Everything I Know I Learned From Musicals

Review - A Little Night Music Revival

Easily the most anticipated musical of the season thus far has been the Broadway transfer of acclaimed London production of A Little Night Music. My schedule didn't allow me to see the show during previews, as is my normal wont, but I did get down to the Walter Kerr Theater last weekend to take in [sigh] a post-opening performance.

Given that I was seeing A Little Night Music almost a month into its run, it was inevitable that I would have already heard a good deal about the production. For instance, I had witnessed much talk of the scaled-down staging, reflecting the larger trend of treating Stephen Sondheim revivals as "chamber" pieces. This particular aspect of A Little Night Music didn't bother me: these reduced productions have at least one positive effect, which is creating more of a focus on the piece itself.

I had heard a good deal of grumbling about the reduced orchestrations: the current production of Night Music features new charts by Jason Carr for eight musicians, whereas the originals by Jonathan Tunick called for 25. I guess I don't really focus on sound quality and fullness, as long as the playing is professional, which it most certainly was. The music sounded just fine to my admittedly unrefined and inattentive ear.

What did bother me were some of director Trevor Nunn's staging choices, some of which seemed to defy explanation. Most egregious was the dinner scene, in which Nunn has the cast sitting on the floor on pillows. Not only did it seem strange that elegant dinner guests would be lolling around on the floor, but this choice would seem to be a direct contradiction of Madame Armfeldt's line upon the guests' arrival: "We cannot be caught squatting on the ground like Bohemians."

One note of irony in the supposedly "intimate" production design was the scenery by David Farley, which was lumbering, cumbersome, and visually unappealing. And the much-discussed exceedingly dim lighting, designed by Hartley T A Kemp, is indeed exceedingly, annoyingly, unnecessarily dark. Is the production team trying to get us to focus more on the characters? Or hide the hideous set? Whatever, the insufficient illumination here is irritating, and I would imagine even more so for those with aging eyes. And when you add the veritable darkness of the proceedings to the production's deadly slow pacing -- the show clocks in at 3 hours, whereas the original was closer to 2.5 -- the effect is soporific, indeed.

All of which would seem to be beside the point, because very few attendees for this Night Music are there for orchestral richness, atmospheric lighting, or swift pacing. They were there to see Catherine Zeta-Jones, who is perfectly presentable, if uninspired, as Desiree. Her manner during the book scenes was very natural, but during the songs she seemed to be pushing. In her first number, "The Glamorous Life," it seemed as though she was trying to justify her presence on Broadway. Her diction was a bit lacking at times, but her voice is strong and appealing. "Send in the Clowns" had a nice, smoky quality to it, although she did sharp a bit on the final note, when she tried adding a brief crescendo/diminuendo emphasis.

But I couldn't help thinking as I watched the show, "She's the reason we're all here." Because, without Catherine Zeta-Jones, this revival quite simply would never have made it to Broadway. News that she would make her Broadway debut in the show reached as far as China and Pakistan. The production has been playing at or near capacity, with a very healthy average ticket of about $130.00. But when CZJ leaves, the show very likely close, unless they can find another Hollywood A-lister to step in. 

Not that it really matters, but the casting for the rest of the show has its highs and lows. Angela Lansbury is her fabulous self as Madame Armfeldt, although in truth, she's not entirely suited to the role. Try as she might, our beloved Angela is far too likable in a part that should be imperious and cutting. Broadway newcomer Alexander Hanson is terrific as Frederick, conveying just the right sense of world-weariness and faded prowess. Leigh Ann Larkin is far more subtle and effective as Petra than she was (IMHO) as June in Gypsy. Larkin does a bang-up job on "Miller's Son," one of the best I've ever seen, in fact. (I still don't think the song belongs in the show, though: it stops the action dead, asking us to spend four-plus minutes with a minor character just as we want things to wrap up.)

There were, however, some major casting missteps. Ramona Mallory seems to be have been cast solely because she's the daughter of the original Anne, Victoria Mallory. At first, Mallory the younger seemed a welcome -- albeit petulant -- change from the typical ingenue. But she eventually became irritatingly hysterical and whiny. Aaron Lazar seems far too young and not nearly imposing enough as Carl-Magnus. And then there's poor Erin Davie, a wonderfully talented young woman, who is sorely miscast here as Charlotte. Davie is far too soft-edged. Her "Every Day a Little Death," which should be a paean to understated bitterness, becomes a maudlin, melodramatic affair. Davie seems to be acting up a storm, trying to make the part work, but she's simply not right for the part, at least not now, and perhaps not ever.

While I remain glad that A Little Night Music has finally, after 35 years, made it back to Broadway, the production at hand hasn't much to offer to beyond marquee-value names above the title. It's certainly a strong show in its own right, and the current version is never less than serviceable. But for $137.00, is "serviceable" really enough?

Andrew Lloyd Webber Must Be Stopped

 
I've never been one to reflexively bash Andrew Lloyd Webber. Some of his shows I genuinely like, particularly Evita, while other shows I find flawed but enjoyable, for instance Sunset Boulevard. I usually even find something worth liking in each of his mega-hits. Cats has some great instrumental passages, especially "The Jellicle Ball." And the "Prima Donna" sequence in The Phantom of the Opera, though bloated, for some reason invariably makes me smile. 

So, I certainly don't consider myself a knee-jerk Lloyd Webber hater. But the more I hear about his current projects, the more I get the impression that ALW's late career is turning into an expanse of easy repetition.

First, there's the upcoming sequel to Phantom, with the rather uninspired title Love Never Dies. I'm not one to assume that any particular show will be an automatic disaster. It all depends on the execution. And just because no musical has ever had a successful sequel, doesn't mean that it could never happen. No, the reason I was disappointed with Love Never Dies is that ALW chose to pursue a Phantom sequel over a far more interesting project.

For years, Lloyd Webber was toying around with the idea of turning Mikhail Bulgakov's brilliantly surreal novel, The Master and Margarita, into a stage show. The book takes place in Moscow in the 1930s, and involves an earthly visitation by Satan, accompanied by a motley retinue of assistants, including an anthropomorphous cat named Behemoth. It's a richly bizarre and satisfying book, and would make a wonderful stage show, in the right imaginative hands. But ALW gave up on the project, saying the book was too dense. "I've decided it's un-doable," he told the press in 2007. "It's just too difficult for an audience to contemplate. It's a very complicated novel."

No, Andrew. It's not un-doable. It's just that you couldn't find a way to do it. There's a difference. And don't blame the audience for your professional failings.

To a certain extent, it's understandable that ALW would want to play it safe. He hasn't had a true hit in over 20 years. Most of his shows since Phantom have been disasters (Whistle Down the Wind, The Woman in White) or disappointments (Aspects of Love, Sunset Boulevard). He's certainly not hurting for money. The substantial and steady income from Phantom and Cats notwithstanding, he's produced a successful-but-attenuated series of British reality-TV shows to cast a variety of London revivals, including The Sound of Music, Oliver, and his own Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. More easy, lazy repetition.

But the thing that really put me over the edge was the recent announcement that ALW would be penning six new songs for a forthcoming London stage version of The Wizard of Oz, although the classic Harold Arlen/E.Y. "Yip" Harburg songs will reportedly remain. (Have you no shame, Sir. Andrew? At long last, have you no shame?) The show will be cast via reality show (natch) and will likely hit the stage sometime in the 2010-2011 season.

So ALW is taking a well-loved and proven property, supplementing the score with six songs that no matter how good they are will pale in comparison to the originals, and casting the show with the already beaten-to-death reality-casting format, efforts that are lazy, sacrilegious, and lazy, in that order. Let's just say that Love Never Dies had better be spectacular. And I'm not talking chandeliers here.

A Little Night Music - With Lansbury and Zeta-Jones?

In his column yesterday, Michael Riedel of the New York Post wrote that the upcoming Broadway transfer of Trevor Nunn's acclaimed London production of A Little Night Music will very likely star Angela Lansbury (Madame Armfeldt) and Catherine Zeta-Jones (Desiree Armfeldt). There hasn't been any official announcement about casting, but the production is tentatively scheduled to begin performances in December at the Walter Kerr Theater.

Rumors have been circulating for weeks about Angela Lansbury's involvement in A Little Night Music, but this is the first I've heard about Catherine Zeta-Jones. I'm not sure what I think of CZJ as Desiree. She certainly has musical-theater experience, but I didn't think she really deserved an Oscar for the movie version of "Chicago." She was fine, but unexceptional.

But, irrespective of whether CZJ can pull off the part, there's the Antonio Banderas factor to consider. It's very unlikely that the recent Broadway revival of Nine would have gotten off the ground if it hadn't been for his presence, and as long as he stayed with the show, it did terrific business. But as soon as he left, business plummeted, despite the presence of replacement Guido John Stamos.

I have a sneaking suspicion that the same dynamic will play out with CZJ in Night Music. There's no question that she'll be a huge box-office draw, but once she leaves, the show will likely close. Unless, of course, they can get some other Hollywood star to take her place. (Rene Zellwegger as Desiree? The mind boggles...) And what are the odds that CZJ is likely to stick around for more than 6 months, a year tops? 

I adore A Little Night Music, and have been longing for a strong Broadway revival of the show, of which this production would be the first. I'm not usually a pie-in-the-sky kind of guy, and I know that the economic realities and vagaries of producing a Broadway show can induce producers to find ways to mitigate their risk. I can certainly understand the producers' wanting to bring in a name, but there's a part of me that wishes they would rely on the strength of the show itself and the quality of the production.

The Most Influential People in Musical-Theater History

While teaching my course on the history of musical theater at the Boston Conservatory, I frequently point to Oscar Hammerstein II as the most important person in the history of musical theater. I genuinely believe that. Hammerstein was not only crucial for what he did, but also in whom he taught and inspired, namely one Stephen Sondheim. 

To understand Hammerstein's immeasurable contributions, it's important to understand integration, one of the most important concepts in the evolution of musicals. Integration basically means the trend toward having every element of a show serve some dramatic purpose. As Richard Rodgers famously once said, the reason that Oklahoma worked as well as it did was because "the orchestrations sound the way the costumes look." This always surprises my students, but there was a time when songs in a musical didn't have much to do with the plot, and dance was mere decoration. And that time was basically B.H. (Before Hammerstein) 

That's a gross simplification, of course, but Oscar Hammerstein was indeed an integration pioneer, starting with his work in operettas and musical comedy, continuing with the seminal Show Boat, and culminating in his work with Rodgers. Hammerstein didn't invent integration, but he did more than any other single person to make it come about, and the rest of musical-theater history rests squarely on his shoulders and accomplishments. 

My admiration of Hammerstein got me thinking about which other people are responsible for the development of the musical-theater form, and since I've been a list-making mood lately, well, you can probably see where this is heading. Here then is my attempt to list the most influential people in the history of musical theater. Some of these names will be very well known, others not so much. I've included links for all the names, plus brief explanations for those I deemed it appropriate. I'm sure that there will be many people who feel that I've left someone out, or ranked someone too low or too high. If so, feel free to drop me a line.

As with all of my other lists, this one will be listed as a sub-page of in the left-hand margin.

1. Oscar Hammerstein
2. Stephen Sondheim
3. Jerome Kern - composer of Show Boat, as well as the seminal Princess shows, which include Very Good Eddie and Oh, Boy!
4. Harold Prince
5. Richard Rodgers
6. Jerome Robbins
7. Arthur Laurents - librettist for West Side Story and Gypsy
8. George M. Cohan - the do-it-all impresario showman, who not only wrote and starred in his own shows, but was also an integration pioneer
9. Agnes de Mille - first female director/choreographer, key force behind Oklahoma and the integration of dance
10. George Gershwin
11. Kurt Weill - composer of The Threepenny Opera, as well as such wonderful but underperformed shows as Lady in the Dark and Lost in the Stars
12. Bob Fosse
13. George S. Kaufman - librettist for Of Thee I Sing, Strike Up the Band, and key force behind Guys and Dolls
    
14. Florenz Ziegfeld - producer of the Ziegfeld Follies and the seminal Show Boat
15. Moss Hart - librettist for Lady in the Dark and As Thousands Cheer, and key force behind My Fair Lady
    
16. Ethel Merman
17. Alan Jay Lerner - librettist/lyricist for Brigadoon, My Fair Lady, and Camelot
18. Guy Bolton - librettist for the seminal Princess shows, among many others
19. P.G. Wodehouse - lyricist for seminal Princess shows, among many others
20. Irving Berlin
21. Lorenz Hart - lyricist who worked with Richard Rodgers on many shows, including Pal Joey, The Boys from Syracuse, A Connecticut Yankee, and On Your Toes
22. Ira Gershwin - lyricist who went on after his brother's death to create Lady in the Dark and A Star Is Born
23. George Balanchine - first person to receive the credit "choreography by" versus "dances by"
24. Frederick Loewe - composer of Brigadoon and My Fair Lady
25. W.S. Gilbert - librettist/lyricist half of Gilbert & Sullivan
26. Cole Porter
27. Fred Ebb
28. Frank Loesser
29. John Kander
30. Arthur Sullivan - composer half of Gilbert & Sullivan
31. Marc Blitzstein - composer lyricist of The Cradle Will Rock and Juno
32. Peter Stone - librettist of 1776, Titanic, and Woman of the Year
33. Noel Coward
34. James Lapine
35. Chita Rivera
36. Michael Stewart - librettist of 42nd Street, Bye Bye Birdie, Carnival!, and Hello, Dolly!
37. Gertrude Lawrence - star of Lady in the Dark and The King and I
38. David Merrick - controversial producer of such hits as Hello, Dolly!, Carnival, and Gypsy
39. Victor Herbert - the first significant American composer to write an entire musical score himself (Babes in Toyland), versus group efforts and song interpolations. Also, invented American operetta
40. Michael Bennett
41. Betty Comden
42. Al Jolson
43. Bertie Williams - first African-American star
44. Jerry Herman
45. Sheldon Harnick/Jerry Bock - composer/lyricist team that wrote Fiorello, She Loves Me, and Fiddler on the Roof
46. Gower Champion - director/choreographer of Bye Bye Birdie, Hello, Dolly, Carnival, and 42nd Street
47. Stephen Schwartz
48. Adolph Green
49. Leonard Bernstein
50. Mary Martin
51. Otto Harbach - prolific lyricist and librettist of both musical comedies and operettas
52. B.G. DeSylva/Ray Henderson/Lew Brown - creators of a successful series of shows in the 1920s, including Good News
53. Ethel Watters - first female African-American star
54. Michael Kidd - prolific and influential choreographer
55. Bernadette Peters
56. Victor Moore/William Gaxton - popular comic actors and frequent co-stars
57. Gwen Verdon
58. H.Y. "Yip" Harburg - known primarily as the lyricist for "The Wizard of Oz," but responsible for much more, including Finian's Rainbow
59. Morrie Ryskind - known for his work with the Marx Brothers, but also worked with Kaufman on Of Thee I Sing and Strike Up the Band
60. Harry B. Smith - the most prolific writer in Broadway history, working on 122 separate shows, including...nothing you've ever heard of
61. Carol Channing
62. Bob Merrill - composer and lyricist who worked on such shows as Carnival and Funny Girl
63. Sigmund Romberg - composer of numerous successful operettas, including The Student Prince, The Desert Song, and The New Moon
64. Joseph Stein - librettist for numerous shows, including Fiddler on the Roof
65. Rudolph Friml - composer of numerous successful operettas, including Rose Marie and The Vagabond King
66. Harvey Schmidt/Tom Jones - composer and lyricist of The Fantasticks, 110 in the Shade and others
    
67. Joseph Papp - producer of Hair, The Pirates of Penzance, and A Chorus Line, among others
68. Edward Harrigan/Tony Hart - creators of a series of popular and influential shows, including The Mulligan Guard Ball, in the 1800s. The first famous collaboration in the American musical theater
69. Marilyn Miller - popular star of the musical theater in the 1920s and 1930s.
70. Eubie Blake/Noble Sissle - authors of the first successful show created entirely by African Americans, Shuffle Along
71. Dorothy Fields - first successful female lyricist and librettist, whose shows include Annie Get Your Gun and Sweet Charity
72. George Abbott - producer, director, and librettist with a career spanning more than seven decades. Shows include Pal Joey, On the Town, and The Pajama Game
73. Herbert Fields - librettist and lyricist, whose shows include Annie Get Your Gun and A Connecticut Yankee
74. Tommy Tune
75. Arthur Schwartz/Howard Dietz - composer/lyricist team, whose shows include The Band Wagon, and The Gay Life
76. Charles H. Hoyt - author of a number of farce comedies in the 1800s, including A Trip to Chinatown
    
77. Harold Rome - composer/lyricist of such shows as Pins and Needles and I Can Get It for You Wholesale
78. Kay Swift - first woman to score and entire musical, Fine and Dandy
    
79. Rouben Mamoulian - director of Porgy and Bess, Oklahoma!, Carousel, and Lost in the Stars
80. Onna White - choreographer of The Music Man, Mame, and 1776
81. Joshua Logan - director of Knickerbocker Holiday, South Pacific, and Annie Get Your Gun
82. Andrew Lloyd Webber
83. Patti LuPone
84. Howard Lindsay/Russell Crouse - librettists of The Sound of Music, Call Me Madam, and Anything Goes
85. Cameron Mackintosh
86. Tim Rice
87. Jule Styne - composer of Gypsy, Funny Girl, and Bells Are Ringing
88. Charles Strouse - composer of Bye Bye Birdie and Annie
89. Neil Simon - librettist for Sweet Charity, Promises, Promises, and They're Playing Our Song, as well as script doctor for A Chorus Line
    
90. William Finn - composer/lyricist for Falsettos, A New Brain, and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
91. Thomas Meehan - librettist for Annie, The Producers, and Hairspray
92. Cy Coleman - composer of Sweet Charity, On The Twentieth Century, and City of Angels
93. Trevor Nunn - director of Les Misérables, Cats, Starlight Express and Sunset Boulevard
94. John Weidman - librettist of Pacific Overtures, Assassins, and Contact
95. Walt Disney - the company, not the man
96. Jason Robert Brown - composer/lyricist of Parade, The Last Five Years, and 13
97. Susan Stroman - director choreographer of Contact, The Producers, and Young Frankenstein
98. Alan Menken/Howard Ashman - composer/lyricist pair responsible for Little Shop of Horrors and the Disney films The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin
99. Ivor Novello - composer/lyricist of British shows, including Careless Rapture and The Dancing Years
100. Michael John LaChiusa - composer/lyricist/librettist of Hello Again, Marie Christine, The Wild Party, and See What I Wanna See

The Norman Conquests - Table Manners

I finally got a chance to see at least one of the three plays that comprise The Norman Conquests. Last night I caught Table Manners, and based on that experience, I'm really hoping to see Living Together and Round and Round the Garden as well. I get the feeling that part of the fun of this comic trilogy is seeing the connections among the three. All of the plays feature the same characters over one weekend in July. Each play is set in a different area of the same house: the dining room, the garden, and the parlor. As I laughed heartily at the comic goings on in Table Manners, I could already get a sense of what was happening in the other locations, and I really can't wait to see the other two plays.

The Norman Conquests features a prodigiously talented cast of six actors who each craft distinct and rich characterizations. It's a shame to single out any one performer, because the ensemble work here is just so strong, but I was particularly taken with Ben Miles as the awkward and clueless Tom. But there's also superb work here from Amanda Root as uptight harridan Sarah, and Jessica Hynes as the dowdy but burgeoning Annie. No less distinct were the delightfully dorky Paul Ritter and Amelia Bullmore as the acid-tongued and near-sighted Ruth. And at the center of it all is the eponymous Norman, played with charming eccentricity by Stephen Magnan.

But the real star of these three shows is director Matthew Warchus. After spinning comic gold from literary dross with Boeing-Boeing, then turning God of Carnage into the biggest hit play in decades, and a laugh riot to boot, and now shaping the comedic masterpiece that is The Norman Conquests (with more than a little help from playwright Alan Ayckbourn), Warchus has established himself as a masterful director. His work reflects not only a solid flair comedy, but also a deft touch at pathos. Both God of Carnage and Norman Conquests are achingly funny, but they also reveal the pain and loneliness beneath the bluster that make the productions, and the people in them, that much more compelling to watch.

The Norman Conquests run at Broadway's Circle in the Square Theatre until July 26th. Catch it if you can. You might just see me there.

Another La Cage Revival?

The current London production of La Cage aux Folles may be headed for Broadway next season. According to Playbill.com, after producer Sonia Friedman accepted the Tony for best revival of a play for The Norman Conquests last night, she told the Tony press that her next Broadway outing will be a transfer of the well-received West End production of La Cage aux Folles, a "strictly limited" engagement that somehow keeps getting extended. Friedman said that the production would open in New York next spring, and feature its Olivier-winning star Douglas Hodge.

This announcement comes despite the decided lack of success for the 2004 revival of La Cage, which closed after 229 performances, shortly after winning the Tony for best revival of a musical.

I can't claim to have the same depth of knowledge about the London theater scene as I do about Broadway, but haven't the producers of La Cage in London been engaging in some pretty high-profile stunt casting? British TV show host Graham Norton played Zaza for three months earlier this year. And London hottie, and star of the BBC's "Torchwood," John Barrowman is set to join the cast in September. Is this desperation or shrewd producing on Friedman's part? London readers: what's the word on the street? Is the London La Cage a bona fide hit, or a manufactured one?

Even if the London La Cage is the genuine article, there's still a huge question as to whether new York is ready for Georges and Albin to return, no matter how good the production. Perhaps we're dealing with a little post-award bluster or production myopia here: sometimes people intimately involved in a production fail to see accurately how the ticket-buying public will react because they're too in love with the production to be objective. But, then, I don't have a great track record when it comes to predicting the economic success of Broadway revivals.

Whaddya think, readers? Are you ready for another La Cage?

A Little Night Music in London, New York, and Paris

It's a bit surprising, if not downright shameful, that so far there hasn't been a single Broadway revival of the Stephen Sondheim/Hugh Wheeler masterwork A Little Night Music. It's not only one of Sondheim's few shows to make a profit during its initial Broadway run, it's also pretty darned near perfect. (Although I venerate "The Miller's Son" as a song, it doesn't belong in the show. It stops the action cold, just as we want things to wrap up, and it's 4-plus minutes with a deservedly minor character.)

We've been hearing for years about proposed New York revivals of A Little Night Music, but they've had a nasty habit of falling through. A few years back, Glenn Close was supposed to make her return to the Broadway musical stage in the role of Desiree. That production never materialized.

More recently, the Roundabout Theatre staged a successful one-night-only benefit concert version of A Little Night Music, which starred Natasha Richardson and her mother, Vanessa Redgrave. There was talk of the Roundabout bringing the show back as part of its regular season, but Richardson's tragic death unfortunately prevented that from happening.

Now it looks as though the current London production, helmed by Trevor Nunn, is making a bid for Broadway later this year. A Little Night Music opened at London's Garrick Theatre in December 2008, after a sold-out run at the Menier Chocolate Factory. A recent casting notice states that rehearsals for the Broadway production are tentatively scheduled to begin in October toward a December opening at a theater TBD. We'll see as to whether that production comes to pass. 

As if that weren't enough, Playbill.com recently reported that Kristin Scott Thomas (who was robbed...Robbed!...of a Tony nomination for her sparkling turn as Madame Arkadina last fall in The Seagull) will play Desiree in Paris an English-language production in 2010. Before you ask, "Can she sing?," I would remind you that the role was written to cater to the vocal limitations of Glynis Johns, who originated the role in the 1973 Broadway production. It's the kind of part that requires an actress first, a singer second. Dame Judi Dench played Desiree in London in 1995, and anyone who's heard that long out-of-print and highly collectible cast recording can vouch for the fact that she's no Maria Callas. 

I'm certainly hoping to see the New York revival actually happen. If it doesn't, I may just have to fly over to London or Paris. Or both.

Phantom Sequel to Have March 2010 Premiere

Andrew Lloyd Webber's much-publicized, and recently delayed, sequel to Phantom of the Opera, bearing the Harlequin romance, bodice-ripper of a title Love Never Dies, will apparently have simultaneous world premieres in both London and New York.

Why the synchronous productions? Is this like when movie studios open films in as many theaters as possible to maximize revenue before the word gets around that the movie isn't very good? Wouldn't the show benefit from a tryout run to work out the kinks before scattering productions across the globe?

Much of the chatter I've been hearing about Love Never Dies seems to be assuming that the show will be a guaranteed disaster, a bad idea from its very conception. Part of this comes from the fact that no musical sequel has ever been successful. [cf. Let 'Em Eat Cake (sequel to Of Thee I Sing), Bring Back Birdie (Bye Bye Birdie), Annie Warbucks (Annie), Divorce Me, Darling (The Boy Friend), The Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public (The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas)] Well, that doesn't mean that no musical sequel could ever be successful, just that it hasn't happened yet. The negative chatter also seems to stem from knee-jerk anti-Phantom sentiment and reflex Lloyd Webber bashing. I find such commentary cheap and lazy. The show isn't that bad. Things don't last for 21 years (23 in London) if they don't have at least something of quality to recommend them.

Yeah, I know. I'm being a bit hypocritical. (See my above comment about movie studios.) A confession: I actually kind of like Phantom. People often ask me why Phantom isn't on my list of Musical That Suck. Because I don't think it sucks. Sure, I make the odd joke at the show's expense, and frequently make disparaging references to it in class. But I think Phantom has its redeeming qualities. Yeah, the book is creaky, the lyrics are often puerile, and the physical production overwhelms the central story. But there are some sublime moments of music and stagecraft. I enjoyed the show when I first saw it in 1988 on Broadway, when I saw it on tour in San Francisco, and when I recently saw Phantom: The Vegas Spectacular. (Read my review of the Vegas Phantom here.) So, I remain open-minded. Of course, if the show does suck, I reserve the right to rip Andrew Lloyd Webber a new one.

An interesting footnote: one of the most popular Google searches that brings readers to my site is "Andrew Lloyd Webber Les Miserables." As I posted about a while back, I once came across a Google link offering tickets to "Les Miserables, Lloyd Webber's Sensational Classic." I was amused then at how an organization that was selling tickets to a certain show didn't even know who wrote it. I continue to be amused at the widespread nature of this misconception.

Smug? Condescending? Yeah, so, what's your point?

The Obamas Give the Queen Showtunes

As if I needed any more reason to love Barack and Michelle Obama, comes this news from Playbill.com:

The Sweetest Sounds: Obamas Present U.K. Monarch with iPod of Broadway Musicals

By Adam Hetrick
02 Apr 2009

The Queen of England was treated to the sound of music this week when U.S. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama presented the monarch with an iPod of Broadway show tunes.

President Obama, who is currently in London for the G-20 economic summit, met with Queen Elizabeth II in a private reception at Buckingham Palace on April 1. People Magazine reports that the President and First Lady presented the queen with an iPod loaded with the 40-song "Ultimate Broadway" album collection, representing hits from the Golden Age of Broadway musicals through "Rent."

Songs on Her Majesty's iPod include "Oklahoma!," "If I Loved You," "Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend," "Maria," "Camelot," "People," "Aquarius," "Send in the Clowns," "All That Jazz," "And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going," "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" and "Seasons of Love." The popular digital gadget is also loaded with video footage and photographs from Queen Elizabeth's visits to the United States.

In addition to the iPod, the Obamas bestowed the Queen with a copy of a 1951 hard-bound printing of the 243-page "Rodgers and Hart Song Book," signed by the late Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Richard Rodgers.

I frickin' frickin' love it!

Billy Elliot: Stagecraft Trumps Content

My reaction to the London production of Billy Elliot was one of unmitigated disdain (read my review), but since the show has become such a gargantuan, international hit, I figured I owed it to my readers and my students to give the show a second chance when it came to New York. Well, let's just say that, although I've removed Billy Elliot from my list of The Musicals That Suck, I won't be putting it on my list of The 100 Best Musicals of All Time any time soon. The show remains considerably flawed, but somehow I found myself more receptive to its admitted charms on this side of the pond.

The show's key liability is Elton John's thoroughly unremarkable score. There's not one memorable tune in the bunch, although Peter Darling's lively staging does set quite a few of these forgettable numbers in entertaining relief, particularly "Shine" and "Express Yourself." And although the basic plot of the show is moving, the actual words of Lee Hall's libretto are banal, and the humor sophomoric, consisting of hitting people in the crotch or calling someone a "wanker."

Again, Peter Darling's staging is dynamic, but its meaning is sometimes inscrutable. For example, the "Solidarity" number features the elaborate inter-mingling of cops, strikers, and ballet dancers, which makes for quite a sight, but what exactly is it supposed to mean? I still can't quite figure it out. Another number that left me scratching my head was "Born to Boogie," a song that is every bit as bad as its title, illuminating nothing about the characters or the situation, and featuring staging that helps very little in this regard. 

But paired with the clumsy storytelling and enigmatic staging are moments of simple poignancy, including Billy's letter from his deceased mother. Despite the number's quotidian lyrics ("Always be yourself..." Yeesh.), the honest emotion of the moment makes for compelling drama. Much of what's good about this show can be summed up in one exchange between Billy and his dance teacher, played splendidly by Olivier Award winner Hadyn Gwynne. "She must have been a very special woman," she says, after reading Billy's letter. "No," Billy replies. "She was just me mum."

The end of act I remains a powerful moment in the show, with Billy expressing his frustration and disappointment in the form of an energetic explosion of tap. But the number would have been more effective with a Billy who could handle the gravitas. Kiril Kulish, who played Billy at the performance I saw, is one hell of a dancer, and handles the lighter sections of the show with aplomb, but but when it came to expressing Billy's pre-teen angst, all Kulish could do was yell "Ah!" rather unconvincingly. Kulish was more in his element during the Act 2 pas de deux between the younger Billy and his older self. It's a compelling device, but for some reason the number features Billy flying through the air on a wire like Peter Pan. Um, why? The audience really eats it up, but is there some dramatic reason for it? Maybe the creators are going after something pedestrian like "Billy's soul is taking flight..." [Shudder.] 

But again, overall, I was far more receptive to the New York Billy Elliot than to its London cousin. Perhaps the cast of Broadway pros made the show work better stateside. The lovely Carole Shelley brings great humor and depth to the grandmother character, and Gregory Jbara is quite affecting as Billy's dad. I was excited when I heard that Joel Hatch, who was sensational as the lead character in Adding Machine, would play a supporting role in Billy Elliot, but unfortunately Hatch is wasted here with a cardboard character, that of the boxing coach. 

So, Billy Elliot is affecting and entertaining. But is it good? Not really. Again, the score is undistinguished, the book cliched, and the humor forced. But somehow director Stephen Daldry has crafted a show that transcends its uninspired components to become something slick and entertaining. As I sat in the Imperial watching Billy Elliot, I was continually reminded of Jersey Boys. Because what we have in Billy Elliot is yet another triumph of stagecraft over content.

More Spamalot Stunt Casting

As if the Broadway production of Spamalot hadn't already jumped the shark with Clay Aiken, comes news that the long-running hit will soon star former 98 Degrees member Drew Lachey and "7th Heaven" star Stephen Collins.

Spamalot has so far racked up more than 1,300 performances, but is showing definite signs of winding down its run. The show regularly appears on the board at TKTS -- which explains why the average ticket price for the show has been hovering around $75 -- and has been playing at about 80% capacity since the first of the year.

Lachey is no newcomer to stunt casting: he played Roger in Rent for seven months a few years back. Times Square had a big beefcake poster of him staring languidly at the camera. ('Cuz, that's what Rent is all about, right?) I'm not sure that bringing in Stephen Collins constitutes stunt casting, though. Sure, he's a TV name, but I can't imagine too many people are going to buy a ticket just because the dad from "7th Heaven" is in the show. (I could be wrong. It's happened before.) Collins actually has quite a few Broadway credits to his name, but anyone familiar with the cast recording to Putting it Together knows that his singing voice is...well...the less said the better, really.

It's no surprise that Collins will play the King Arthur role, but you'd think that Lachey would be Sir Lancelot, or even Sir Galahad. In fact, he's going to play Patsy. You know: the grubby guy with the coconuts, manservant to King Arthur. Hardly the glamor role one might expect for a former teen idol, although Patsy does get a couple big numbers in the second act, including "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life." Perhaps there are some Mario Lopez-esque costume changes in store: Patsy in a tank top? Patsy in spandex shorts?

In other Spamalot news, the London company is engaging in a little stunt casting of its own by bringing in Sanjeev Bhaskar, better known to BBC audiences as the host of "The Kumars at No. 42," who takes over the King Arthur role later this month. (Could King Arthur have been of Indian descent? That's a provocative genealogical notion, but methinks it's really just an extreme case of color-blind casting.) The London production of Spamalot has also announced that it will close in January of 2009, and will have played more than two years at that point. It's not often you hear about closing notices that are that far in advance. And it's interesting that Spamalot would run longer in America than in Monty Python country.

Perhaps the Brits are used to the real thing, and would thus be less enamored with imitation Python. 

Rowan Atkinson to Star in London's Oliver

I love London, and have been waiting for a theatrical justification to return to that wondrous city. But much of the stuff that's been opening recently in the West End, at least in terms of musicals, has been utter crap. (e.g. Dirty Dancing, Desperately Seeking Susan, Lord of the Rings. Yeesh.) Well, now I'm thinking that I may want to plan a trip across the pond sometime early next year.

I had heard that Andrew Lloyd Webber was doing the reality-TV thing again to choose a Nancy for yet another London revival of Lionel Bart's Oliver!. The show is titled "I'd Do Anything," and follows on the heels of a number of successful ALW-sponsored reality-casting efforts, including "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria," in which audience members chose a Maria for the current London revival of The Sound of Music, as well as "Any Dream Will Do," which focused on choosing the title character for a revival of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. I'm sort of struck by the show name "I'd Do Anything." It really seems to sum up reality TV in a nutshell, don't it? "Any Dream Will Do" doesn't have the same sense of desperation.

Despite my historical associations with the show Oliver!, news of the revival didn't pique my interest at first. I mean, it's not a very good show, although it has many terrific songs. But then I heard that British comedian Rowan Atkinson is scheduled to play Fagin.

I'm in.

I'm a huge fan of British comedy: Monty Python, Beyond the Fringe, Flanders and Swann, "Absolutely Fabulous," "Little Britain," "The League of Gentlemen," etc. And I'm a particular fan of the old "Blackadder" shows from the 80s. Rowan Atkinson is a masterful comic, and across the four seasons of the show he portrays a delightful series of conniving historical footnotes, from a toadying member of the court of Elizabeth I, to a Machiavellian butler for George IV when he was Prince Regent. As for Atkinson's Mr. Bean, well, not so much. But the combination of Oliver! and one of my favorite performers has me planning frequent flier miles and thinking of floors and couches I can crash on in the general London area.

The TV show is also of interest because of the presence of host Graham Norton and celebrity judge John Barrowman. Both are openly gay, and each is adorable in his own particular way. Norton also hosts "The Graham Norton Show" on BBC America, and is easily the funniest man currently on television. Barrowman has appeared in such West End shows as Anything Goes and Sunset Boulevard, and currently stars in "Doctor Who" spin-off "Torchwood," also on BBC America. And he's yummy.

Oliver! opens at the Theater Royal, Drury Lane in January 2009.

Second Extension for Roundabout Sunday

The well-received Roundabout Theater revival of Stephen Sondheim's Sunday in the Park with George has been extended a second time. The production is now slated to run through June 15th, more than a month beyond its original closing date of April 27th.

I saw the show in London (read my review here), and I simply can't wait to see it again. Daniel Evans and Jenna Russell, as George and Dot respectively, were outstanding, and I expect they'll be much the same when I see the show again in a few weeks.

Much has been made about the show's digital set, which is certainly spectacular, but the real star of the show for me was Sam Buntrock's empathic direction, which really brought out the poignancy of the piece. Buntrock makes Sondheim's work less cerebral and more emotionally resonant, which is totally in keeping with the show's major theme. ("Connect, George. Connect.")

As fond as I am of the original production, I have to say that I got so much more out of the work this time around. With all due respect to Bernadette Peters and Mandy Patinkin, Evans and Russell really made me feel what was going on between the characters. It wasn't about surface or inscrutable emotion, but rather about a palpable sense of longing and loss. 

One possible concern: the 922-seat Studio 54 is just a tad bit bigger than the show's London venue, the 759-seat Wyndham's Theater, and that may detract slightly from the intimacy of the production. But I don't want to be one of those people who say "It was SOOOOOO much better when I saw it in London. Oh, did I happen to mention that I saw it in London? Well, when I saw it in London..." If I ever become that supercilious, dear reader, or even border on it, please feel free to give me a slap upside the head. I'll thank you for it later.

Casting for Sunday Revival

Casting is now complete for the upcoming Roundabout Theater revival of Stephen Sondheim's and James Lapine's Sunday in the Park with George. I was under the mistaken impression that the entire London cast would be making the Broadway transfer (not sure where I got that idea, upon reflection), but apparently only stars Daniel Evans and Jenna Russell will repeat their roles, as George and Dot, respectively.

Joining Evans and Russell will be Broadway veterans Michael Cumpsty as Jules/Bob, Alexander Gemignani as Boatman/Dennis, Jessica Molaskey as Yvonne/Naomi, and Mary Beth Peil as Old Lady/ Blair. The cast will also include Boston Conservatory alum Anne Nathan as Nurse/Harriet Pauling.

Regular readers may recall that I saw the London revival of Sunday in the Park with George and was absolutely blown away. (Read my review here.) The production was a stunning combination of state-of-the-art (pun intended) digital technology and palpable, empathic direction. Sam Buntrock coaxed multi-layered portrayals from his uniformly excellent London cast. We can only hope that he manages a similar feat with his redoubtable Broadway cast.

The Roundabout revival begins performances at Studio 54 in January, opens in February, and is currently slated to run until the end of April. Do yourself, and the Roundabout, a favor and grab a ticket to this show. Multiple tickets, even.

"I chose and my world was shaken. So what? The choice may have been mistaken. The choosing was not." -- Stephen Sondheim

Billy Elliot on Broadway

Even before the shortlived High Fidelity opened on Broadway last December, the producers of Elton John's smash hit Billy Elliot announced that the show would be coming the the Imperial Theater sometime in 2008. (Word had evidently got around that High Fidelity would not be long for this world.) Now they've announced that Billy Elliot will aim specifically for a September 2008 opening.

Regular readers will likely recall my opinion of Billy Elliot when saw it in London last summer. In short: it stinks. It wasn't that I had minor reservations. I just plain hated it. I found very little to enjoy in the show, either in the plodding book or the lifeless score. (See my review for more specific gripes and groans.) I understand that the show is going to undergo a pretty extensive reworking prior to its Broadway bow, but from what I gather that's to make the show more accessible to Americans.

Will I see it again on Broadway? I certainly won't be in any hurry. It will depend on what else there is to see at that time. I have no plans or desire to see Mary Poppins again, another show I saw and disliked rather intensely on my recent London jaunt. But if I start hearing good things about what the creators have changed about Billy Elliot, I might be willing to give it another try. If only to confirm that I wasn't just dyspeptic and cranky on that warm night last August at the Victoria Palace Theater.

London Drowsy Closing

Boy, it has just been one piece of bad news after another for me lately.

Coming all too soon on the heels of the announcement that my cherished Grey Gardens would be closing on Broadway comes the news that the London production of The Drowsy Chaperone will also be closing. Evidently Bob Martin's replacement Steve Pemberton wasn't enough of a draw to keep the show alive. Thankfully the Broadway production, which has long since repaid its initial investment, continues on, even if ticket sales are lately a bit anemic.

Drowsy's London closing fits in with a longstanding tradition of hit shows failing to transfer successfully across the pond, in both directions. Many a Broadway smash has disappointed in London; City of Angels, The Full Monty, and The Producers are prime examples. And Broadway is littered with the carcasses of successful foreign musicals that flopped on Broadway, including The Woman in White, Aspects of Love, Bombay Dreams, Starlight Express, and Chess, as well as Dance of the Vampires (Germany), Metro (Poland), and Cyrano (The Netherlands).

Why is that? Well, Americans and Brits, for instance, seem to have somewhat different standards when it comes to a successful, enjoyable, quality musical. I'm not saying that we Yanks have BETTER standards, although there are certainly a number of dreadful shows that seem to do a bang-up business in London, including Dirty Dancing and We Will Rock You, neither of which shows any sign of coming to New York any time soon.

But then, of course, there are Mamma Mia, Cats, Phantom of the Opera, and Les Miserables, all ginormous hits both on Broadway and in the West End.

The bottom line? Well, once again, I'm  glad I'm not a theatrical producer, because I'll be damned if I can figure out what makes a successful international hit.

Drowsy Chaperone: Musical Chairs

The Drowsy Chaperone only just opened in London (see Steve on Broadway for a compendium of the reviews) and already the producers are announcing the replacement for star and author Bob Martin.

British television star Steve Pemberton will take over for Martin in July. Pemberton was part of the insanely talented cast of the darkly funny BBC show "The League of Gentlemen." Since that show wrapped up its three-season run, League members have been showing up on the London theater scene. Fellow gentleman Reece Shearsmith was Leo Bloom in the London cast of The Producers towards the end of its run. I really wish I'd been able to see Shearsmith, but by the time I noticed he was in the show, I was too late in my London trip to catch it.

The very busy Bob Martin will next be appearing in the Toronto run of his hit show, which starts this fall. That's a fitting start to the show's national tour, since that's where Martin and his cohorts developed the show. No word yet on whether Martin will appear in any additional cities on the tour.

I know this show sharply divides TQs (theater queens), but I am unapologetic in my admiration and affection for this delightful show. (Read my reviews of the original and replacement Broadway casts.) It's one of only two shows that I actually paid to see twice on Broadway. (The other was Thoroughly Modern Millie, another show of which I'm unapologetically fond.)

I urge anyone out there who hasn't seen the show to catch it when it hits your town, or the next time you're in New York or London. It's funny, heartfelt, and energetically performed. And it's basically a love letter to the Broadway musical. What's not to love?

Michael Ball in London Hairspray

Veteran British actor and erstwhile heartthrob Michael Ball will play Edna Turnblad in the upcoming London production of Hairspray. I guess he's put on a few since Les Miserables and Aspects of Love.

Here's my question, though: Why did it take five years for this show to open in London? The show is showing signs of winding down its Broadway run (stunt casting = jumping the shark), and has even started showing up in regional theaters such as the North Shore Music Theater, which is just outside of Boston. Plus, the movie version is coming out next month, although perhaps it's not being released yet in th U.K.

It will be interesting to see just how successful the London production is given its delayed bow.

Speaking of the Hairspray movie, I am seriously having second thoughts about paying to see it in the theater now that star John Travolta has said publicly that he agrees with superfreak Tom Cruise on the subject of psychiatry and psychotropic drugs. I'm not even going to mention the name of their crackpot "religion" because these nut jobs have a history of attacking anyone who questions them in public.

Note to Tom and John: your job is to look pretty and collect too much money for appearing in bad movies. Keep your misguided, unfounded, and downright dangerous misconceptions to yourself.

Guys and Dolls: Again

It's probably a good thing that I'm not a Broadway producer, at least a producer of musical revivals. Every time someone announces that they're bringing back a classic musical, my first reaction lately has been, "Again?"

I thought it was way too soon to bring back A Chorus Line, Les Miserables, and The Fantasticks. Wrong, wrong, and wrong. (I also questioned the wisdom of bringing back Sweet Charity, but at least in that particular instance, I turned out to be right.)

So readers will be justifiably skeptical of my reaction to the recent announcement that the hit London revival of Guys and Dolls will be coming to Broadway in 2008. Michael Grandage (a Tony nominee for Frost/Nixon) and Rob Ashford will repeat their duties as director and choreographer, respectively.

I didn't see this production, mostly because when I was in London, the original Sky Masterson, Ewan McGregor, had left and Patrick Swayze had taken his place. (Um, no thanks.) Swayze was later replaced by Don Johnson. Had the show lasted I'm sure the next logical choice would have been Erik Estrada or Vanilla Ice.

And therein lies my problem. The London production needed to engage in stunt casting to survive. Do the producers really believe that a prospective Broadway production will fare any better? Guys and Dolls is a classic, and justifiably so. It's a near-perfect jewel of a show. (I'm not a big fan of "More I Could Not Wish You."  Who is this guy, why is he singing, and why do we never see him again? Plus it's a dull song.) But, as Gerard Alessandrini put it so well in Forbidden Broadway:

I know I've seen this show before
In some old high school gym
On someone's basement floor

Now, if they can get Ewan McGregor to repeat his role, I'll be there in a heartbeat. Otherwise, well, it will sort of depend on what else there is to see when I'm in New York. I said I'd never see the A Chorus Line revival, and I did. But it's not like I'm champing at the bit.

Grey Gardens in London and on Tour

The producers of Grey Gardens recently announced that the show will play London next season with the luminous Christine Ebersole recreating her award-winning role. It makes me wonder whether the show will survive on Broadway without her, although there is talk of casting a replacement.

But it's entirely possible that the show will have run its course by that time, freeing Ebersole up to take Grey Gardens across the pond after her contract expires in October 2007. No word yet on whether the wonderful Mary Louise Wilson with join her in the West End production.

The producers also announced that a U.S. tour is in the works for sometime soon. It's not clear yet whether Ebersole with take part in the tour or go straight to London. Something tells me that the tour will be somewhat limited in scope, playing cities that will presumably be more friendly to a  musical with this tone (wistful and nostalgic) and subject matter (the tragedy of unfulfilled ambition).

Then again, perhaps I'm simply being elitist in this assumption. (What, me? An East Coast snob? Perish the very thought.) The tour for The Light in the Piazza played Columbus, Cleveland, Raleigh, and Des Moines, though I'm not sure how well the show performed financially on those stops.

In any case, if Grey Gardens comes to your town, see it. 'Nuff said.