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| Kiss Me, Kate and The Band’s Visit Yesterday | |
| Posted by: BillEadie 09:59 am EST 02/18/19 | |
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| Kiss Me, Kate is revived often enough that I’d be tempted to say its indestructible. But, that’s not true: it’s actually quite a difficult show to pull off. The current Roundabout revival, in early previews at Studio 54, shows why. Sam and Bella Spewack’s book takes off on Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew and places the action backstage and on at a play within the play. One needs at least some knowledge of the plot of the Shakespeare work to enjoy how the simultaneous “shows” work with each other. And there are references to other Shakespeare plays that make the evening much more fun if you get them. “Brush Up Your Shakespeare,” indeed. Fortunately, the additional material credited to Amanda Green helps to mute the sexism inherent in staging this piece. And, it’s a song-and-dance show, which means that the entire cast has to be on their toes (sometimes literally) to make it work. But, the “Petrucchio” and the “Kate” are the driving forces. Fortunately, this production features Will Chase and Kelli O’Hara in the pivotal roles. Mr. Chase charms, in that he doesn’t resort to grumpiness to create his character. Ms. O’Hara plays a sweet woman who is annoyed by what is going on around her - no shrew she. Mr. Chase sings well; Ms. O’Hara even better. Scott Ellis has directed the production to seem loose and to play with the theatre conventions being spoofed. For the most part, these work. In fact, I’d have liked to see more of them. Warren Carlyle’s choreography is still settling in, but “Too Darn Hot,” which opens Act 2, is already exciting to watch and came close to stopping the show at yesterday’s early preview. Other performances are also settling in, and it’s too early to criticize them. I loved how much fun the production was to watch, and I imagine that by opening it will be a hit. I hadn’t planned to see The Band’s Visit, but I noticed that it had a Sunday evening performance, so I did a double for the second day running. I had only recently seen the film on which the show was based, and I found it enjoyable but no more than that. I had trouble seeing how it could be turned into a musical, but David Yazbek’s score charmed me from its opening moments. Katrina Lenk carried the singing in an emotionally satisfying manner. Sasson Gabay brought the same sense of grace and humanity to his role as he did in the film, without make the stage version a carbon copy of his film performance. It’s a lovely musical, and I hope it’s at least as charming on tour. Bill, headed back happy to San Diego |
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| re: Kiss Me, Kate and The Band’s Visit Yesterday | |
| Posted by: theaterdude 06:26 pm EST 02/18/19 | |
| In reply to: Kiss Me, Kate and The Band’s Visit Yesterday - BillEadie 09:59 am EST 02/18/19 | |
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| I'm curious, why did you not plan to see The Band's Visit (last year's Best Musical winner) but make plans to see a Kiss Me Kate revival? Is it solely because of what you wrote about not thinking it would make a very good musical? I'm so glad you were pleasantly surprised, it's a very special piece. | |
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| re: Kiss Me, Kate and The Band’s Visit Yesterday | |
| Posted by: BillEadie 02:10 am EST 02/19/19 | |
| In reply to: re: Kiss Me, Kate and The Band’s Visit Yesterday - theaterdude 06:26 pm EST 02/18/19 | |
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| Thanks for this question. This trip, i was very deliberate about planning ahead. The two I absolutely had to see were “Merrily” and MFL, with Laura Benanti. I picked “True West” and “Kiss Me, Kate’ because I was interested in seeing them and because that made three Roundabout productions and I could get a discount for buying all three at once. I added “Mockingbird” after Telecharge sent me a post card with a discount offer (the first and last time Telecharge had done so). To be fair, I also wanted to focus on current work, rather than things that had been running for a while. I had two slots that weren’t filled: Wednesday evening, when I arrived, and Sunday evening. The person I was visiting enjoys going to the theatre with me but has a tolerance level that’s lower than mine on this sort of trip. So, the Wednesday slot was filled with a dinner that both of us particularly enjoyed. I vacillated on the Sunday evening slot, until I noticed that “The Band’s Visit” had a 7pm performance. It was tight, going between a 5:45 end to KMK and arriving in time for a 7pm start of TBV, but I made it. And, it helped that my flight back was late in the afternoon on Monday and that my host had Monday off, so we got more visiting time in. I do enjoy the challenge of writing commentary on the shows I see as I go, and the people who read my full-blown theatre reviews in San Diego seem to like knowing what I thought about the shows I saw in NYC. Until next time, Bill, in San Diego |
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| re: Kiss Me, Kate and The Band’s Visit Yesterday | |
| Posted by: theaterdude 06:24 pm EST 02/18/19 | |
| In reply to: Kiss Me, Kate and The Band’s Visit Yesterday - BillEadie 09:59 am EST 02/18/19 | |
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| There are certain shows - and certain performers - that I don't feel I need to see again. Unless Kiss Me Kate has a cast that I don't want to miss, it's one of those shows I don't need to see again. As for the Kelli O'Hara/Will Chase casting, from the moment it was announced, I knew I wouldn't be attending. Yes of course, Kelli is very talented, and I'm sure some people love Will Chase. But ever since his early days in Miss Saigon, he's never quite done it for me. I'm not sure why. it's like you're baking a cake and you have all the right ingredients, but when you taste it, something is missing. For me, he lacks edge. As for Kelli, I don't need to see her do this part. But hey, someone on this thread thought that Stokes didn't sing this score well. I couldn't disagree more, and found that production with Marin and Brian to be one of the best Kiss Me Kate productions ever. At least for me. |
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| re: Kiss Me, Kate and The Band’s Visit Yesterday | |
| Posted by: Snowysdad 02:55 pm EST 02/18/19 | |
| In reply to: Kiss Me, Kate and The Band’s Visit Yesterday - BillEadie 09:59 am EST 02/18/19 | |
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| I most assuredly agree with you that KMK is difficult to revive. Kate/Lili is easier to cast than Fred/Petruchio, which has extraordinary vocal requirements. I felt that in the last revival Brian Stokes Mitchell fell short vocally, Brent Barrett in the London incarnation came closer. Alfred Drake is a tough act to follow, he almost had the vocal chops to sing opera but stayed on the Broadway side of things. In my mind I have serious doubts that Will Chase (based on the Encore's Pipe Dream) can fulfill my expectations. I would love nothing better than to be totally wrong, whereupon I would rush to NYC to see it, one of my favorite musicals. Its attitudes toward the female sex are perhaps a little tough to take in today's world, so a tiny bit of tweaking is allowable. Good luck to Roundabout, I hope it is the revival of the century, playing when I turn 95, still a long time off. | |
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| re: Kiss Me, Kate and The Band’s Visit Yesterday | |
| Posted by: Michael_Portantiere 12:07 am EST 02/19/19 | |
| In reply to: re: Kiss Me, Kate and The Band’s Visit Yesterday - Snowysdad 02:55 pm EST 02/18/19 | |
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| "Kate/Lili is easier to cast than Fred/Petruchio, which has extraordinary vocal requirements." I don't agree with this. While I think both roles require what's commonly referred to as a "legit" style of sound, I the vocal requirements of both roles are roughly equivalent and not extraordinary by any means. I'm curious as to which sections of the role of Fred/Petruchio you consider to have extraordinary vocal requirements |
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| re: Kiss Me, Kate and The Band’s Visit Yesterday | |
| Posted by: Chromolume 04:15 pm EST 02/18/19 | |
| In reply to: re: Kiss Me, Kate and The Band’s Visit Yesterday - Snowysdad 02:55 pm EST 02/18/19 | |
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| In my mind I have serious doubts that Will Chase (based on the Encore's Pipe Dream) can fulfill my expectations. Part of the problem, of course, is that styles have changed, and for the most part, the true beefy "legit" baritone in musical theatre has been replaced by the "baritenor" - and I would tend to put Will Chase in that category. But I do think he has some heft in his voice, in his favor - not as much as Drake did, of course, but again, that's just not quite the style of musical theatre these days. However, I do like Chase a lot, on his own terms, so I'm willing to see what he can bring to the role. |
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| re: Kiss Me, Kate and The Band’s Visit Yesterday | |
| Last Edit: PlayWiz 05:29 pm EST 02/18/19 | |
| Posted by: PlayWiz 05:24 pm EST 02/18/19 | |
| In reply to: re: Kiss Me, Kate and The Band’s Visit Yesterday - Chromolume 04:15 pm EST 02/18/19 | |
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| It's not too much of a stylistic adjustment for audiences to hear a legit baritone voice as opposed to a baritenor, especially if that was how the role was written. I mean for sopranos, they even transposed DOWN Kristin Chenoweth's Marian in "The Music Man" on tv, I guess for fear that audiences are scared of the high notes of a soprano. If people would cast these things properly and in the right keys, they'd be more authentic to the style in which they were written. Chase sounded more to me like a tenor in the things I've seen him in, though it's possible this suits him fine. I forget who they cast in "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" at Encores, but it was someone more of a tenor, possibly Jason Danieley who is usually very fine in tenor roles, which made the main character's baritone tessitura songs not come across as strongly as they should. John Raitt was a real baritenor (with more of a tenor's placement), but Alfred Drake, Gordon MacRae, and others were much more baritone, with Howard Keel more bass-baritone. Casting someone whose tessitura is higher robs a lot of these Golden Age musicals of some gravitas, machismo and force in these roles, for the most part. | |
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| re: Kiss Me, Kate and The Band’s Visit Yesterday | |
| Posted by: Chromolume 05:32 pm EST 02/18/19 | |
| In reply to: re: Kiss Me, Kate and The Band’s Visit Yesterday - PlayWiz 05:24 pm EST 02/18/19 | |
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| If people would cast these things properly and in the right keys Define "right key" lol. The truest definition is the key that fits the performer's voice. (That is to say, Drake's keys were chosen for Drake's voice - but that doesn't mean that those keys are definitive.) And also don't forget that original published scores are usually tailored to what happened on tour, not always the original Broadway keys. (And, if you check out the notes to the new critical edition of the 1948 score, there's a lot of history on the alternate keys for "Another Op'nin.") I can guarantee you that Chase will be singing in the right keys - for HIM. And that's always how shows are performed, whether your name is Chase, Drake, or whatever. |
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| re: Kiss Me, Kate and The Band’s Visit Yesterday | |
| Last Edit: PlayWiz 05:50 pm EST 02/18/19 | |
| Posted by: PlayWiz 05:48 pm EST 02/18/19 | |
| In reply to: re: Kiss Me, Kate and The Band’s Visit Yesterday - Chromolume 05:32 pm EST 02/18/19 | |
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| I guess it has changed in terms of how much it costs to transpose the entire orchestration of a role with the software now available, plus the fact that most orchestras of today are usually use a lot less instruments than when these shows were done originally. Some producers are notoriously cheap. I heard the story of a replacement call for a show being between two actors, one they were leaning towards, but they said "bring out the costume", and the other actor fit it without the production having to pay alterations. Key changes are/were kind of like that and on a grander scale. So why are companies' casting notices of today many times saying specifically what the ranges of the roles are in terms of top and bottom notes, if the role can be transposed? | |
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| re: Kiss Me, Kate and The Band’s Visit Yesterday | |
| Last Edit: Chromolume 06:00 pm EST 02/18/19 | |
| Posted by: Chromolume 05:59 pm EST 02/18/19 | |
| In reply to: re: Kiss Me, Kate and The Band’s Visit Yesterday - PlayWiz 05:48 pm EST 02/18/19 | |
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| So why are companies' casting notices of today many times saying specifically what the ranges of the roles are in terms of top and bottom notes, if the role can be transposed? Because it's always easier not to transpose if possible (time and money being issues) - especially if we're talking regional productions, etc. On Broadway, you better believe keys are always adjusted to the first cast (regardless of the key the composer wrote the songs in - that just doesn't matter) - and when new stars come in, they are usually adjusted then as well. (compare the 2 recordings of Spider Woman for a number of examples with all 3 of the leads). You may not realize, for instance, though, that most of Merman's keys for Gypsy were higher than in the published score (and likewise, the rental materials)? Just for an example. And even in Kate, if I recall correctly, Kirk's key for "Why Can't You Behave" was lower than in the published score. |
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| re: Kiss Me, Kate and The Band’s Visit Yesterday | |
| Last Edit: PlayWiz 07:48 pm EST 02/18/19 | |
| Posted by: PlayWiz 07:44 pm EST 02/18/19 | |
| In reply to: re: Kiss Me, Kate and The Band’s Visit Yesterday - Chromolume 05:59 pm EST 02/18/19 | |
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| Okay, I appreciate your responses, and have another one for you, Chromolume (or anyone else who thinks they may know). Years ago, I was sitting at the bar at Sardi's with a gent, whose portrait was nearby on one of the walls. I'm not sure if this is true, and it's the only time I ever heard it, but we were discussing the show "Nine" original cast, and he said that shows put the keys like a half-step (or a whole step) above someone's optimal tessitura, to make it somewhat harder for them so as to register for the audience more as "excitement". I don't know about this, though I do maintain that Raul Julia, as excellent as his acting and overall performance was in "Nine" was struggling with some of his songs. They really should have been put in lower keys, as he had problems with the tessitura and the high notes on the several times I saw the show. But what about this gent from Sardi's contention? Have you ever heard of it? | |
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| re: Kiss Me, Kate and The Band’s Visit Yesterday | |
| Posted by: Michael_Portantiere 12:15 am EST 02/19/19 | |
| In reply to: re: Kiss Me, Kate and The Band’s Visit Yesterday - PlayWiz 07:44 pm EST 02/18/19 | |
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| *Years ago, I was sitting at the bar at Sardi's with a gent, whose portrait was nearby on one of the walls. I'm not sure if this is true, and it's the only time I ever heard it, but we were discussing the show "Nine" original cast, and he said that shows put the keys like a half-step (or a whole step) above someone's optimal tessitura, to make it somewhat harder for them so as to register for the audience more as "excitement". * I haven't heard it phrased that way exactly, but I have heard that, in the era before body mics and high-level voice amplification, keys tended to be placed at the very top of a performer's vocal range to aid in projection and audibility. I have a very clear memory of Robert Morse telling me, during an interview, that Frank Loesser would bring the lead actors into a Broadway theater -- ideally, the theater where the show would be playing -- to set the keys there. And I thought that really spoke to the brilliance of Loesser. |
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| re: Kiss Me, Kate and The Band’s Visit Yesterday | |
| Posted by: Unhookthestars 12:48 am EST 02/19/19 | |
| In reply to: re: Kiss Me, Kate and The Band’s Visit Yesterday - Michael_Portantiere 12:15 am EST 02/19/19 | |
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| For what it’s worth, I remember watching the “Masterclass” documentary series on HBO many years ago. In the episode starring Patti Lupone, she encourages one of the young musical-theater aspirants who was having trouble conveying emotion or generating excitement in her performance to try singing the song again in a higher key to raise the physical stakes (i.e., as your “gent” said, to make the physical act of singing harder), and hopefully, the emotional stakes with it. It worked like magic. | |
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| re: Kiss Me, Kate and The Band’s Visit Yesterday | |
| Posted by: Chromolume 05:20 pm EST 02/19/19 | |
| In reply to: re: Kiss Me, Kate and The Band’s Visit Yesterday - Unhookthestars 12:48 am EST 02/19/19 | |
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| I would say that I'm sure this happens in shows, but that it probably depends on the show, and of course, on the performers. In a case like Nine, where the role of Guido is already quite taxing in terms of stage time, etc, I might think they wouldn't want to risk tiring his voice out further by raising keys - but I don't know what actually happened. | |
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| re: Kiss Me, Kate and The Band’s Visit Yesterday | |
| Posted by: Chromolume 07:55 pm EST 02/18/19 | |
| In reply to: re: Kiss Me, Kate and The Band’s Visit Yesterday - PlayWiz 07:44 pm EST 02/18/19 | |
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| I can't say I ever heard that. As a musical director/vocal coach, I would have been against doing that. Especially in the case of an open-ended run like that. | |
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| re: Kiss Me, Kate and The Band’s Visit Yesterday | |
| Posted by: Snowysdad 06:26 pm EST 02/18/19 | |
| In reply to: re: Kiss Me, Kate and The Band’s Visit Yesterday - Chromolume 05:59 pm EST 02/18/19 | |
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| Thank you everyone for the interesting replies vis a vis keys, baritone vs. baritenor, etc. For me, the dark hue of Drake's voice is de rigeur for this part. | |
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| re: Kiss Me, Kate and The Band’s Visit Yesterday | |
| Posted by: young-walsingham 01:51 pm EST 02/18/19 | |
| In reply to: Kiss Me, Kate and The Band’s Visit Yesterday - BillEadie 09:59 am EST 02/18/19 | |
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| "Amanda Green helps to mute the sexism inherent in staging this piece." Does the muting include the plot of The Taming of the Shrew? | |
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| re: Kiss Me, Kate and The Band’s Visit Yesterday | |
| Posted by: BillEadie 02:38 pm EST 02/18/19 | |
| In reply to: re: Kiss Me, Kate and The Band’s Visit Yesterday - young-walsingham 01:51 pm EST 02/18/19 | |
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| I’d characterize the changes as mild ones. The basic plot of The Taming of the Shrew is not altered in significant ways. To say more would introduce spoilers that I think would better be experienced than described. Bill |
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| re: Kiss Me, Kate and The Band’s Visit Yesterday | |
| Posted by: Indavidzopinion 12:28 pm EST 02/18/19 | |
| In reply to: Kiss Me, Kate and The Band’s Visit Yesterday - BillEadie 09:59 am EST 02/18/19 | |
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| Bill....You are too tame and analytical. At Kate matinee, yesterday, I thought that the roof was going to blow off of Studio 54 following "Too Darn Hot," the audience was in such an audible state of delirium. | |
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| re: Kiss Me, Kate and The Band’s Visit Yesterday | |
| Posted by: Snowgrace 01:10 pm EST 02/18/19 | |
| In reply to: re: Kiss Me, Kate and The Band’s Visit Yesterday - Indavidzopinion 12:28 pm EST 02/18/19 | |
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| So great you got in such a double on a Sunday before leaving! Thanks for your impressions...crossing limbs for a rush ticket to THE BAND'S VISIT before it closes. | |
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| re: Kiss Me, Kate and The Band’s Visit Yesterday | |
| Last Edit: bmc 05:24 am EST 02/19/19 | |
| Posted by: bmc 05:21 am EST 02/19/19 | |
| In reply to: re: Kiss Me, Kate and The Band’s Visit Yesterday - Snowgrace 01:10 pm EST 02/18/19 | |
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| Thanks for all the wonderful Kate posts; I've got tix for a 3/20 KATE matinee(BURN THIS in the evening) Next day is a FIDDLER matinee , with I MARIED AN ANGEL at night. When planning a Broadway Binge, My 'trigger' is usually one, or two plays, This time around it was the Angel and Adam Driver combo, and I added on after that........... 'Next week , I'll get tix (I hope) for MFL and Chicago..........Re KATE's cast, I've seen Will Chase on Bway in FULL MONTY(x 2) and have the Pipe Dream CD'; I've got Kelli O'Hara's solo CDs, saw her twice in SOUTH PACIFIC, and also saw the Chicago tryout OF SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS(I love that show); during the tryout; a vocal by O'Hara ended the show, but when the Bway CD came out ,D'Arcy James had the closing word.Anyway I'm looking forward to those shows, and hope to squeeze in the other usuals,- Boat ride round Manhattan, Met Museum, the Frick(Yeah Sts Jerome and Thomas More- BooTommy Cromwell- tho I'll be learning more about him as one of next years selections in the book Club I belong to will be Wolf Hall); and maybe I'll try the new MOMA again | |
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| A fun on-stage glitch yesterday | |
| Last Edit: gad90210 03:48 pm EST 02/18/19 | |
| Posted by: gad90210 03:47 pm EST 02/18/19 | |
| In reply to: re: Kiss Me, Kate and The Band’s Visit Yesterday - Snowgrace 01:10 pm EST 02/18/19 | |
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| During her song I Hate Men, Kelli O'Hara goes to the door of the tavern and yanks it open, revealing a bunch of drunk men behaving very badly. After the second time she did it, she stayed facing the door, with her back to the audience. We didn't know that anything was wrong until she said something like, "I need some help here." At that point an actor came around the set piece and helped her get the door open. I speculate her skirt or sleeve got stuck in it! Kelli seemed unfazed by it all and kept right on going! Also, by the way, Will Chase sounded divine! As did Kelli. |
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