Monday, August 10, 2015

July 2015: NYC...again!


Heisenberg

This two person, one act play proved so popular that it had been extended multiple times and with good reason. The adaptation, from a novel by the same playwright, Simon Stephens, who adapted the novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in The Night-Time for the stage, is expert and perfectly suits its star, Mary Louise Parker, with her always watchable quirks and extraordinary range. Her much older playing partner, Denis Arndt, is also excellent and, although unknown to me, matches her in personality and acting ability. This unlikely love story unwinds naturally in Manhattan Theatre Club's smallest theater, set up as an alleyway space with minimal scenery and props. While an absolute joy in such an intimate venue, this one would totally be swallowed up in a Broadway theater. Hopefully, it will have a long life in small theaters across the globe.



Fun Home, this time on Broadway

This was my best of 2013 when we saw it Off-Broadway in the Public's largest, proscenium theater. The new staging in the round at Circle on the Square is a marvel, but it's still the show and the cast that provide all of the heart. A few changes have been made and while I prefer the original ending, this true story of an adult lesbian cartoonist trying to make sense of her father's life and death remains an inspired choice for musical theatre. Well deserving of it's Best Musical Tony! It’s a joy that the amazing Sydney Lucas repeats her role as little Alison, but she’s almost as tall as middle Alison now!



On the 20th Century

The whole purpose for adding this short weekend in NYC was to see Kristin Chenoweth in the revival of this rarely produced musical after she was out sick every performance during our April trip. Thankfully, she was in and on fire! No one on Broadway is working as hard as Ms. Chenoweth is in this show and rarely is an actor as perfectly matched for a role. It's a crime that the boring-by-comparison performance of Kelli O'Hara in the stately revival of The King and I beat her out of a Tony. The show is a delightful diversion and the score doesn't disappoint even though the ending doesn't live up to the preceding hilarity. The always interesting Mary Louise Wilson was out, but her understudy Linda Muggleston seemed more than capable as the nut Mrs. Primrose. Worth the trip!!!

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