To quote Stephanie J. Block in “The Cher Show”: “You haven’t seen the last of me.” So here I am once again with a sorta bonus edition of my monthly column. This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to intern in the most magnificent city in the world: New York City. The city is known for a lot of things: crowded streets, crazy cab drivers, and naked cowboys in Times Square but most importantly, musical theatre. Thanks to the invention of the broadway lottery system, I was able to experience both good and bad musicals. So, sit back and relax because I’ve got a list of some of the best and worst musicals the Great White Way has to offer.
“My Fair Lady”
First up, a classic! The musical that made Julie Andrews a star on the Great White Way, “My Fair Lady” is the original makeover story. Based on the play “Pygmalion,” the musical follows Eliza Doolittle, a flower girl in 1800s London with a very thick cockney accent, and her journey with cocky phonetics professor Henry Higgins. Higgins is determined to win a bet that anyone with the proper training can be a part of the elite. This musical includes the classics “I Could’ve Danced All Night” and “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly.” When I saw the production, which opened in March 2018, I had the great honor of seeing Laura Benanti as Eliza. Benanti played both the Cockney and Lady Eliza with great spirit, fun, and poise. “Downton Abbey” alum Henry Hadden-Paton played Higgins with all the class and arrogance the role calls for. Even with the phenomenal cast, the show still dragged and showed its age a bit. At the time of this article’s publication, this broadway production has closed, but you can catch the show on tour starting this fall.
Rating: B
“The Cher Show”
If you’re looking for one of my favorite musicals I saw, scroll no further! “The Cher Show” is a jukebox musical that follows the career and life of, you guessed it, Cher! I have to admit, before arriving in the city, I had no interest in seeing this show, nor was I a huge Cher fan. But, the magic of Cher not only changed my mind but was able to transform me into a fierce goddess warrior. Cher is played by three actresses (Tony winner Stephanie J. Block, Teal Wicks, and Micaela Diamond) who each display Cher in different stages of her life, but are also there to provide support to each other. While each actress has the vocal and acting chops, the main attraction here is Block, who won her first Tony in this role. Block has really tapped into Cher, which is on full display throughout the show, especially when she sings “The Way of Love.” Outside of the actors, the set design is bright and colorful, and the choreography is slick. And it wouldn’t be “The Cher Show” unless I mentioned the spectacular Bob Mackie designs. Each costume sparkles and shines underneath the lights of the stage, and the attention to detail is present. Overall, “The Cher Show” is a load of fun and while yes it does have its faults, the musical plays into the cheesiness. Unfortunately, this is another show that is closed at the time of this publication, but I do believe (see what I did there) Cher and co. will be taking their show on the road.
Rating: A+
“Frozen: The Musical”
The Great White Way has been white for a while, but now musical fans can thank Elsa for making it even whiter. Thanks to everyone for not being able to let go of Frozen’s soundtrack, it was only a matter of time that this new Disney classic head to the stage. “Frozen: The Musical” follows its original source with a few minor changes and a few new songs. This musical adaptation had huge expectations for its leading ladies, currently Cassie Levy as Elsa and Patti Murin as Anna, but Levy and Murin capture the same sisterly bond that Idina Menzel and Kristen Bell do on screen. Thanks to the extended run time, Elsa gets more character development and the added songs “Monster” and “Dangerous to Dream” creates a more complicated ice queen, who feels a duty to make her parents proud, protect her sister, and keep her powers and her fear of them under control. Murin keeps Anna, well, Anna! All of the cute quirks and optimistic spirit that Anna possessed in the film are on full display on stage. Murin’s voice is something that needs to grow on you, but by the end of the show, this soprano’s energy wins you over. Continuing with casting, in June, Disney broke the norm by casting an actress, Ryann Redmond, in the role of Olaf. This swerve outside of the traditional casting lane pays off as Redmond keeps everything we love about Olaf intact. What is truly spectacular about this show are the special effects. Icicles fly, walls freeze, and Elsa lets it go in dramatic fashion. Even with all this fun, Frozen falls somewhat flat with pacing and lacks some of the traditional Disney Broadway magic.
Rating: B
“Dear Evan Hansen”
Dear reader, you should see “Dear Evan Hansen” because it finally talks about the struggles of the everyday teen. Sincerely, Me. It felt like I won the actual lottery when I won tickets for this highly sought after show. “Dear Evan Hansen” follows Evan, a high school senior who is struggling with anxiety. Evan struggles to socialize with his peers and to cope, he writes letters to himself to express how he is feeling. After a fellow student commits suicide and one of Evan’s letters lands in the wrong hands, Evan finds himself becoming a part of a movent that is bigger than himself, but also having to keep a lie that keeps getting bigger. “DEH” beautifully intertwines the battle teens have with self-acceptance and technology smartly and honestly. The stage itself is like nothing I’ve seen before with panels that display active Twitter feeds. The songs, besides maybe “Waving Through a Window,” “Sincerely, Me,” and “You Will Be Found,” aren’t too memorable. They all possess the light pop sound that is common on Broadway now, but they do an excellent job of moving the story along. Still, this musical remains powerful and a crowd-pleaser, and you can be sure it will stay on Broadway for a while.
Rating: A
“Mean Girls”
If I could describe “Mean Girls: The Musical” in one word, it would be fetch! When this show was initially announced, I did tilt my head in confusion. Why and how could you make this iconic Tina Fey film into a musical? Well, Tina proved me wrong. “Mean Girls” follows the same plot as the film. Cady is the new girl from Africa and happens to fall in with the most popular girls in school, The Plastics. Along the way, Cady falls in love with Aaron Samuels but also loses herself in the jungle that is the high school social food chain. What’s so great about this musical is that it stands on its own. No prior knowledge of the movie is needed, and the musical seems like an original idea. The score is also an absolute delight that manages to mix humor, heart, and a positive message together that manages to put a little pep in your step when you leave the theatre. My personal favorites include “World Burn,” “Stop!,” and “I’d Rather Be Me.” The cast is also a delight. Grey Hensen’s Damian is a showstopper who commands the stage and Taylor Louderman’s Regina George is both funny and maniacal and brings the house down with her out of this world vocals (see “World Burn”). All in all, this show is great fun and a great way to get into musicals if you aren’t already.
Rating: A+
“Beetlejuice”
Well, this show was quite a surprise. “Beetlejuice” is yet another movie to stage adaptation (unfortunately, that is what the Great White Way is filled with right now), but with a wonderful twist. “Beetlejuice” strays away from the 1988 plot-wise, but keeps all of its leading players. The musical follows Lydia, who has just lost her mom and is now obsessed with all things death, as she, her father, and her life coach, Delia, move into a new house, where recently deceased Barbara and Adam lived. Now ghosts, Barbara and Adam fight to take back their home. Of course, Beetlejuice, the creepy old dead guy, is playing games with the new ghost couple and young Lydia in the hopes that he finds companionship. Thanks to the large scale of the Winter Garden Theatre, “Beetlejuice” keeps much of its Tim Burton qualities. The sets are large and vibrant and allow for large special effects, like a sand snake, to enter the stage. Alex Brightman also makes Beetlejuice his own, and his comedic timing helps the already funny script. Sophia Ann Caruso’s unique voice gives Lydia that punky, rebellious edge that’s needed, but also does a really great job of making her vulnerable. Leslie Kritzer’s Delia is a hoot and Kritzer has a great number in the second act as Miss Argentina. Unfortunately, the songs didn’t have me dying to listen to them again. The hilarious script, though, would get me to return to the other side again!
Rating: A
“Beautiful: The Carole King Musical”
It honestly breaks my heart to have seen a show and not come out loving it, but here we are. “Beautiful” shares with the audience the early years of Carole King. From the selling of her first song, meeting her first husband, Gerry Goffin, to her debut performance at Carnegie Hall. While it’s advertised as Carole’s story, it didn’t feel like Carole’s story. Jukebox/biographical musicals are a tricky thing. It has to find a way to present a person’s life but also finds a way to use iconic songs to move the story forward. “Beautiful” flops at both of these. Much of the first act turns into “Here, look at this song my husband and I wrote” and “Hey, look at this song my BFFs Barry and Cynthia wrote” without ever really looking into the psyche of Miss King. Instead, we get highlights of her life and a touch of the struggles of her first marriage. It’s not until the last part of the second act that we get any of King’s iconic hits from her album “Tapestry.” Heck! “(I Feel) The Earth Move” technically isn’t in the show! The cast sings it at the end of the curtain call. While I think Miss King’s life deserves to be displayed in a musical or some other type of medium, it needs to expand beyond the scope of what “Beautiful” gives us and explore more of King. Then, can this musical truly be called “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.”
Rating: C
“Ain’t Too Proud”
Speaking of jukebox musicals, here’s a great one. “Ain’t Too Proud” tells the story of one of the classic Motown groups, The Temptations. From the group’s days in the streets of Detroit to its days at the top of the charts, “Ain’t Too Proud” moves from each scene flawlessly and connects each one with a classic Temptations track. Considering the vast history of The Temptations, this musical does not drag and has found a way to incorporate The Temptations classic tunes alongside the triumphs and trials of their professional and personal jobs. Sergio Trujillo’s Tony Award-winning choreography is slick and stunning, and the main cast exudes the same energy as the original Temptations. What adds even more to the energy on stage is the energy out in the audience. When I saw the show, the audience was hollering, gasping, and laughing right along with the story. And you know when an audience has that kind of reaction, then you have a hit on your hands.
Rating: A
Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Oklahoma”
And last, but most certainly not least is “Oklahoma.” Now I can sense the eye rolls, but listen! This is not your grandma’s Oklahoma. This Tony Award-winning revival has a fresh, modern take on one of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s seminal classics. For those of you not familiar, this classic takes place in the Oklahoma territory during the time of farmers and cowboys and follows Laurie, a farmgirl, and the battle between two suitors, Curly, the sweet-talking cowboy, and the sinister, creepy farmhand Judd. “Oklahoma” also follows a storyline about the flirtatious Ado Annie and her struggle to remain faithful to her cowboy Will Parker. The storyline may seem a little old-fashioned, but this revival manages to take elements already present in the original script and make them fitting to this century. The script is funnier and leaves you pondering some social issues we currently have. Of course, there were some weird moments. Boots flop down from the ceiling during the dream sequence, Curly and Jud have a strange and dark (when I say dark, I mean dark. I couldn’t see anything!) confrontation, and the lead dancer gallops around like a horse a lot. I didn’t understand why things were done the way they were, but I liked it! The music is reworked too with a more modern, pop-country twang which allows for the cast to break outside the bounds of the traditional R & H falsetto. Thanks to the Circle in the Square Theatre, this show is also immersive. The audience surrounds the stage, and the theatre offers onstage seating, which means you may have interactions with the actors, have one crack open a beer in front of you, or even dance across your table. Oh, and did I mention there’s free food at intermission. There’s cornbread and chili for all! Overall, “Oklahoma” reminded me why I love theatre: it’s immersive, and thought-provoking and the show had me wanting to watch it again and again.
Rating: A+