Review coming soon. It was the most fun I’ve had in theater in a long time – my coworker John was picked to be a speller where I got to see him shake it (pictured above, glowing, with my head on the left), and a friend of mine got to be the object of Chip’s desire.
EDITED TO ADD: Was it not brilliant?? I was left exhausted (well, also literally since it was late), but feeling very satisfied. I had forgotten how great of a show it is, and the TV translated the show very well, with crystal clarity. You know it’s a great recording if its most avid fans are mollified; there are 11 pages of live commentary as it was showing, with most of its fans loving every minute of it. And pleasing its avid fans are the hardest part, I think!
“I meant to, does that count?”
There were many chill-inducing moments. Some of my favorite moments were way more poignant and piercing that I had remembered. After Bobby asks Kathy “Did you just fall in love?” and she doesn’t respond, the pause was much longer that I had remembered. The pause was so pregnant with her regret, her obvious answer that she’s not in love, and a determination to become a wife and to have real things. I hated her for it, and yet you can’t blame her for wanting to live her life. I also didn’t realize how sad the ending to “Side by Side” is – Raul’s expression after no one returns his kazoo attempt was heartbreaking. Another favorite moment was a shot from the back of the stage, you got a peek at stuff that was going on upstage. Harry (Keith Buterbaugh) is playing his trumpet as a part of the ensemble, and he plays directly at his wife, Sarah (Kristin Huffman), who waves him away. I love how they incorporate the instrumental playing with their characters.
“The problem is, you want too little.”
I was also impressed with the marketing of this PBS recording, which was worlds better than the marketing and PR for the actual Broadway musical. I’ve heard more about this than the Broadway musical, and I liked the summary that they released (shown at the bottom of this entry). Kudos to showing a high quality show on PBS, I just wish they were airing it again. They’re re-airing it in my neighborhood super early in the morning (from 1 AM til 3:30 AM) next week, which makes it impossible for me to watch again.
“Stop looking at my charisma. “
I have a question for you Company-lovers out there. I realized why I didn’t get the musical the first time that I saw it; I was completely confused on the chronology of the show. Can someone help me? Does it occur within minutes, during his birthday party? Is he looking back at his life, or is it happening in real time? Sondheim, in the post-Company interview (don’t turn off the TV after Company is over!) talks about the “metaphysical” birthday party. At that point, I realized that I had no idea on what the time scale of the show was.
“Mock me with praise.”
I realized I can’t talk about this musical without gushing, and so I’ll take a back seat in explaining it in vague terms which of course doesn’t do it justice. Matt did a much better job of explaining the details of this show and the staging much better than me, so click here to read about his take. How do you write about something that you think is so wonderful?
“It’s better living it than looking at it.”
You can also buy the DVD!
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I’m a bit torn; there are three fantastic things going on tomorrow night – Yuan Yuan Tan and Tiit Helimets in Giselle at San Francisco Ballet, the PBS airing of Broadway’s Company, or the pre-finale to Project Runway. So Project Runway will continue to re-air into eternity, so that’s out. I just can’t miss seeing Company again. This musical spoke to me and so many of my friends, even thought it took a viewing for me to understand it. But sometime after the second time that I saw it, it clicked with me, and I couldn’t get it out of my head for weeks. Also, watching Raul Esparza sing “Being Alive” literally inches away from me from the front row is a powerful theater experience I’ll never forget.
What is it about? It’s about Bobby, a bachelor on his 35th birthday, looking at his life and the life of his married friends. It’s a story of searching for love, life, and a sense of self. It’s filled with humor that makes you laugh, but reverberates in a bittersweet pang of reality. I’m really not doing it justice. I’m really curious what newbies will think of this show, so feel free to comment if you saw/are planning on seeing it (Matt? Tonya? Art?).
An interesting fact – Bobby is based on Warren Beatty, pre-Annette Bening. Some other characters are based on real people as well.
There are preview video clips that PBS has released, here is their opening song, “Company”. Notice how the actors are playing their own instruments, and all the music you hear is what you see onstage. Watching this clip again, I’m amazed at how the actors are able to act while they’re playing their instruments. I also love how the instruments serve as a metaphor for being involved, for playing the game. Director John Doyle is a genius.
The PBS website version:
“Company, the 2007 Tony Award winner for Best Musical Revival, airs February 20 on PBS’ GREAT PERFORMANCES series.
Long before Sex and the City, the Stephen Sondheim/George Furth musical Company took an unconventional look at love and commitment in complex modern New York. The 1970 era-defining classic was – and is – an honest, funny and sophisticated portrayal of five married couples as seen through the eyes of their mutual friend Robert, a waffling, 35-year-old bachelor evaluating the pros and cons of wedded life. Raúl Esparza, who won Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for his portrayal of leading man Robert, heads the cast of actor-musicians. John Doyle (Sweeney Todd) directs.”
Be sure to watch it!
Great Performances presents “Company”
It’s finally happened. Rent has posted a closing notice, for June 1, 2008. Frankly, I can’t say I’m that surprised; the production has had a revolving door of cast members rotating through the proudction for years in roles they’ve done for the past 5-8 years!,….and has seen its share of cringeworthy celebrity casting (Tamyra Gray, anyone? Scary Spice? That guy from 98 degrees? although I’ll say, Frenchie Davis was fabulous!), this musical will *always* have a special place in my heart. The first time I saw it, in my early 20′s, it was the perfect musical for that phase of my life, God knows I needed to feel edgy and passionate about life, and I fell head over heels in love with Rent, so much so that I went back the next day and experienced it once again. My Rent obsession continued when I moved to NYC, and it was always available to me when I had a quick few hours to spare in Times Square, pretty easily with a lottery ticket. I’ve watched it so many times, sometimes alone, basking in the music and ideals in the front row. One of the highlights of my career as a Renthead happened when I attended a private party with Anthony Rapp as the special musical guest, performing Seasons of Love, unplugged. It was amazing.
I am a little nervous about the countless high school productions that will now commence with Rent closing on Broadway. How many high school girls in leopard print boots can howl on the railings as Daphne/Krystal/Karmine can only do? *shudder*
But all things must come to an end. The production was getting well worn, and with the post decade return of Anthony Rapp & Adam Pascal, the run has been amazing. I’m so grateful it is ending after I have left New York. My favorite Roger ever, Jeremy Kushnier (although Cary Shields is quite the hottie!)…my favorite Mimi, Krystal Washington (the first Mimi I saw, on tour in San Diego).
Here’s to you, Rent. A production for the ages, the rock musical introducing many (yours truly included) to passion and fire like no other on a musical theater stage. *clink*
Early last week, I was mentioning to a coworker that I felt like I had lost my mojo. I just hadn’t felt renewed yet – even the irrepressible energy of Riverdance hadn’t perked me up and thrown me to my new beginnings of 2008. As if in retribution for that comment, I immediately succumbed to the worst flu I’ve ever had, beginning that night. Body aches, high fevers, and chills, oh my! It literally forced me to take a break, and I’m left wondering if this is nature’s only way to force me to slow down. I am only now recovering; after my first full day back at work today, the first thing that I did when I got back home was take a three hour nap. It’s progress though, after being sidelined for almost a week, I thought I’d never get back on my feet again. Hope is now in sight.
Lots to look forward to – going to Berkeley Repertory Theatre this week again, looking forward to the one-man show called “Taking Over” with Danny Hoch. It’s directed by Tony Taccone, who also brought the Tony-award winning Sarah Jones to Broadway in the past few years, in her critically acclaimed one woman show, Bridge and Tunnel. Jen and I were this close to nabbing tickets for Bridge and Tunnel during one of my trips to NY, but ended up seeing something else last minute on Broadway. An interesting fact about Danny Hoch: he turned down a role on Seinfeld because they required him to play a stereotype in a Hispanic accent, which he refused to do.
And then, of course, San Francisco Ballet is starting up its 75th anniversary season in mere weeks. Do you THINK that I’m excited?? 
The season starts on January 29th with a repertory program that includes Balanchine’s “Diamonds” from Jewels, and then two days later, Program two starts, which includes Balanchine’s Divertimento No. 15, a performance that dance critic Rachel Howard has spoken highly of, and Possohkov’s Firebird, which I’ve had the pleasure of watching before. I’m really looking forward to seeing my favorite dancers on the War Memorial Opera House stage again.
I also ran across this interesting anecdote of Gonzalo Garcia, who moved to NYCB after his stint at SFB, and his last performance in San Francisco. It sounds like a crazy night that only live theater can offer, an accidental Don Q with three casts. Rachel Howard lists his performance as one of the best of the year 2007. From her article:
“Gonzalo Garcia farewell performance: War Memorial Opera House (May). Fans of this irresistibly warmhearted San Francisco Ballet dancer knew saying goodbye would be emotional, but we could never have expected a leave-taking like his “Don Quixote.” When partner Tina LeBlanc came down hard on a jump and couldn’t stand, Garcia gallantly carried her off the stage. Fellow principals Molly Smolen and Tiit Helimets filled in for Act 2, while Vanessa Zahorian rushed across town to dance with Garcia for Act 3. At curtain call, Artistic Director Helgi Tomasson looked choked up, and LeBlanc stood in a leg brace applauding. The triple cast, the palpable concern and affection in the audience for LeBlanc when she fell, Garcia’s high-flying bravura – it was the kind of night at the ballet that you never forget. ”
Another performance to look forward to: the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee‘s national touring cast is coming to our neighborhood in March. I managed to get a group of almost 20 people together, and we’re going to be sitting front row center. This show stole my heart when I first saw it on Broadway a few years ago; I totally fell in love with the characters on the show, being the district spelling bee champion when I was 10 years old myself! It’s finally closing on Broadway this month, after a great run. It was definitely the little show that could, bursting with heart and humor. I believe the national touring cast stars the blogging superstar and original cast member’s brother, Andrew Keenan-Bolger. I’m really looking forward to it! It should be a fun show.
A video clip featuring original cast member, Jesse Tyler Ferguson (also of Ugly Betty fame, as Dr. Farkas) and his alter ego, Leaf Coneybear. I love his shirt, “I’m Special”.
If you’ve read my blog for any amount of time, you’ll probably know how EXCITED I am for the airing of Company on PBS. It is a relief that such an amazing production has been saved on film, and how cool is it that I will be able to own a copy soon?? One of the highlights on Broadway this year was this production, and I ran across some photos from the recording that will be aired soon. It’s scheduled to air on February 20, 2008.
More pics:
Best performance of the year: Two shows come to mind -
I spent as much space in a scary moment in Joshua Bell’s show than the more positive aspects of the show, but thinking back in 2007, Bell’s fresh and innovative take on a beautiful yet overfamiliar piece really brought it to life, and it shines in my memory as one of the best performances of the year. Two runner ups, in two pieces that really stand out just because they were so fun: Miami City Ballet’s “In the Upper Room” and SF Ballet’s Nutcracker.
Best male performer of the year: Raul Esparza in Company, Herman Cornejo spicing up a random collection of pieces at ABT’s first program at Cal Performances in the Le Corsaire pas de deux.
Best female performer of the year: Felicia Fields in the Color Purple, Lea Salonga as Fantine in Les Mis.
Best new discovery of the year: Miami City Ballet
Best regional production of the year: My discovery of the Berkeley Repertory Theatre was a great one, in which I still feel the effects of the quietly moving ripple that was after the quake. Another fun one was Expedition 6, at a much smaller local theater. Just wondering how many more local gems remain to be discovered?
Best performance event in a non-traditional theater venue: Project Bandaloop at Orange County’s Fall for Dance on the outdoor walls of the OCPAC.
Favorite televised theater event: Mark Morris’ Mozart Dances on PBS
Biggest theater obsession: Jersey Boys
Most anticipated performance for 2008: Company on PBS, watching Alvin Ailey for the first time, SF Ballet’s 75th anniversary season, esp the New Works Festival and Giselle!
Best performance of the year (ex. best ballet performance, best play, best musical, best classical music concert, best opera, any/all of the above)
Mark Morris, Mozart Dances at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
Best male performer of the year
Raul Esparza, Company. Honorable mention: John Gallagher in Spring Awakening.
Best female performer of the year
Alessandra Ferri, Manon
Best new discovery of the year
Best performance event in a non-traditional theater venue (ex. performance in the street, art gallery, library, trash dump)
Favorite televised theater event
Mark Morris’ Mozart Dances (see a theme?), Wynton Marsalis Red Hot Holiday Stomp, Met’s I Puritani
Most likely to be the next big thing (ex. performer, choreographer, playwright, etc. based on something you saw this year)
Lin Manuel Miranda, writer, creator and performer in “In the Heights”, Jamie Garcia Castilla from SF Ballet
Most anticipated performance for 2008
PBS broadcast of Company, Alvin Ailey at Cal Performances, Nina Anashiavelli’s Giselle, “In the Heights” performance on the Tony broadcast!
Inspired by mmonk’s yearly tradition, I am presenting the theatrical memories version for this year:
Lovely ladies (esp. Lea)
Rush opera tix (totally worth it)
Valentine’s Day with Mark Morris
Wynton Marsalis’ Red Hot Holiday Stomp
Xanthe’s breathtaking performance
*WARNING* If you haven’t seen the movie or the musical, spoilers of the plot abound…Proceed at your own risk**
Let me begin by getting my disclaimer out of the way: I will always and forever be most loyal to the John Doyle production of Sweeney Todd, the revival on Broadway last year. This being said, and with lots of caveats and reservations, Jolene and I hesitantly went out to see what Tim Burton did to this Broadway gem of a musical. Surprisingly, the overall impression was that this is one of the best movie adaptations of a musical I’ve seen. I’ve already been prewarned that many of the brilliant songs (the omission of “The Ballad of Sweeney Todd” and “Kiss Me” makes me weep) made me want to boycott the film altogether. Soundheim, whom I figured would be the harshest critic of his own piece, gave his approval of the film. So if he could stand it…I guess I could too.
The film was successful on several points:
But being the musical fan that I am…there were some parts I didn’t like that the movie changed, mainly, I didn’t like how the characters’ insanity was toned down for the movie version.
But as far as musical movies go, this is one of the best. Helena Bonham Carter, who manages to look very similar to the past roles she’s played in other movies (Big Fish, Harry Potter, Willy Wonka), balances the nonchalance (making her the craziest person in the movie, methinks) and mothering of both Sweeney & Toby fabulously. Johnny Depp makes for a very very angry Sweeney, completely fixated on revenge. At least in the musical, it seemed that Sweeney enjoyed a few light moments in conversations, etc, but for Depp’s Sweeney, it was 100% all about revenge. The music was fabulously orchestrated (compared to the 11 instruments played by the actors on stage) making the music rich and full, supplementing the not-so-perfect voices (compared to the Broadway counterparts). All in all, it was a rich sound, supplementing the spooky story.
For a bloody good time, go watch Sweeney and add a bit of extra chill to your winter afternoon!
You can probably tell from this photo why Anna Netrebko is very hot (in more than one way) in the opera world right now. She sparkled in the first Met broadcast this season in movie theaters all over America, London and who knows where else. I’m not going to pretend to know anything about opera and singing voices, but I do know what I do like, and with three years of Met opera performances under my belt while utilizing their student rush ticket program as often as I could, I have a lot of favorite opera memories. Operas give a classical music lover like much to love, especially when the musicians that are performing is the Met Opera Orchestra (just as long as the violinist doesn’t hit on you during intermission), and singers such as Hei Kyung Hong, Juan Diego Florez, and Joyce DiNato convert a newbie to opera instantly.
ANyways enough about my lack of opera background. I trekked out to the Bay St. Mall AMC to watch the movie broadcast of Romeo et Juliette, a surely sold out run at the Met due to the superstar status of Anna Netrebko. I really wish Rolando Villazon hadn’t pulled out of his engagements at the Met, I know he’s an amazing singer and I wished I could have seen him perform with Netrebko on the big screen, but Roberto Algana gave a solid performance. Before I say anything about the technical aspects of the performance (which, I will be the first to say, I am not that well-versed in opera to make a substantial statement, but can only contribute my thoughts), lots of sound and satellite difficulties during the movie broadcast today made it very difficult for me to enjoy the performance fully.
I do have some thoughts that aren’t related to the sound technique or voices of the singers. I must say, the sets really remind me of a lot of Broadway musical sets I’ve seen. The sets were (as always with Met productions) amazing, with a tilting center turntable which cleverly had Roberto Alagna standing on the higher tilt than Anna Netrebs, making him taller…reminded me of Les Miserables, a unique feature and well incorporated into the production. Ah, only if French prostitutes rotated on the turntable like they do in Les Mis, now that would be an interesting twist, no?
Furthermore, there is a risque bed scene between Anna and Roberto, with a lot of writhing, stroking, straddling, and flashing of Anna’s legs that isn’t seen much in opera. And while Anna looks great in a skimpy nightgown, I don’t know if any male opera singer should be allowed to sing love sings while wearing skimpy boxer shorts (OK, it may be acceptable if you’re Nathan Gunn). Similarly, this bed scene all occurs on a bed suspended from the ceiling, a la Spring Awakening. But I do digress.
Another set feature I did not like was during the wedding scene between Romeo and Juliette, the background was a large photo of the moon’s surface. A lot of the background sets allude to a celestial theme, I guess to emphasize the celestial destiny of their love. But the moon was soooo large, it literally looked like Anna and Roberto were saying their vows on the moon. Did they spacewalk home? This is an example of a theme going a bit too far, and this opera made me think…was their love destiny and written in the stars? Romeo was a bit of a player, dropping Rosaline like a hot potato as soon as he saw Juliet. Who says that he won’t do that to the next pretty girl after Juliet? I guess it’s better for the plot story that they both die passionately in love. Real complicated relationships doesn’t translate well into operatic masterpieces.
A word about the costumes, Roberto Alagna had the unfortunate responsibility to sport sky blue velveteen leggings, with rouching at the bottom, and he sported cowboy boots. He seriously looked like he walked off stage from Mark Morris’ Hard Nut, he had a bit of a disco flair. Apparently, this is an improvement to the purple velvet leggings the previous Romeo wore; but could the velvet leggings be dropped in the future? There has got to be more flattering pants to select from that era.
Domingo conducted this superstar performance; unfortunately, he made an obvious mistake when he lost the accompaniment to Lord Capulet’s solo, the orchestra lagged behind. The orchestra sounded lush as always. I think I’ll head back to the movies soon once more for the Met…hopefully the technicalities will have all been ironed out next time!
