anything goes broadway: Aralık 2012

31 Aralık 2012 Pazartesi

Nate Kimball - Warrior's Journey

To contact us Click HERE

Nate Kimball - Warrior’s Journey
2012, TNC RecordingsIf you’re looking for the next big name in jazz, youmight be very happy to settle on Nate Kimball. His list of credits is impressive: Chick Correa, Natalie Cole, BarryManilow, The Count Basie Orchestra, Jessica Simpson and The Killers, to namebut a few. The 28-year old Las Vegasnative is more than just a wizard with the trombone however; Kimball is acomposer nonpareil who has been recognized by the International TromboneAssociation (2006, 2007, and 2010); the Reno Jazz Festival (2012); and theNevada Jazz Society (2007). One of hiscompositions, “Side Effect”, was recently premiered at the Monterrey JazzFestival by the Las Vegas Academy Jazz Ensemble. You’ll see why the accolades rain down onKimball after listening to his album Warrior’sJourney. Kimball recorded Warrior’sJourney with four impressive cohorts. Joe Lano (guitar) has played with Lena Horne, Mel TormÃ©, Steve Lawrenceand Eydie Gorme, Nancy Wilson and Henry Mancini. Brian Triola (piano/keys) is part of LasVegas and regional favorites Moksha. Bassist Steve Flora plays the top rooms in Las Vegas, and drummer LarryAberman has recorded with The Vaughan Brothers, Ric Ocasek, Wynton Marsalis,David Lee Roth, Daniel Lanois, Lionel Richie and Danielle Brisebois (to namejust a few). This will give you an ideaof the quality of play on Warrior’sJourney, but mere words don’t do the album justice.Kimball sticks to classic jazz stylings, allowingthe occasional progressive wave to pass through the waters. It’s easy to see Kimball and crew fittinginto any era of jazz from the Big Band era on. Kimball kicks things off with “Warrior’s Journey”, beginning as a sleepyrumination but moving soon into a quietly energetic jazz waltz. Kimball’s trombone is stellar, but the restof the quintet is flawless as well. BrianTriola adds perfect punctuation to Kimball’s lead, and whips off some amazingsolos of his own. Perhaps the mostimpressive part of the song, however, is when Larry Aberman takes the lead ondrums. If you want to analyze what he’sdoing you’ll need a couple of cameras and the ability to slow tape onplayback. It’s amazing. “Way Station” shows the same sort of breakdown ofduties, with Kimball taking the lead, but passing it around for all toshare. What’s most impressive is howseamlessly Kimball’s quintet moves together, never seeming to miss a beat or anexchange. “Far Away” has a distinctive,melancholy, blue-jazz feel. Kimballbrings emotions alive in the lyric trombone lines, while Brian Triola creates abit of rhythmic dissonance that helps to appropriately shade the mood. There is magic here. “Road To La Coruna” takes a on a subtle Latinjazz sound, and features some of the best low-key work on the album. Things get a bit more progressive on “HelloWorld”, with Kimball himself getting aggressive in his soloing style. Triola picks up this vibe and runs with it,getting into a Vince Guaraldi groove that’s mellow yet not. “Back Home” is an interesting closer. You might say the ensemble play is a bitlooser here, as Kimball et. al. look to push the boundaries with someoff-the-cuff and speed-based solos.Nate Kimball shows his worth as a composer,bandleader and musician on Warrior’sJourney. With a killer supportingcast, and some of the best original jazz of 2012, Kimball challenges the worldof modern jazz with a traditional-leaning album that reinvigorates the art formthe way artists like Miles Davis, J.J. Johnson, Dizzy Gillespie and HarryConnick, Jr. have done before him. Thirty years from now you’ll hear jazz aficionados discussing Kimball inthe same reverent tones.Rating:4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

The Wildy's World Top-12 for 2012!

To contact us Click HERE
I try to do a countdown each year of the best albums I've reviewed. The blog hasn't been as active in 2012, as I have been working on some other things. Nevertheless, there were some incredible albums I did get to cover this past year that deserve recognition. So without further adieu... the Wildy's World Top-12 of 2012.

12 - RobMorsberger – Ghosts Before Breakfast
Morsberger is stunningly personal, and prophetic, in an album that exploresmortality, legacy and all the emotions that swirl around these twoconcepts. Written before Morsberger’sdiagnosis with terminal brain cancer, GhostsBefore Breakfast transcends humanity and every day experience for simpletruths on deep and dark thoughts.
11 – Maraand the Bitter Suite – Unspoken
An actress/Broadway singer and a composer/musical director venturing intoalt/folk/rock would generally be an omen for disaster, but Mara and the BitterSuite find a bit of magic in Unspoken.
10 – MeghanCary – Building This House
Eight years might seem like too long to produce an album of songs, but forMeghan Cary it was apparently just right. Highly personal and evocative, Cary takes a craftsman’s approach to storytelling,weaving each scene and story to perfection against minimal yet strikingarrangements for a listening experience you won’t soon forget.
9 – TheHollyfelds – Title Stealers
The Hollyfelds might keep a low profile nationally, but they shine in theirhome market of Denver, Colorado. Infact, they shine so bright on TitleStealers it’s hard to imagine them staying just a regional band.
8 – SethGlier – Things I Should Tell You
Seth Glier’s first album earned him a GRAMMY nomination. His second, Things I Should Tell You, is even better. Glier is more nuanced and personal than ever,and maintains the intense musicality that has always made him such anintriguing listen.
7 – NateKimball – Warrior’s Journey
By far one of the best collections of classically oriented original jazzhave ever heard.
6. JodiShaw – In Waterland
Jodi Shaw writes from the heart and lays it all on the line. She lays out her stories and characters inwonderfully robust and ethereal musical arrangements. The imagery peppered throughout In Waterland is nothing short ofbrilliant.
5. TheDo Good Assassins – Rome
The Do Good Assassins are the latest outgrowth of Ron Hawkins’ personalmuse. This time out he is helped and supported by good friends in creating oneof the best and most divergent double albums of the last several years. Personal songwriting, amazing lyrics and anorganic feel make this a can’t miss listen.
4. CaraLuft – Darlingford
Cara Luft is one of the darlings of Canadian folk music. A former Wailin’ Jenny and Juno Awardnominee, Luft delivers one of the most compelling singer/songwriter turns of2012 with Darlingford.
3. Rob Morsberger –A Part Of You
Morsberger manages two albums in the top-12. A PartOf You is a song cycle written to Morsberger’s youngest son; a collectionof songs to see his son through the times when Morsberger anticipates not beingthere. This intimate collection is fullof laughter, hope and the joy of discovery. There is also a hidden sadness; a melancholy of the artist who isenvisioning all that he might miss out on. This is what songwriting is all about.
2. JasonPlumb and the Willing – All Is More Than Both
Jason Plumb takes his prodigious writing/singing talents and his crack backingband (The Willing) and puts them all to work under the watchful eye of Canadiansuper-producer Michael Phillip Wojewoda. The result is Plumb’s most soaring collection of songs since his dayswith The Waltons. In almost any otheryear this would be the winner.
1. DeltaRae – Carry The Fire
There are great albums, and then there are albums that transcend theirtime. These are the albums that peoplelook back on two or three decades later as benchmarks of their era. I fully believe that Carry The Fire is just such an album. From the alternating lead vocals of Eric andBrittany HÃ¶lljesto the alternative folk-rock arrangements that soar one moment and lie downbeside you and rock you to sleep the next, CarryThe Fire is the sort of debut album that only comes along once or twice ageneration.

WE'VE MOVED!

To contact us Click HERE

As we've been promising all week, SHOWBUZZDAILY has set up fancy new digs in another part of the internet. If you're viewing this site via a preexisting bookmark, please type the url www.showbuzzdaily.com in your browser, and it'll take you to our new location...then re-bookmark us once you're there, of course.
We promise it'll be worth the journey--the site has a terrific new design and fresh content waiting for you at www.showbuzzdaily.com, so come join us!

Related Posts: relocation,showbuzzdaily

Broadway's Lost Treasures 1

To contact us Click HERE
Video From Smudge37
Broadway's Lost Treasures 1

Culled from the archives of the first 20 years of Tony Award broadcasts, this DVD includes Joel Grey's opening "Wilkommen" number from "Cabaret" to Gwen Verdon and Chita Rivera's dazzling "All That Jazz" from "Chicago" in 1984. 17 performances in all.

BROADWAY'S LOST TREASURES is an unparalleled compilation of rare original cast performances from the televised versions of some of the biggest and most beloved Broadway musicals of the 20th century. These performances--which were seen only once in their original telecasts--have been rescued from the archives and compiled with introductions by featured stars Angela Lansbury, Jerry Orbach, Tommy Tune, and others. See Broadway's legends sing and dance their way through 17 signature showstoppers, including Joel Grey's "Wilkommen" from CABARET and Gwen Verdon and Chita Rivera's "All That Jazz" from CHICAGO. Both the VHS and DVD editions contain 5 bonus performances.

http://rapidshare.com/files/141459313/BLT.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/141459402/BLT.part2.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/141459405/BLT.part3.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/141459403/BLT.part4.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/141459404/BLT.part5.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/141467033/BLT.part6.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/141467068/BLT.part7.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/141467071/BLT.part8.rar
Password: UpByJoeParis

Broadway's Lost Treasures II - 2004

To contact us Click HERE
Broadway's Lost Treasures II (2004)

Broadway's Lost Treasures II contains 90 minutes of memorable moments and performances from the various Tony-award telecasts throughout the years. Included on this edition are performances from such famous productions as Man of La Mancha, Chicago, Guys and Dolls, and Anything Goes. Such notables as Gregory Hines, Patti LuPone, Michael Jeter, Nathan Lane, and Jerry Orbach take part in the proceedings.

http://rapidshare.com/files/157568349/LBTII.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/157568346/LBTII.part2.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/157568352/LBTII.part3.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/157568348/LBTII.part4.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/157568350/LBTII.part5.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/157579785/LBTII.part6.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/157579779/LBTII.part7.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/157579780/LBTII.part8.rar

Password: UpByJoeParis

27 Aralık 2012 Perşembe

WE'VE MOVED!

To contact us Click HERE

Broadway's Lost Treasures 1

Broadway's Lost Treasures II - 2004

It's Raining Free Tickets: Congratulations To Latest SOB Contest Winner!

To contact us Click HERE

It's Raining Free Tickets: Congratulations To Latest SOB Contest Winner!

Remember how much I told you I loved Rain - A Tribute To The Beatles?

Today, I'm thrilled to send a lucky Steve On Broadway reader to see the show. Congratulations to Eleah Burman from New York, New York, who has just won two free tickets to see Rain - A Tribute To The Beatles at Broadway's Neil Simon Theatre!

Eligible entries for this SOB Contest needed to subscribe to this blog, follow me on Twitter (and then retweet one of my contest messages) and follow me on Facebook.

Congratulations again, Eleah!

Thank you to everyone who entered the contest. By subscribing to Steve On Broadway, you'll automatically be entered in all future contests!

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. However, in conjunction with SpotCo, two tickets for Rain: A Tribute To The Beatles will be given away to one lucky reader. http://rpc.technorati.com/rpc/ping

Hard To Imagine It's Been Thirty Years

To contact us Click HERE

Hard To Imagine It's Been Thirty Years

It really is incredibly hard to believe it was 30 years ago today that John Lennon was murdered.

Millions of us were shocked to learn the tragic news in this highly surreal fashion. The evening of December 8, 1980, hit virtually everyone around the world so extraordinarily hard. Suddenly that evening, it didn't matter if you were a fan of The Beatles or Lennon. The idea that such a creative genius who espoused peace could be gunned down so violently broke our collective hearts.

Lennon's untimely death marked the end of an era, even as he had just attempted to begin a new one for himself.

The musical icon had just emerged from a self-imposed "exile" to help raise his young son Sean. On November 17, 1980, just three short weeks prior to his murder, he and his wife Yoko Ono released the incredibly hopeful "Double Fantasy," his first studio recording in five long years.

While the recording would quickly climb to number one on the Billboard charts and go on to earn him a posthumous Grammy for 1981 Album of the Year, for those of us who purchased the recording, we were haunted by the back cover image showing Lennon and Ono outside the Dakota Apartments, just steps from where this man of profound peace met his violent end.

Rest in peace, John Lennon. Thirty years later, we're still trying to imagine the type of world you envisioned.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

In keeping with the 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. http://rpc.technorati.com/rpc/ping

20 Aralık 2012 Perşembe

Jeff Black - B-Sides and Confessions, Volume Two

To contact us Click HERE

Jeff Black – B-Sidesand Confessions, Volume 2
2013, Lotos Nile MusicJeff Black brings old school, road-warrior attitude into thedigital age. No stranger to the highwaysand byways, Black also uses his podcast, BlackTuesdays, to connect fans and try out new things. The result is that Black has one of the mostfervent followings in the alt-Americana genre. Acknowledged as a top-notch songwriter, Black has had songs recorded byartists such as Alison Krauss, Waylon Jennings, Dierks Bentley, Sam Bush andBlackhawk. Jeff Black returns on January15, 2013 with B-Sides and Confessions,Volume 2, and just like a train with cargo to deliver, Black shows no signsof slowing down.The confessions begin with “All Right Now”, a musicalmonologue for a man who has gone through hell and come out the other side. The folksy-blues arrangement is subtle andnot overdone, allowing Black’s rough-hewn voice to hold sway. It’s a compelling opening salvo. “Molly Rose”takes on the expected Celtic air in a tragic song of love and valor. It’s a reminder that sometimes when you winyou lose, and sometimes when you lose; you win. Black’s deft handling of the vocal/story-telling is a master-class inthe art of the singer-songwriter. “Avalon” is about a man willing to forsake all for a magical world. This quixotic quest plays out in spite ofloved ones at home, and listeners can argue over whether the quest is noble orill-gotten, the picture of a man obsessed to move heaven and earth to find adream is crystal clear.Black next settles into the plaintive tones of “Impala”, aquiet contemplation featuring Black’s voice intermingled with piano andguitar. This ‘down’ moment has the airof quiet reflection, a moment not generally open to the air revealed here insong. “Alice Carry” is a quiet reflectionon love; marriage, family and a life full of memories. Black brings the character of Alice alivehere as a living, breathing person full of the spark of life. Memories flow like laughter and tears, andthe characters and places Black describes are palpably real. “Days On End” has a listless feel – not thesong but the character; a deep melancholy and fatalism descend over the songlike a pall. Artistically and musicallythis song is striking, though one of the quieter moments on the album.“Miss Me” has a sort of trouble beauty to it. It’s a song of apology from a man who wentaway and is finally finding his way home. Reasons are hard to come by, but understanding of his needs descends allthe same. It’s a song full of humanfrailty and need from a man who is still trying to figure things out, butfinally understands where he belongs. Black gets down to an old-time country/folk feel that’s reminiscent ofBob Dylan in “A Evil Lesson Is Soon Learned”. This entertaining number has a free-form feel that’s catchy, but Blackdoesn’t sacrifice an ounce of his story-teller’s pastiche in the process. “Good Old Days” is a song of wisdom, reminding listenersthat these are the days we will one day look back on. It’s a carpe diem message of sorts; areminder to make the most of the moment so that when you look back to here oneday it’s not with regret. Black’s grittyvocal is the perfect match to a minimalist arrangement that neverthelessexplodes with quiet energy. “True LoveNever Let Me Down” is a Springsteen-esque declaration of simple truths. Black explores the song’s backwaters with atumbling arrangement that seems to accentuate the thought behind the lyrics,but the declarative nature of the song and its repetitive theme lend power tothe message. “Remain” is another quietreflection on simple truths. Love andthe ties that band are the powerful magic in this song, and Black navigatesthem as a man who never truly understands but appreciates the magicnonetheless. B-Sides And Confessions, Vol. 2 closes with the contemplativestrains of “Sunday Falling”, nicely wrapping the song cycle with memories of anidyllic Sunday afternoon. Black paintspictures with words here that are hard to ignore. Jeff Black brings gritty beauty and grace to a collection ofmemories, stories and observations on B-SidesAnd Confessions, Vol. 2. If we’renever entirely clear on where the lines between memory, reverie and hope standthen nothing has been lost. Black paintsover the edges in seamless fashion, allowing the listener to suspend disbelieffor an hour or so and simply be in the music. This is, perhaps, a musicians’ greatest gift to his/her fellow man; theability to transcend, suspend and simply be. Black plies that gift, that talent, to perfect here. B-Sidesand Confessions, Volume 2 is nothing less than a Wildy’s World Certified DesertIsland Disc.Rating: 5 Stars(Out of 5) Learn more at www.jeffblack.com.

Dolls On Fire - Ladies and Gentlemen

To contact us Click HERE

Dolls On Fire - Ladies and Gentlemen
2012, Dolls On Fire

Kansas City quintet Dolls On Fire is about as post-modern as you can get. Influences range from The Rentals to NeonTrees and Feist to She and Him. With an irreverentdisregard for traditional pop slickness, Dolls On Fire manage to crank outdeliciously catchy pop songs that are just off-kilter enough to make youuncomfortable, but with big enough hooks to drag you along for the ride. Check out the seven songs on their debut EP, Ladies and Gentlemen, and you’ll behooked.Dolls on firekick things off with the low key synth punk of "Give Me A Reason ToLove", a catchy and sinuous rocker with a decided dark side. This is agreat start, riven with real energy and vitality. This energy is maintained on"Hosanna (On The Radio)", the story of a childhood friend; a wildchild turned rock star. There is a definite sour grapes feel here, but the songhas a solid vibe. Things get a bit shaky however between the growing vitrioland the unfortunate use of a vocoder.

Rachel Jaggard takes over vocals on "Minotaur", a soulful riff onhidden violent natures. This has a dark quasi 1970's soul/rock feel that wearson you. "GFY (300 Hands)" is an amusing little posthumous kiss offsong. Once again there is an inherent musical darkness here that is intriguing."A Boy Like Me" maintains this feel, but pares the darkness with abuoyant melody that grows into complicated minor keys and pointedly messy vocalharmonies. Dolls On Fire find a bit oftwisted pop magic on "Jem Vs. The Volcano". The vocals click here,and the arrangement will keep your feet moving even if you actively resist. TheEP comes to a close with "No One Will Love You Unless You're A Man",a dark and messy pop gem that combines Dolls On Fire in characteristic popgenius with their deconstructive melodic sensibilities.

Whether you dig what Dolls On Fire have going on or not, you'll be forced toadmit they are certainly original and interesting. Musical precision is occasionally sacrificedat the altar of art on Ladies And Gentlemen,but most listeners will get it and be delighted or at least intrigued at thecasual rebellion displayed by Dolls On Fire.Rating: 3.5 Stars(Out of 5)Learn more atwww.facebook.com/dollsonfire.

Broadway's Lost Treasures 1

Broadway's Lost Treasures II - 2004

WE'VE MOVED!

To contact us Click HERE

16 Aralık 2012 Pazar

Antje Duvekot - New Siberia

To contact us Click HERE

Antje Duvekot - New Siberia
2012, Antje DuvekotIt might notsurprise you to learn that some pretty talented musicians worked with AntjeDuvekot on her third studio album, NewSiberia. Like talent draws liketalent, and Duvekot’s band have played with the likes of Paul Simon, RosanneCash, Jewel, Chris Botti, Levon Helm and Jonatha Brooke. The musicianship is indeed first class on New Siberia, but what’s surprising isthat Duvekot enhances her already prodigious reputation as an outstanding songwriterand performer with an even more nuanced and mature cycle of songs than herpreviously critically acclaimed work.

Duvekot opens with the whispering, silky cadences of "Into The City",a song of impending, preventable heartache. Duvekot's voice is absolutelyentrancing, smoothly caressing the melody while placing her melancholyassessment of the facts in literate, flowing imagery. "Ballad Of FredNoonan" recounts the Amelia Earhart tragedy from the perspective of hernavigator. Duvekot proves her credentials as a songwriter and story teller inan incredibly nuanced performance. "The Life Of A Princess" is astraight forward and moving statement of being from a young woman who will notbe trapped within the boundaries of a fairy tale. The simple approach isaffecting, powerful and ultimately beautiful.

"Phoenix" is a plaintive and lovely song about what might have been.Duvekot has a gentle touch here, traversing the gulf between heartache andstrength with surprisingly subtle grace. "New Siberia" is bestdescribed as atmospheric folk; Duvekot meanders through this song of searchingalmost aimlessly in a rare miss. "Glamorous Girls" speaks to allthose who feel marginalized because they aren't the popular girls. Wisdom and perspectivepredicts that each will find their time to share in a sentimental little balladthat's sweet and well-written. "Noah's Titanic" is a quietly freneticstory song that's disturbingly wordy. The stream of conscious Duvekot utilizeshere is intriguing and almost frantic at times.

"Four Stitches" is a beautiful, imagery driven piece of songwritingthat is impossible to shake. New and innocent love is the theme here, andDuvekot sketches her memory here in gently flowing poetry and gorgeous melody.On "Sleepy Sea Of Indigo And Blue", Duvekot invites love from agentle hand. This is a lovely piece of songwriting that's full of quiet beauty.

If you need affirmation of Duvekot's songwriting finesse make sure you stickaround for "The Perfect Date", where everything goes wrong on the wayto going write. The light pop arrangement is note-perfect, and Duvekot deliversthe story and melody like they were written for her by the universe itself. NewSiberia winds down with the quietly lovely "Juliet"; a moment betweenfriends etched in time and song.

Antje Duvekot is a name I have heard over the years spoken in reverence andawe, both for her unerring sense of melody and her sense of timing as astoryteller. It's good to report that New Siberia is strong affirmation thatDuvekot has not been oversold. Listeners may not connect with every song on thealbum, but there is consistent quality and subtle grace in Duvekot'ssongwriting that is impossible to ignore. New Siberia doesn't bowl you over,but it is the sort of album you'll find yourself returning to again and again.Don't miss this one.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (out of 5)\Learn more atwww.antjeduvekot.com.

theatre review NEWSIES, Broadway, July 17

To contact us Click HERE

The Broadway musical Newsies is a crowd pleaser in the truest sense. It has an exuberant cast, an engaging David vs Goliath story, several highly effective and tuneful songs and some of the most infectious and thrilling dance numbers to grace a Broadway stage in many years. Having seen the pre-Broadway run of the show last Fall at the Paper Mill Playhouse we decided to revisit the show to see what was changed and how the show plays on the Great White Way. It was well worth the second trip.

I won't go into the story of the flop movie that this musical is based on or talk about the real life turn of the century struggle that this show musicalizes, since I already wrote about those things in my earlier review that you can read here. Instead I thought I would spend a few paragraphs to talk about the changes that have been made for the show, all of which are for the better.

Tony winning composer Alan Menken and lyricist Jack Feldman have replaced a few of the newer songs from last Fall's production with even newer ones. And while none of the new songs is as good as the ones used from the film, or the one knockout new song "Watch What Happens," they are all better then what was heard at the Paper Mill.

Kara Kindsay and Jeremy Jordan

The recasting of the only supporting female character in the show Medda Larkin with Capathia Jenkins was clearly a good decision. Not that the woman who played the role at Paper Mill wasn't good in the part, it's just since the part is a small one having someone with the high wattage stage presence of Jenkins made the part more than the sum of the small amount of stage time it receives. She also had a great time with her one solo song.

The Nederlander Theatre is the perfect venue for the dance centric show with the Mezzanine so close to the stage that I'd recommend sitting there instead of in the orchestra. The three tier set also is more accessible from the mezzanine, especially since several scenes are played out on the second tier of the set.

Jeremy Jordan as the male lead Jack Kelly is now a Tony nominated actor and is still delivering an honest, rousing performance. Kara Lindsay as the female lead and love interest is also still exhibiting a natural and strong take on this woman who is slightly ahead of her time. Many of the supporting characters are played by actors carried over from the Paper Mill run with those delivering great work at Paper Mill like Ben Fankhauser, Andrew Keenan-Bolger, Ryan Breslin and Ryan Steele still delivering the goods.

Not much more to add except to say to go see this show if you're looking for a rousing, fun big Broadway show.

Newsies Official Website

Highlights from the show:

2012 Tony Awards performance:

theatre review IF THERE IS I HAVEN'T FOUND IT YET, Off Broadway, September 22

To contact us Click HERE

Nick Payne's new play If There Is I Haven't Found It Yet is having it's US premiere Off Broadway in a stellar production head lined by Jake Gyllenhaal who is making his NY stage debut. Telling the modern day story of a family at the breaking point, Payne's play is not only one that accurately and effectively speaks to current headlines but when combined with an excellent set design and direction rises to an even higher level.

The threat of both teenage bullies and global warming have been hot topics in the news for the past few years. Payne combines both of these headline makers to tell the story of a family with an overweight fifteen year old daughter, Anna, who has been bullied at the school where her mother works. Anna's father is an environmentalist who is so concerned about the threat to the earth that he completely misses the threat that is making his daughter feel alone and the distance that is potentially breaking up his family. When the father's younger estranged brother shows up out of the blue, Anna finds herself with someone who she believes finally understands her but he too has own troubles.

Annie Funke and Jake Gyllenhaal

Set in London, If There Is I Haven't Found It Yet is both an interesting story of a family in crisis as well as one that shows how our preoccupation with various things can get in the way of us not only being able to properly communicate with each other but to also miss important issues that need immediate attention. I found the play both completely realistic in the subject matter and the way that each character spoke differently from each other but also in how it takes modern issues and shows both the comical and dramatic sides of them.

The cast is simply excellent. As the brooding, somewhat violent and outspoken Uncle, Gyllenhaal has the appropriate blend of intensity and compassion, especially when he realizes how lost Anna is and how her parents aren't giving her the direction and attention she needs. Annie Funke as Anna is the girl we've all seen before, the overweight teenager who gets bullied for her weight, tries to be funny to overcome the hurt but is lost and all alone inside. Funke is the one who has to keep her emotions at a fairly consistent and high level and to not let them get too melodramatic and the scenes she has with Gyllenhaal, who she basically sees as her "white knight" are both touching and heartbreaking. The fact that she is holding her own with this powerhouse cast says a lot.

Brian F. O'Byrne and Michelle Gomez

Brian F. O'Byrne is the father, and at first I didn't care that much for him, but I quickly realized that was the point, as he was perfectly playing the distant, self obsessed parent who is trying to "save" the wrong thing and in doing so tries as best as he can to stay away from the real issues at home. There is a passion and intensity in O'Byrne's portrayal that makes you understand his devotion as well as his reluctance to deal with the issues at home. Michelle Gomez as the mother is also spot on in her portrayal of a woman who grew up and doesn't really know her place in the world anymore. The frustration she exhibits, sometimes even with just a look or by simply being silent is perfect. With a distant husband and a lost child she thinks the only thing she can do is to tell her daughter to stay the course while she focuses on overseeing the student production of War of the Worlds, a title not lost on the overall theme of the play. Dysfunction is clearly at the center of this story and while all of these characters aren't perfect, all four actors have you rooting for them to overcome their obstacles and succeed.

Annie Funke and Jake Gyllenhaal

The play begins with an intense rainfall coming down into a trough at the front of the stage in a continual sheet of water. This theatrical use of water is something that director Michael Longhurst and scenic designer Beowulf Boriff will use throughout the play to its fullest extent. Anna's father is writing a book all about reducing carbon footprints and the impact of global warming. So, the use of water is an interesting one it that it so clearly shows both the impact of the melting ice caps as well as literally showing how this one family is drowning from the issues that they are confronted with. Subtle it might not be, but theatrical it is, and when a torrent of rain comes down like a tsunami toward an emotional event in the latter half of the show you can literally hear gasps in the audience. Added to the use of water is the use of set pieces. When the play begins there is a large mound of furniture in the center of the stage. As each scene unfolds the actors will pull the required furniture from the mound and when the scene is over they will discard the props or furniture into the trough of water at the front of the stage. I took this to show the disposable nature of the world as well as to show the rising water that will eventually take us over, as each time something is tossed in the trough, the water line gets higher and higher. While the use of water might seem gimmicky, I found it refreshing in many ways, including the end result of it seeming like the water cleansed the four characters and has now allowed them to move on with their lives.

So, if you're looking to see an A list Hollywood star in an exceptional play that includes some very interesting theatrical moments and four excellent performances, don't miss If There Is I Haven't Found It Yet which is playing Off Broadway through November 25th.

Official Show Site

Interviews with the cast and creative team:

Highlights from the show and opening night interviews:

Broadway's Lost Treasures 1

Broadway's Lost Treasures II - 2004

12 Aralık 2012 Çarşamba

theatre review THE COMMON PURSUIT, Off Broadway, July 19

To contact us Click HERE

There have been many plays and musicals that attempt to show how the hopes of youth become shattered with age, including one of my favorite musicals Merrily We Roll Along. Simon Gray's 1984 play The Common Pursuit is one whose message of shattered dreams slowly sneaks up on you. The Off Broadway revival that just ended a three month run was fortunate to have a fairly consistent ensemble of actors playing the group of five men and one woman who meet at Cambridge with the plan to form a literary magazine that will challenge those around them. The challenges of real life and the impact of society affect everyone but when they touch upon the ideas of youth it is even more shattering. The main characters of the play are Stuart and Martin. It is Stuart's idea to start the magazine and Martin, who desires a career in publishing, becomes the business man for the magazine. The play follows their two lives, as well as the four other characters who are part of the magazine, over twenty years. Over the years we see Stuart's struggles with getting funding for the magazine and how he eventually forms a publishing company with Martin's urging. While the other characters also have struggles of their own, mainly to do with career and relationship choices, it is really the relationship between Stuart and Martin who ground the play. It is their struggles and the fact that Stuart is the more creative one and Martin the more business focused that also adds another layer to the play, the struggles between the creative and the commercial.

Jacob Fishel, Josh Cooke, Lucas Near-Verbrugghe, Kieran Campion,
Kristen Bush and Tim McGeever

These are characters who think they can change the world much as many college aged individuals believe. And while most of them are ambitious in their own ways with one hoping to be a theatre critic and another a philosophy professor, it is the struggle they all have and the devotion they have to each other that drives home the message of tarnished ideas and broken dreams. I will admit that for the first act I wasn't taken that much by the play, but by the time the second act was half over I was completely focused on these friends and how life didn't always treat them the way they thought it would. The final scene, which is a continuation of the first scene from twenty years ago, was extremely moving. Now, I'm not certain if the reason I was taken by this scene and ultimately the play has something to do with the fact that the new cast recording of the recent concert production of Merrily We Roll Along, which as I stated above is all about broken dreams, just came out and I had just listened to if a few times or if it was the writing of Gray and the acting of this ensemble. None the less, I ended up liking this play more than I thought I would.

Josh Cooke and Jacob Fishel

Josh Cooke as Stuart and Jacob Fishel as Martin are touching in their portrayals of the two main friends, one more loyal than the other. Kristen Bush is Marigold, the girlfriend of Stuart who has one shocking scene and a future not exactly easy to see coming. Tim McGeever as Humphry, the one who wants to be a philosophy professor, perfectly plays the grounding presence of the ensemble. Kieran Campion is the womanizing member, who ends up getting much more than he had originally hoped for and Lucas Near-Verbrugghe, who I'm not sure if he was just playing his part too broad for the rest of the cast or if he was trying to portray a character that he thought his friends would be drawn to. Take for example his constant cough, which never seems to be real - I'm not sure if he's doing that to get their sympathy, or if he's just a bad actor when coughing on stage.Directed by MoisÃ©s Kaufman, I did appreciate Kaufman's light hand, especially in dealing with all of the somewhat heavy handed literary topics. This ultimately made the play more accessible and helped with the impact of the outcomes of some of the group. I especially liked the effective set design by Derek McLane that used a window as one of the main pieces used throughout to join the scenes, years and characters together.Clips from this production:

theatre review IF THERE IS I HAVEN'T FOUND IT YET, Off Broadway, September 22

To contact us Click HERE

Annie Funke and Jake Gyllenhaal

Brian F. O'Byrne and Michelle Gomez

Annie Funke and Jake Gyllenhaal

cabaret review BARBARA COOK, McCarter, November 7

To contact us Click HERE

Barbara Cook is arguably the Queen of the American Songbook. I don't know any other performer who is able to master every nuance of every lyric in the songs they sing like Cook can. Having just celebrated her 85th birthday, the only thing slowing Cook down now is the slight toll that age is starting to take on her body as her voice is just about as clear and perfect as it has ever been. In fact if you shut your eyes during her concert you would have no idea the person singing was 85. However, the cane she is using to get on and off stage and the fact that she sat down during almost the entire concert only makes you realize how lucky we are that she is still performing and that her voice is not only holding out but still very clear, pure and strong and exceedingly beautiful.

There is pure joy in her singing that shows that she truly loves to do what she does. That that joy spills over into the audience throughout her shows and she says she has no plans to stop doing what she loves to do. For the past decade or so Cook has performed a lot of Stephen Sondheim and Irving Berlin songs in her concerts so it was interesting and somewhat refreshing that Cook has now turned to highlighting some other composers. Hoagy Carmichael and Cole Porter were all represented with Carmichael getting special attention. The majority of the songs she sang at her McCarter concert can be found on Cook's latest recording "Loverman."

A jazzy and upbeat "Let's Fall in Love" started off the evening that showed the simple joy that she brings to a song. A lovely pairing of "I Hadn't Anyone But You" and "It Had To Be You" showed two ways to sing about finding your true love with the ache and yearning for love on display in the first song and the upbeat declaration of it in the second.

Hoagy Carmichael's "The Nearness of You" received a lush interpretation from Cook that was followed by a fun and bouncy "Making Whoopee." Carmichael's "Georgia, On My Mind" received an exemplary and very personal rendition from Cook considering she's from Atlanta. The arrangement was rich and driving in parts but never got in the way of Cook's vocals that soared in several places. Though she did say that singing the song is a little bit of a lie "as I couldn't wait to get out of there!" Humor was actually present thought the show with Barbara telling stories of how her former musical arranger Wally Harper would always say "I love it when you talk dirty." She also told about the time she was asked to replace Elaine Stitch that included a few blue words with her saying "now don't hate me for saying this" as well as a funny Bette Midler joke, both of which had the audience laughing out loud and Cook replying "I've become a sit down comic!"

A stunning pairing of "House of the Rising Sun" and "Bye, Bye Blackbird" showed two different sides to stories of "ladies of the night." A very humorous collection of Country song titles that Cook found while searching You Tube one night like "If I Shot You When I Wanted, I'd Be Out By Now" introduced the funny song called "I Don't Want Love." "When Sunny Gets Blue" received an exemplary rendition with Cook evoking a sultry, smokey jazz chanteuse and underscored with a stunning arrangement with a driving piano part.

The Billy Holiday hit "Lover Man" was given a lovely delivery by Cook and Cole Porter's "Let's Do It (Let's Fall in Love)" received another upbeat jazzed up rendition by Cook and her band. A simply stunning "Here's To Life" had Cook making every lyric of this song about a person looking back at their life but not giving up just yet completely personal and relevant. The concert ended with a rousing "I've Got Rhythm" that gave each member of Cook's quartet a chance to solo. This was followed by an un-miked Cook encoring with John Lennon's "Imagine" that was the perfect end to a lovely evening.

Musical Director/Pianist Ted Rosenthal provided appropriate but not overbearing arrangements and accompaniment along with Cello, Reeds and Percussion.

If you get a chance to see Cook in concert don't miss it.

Cook in concert singing "Why Did I Choose You?"

Cook and Vanessa Williams perform from Sondheim on Sondheim on The View:

theatre review VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE, Off Broadway, November 12

To contact us Click HERE

Christopher Durang's latest play Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike just opened Off Broadway a few days ago and we caught a late preview of the show this past Sunday. This was actually our second time seeing the show since we saw it's premiere at the McCarter theatre in September (review here.)

While the show hasn't changed since seeing it at the McCarter, the show plays much better at the Mitzi Newhouse Theatre then it did at McCarter. And while the theatre at the McCarter is very intimate, the Newhouse is even more so, with the expansive set filling up the space and the action seemingly taking place just inches in front of you. The action is so close to you that with the show set on the back porch of a house in the country of Bucks County, PA, audience members in the front row of the theatre had the "grass" of the house's backyard underneath their feet.

Kristine Nielsen, Sigourney Weaver and David Hyde Piece,

The show is just as funny as it was at the McCarter and the trio of leads is even more well tuned to their parts. Kristine Nielsen still steals the show out from her A list co-stars Sigourney Weaver and David Hyde Piece, but Weaver and Pierce get plenty of moments to shine throughout the piece. Nielsen's insanely comical impression of Maggie Smith and her heart breaking performance during the phone call she gets in the second act are just two of the reasons to see this show.

Durang has crafted his most accessible play and like I said before, one that I think will have a healthy life after it's New York run. I wouldn't be surprised with this starry cast if there is a movement to move the show to Broadway. However, if that move were to happen the experience wouldn't be as good as it is now with the intimacy of the Newhouse Theatre.

Nothing much more to add from what I wrote in my previous review except to say that if you're looking for a night out where you will laugh a lot don't miss Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike playing at Lincoln Center's Mitzi Newhouse Theatre currently running through January 13th.

Official Show Site

Excerpts from the show: