Happy New Year, everyone! Today, I'm taking some time to reflect on my favorite theatre experiences of 2013. I was fortunate to see many entertaining productions on Broadway, tour, and off-Broadway. I've listed a few of my favorites below. Be sure to comment and share your own favorites. Here's to a great year of theatre in 2014!
1.) Murder Ballad played off-Broadway at the Union Square Theatre this past summer. This production was very unique and intimate, unlike most of the big Broadway and National touring productions that I see on a regular basis. The music was raw and haunting, as were the individual performances. And I always love a twist at the end.
2.) The Tony Award winning production of Christopher Durang's Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike was one of the most comedic, yet poignant plays I have seen to date. Kristine Nielsen (Sonia) and David Hyde Pierce (Vanya) were especially hilarious, and I so wanted Kristine to win the Tony Award. With talent of that caliber, her day will come.
3.) I saw Diane Paulus' production of Pippin at the American Repertory Theatre (A.R.T.) in Boston in January of 2013 and knew instantly that it was something very special. During the past year, the show has transferred to Broadway, garnered multiple Tony Awards, and is enjoying a successful run at the Music Box Theatre. Once again, Diane Paulus has demonstrated her remarkable talent.
4.) Kinky Boots, the Tony Award winner for Best Musical in 2013, is still going strong. Who would have thought that a musical about women's boots for men would be a box office success? I definitely attribute part of its success to Cyndi Lauper's score and the individual performances of some of the actors, especially Tony Award winner Billy Porter, Stark Sands, and Annaleigh Ashford. The message of acceptance is also one that the world needs to hear from time to time. P.S. Kudos to Macy's for supporting this timely show.
5.) The Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC) has offered an unusually solid season so far. This fall, the touring companies of Evita, Once, Ghost, Phantom of the Opera, and Wicked have performed at PPAC. All of these shows are favorites of mine. And there's more to come- The Book of Mormon will be playing at PPAC this spring.
6.) A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder is the most recent addition to the long list of musicals I have seen. (I will be posting a blog soon!) I appreciated the skilled acting, clever comedy, and originality of the piece and would recommend this show to any theatre-goer. Hopefully, this musical will enjoy a solid Broadway run.
7.) Does anyone remember Hands on a Hardbody? This show had a lot of heart, but that wasn't enough to sustain a long run on Broadway. I'm so glad I had the opportunity to see it.
Showing posts with label kinky boots. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kinky boots. Show all posts
January 1, 2014
June 29, 2013
KINKY BOOTS
AL HIRSCHFELD THEATRE
BROADWAY
MAY 4, 2013
SYNOPSIS: The most recent Tony Award winner for Best New Musical is currently playing to sold out audiences at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre. Based on the 2005 movie, Kinky Boots follows a young man named Charlie, who moves away from his father’s Northampton shoe factory to the bustling city of London in order to pursue a career in marketing with his fiance, Nicola. When his father dies unexpectedly, Charlie is forced to return to his home and he must decide what to do with his father’s failing shoe factory. Enter Lola, a sassy but classy drag queen, who inspires Charlie to start a new and innovative line of men’s footwear for drag queens, AKA kinky boots, and together, they work to save his father’s factory and the jobs of its workers.
COMMENTS: I love it when a new show comes to Broadway and initially, there’s not much buzz about it. Then (seemingly overnight), the rush lines are a block long, performances are sold out, there are no ticket discounts, and the show becomes the Broadway musical to see.
This seems to be the case for Kinky Boots, a new musical directed by Jerry Mitchell, with a book by Harvey Fierstein, and music by Cyndi Lauper. Big names in the world of theatre. One might expect some hype, but instead, all the hype surrounded the Olivier award winning musical, Matilda. For months and months, all I heard about was Matilda, who was sure to win the Tony Award for Best New Musical. What’s a kinky boot?
Luckily, the world soon found out what a kinky boot is. Now the winner of six Tony Awards (with 13 nominations) including Best New Musical, this production is doing quite well over at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre and I suspect it will be running for a long time.
I think the success of Kinky Boots is largely attributed to the fact that most everyone loves a story about equality and acceptance and can appreciate its heartwarming message. The story is injected with humor and great musical numbers so that it avoids becoming too predictable or bland. Speaking of the music, the score (composed by Tony winner Cyndi Lauper- the first female to win Best Score solo) is very strong. I have since purchased the cast recording, and it’s one of those CDs that I can listen to without skipping any songs.
After being away from Broadway for many years, Billy Porter has finally found his perfect role. As drag queen Lola, Billy Porter is wise, vulnerable, sassy, and fierce. He truly steals the show. I think the group of actors who were Tony nominated for Best Lead Actor in a musical gave some of the strongest performances of the season and I myself was having difficulty deciding who to root for. When all is said and done, Billy deserved to win.
Not that fellow nominee Stark Sands wasn’t great in his role as Charlie. Billy Porter may have stolen the show, but Stark Sands was the glue that held the show together. He had great chemistry with the other actors on stage, especially Lauren, played by Tony award nominee Annaleigh Ashford. Annaleigh, as usual, nailed the comedic timing. She is truly one of Broadway’s “funny ladies”. I also loved the factory workers, who gave the impression of being one great big family on stage.
I highly recommend Kinky Boots on Broadway. There’s something for everyone in this new musical. Check it out at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre!
BROADWAY
MAY 4, 2013
February 23, 2013
UPCOMING BROADWAY MUSICALS
SPRING, 2013
CINDERELLA
Preview: 1/25/2013
Opens: 3/3/2013
Theatre: Broadway
Cast: Laura Osnes, Santino Fontana, Victoria Clart, Harriet Harris, Marla Mindelle, Greg Hildreth, Peter Bartlett
Description: The classic fairy tale is making its Broadway debut! Under the direction of Mark Brokaw, this beloved Rodgers and Hammerstein musical has been re-imagined by book-writer Douglas Carter Beane.
Preview: 2/23/2013
Opens: 3/21/2013
Theatre: Brooks Atkinson
Cast: Keith Carradine, Hunter Foster, Mary Gordon Murray, Jay Armstrong Johnson, David Larsen, Allison Case
Description: Based on the 1997 documentary, this show tells the story of ten Texans who are competing for a brand new hardbody truck. The contestant who keeps his or her hand on the truck the longest wins the prize and a chance at living the American Dream.
Preview: 3/4/2013
Opens: 4/11/2013
Theatre: Shubert
Cast: Bailey Ryon, Milly Shapiro, Sophia Gennusa, Oona Laurence, Bertie Carvel, Lauren Ward, Gabriel Ebert, Lesli Margherita
Description: Based on the novel by Roald Dahl and winner of seven Olivier Awards, Matilda is a perceptive, but unfortunate young girl who is mistreated by her parents and the headmaster at her boarding school, but she possesses very special powers...
Preview: 3/5/2013
Opens: 4/4/2013
Theatre: Al Hirschfeld
Cast: Stark Sands, Billy Porter, Annaleigh Ashford, Celina Carvajal
Description: Kinky Boots boasts music and lyrics by Cyndi Lauper, book by Harvey Fierstein, and direction/choreography by Jerry Mitchell. Based on a British film of the same name, Charlie Price saves his father’s shoe factory with the help of a drag queen named Lola and some kinky boots.
Preview: 3/11/2013
Opens: 4/14/2013
Theatre: Lunt-Fontanne
Cast: Brandon Victor Dixon, Valisia LeKae, Charl Brown, Bryan Terrell Clark
Description: Motown tells the story of music producer Berry Gordy as he discovers the talents of Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, and Stevie Wonder.
Preview: 3/23/2013
Opens: 4/25/2013
Theatre: The Music Box
Cast: Patina Miller, Matthew James Thomas, Andrea Martin, Charlotte d’Amboise, Terrence Mann, Rachel Bay Jones
Description: Hailing straight from the American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge, this is the very first Broadway revival of Stephen Schwartz’s musical. A young man named Pippin is on a journey to find meaning his life, and ultimately, he must choose between the ordinary life and a risky chance at greatness. This production boasts circus choreography by Gypsy Snider and is directed by Diane Paulus.
Preview: 4/5/2013
Opens: 4/18/2013
Theatre: Marquis
Cast: Constantine Maroulis, Deborah Cox, Teal Wicks
Description: This production will end its national tour with a limited engagement on Broadway. In an effort to cure his father’s mental illness, Dr. Henry Jekyll conducts a controversial experiment on himself, unleashing the evil alternate personality, Mr. Hyde.
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