Grey Gardens

So Last November, I decided that it would be a great time to visit Grey Gardens. I had bought a ticket to it while it was at Playwright's Horizon, but couldn't bear the rain anymore so I decided not to go thinking it wouldn't be that big of a deal. Oh, what little I did know.

"Somewhere in Athens, there's a pedastal missing it's statue." This is stated in beginning of the first act by George Gould Strong, I believe that he was talking about Christine Ebersole. There are really no words to describe Ebersole's performance. I think that all the critics have used up the words that even begin to describe what she does on the Walter Kerr Theater's stage. I am not even going to try.

I want to sit here and rant about Grey Gardens. I absolutely loved it, from the moment moment of Five Fifteen to Two Peas in a Pod. However, Erin Davies never really launches, the book isn't exactly astounding ( as much as I love Doug Wright), and there are really no catchy tunes in the first act. This is what I wrote in November, however, now that I have the soundtrack on non-stop repeat in my car 24/7 I am addicted to two numbers in the first act. I plan on revisitng the show sometime this spring to reconsider my thoughts on the book.

It is quotes though like, "That's Grey Gardens for you, those outside clammering to get in, and those inside dying to get out." -Gould that really make me question whether or not this book has some qualitiy to it.

The moment of the first act for me comes at the end of it, when Ebersole sings Will You?. The song is angelic, perfect and solidifies her performance in the first act.

While Act 1 is definitely the weaker act, Act 2 is pretty much amazing. Ebersole and Wilson take on the characters perfectly. Physically, emotionally, and vocally they are on key. My one complaint, and it may have just happened that night was that Wilson needed to carry her voice into the songs.

When the songs Around the World and Another Winter in a Summer Town take over the second act, it becomes so clear why Ebersole is considered to be so amazing in these roles. Her voice is divine. Once again though, I am going to stop myself before I start raving. Since it is almost to hard to describe.

I guess I should have just said this.

If you havent been to the Walter Kerr theater recently. You need to get your shit together, and get over there ASAP! This show exemplifies why America is the home of the musical and puts Ebersole right up there with Merman, Martin, Lansbury, and other.

Go. Seriously. www.telecharge.com

Martin Short

So, I saw this show in November, and it isn't exactly fresh in my mind, but since I am on spring break and I have a pile of Playbill's on my desk. I decided it was time to reach into my archives and start throwing out my opinion on some of these shows.

Martin Short: Fame Is Me will be touring I think I heard. So therefore. Here is what I think you should know before it hits the road.

The first thing that comes to mind as I look back and try to remember Martin Short are the jokes that made the afternoon performance absolutely hilarious.

"My wife told me if you need nightly stroken - do a one man show." This along with jokes like, "Did you hear abou the blind prostititue? You had to hand it to her," develop the basis for Short's vulgar jokes. You will be laughing non-stop. His fellow cast members, who just like Short continuously are taking on new characters provide hilarious sketches dealing with theater ledgends Tommy Tune and Bob Fosse. It was their use of pop culture and celebrity impersonations of Jona Rivers, Rene Zellweger, Jodie Foster, and Sarah Jessica Parker that had me nearly doubling over laughing. However, the highlight of the evening, and one of the sad subtractions from the tour I am sure was the celebrity guest. The afternoon I was there Diane Keaton was in the audience, and boy does that girl know how to wear a carpet bag well. Seeing her interact with Mr. Glick (one of Short's personas) was the moment of the night. The one question that stuck out to me was the following: "Ms. Keaton with all the wisdom you have shared through your movies.. If Lincoln was alive today would he be pleased with his tunnel?"

One of the show's stronger points is the obvious influence of Scott Whitman (the director) and Marc Shaiman (involved with the music). The two who are part of the team of masterminds behind the hit musical Hairspray bring the show together. It is their clever lyrics that make the show so hilarious.

Although there were some lighting problems throughout the performance, when you get to the end and the closing number happens, members of the audience were standing, and I assume all had enjoyed what was one hell of a parody of a show.

The Future of Theater

As someone who really doesn't want the art of theater go to hell, I would just like to say two things - 1. Reality Shows are not the best way to cast people. 2. Don't use "wiki" technology to allow the hold world to help you write your script. www.livingscript.com DEAR GOD, has it really come to this.

WHAT!

Okay, Broadwayworld.com is reporting that certain amazingly fabulous people aka the producers of the new London production of Equus are hoping to bring the show to broadway. Listen, I would like to say that if you do. I swear on whatever you like that I will attend every single performance. Not because I get to see Harry Potter (Stated with a very sad British Accent) naked, but because I will get to see the oozy goodness that is Schaffer's Equus. The happiness building up inside of me right now is basically uncontrollable. I thought about flying to London to see the production in the West End, and then realized that I hate flying so, I ruled that option out. If you told me Brad Pitt was playing Alan, I would have bought a first class ticket rented an apartment, and been at every performance over at the Gielgud Theater, but it's only Harry Potter (Accent).

SO PLEASE WEST ENDER"S BRING HIM TO BROADWAY!

an apology: TAKE TWO!

So, I realize that I have not posted on here in forever. However, I am still moving into the apartment, and everytime I do something theatrical, I got immediately intoxicated afterwards, or have a boy sleep over at my house. I like my dear from The Rhodes Scholar will be using clever nicknames thought up by my friends to name the characters that will be appearing throughout this blog. (There would be too many names for you to even try and remember.) The boy from Seconds Stages and I have spent literally all three of the past weekends together. Through that he has decided to break up with his boyfriend, decide not to, and then out of nowhere break up with him. It was as emotionally challenging as a good Diane Keaton movie, and for some reasons beyond my mental comprehension those get to me the worst.

My friends from good ole' North Dakota came and visited my apartment this past Saturday night, and it was a blast. We made pasta, drank jello shots, and started "Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead" my all-time favorite movie. However, Second Stages and I went to this really fun bar in Brooklyn, which I can't ever remember the name of, but it was really good. I did three Red Headed Sluts and was absolutely trashed.

I need to do a bunch of homework, however, this week I promise to review the following shows.

* Altar Boyz
* King Lear
* Dying City
* The Scene

Howard Katz would have been included if I hadn't missed the show. OOPS!!!!!

Also, I will be reviewind Pirandello's "Six Characters in Search of an Author."


Til Then-

Michael

Silence the Reading

I apologize for my lateness. I have officially just gotten my first apartment in New York.

I will try to put up my review of "The Scene" sometime later this week.

However, in the meantime, I need to get this out. This past Monday, I attended a reading of Silence the Musical! Hunter Bell's new show. Now, I have to admit that I was entertained, but then again Silence of the Lambs, the 1991 Academy Award Winner, is one of my favorite films of all time. With artists like Dequina Moore, Andrew Call, and Lisa Howard, the show wasn't exactly painful to watch. However, it wasn't exactly anything that I am going to be putting my money into. I was more entertained by the Broadway Celebs in the audience, to name a few: Barret Foa, Alexander Gemignani, Hunter Bell, the bookwriter, and a couple of people that looked familiar, but unless you are super important I really won't know your name.

The show has some great numbers like, "I'd Fuck Me" and "The Silence of the Lambs", there were several numbers where the vulgarity (And there is a lot of vulgarity) made me laugh out loud. However, these moments only happened because I was so familiar with all the inside jokes of the musical. I enjoyed the show, but the guy I went with wasn't crazy about the show at all. At least, it didn't appear so.

I hope that Silence raises the $500,000 it is trying to, but they won't be getting a dime from me.