COME WITH ME

next to normal is easily one of the best contemporary musicals to date (and easily one of my personal favorites...ever).   It is everything a musical should be - moving, heartbreaking, haunting, thought provoking (with humorous moments), it has characters and a storyline which are mostly well thought out and  music that stays with you long after you have departed the theatre.  In an era of musical theatre in which the term "groundbreaking" is thrown around an awful lot to describe a show, next to normal just might be one of them.  next to normal challenges its audience to think beyond what you see, who you are and what you believe to be true.

next to normal is a story that mirrors what life can sometimes be like when life is spinning out of control - feeling alone and misunderstood but yet somehow being able to find a way back to the truth.  The show is the way it is now because of director Michael Grief and producer David Stone who took the existing book and music by Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt (respectively) and tightened the story which was a little bit unclear and long and helped focus it into the Pulitzer Prize winning show that it has become.

It should be known that I have been a very big supporter of next to normal out of the gate, since I first discovered 2005 workshop/demo tracks on YouTube (when it was still called Feeling Electric - take a listen if you are so inclined to compare what it was to what its become).   Even though in its workshopped state, next to normal was a completely different show than it is now, the core of it was still compelling to me.  This contemporary musical about a dysfunctional family coping with loss and mental illness, was (and is even more-so now) deeply emotional, deeply moving and runs the gamut of emotions throughout the performance.  This is made true because in large part to the actors who inhabit the Goodman family (and supporting characters) in the touring cast.

Alice Ripley

Alice Ripley and next to normal have become synonymous with one another.  The show certainly wouldn't be what it is now without her and anyone who will have the pleasure of seeing her perform the role of Diana Goodman will see what a tour de force she is in the show.  Alice Ripley is no stranger to career defining roles.  Though she has had a long career on the Broadway stage and made her mark in the indie rock world, prior to next to normal, theatre audiences will likely first remember her as Violet - one-half of the Hilton conjoined-twins - in Side Show (which earned Ripley her first Tony nomination).   

As Diana Goodman in next to normal, Ripley is a revelation.  Reprising the role that earned her a Tony Award for best actress in a musical, Ripley brings a passionate and complex character to life with such heartbreaking pain and grief.  When she sings, she sings from her soul with such anguish that it is almost entrancing.  Ripley is by far the strongest component in next to normal, but she shares the stage equally with every member of the ensemble who helps to make up Diana in all her glory and her pain.

If Ripley is the strongest member of the cast then Los Angeles native, Emma Hunton (Natalie) is a close second and could not have been a more perfect daughter to Diana.  While the characters of Dan or even Gabe should have been the stronger supporting leads, it was Hunton whose performance really stood out in the cast.  She brought more depth and personality to the character than (I) have seen before with a pretty fantastic voice to boot.  As the child living the in the shadow of her more beloved brother (Superboy and the Invisible Girl), her Natalie was more sassy than angry and vulnerable than hurt.  Hunton as Natalie really fought to be seen in a family overrun by the past with such grace and force.

Curt Hansen, Emma Hunton, Preston Sadlier, Jeremy Kushiner, Alice Ripley, Asa Somers

As Gabe, Curt Hansen was ironically sometimes overshadowed by the vocal powerhouse of his sister Natalie (Hunton) while still very good.  Hansen managed to hit his character's high notes with relative ease and still managed to hold his own as he effortlessly soared through the three-story stage around poles and gliding up and down flights of stairs at a time.

Asa Somers (who played the role of Dr. Madden during the show's off-Broadway engagement at Second Stage Theatre) graduated to the role of Dan Goodman on-tour, Jeremy Kushnier as Dr. Madden/Dr. Fine and Preston K. Sadleir (who played was a very sweet Henry) rounded out the well-cast remaining members of the touring company of next to normal.

next to normal is a very important piece of contemporary musical theatre which in this case  legitimately earns the title of groundbreaking.  Other contemporary shows have brought something new (whether it be stylistic because of the music or staging) to the musical theatre landscape, but next to normal faces real issues like mental illness, suicide, drug addiction (which makes it sound like an episode of Oprah) head on and bares the soul of theses issues and its affect for all to see.

next to normal runs through January 2 at Los Angeles' Ahmanson Theatre.  Click for tickets and more information on the LA run or to find out when the show is coming to a city near you, click for tour info.

HARPS & LEGS

It was a musical theatre-filled week for me.  In addition to seeing Les Misérables: The 25th Anniversary Concert, I also had an opportunity to attend both Daddy Long Legs (music and lyrics by Paul Gordon and book by John Caird) at the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts and Randy Newman's Harps and Angels at The Mark Taper Forum.

I don't know about all of you, but the idea of a new musical is as exciting as it is a little unsettling.  When I see a new show, I really want to like it.  I try to go in with an open mind and attitude with the hope of finding joy in new (or experienced) writers and composers and the mark they will make on the American musical theatre landscape.  I mean, if it were not for producers and audiences embracing new writers, there would be no Next to Normal, In the Heights or websites like New Musical Theatre (NMT) (which supports, celebrates and embraces the work of new writers by giving them a place to distribute and promote their music/sheet music).  These two shows have brought me new joy and appreciation for the modern musical and I have discovered countless composers and the most gorgeous of songs because of  NMT.  So it is safe to say that in regard to Daddy Long Legs and Harps and Angels...that I wanted to like them.

(l-r) Marla Schaffel and James Barbour

Back in 1999, Jane Eyre the Musical had its out-of-town tryout at San Diego's La Jolla Playhouse with music and lyrics by Paul Gordon and book by John Caird - the same team that gave Daddy Long Legs its er...feet.  By then, I had long been a fan of both Charlotte Brontë and Jane Eyre (the novel) and the idea of a musical about Jane and Mr. Rochester sounded perfect.  I wish it was.  In short, the show (in my opinion) was slow, dragging and could not hold my interest.  Though it eventually made its way to Broadway and garnered a Tony nomination for best musical, it wasn't my cup of tea because it was literally so dark, the music wasn't the most memorable...etc, etc.  Despite how I felt about Jane Eyre the Musical, I hoped that Daddy Long Legs would be more appealing.

It was.

(l-r) Rob Hancock and Megan McGinnis

...but it wasn't.  I thought the score was beautiful and to hear it sung by Megan McGinnis was a treat for anyone who has the pleasure of attending the show.  Truly, her voice is so beautiful and her energy is so perfectly suited for the role of Jerusha Abbot.  McGinnis as Jerusha is bright, charming, inquisitive, thoughtful and has a light and appeal that draws the audience member into Jerusha's life.  Every letter Jerusha sent to Jervis Pendleton (performed by Rob Hancock) unfolded a new layer into the story being told and as a result brought new insight to the two characters - it was well thought out, but slow and perhaps took up too much time setting the foundation for the story.  Thus, the show was long.  Over two hours long.  24 songs sung by two actors (mostly by McGinnis) spanning a four year period.  I must admit, that after the opening number, I found myself feeling restless and a little bit bored...but by intermission I felt more invested in the life of Jerusha and the intention behind Jervis' lies.

I can't say that I was head over heals in love with Daddy Long Legs, but I did think it was time well spent at the theatre.  The story was an interesting one to tell and makes total sense as a musical.  I hope that at some point, Paul Gordon and John Caird tighten and focus the story just a little bit because while good, it has the potential to be even better.

*     *     *

Randy Newman

As a lifelong Angeleno, I have always known of the song, I Love L.A. and realize that it has become our town's anthem.  That song was my one of my first run-ins with Randy Newman's music. I Think Its Going to Rain Today was my second.  His music always stayed with me because it is so deep and meaningful in a way that I didn't quite understand upon first listen, but the moment I needed it the most, I know exactly where to retrieve it.  I never forgot a single one of Newman's songs that I've heard whose lyrics really touched me and I don't imagine I ever will.

The one comment I hear, read and believe myself is that nothing about Newman's music is simple.  Every lyric is complex and intwined with such emotion that gets to your core and your heart.  Newman's music has definitely been an anthem during various phases of my own life in which I have listened to it over and over and somehow it gave me peace or comfort.  One of my personal favorite songs of Newman's is Real Emotional Girl and through this performance, discovered the song Feels Like Home which I now absolutely love.

(l-r) Katey Segal, Matthew Saldivar

I hesitate to call Harps and Angels a revue, because to me, that suggests a kitschy collection of music, skit and performance and this show is hardly kitschy.  Harps and Angels is more of a Newman song cycle but of music both popular and from film from the 1970s to present day in which the personal and the socio-political entwine creating a compelling, honest and humorous commentary on what it is like to be born, grow up, fall in love, and live and die in America.  The six person cast - Ryder Bach, Storm Large, Adriane Lenox, Michael McKean, Katey Segal, Matthew Saldivar - were a mix of talent with musical theatre, singer/songwriter and popular music backgrounds, all of whom delivered interesting and yet meaningful interpretations of Newman's songs.  In particular though, it was a pleasure seeing Segal perform - not because most people think of her as some iconic 80s sitcom character (its the last thing I think of) - but because she has such a beautiful voice and I have long been a fan of hers from a music perspective.

Its amazing that the Randy Newman lexicon is so diverse yet when the right songs are put together and the right singer performs them, these songs tell a story and sends a message (sometimes subtle, sometimes glaringly obvious) about life and Harps and Angels did just that.

Harps and Angels runs through December 22 at the Mark Taper Forum.

**If you get a hold of the Performances program for (I believe) any of CTGLA's shows (Venice at the Kirk Douglas, Harps and Angels at the Taper and NEXT TO NORMAL at the Ahmanson) in the month of November, check out page 28.  Yes, I am in the program....so unexpected, so grateful!!!**

STEP INTO THE LIGHT

After I waxed poetic about The Music Center/Center Theatre Group's productions, I figured a real review of Leap of Faith should follow.

Since I saw the show last week, I have been thinking about the music, plot, dance numbers and overall performances wondering why I am so drawn to the story.  There is so much I love about the show with one overwhelming factor leading the charge (that I finally recognized) - familiarity.  Its amazing that it took this long to figure out.  I realized that maybe the reason I feel this way about Leap of Faith is because it is very similar to one of my other beloved old-school musicals.  Leap of Faith, meet The Music Man.  Consider this:

A con-man comes to a smal town, falls for a local single woman, befriends a child who is has "special needs" and is changed because of this relationship (with the child).  The con-man isn't exactly forthright with the woman or the child about why he is really in the town or who he really is.  Then, someone outs this con-man and said con-man must own up to who he really is.  Somehow the con-man does something to make good with the people of the small town, helps the child he has befriended and eventually gets the girl.  

Not sure which show I'm describing? Of course you're right because it refers to both shows.

Robert Preston as Prof. Harold Hill

Raúl Esparza as Jonas Nightingale

So Leap of Faith (the musical) is based loosely on the film of the same name starring Steve Martin and though it has (almost identical) similarities, it isn't a rip off of The Music Man (film or musical).  Leap of Faith and The Music Man are very similar stories and you might think that the similarity ends there (at the plot) right?  Sort of.  If we take a look at the performances of the lead actors in these two musicals, you will find two, highly dynamic, remarkable actors who really carry the show they are in.  In The Music Man, the incomparable Robert Preston created the role of Harold Hill...he is incredibly charismatic and really, who wouldn't follow and want to believe in him?  Leap of Faith has an equally dynamic and multi-talented actor in Raúl Esparza who plays Jonas Nightingale.  Watching and listening to his character...who wouldn't want to follow and believe in him either?

Have I convinced you that the central storyline in Leap of Faith really is similar to The Music Man and that Harold Hill/Jonas Nightingale are the ones who really carry their respective shows?  When I think about The Music Man, I immediately think Robert Preston and then I think that though sweet and classic, the show really isn't anything without Preston. Actors come and go and while many have played Harold Hill, nobody could nail it like Preston did.  So when I think about the the entire production of Leap of Faith, the show too really succeeded because of Raúl Esparza. 

From the moment he walked onto the stage, dressed completely in black with sunglasses on, Esparza  convincingly carried himself as a smarmy, charismatic con-man.  This attitude mixed with the words he spoke only reinforced this character. When in the "tent" as the evangelist persona,  Esparza's inflections were spot-on.  Esparza's energy was undeniable and it was hard to tell if he put every ounce in his being to become Jonas or if Esparza was Jonas.

I have been aware of Esparza as an actor since I bought the off-Broadway cast recording of tick, tick...BOOM! in 2001 in which he played Jon (the semi-autobiographical show about Jonathan Larson).  Throughout the years, I have seen Esparza perform on TV and the internet from various roles.  Yet, when I saw him as Bobby in the revival of Company in 2006, I knew that I finally saw the quintessential Bobby.  He brought such passion and intensity to the role that I had not seen before or since.  His Bobby was darker and more multi-dimensional than I had seen before.  But I digress.  There are some performances that you know while sitting there in the audience that you are watching an actor playing a role.  There are others that completely transform while onstage into the role...whose performance you know is something special (i.e., Patti LuPone in Gypsy and Alice Ripley in Next to Normal; Raúl Esparza as Jonas Nightingale comes pretty close to making this list too).  Its quite a grand statement, I know, but the night I saw Leap of Faith, I thought he was just that good.  The interesting thing is that while both Gypsy and Next to Normal hold their place in theatre history because of their respective books, Leap of Faith doesn't exactly come close to being a Pulitzer Prize winning show.

There are aspects of Leap of Faith that weren't amazing - some of the characters were not developed enough which (to me) affected the outcome of the storyline.  When looking at the all of the characters in Leap of Faith, none is more developed than that of Jonas (which is good and yet...obviously bad).  Of the more major characters, every other is a distant second to Jonas - Marva, Sam, Boyd.  If it weren't for Ricky Sturdevant, there really wasn't any need to have Ida Mae in the show.  Would there be?  When Leslie Odom, Jr. was onstage, his stage presence was evident which is why the part was memorable.  The character though?  Ricky Sturdevant wasn't a weak character, only he wasn't strong either.  Brooke Shields played Marva McGowan well...as I stated in a previous post, she was a perfect mix of strong and sensitive and could be considered to be a stabilizing force in the show; she played safe well.  I don't think it was Shields who was the problem though; she couldn't have played the role better, it was the character that way dry.  One could say that was purposeful...the dry, somewhat-boring character of Marva was a representation of the drought-ridden town of Sweetwater...yes, I think its stretching things too.

If the story was lacking, the music and lyrics by Alan Menken and Glenn Slater (respectively) and choreography by Rob Ashford were just incredible.  During the Rise Up number, while watching the dancers, I was so taken by the choreography, feeling that it was reminiscent of musicals from days-gone-by; it was gloriously old-school.  The rhythmic gospel music was a high point of the show that I can't get out of my head.  Days after seeing the show, I still find myself going back to CTGLA's YouTube page so I can hear at least some of the music and see bits of the choreography again.

I find great pleasure when musicals make their world premieres in Los Angeles then go on to be successful Broadway shows.  Shows like 13, The Drowsy Chaperone, 9 to 5: The Musical and Curtains made their mark here in Los Angeles, at Center Theatre Group before becoming darlings of Broadway.  With a little bit of revision, I am certain (and hopeful) that Leap of Faith will follow the steps of the Center Theatre Group's shows that came before it. 

DO WHATCHA GOTTA DO

Since the 90s, I have been a very consistent patron at the Center Theatre Group's productions back when I referred to its collective theatres as The Music Center (before the Kirk Douglas Theatre) back when The Phantom of the Opera was in residence at the Ahmanson (and held the record for the longest running musical in Los Angeles' history.)  After Phantom closed and the theatre was refurbished, naturally I returned to see the musicals that had finally made their way to Los Angeles from the Great White Way from Showboat to The Light In the Piazza and Spring Awakening (in which I was lucky enough to get stage seating); I saw groundbreaking productions like Caroline, or Change and joint productions with Deaf West Theatre Company: Big River and Pippin; there have also been Broadway-bound shows like 13, The Drowsy Chaperone and Flower Drum Song as well. Shows like these have been feeding my theatre-hungry soul for years. Of course there are some unmentioned productions that I didn't love, yet I am still grateful that the theatre can be so accessible and that I have had the opportunity to see what I've seen, good, bad and ugly.

Its amazing that the quality shows that have most recently played at  Center Theatre Group's theatres because all have truly been such satisfying productions.  I have had the pleasure of seeing shows like  Parade, (see my gushing blog entry here), Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, The Glass Menagerie and most recently,  Leap of Faith.  I'm typically not as big a play-goer as I am a musical go-er, but the last two plays I have seen have definitely struck a chord with me and made me want to see more plays.

Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo was not the kind of play I typically run out to see for many reasons including that it is somewhat fantasy based and that it is about war...the Iraqi War.  I have never been so impressed and so amazed at a story about the aftermath of war that is as hauntingly beautiful as it is tragic and funny.  Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo opened my eyes and gave me a new perspective that I would have never had if I had missed this show.  Prior to seeing this, I had a hard time believing I would enjoy it, but did I ever!  For days, I was left thinking about the story and wishing I could see it again though not sure if I had the energy knowing I would be emotionally exhausted when it was over.  It kept me thinking about it long after I walked out of the theatre's doors.

I saw The Glass Menagerie next - a play that I had read in high school (I think) and college and though I studied it in depth, I don't know if I was ever that taken by its storyline.   This production  however, was different and I left the theatre practically in tears because I had finally seen a production of this show that I understood emotionally and I was open to and able to really understand its characters and the purpose of the storyline.  Judith Ivey as Amanda Wingfield was superb and when I finally saw who the characters of Laura and Tom were; I understood who they were - that they were bits and pieces of a lot of people I knew (including myself); I saw that some of the people I knew could  (and would) have fates similar to Laura's and it just broke my heart.  Every actor in stage was phenomenal and I left the theatre feeling changed by the production.  Somehow, in those three or so hours, something changed in me and I had a new perspective on my own life and career.

Perhaps it was the idea of hope and faith that drew me to the Ahmanson's most recent production (that I hope goes to Broadway), Leap of Faith; maybe it was the beautiful score by Alan Menken, but either way, I really, really enjoyed it.  I loved the energy of the cast when they sang gospel-y numbers like Step into the Light and Rise Up:







I thought the dancing evoked dance numbers from the Golden Age of Broadway and I found myself bopping to the beat of the music in my seat with a silly grin plastered on my face throughout most of the show.  Typically, I am not the biggest fan of movie turned musicals (however I did enjoy Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) but Leap of Faith really delivered.  At one point as I was discussing the show, I even forgot that this was a movie to musical adaptation.  Since I was trying to be open-minded and keep a positive attitude, I walked into the show not really having any expectations.  Prior to seeing it, I didn't read any reviews, I didn't listen to or watch any clips online because I knew if I did see it, I wanted to go in with a completely unbiased attitude.  Even though I wasn't 100% sure I really wanted to see the show, there were finally two factors that finally made me purchase tickets:

1. I figured it was likely going to Broadway sometime soon and I didn't want to miss it.
2. The recent revival of Company with Raúl Esparza as Bobby gave me a new perspective on him as an actor (ok, I thought he was one of the best Bobby's I've seen/heard) and since then, I have been wanting to see him perform live.

Ok, there were three factors, the third was that I have been desperately wanting to go to the theatre to see a good musical...and I was hoping that this would fulfill my musical theatre fix.

Before I go on, I will say that Esparza is nothing short of amazing in this production as Jonas Nightingale and if it goes to Broadway, I am certain that at the very least, he will be nominated for a Tony Award.  He was that good. During the number (the one to the right) Last Chance Salvation, Esparza was so dynamic, I thought he might be getting a standing ovation before intermission.  The character of Jonas Nightingale walks a very thin line between brilliant and completely overdone and  Esparza was perfectly brilliant - a greasy and smarmy showman in the beginning and transformed into a more sensitive morally aware guy.  As an evangelical con-artist with a heart, Jonas Nightingale has to border the overly exaggerated, high energy, showy performer with some humanity (which Esparza does superbly).  As Marva McGowan, Brooke Shields was a perfect mix of strong and sensitive and could be considered to be a stabilizing force in the show.  Sometimes I thought Esparza overpowered her, but I think that he was supposed to.  When I think of the brilliance of this show, it is Esparza who clearly steals the show with a great supporting cast including Leslie Odom, Jr. as Ricky Sturdevant who also made a pretty substantial impression on me. 

Leap of Faith isn't the kind of show that will keep you thinking about the story long after you leave the theatre in an attempt to try to better understand it but it is the kind of show that will make you smile and remind you about life and hope and humanity.  It is a feel-good musical in the truest sense of the word and I really hope this show goes to Broadway.  With a just a smidge of tightening up, I think it will do quite well.  It was well received by audiences when I went even with the technical difficulties in which everyone kept spilling liquids  onstage, the cast had the audience eating it up (not literally).  At one point, Esparza stopped the show to get the spilled lemonade cleaned up since it would be dangerous to dance on a slick stage. Though the fourth wall was broken, the audience didn't care and loved that the actors were breaking on-stage, trying to hold it together. All in all, this show is fantastic with a first rate cast of actors and dancers who all really shine as a company.  BRAVO!

Leap of Faith closes Sunday, October 24. Such a fun show and this cast isn't to be missed!