The Lion King National Tour

For many years I had always wondered what the hype was about concerning The Lion King musical. The other night as I sat in my orchestra seat at the Boston Opera House I eagerly anticipated the start of, what I can now say is, one of the best musical productions I have ever seen. Within 30 seconds I fully understood what all the hype was about. I have never before been so amazed and mesmerized by an opening number. From the brilliantly costumed animal characters that made their way to the stage through the theater, to the lighting and the incredible sun that rose on the stage and glistened above Pride Rock, I was overwhelmed by the magnitude of what was taking place before me. The passion that came across through the music and the voices of everyone on stage radiated through the audience. Comedy abound in this show and of course it came from Timon, Pumbaa and Zazu who had the audience laughing out loud 99% of the time. Even Scar, the villain of the story, had his own comedic moments. The dancing was suburb and the special character movements added a whole other dimension to the show. The way the actors were able to portray animals with the use of a head piece or a larger puppetry piece was astonishing. It all flowed together flawlessly. I have never seen an audience become so entranced by a show: they erupted in applause and jumped to their feet the moment the bows began. This show plays in Boston until October 12^th and I highly recommend that if you haven’t seen it yet, go see it! You won’t be disappointed by this two hour musical marvel!

Cirque du Soleil's Varekai

This past Sunday I took a road trip up to Portland, ME to see one of the final performances of Cirque du Soleil’s Varekai. This touring production usually plays about a week before going to a new city and as I walked towards the arena I counted almost twenty 18-wheeler trucks ready to start packing up the show once it closed Sunday night. The story of Varekai is that of a white bird named Icarus who after losing his wings learns to trust fate. His wings are broken and he falls into a forest of colorful creatures including a beautiful creature of the earth whom he learns to trust and love. This show drew the audience in from the first moment the lights dimmed and the music began. This being my second Cirque show, I was eager to see what acts would amaze me this time. One of the first that really got the excitement of the arena going was that of the Icarian games. These acrobats would bounce & flip each other through the air. Often there would be multiple people being tossed about all in perfect unison. How they are able to accomplish it I do not know. But they must spend hours and hours practicing. Later in the show was a slippery surface act. These water creatures would slip and slide all over this blue mat that was attached to the stage. These acrobats would balance on one another and get pulled across the stage at the same time. It was beautiful to watch. As usual the Aerial Straps routine was amazing. The amount of strength and agility the performers need to have while at the same time moving with such grace is amazing. But my absolute favorite routine was the last one, Russian Swings. These acrobats would stand on small swinging platforms and catapult themselves across the stage, bounce off of hanging fabric and land back on the stage. It was incredible! I, as well as the rest of the audience, were on the edge of our seats the entire number. Overall, this show was colorful, athletic and a lot of fun to watch. I look forward to my next Cirque du Soleil show!    

It's Opening Night!

One of my favorite things to do as both an audience member and as a writer is to go and see a theatrical performance on its opening night. There’s something about opening night that makes it different from any other performance. This summer I have been fortunate enough to see a number of shows on opening night. And I wanted to talk a little bit about what makes an opening night so special. Firstly, there is raw nervousness and excitement throughout the show. Unless the show had an open dress, which means there was an audience watching the dress rehearsal, then this is the first time the performers are saying their lines and singing in front of an audience. It’s great for the audience because there is a reality to the performance that can sometimes be lost during a run. It’s also great for the actors because they get real reactions. They might have to pause at the end of a song for applause or at the end of a line for laughs. Something else that usually helps but sometimes can hurt the performer is the energy of the audience. Most of the time on an opening night the audience is fairly engaged and excited and that gives off fabulous energy for the performers to feed off of during the show. However, there can also be those times when a performer expects a laugh at a certain line and the audience doesn’t react as planned. Or someone coughs during a really dramatic scene and the actors must be fully focused to not let the outside noise affect the scene. But those types of things happen all the time and are not always an occurrence just during an opening. Something else that I have come to enjoy is the rawness of an opening. It’s not a seasoned performance. The actors have not been doing the show eight times a week for a while and it hasn’t become a routine for them. It’s easier to believe that the things happening to the characters in the show are happening for the first time. Additionally, opening night can include a few snags or mistakes throughout the performance and while some people might think it shows the performers as unprofessional or under prepared, I think that these types of occurrences add to the color of the show. It allows me to see how well the performers can react to different circumstances that pop up. How well can they improvise a scene if there is a quick change mishap backstage that they need to cover for? Or how they react if someone trips over a set piece or if a prop is missing? I find these small pieces of live theatre fascinating to watch. Maybe it’s because I’ve been in similar situations as a performer so I understand what it’s like, unlike most audience members.  And maybe it’s that understanding that allows me to notice the little things that weren’t meant to happen. But I would have to say my favorite part of going to an opening is supporting the cast and crew. Sometimes I know someone in the cast and like to surprise them on opening night when they may not have anyone else in the audience. And sometimes I don’t know anyone but still want to help fill a seat on the opening. Having a full audience for an opening night is a great confidence booster especially if tech week has been a bit rough. When you hear the applause after singing your heart out and dancing as strong as you can even though your body is completely worn out, you know you’ve done your job and done it well.

Now there are a few differences between an opening night and a closing night but that’s another post for another day. Thanks for reading theatre goers and if you have the chance go see a show on opening night.

The Wiz at Interlakes Theatre in Meredith, NH

Last night I had the pleasure of sitting in a very full house at Interlakes Theatre in Meredith, NH for the super-soulful musical, The Wiz. It closes out the summer season this week playing until Sunday August 17^th. Once again the superb Director and Choreographer Kenney M. Green did not disappoint. From the opening overture to the return home this show is delightfully fun. As always there are a few things in every show that catch my eye that I like to mention. Firstly, the choreography performed by the dancers in this show was incredible. From the “Tornado Ballet” complete with black lights to the upbeat “Everybody Rejoice (Brand New Day)” I thoroughly enjoyed every step. Secondly, I have to congratulate the three amazing men behind the Scarecrow (Saidu Sinlah), Tinman (Basit Shittu), and Lion (Darius Nelson). They were a fantastic trio that complimented each other well and kept the audience smiling. Thirdly, I was quite impressed with the sassy Addaperle played by Carla Martinez. Her vocals and dancing shined in “He’s the Wiz”. Lastly and certainly my favorite part of the show was the phenomenal Nasia Thomas who portrayed Dorothy! She brought real life and charisma to the story she was sharing and her voice was brilliant and completely mesmerizing. By the end of closing number “Home” there was not a dry eye in the house. She was certainly the biggest highlight in the show and her performance is not to be missed! Like I said earlier, this show only runs until Sunday August 17^th so get your tickets now to see The Wiz!

42nd St. at Interlakes Theatre

Hello Theatre audiences,

If you ever danced when you were younger or if you are a dancer now I strongly suggest you make your way to Interlakes Theatre in Meredith, NH and enjoy one of Broadways best dance musicals, 42^nd St! Last night as I sat awaiting the show I could hear the faint sound of tap shoes backstage. For a Tuesday evening the rather full audience was buzzing with anticipation. The footlights were glowing as the house lights came down and the audience hushed but not for long. From the very first number through the closing curtain, the company was high energy and full of smiles. Overall, the spectacular tap dancing was the highlight of the show. But there were a few other performances that really caught my attention. The first was the young man playing Billy Lawlor (Erik Joshua Clack) who was charming and charismatic. He danced with incredible ease and was vocally superb. Ellie Kahn, who played Maggie Jones, had me laughing with her witty one-liners throughout the show. The always amazing Ashley Landroche, who played Dorothy Brock, was a vocal powerhouse. Lastly, and my favorite performance of the evening, is the phenomenal Alexandra Fassler who played Peggy Sawyer. She was brilliant from the moment she stepped on the stage and delighted the audience with her fast foot work and beautiful voice. Last night’s audience loved this show and you will too! But you only have until Sunday July 13^th to catch 42^nd St. before it taps away!