Les Miserables @ The Imperial Theater

OH GOD! Go see it!

I’m sorry – that was blunt and forceful. In all seriousness now, GO SEE IT! Why haven’t you bought your tickets yet? Go ahead, do it now, don’t worry, I’ll wait.

The Imperial Theatre has been taken over by the barricades of 19th century France. Les Misérables, the classic musical based on the famous book by French author Victor Hugo, has taken charge and once again brought to life the classic story that theatre lovers everywhere have come to know and cherish. Set in the bowels of 19th century France and the impending second revolution, Les Misérables (or Les Miz for short) follows the story of the benevolent Jean Valjean (played by Ramin Karimloo) as he travels through life narrowly escaping the grasp of his counterpart, the law enforcing Javert (played by Will Swenson). Covering a span of nearly 20 years, Les Miz shows us the underbelly of the raw streets of France and the hell its citizens go through just to survive.

Ramin Karimloo leads the cast as Jean Valjean, with an incredible presence and air, if it’s not to bold to say he does original Colm Wilkinson proud. Karimloo was benevolent and beautiful. The highest moment in the show belonged to his rendition of “Bring Him Home”, a powerful ballad sung to Marius in the desperation of battle at the barricades. It was a true moment in which the audience knew something great was happening. It brought the height of desperation and humility. Caissie Levi brought an incredible grace to Fantine, the down-on-her-luck mother of young Cosette. Levi was eloquent, bringing new life into this tragic character. “I Dreamed a Dream” sounded like nothing else, both powerful and heart breaking. 

Andy Mientus as Marius and Samantha Hill as Cosette were complimentary as our young lovers. Mientus was innocent and quite enjoyable to watch, instantly loved and respected from the moment he walks on stage. Hill was gracefully naïve and brought a wonderful softness to this raw world. As adorable the young lovers were to watch, Kyle Scatliffe was a nice contrast of empowerment as Enjorlas, the brave rebellion leader. A stand out moment was not only his death, but the lighting of his lifeless body hanging off the back of a cart; so incredibly sad, with a scent of hopelessness. 

Nikki M. James plays a gripping Eponine, the tough, street-wise, back alley girl, who harbors a secret love for Marius. Her rendition of “On My Own” is another high point in the production and, oh gosh, was it heart wrenching to see her pass to a beautiful “A Little Fall of Rain”. Joshua Colley is wonderfully mischievous as Gavoroche, the king of street rats. But please, bring “Little People” back into the fold. With a Gavroche as adorable as Colley the audience pleads for more of him. Another highlight, in a glorious production was Will Swenson and his rendition of “Stars”. If Valjean is known for his benevolence, then Javert is known for his black and white loyalty to the law. He is a stoic character and Swenson plays him in a fine manner. And of course, who could forget the Thenardier’s! Played by Cliff Saunders and Keala Settle, Thenardier and his feisty spouse are larger than life and properly ridiculous scene stealers. Saunder’s Master of the House is a wonderful moment that leaves you wanting to join the debauchery occurring on stage. It’s a crowd pleaser and it is not hard to see why.

Les Miz is such a classic, well-known musical. Aspiring musical theatre aficionados have cherished it for years and will continue to do so. This revival is a wonderful addition to a famous legacy. Filled with beautiful moments and deep sincerity, it’s safe to say that Cameron Mackintosh has done a splendid job. The set was remarkable, setting Broadway caliber to a new height – with the creative use of beautiful projections that deserve special mention. The lighting was raw, with stark beams of light outlined in smoked used for special effect.

The whole experience was raw, dirty, urban, real, and incredibly astonishing.

Review By: Morgan Mack
Photos By: Matthew Murphy

The Chocolate Show @47th Street Theatre

The smell of chocolate accosts the senses when walking into the intimate space of the 47th Street Theatre. The culprit? Dan Foster’s production of “The Chocolate Show”, book and music by Alan Golub and Laura Goldfader with lyrics by Alan Golub. And while the title of the show may lend itself to a certain high-brow intellectual atmosphere, don’t look for a deeper meaning because you won’t find one. The show features a five person cast, Emily McNamara, Laura D’Andre, Talene Monahon, Andrew Pandaleon, and James Patterson.  Filled with quirky comedic bits and chocolate themed musical numbers lathered in a farcical nature, the show caters to a younger audience and should not be placed on the radar of any spectator wishing to spend a sophisticated night at the theatre.

Heavy with audience participation, the show gives license to its audience members to embrace their inner child and be completely silly; to become kids again – in fact the song “Kid’s Again” sung sweetly by Talene Monahon was a musical highlight in this off-Broadway form of children’s theatre.  Also deserving special mention is Laura D’Andre. Together the pair made quite talented cupcakes. And while the onstage changes and noted skill of the cast of impressive singers stood out as creative and smooth, the overall world of the show is too ridiculous to be taken seriously. Which then lends itself, in this opinion, to be a considered a work in progress chocolate themed pageant for kids. Even worse, the suffocating cheese ball charm is somewhat soured by the constant shameless plug advertising of the chocolate companies who have lent support to the production. At times the show seemed more infomercial than theatre. Yet, the children in attendance had fun, and the adults had fun watching the kids have fun, giving all an opportunity to embrace their inner child.  P.S. A special shout out to Noah – The King of the Coco Bean!

Recommended for family fun and children under 10, “The Chocolate Show” opens February 14th at the 47th Street Theater.

Review By: Morgan Mack and Lisa Kosak

Man and Boy @ American Airlines Theatre

          Adding another classic to their astound company, Roundabout Theatre Company puts Terence Rattigan’s Man and Boy on the Great White Way. With elaborate characters and a twisting plot line, this piece delivers laughs, tension, and an ending that will leave you saying, “Did that just happen?” Lead by legendary Frank Langella, the cast of Man and Boy delivers an emotional journey that supplies quality, truly Broadway at its best. No doubt, a completely satisfying experience.

          At the peak of the Great Depression, cutthroat financier Gregor Antonescu’s (Frank Langella) business is at an extreme low and is at risk of failing. In order to avoid the press and public, Gregor tracks down his estranged son Basil (Adam Driver) with the hopes of using his little Greenwich Village apartment as a place to make company saving deals.

          You know how you can tell a show has good acting in it? You are not thinking about the acting. When the audience is completely entranced by a show they don’t often take notice of the technical bells and whistles that go into an actor’s performance. Yet, is this a bad thing? After all, the main job of an actor is to tell a story. Man and Boy featured its actor/characters in pairs; each one the yin to the others yang. The dependence and need established between the characters added an intricately dynamic ribbon throughout the production. Adam Driver (Basil Anthony) played the distraught son of the great Wall Street tycoon, Gregor Antonescu. With one of the most intricate back stories, Driver delivers the emotionally battered and beaten son beautifully. Basil Anthony left his father and the world he knew after a falling out between the two. Starting out with a strong hatred for his father and their past, Basil goes on an emotional roller coaster and takes the audience along for the ride. After Ms. Penn (Kull) exits, we see Basil slowly crumble and fall back into the habit of idolizing his famous father leading him to feel remorse towards leaving him. Driver displays an ease within his role and adds the creative behavioral gesture of a stammer whenever he is talking of Antonescu. He produces a strong energy in each entrance and exit leaving the atmosphere richer with each line of text. As stated earlier, each character is presented as part of a pair - some characters are involved in more than one and each relationship radiates a different light. The push and pull of the play revolves around the tension each character creates. The atmosphere of the production thrives on the existence of such contrasting characters. The most intriguing relationship was that of Basil Anthony (Driver) and Mr. Gregor Antonescu, played by the astounding Frank Langella. What the audience is exposed to is a broken relationship between father and son. Most eminent in certain moments, Langella and Driver worked well together producing both chemistry and tension in enormous amounts. What intrigues the audience most is how Basil and Gregor relate to each other. To Gregor, Basil is his own conscience. Gregor operates his business as successfully as he does because he has no feeling of remorse. To have Basil in his presence is to have a constant threat to his way of life. Basil feels as though his father misunderstands him, views him as weak. Although he expresses hatred towards his father, Basil still worships Gregor in a way. Towards the end of the play Basil is the only one who shows Mr. Antonescu true loyalty. Gregor is aware of the fact that his son idolizes him & feels that this only justifies how weak and easily mislead his son is. Throughout the play Gregor views his son as a tactic (probably a view he has of most people he come into contact with) and uses him as he sees fit. It becomes clear through all their interactions that Gregor’s biggest disappointment in his son is that he refuses to see who the real Gregor Antonescu is. The moment right before intermission Basil tells Gregor that he is nothing. As the play goes on the audience starts to realize that this statement is not only completely true, but the hardest truth to accept. Frank Langella graces Broadway as Wall Street giant Gregor Antonescu. Antonescu is facing the possible demise of his empire and turns to the only escape route he has left, his estranged son. Gregor exploits all those in his surroundings for his business and is left alone. He faces continuous abandonment from his inner ring and pushes away the only person who stuck around, his son. Langella’s manner, air, and rich vocal abilities add a majestic air to the character. The confident air with which Antonescu holds himself seems to be a natural step for Langella. He had an ease on the stage which made the emotional downfall which Antonescu descends that much more believable. Sven, played by Michael Siberry, was not only the rock, but the hard place as well. Acting as a puppet master in some cases Sven possessed an unspoken control or power over the other characters. He was an expert in getting his way, always believing he was doing the right thing. It was intriguing to see Sven presented as in Gregor’s control and then slowly come to the realization that Sven was consulted before Gregor even took a breath. We see that Sven becomes the only continuous source of power in the entire show. Siberry actively produces an energetic atmosphere which is impressive because the character of Sven is a strong and silent, get to the point type of guy. His strong posture, movement and vocal tension helped bring the character to new levels. Virginia Kull, who opened the show as the Carol Penn (Basil Anthony’s girlfriend), established a strong “yin and yang” relationship between Basil and herself. The two were very intimate with each other which not only clarified their relationship, but also added credit to their dependence on each other. She seemed to be the anchor in the relationship. Basil is strong with her by his side and crumbles when she leaves. Kull’s voice quality was full and displayed realistic emotion throughout her time on stage. As stated before, the character relationships in this production revolve mostly around partnerships. Everyone is a pair. The two who conveyed this message the most are Mark Herries (Zach Greiner) and David Beeston (Brian Hucthinson). Mr. Herries and his accountant Mr. Beeston bring Antonescu’s criminal activities to light. Although the two enter together, they leave at separate times and in two different emotional states. Mr. Herries accusations are reliant upon Mr. Beeston’s numbers. Yet Gregor Antonescu is a force to be reckoned with, breaking down Mr. Beeston’s logic. Once Beeston is questioning himself, Herries’s cool façade begins to fade. Greiner and Hucthinson emit good chemistry and incredibly in sync comedic timing. The regal character of Countess Antonescu just brought the ugly, disloyal side of Mr. Antonescu’s life to light. We see the first act of betrayal in the Countess. She insists on being treated as Gregor’s wife, but in his time of need she turns her back on him. Francesca Faridany displayed quick timing and clear intentions displaying the Countess as not only shallow, but even brought a sympathetic air to her character, invoking pity from the audience.

          The technical perfection was just the cherry on top of an already incredible show. The original music and sound design by John Gromada set the perfect atmosphere, with train rumbles consistently passing through. Gromada created and maintained an outside world which could be forgotten even for a minute. The light design by Kevin Adams established the lower class feel of Basil’s apartment, by using interesting shadow to make the clear assumption that there isn’t any really any kind of quality lighting. The set design by Derek McLane put the audience smack dab in the middle of a crappy Greenwich Village apartment, while still keeping to the time. It’s not often when you find the most effective moment of a play overlapping Intermission. As part of an overall creative directing process, the moment before Intermission was the moment the audience returned to afterwards. Viewing this as a risk that paid off, the choreography off this particular moment pulled the audience back into the world of the production in an original and effective way. Although the production in its entirety was enthralling, there were moments in the staging of the production that were bothersome. In this production every moment leads to something important or is important in itself. Which is why is was incredibly irritating when an actor would come on stage and deliver an important moment with his back to the audience. It not only made it incredibly hard to understand what was happening, but also demeaned the importance of the moment. (In reference to the missing wall on the set) It was incredibly irritating to see actor’s interact with an object that was not there. Although the set design was beautiful and the missing wall not only produced an unique touch to the overall look of the set, but also symbolized the crumbling world that the characters seem to be functioning in, to see actors interact with it broke the willing suspension of disbelief.

          Will the reunion of father and son help them reconcile? Or will the father use his son to save himself and then toss him aside? Well don’t wait to get a ticket and find your way over to the American Airlines Theatre for a theatre experience of a lifetime, that will leave you guessing who is the Man and who is the Boy.

Review By: Morgan Mack

Guest Writter: Morgan Mack

The Addams Family @ The Lunt-Fontanne Theatre

They have been known to be creepy and kooky, but musically inclined?  This is another thing the Addam’s can add to their list attributes in The Addams Family the Musical now lurching its way on Broadway.  This classic comic strip, which as seen life in almost every other form of media from television to the big screen, has the audience snapping in time to the familiar theme song, that brings a smile to everyone’s face before the curtain has even risen.  Unfortunately, the smiles do not last forever as a simple plot and less then memorable songs begin to take over.  However, even with these creative issues, one cannot help but sit through all of the craziness and kookiness without having a great time.  This shows manages to transport its audience into the world of the Addams in such a way that dying flowers, crawling flowers, and hairy cousins are simply beautiful.

This undead, upbeat musical follows the tell tale heart of Wednesday who has fallen in love with a "normal" boy, named Lucas, inspiring her to invite him and his parents over for dinner.  But this isn’t the only thing that is changing and the Addams are not quite sure what to do about it: Morticia fears of growing old, Gomez’s baby girl is slipping through his fingers, Pugsley is losing his sister, and Grandma is just going crazy.  Not to mention that Lucas’s family has their own separate set of issues – his father is money hungry and his mother only speaks in rhymes.  When these two families come together, it will ultimately be up to Uncle Fester to keep love alive and spirits high.  And, Fester has do it all while dealing with relationship problems of his own – his love is just too far away . . . like in outer space . . . as in, the moon.  In this original story, the Addams are put to the test to see if their family is strong enough to defect the dreaded coming of “true” love.

This classic; with countless movies, shows, and cartoons to document their crazy antics can be hard to live up to, but the cast did more than live up to their great name – they killed it. Rachel Potter (making her Broadway debut) portrays Wednesday Addams – a death obsessed, black colored wardrobe extraordinaire with the hormones of a teenage girl in love.  Potter’s performance of Wednesday was perfectly intricate and relatable, with a phenomenal voice that could wake even the stiffest corpse. Wednesday’s moments with Lucas Beineke, played by Jesse Swanson (Spring Awakening), were wonderfully charming, reminding the audience of the golden years of reckless, teenage love. Roger Rees (televisions Cheers and The West Wing) brings lightness to the classic character of Gomez Addams. His wit and comedic timing kept the audience laughing all throughout the play.  However, even more impressive, was the precious father-daughter moment between Gomez and Wednesday.  Rees portrayal of the protective father, learning to let go, tugs on the heart strings and shows a refreshing, emotional side to the character of Gomez.  Bebe Neuwirth (televisions Cheers and Frasier) encompassed the mysterious, sultry, and inexpressive Morticia as only Bebe Neuwirth can.  Providing balance to the chaotic happenings on stage, Neuwirth’s unique voice made the character her own with her signature peculiar sensuality, perfect for the role.  Adam Riegler’s (Shrek the Musical) performance as Pugsley adds that little bit of mischief to keep things interesting in this gothic family affair.  Riegler adds laughs and momentum to the play, delightfully portraying the fears of impish little-brother-losing-big-sister with off-beat sincerity, carried by his acting and vocals, setting the standards for a whole new generation.  The narrator of this zany show is none other than Uncle Fester, played by Brad Oscar (Tony nominated for The Producers).  With his cute mannerisms and huge heart, Oscar works his way into the hearts of the audience as only Uncle Fester could.  And how could this family be complete without Lurch, played by Zachary James (South Pacific). His silent, but deadly comedic timing was spot on as the stern and stoic butler, using his body and facial expressions to deliver some of the strongest moments within the production, adding another hilarious layer to this already six food deep comedy.

The music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa (revised ...Charlie Brown) might not burrow themselves into the audiences’ head right away, but after some time, songs such as When You’re an Addams and Pulled, worm their way into your heart.  Lippa takes into account the careful details of each characters’ personality, with teeny-pop tunes for Wednesday and love ballets for Gomez; bringing a rounded feel to the well loved family.  As for the choreography, done by Sergio Trujillo (Jersey Boys and Memphis), these toe taping numbers range from subtle to all the way to the extravagant; with the opening of the show the Addams ancestors are called on to celebrate the “great cycle of life and death”, but who would have ever guessed that would include Bunny Hopping!  With a set and direction done by Phelim McDermott and Julian Crouch (the team behind Off-Broadway’s Shockheaded Peter), the two deliver the wow factor to this show, building up a mansion of a character all its own.  The stunning illusion of different rooms, doors, and locations were represented by moving couches, staircases, or even the main curtain; making for a very clever and excellent opportunities for our lovably dark characters to make special appearances. The costumes, also done by McDermott and Crouch, rip the family right from the pages of the classic comic strips, staying true to what it means to be an Addams.  The puppetry also created a very unique atmosphere to this show.  From Cousin It, a Venus Fly-trap, the octopus living under the stairs, the list goes on, showing the creative versatility that is Basil Twist (work can be seen through such companies as Lincoln Center and The Los Angeles Philharmonic), adding the black cherry to the top of a dark chocolate Sunday.

If the family is looking for a creepy-crawly comedy of a musical, be sure to skulk, lurch, or even zombie your way on over to the Lune-Fontanne Theatre and pay a call on, “The Addams Family.”  Snap! Snap!

Review By: Morgan Mack & James Russo