, the 40th anniversary of Lennon's murder, which occurred not too far north of the
Neil Simon Theatre.)
If
Rain is not a complete re-creation of The Beatles, it's because try as he admirably might,
Joe Bithorn only gets George Harrison about half the time (which may be partially explained by obvious issues he was having with his ear-piece during the performance I attended).
If you're a regular reader of Steve On Broadway, you'll know that I count myself among the fans of the Four Seasons, but you'll also know that I'm one of millions who think The Beatles are
the greatest band of all time. After
being spellbound by the officially-sanctioned
The Beatles Love in Las Vegas, I profess I was extremely skeptical that any other tribute show could ever compare. But like the rest of The Beatles fans there the night I attended
Rain, I was up on my feet cheering this live music feast, wishing only that it could last a little longer.
While it may be among the unlikeliest of Broadway shows,
Rain: A Tribute To The Beatles easily offers one of the most enjoyably entertaining evenings you're likely to experience here, there or everywhere.
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, Concert, Four Seasons, Jersey Boys, Rain: A Tribute To The Beatles, The Beatles, The Beatles Love
SOB's Favorite Shows Of The Noughties: #14 - The Beatles Love (2007, Love Theatre, Mirage, Las Vegas, NV)
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. What was there not to love about the excellent
The Beatles Love? 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. It's in a class all by itself and serves as the best reason why I wouldn't mind returning to Vegas.
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: Cirque du Soleil, Las Vegas, Musical, SOB's Favorite Shows Of The Noughties, The Beatles, The Beatles Love
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 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
The Beatles Love (The SOB Review) - Love Theatre, Mirage, Las Vegas, NV**** (out of ****)Last night, on the eve of the 9/11 anniversary, I found myself seeking out some inner peace. In the excellent, mind-blowing
The Beatles Love, I found that all you need is love.
Finding myself overcome with a sensory overload I haven't experienced since visiting Nepal eleven years ago, this wild ride transports to another time and place with the most frenetic pacing I've seen since the first 20 minutes or so of
Baz Luhrmann's "
Moulin Rouge!" extravaganza. But just like that exhilarating silver screen opening, this exquisite showcase for the catalogue of
The Beatles ultimately settles down, finally enabling you to catch your breath, even if for a moment.
Classic tunes from The Beatles are brought to life in a most magical way, incorporating the themes and emotions behind each one, whether it's encapsulating the melancholy of "Eleanor Rigby" or the psychadelic sparkle of "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds." Since I'm a Beatlesmaniac, 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.
By far the best
Cirque du Soleil production I have yet to witness -- and I've now seen four of their five Vegas shows with the fifth coming tonight --
The Beatles Love even manages to blow my previous favorite
O out of the water. Nobody does beautiful spectacle
anywhere quite the way Cirque du Soleil does (Disney, why
aren't you paying attention??).
Credit
Guy Laliberté and Dominic Champagne for creating this truly magical mystery tour, along with Jean Rabasse (set design), Yves Aucoin (lighting design), Philippe Guilottet (costumer design), Jonathan Deans (sound design, including speakers within each seat) and Francis Laporte (a projection design that incorporated John, Paul, George and Ringo). It would serve Broadway choreographers to take a look or two at Dave St. Pierre's stunning work.
While "Viva Las Vegas" may have been Elvis' ode to Sin City, it's the Fab Four (and the creative team behind
The Beatles Love) who are breathing exciting new life into Vegas. As the show closed with "All You Need Is Love," I found myself wishing for just a little more love. Perhaps I've finally found my reason for returning to Las Vegas.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.
Related Stories:Becoming SOL (September 10, 2007)
Critics: True Spectacle for the Senses and Beatles' Fans (July 1, 2006)
The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil Opens in Vegas Tonight (June 30, 2006)
Labels: Cirque du Soleil, Las Vegas, Musical, Special Theatrical Event, Spectacle, The Beatles, The Beatles Love, The SOB Review
