It was glorious to hear the score played by the Boston Pops at Symphony Hall, but sound was also a major problem (At least in the first act). In the first act, the singers were often overwhelmed by the orchestra from my seat in row G. I've never had that problem at Symphony Hall before. Maybe I was too close, but the balance was better in act two.
Act one ends with "Wheels of a Dream," which for me leaves a very unbalanced evening. Act two opens with "The Night That Goldman Spoke at Union Square" - a good opening to act two, but "Till We Reach That Day" seemed lost as anything else than an act one finale and it then gets followed pretty quickly with "What a Game!" that is such a change in tone.
Elizabeth Stanley's "Back to Before" was sensational. With "Look What You've Done" cut, Alton Fitzgerald White had to follow it almost immediately with "Make Them Hear You." Yikes!
John Cariani had the most fully realized characterization. His Tateh was angry, confused, passionate, touching and heartbreaking. He and Stanley had a beautiful "Our Children." |
