Long Live Rock

I posted on Thanksgiving about how thankful I was to have music in my life. On Saturday I got to visit the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Museum in (oh me-o, oh my-o, oh) Cleveland, OH and my gratitude only increased.

In a recent issue of Rolling Stone, the Hall of Fame and Museum dominated almost the entire issue. Rolling Stone’s editor and Publisher Jann Wenner was actually instrumental in establishing the Hall of Fame so covering the excitement surrounding the recent 25th Anniversary concert* that took place over two nights in New York’s Madison Square Garden was a no brainer. The issue is chock full of information about the Hall and Museum, including an explanation to the oft asked question, “Why is it in Cleveland?” (Answer: Alan Freed, a Cleveland DJ, coined the term “rock and roll”; that and Cleveland offered financial support for the museum!) Check out the issue for in-depth coverage of the concert and a thorough history of the Hall of Fame and museum.

My experience at the Museum was great. I love hearing musicians talk about music (which is why I think “It Might Get Loud” is one of the best films ever made) and their love of music. When artists articulate their passion for music, I think, “Yes, you get it! We’re brethren – we’re cut from the same cloth!” It was no surprise, then, that my favorite part of the museum was the plethora of musician testimonials. Throughout the Museum, artists’ quotes are scattered on the walls and within the artifacts; in the Jimi Hendrix exhibit (which was great but no match for the Jimi Hendrix Experience at the Experience Music Project in Seattle) the wall was decorated with various Jimi quotes, including one I loved so much, I wrote it down (after I finished tearing up.) Jimi said, “It’s not an act but a state of being. I play and move as I feel. My music, my instrument, my sound, my body are all one action with my mind.” Preach, brother! There were also great testimonials in the many films that played in various parts of the Museum. Bruce Springsteen is featured prominently in many of these films (and there’s currently a special exhibit about him at the Museum) and he is one of the greats when it comes to articulating how music makes you feel. Hearing The Boss talk about loving music was such a treat – when I got home, the first thing I did was put on my vinyl of Born in the USA. (And for what it’s worth: That album cover – whew, patriotism never looked so good!)

Another neat part of the Museum was seeing the original papers on which songwriters wrote their songs. In one display case was Jimi’s “first draft” of Purple Haze (which was originally titled Purple Haze/Jesus Saves). In another was Green Day’s Minority. In another were several Springsteen songs, including Glory Days. I think it’s so interesting to see where the artist was when he first wrote the song and then to listen to how the song changed (or didn’t change) by the time it was recorded.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the Museum, tells our musical history. It is a fantastic archive for any music fan to pore over and, with the exhibits and vault items constantly changing (only about one fifth of the artifacts in the vault are on display at a time), it is definitely worth rocking and rolling through again and again.

Visit the Rock Hall’s website for a complete list of Hall of Fame inductees, like The Boss, Led Zeppelin and Bob Dylan.

*Calling the exciting concerts that took place in October a 25th Anniversary concert is a bit of a misnomer. The idea for a Hall of Fame was hatched and set in motion in 1983. (A great year!) The first class of inductees was inducted in 1986. Neither of these years makes 2009 a 25th anniversary year. They could have easily called it the 26th Anniversary concert or the 23rd Anniversary concert, but they didn’t. Doesn’t anybody listen to Dan Rydell, who pleaded, “What, there’s a law that it’s gotta come on fives and tens?”

Music Saves - Thank Goodness

Just a quick note about last night's Glee. The episode was good but the Imagine scene was great. The glee club from the school for the deaf began "singing" and signing John Lennon's Imagine; Mercedes (the sassy Amber Riley) was so moved she began singing in her seat. After a few bars she got up and sang, shoulder to shoulder, with the other club's lead vocalist. Then Artie joined her. Then Tina and Rachel and all the McKinley High misfits. The two clubs were singing together, signing together, expressing themselves, in their own ways, united by music. I started to cry and thought, "This is the power of music. Music unites us all and connects us and allows us to have these beautiful moments of clarity and peace." Well done, Glee.

On this Thanksgiving, I am eternally grateful and thankful for music. It truly is "the way we sing that makes 'em dream". Happy Thanksgiving!

American Idiot: Berkeley

I remember anticipating and then purchasing Green Day’s "American Idiot" in 2004. We were at the tail end of a heated presidential election – the first one in which I was eligible to vote for POTUS. W. was the incumbent and Senator John Kerry his opponent. On campus, you couldn’t get through the student union without passing by wranglers for both sides. Even my crush was getting into it, manning a booth and canvassing his neighborhood. (Unfortunately, he was supporting what I thought was the wrong side.) Folksiness and ignorance were being celebrated while intellect and an inclination toward analysis had to make its case. The country was at war (with one another – figuratively – and with countries abroad – literally) and I was hungry for someone or something to speak to me – to express the rage I had for those who celebrated ignorance and a feeling of being eschewed by a country whose most vocal majority probably didn’t know what “eschewed’ meant. Along came Green Day and its punk rock artistry.

Released on September 21, 2004, Green Day’s "American Idiot" was an instant classic and, for a while, it permanently resided in Lucas (my first car.) I believe an artist’s job is to express what we, collectively, are feeling but can’t quite articulate. The artist feels the same things and shares them with the world as pure and honest public group therapy; art allows us to experience our emotions and collectively rejoice, rock and roll in the commonality of these shared human feelings. "American Idiot" did this and still rings raw and true today, over five years later.

From the first listen to the album (I drove needlessly around campus just to continue listening!) I began picturing the action on stage. Written as a rock opera, complete with characters’ postcards in the liner notes, imagining "American Idiot" on stage was no stretch. Lead singer, guitarist and songwriter Billie Joe Armstrong said that from the time the album was released he and his band mates, bassist Mike Dirnt and drummer Tre Cool, fielded offers to turn their punk-rockin’ concept album into a stage production and a film. Finally, sometime in 2007, high off his Tony winning turn as director of Spring Awakening, Michael Mayer reached out to Green Day and a beautiful collaboration ensued, leading them to premiere American Idiot on stage at Berkeley Repertory Theatre this past fall.

Mayer and Armstrong wrote the book, which is very light and serves mostly as an expository device, and remained faithful to the album. Character names and relationships were taken from the liner notes and those postcards became the basis of the scant dialogue. Using all the songs, in order, from "American Idiot" plus a couple of B-sides from that record and a handful of songs from Green Day’s latest album, "21st Century Breakdown," itself a rock opera, Mayer and Green Day presented a show telling the story of suburban youths in revolt – revolting against the mainstream; Moms and Brads; government; circumstances; or just sheer directionlessness and the results are spectacular.

To bring the musical to theatrical life, Mayer assembled a crack team of theatre vets, many of whom he’d worked with on Spring Awakening. Chief among them, though not someone who was involved with Spring Awakening, was Tom Kitt. As mentioned in my review of Next to Normal, Tom Kitt is an extraordinary musician whose talent and rock & roll sensibility is unparalleled in the theatre world. Kitt was brought on to orchestrate American Idiot. He more than delivered. Songs that I am so used to hearing with only a guitar, a bass and a drum kit come fully to life with Kitt’s affecting arrangements. (Green Day thought so too: Tom worked so well with Green Day in the early days of American Idiot’s stage life that the band called upon him to write orchestrations for "21st Century Breakdown.")

While the orchestral enhancements shed new light on the familiar songs of "American Idiot," they weren’t the only element at work. The real thrill of "American Idiot" becoming a stage production with a full cast of characters was hearing Green Day’s music interpreted by female vocalists. This might have been the most powerful part of the production. Watching and hearing “Letterbomb” in context and as sung with pure, unadulterated emotion by a woman had lasting effects: I still tear up when I listen to the song, over a month after having seen the show. Imagine hearing something one way for so many years and then all at once every idea you had about that song is turned upside down – in a great way! It’s revelatory. (It also speaks to the power of what a great cover can do; read: Jimi’s Star Spangled Banner.) Hearing these songs differently allows you to rediscover the music – the lyrics, the notes, the emotions – and fall in love with it all over again.

If Green Day had only made this record, dayeinu. If Michael Mayer had only staged it, dayeinu. If Tom Kitt had only arranged the score, dayeinu. If women had only given voice to the poetry of "American Idiot," dayeinu. But, folks, we’re in for a real treat: John Gallagher, Jr. leads this ensemble of misfits and he’s never been better.

Johnny Gallagher is a favorite of mine; he is a talented musician, a truly gifted actor and sincerely grateful for the support of his fans. I have a huge, ridiculous crush on his talent and if you ever have the pleasure of watching him live on stage you will know why. Since coming into my life in the spring of 2007 by way of a little show called Spring Awakening, Johnny has never disappointed me. (I should note that although Spring Awakening marked the first time I saw him on stage, Johnny actually had a supporting role in the season four opener of The West Wing!)

At the time I discovered Spring Awakening and John, he was in a band called Old Springs Pike; I took a road trip from DC to Philly to catch them play at the Philadelphia Folk Festival and was hooked. Johnny has since left the band and continued as a solo singer-songwriter. The remaining three incredibly talented musicians, James Cleare, Heather Robb and James Smith, persevered as a trio, changed their name to The Spring Standards and are putting the finishing touches on their debut LP. Their live shows, by the way, are not to be missed.

After Spring Awakening, Johnny gave a heartfelt performance (and maintained a decent Irish accent) in Conor McPherson’s Port Authority, holding his own on stage with Brian d’Arcy James and Jim Norton. Then in fall 2008 he rightfully received raves for his turn in the world premiere of Beau Willimon’s Farragut North, a political drama in which Johnny played a 25-year-old wunderkind campaign operative. (Side note: When living in DC, I worked off of Farragut North. I’d been hearing about this play since its early gestation when it was going to be optioned into a movie starring either Leonardo DiCaprio or Jake Gyllenhaal. I would have been excited to see this no matter who played the role of Stephen. The fact that it was Johnny was just the delicious cream cheese frosting on the red velvet cake.) After Farragut North, Johnny played a couple of solo shows around town and appeared in a supporting role in Woody Allen’s Whatever Works, all while participating in readings and workshops of American Idiot. When the show was officially booked to premiere at Berkeley Rep, Johnny was cast in the lead role, named for him, creating a role that is in his bones.

Now, I say that with a little trepidation because the character Johnny is a little unseemly and the person Johnny is a wonderful guy; but the raw emotion the character feels is brilliantly channeled by the actor living his dream by working with and playing Green Day’s music on stage. Like me, Johnny has been a Green Day fan for years; he even covered "When I Come Around" at a show at Joe’s Pub in August 2008 (and surely at other shows at which I was not in attendance). Within the stage production of American Idiot, we get the pleasure of watching Johnny, alone on stage, armed with only his guitar and his voice, sing "Wake Me Up When September Ends." It is truly and wholly awesome. That moment alone was worth the entire trip. (I traveled out to Berkeley from New York to catch American Idiot in its world premiere. I don’t even like going to the Lower East Side because it is not on my train line but I could not miss the combination of Green Day, Michael Mayer, Tom Kitt and my dear Johnny Gallagher.)

American Idiot concluded its twice extended run at Berkeley Rep on November 15, 2009. Almost immediately, it was announced that Green Day were heading into the studio with the cast of American Idiot to re-record their current hit single (and number in the show) "21 Guns." It is now available to stream and will be available to download at the end of December. It is one of the most beautiful pieces of art I've ever experienced. Listen now and then listen again. Now the important question is: When is it coming to New York? While it’s been confirmed that the show will run on Broadway, a time table is not in place as there is not a theatre lined up. Be assured that as soon as a theatre is announced and tickets go on sale, I’m booking myself for the opening night of previews, opening night and several other dates because American Idiot, live and on stage, means expression and artistry have a place in this world and to miss out on it, you’d have to be an idiot.

He Made Us Laugh!

Since the season began in September, Saturday Night Live has been, in my opinion, only sporadically funny. My favorite parts of SNL are usually Weekend Update, the digital short and the cold open, in that order; the sketches are not consistently funny or sometimes the funniest sketch is on at 12:50, rather than in a prime pre-Weekend Update block. This past Saturday’s episode, though, hosted by the adorable Joseph Gordon-Levitt, was entirely funny.

The late-in-the-show Thanksgiving sketch had a good pay-off after a slow start: When the family began singing Wilson Phillips, I was laughing out loud. (Watch highlights from the episode on Hulu.) And, more remarkable, the final sketch – usually more of a filler than anything else – could easily have been slated in the front of the show: Recreating the infamous “Lloyd holding the boom-box” scene from Say Anything, Gordon-Levitt’s deadpan Lloyd was smartly contrasted with Jason Sudeikis’s wise cracking neighbor. The digital short was definitely funny, if a little tawdry, and I was happy to hear a new song from The Lonely Island after the last few digital shorts were music-less. A friend of mine just suggested why this entire episode was funny: The host committed to the comedy. The last few weeks have seen uncertain and uncomfortable hosts, mostly all doing variations on boring characters. Gordon-Levitt played different characters and went big on each of them, not that I’d expect anything less from such a talented and committed actor.

The highlight of this episode, though, was Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s opening monologue. Proving he’s a true showman, Gordon-Levitt gave us his fully choreographed rendition of the Singin’ in the Rain classic, “Make ‘Em Laugh”. As he explained earlier in the week on Jimmy Fallon, Gordon-Levitt hatched his idea for the opening monologue two months ago when he learned he’d be hosting the late-night comedy show, now in its 35th season. Working with the choreographer from his summer hit (500) Days of Summer, Gordon-Levitt was palpably excited to share one of his favorite musical comedy moments with us all. Gordon-Levitt is a skilled and respected actor and a charmer to boot, and clearly he just gave his audition for whatever the next movie musical is (or, dare I dream, a stint on the boards). Maybe Nicely Nicely in Guy Ritchie’s remake of Guys and Dolls? I’d suggest him for Nathan, but I think JTims has that covered. Or, even better, perhaps Joseph Gordon-Levitt could book himself a recurring role on Glee. *swoon* That might be too much to handle!

Off-Broadway Briefing

As promised, here’s an off-Broadway Briefing:

• Avenue Q - full disclosure - I haven’t seen the show since it transferred off-Broadway; truth be told I haven’t seen Avenue Q since December 2003, before it David-ed Goliath, aka Wicked. (I guess, though, since Wicked continues to play to capacity - and on Broadway - Elphaba, Glinda and Fiyero got the last laugh.) All that said, I really like Avenue Q. My family - mom, dad, brother and me - saw it together and we all liked it. My mom and I are really the only theatre fans so the fact that even my brother liked it is quite an endorsement. Avenue Q is snarky yet surprisingly affecting for a show I’d describe as Sesame Street on crack, though I mean that as a compliment. One of my favorite songs is “Mix Tape” in which Kate Monster tries to decipher the meaning behind the songs on the mix tape her crush, Princeton, just gave to her. When, at the end of the song, Kate quietly says to herself, “He likes me!” I tear up nearly every time. Avenue Q is fun, smart and honest (and now that it’s off-Broadway, tickets are cheaper!)


• Let Me Down Easy - phenomenal. In this one-actor play, renowned actor/playwright (and The West Wing alum!) Anna Deavere Smith portrays tens of people talking about life, the health care system and mortality. At times funny, other times deeply moving, Let Me Down Easy is nothing if not timely but don’t miss it because you have health care debate fatigue: this doesn’t take sides but rather presents thought-provoking testimonials that ultimately make you think about what kind of life you want to live. This is at Second Stage Theatre but only until January 3 (it’s already been extended more than once) so see it soon.


• This - This is about this… and that, and that, and this, and that… While This elicits a chuckle now and then and includes an actor (Darren Pettie) who’s easy on the eyes, This is unfocused and tries too hard to raise questions is doesn’t bother to answer. The cast seems unconnected to one another - not so much like they’re in different plays but there’s just a lack of chemistry among them. Location and relationships are not well established which left me spending much of the play trying to figure out how the characters were related or where they were, rather than paying attention to what was actually going on. It’s a world premiere in a limited run at Playwright’s Horizons so it’s likely still being worked on and may improve in future productions (if there are any) but for now, skip this.


• The Understudy - hilarious! In this new play from Theresa Rebeck, a stage manager (the peerless and always terrific Julie White) and an up-and-coming action movie star (Mark-Paul Gosselaar - yup Zack Morris! - who is very good here in his NY stage debut and also gracious and charming at the stage door!) assemble at the theatre for a put-in rehearsal for the understudy (Justin Kirk, flexing his physical comedy skills and trademark smarminess). While there are plenty of jabs and jokes sure to thrill the theatre cognoscenti, the dynamism of each character and the emotional states they see each other through make this a must-see for all. This Roundabout production (that means $20 Hiptix are available for those 18-35) is playing a limited run at the Laura Pels Theatre; it’s been extended once, but the actors have other commitments so even if it extends again, try to see it now to be sure you have the pleasure of spending 90 minutes with these three talented and thoroughly entertaining actors.

Broadway Briefing

In the interest of efficiency, rather than back-logging I instead offer this briefing of shows I’ve seen (that are still playing and that I didn’t review in depth in a previous post). Going forward, I’ll share my complete thoughts about and reactions to shows, concerts, et al as I see them. This post is the Broadway edition. A smaller off-Broadway edition will be posted later.

• The 39 Steps – fun and entertaining; four cast members play over one hundred characters, using light and sound to great effect. This is closing in January, (it was originally a limited run, then extended to an open ended run and went through several venue changes; there’s now talk that it may move off-Broadway, a la Avenue Q) so try to see it at the Helen Hayes Theatre while it’s there.
  


• Billy Elliot – good but not revelatory. The choreography is impressive but the score is derivative. A general crowd pleaser, BE is selling so well that one year into their run they still don’t have to offer discounts. If you want to see this, plan in advance – no TKTS scores for this one.
  


• Burn the Floor – energetic dancing and a slick, highly produced production. I saw this for free (I went with a friend who had press tickets) on its first night of previews over the summer. It was nice to see a dance show while NYC Ballet was on hiatus, but nothing that you should run to given all the other theatre options.
  


• Bye, Bye, Birdie – highly disappointing. There was no chemistry among the cast; the kids lacked energy (except for the curtain call number); Gina Gershon struggled to hit her notes and her marks; and Bill Irwin thought he was in clown school instead of Henry Miller’s Theatre. I thought my summer camp production (in which I played Mae Peterson!) was better.
  


• Fela! – Great! Telling the deeply moving story of Fela Kuti, a Nigerian musician who used his nightclub (the Shrine) and music (Afro-beat) as a mode of political expression, Fela! envelops you from the moment you walk into the theatre and are greeted with “Welcome na de Shrine.” Bill T. Jones, who won a Tony for choreographing Spring Awakening, conceived, co-wrote, directed and choreographed this production which is not to be missed. (Bonus: During the show you get a free dance lesson!) (Extra bonus: Jay-Z, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith are now producers.) Update: Read the rave review in the NY Times!
  


• Finian’s Rainbow – simply delightful. The director and creative team were smart to downplay the clunky (and slightly exploitative) book and instead focus on the aesthetic and beautiful score. The cast is terrific: Hunky Cheyenne Jackson commands the stage when he’s on and has a charm that’s difficult to resist; Chris Fitzgerald is hilarious (and acrobatic!) as a leprechaun; Jim Norton is a sweet, sweet, old man who you just want to keep in your pocket; and Kate Baldwin is sensational. A feisty red-head, Baldwin mostly nails the Irish accent and has a lovely, sweet, wistful voice that makes you wish you were back in Glocca Mora. (Sports Night fans: fast forward to 6:30.)
  


• God of Carnage – excellent. Yasmina Reza is an extraordinary modern playwright with a knack for biting and honest dialogue. Expertly directed by Matt Warchus (one of the best directors out there, in my opinion) this crisp play about a pair of parents gathering to discuss an “altercation” between their sons is funny, sharp and elicits a visceral reaction. The New York production was headlined by all stars James Gandolfini, Hope Davis, Jeff Daniels and Marcia Gay Harden, who was honored with a Tony for her performance. That cast just left and a new (slightly less bright) starry cast, including Jimmy Smits and Christine Lahti, just began their run. I think the clever writing and pitch-perfect direction will translate for this cast and others. (On a side note: Matt Warchus directed Boeing Boeing two seasons ago (a great farce starring Bradley Whitford!) and The Norman Conquest Trilogy last season. Both were terrific, not least of all because of Warchus’s immense talent.)
  


• In the Heights – lots of unjustified hype. This was hailed as new and exciting and revolutionary. I found it to be none of those things. Well, new, yes – it is not a revival – but new with regard to structure or devices? Nope. Lin-Manuel Miranda should be commended for having written a musical – that’s an incredible feat. However, it is as traditional a book musical as they come: Big number to end act one, soft love song to begin act two followed quickly by a big production number… Nothing new in the structure. I also didn’t care for the two female leads (one of whom has left – but she’s currently Anita in West Side Story) and I also didn’t think the choreography was inventive. Most people who see this love it; perhaps if I saw it again, with this different cast and now after the hype has died down I might enjoy it more, but there’s too much else that I’ve yet to see (or want to see again) to take a chance on being disappointed twice.
  


• The Lion King – I saw this in London in December 2000 but I think it’s a safe bet that the New York production is the same. It was entertaining and the audience’s (and my) excitement at watching the “animals” crawl through the theatre was palpable. The script and most of the score is taken verbatim from the movie which is fine – newness is not why you see Lion King. Tickets are on the pricier side (it is, after all, a Disney production) and a little hard to come by, but it’s sure to entertain the whole family.
  


• Memphis – a fantastic new original musical. Set in 1950s Memphis, this tells the story of a white DJ who likes “race music”, as it’s called. He falls for a black singer (the powerhouse Montego Glover) and tries to get her – and her friends’ – record on the radio. Though the racial intolerance they encounter is a little trite, the music – which runs the gamut from rock to gospel to R&B – is powerful and the choreography thrills. Sergio Trujillo, who choreographed Jersey Boys and Next to Normal, does excellent work here; just try sitting through this without shaking your groove thing!
  


• Phantom of the Opera – I also saw this in London in December 2000; I think I just don’t care for the show. I don’t remember much about particular performances, but Phantom is a big, huge theatrical production. Not quite my thing but, as the longest running show in Broadway history, I’m clearly in the minority in that opinion. (Although, I think it sells so well because it’s so well known, not necessarily because it’s known for being done well.)
  


• Ragtime – good. Usually there is more time between an original production and a revival but a little over ten years later, this scaled down production of Ragtime is welcomed and particularly poignant – perhaps even more so in the age of Obama than during its original run. Christiane Noll is fabulous as Mother and Bobby Steggert is powerful as Younger Brother, if a little reminiscent of Jonathan Groff in Spring Awakening. Stephanie Umoh, who plays Sarah, lacks the vocal power and stage presence of Audra McDonald, who originated the role, which makes Wheels of a Dream a little disappointing, but Quentin Earl Darrington, taking on the pivotal role of Colehouse Walker, originated by Brian Stokes Mitchell, more than makes up for it in Make Them Hear You. A bare-bones set and fluid staging highlight the score and help to make for an enjoyable night of theatre.
  


• Shrek the Musical – Sutton Foster. She’s a dynamo and will cast a spell over you at the start of act two. Unfortunately, the musical is just good. Not great. It’s funny and a little cheeky and all the performances are solid but Shrek suffers from too high expectations. Brian d’Arcy James, who until recently played the big green ogre, is a terrific performer with a smooth, affecting voice and expertly sharpened acting chops; the problem is that the show didn’t show this off. Shrek closes in January but will kick off its national tour in Chicago in July 2010.
  


• Wicked – a great big powerhouse of a musical. With a traditional Broadway score and production numbers, this isn’t the kind of musical I tend to become passionate about and see multiple times, but it is a great show to see at least once, whether in NY or on tour. Wicked shows us what happened in Oz before Dorothy arrived. Wicked the musical is a lot more fantastical than the Gregory Maguire novel upon which it’s based and takes some liberties with the plot, but that doesn’t really matter. The score is fantastic, including the light hearted but deceivingly sardonic Popular, the “you-go-girl” anthem Defying Gravity (watch Rachel and Kurt’s “diva-off” on Glee and try not to cry) and my (and my mom’s) favorite, For Good, a beautiful ballad about recognizing the power of people’s presence. Discounts are nonexistent and the show consistently sells to capacity so plan ahead and be prepared to spend big. Worth it, though, for a great show (and pre show: The Gershwin is a huge theatre and the theatrical history depicted in the photos lining the walls are cat nip for dramaturges and theatre buffs like me.)

West Side Story

Okay, so maybe horror is a bit strong. The current revival of West Side Story is not a horror. But it is not for a lack of trying. Bad direction, awkward book revisions and weak or ill-suited actors turn one of the best American musicals into a drab and poorly executed tourist trap.

Based on Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet, West Side Story tells the tale of star crossed lovers Tony, a former Jet, and Maria, a recent Puerto Rican immigrant whose brother is the leader of the Jets’ rival gang, the Sharks. With music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and original choreography (mostly faithfully recreated here) by the great Jerome Robbins, West Side Story has become one of the most acclaimed and beloved pieces of art in the American Musical Theatre canon. What trips up this production are both the hubris of original book writer Arthur Laurents and some of the cast.

Laurents, a theatre world luminary, was widely applauded for his direction of last season’s Gypsy. (Laurents wrote the book for Gypsy, too.) With this revival of West Side Story, he tried to make lightning strike twice but alas, it was not to be. Serving as director and book updater, Laurents presents an utterly flat production. His direction of certain scenes, scenes that, when played well, are thoroughly moving, instead clunk along. His book revisions, particularly the glad-hand shouting “Abstinence” during the dance scene anytime a couple gets too close, are terribly awkward and make you wish that this were a concert version of West Side Story or even just the West Side Story suite that the NYC Ballet often includes in its season. Then we’d get the good stuff – the stuff that made West Side Story an instant classic: the score and choreography. (The original book, I should note, is moving. Upon reading through the libretto for the first time, I found myself crying at Laurents’ description of Maria crumbling as she holds Tony in her arms. And this ending wasn’t a surprise; I’d read Romeo + Juliet multiple times, seen the movie of West Side Story too many times to count and taken in a couple of local stage productions.)

Unfortunately, though, that’s not where the horror ends. This cast just doesn’t get it right. Some of it is the direction but some of it is the actor’s lack of ability. Generally, the ensemble is good but drab. Their performances are rather lackluster – no fire or fight behind their eyes (or jazz hands.) More specifically, my problems lie with Matt Cavanaugh and Karen Olivo, who play Tony and Anita, respectively.

Cavanaugh is nice enough to look at and a decent actor but I have two major complaints: the two times I’ve heard him try to do a New York accent (the other time was in A Catered Affair) it comes out New England-y. There is a distinct difference between a New York and New England accent but Cavanaugh doesn’t bother to learn it. My other beef is that his vibrato is out of control – in a bad way. Sometimes a little vibrato is called for; it’s not called for, though, in full force on every note. Every note! Even on notes that don’t seem long enough to even discern a vibrato, Matt Cavanaugh sneaks it in. He’s leaving the show sometime this winter. Smart money says that unless they stunt cast, which they don’t need to, whoever takes over the role (perhaps an understudy movin’ on up) will be leaps and bounds better.

Karen Olivo. I know many people in the theatre community, both patrons like myself as well as actors, who know Olivo, like her and respect her talent. I’m sure she really is a lovely person but I don’t think she’s very good. (Her husband, Matt Caplan, on the other hand, was one of the best Marks I ever saw in Rent and was great in the world premiere of American Idiot, which recently ended its hugely successful run at Berkeley Rep and is likely to come to NY this spring.) I disliked Olivo last season when she was in In the Heights (which itself was disappointing) and she didn’t do anything to change my opinion in West Side Story – if anything she only confirmed my original reaction: she can’t sing and she definitely can’t dance. I know – how could someone who can’t sing or dance be in West Side Story? It’s such a beautiful score and the choreography – Jerome Robbins choreography! And, “Wait a second,” you’re saying, “she won the Tony.” As Raul Esparza supporters (particularly circa 2007) will tell you, sometimes the Tony folks get it wrong. Karen Olivo can sing – just not all the notes she’s supposed to. And not powerfully. And she can dance, if dancing is to be defined, as in Webster’s, simply as moving rhythmically to music. She can do that but again, not well. Not well enough to do justice to Jerome Robbins’s brilliant choreography. Olivo herself is Latina and she’s playing the spit-fieriest of the Latin spit-fires in Anita. Yet, her hips don’t move. There’s no spirit in her steps. Instead, she relies on her hair and dress for fluidity while she remains stiff and boring. For me, the most thrilling part of Jerome Robbins’s choreography, here and elsewhere, is that you see the music in his movements. This is not the case when his moves are performed by Olivo.

What is perhaps so egregious about this production is that it is uninspiring. Consider a family vacationing in New York and deciding to see a Broadway show. They recognize West Side Story – it’s supposed to be one of the greats – manage to get tickets and plop down in the Palace theatre after a day of sight-seeing. If this were a great, or even good production, maybe the 11 year old sitting with his bratty sister and parents would think, “Wow! So this is what theatre’s all about. I want to be a part of this.” Instead, this clunky and drab production will probably only inspire the 11 year old to fidget and cry out, Kurtz-like, “The horror! The horror!”

Next to Normal

I like roller coasters. When I was in college (in Orlando) I frequented Islands of Adventure so I could ride in the front row of Ice and channel my inner Bruce Banner while blasting through The Hulk. I like having that excitement – bursts at a time – preceded by climbing anticipation and followed by relieved recovery. I like my theatre like I like roller coasters which is why, to bring it around, I love Next to Normal.

Next to Normal is an original American musical, over ten years in the making and well worth the wait. I was first exposed to the dramatic musical in February 2008 when it was produced off-Broadway by Second Stage Theatre. I didn’t know what to expect – didn’t even have a clue as to what the show was about – and was thoroughly entertained and moved by the show and completely blown away by (most) of the cast. (Two cast members have changed since that iteration; one is equally as good as his predecessor and one is miles better.) The emotion in Alice Ripley’s voice; the electricity in Aaron Tveit’s every move; the nuanced fragility of Jennifer Damiano’s performance – all these elements plus a truly compelling book with even more affecting lyrics and music make for the best original musical in ages.

To put it simply, Next to Normal is about a family dealing with a mother who is bipolar. There’s nothing schticky or trite about the depictions. Everything comes from a place of earnestness and honesty. Yes, the test for the teenage couple is still a school dance (a paragon of teenage rom-coms) but the show is so well executed that this minor dalliance into stock territory is fully forgivable.

I would say that watching Next to Normal is like sitting in on a master class in musical theatre except that everything is so good, you don’t see the work – or, more accurately, you don’t see the effort. Brian Yorkey wrote raw, revealing and revelatory lyrics (and he wrote the show’s book) which were then set to the music of one of American Musical Theatre’s greatest modern musicians, Tom Kitt. Kitt has a knack for beautifully expressing moments through music and, unlike other musicals currently on the boards, his score sounds original rather than a derivative of something I’ve heard twenty times before (I’m looking at you, Billy Elliot.) With most of the show being sung-through, the music is the lynch-pin that holds the show together. No wonder Next to Normal took home the Tony for both Best Orchestrations and Best Score. (Alice Ripley rightfully won the Tony for Best Leading Actress in a Musical.)

Also exemplary is how wonderfully many of the songs stand on their own. Yes, some of the songs, when taken out of context, are not exactly shower songs. But the ones that are are nothing short of breathtaking. "I Miss the Mountains" is a testament to the virtue of feeling life rather than numbing yourself to the highs in an effort to escape the lows. "Super Boy and the Invisible Girl" is, arguably, every younger sibling’s anthem. "I’m Alive" is, well, alive. It’s sinister and exhilarating at once and the memory of watching Aaron Tveit bound around on stage during the number is truly unforgettable. (I’ll take a moment here to lament the Tony nominating committee’s malfeasance in not even nominating Tveit for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical. The actor who won was not, in my opinion, even the best of those nominated, but the fact that Tveit was not a nominee is appalling.) And the final number, "Light," is, without giving anything away, simply the perfect ending to this thrilling ride.

Hair

The Hippies are at the Hirschfeld – Hallelujah! The current revival of Hair, the seminal 1960s American Tribal Love-Rock Musical is not to be missed. I’ve seen this production, including the iteration from the Park last summer, ten times and counting, with tickets for my eleventh and twelfth viewing already purchased.

Hair follows a group of passionate young people “who care about strangers, who say they care about social injustice” and who love to live life. It begins by heralding in the Age of Aquarius and then we are soon introduced to the beautiful Hippies who will be our guides, including Claude (played by the passionate Gavin Creel), Woof (embodied by the endlessly talented Bryce Ryness) and Jeanie (brought to life by the exuberant Kacie Sheik). When Claude receives his draft notice (the show takes place in 1967) he grapples with what to do.

Really, what the American Tribal Love-Rock Musical is about is passion: Caring so deeply about something you’re moved to action. This show shows young people being free and fighting for what they believe is right. This show empowers people to stand up for equality and justice and freedom. And it practices what it preaches.

On October 11, 2009, the producers of Hair canceled that day’s performance so that the entire cast, crew and production team could lead the Broadway community and others in a march on Washington for Equality Now! The National March for Equality was organized in part by Cleve Jones, a disciple of Harvey Milk, and successfully endeavored to show strong numerical support for equality for all. (Read: Marriage Equality and the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.) The fact that everyone involved in the production was a part of putting the words they utter eight times a week into action speaks volumes as to why the show is a success.

In less passionate and honestly affected hands, this show would come off as inauthentic and it would feel like some kids dressing like hippies on Halloween. Instead, this Tribe of Hippies comes together eight times a week to create a beautiful and safe environment where, to paraphrase the show, everyone can be free; be whoever they are and do whatever they want to do – just as long as they don’t hurt anybody.

I think what makes me feel so connected to this show is that I identify as a hippie liberal and when I’m dancing with the Hippies, I don’t feel judged. I don’t feel inhibited. I don’t feel like I need to apologize for who I am, what I think or why I like something. I can just shake my hair (and my groove thing) and know that I’m surrounded by love.

Peace.