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. 

I SHOULD TELL YOU

In the last few months, one could say that I was a tad excited about the release of the film version of Rent. For my fellow Rent-heads who have been following the countdown to the film's premiere via my posts...a review of the film from your truly is inevitable. Needless to say, I've been just a little bit busy with Turkey Day and all, but I finally decided to sit down and post my thoughts on the film.

Let me start off by saying that Rent was pretty much exactly what I thought it would be. I wanted to know exactly what I would be walking into when I saw the film, so I kept up with the progress of the film via the Rent blog. I was interested to see just how close to the stage version Chris Columbus would direct this film while trying to remain true to Jonathan Larson's vision. Without a doubt, I think Columbus absolutely did that and I hope Larson would have been pleased with the final results. My fear was that the film would turn into an over produced film with less emphasis on the story and the music. In my wildest dreams, I was hoping I would leave the movie theater with the same elation as I did following Chicago versus the disgust after having seen The Phantom of the Opera.


WHAT I DID ENJOY:

• I loved that the film opened with the cast singing Seasons of Love on a stage in an empty auditorium. Though Seasons of Love opened the second act in the stage version, I thought that this move set the stage for the film which helped get the audience in the mindset of the what Rent was all about.

• The performance of the film's title song was the most dyanmic, feet stomping, exciting number in the film. To see what Columbus did with this visually was amazing. I had no idea that "rent" affected an entire neighborhood and not just Mark & Rodger (something that wasn't so clear in the stage version). Seeing this, set the stage for what I thought would be an equally dynamic and exciting film.
  
  
• La Vie Boheme was the exciting end to Act I in the stage version. There is something about the entire cast on stage dancing on a stainless steel table singing La Vie Boheme that wasn't as infectious in the film version.
  
  
• Idina Menzel as Maureen (particularly in Over the Moon) was great! She did a great job making this piece more humorous and effective overall. In the past the Maureens I've seen in the touring stage versions were dull and didn't make this number as fun as it should be. I knew Maureen could be a fun character with potential depth. In such a short amount of time, this just couldn't happen. That's ok...Idina was amazing nonetheless in every scene she was in. I predict big things for her.
  
  
• Seeing 6 of the 8 original Broadway cast members (all but the superb Rosario Dawson -- Mimi and fabulous Tracie Thoms -- Joanne) reprising their roles (which is virtually unheard of) was to me, one of the best aspects of this film. These 6 people were with the show from Off-Broadway to Broadway...knew Larson on some level...were the true heart and souls of their respective characters. The spirit of the film would have changed had the entire cast been new. BTW, Nobody does Mark better than Anthony Rapp (sorry, NPH).
  

WHAT NEEDED WORK:

• Due to the fact that Columbus has never directed a musical, moving from scene to scene after a musical number felt extremely disjointed and choppy. I almost felt like I wasn't ready for each scene to be over when we were suddenly thrust into the next one.
  
  
• Out Tonight wasn't as dynamic as it could have been. It was a tad all over the place. Not a huge annoyance but definitely not one of the high points.
  
  
• The Santa Fe number went from a fantasy idea between Collins, Angel, Mark and Roger turned into a cheesy dancing foray on the F Train.
  

• Everytime I've seen (or even heard) Will I (the song sung in rounds during the Life Suport meetings: Will I loose my dignity/will someone care/will I wake tomorrow/from this nightmare?) I have a tendency to feel emotional and sometimes tear up. Not so much this time around.
  
  
  
• I'll Cover You was too obvious, too easy...kinda lame. Angel and Collins go frolicking through the city...Angel buys Collins a leather jacket to represent "I'll Cover You." Too easy if you ask me...and too...cheesy. It was a little too C&H sugary for me. On the flip side, it's obvious that Angel & Collins' portrayers, Wilson Jermaine Heredia & Jesse L. Martin (respectively) have obvious chemistry that is as strong as it was 10 years ago.
  
  
• The end. Though I know this show backwards and forwards, the end to the film...was weak. I'll leave it at that so I don't spoil it for anyone who has yet to see it (and cares) and has stumbled upon this entry.

When all is said and done, I will still gladly support this film...as I've stated before in past blog entries, I am a huge supporter of Jonathan Larson. I relate to his enthusiasm and drive to make a difference by believing so strongly in his work. When I feel my enthusiasm beginning to wane, I often times think of Jonathan Larson for inspiration. What he wanted was to affect the future of the modern musical...and he has done that. His work has touched the lives of so many people worldwide. I hope he is happy with what has happened to his most prolific musical.

RENT

I realize I get a little sentimental and sappy when it comes to talking about Jonathan Larson, the heart and soul and composer of Rent. As I've mentioned in other posts, his work is so inspiring because in his music, I not only hear the themes of love, but I feel it -- I hear a love of the art form, a love that never was or almost is...romantic love, fraternal love etc. and that's something I've never felt or heard as an overall theme in any other composer's work. More than that though, Larson's work to me, represents what I've always wanted and seen. To him, it is a passion for the art-form, the desire to make it his own, and the drive to succeed. With previous posts, I've tried to convey what his music and work means to me, but I don't think I ever truly can.

So yesterday, when the soundtrack for Rent came out, I had to rush out and buy it. I traveled over the hill to Tower on Sunset just to get the CD on it's street date. I guess I'm a little obsessive, but as I've said before, I take my musical theatre very seriously. The marketing masterminds at Warner Music thought it would be a great idea to have limited edition cardboard sleeve covers of each of the 8 principal characters -- I picked Taye Diggs' (Benny) cover. Of course I actually thought how cool it would be to have each of them...but I digress (and no, I don't need 8 cardboard sleeves). I've seen Rent only 4 times (I can't compete with the TRUE Rent-heads) but I've listened to the music more than I care to admit. I know each note and word of the musical well enough to be obsessive (almost). I was curious to hear how this soundtrack would differ from the "OCR" (Original Cast Recording) and how would I respond to this show, with 6 of the 8 principals, nearly 10 years later.

Some might say that listening to the soundtrack now might ruin my initial response to the film...but considering how well I know the show, that couldn't happen. On my way home, I settled into my car, turned up the volume, and let the music play. Track 1 was "Seasons of Love" which in the stage version, opened Act II, so hearing this surprised (but didn't bother) me. I will spare you all the painstaking track by track comparison cos even I'M not willing to go through that much detail. I did hear a difference between the 2 versions, the main difference being the "OCR" vs. the soundtrack is the obvious rock & roll vs. Broadway sound quality. It should be noted that Chris Columbus (the film's director) is also the album's executive producer, so thankfully he was able to carry the essence and authenticity of Larson's vision from stage to film in the new recording. Rob Cavallo, the album's producer infused "a new energy and spirit into this music" with "all of the cuts on this album remining faithful to the Broadway origins" and as Chris Columbus said in the album's liner notes, this album is "richer and multi-layered."

It might seem obvious that the album is decent if it is music FROM the film, but so was the film version of The Phantom of the Opera and the composer was involved in THAT recording which was the most henious thing I think I've ever heard. Thankfully though, the music from the Rent Soundtrack is surprisngly good. It is different from the OCR, but the sound (to me) really fits the nature of what this film is all about.

The original cast members sound great, if not better than they did on the OCR...one should hope so. The newest additions to the cast, Rosario Dawson (Mimi) and Tracie Thoms (Joanne) are excellent. I had no idea that Dawson sang, but from the few times I've listened to the album so far, she seems to pull off the complex, tragic and vulnerable Mimi quite well. Vocally, her range seems to be a bit lower than that of her predecessor, Daphne Rubin Vega. Thoms voice is also rich, but higher and more sweet sounding than that of her precessor Fredi Walker. She too does a great job as Joanne, and I actually prefer her interpretation.

Overall, the Rent Soundtrack is grittier, more acoustic sounding and raw while maintaining a sense of humor and vulnerability more-so than I even imagined it could be. From the sounds of the soundtrack and what the trailer looks like, the film version could possibly surpass my love of the stage version. To admit that, is huge because everyone knows my loyalties and love, lies with the stage...always.

When it comes to musical theatre, I can be a big theatre snob, and because of that, I can be overly critical. I know though, what I do and do not like. And I like Rent in both "OCR" and soundtrack form. I am grateful and thrilled to hear the voices and interpretations of these characters being brought to the silver screen by the actors who created and nurtured these characters from the beginning under the guidance of Jonathan Larson. Knowing that the Larson family -- Julie, Nan and Al -- support the film and that Chris Columbus not only genuinely believes in maintaining the "integrity and vision" of Larson's work, but somehow shares it, is amazing and comforting because the very essence of Rent is so beautiful.

When I look at Jonathan's journal entry, I believe he succeeded in fulfilling the question of how to write for the stage tenfold. I only wish he were here to see what'd he's done for pop culture...his work has touched and changed the lives of nearly everyone who has ever been exposed to it.

As written above by Jonathan Larson: I am striving to become a writer and composer of musicals -- I am 25 and am faced with a dilemma. Although I am a sentimental romantic who loves old fashioned musicals I am a member of a very unsentimental romantic generation who basically think musicals are too corny. I feel that if I want to establish myself with "the powers that be" in the theatre, I must compose music that appeals to the older cast in the production houses and audience. But if I want to try to cultivate a new audience for musicals I must write shows with a score that MTV ears will accept. If you were me, which audience would you write for?

Also note, included on the album as a bonus track, is one of my favorite songs, Love Heals. The song has provided me with much comfort and encouragement in my darkest as well as brightest of days. Larson wrote Love Heals while working on Rent to help in the efforts of Love Heals - the Alison Gertz Foundation for AIDS education. The producers included the bonus track as a tribute to Jonathan and to help futher the cause of AIDS education.

Rent hits screens nationwide on November 23.

I SHOULD TELL YOU

Tomorrow is the big soundtrack release day for Rent!!!

L.A. BLUES

Don't miss the new trailer for "the musical phenomenon that defined a generation."

Ok, now that I got that out of the way...I'm just gonna say this: I hate the parking patrol who are lurking around, just waiting to give tickets to people who screw up and park in "no stopping zones" because they misread the signs. Ok, I know they're doing their job, but what I'm really saying, is I just hate when it happens to me. On the up side, at least I walked out just in time before my car was towed away. I would have really hated having to get it from the impound lot! **sigh**

ONE SONG GLORY

While watching the trailer for Rent, I was reminded of Jonathan Larson, his music, his dreams and how bittersweet making this film must have been for his family. I became a fan of the show when it first debuted on Broadway. I was intrigued by Larson's musical style, the story -- based on Puccini's La Boheme and because of Jonathan Larson himself. The tragic story of Larson's untimely death (just prior to the show's first dress rehearsal off-Broadway) was as big (if not bigger) a story as the show itself which went on to receive virtually every Broadway/Theatre award in 1996 including the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

It has been said that Jonathan Larson single handedly revolutionized the Broadway musical genre. Whether that is true or not, what he did do was change the lives of millions of people who have been fortunate enough to witness his work. On Broadway, Rent has been playing for 9+ years to sold-out audiences with repeat audience members as well as new generation theatre-goers. The story of Rent is real, raw and to so many people relatable. It is a human-interest story that deals with our dreams, our fears, mortality, failure, success, sexuality, family and friendship.

If Jonathan Larson wanted to affect people who saw his show, he did that better than he could have ever imagined. To say that his music and words are profound might be a little dramatic and maybe even a stretch to some. But through his work, he has in some ways, given a voice to those who don't have one and brought attention to the plight of those who are living with HIV/AIDS. He has made a difference...he is one person who has made a difference that started with a dream.

I wonder what he would think right now. Did he have any idea that his show would generate such publicity that it would land on the cover of Time Magazine? Did he dream of winning a Tony Award? Did he ever imagine, in his wildest dreams that his musical would be a major motion picture? I was reading the Rent coffee table book again recently to be reminded of Jonathan Larson's dreams, his determination to make it and how devistating his death was to his family and the cast of the show. Even though I know how he died as well as when and where he died...to read it again is just so sad. I connect to his story because of my passion for musical theatre. I remeber what it was like to want to do something to make a difference in that world...and it reminds me that I'm not doing that at all.

When I think of Jonathan Larson, I am inspired every single time. I can only imagine the kind of impact he could have made but grateful because of what he has done. One song in particular has never failed to affect me because of it's meaning. Whether I am happy, sad, in need of inspiration or confirmation, his song Love Heals never fails. It's a beautiful song and can be found on Sherie Rene Scott's album, Men I've Had.

I connect to Jonathan Larson's lyrics and notice that somehow, they always come down to the subject of love. No matter what the song is about, whether it is from Rent or Tick, Tick...Boom! the one thing (and it really is) I always hear in each note and word is love. I hear a love of the art form, a love that never was or almost is...romantic love, fraternal love, familial love...I hear love as the underlying subject in his work. I don't know if that was ever his intention or if that is just me.

The irony in his work and in turn, the legacy and message he leaves behind are many when you really listen to the lyrics in Rent. Things like "there is no future, there is no past, I live this moment as my last," "Forget regret or life is yours to miss" and "today for you, tomorrow for me." All very true and again, very ironic.

Support Jonathan Larson and go see Rent on Broadway (or on tour) and make sure to catch most of the original cast in the film version of Rent this fall. As a quick side note (you've read this much, what's another sentence)...I am so thrilled that essentially the entire original Broadway cast of Rent were able to reprise their roles in the film. I couldn't imagine anyone else in these roles. Imagine if Justin Timberlake were Mark...or Roger...ugh. Sorry Justin, it just wouldn't have been right. But when I saw the cast performing on the Today show, I felt a huge sense of pride seeing them together. Is that silly? They've come so far. I wonder what Jonathan would have said?

In the words of Jonathan Larson: "No Day But Today."

THE LAST GOODBYE

Wow, so today marks the closing of four (4) Broadway shows -- La Cage Aux Folles, Brooklyn the Musical, On Golden Pond and Mark Twain Tonight! What a shame. Seems kind of severe in one way I suppose to see these shows close at the same time...but I'm actually sort of surprised that Brooklyn the Musical ran this long. When I saw it...most of the theatre was empty (I practically had my own row) and the show just wasn't very good. Eden Espinosa was the stand out performer in the cast and had a pretty amazing voice. Unfortunately, she was the only decent thing about the show...the premise of the show was really what would have happened had Jonathan Larson written a BAD version of Rent.

Speaking of which...has anyone seen the trailer for the film? It looks fantastic! I think/hope it's gonna be a great film...and will impress as Chicago did. It's a shame Jonathan Larson isn't around to witness the success of his work. The man is quite an inspiration to me.

FIND YOUR GRAIL

First of all, congratulations to Monty Python's Spamalot for the distinction of being named the Best Musical of the 2004-05 season. More importantly though is Norbert Leo Butz scoring Best Actor in a Musical which I will write/bore you with more below.

So maybe it is because I am a theatre nut, but the three-hour presentation of The 59th Annual Tony Awards didn't seem so long to me. Of course a three- hour awards show for anything else would have put me to sleep in an hour. Maybe the show was more entertaining this year? Maybe I felt more of a stake in the results having actually been lucky enough to have seen a few of the nominated shows. Maybe it was Hugh Jackman? Hahaha, who knows.

What I did notice though was that all of the presenters tonight, were commercially "known" actors. It would have been nice to have seen others who are "known" in the Broadway community too...but at the same time, it seems that these "known" actors were once on Broadway and are finding success in Hollywood. I guess it's a return of sorts to those who either got their start on the stage or those who truly love it...like I do. It was a big season for The Great White Way filled with some truly talented shows and actors.

Which leads me to...

Who actually saw Norbert Leo Butz' performance (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) at The Tony Awards??? He performed the show-stopping number, "Great Big Stuff" tonite and he was pretty damn funny. Anyone who has seen the show or listened to the CD might have noticed that he had to change the lyrics in the song (in order to comply with the FCC). He looked like he stumbled and almost said "fancy shit" (the written lyrics from the show). Not that it really matters though. Congratulations to Butz on winning his well deserved Tony Award! He is an amazing actor who gave a heartfelt speech thanking the community for his award and I for one am thrilled for him. Seeing John Lithgow's reaction during Butz' speech was a true testament to their relationship as actors and human beings.

I'm gonna sound like a total goof I realize this, but honestly...watching the awards made me both beyond ecstatic and incredibly sad. Ecstatic because Broadway...is my "grail" (it is)! Broadway is where I want to be and where I know I've always meant to be...and hearing "showtunes" touches my soul in ways that no other music can. But because the music gives me such an indescribable high, it also makes me so sad because I am not there. I don't want to be an actress, and I don't want to perform for the sake of performing, but I want to be involved. I want to be the person who helps bring awareness to this genre, who will introduce one of many people to the art form that has given me so much. The other day, I came across a book that had a copy of a journal entry by Jonathan Larson which described the conflict in his head between writing musicals for the "MTV generation" and writing shows that maybe he wanted to write. I might have completely interpreted this incorrectly, but what I did gleam from this was that his musical tastes were not mainstream and that most people might have considered his interest and taste in musical theatre as being cheesy. So he somehow had to find that balance between what he wanted and what the public wanted. What does this have to do with me you ask? I desperately want to one day work with the next person who will make a positive impact on the theatrical community like Jonathan Larson did. I want to understand what it takes to get from an idea to a Broadway stage...and be a part of it.

It's true, many people don't get my allure for musical theater and in some ways, I like that I am one of the only people I know who just adores musical theatre. However, I also realize that I can be a big theatre snob as well. The mere idea of Christina Applegate appearing on Broadway (prior to Sweet Charity's arrival on the Great White Way) was simply appalling. I was secretly relieved when the show was cancelled and wouldn't come to Broadway, thinking that Christina Applegate's appearance on the scene would be the beginning of the end. When the show emerged on the scene anyway, I was curious...but curious like watching a train wreck. When the cast appeared on The Today Show and performed "Big Brass Band" sadly enough, it was a train wreck. I thought everything about the show in that one appearance was mediocre but sub par was Applegate's Charity. She couldn't sing, she looked stiff...it was all simply not good. Then...today, I see the cast on The Tony Awards and...she has improved. Really! I was actually truly impressed. She could sing, she could dance...but then came the "Big Brass Band" number...which again failed to thrill me. But I digress. My preconceived notions of a Broadway performer fell short because I...am...a theatre snob.

On another note, Adam Guettel, Tony winner for Best Score and Best Orchestrations for The Light in the Piazza (and Richard Rodger's grandson) is some nice eye candy! :)