| It was an exquisite production--one of my all time-favorite revivals. (SO much longer than I expected) | |
| Last Edit: DanielVincent 12:17 am EDT 10/30/20 | |
| Posted by: DanielVincent 12:07 am EDT 10/30/20 | |
| In reply to: re: Rocky Horror - ntjvy 06:45 pm EDT 10/29/20 | |
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| I was actually angry when 42nd Street took the revival prize over Rocky Horror at the Tonys. It's the ultimate example of a revival prize going to the superior piece rather than the superior revival. Christopher Ashley and Jerry Mitchell were both at the top of their game, as was every member of the cast, except, as noted elsewhere, Joan Jett (I much preferred replacements Liz Larsen and, especially, Ana Gasteyer). But even Jett added something to the proceedings with her authentic rock cred. Ashley's uses of video projections were incredibly savvy. They paid tribute to the movies that inspired the piece and to Rocky Horror PICTURE Show while also being highly theatrical and bringing it into the (then) present day. Tom Hewitt was perfection. He managed to pay homage to Tim Curry while very much making the character his own with great glamazon flair and an expert understanding of when to interact with the audience and when to focus on his scene partners. Jarrod Emmick channeled matinee idol squares of the past and sang like an angel in the best use of his talents aside from Damn Yankees. Alice Ripley brilliantly sent up her experience playing ingenues while, perhaps for the first time on a New York stage, also really letting her freak flag fly. Daphne Rubin Vega sang like a rock star and managed to have her very own take on Magenta cool. As mentioned, Esparza was electric--thrilling singing, delightfully weird comic choices, and simultaneously sexy and repulsive. Lea DeLaria's singing as Eddy was inconsistent, but the fact of her casting was ingenuous and gloriously upped the piece's representation of queer women, and she was a riot as Dr. Scott. As Rocky, Sebastian LaCause was not only the epitome of eye candy, he was hilarious, finding many more laughs than anyone else I've seen in the role. Dick Cavett's intelligence and wry humor perfectly complimented the spectacle and excess of everything else in the production. And you really could not ask for a more electrifying ensemble: Deidre Goodwin (!), Kevin Cahoon (!), James Stovall, Mark Price, Jonathan Sharp, Aiko Nakasone and, soon in the run, when Matthew Morrison joined, DAMN!, I just knew I was watching a star. (Also, look at the diversity in this cast! Twenty years later and most ensembles still don't reach this bar!!!) The arrangements and musical direction were some of the best I've ever heard in a rock musical. The cast album represents them well. The design was stunning. David Rockwell's set included an especially great moment when movie theater seats that made up the thrust area of the stage flipped over (if I remember correctly) on Brad and Janet's arrival to the castle. David Woolard's costumes expertly melded so many influences, you saw the B-movies of yesteryear, the costumes that have inspired decades of midnight showings and fandom, contemporary goth and punk culture, and Broadway razzmatazz. Paul Gallo's lighting evoked movies and rock concerts and should have won him the Tony that he also deserved for City of Angels. I didn't see any of the replacement narrators, but I did catch Terrence Mann's Frank. He brought a madcap quality to the role that reminded me of Carol Burnett and Carol Channing. I also saw Luke Perry's Brad, which was a very shrewd bit of stunt casting. He wasn't much of a singer, but his heartthrob persona worked perfectly for Brad. It also created my favorite bit of audience participation from the entire run. In the moment before Frank turns to Brad and Janet and asks them what they think of Rocky, the audience would typically shout, "Ask Ken and Barbie." The night I saw Perry, which was very early in his run, someone shouted, "Ask Dylan and Brenda!" Without otherwise breaking the scene, he extended the middle-finger to that audience member. It was very, very funny. Larsen brought a bit of Barbra Streisand to Columbia and Gasteyer, whose years on SNL and in improv seemed to prime her to work the audience better than any of the other women I saw in the role, had a kind of rockabilly take on the role that was totally original, delightful, and hinted at the more vocally demanding roles she'd take on in the future (Elphaba, Fosca, Mrs. Peachum). So, yeah, I liked it. |
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