525,600 Minutes

525,600 minutes. It feels like it has only been that long since Rent closed on Broadway and less than three years later the new Off-Broadway revival opened at New World Stages this past August. When the creative team announced last year that they were mounting the shows first ever revival Off-Broadway I felt I was among the many who sighed and said “Didn’t that close not too long ago?” However, I let it go and went on with life. Then at the end of August, all of New York City was shut down for Hurricane Irene and my friend and I were inside our building for the weekend. Dying to get out and do something that Monday, we remembered that Rent had a night show and we thought we would lotto for tickets that night. Well, we won the tickets and I was eager to see the show. That night I left feeling different, entranced in a way at this incredible show and talented cast. I was hooked and fell in love with the revival of Rent.

Rent tells the story of a group of struggling friends living a bohemian lifestyle in the East Village in New York during the AIDS epidemic in the ‘90’s. Throughout the course of a year they deal with love, loss, struggles, AIDS and paying their rent.

This new production has been rethought and reinvented by the original director Michael Grief whose ideas and vision are very prominent in this production. The sets are new, yet still reminiscent of the original one, the costumes have elements of the original such as Mimi and Joannes’ coats, Rogers leather jacket and Maureen’s leather ensemble. However, the amazing music, touching story and message of “No day but today” is still the same it is just told by a young, different and brilliant cast that brings such a fresh look to this iconic show. Adam Chanler-Berat who strikes a resemblance to book, music and lyrics writer Jonathan Larson brings charm and passion to the role of filmmaker/narrator Mark, Annaleigh Ashford who plays the lovable yet kooky performance artist Maureen gives the best performance of her Broadway career! She is brilliant and gives one of those performances that you come back to see. She looks at the role in a different way bringing out the somewhat ditzy and funny part of Maureen. Her Over the Moon is incredible as she makes it her own! Matt Shingledecker plays rocker Roger who in my mind is one of the best Rogers as he is so connected emotionally to the character. He is really channeling the characters internal pain and conflict which I really enjoy watching. Arianda Fernandez gives the best performance of Mimi that I have seen! Her voice is very different and unique. It’s not too polished, but has a bit of a rough edge to it and that makes her Mimi sound and look so realistic as lets not forget, Mimi is a 19 year-old drug addict and S&M dancer. She is this tiny ball of energy that can dance like you would not believe. She reels you in and she commands the audience’s attention especially during Out Tonight! Clive Barnes Award winner MJ Rodriguez is the fabulous drag queen Angel. He is a younger Angel who brings some depth to the role and his performance alone makes you want to come back. He gives one of those performances that makes an actor a star and he has a Tony win in the bag if they ever take this production to Broadway. Nicholas Christopher plays a loving Collins, Corbin Reid plays a sophisticated Joanne who can really belt and Ephraim Sykes is a quiet Benny. The cast as a whole will blow you away as they are very small company but all so talented, this lets the audience focus in on the characters and their story.

I mentioned above that they show has been rethought and it has. Contact has been retooled and restaged. There have been music cuts and video screens are now used throughout the show, which work beautifully with Over the Moon as well as to capture the cast during the final number. But were the video screens always necessary no, as we do not need to see Santa Fe over Roger and New York over Mark during What You Own. Some numbers and scenes remain exactly the same and they could have used a little bit of reworking. Rent’s new home, New World Stages is the perfect place for this show as it provides a more intimate experience amongst the actors and the audience making you feel connected to the characters.

If you want to have a truly moving and emotional experience at the theatre go to New World Stages and see the Off-Broadway revival of Rent. Whether you think you are done with Rent or want to experience the show live for first or the 100^th time this production will make you fall in love with this beautiful story.

What's New in 2012

Hello my lovelies! Happy New Year! As we begin 2012 many new productions prepare for their openings in order to be considered for the Tony’s. While some shows such as Yank!, Sleepless in Seattle and the revival of Funny Girl have been postponed, there are many new shows that are on track for opening night. So as we are barely into 2012 I have decided to compile a list of the productions that I am most looking forward to this year.

Evita

As a lover of the works of Andrew Lloyd Webber, I am thrilled to have Evita back on Broadway. I am very interested to see Elena Roger who has been brought over from the West End revival of the show. Also, I’m curious to see Ricky Martin in the role of Ché who as most know was a big pop star and I really want to see if he can handle Lloyd Webbers’ challenging and demanding score. I also want to see if the costumes and sets have been modernized at all to appeal to today’s audiences. But most of all, I’m the most excited to here Lloyd Webbers’ luscious score and Tim Rices’ extraordinary lyrics preformed live on stage for the first time!

End of the Rainbow

As a fan of Judy Garland this new show has definitely piqued my interest. Most productions about her focus on her high points and career successes while this musical-drama is about her final months, which were very troubling for her. Moreover, I’m very curious and excited to see West-End star Tracie Bennett’s’ performance of this legendary woman and how she will bring Judy to life on stage.

Rebecca

With readings and such that have been occurring over the past year for this show, I’m very excited to see the final product and the novel of the same name by Daphne du Maurier brought to life.

Peter and the Starcatchers

After a very successful off-Broadway run I’m thrilled to see this show on the Great White Way. I love the story of Peter Pan and I’m looking forward to being swept away into this fantasy world.

Newsies

After a sold-out run at the Paper Mill Play House this past fall, I really want to see for myself what everyone was raving about!

Theatre "Tops" of 2011

As 2011 draws to a close I am left reflecting on my favorite productions, performances etc. of this season. There were so many amazing new productions this year as well as events that I loved every minute of. So I have compiled a list of “Tops” for the year ranging from events, performances, productions and other little bits here and there.

Top 5 Productions:

5. How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

What an incredible revival! Absolutely spectacular and a very talented cast! I will have to admit that I was a bit wary about the casting of Daniel Radcliffe but I was very pleasantly surprised. I thought that he was going to be a “star vehicle” for the show as a moneymaker but it is the total opposite. He has a wonderful voice, an excellent American accent and his dancing was flawless!

4. Catch Me If You Can

An amazing show based on the true story that had me laughing the entire way through. Norbert Leo Butz deserved the Tony for his comedic performance. Aaron Tveit sings the incredibly catchy music like a dream throughout the entire show that you can’t take your eyes off of him!

3.Bonnie and Clyde

While unfortunately this show just closed I was lucky enough to be at the first preview and what a treat it was. I mentioned in my review about the show (Bonnie and Clyde Broadway’s New Love Affair) how I love Frank Wildhorn. He again went for something that was very different and for me it worked. Filled with upbeat and infectious music and a marvelous cast I fell in love with this incredible show that had a very premature closing.

2.Follies

The divas over at the Marquis theatre make it impossible for you not to love them. With so much love and passion on the stage not to mention legends. Through this production you are swept away into the fabulous and luscious world that is Stephen Sondheim.

1.Rent

Words can’t even describe my love for this production. At first I was skeptical about this revival but I was wrong! By the end of the first act I was in love with this production and the company. They are all so young and bring a fresh look to this iconic show!

Top 3 Events:

3. “New York New York” in Duffy’s Square

2.Broadway Flea Market

1.Rent Christmas Spectacular Extravaganza

Top 5 Performances:

5.Tyne Daly Master Class

Brilliant riveting performance given by Ms.Daly. Thoroughly enjoyed.

4.Bernadette Peters Follies

Again Sondheim’s amazing musical muse Ms.Peters succeeds in captivating and moving the audience to tears with her beautiful rendition of Losing My Mind and her Tony worthy performance as Sally Durant Plummer.

3.Annaleigh Ashford Rent

While it seems everyone was a bit skeptical of the unconventional casting for Maureen Johnson in this year’s revival of Rent, Ms. Ashford blows the audience away with her perfect comedic timing by bringing a different take to Maureen and the song Over The Moon

2.Jan Maxwell Follies

Ah, what a stupendous performance by Ms.Maxwell. She is a badass and makes it show through her portrayal of Phyllis Rogers Stone. She delves into her music and brings the audience along with her. I dare you not to say that you didn’t feel anything for her character during Could I Leave You?

1.MJ Rodriguez Rent

This years Clive Barnes Award winner for acting gives the best performance of Angel! He is funny, charismatic and brings the house down every night with his rendition of Today For You (and he can walk and dance in heels better than me!)

Biggest Surprise of the Year:

*Insert Spiderman joke here-just kidding!

First revival of Funny Girl postponed indefinitely. As a big fan of the musical I was somewhat shocked to here that it had been cancelled.

That’s it for 2011 everyone! I’ll see you next year!

Bwaygirl828

Bonnie and Clyde-Broadway's New Love Affair

I’ve always wanted to go to the first preview of a Broadway show, especially a new musical one that audiences have never seen. Last night I saw the first preview of the new anticipated Franck Wildhorn musical Bonnie and Clyde. As I previously stated, I had never been to the first preview of any Broadway show and this was an experience that I won’t forget. While I have heard the stories of first (and other early) preview mishaps, hello Spiderman’s first preview which clocked in at four hours I have to say I was a bit skeptical, you never know what could happen at a first preview (or any show for that matter! This is theatre it’s live!). Rest assured nothing awful happened and the show went off without a hitch. The show is brilliant and it was amazing to be a part of the first house to experience this new piece of theatre. I’ve said to people many times and I will say it on here for the record that Frank Wilhorn is a genius!

The show, centers on the true story of the notorious outlaws Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, their dangerous life of crime and passionate love affair. The show begins with their tragic end and continues in a flashback manner, illustrating their story that was so concise with some of my pre-show reading while interweaving pictures, news clippings and clips of and about this notorious duo. They had done their research and it was evident. Even Bonnie’s well-known red dress with a stripped top and sleeves was almost precisely copied for actress Laura Osnes to wear.

The cast is spectacular! Jeremy Jordan and Laura Osnes are the perfect Bonnie and Clyde! They have such a sizzling chemistry that melts the walls of the theatre. They play these well-known people with so much passion that it’s oozing out of them whenever they are onstage. They embody these famous outlaws full on and as actors do, bring something of their own to the characters, giving them an extra level of dimension.  Clyde’s dimwitted brother and partner Buck and sister-in-law Blanche are played by the incredible Claybourne Elder and Melissa van Der Schyff. Those two have so much passion that spills out of them when they are onstage. They scenes that they have together click so well and flow seamlessly and beautifully with the story of the two leads.

While I thoroughly enjoyed the book and the phenomenal performances by the cast what I loved most about the night was the incredible lyrics and score by Don Black and Frank Wildhorn. The music for this show is addictive that you can’t stop tapping your foot along to the beat of the infectious songs. The music has many elements of show tune music but it has a bit of a western twang to it, one that is most likely similar to the music of the 1930’s. It definitely isn’t conventional music but then again when has Wildhorn ever written a score that followed the standard formula-never! He is always trying something different (hello Wonderland), wanting to see how far he can push or even break his own limits and it’s amazing to see what he comes up with.

However, there were a few small gaffes in the production. For one, they really didn’t fully explain how, when or where Bonnie and Clyde were caught and killed in the show. While there is a news clipping projected onto the stage that covers that fateful day, it is up to the audience to pick up on how they were caught. The only onstage mishap that I saw was during the first act when Buck is being baptized by the priest in a real onstage pool of sorts, I noticed that Claybourne’s (Buck’s) arm was cut from the part of the set. However, the moment or gaffe sticks out in my mind the most was during Act 1 in the song “Raise a Little Hell” when Clyde takes a metal rod and begins to bang of the bars of jail cell. His character has just been badly beaten by another inmate and there was a lot of stage blood on or in the rod that since Jeremy was swinging the rod so vigorously that lots of the stage blood got on myself and my friend who were sitting a mere few feet from that point onstage! While sticky, it was something that I will look back on and laugh at and to add to incident- when we talked to Jeremy after the show he had no clue that some of the stage blood had splattered all over us!

That was just the funny, yet interesting topping to a wonderful night. Bonnie and Clyde is an amazing and delicious show that you will be having your own love affair with it by the time the curtain goes down!