Those "Hollywood" Types

We are a society that loves to label people, usually with a negative connotation. He’s a Liberal. She’s a Conservative. Feminist. Jock. Geek. Environmentalist. After this week’s televised Tony Award ceremony a new label is now circulating through cyberspace – Hollywood, as in “they’re from Hollywood.”

Anyone who viewed the Tonys knows there was a heavy presence of A-List Hollywood actors, both in the audience and in the winner’s circle. Carrying away the prized medallion were Denzel Washington (Best Actor in a Play for Fences), Catherine Zeta-Jones (Best Actress in a Musical for A Little Night Music) and Scarlett Johansson (Best Supporting Actress in a Play for A View From the Bridge). It’s no wonder that a backlash against “those people” has been building. Actor Hunter Foster has even started a Facebook group, Give the Tonys Back to Broadway!! Over 6,300 people have joined.

But has Hollywood really taken over Broadway? This past season there were many actors more associated with the film industry on stage then in year’s past. However, while movie stars sell a lot of tickets they don’t always receive the accolades and awards. Were either Hugh Jackman or Daniel ‘James Bond’ Craig nominated for their performances in A Steady Rain? Antonio Banderas, while nominated in 2003 for a Best Actor in a Musical Tony for his performance in the revival of Nine, lost out to a theater stalwart, Harvey Fierstein. The list can go on and on.

More importantly to the discussion--is the Hollywood label even accurate or fair? Let’s examine a couple of high profile examples. First, Angela Lansbury. Would anyone doubt Ms. Lansbury is anything but a person of the theater? She’s won five Tonys. However, she came to the world of musical theater when she was just about 40 years old, having first made a splash in such films as Gaslight, The Picture of Dorian Gray, and The Manchurian Candidate, among others. She was 41 when she starred in Mame. Were people hopping mad that this film star was taking away plum roles from theater veterans? Or should we label Ms. Lansbury a television personality? She did star in Murder, She Wrote for 12 years. The point is Angela Lansbury is an actress who easily moves between film roles, the stage and TV and, rightfully so, should not be pigeonholed into one specific category.

Next up—Hugh Jackman. We all know Jackman epitomizes movie stardom, with big budget action films and romantic period pieces. But Jackman began his career as a musical song and dance man in his native Australia, appearing in such shows as Beauty and the Beast and Sunset Boulevard. He hit the big time playing Curly in the acclaimed 1998 National Theatre’s production of Oklahoma in London. From there, the movie industry beckoned and two years later he was Wolverine in the blockbuster, X-Men. The rest, as they say, is history. So, when Jackman makes his occasional foray to Broadway is he seen as a Hollywood interloper, or a multi-talented actor looking to vary his career opportunities or go back to his roots? Remember, he did wow Broadway in his Tony award winning performance in 2004’s The Boy From Oz.

A more productive argument should be about the appropriateness of a role for an actor—remember Madonna in David Mamet’s Speed-the-Plow--as opposed to silly arguments centered around classifying and labeling. All three “Hollywood” stars who won Tony Awards this year received rave reviews. They were well-suited for their roles. So, shouldn’t we be celebrating the opportunity to see them live instead of whining about “them” taking away plum roles from “theater people?”

2010 Tony Award Musings

11:10 p.m.

Yes! I called it. The choice for Best Musical makes sense. MEMPHIS is the most straightforward of the four nominated shows and should tour well. MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET was never really in the discussion and while AMERICAN IDIOT and FELA! have substantial merits neither one of them garnered enough acclaim to merit snagging the big prize.

Final thoughts—

-Sean Hayes did better than I originally would have thought as host.

-The telecast finished on time. Not too shabby.

-The major presenters towards the end did have their speeches truncated. Why don’t they limit those winners at the beginning of the show?

-Big night for Hollywood stars. Good or bad?

-Overall grade: B-



10:55 p.m.

My ears are pounding all the way in Connecticut after the AMERICAN IDIOT number. I can’t wait to see the audience reaction when this show tours. You do have to admit it was a great song to promote the musical to the young masses.

So how does one get the stars of THE ADDAMS FAMILY—Bebe Neuwirth and Nathan Lane--on stage? Get them to present the Tony for Best Actor/Actress awards. Whoa! Shocker. Catherine Zeta-Jones winning Best Actress. I had my money on Montego Glover for MEMPHIS. Well, at least Douglas Hodge puts normality back to the awards by winning Best Actor.


10:35 p.m. Posting--

Great number by Matt Morrison! Really injected some zip into the broadcast. Can you say 2011 Tony Award host? Was Lea Michele auditioning for lead in the projected revival of FUNNY GIRL? Put a windscreen on the microphone.

You have to say one thing for Sean Hayes, he does seem he is having a lot of fun out there.

Question--how many Broadway producers can you fit on the stage of Radio City Music Hall?
You can tell time is running short so keep those acceptance speeches short or experience the fate of the LA CAGE acceptors


10:15 p.m. Posting--

Was that Sahr Ngaujah wailing on the sax at the end of the spirited number from FELA!?

Bill T. Jones, a deserving winner for Best Choreography for FELA! COME FLY AWAY, while great dance routines, I prefer dance within the context of a book musical. I thought it was interesting that PROMISES, PROMISES was nominated in this category since one of my big complaints about the musical was its lack of choreography. Interesting about the number they showcased--it takes place during the show’s overture.


10:00 p.m. Posting--

The opening snippets of musicals was a bit bland. I love the musical GREEN DAY, but their mini-concert, while highly entertaining, was just a bit out of place. Good pyrotechnics, though!

First award—Best Featured Actress in a Play goes to Scarlett Johansson. Didn’t she say she couldn’t think of anything to say? So why was her thank you SO LONG?

I think the way the Best Play nominees were presented—short, staccato commentary by the two lead actors/actresses along with a computer generated set of the show--was very well done. The two guys from NEXT FALL were hysterical. Give them their own network television show.

Was it just me or were you also getting more and more uncomfortable as Terry Johnson went through his acceptance speech for the Best Director Tony for LA CAGE AUX FOLLES? Between not looking at the camera and manhandling the award I thought he was going to collapse.

Mark Sanchez, quarterback of the New York Jets did an admirable job introducing the MEMPHIS production number. By far the best of the night—energetic, tuneful song that enveloped the stage. Too bad the other excerpts weren’t as lively.

I love Kristen Chenoweth. Great bit with Sean Hayes introducing Best Featured Actor in a Musical.

Catherine Zeta-Jones is beautiful and delivered a haunting rendition of “Send in the Clowns.”

Best Revival of a Play introductions—ditto from the segments for Best Play.

Sean Hayes started off his hosting chores slightly off, but as the evening has gone on he’s had some great jokes and bits.

Review of "Annie Get Your Gun" at Goodspeed Opera House

After one of the most lackluster Broadway seasons in recent memory, the arrival of the Goodspeed Opera House’s first production of the year, the Irving Berlin musical, Annie Get Your Gun, is a welcoming tonic. Like comfy food, pleasing and enjoyable, you know what you’re getting with Berlin’s biggest Broadway hit—a rousing, tuneful score and top notch performances.

The story follows sure-shooting Annie Oakley, played by Jenn Gambatese, as she rises from country bumpkin to world class star in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show, as well as the sometimes tempestuous courtship with Buffalo Bill’s reigning sharpshooter, Frank Butler, played by Kevin Earley. As Oakley, Gambatese is a natural, exuding a winning charm as she morphs from unsophisticated country girl to the toast of New York society. Unlike Bernadette Peters, who starred in the 1999 Broadway revival, Gambatese is age appropriate for the part, which makes her portrayal more entertaining and believable for the audience. Peters was over 50 when she played the spry Oakley (and, yes, I know Ethel Merman was almost 60 in the 1966 Lincoln Center revival). Gambatese also has a beautiful voice that underscores the consummate Berlin score. And what a score it is—almost every number a gem -- “You Can’t Get a Man With a Gun.” “They Say It’s Wonderful,” “I Got Lost in His Arms,” “I Got the Sun in the Morning,” and “Anything You Can Do,” are just a few of the memorable songs Berlin penned for the show.

In addition to Gambatese’s performance, Kevin Earley is up to the challenge as the pompous, blusterous marksman Frank Butler, who slowly falls in love with Oakley. He has boyish good looks, a swaggering charm and a powerful voice. Other notable performers include Rebecca Watson as the scheming Dolly Tate and James Beaman as Buffalo Bill’s right hand man, Charlie Davenport.

The show’s sub-plot, revolving around the romance of the juvenile leads, Winnie Tate, played by Chelsea Morgan Stock and Tommy Keeler, portrayed by Andrew Cao, diverts a little too much attention from the main thrust of the production, but does provide the best dance numbers of the show by choreographer, Noah Racey. Unlike many past Goodspeed musicals, Annie Get Your Gun doesn’t lend itself to many large-scale productions numbers. Think of this show as having more choreographed flourishes.


Director Rob Ruggiero guides the musical with sure-handed ease. He skillfully allows the two stars to wrangle and good-naturedly spar on stage without too much interference.

Annie Get Your Gun, a crowd-pleasing triumph, at the Goodspeed Opera House now through July 3rd.

Review of "Promises, Promises"

Promises, Promises was the first musical to make an indelible impression upon me. I don’t really remember much from the 1971 national touring production I saw in Washington, D.C. except I thought the Burt Bacarach/Hal David score was captivating and the lead was a young Tony Roberts. That’s it. However, my memory of that evening has continued to be been strong over all these subsequent years. Interestingly, for a show that was a big Broadway hit, playing over 1,200 performances, the musical has been rarely mounted. A surprisingly lackluster 1993 Goodspeed Opera House production was the most recent. So, when a Broadway revival, featuring Sean Hayes and Kristen Chenowith, was announced for this season I was truly excited. Maybe this time my expectations and fond memories would be rewarded.

The plot, taken from the Billy Wilder movie, “The Apartment,” centers on the topsy turvy life of a lowly office clerk, Chuck Baxter, played by Sean Hayes, as he pines for co-worker Fran Kubleik, Kristen Chenowith, while dreaming of climbing the corporate ladder. One asset he has—a one bedroom apartment that all the office bigwigs covet in order to carry out their weekly affairs.

While this latest incarnation of Promises, Promises is not overly satisfying, the production does have much to offer. First, and foremost, is Kristen Chenowith, as the forthright, yet vulnerable waitress/hostess, Fran Kubelik. Chenowith is always a joy to behold in her too infrequent stage appearances. While not always coming across as the young, defenseless girl trying to find love in the big city, she does exude enough vulnerability to make you believe in her character. And what a voice!

Tony Goldwyn is sickly sweet as Personnel Director, J.D. Sheldrake who preys upon the young, innocent females of Consolidated Life Insurance. He’s a conniving charlatan that would make the men of television’s “Mad Men” proud.

The score, the only theatrical output by the team of Burt Bacharach and Hal David, is bouncy and tuneful—just what you’d expect from the hit-making team. There are so many outstanding songs, which include the title track, “Our Little Secret,” “Where Can You Take a Girl?” “A Young Pretty Girl Like You,” and “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again.” The show’s producers, looking to enhance Chenowith’s role have added the Bacharach/David hit “I Say a Little Prayer” and “A House is Not a Home” to her repertoire. It’s a shame the two never wrote another show.

So, what about Sean Hayes? At first, I wasn’t too enamored with his performance as the slightly nebbish Chuck Baxter. I wanted more Tony Roberts or Jerry Orbach, who originated the role in the 1968 Broadway production. What we get on stage is a more heterosexual version of his Jack McFarland role on the television sitcom, “Will and Grace.” He’s a goofy sad sack of a character. It wasn’t until midway through Act I, when I admitted to myself that this is what the creative team wanted in the role, that I settled in to enjoy Haye’s antics on stage. Not a great singer, but someone with solid comic credentials.

My main problem with the show was, surprisingly, its lack of vitality. The liveliness was there during the overture as dancers slinked and shimmied to the music, but then all but disappeared until the rousing Act I ending, “Turkey Lurkey Time.” Sure, there flourishes here and there, but Choreographer Rob Ashford, as opposed to Director, Rob Ashford, could have done so much more. Likewise, I wasn’t impressed with Scenic Designer, Scott Pask’s more minimalist sets. Over the years I have been critical of sets that overpower a production, but here I thought more would have been better.

Director/Choreographer Ashford could have ratcheted up the tempo more in Act I, but does a much more admirable job in Act II, which is more melancholy in tone.

Promises, Promises, maybe more a period piece, but with some rousing performances and sparkling score, worth seeing.

Review of "American Idiot"

Loud, raucous, full of kinetic energy, yet somewhat unsatisfying, is the new musical, American Idiot, by the punk rock group, Green Day, from their album of the same name. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed this high octane tale of suburban alienation performed by a young, dynamic, and talented cast. I qualify my enthusiasm simply because of the lack of any narrative thread that makes the storyline slightly difficult to follow. Green Day enthusiasts—and there were plenty in the packed audience—would belittle such criticism since they know the album backward and forward. But with the non-stop anthems coming in an explosion of sight and sound, deciphering the lyrics, which would help with understanding the frenetic plot, became a losing proposition.

Is this, basically, a generational issue? I would answer in the affirmative. An apt comparison is The Who’s "Tommy," the seminal rock opera that, in 1993, was turned into a Broadway musical. As a teenager in the early 1970’s I knew every song from the album as well as the idiosyncratic storyline. I had no problem following the flow of that show. I knew "Tommy" inside and out so when Pete Townsend and company transformed "Tommy" the LP into Tommy the Broadway extravaganza I knew what to expect and, more importantly, had no difficulty understanding the unconventional plot, which also had little narrative structure. For American Idiot I had no grounding in the source material so while I was captivated by the production the enthrallment was more tempered.

Still, the basic premise is straightforward. Three friends, set out to take on the big city, have their paths irrevocably altered. Tunny, who’s pregnant girlfriend causes him to stay behind, spirals down into disillusionment and apathy; Will, seduced by the lure of glory, enlists in the armed services with tragic consequences; while Johnny becomes seduced by the debauchery and self-indulgence in the unnamed metropolis.

Even with the minimal storyline, the production is riveting with an outstanding cast that never shifts from high gear. How they have the energy and zeal to perform two shows on matinee day is beyond me. There are many first-rate performances in American Idiot, led by John Gallagher, Jr., as Johnny. A Tony winner for Spring Awakening, in American Idiot he seems to have unleashed all his pent-up angst from that show as he extricates himself from the boredom of his suburban detachment to a more noxious, drug infested life in the city.

Tony Vincent, as the downtown, androgynous drug pusher, St. Jimmy, is evil incarnated. I don’t remember the last time I have seen such a repulsive, scary monster strut along a Broadway stage. He was that good.

Director Michael Mayer, along with Green Day front man, Billie Joe Armstrong, deserve praise for crafting a living, breathing musical from one of the most influential and critically-acclaimed albums in recent memory. Mayer keeps the large-scale production pulsating, while adding some creative flourishes such as an artfully crafted high-flying dream sequence. Mayer integrates the creative team’s vision into a throbbing, dynamic piece of musical theater. Kudos to scenic designer, Christine Jones; lighting designer, Kevin Adams; sound, Brian Ronon; and, especially, video/projection designer, Darrel Maloney. They take the vision of American Idiot and have it unfold, not just on-the-ground, but up, down, and above the St. James Theater stage.

American Idiot, slightly flawed, but a powerful force kicking and screaming its way on The Great White Way.

Review of "The Addams Family"

I really wanted to like The Addams Family. Really, I did. The promise of a big, splashy Broadway musical with a great cast and solid creative team credentials was tantalizing. Unfortunately, The Addams Family is a lifeless, dare I say, bore. The show starts off well enough with an inoffensive, mildly amusing production number, “When You’re an Addams,” but then it’s all downhill from there. Two reasons. First, the two stars, Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth, are given no material to work with. Second, the musical’s book, by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, Tony Award winners for Jersey Boys, is disjointed and flat with one lame joke followed by another.

The plot centers around the Addams’ daughter, Wednesday, and her desire to marry a gee-shucks boy from America’s heartland. To impress his visiting family the Addams are ordered to act normally by the love-struck girl. Interestingly, when these words were uttered I immediately thought of another show with this premise, a musical called La Cage Aux Folles which, coincidentally, just opened on Broadway in a scaled down revival. Also, who was in the Americanized movie version of the original French farce? Nathan Lane, one of the stars of The Addams Family. But, I digress. As I stated, the story is ineffective and feeble with none of the creepy pleasures we've come to expect from this macabre family. The writers couldn’t have come up with a better premise? Worse, the attempts at humor are so off-the-mark. I simply cannot remember a musical, in recent memory, where the deficiencies in the book are so evident.

What compounds the problem is the lack of substance for the two stars of the show. A musical featuring Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth should be an event to cherish. Both are seasoned, Tony winning actors that, in the past, have brandished a swagger and style that have kept audiences enormously entertained. But here, playing the roles of Morticia and Gomez Addams, Neuwirth and Lane are saddled with very little to do. I was waiting for Nathan Lane to let loose with his character, to have fun, and meld his musical comedy and vaudevillian sensibilities into another memorable portrayal as he has done so well in such productions as A Funny Thing on the Way to the Forum and The Producers. In The Addams Family, practically nothing. It was like watching someone in a strait jacket unsuccessfully trying to break free.

In Bebe Neuwirth you want to see her dance. She’s a dancer—remember her performances in Sweet Charity and Chicago—but in The Addams Family there is literally zippo, zilch, zero—you get my drift--until her “Tango de Amor” just before the closing curtain. Yes, the end of the show. Not the beginning. Not the middle. The end. Who’s to blame? Well, Sergio Trujillo is the choreographer of record.

I also felt sorry for theater veterans Terrence Mann and Carolee Carmello as the parents of Wednesday’s affection, Mr. and Mrs. Beineke. They have been so marvelous throughout their careers it is too bad they have to be weighed down with such bland and insipid roles. They deserve better.

The score by Andrew Lippa is lackluster at best, providing no opportunity for any of the actors to shine.

The directing/design team of Phelim McDermott and Julian Crouch score no real points on the directing side, but big points on the design end. But, this is just another nail in the coffin when the look and feel of the sets are one of the most memorable aspects of the production.

Is there any redeeming value to The Addams Family? Kevin Chamberlain as Uncle Fester and Jackie Hoffman as Grandma are highly entertaining and bring a slightly off-kilter slant to their characters. That’s about it.

The Addams Family, dead on arrival, now at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre.

Review of "Lend Me a Tenor"

Funny. Very funny. That’s the best way to describe the revival of Ken Ludwig’s 1989 farce, Lend Me a Tenor. Featuring an A-List cast, the comedy incorporates many of the characteristics of classic farce—improbable situations, mistaken identities and a hefty dollop of physical zaniness.

Tony Shalhoub plays Saunders, the General Manager of the Cleveland Opera, who has hired Italian tenor, Tito Merelli, portrayed by Anthony LaPaglia, for a high-priced fundraising event. Of course, soon the best laid plans begin to go awry, which sets the madcap plot into motion. Shalhoub, as the high-strung and bombastic impresario, Saunders, is a pure joy. His slow burns, over-the-top histrionics, and comedic timing are priceless. LaPaglia plays more the straight man in the show, but his portrayal of the bloated, pompous, and overly sexed, “Il Stupendo,” is exuberant and flamboyant. His ying to Shalhoub’s yang is integral to the production’s success. The other “name” actor is Justin Bartha, making his Broadway debut and better known as Nicholas Cage’s sidekick in the National Treasure movies as well as the sunburned groom-to-be in last year’s smash, The Hangover. Here, as Max, playing a slightly wimpish assistant to the overbearing Saunders, Bartha comes off a bit too wooden, not appearing as comfortable as the theater veterans that populate the show. Still, his Max is endearing and, in the end, a winning performance.

The rest of the cast--Mary Catherine Garrison, as Max's starry-eyed girlfriend, hopelessly pining for a romantic tryst with Merelli; Jennifer Laura Thompson, as a flirtatious diva; Brooke Adams, as a daft chairwoman of the Opera Guild; and Jay Klaitz, as a pushy and overbearing bellhop--are equally as good. The standout is Jan Maxwell, as Merelli’s long-suffering wife. Not only does she get to overly emote and wail away at her two timing husband, but she also has the opportunity for some physical theatrics.

Stanley Tucci, making his Broadway directorial debut, keeps the action lively and allows his cast to broadly attack their roles. He has a fine sense of the comedic craft and demonstrates this deft ability throughout this side-splitting production.

One added delight is the show’s setting. The Music Box Theater is a small, intimate house perfectly suited for two hours of rollicking fun.

Lend Me a Tenor, a pure delight and welcome addition to the New York stage.