Capping the trifecta of shows Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber currently has on Broadway is the latest incarnation of Jesus Christ Superstar. Thus "rock opera" was Webber's first huge hit in my opinion and has a special place in my heart as I was in a production in college. This particular staging, directed by Des McAnuff (Jersey Boys), had runs at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival and The La Jolla Playhouse before moving to the Great White Way. The staging is quite bare, which helps focus more attention on the actors and music. Costumes have a contemporary , but basic look to them and there is a clock countdown the "The End" throughout the show.
Paul Nolan as Jesus definitely looked the part and had a fantastic voice to match. He hit all the notes with ease and played JC as the emotionally neutral way is normally played. Josh Young as Judas garnered many kudos for his performance. I thought he had a very good voice, but not really a rock voice, it is a rock opera after all. Vocally I though he was better in the second act, but over all I was a bit disappointed. His acting was fantastic though, and as I said he has a great voice, but more for mainstream Broadway shows in my opinion. Bruce Dow as Herod was hilarious, as he is often played and I also really liked Tom Hewitt as Pilate. This was a very strong cast and I can understand why they had such successful runs before hitting Broadway.
This is a very good production of the show and I would highly recommend it to anyone that likes and is familiar with the show. As more and more shows are featuring contemporary or rock music, it's great to have revivals of some of the original greats such as this show, which opened the door to allowing that kind of music into the theater.
Jesus Christ Superstar on Broadway
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Evita
Andrew Lloyd Webber is the king of Broadway right now. He currently has 3 shows running; Jesus Christ Superstar, Phantom of the Opera and Evita. I recently saw Evita with International superstar Ricky Martin as Che. Of the 3, this one is perfect for the grandiose and large house of the Marquis Theater.
The size of the theater is an advantage as it makes Eva Peron, played by Elena Roger, even smaller physically. Vocally, she is a force. She commands the stage and cast as though she was the President and I felt truly embodied the powerful Eva Peron and her tragic death at such a young age. The other star, Mr. Martin, was fantastic as a narrarator of sorts, leading the show with his fine voice and charisma. As Peron, Michael Cerveris was solid, but I felt that this part really limited him in showing his full range.
As for the rest of the show, it was an entertaining version, but nothing that made me want to run out and get another ticket. If you are a fan of this particular show, you will like it as will fans of Mr. Martin. Otherwise, I would go see Jesus Christ Superstar again.
EVITA on Broadway
The size of the theater is an advantage as it makes Eva Peron, played by Elena Roger, even smaller physically. Vocally, she is a force. She commands the stage and cast as though she was the President and I felt truly embodied the powerful Eva Peron and her tragic death at such a young age. The other star, Mr. Martin, was fantastic as a narrarator of sorts, leading the show with his fine voice and charisma. As Peron, Michael Cerveris was solid, but I felt that this part really limited him in showing his full range.
As for the rest of the show, it was an entertaining version, but nothing that made me want to run out and get another ticket. If you are a fan of this particular show, you will like it as will fans of Mr. Martin. Otherwise, I would go see Jesus Christ Superstar again.
EVITA on Broadway
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Ghost on Broadway
I have seen the future of Broadway, and it's 3D IMAX. OK, hang with me here....
Ghost The Musical has recently been transplanted from London to Broadway and it's a technical wonder. All the backgrounds are digitized, objects fly around seemingly by themselves, images are projected (ghosts) and their favorite effect is the "people mover" on stage that actors are constantly "walking over." If things do not go right this could be a technical nightmare. Luckily, everything runs seemlessly and in the process we as a viewer feel like we are watching a live action movie, cinema brought to life.
The story stays true to the hit movie from the 80's that made Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore household names and also resurrected the hit song "Unchained Melody" by the Righteous Brothers. That song is featured prominently in the musical and has additional orgiginal music penned by 80's hitmaker Glen Ballard and Dave Stewart (half of the duo The Eurythmics). The additional songs added to the narritive and kept the story moving, but none of them really stuck in my head. Maybe this was due to the fact that Unchained Melody is so well known and such a huge hit.
The actors were all solid and you felt a real connection between the two leads (Richard Fleeshman and Caissie Levy). I did get that lump in my throat when Sam died and at the end of the show, it tugs at your heart strings. I got to see Moya Angela as Oda Mae Brown and she was a hoot! The most unexpected (and refreshing) performance came from Tyler McGee (Subway Ghost) who channels a full on Eminem performance in teaching Sam how to "move" objects.
The marriage of good storytelling, performance and technology on display in this musical is going to make this a success. I suggest everyone get a loved on one and see this show. As technology advances and is embraced by the theater community more and more the lines will be blurred between live action and cinema. This is the wave of the future and I am already enjoying the ride.
GHOST The Musical | HOME | Official Broadway Site
Ghost The Musical has recently been transplanted from London to Broadway and it's a technical wonder. All the backgrounds are digitized, objects fly around seemingly by themselves, images are projected (ghosts) and their favorite effect is the "people mover" on stage that actors are constantly "walking over." If things do not go right this could be a technical nightmare. Luckily, everything runs seemlessly and in the process we as a viewer feel like we are watching a live action movie, cinema brought to life.
The story stays true to the hit movie from the 80's that made Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore household names and also resurrected the hit song "Unchained Melody" by the Righteous Brothers. That song is featured prominently in the musical and has additional orgiginal music penned by 80's hitmaker Glen Ballard and Dave Stewart (half of the duo The Eurythmics). The additional songs added to the narritive and kept the story moving, but none of them really stuck in my head. Maybe this was due to the fact that Unchained Melody is so well known and such a huge hit.
The actors were all solid and you felt a real connection between the two leads (Richard Fleeshman and Caissie Levy). I did get that lump in my throat when Sam died and at the end of the show, it tugs at your heart strings. I got to see Moya Angela as Oda Mae Brown and she was a hoot! The most unexpected (and refreshing) performance came from Tyler McGee (Subway Ghost) who channels a full on Eminem performance in teaching Sam how to "move" objects.
The marriage of good storytelling, performance and technology on display in this musical is going to make this a success. I suggest everyone get a loved on one and see this show. As technology advances and is embraced by the theater community more and more the lines will be blurred between live action and cinema. This is the wave of the future and I am already enjoying the ride.
GHOST The Musical | HOME | Official Broadway Site
Monday, March 19, 2012
Keens Steakhouse
Sometimes you have to get back to basics.....
Keens Steakhouse has been in exsistance since 1885 as a steakhouse. Before that it was a part of the Lamb's Club, a private club consisting of theater and literary types that originated in London. As you can imagine this has history written all over it's walls...and ceilings. Hanging from the ceiling you will find the many churchwarden pipes smoked by such well known members as Albert Einstein, Teddy Roosevelt, Babe Ruth, Will Rogers, J.P. Morgan and many others. This is a virtual museum to the past with scores of past political cartoons framed on the walls. This simple decor extends to everything here, including the food.
This is getting back to basics; no foams, no foie gras, no reduction or compote, simple straightforward food. Up first is a basket of rolls, hard on the outside, warm and soft on the inside. Accompanying that you get a dish of carrot and celery sticks with blue cheese dressing. To make it fance they throw in an olive and pickle. Order a scotch from thier huge list and get going with the meat already!
What we are really here for is the famous Mutton Chop. This saddle of adult sheep is crispy brown on the outside and juicy medium rare on the inside. Served with some wilted escarole and you have a man's meal. Order a side of potatoes (they come mashed, fried or boiled) and maybe some sauteed field mushrooms. Oh, wait, what's this, mint jelly? Well I guess it's kind of a sauce, but I had no use for it. All I needed was some salt and pepper. Basics! Yes the Mutton Chop can be hard to carve out; use your hands, or scrape the meat off the bone with your fork as I did, you don't need to worry about appearances here. And yes the meat is that good and sweeter next to the bone.
Keens Steakhouse has been in exsistance since 1885 as a steakhouse. Before that it was a part of the Lamb's Club, a private club consisting of theater and literary types that originated in London. As you can imagine this has history written all over it's walls...and ceilings. Hanging from the ceiling you will find the many churchwarden pipes smoked by such well known members as Albert Einstein, Teddy Roosevelt, Babe Ruth, Will Rogers, J.P. Morgan and many others. This is a virtual museum to the past with scores of past political cartoons framed on the walls. This simple decor extends to everything here, including the food.
This is getting back to basics; no foams, no foie gras, no reduction or compote, simple straightforward food. Up first is a basket of rolls, hard on the outside, warm and soft on the inside. Accompanying that you get a dish of carrot and celery sticks with blue cheese dressing. To make it fance they throw in an olive and pickle. Order a scotch from thier huge list and get going with the meat already!
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| From Keens Steakhouse website |
Sunday, March 11, 2012
The new ACME restaurant and lounge
Yes, I had a band that played in the basement lovingly called the "Acme Underground" And it was a dump. The food upstairs was Cajun cuisine, ie. fried food and greasy, not very sexy or good. But Acme has been reborn and it's now the coolest kid on the block and in the city.
Acme has two parts; the downstairs which is more of a bar/lounge area and the main dining room which is the ground floor but also sports a bar that you can eat at as well. The downstairs area is very nice and simple with a large copper bar and just the right amount of lighting to make everyone look good. I had a great Old Fashion and the rest of the drink menu was nicely put together. They also offer some food options there if the wait upstairs is to long for you.
This dish is the Salt Baked Beets. Loved the earthiness of the beets, they tasted so rich and soft. The addition of grapefruit and vinegar really brightened up the dish and the radishes added a nice crunch.
For the he main course I ordered the Creamy Potatoes and the Chicken & Eggs. Wow! These have to be the creamiest potatoes I have ever had, these have to be like 80% cream. I could eat the whole bowl by myself. To make it even better there is bacon inside of it and it is topped with crispy, fried shoestring onions. My mouth is watering just thinking about this.
Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Who cares! In this unassuming clay pot you have a choice to make and there is no wrong one. I would love to know how they got this chicken so moist and perfectly cooked, it was like magic in my mouth. Alongside in the pot you have a couple poached eggs that are then fried, what a great idea and fantastic execution. This dish really is that good, it is up there with my other favorite chicken dish; Jonathan Waxman's chicken at Barbuto.
Acme has two parts; the downstairs which is more of a bar/lounge area and the main dining room which is the ground floor but also sports a bar that you can eat at as well. The downstairs area is very nice and simple with a large copper bar and just the right amount of lighting to make everyone look good. I had a great Old Fashion and the rest of the drink menu was nicely put together. They also offer some food options there if the wait upstairs is to long for you.
The main dining room/ground floor is really where the action is though. There is a doorman to get in ala a nightclub, and he was very nice escorting us to the host stand which is half way into the room on the right. The place was absolutely packed bar and dining room with beautiful people, this IS the hot dining destination right now. After some drinks downstairs (there was a bit of a wait, but I wasn't surprised), we were seated in the rear of the restaurant surrounded by full tables. If you are going for an intimate evening, this is not the place. While the tables have enough distance between them, the noise level here is loud, but really; that's what most people will come for.
The food here I have to say I was pleasantly surprised.The Chef is from the world famous Noma, renowned for its "New Nordic" cuisine. How they got this chef to come to this place is a mystery to me, but it 's a coup for the owners. We started with some fantastic oysters; the accompanying mignonette had a brunois of cucumber in it which gave a nice textural contrast to the plump and juicy oysters. The Duck in a Jar - This I am seeing a lot of now days with having has great versions at Spotted Pig and Saxon & Parole recently. This one was great as well, a yummy spreadable fat with pickled veggies to break it up. I loved the smokiness of this with the fennel and carrot. It kind of reminded me of kalua pig texturally and smoke-wise.
This dish is the Salt Baked Beets. Loved the earthiness of the beets, they tasted so rich and soft. The addition of grapefruit and vinegar really brightened up the dish and the radishes added a nice crunch.
For the he main course I ordered the Creamy Potatoes and the Chicken & Eggs. Wow! These have to be the creamiest potatoes I have ever had, these have to be like 80% cream. I could eat the whole bowl by myself. To make it even better there is bacon inside of it and it is topped with crispy, fried shoestring onions. My mouth is watering just thinking about this.
Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Who cares! In this unassuming clay pot you have a choice to make and there is no wrong one. I would love to know how they got this chicken so moist and perfectly cooked, it was like magic in my mouth. Alongside in the pot you have a couple poached eggs that are then fried, what a great idea and fantastic execution. This dish really is that good, it is up there with my other favorite chicken dish; Jonathan Waxman's chicken at Barbuto.
The new Acme is on it's way to to being the destination for trendy dining. Unlike other places that are all scene and no food, this one really holds it's own on the food front. I love that the food seems so simple while at the same time it is so complex. Guests are already asking for this as word of mouth is spreading like wildfire. I'm going again soon to try more dishes and you better get in while you can, it's definitely worth it.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
"Once" on Broadway
Back in the day, I was a big fan of the movie "The Commitments." I too was a struggling musician in a dysfunctional band so it was funny to see it portrayed on the big screen. When I saw a few years ago that the geeky, curly haired guitarist from that movie had made another movie featuring himself as a street musician, I said this should be good. "Once" the movie had it's moments and interesting take on boy-meets-girl, but I felt like all the songs started sounding the same after a while; whiny and annoying.
Fast forward to present time and you have "Once" the musical playing on Broadway. After watching the movie I did not expect to like this as much as I did. There were some changes that I think made this much more entertaining as a live show than a movie. First, to me the additional music really helped to break up the more "emotional"(whiny) songs. Yes they kept the main theme which was a big hit and is that much more powerful live. But also in-between you have these very lively full company songs that make you want to get up and dance along with them. You feel like you are celebrating life with them.
The story seemed a more fleshed out with some fun and interesting characters; I think due to playwright Enda Walsh's involvement. The company as a whole was very entertaining and talented, all were quadruple threats acting, singing, playing instruments and dancing. The two leads were great castings. Guy (Steve Kazee) and Girl (Cristin Milioti) both had great voices and musicianship. Mr. Kazee's portrayal was heartfelt and displayed nice moments of confusion, frustration and innocence.
I did think the characterization of the Czech girl was a bit over the top at times (Eastern Europeans are not that serious all the time). Other than that minor point I think this could have a nice long run on Broadway. If you get a chance see it and enjoy a great night out.
In The Know:
Fast forward to present time and you have "Once" the musical playing on Broadway. After watching the movie I did not expect to like this as much as I did. There were some changes that I think made this much more entertaining as a live show than a movie. First, to me the additional music really helped to break up the more "emotional"(whiny) songs. Yes they kept the main theme which was a big hit and is that much more powerful live. But also in-between you have these very lively full company songs that make you want to get up and dance along with them. You feel like you are celebrating life with them.
The story seemed a more fleshed out with some fun and interesting characters; I think due to playwright Enda Walsh's involvement. The company as a whole was very entertaining and talented, all were quadruple threats acting, singing, playing instruments and dancing. The two leads were great castings. Guy (Steve Kazee) and Girl (Cristin Milioti) both had great voices and musicianship. Mr. Kazee's portrayal was heartfelt and displayed nice moments of confusion, frustration and innocence.
I did think the characterization of the Czech girl was a bit over the top at times (Eastern Europeans are not that serious all the time). Other than that minor point I think this could have a nice long run on Broadway. If you get a chance see it and enjoy a great night out.
- Get to the theater early to see the company warming up on stage
- Ever want to be ON a Broadway stage? At intermission you can go to the bar on stage and order a drink
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