Side Show @ The St. James Theatre

From the moment the audience at Side Show is invited to “Come Look at the Freaks,” they’ll be drawn into an odd spectacle they’ll find it hard to resist.  Based on the true story of famed conjoined twins Daisy and Violet Hilton, this story follows the sisters (played by Emily Padgett and Erin Davie respectively) from their lonely lives as a freak show attraction to the height of their vaudeville fame.

Daisy and Violet begin their journey under a big-top in Texas under the controlling Sir (Robert Joy).  Together, Terry (Ryan Silverman) and Buddy (Matthew Hyzdik) whisk the sisters off from a dead-end life as sideshow entertainers and make them the hottest ticket in vaudeville.  From there, the sisters’ experiences in love and fame create a compelling and well-told story about their life together and the lasting bond of sisterhood.

As he sets the scene, Joy’s frightening-yet-fantastic performance as the devilish ringmaster Sir commands attention from the moment he begins to introduce his band of freaks (played wonderfully by Brandon Bieber, Matthew Patrick Davis, Charity Angel Dawson, Lauren Elder, Javier Ignacio, Jordanna James, Kelvin Moon Loh, Barrett Martin, Don Richard, Blair Ross, Hannah Shankerman, and Josh Walker), which includes a bearded lady, the lizard man, a geek, and many others.  Davie and Padgett give the sisters powerful life, exuding chemistry and immense talent, even while connected at the hip.  As Terry, the greasy vaudeville manager and Daisy’s selfish lover, Silverman gives a near-perfect performance (his only flaw being that he’s almost too likeable).  Hyzdik is utterly charming in the role of Buddy, Violet’s conflicted love interest.  The ensemble, which includes Derek Hanson, Con O’Shea-Creal, and MichaelJon Slinger, provides powerful vocals and excellent support in various roles throughout the sisters’ journey.

Perhaps the only disappointment from the cast comes from David St. Louis portraying Jake, the sisters’ deeply attached caretaker.  While he does a tremendous job in many of the numbers, he seems to lack the emotional commitment necessary to play this pivotal character, especially in some of the more touching second-act scenes.

It’s notable that this production, helmed by film director Bill Condon, includes new content added by Condon himself to compliment Bill Russell’s original book and lyrics and Henry Krieger’s music.  The content gives more historical perspective (including an appearance by Harry Houdini himself) and never allows the show, which is set during the Depression and deals with some very emotional moments for the sisters, to become dreary or sluggish.  The set (designed by David Rockwell) is another triumph of the production, adding to the spectacle as it takes us from the a dingy big-top in Texas to the glitter of Vaudeville stages.

The new life breathed into this production paired with the powerhouse performances given by Davie and Padgett alone are truly enough to make this Side Show worth the price of admission.  The stellar technical work and supporting performances simply sweeten the deal, and are sure to leave audiences craving a second peek at the spectacle they’ve experienced under the big-top at one of Broadway’s most exciting revivals.

Review By: Jacob R. HinesPhotos By: Joan Marcus

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

Annie @ The Palace Theatre

The most classic rag to riches story comes back to Broadway after 13 years. Everyone's favorite spunky little red head is back and stealing heart just like she always did. Leading this amazing Broadway cast is the towering and beautiful Jane Lynch.

A spunky orphan girl finds a home with a New York millionaire during the Depression, but must dodge the clutches of her evil orphanage mistress, in Charles Strouse, Martin Charnin and Thomas Meehan's musical based on the popular Harold Gray comic strip.

Tonight the audience had the pleasure of seeing miss Crawford's understudy, Taylor Richardson. Richardson usually plays Duffy, one of Annie's fellow orphans, but tonight she step front and center. This girl must be fearless, getting up in front of an audience and preforming songs she usually watches every night and pulling them off with promise and poise. Jane Lynch (“Glee”) finally shines on Broadway in a part that has just been screaming waiting for her to step into it. Lynch is evil, cunning and truly scary knock out as she towers over orphan stand out, the adorable Emily Rosenfeld, Molly. Anthony Warlow is making his Broadway debut as Daddy Warbucks, and he preforms with an elegance and charm that makes the audience fall that much more with the Warbucks and Annie couple. Unfortunately this cast isn’t all great seeing as the most fun number, Easy Street is hardly any fun when Clarke Thorell as Rooster Hannigan and J. Elaine Marcos as Lily St. Regis are preforming it; its barely heard and they dancing is all over the place.

Not to worry though, Marcos and Thorell arent the only thing that is a damper on this show. The lack luster set design by
David Korins brings a new meaning to a story book, as he turns everything into an actual book. But thank god for Donald Holders lighting who makes Korins sets and the actors look stunning.

This Annie revival directed by the famous James Lapine runs at the Palace Theater in Time Square. Jane Lynch as Miss Hannigan isn't something you are are gonna want to miss.

Pippin @ The Music Box Theatre

                  

                 Just over 40 years after its original run, Pippin makes a colorful return to Broadway for 2013, with a fresh new look. Set in a circus tent, the production takes a magical new twist to the classic musical. With illusions, tricks, stunts, and acrobatics throughout the show, it is an experience that feels both relevant and modern. This new production pays homage to its roots, with choreographer Chet Walker (a cast member  of the 1972 production) recreating Fosse's original choreography. However it still feels fresh, current, and original with the addition of circus director Gypsy Snider's phenomenal visual feats. The Players are made of equal parts dancers and acrobats, so there is always something incredible and beautiful to look at onstage. It wouldn't be Pippin without the signature "Fosse style" of dance, which now almost looks like it was made to go alongside trapeze artists and contortionists.  "The Manson Trio," one of Fosse's most well known pieces of choreography, is recreated in its entirety, but now instead using male dancers behind the Leading Player. Every single moment contains outstanding visuals, with Players performing amazing acts unlike those seen on the Broadway stage before. Trapeze work, Aerial Silks, lifts, and flips are woven into the classic choreography to create beautiful imagery for the stage.   

               Pippin's main cast, made of both Broadway Mainstays and Newcomers, are what brings the production together as a whole. Matthew James Thomas(Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark) is an extremely likable Pippin. He brings a humble quirkiness to the character that makes one fall in love with him almost immediately, and  his pop-style vocals give an unique twist to Stephen Schwartz's score. He is just awkward enough that it is endearing, stumbling and stammering his way through the first act, and the audience bursts into cheers once Thomas reveals serious dance skills early in Act Two.  Although it is not a new concept, Patina Miller(Sister Act) shines as the Leader Player, a role usually portrayed by a man. She commands the stages from the moment the words "Join us" leave her lips at the top of the show. Miller's ease onstage is reminiscent of Ben Vereen's portrayal, with a graceful feminine twist as the circus' Ringmaster. She makes the perfect opposite to Thomas; the two work off of one another to create moments that are both humorous and intriguing, especially in the Act Two opener "On the Right Track." Husband-and-Wife Broadway veteran team Terrence Mann(Beauty and the Beast) and Christine d'Amboise(Carrie) portray King and Queen duo Charles and Fastrada. Mann brings wit to the usually dry role, and d'Amboise's dancing is captivating. Andrea Martin(Young Frankenstein) as Berthe is the stand out of the veteran cast; she steals the show during her song "No Time at All," bringing both some laughs as well as few surprises (which you need to see to believe!).

            What this revival achieves, and what sets it apart from most other productions, is that it has successfully made the entire show both enjoyable and entertaining. Songs that are usually not as favored by audiences, like "Extraordinary"  are now show-stoppers.  "Morning Glow," the Act One Finale, is more powerful than ever before. Each new song outdoes the last, which is no easy task. From the colorful set and costumes, to the strength of its cast, to Schwartz's classic score, Pippin is a production that is meant to be seen by all audiences, both young and old. It is a spectacle, to say the very least. Pippin is the kind of production that will make young audiences fall in love with live theatre, as well as remind seasoned theatergoers why they fell in love so long ago.

Review By: Kelcie Kosberg

Private Lives @ The Music Box Theatre

What happens when two former lovers, who are recently divorced, accidentally bump into each other on their honeymoons with their new spouses? And, toad to the drama, they are in the exact same hotel room, next door to each other! In Noel Coward’s Private Lives, Kim Cattrall (Sex in the City, Wild Honey) and Paul Gross(Sail Away) take the audience by storm and lock them in to watch this rollercoaster of a relationship.

Glamorous, rich, and reckless, Amanda (Kim Cattrall) and Elyot (Paul Gross) have been divorced from each other for five years. Now both are honeymooning with their new spouses in the South of France. When, by chance, they meet again because they just so happened to have rooms right next to each other. They end up meeting on their hotel balconies where their insatiable feelings for each other are immediately rekindled. They hurl themselves headlong into love and lust without a care for scandal, new partners or memories of what drove them apart in the first place...for a little while, anyway.

Gross is magnificent as a cad; handsome, dismissive, entitled and with a cowardly nasty streak that allows him to think it's just fine to slap around his wives, but won't fight back when a man challenges him. But, it's Cattrall, who starred in this in London before the production came here, who wows. Cattrall’s depiction of Amanda is sensual and stubborn, smart and brave. Just as Sybil was a product of her time, thinking she could manage through manipulation, so was Amanda, whose open-mindedness was hardly unknown during the Jazz Age. The two of them work very well together, had great comedic timing and had us believing they were in a screwed up relationship all these years. Simon Paisley Day is perfect as a stiff upper crust man and wonderfully dull as Amanda's significant other. Anna Madeley(The Philanthropist) is an incessant talker as Sybil, Elyot's new wife, driving the poor chap mad. All four actors came together and truly gave the performance of their lives. They all worked very well together, and were able to play off of each other in a way that felt very natural and real.

Although the acting talent was extraordinary, the technical aspect was less then exceptional. David Howe (The Norman Conquests, Primo) was responsible for the so called light design. Although the lights had the audience believing they were smack dab in the middle of a soap opera, the actors kept walking in and out of dark spot, taking the attention away from what was going on onstage. Rob Howell (Her Naked Skin, Buried Child) was wearing two hats during this production, scenic and costume design. Although the two of them went together very well, one seemed to have gotten more attention than the other. In this show there are two places where the actions happen, One, on a hotel balcony in France and the second in Amanda’s apartment in Paris. Amanda’s apartment was very well executed but seemed to appear too modern for the 1930’s and the hotel set had a ton of sight line issue. The biggest issue was the front balcony rail that obscured the faces of the actors if they sat down. Maybe these issues wouldn’t have been over looked if the designer only on one aspect of tech.

Private Lives is now playing at The Music Box theatre until December 31st 2011. If you don’t have a ticket, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR! You do not want to miss out on this awesome night of entertainment.

Review By: James Russo

The Importance of Being Earnest @ American Airlines Theatre

In the new era of Broadway, where everything is high tech with flying, fancy lights, and projections, The Importance of Being Earnest is a refreshing look back at the old time styles of the Great White Way.  Oscar Wilde’s classic tale of “who’s who” comes to life with breathtaking acting and scenic design in this latest Roundabout Theatre Company production. 

The Importance of Being Earnest shines on Broadway where it is currently playing at the American Airlines Theatre.The Importance of Being Earnest tells the witty tale of two upper class men, Algernon (played by Santino Fontana) and John (played by David Furr), who like to lead double lives.  Before long, both men are pretending to a man named Earnest so that they can escape their normal lives and pursue the loves of their lives.  These woman, Gwendolen (played by Sara Topham) and Cecily (played by Charlotte Parry), quickly learn that their fiancés are not who they appear to be.  Add in an over protective mother (played by Brian Bedford), a teacher with a huge secret (played by Dana Ivey), and a womanizing reverend (played by Paxton Whitehead) and you get a hilarious night of good, old fashioned, humor.

The entire company of The Importance of Being Earnest works extremely well together to bring this classic tale to life.  A stand out in this ensemble was Santino Fontana (seen on Broadway in Sunday in the Park with George and Billy Elliot) playing the role of the flamboyantly clever Algernon Moncrieff.  Fontana delivered a strong performance that was truly funny; he took the time to find the humor in each and every single line.  Fontana was constanly reacting to every element on stage, had great comedic timing, and was making faces that had the audience in stitches before he even said the punch line.  Fontana’s brilliant performance will not soon be forgotten.  Playing opposite Fontana was David Furr (seen on Broadway and tour in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?) playing the role of the uptight John Worthing.  Furr had moments of stiffness and over tension where he appeared to be pushing for a laugh or emotion; however, he does pull it together to deliver a great performance.  Both Fontana and Furr worked extremely well with each other.  Their many scenes together were dynamic and funny, and moved the play along with wonderful ease.  Playing alongside these two men, were the hilarious Sara Topham (making her Broadway debut) as the overly proper Gwendolen Fairfax and Charlotte Parry (seen on Broadway in Coram Boy) as the love struck Cecily Cardew.  These two women had a wonderful radiance on stage and were extremely fun to watch.  Their scenes together delivered that spot on humor that Oscar Wilde is known for.  The supporting cast was superb as well.  Dana Ivey (a Broadway vet who has also been seen in the hit movies Legally Blonde 2 and The Addams Family) plays the secretive Miss Prism and Paxton Whitehead (a veteran of the stage and seen in such television shows as Desperate Housewives and Ellen) plays the lustful Rev. Canon Chasuble.  These two work seamlessly with one another to portray a hysterical look that shows that no matter old people may be, they still do crazy things when they are in love.  Brian Bedford (who also serves as the director of this production) delivers an elegant performance as the over-protective Lady Bracknell.  There were moments throughout the production where Bradford was focusing strictly on acting like a woman; these stresses on dialect often made it hard to fully understand what he was saying.  However, with great poise and wit, Bedford delivers a funny performance.  The Importance of Being Earnest is truly an ensemble piece that was wonderfully fulfilled with this Broadway revival cast.

The Importance of Being Earnest had stunning technical elements to it.  Oscar Wilde’s clever script was brought to life by director Brian Bedford.  The thought of having a featured role in the same production that you are directing may sound daunting, but Bedford pulls it off with style and ease.  There were some moments in Act I where the direction did go a bit south and the use of an outside director could have come in handy; however, these moments were quickly forgotten with the easeful flow and grace of Act II and Act III.  The entire production was brought out even further with the amazing scenic and costume design by Desmond Heeley.  The beauty of the scenic design started before the show even began with the gorgeous curtain.  Hand painted pictures of royalty and upper class symbols designed with bold colors and streaks of gold, the curtain set the mood perfectly for the entire night of theatre.  The set was designed to look like a portrait.  Every element appeared to be hand painted with precise precision and care.  This stunning background of pastels allowed the costume design to truly shine.  The use bright colors, vibrant reds and greens and stunning whites, allowed each character to pop out of the designed portrait and come to life.  These elements were expanded even further with an elegant lighting design by Duane Schuler.  With bold artistic choices, like having a room brighten every time Lady Bracknell enters a room, gave this comedy the true beauty that it needed.

Roundabout Theatre Company’s new production of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest is a stunning piece of theatre.  With witty and clever dialogue, spot on acting, and a stunning design, The Importance of Being Earnest is a refreshing reminder of how simple can sometimes be better.  Who needs flying superheroes and state of the art projections when there is a wonderful story?  The Importance of Being Earnest plays at the American Airlines Theatre through March 6, 2011.

Review By: James Russo & Ryan Oliveti