| Is "Words Fail" the male actor's equivalent to "Rose's Turn"? (And other Dear Evan Hansen stuff) | |
| Last Edit: Teacher64 12:35 pm EDT 08/07/17 | |
| Posted by: Teacher64 12:32 pm EDT 08/07/17 | |
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| Yes, I finally saw "Dear Evan Hansen" over the weekend (twice, thank you Stubhub) and it was absolutely amazing. Even better the second time when you know what is coming. After watching Ben perform "Words Fail" I tried to think of anything that came close to that for an actor in musical theater and the only thing I could come up with was "Rose's Turn". I also thought of Sweeney;s "Epiphany". Are there any other numbers for male actors that allow the singer to blow the roof off the place while acting the hell out of a song? I thought it was interesting that there is no break after the song for applause, it goes right into the scene with Evan's Mother. Speaking of which, I was totally unprepared for the power of "So Big, So Small". I had heard it on the recording and thought it was a nice song but....HOLY COW! What a difference being in the theater (and Rachel Bay Jones) can make! I mean, you could hear people sobbing. It was right after that song that I knew I had to see this again, if only to see Rachel do that song one more time. I was really shocked at how much I loved DEH and as soon as I walked out of Friday's show I started trying to figure out how I was going to see it again before I went home on Sunday. So, I signed up for the lottery. Tried for it on Saturday's matinee; no luck. So I saw MISS SAIGON which was excellent --$89 at TKTS, seventh row center. FANTASTIC seat! The Kim alternate (Janah Sta Ana) was on and she was very good. Also, the understudy for Chris (Colby Dezelick) was on and he was excellent; he seemed much younger and less angry than the actor on the video which I think is the same actor in this production. Checked my email after the show; no luck for DEH lottery on Sat. night. So I went to see "A Bronx Tale"; meh. The performers were all excellent but I just did not like the show. I think writing a show with a narrator can be dangerous as they give too much exposition and are a "crutch" for the writer. Some shows are able to do it and get away with it; this one did not work. Also the fact that I really disliked Sonny didn't help. I mean, the first thing we see him do is walk up to someone who is laying on the ground unconscious and shoot them in the back of the head. The score was not distinguished and all the songs sounded the same which was really disappointing since one of my internal reasons for seeing the show was "Well, it has a Menken score so that should be worth it". Nope. The only song I remember is the one that the kid sings in Act 1; "They call me C, and I like it". But it was more like one of those "It's a Small World" songs; once it was in my brain I couldn't get it out. I think the term is "Earworm". Not sure if that is a good thing. Woke up Sunday morning and tried again for the DEH lottery. Nope. So, now I had a dilemma; do I go see something else ("School of Rock") or do I try to get DEH tickets? The fact that I might not get to see this cast again as some are slated to leave in the fall was the deciding factor for me. So I went to my Stubhub app and saw a ticket thrid row mezzanine for $335 and I bought it (over $400 with the Stubhub fee). This show was even more powerful the second time through. And "So Big, So Small" was very hard to see through all the water. So, how do the folks at DEH replace actors like Platt and Jones? If I were them I would get out the check book and start making BIG offers. Oh, I am sure there are tons of people who would LOVE to step into those roles, but after seeing them I just can't imagine anyone else in those parts. The thing is, Evan is not one of those roles that Ben can come back to in 20 years and play again like Brynner did with KING AND I, or Channing did with HELLO DOLLY. Once he has aged out of the part, that's it. Jones not so much. She could really come back to his any time in the next 20 years or so. I am sure plenty of people may have been thinking the same thing when they first saw Brynner and Channing and we've certainly seen other actors make big impressions in those iconic roles. I hope they are able to find someone who can do what Platt is doing and still make the role their own; but what he is doing is so amazing that it's hard to grasp how they are going to do it. I know the understudies have gone on in the past and I wonder how they are in the part. Also, Ben is on vacation starting Thursday I think so I would imagine the producers will be using that time to test out any possible replacements. If you have not seen DEH you really should see it before the original cast leaves. |
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