| Little dancer | |
| Posted by: | dramedy 10:57 pm EST 11/18/14 |
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| The score is lush but also rather bland. It works for the show and sets the period, but definitely nothing to sink your teeth into at the end of the night unlike ragtime that also set the period but was memerable. I think the biggest flaw is that the little dancer (Marie played by tiler peck, who towers over the other dancers) dances beautifully and acts well in the part, but never ever sings. How can you have the lead character of a musical never sing a note. The adult Marie (rebecca luker) shadows the young Marie throughout the musical and gives song to the character. So when her musician lover sings his love to her, there is no duet. I found it hard to get emotionally involved with the little dancer with this gapping hole in the character. In contrast, the ballerina in on the town does sing. There is a lot to admire on stage including boyd Gaines, who gives a lot of depth to degas. Lots of ballet dancing, although the stage is very high at the eisenhower and one needs to be farther back to see the toe shoes. It is a lush score played by the orchestra that is actually in the pit and not hidden away. | |
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| Karen Ziemba? | |
| Posted by: | seeseveryshow 12:47 pm EST 11/19/14 |
| In reply to: | Little dancer - dramedy 10:57 pm EST 11/18/14 |
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| Didn't she win a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her non-singing role in CONTACT? | |
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| re: Karen Ziemba? | |
| Posted by: | allineedisthegirl 01:00 pm EST 11/19/14 |
| In reply to: | Karen Ziemba? - seeseveryshow 12:47 pm EST 11/19/14 |
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| No, that was Natalia Makarova for On Your Toes. db | |
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| re: Karen Ziemba? | |
| Posted by: | seeseveryshow 12:49 pm EST 11/19/14 |
| In reply to: | Karen Ziemba? - seeseveryshow 12:47 pm EST 11/19/14 |
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| sorry - it was for best featured actress... | |
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| some of us don't think Contact was a musical in the first place | |
| Posted by: | dramedy 01:39 pm EST 11/19/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Karen Ziemba? - seeseveryshow 12:49 pm EST 11/19/14 |
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| it was a play with taped music. | |
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| re: Karen Ziemba? | |
| Posted by: | MikeR 12:54 pm EST 11/19/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Karen Ziemba? - seeseveryshow 12:49 pm EST 11/19/14 |
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| And Boyd Gaines won Best Featured Actor in a Musical for the same show, despite only singing a couple a capella bars of "You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You." | |
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| I believe .... | |
| Posted by: | jdm 05:59 am EST 11/19/14 |
| In reply to: | Little dancer - dramedy 10:57 pm EST 11/18/14 |
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| the lead in On Your Toes does not sing. In fact, I think when Natalia Markarova won he Tony, it was mentioned it was a first, a non-singing Best Actress in a Musical Tony. Jim | |
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| re: I believe .... | |
| Posted by: | BroadwayTonyJ 10:39 am EST 11/19/14 |
| In reply to: | I believe .... - jdm 05:59 am EST 11/19/14 |
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| The role of Vera in the original 1936 production of On Your Toes was created for Blanchine's wife, the famed Russian ballerina Tamara Geva, who apparently did not sing. The revivals in '54 and '83 kept the role as non-singing, casting Vera Zorina and Natalia Makarova. In a situation similar to Makarova's, Thomas Mitchell won the 1953 Tony as Best Actor in a Musical in a role that was also non-singing. | |
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| do you know who else was nominated | |
| Posted by: | dramedy 11:18 am EST 11/19/14 |
| In reply to: | re: I believe .... - BroadwayTonyJ 10:39 am EST 11/19/14 |
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| the tonys.org only shows winner and maybe the nominees weren't announced. Looking at the winners, Wonderful Town was the big new musical and that doesn't have much of a male lead, so i can see how a male lead in another musical could win. supporting roles went to musicals Wish You Were Here and Two's Company, two more muscials i've never heard of. I guess there were weak seasons for musicals back in the hey days of Broadway. | |
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| re: do you know who else was nominated | |
| Posted by: | BroadwayTonyJ 12:06 pm EST 11/19/14 |
| In reply to: | do you know who else was nominated - dramedy 11:18 am EST 11/19/14 |
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| They didn't start announcing the nominees until 1956. Thomas Mitchell played the role of Enoch Downer, the doctor, who was sort of a character lead in Hazel Flagg. I imagine that his co-star John Howard, the romantic lead, was Mitchell's main competition for the Tony. George Gaynes was the male lead in Wonderful Town, and Jack Cassidy was the male lead in Wish You Were Here, but since both were below the title, it's hard to know if they were considered candidates for Best Actor in a Musical. Maybe Mitchell got the award by default. | |
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| wow, you expect many people to know the show | |
| Posted by: | dramedy 11:06 am EST 11/19/14 |
| In reply to: | re: I believe .... - BroadwayTonyJ 10:39 am EST 11/19/14 |
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| had to look that up--Hazel Flagg. I've never heard of that musical, but it only lasted 190 performances. | |
| Link | http://ibdb.com/production.php?id=2216 |
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| re: wow, you expect many people to know the show | |
| Posted by: | BroadwayTonyJ 12:15 pm EST 11/19/14 |
| In reply to: | wow, you expect many people to know the show - dramedy 11:06 am EST 11/19/14 |
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| Sorry about that. I sometimes forget that only the elder theatre geeks like me are going to remember shows like Hazel Flagg. Helen Gallagher (Hazel) and the cast performed a really raucus number called You're Gonna Dance with Me, Willie on the Ed Sullivan Show during its run on Broadway. Jule Styne wrote the music. Musicals Tonight is doing a revival of Hazel Flagg in Mar., 2015. It's not one of Styne's more memorable shows, but the cast recording is enjoyable. | |
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| re: I believe he said "On the Town" ... | |
| Posted by: | flaguy 07:08 am EST 11/19/14 |
| In reply to: | I believe .... - jdm 05:59 am EST 11/19/14 |
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| and NOT "On Your Toes." | |
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| I was responding to ... | |
| Posted by: | jdm 10:07 am EST 11/19/14 |
| In reply to: | re: I believe he said "On the Town" ... - flaguy 07:08 am EST 11/19/14 |
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| "how can you have a lead in a musical and not sing a note" so I was giving one example I know of! :-) Jim | |
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| re: Little dancer | |
| Posted by: | FrankF 11:37 pm EST 11/18/14 |
| In reply to: | Little dancer - dramedy 10:57 pm EST 11/18/14 |
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| Took the trip down to see this with my husband who produces shows. I liked it. So did my husband. I loved the score. I think it ranks among their best. This is coming from someone who loathed ROCKY, btw. I think it has potential. It's a beautiful show with some very good performances. The three leads all do what they are supposed to do. They deliver. Tiler Peck dances beautifully. Luker's singing is terrific and Boyd acts as well as ever. There is a definite lag in the proceedings in Act 2. After an excellent Act 2 opener, the story disappears a bit and things get slow, but then the story comes back and it ends very well. I thought Act 1 was in very good shape. Like I said, I think this show has real potential. Lots of excellent stage craft and the score is wonderful. I left intrigued. | |
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| There is no comparison with rocky | |
| Posted by: | dramedy 06:56 am EST 11/19/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Little dancer - FrankF 11:37 pm EST 11/18/14 |
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| I disliked rocky as much as you. | |
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| re: Little dancer | |
| Posted by: | Ann 11:11 pm EST 11/18/14 |
| In reply to: | Little dancer - dramedy 10:57 pm EST 11/18/14 |
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| I didn't have a problem with the ballerina not singing (in fact, I didn't even notice that she didn't sing at, if that's the case). I thought I remembered hearing her voice and thinking it was not a big musical voice. Maybe it's hard to cast a triple threat when the ballet has to be so good. Rebecca Luker also doesn't dance a ballet number. I think they work together to form the character. My only quibble is/are some "jokes" in the script, kind of two-liners that were supposed to be humorous but landed thudly. Are they still there (a couple I remember: something like "Do you have children?" "No" "Well good for them." and another that ended with Gaines saying something like, "Well, you know, that's what makes the ballet go 'round" and there were others. Oh, and the Stroman number in the basement (?) with all the walls moving around. I guess it was the gimmick number, but I thought the scene didn't need to be so elaborate. What did you think about Ziemba? After Bullets, I was thrilled to see her talents really being used (and she actually was a ballerina). Thought she was very good as the mother. Also, the set is beautiful, very colorfully artistic like a Monet painting. | |
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| re: Little dancer | |
| Posted by: | tpdc 09:15 am EST 11/19/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Little dancer - Ann 11:11 pm EST 11/18/14 |
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| I saw it on Saturday. Tiler Peck sings several times, most notably the Little Hole in the Wall duet with her younger sister. I liked the book a lot. The design is beautiful. Stroman's work is impressive. I liked how everyone in the cast made an impression including Sean Martin Hingston, Michelle Ragusa, Janice Dickinson and Jenny Powers in smaller roles. However, Karen Ziemba was superb in a role that let's her do everything she can do. The audience at my performance loved her. I agree that a couple of songs excepted, this is not the best A&F score. But the big orchestra in an uncovered orchestra pit sounded wonderful. I sat close and could see the dancer's feet. | |
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| she did | |
| Posted by: | dramedy 09:39 am EST 11/19/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Little dancer - tpdc 09:15 am EST 11/19/14 |
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| sing in that song, i forgot. i had thought about it during intermission and paid attention in the second act if she sang anything--and she didn't. Tiler doesn't look 14. i think if the lead looked the age of the actual model--14--the pimping of the girls to the rich men would be creaper and have more meaning. Tiler ls tall and looks old enough to handle herself fighting off the advances. Imagine a 14 year old in the maze doing that? i was in second row and couldn't see the feet. | |
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| Maybe it's your frame of reference, but Tiler Peck is listed online as 4' 10" | |
| Posted by: | Ann 09:47 am EST 11/19/14 |
| In reply to: | she did - dramedy 09:39 am EST 11/19/14 |
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| The average 14 year old is taller than that, and that's around the time many, if not most, reach their adult height. All of the ballerinas are very short (to make them appear young, and I am fine with the age they appear). | |
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| That's probably from when she was in The Music Man | |
| Posted by: | audrey-in-ca 11:32 am EST 11/19/14 |
| In reply to: | Maybe it's your frame of reference, but Tiler Peck is listed online as 4' 10" - Ann 09:47 am EST 11/19/14 |
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| According to the most recent article I've read, she's now 5' 5". | |
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| That makes sense | |
| Posted by: | Ann 11:48 am EST 11/19/14 |
| In reply to: | That's probably from when she was in The Music Man - audrey-in-ca 11:32 am EST 11/19/14 |
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| Though I got 4'10" so prominently by Googling I fell for it. | |
| Link | Here's a message board thread about the subject: Ballet Talk: "Shorter Professional Dancers" |
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| that is surprising | |
| Posted by: | dramedy 09:59 am EST 11/19/14 |
| In reply to: | Maybe it's your frame of reference, but Tiler Peck is listed online as 4' 10" - Ann 09:47 am EST 11/19/14 |
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| she was taller than the other girls and didn't look that much shorter than the stars. but maybe they are all hollywood 6' on stage. | |
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| re: that is surprising | |
| Posted by: | Ann 10:10 am EST 11/19/14 |
| In reply to: | that is surprising - dramedy 09:59 am EST 11/19/14 |
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| I really thought they were all about the same height, and figured they were under 5'. I think I recognized one from the Sutton Foster TV show Bunheads. It's a nice opportunity for the not-so-tall ballerinas. They were all very good. | |
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| spoiler | |
| Posted by: | dramedy 10:23 am EST 11/19/14 |
| In reply to: | re: that is surprising - Ann 10:10 am EST 11/19/14 |
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| i liked that the rich ballerina was clunky/noisy when she danced at the audition---nice touch probably by strohman. | |
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| re: spoiler | |
| Posted by: | Ann 10:25 am EST 11/19/14 |
| In reply to: | spoiler - dramedy 10:23 am EST 11/19/14 |
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| I'll have to look her up, but I think that was the Bunheads girl. | |
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| re: she did | |
| Posted by: | tpdc 09:46 am EST 11/19/14 |
| In reply to: | she did - dramedy 09:39 am EST 11/19/14 |
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| They don't tell us Marie's age in the musical. The actress playing the younger sister must be close to that age. You're right that Peck doesn't sing at all in act two. The duet with the sister is the most she sings, but she sings with others in group numbers in the first act. The 11:00 number is her ballet though and it got a big response when I saw it. | |
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| it got a good response last night (Spoiler maybe) | |
| Posted by: | dramedy 10:08 am EST 11/19/14 |
| In reply to: | re: she did - tpdc 09:46 am EST 11/19/14 |
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| and i stated in the original post that she is a fine dancer. i did read about degas in wikipedia last night and he did go blind and wander the streets of paris late at night. THe musical just went a step further and stated he was trying to find her. | |
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| the actual Degas statue is named Little Dancer of 14 Years | |
| Posted by: | dramedy 10:03 am EST 11/19/14 |
| In reply to: | re: she did - tpdc 09:46 am EST 11/19/14 |
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| So that is what i'm going on. I think they make that statement in the musical at the unveiling. | |
| Link | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Dancer_of_Fourteen_Years |
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| The score | |
| Posted by: | Ann 09:22 am EST 11/19/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Little dancer - tpdc 09:15 am EST 11/19/14 |
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| I feel it has a "sweeping" nature and works very well with this show. However, my friend and I had kept having sensing a "Disney" feel to it. Maybe it was the music combined with it being the story of a young woman, and with the very colorful staging. Would be interested to hear what others think the audience for this show is - if children (little ballerinas) might be a good audience, even though her story may not be encouraging. | |
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| my friend said the exact same thing about Disney feel to the songs | |
| Posted by: | dramedy 09:34 am EST 11/19/14 |
| In reply to: | The score - Ann 09:22 am EST 11/19/14 |
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| i find DIsney songs memerable, so i disagreed. But others have your opinion. It probably works for children, but i think its too slow for most. Its really more for adults with that score. | |
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| re: The score | |
| Posted by: | tpdc 09:29 am EST 11/19/14 |
| In reply to: | The score - Ann 09:22 am EST 11/19/14 |
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| I agree about a sweeping version of a Disney score. I think it could be very popular with girls who want to dance. It's an entertaining show and if they could add a few good songs to Stroman's dances that land just because of the staging or because of Luker, Powers or Ziemba's talents, it could be a Broadway hit. The audience had a strong response at the end of the show. I heard many positive comments at intermission and after the show. Gaines has never been better in a musical. | |
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| I think the jokes are still in | |
| Posted by: | dramedy 11:29 pm EST 11/18/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Little dancer - Ann 11:11 pm EST 11/18/14 |
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| The basement number was long and another example of the male lead singing to a mute young Marie. Shouldn't the sets remind you of a degas painting and not Monet? ;-). | |
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