Dr. Blackwell's BLOG

Although not entirely unexpected, sad news came today from the producers of the Broadway musical Boop! The musical will play its final performance on the Great White Way on July 13th. I have been championing this show since I saw it for the first time in April during its previews. In my opinion, the show, punctuated by an amazing performance by its Tony-nominated star Jasmine Amy Rogers, a phenomenal musical score composed by mega producer David Foster (who spent years writing the score), fantastic costumes, phenomenal choreography, and a heartwarming story, was the best show on Broadway this season.

But the American Theatre Wing differed, and the show, despite being nominated for 3 Tony Awards, was completely snubbed. The show was also denied an opportunity to showcase itself during the Tony’s broadcast, which may have given it a much needed box office boost. As reported by Variety:

Boop! The Musical will play its final Broadway performance on July 13. The closing announcement is the fourth new musical in the past several weeks, following Smash, Dead Outlaw and Real Women Have Curves. All are new musicals that came to Broadway this spring, that were hoping for boosts from the Tony Awards, but did not take home any trophies. Boop star Jasmine Amy Rogers was nominated for a Tony Award this year, and the show also received nods for best costume design and best choreography. The musical, directed and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell, opened at the Broadhurst Theater April 5, after starting previews March 11. 

The show’s storyline reimagines the cartoon character coming to life in modern day New York. Rogers was highlighted as a standout, and she won the Drama Desk Award for outstanding lead performance, an award which she shared with Gypsy’s Audra McDonald. 

However, capacity at Boop! has been hovering around 70 to 80 percent for the past several weeks, and the musical has yet to crack $1 million in weekly grosses. Last week, the show brought in about $600,000, but grosses have dropped as low as about $400,000. Running costs are increasing for musicals on Broadway, which has brought added pressure to bring in audiences and also led to the recent slate of closures. Last week, Cabaret also announced it would end its run after about 14 months on Broadway.

Additionally, Boop did not perform on the Tony Awards (unlike the other new musicals) and thus did not have the marketing boost.The musical features a score by David Foster and Susan Birkenhead and a book by Bob Martin. The cast of Boop! also includes Faith Prince as Valentina, Ainsley Melham as Dwayne, Erich Bergen as Raymond Demarest, Stephen DeRosa as Grampy, Anastacia McCleskey as Carol Evans, Angelica Hale as Trisha, Phillip Huber as Pudgy the Dog, Aubie Merrylees as Oscar Delacorte and Ricky Schroeder as Clarence.

While the quality is rarely the same, let’s hope Boop! can live on in a national tour. Or better yet, perhaps a West End transfer to wow the stages of London could find itself in the works. A show this good deserves so much more success than it received.

The phenomenal musical Kimberly Akimbo took home Tony gold Sunday night at the 76th Annual Awards Ceremony for the American Theatre Wing. The show was crowned Best Musical and its star, Victoria Clark, took home her second Tony award for Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical while Bonnie Milligan took the prize for Best Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical. David Lindsay-Abaire also won the Tony for Best Book for Kimberly Akimbo and shared the award for Best Original Score with Jeanine Tesori. As described by the American Theater Wing:

Kimberly Akimbo is the new musical from Pulitzer Prize-winner David Lindsay-Abaire and Tony Award-winner Jeanine Tesori that follows Kim, a bright and funny Jersey teen, who happens to look like a 72-year-old lady. And yet her aging disease may be the least of her problems. Forced to maneuver family secrets, borderline personalities, and possible felony charges, Kim is determined to find happiness in a world where not even time is on her side.

Check out the Tony Award show performance of, “Anagram” from Kimberly Akimbo below:

The story of how a musical based on the beloved novel, The Bridges of Madison County, by Robert James Waller, came to be is an interesting one. The show got its start in 2013 at the Williamstown Theater Festival in Williamstown, MA. A creative team including the legendary composer Jason Robert Brown (Parade, The Last Five Years) and writer Marsha Norman brought to stage an absolutely gorgeous musical that contained the core elements of the novel (with some amazingly smart alterations) but stripped much of the klutzy components of the film to life. The show would eventually make its way to Broadway in 2014, where powerhouse Kelli O’Hara would star as the female lead (Francesca) and Steven Pasquale its male lead. While the show sadly lived a short run, luckily, it has found itself as a genuine addition to the repertoire of American musical theater and lived on. Brown went on to win the Tony Award for Best Score. While nominated, unfortunately O’Hara would be robbed of the Tony for Best Actress. The American Theater Wing voters would right that wrong the following year when O’Hara won for the 2015 revival of The King & I).

I saw the original Broadway show shortly after it opened. The phenomenal voices of the leads meshed with the lush all-string and percussion orchestral score grabbed ahold of me; and the story of how two humans with similar confinements of their realities found a lifelong love for one another really made an impact. So when the closing notice was posted, I quickly purchased a ticket and flew to NYC so I could be in attendance at the show’s final performance. I also traversed the country with the Equity tour the original production spawned shortly after; and that production came close to rivaling what was seen on Broadway. Needless to say, Bridges has gone on to become one of my all-time favorite musicals. So when I learned that actor/director Hunter Foster, who played Francesca’s husband Bud in the original Broadway cast, was mounting a production of the show at the Axelrod Theater in Deal Park, NJ, there was no way I could miss it. And I’m so glad I didn’t!

While it’s nearly impossible to supplant the voices and talent of O’Hara and Pasquale, Kate Baldwin (Francesca Johnson) and Aaron Lazar (Robert Kincaid), the two leads here, are DAMN close! Baldwin, a two-time Tony Award nominee, has a voice that absolutely soars! She has perfected the nuances of her character with complete mastery. And not only does she blow the roof off with her incredibly angelic singing, she can really act. She personifies the hurt, longing, and subtle desperation of a woman trapped in a life of mundane monotony so well that when her steamy affair with handsome and rugged photographer Robert begins, the audience quickly suspends any judgment. Lazar also brings a sense of vulnerability to his character that has the same equating effect. His voice is incredibly powerful; and he (like Baldwin) has a solid comprehension of the necessity of dynamics to inflect the emotional journey of the characters through song.

The supporting cast is also superb. Bud Johnson is played by Broadway veteran Bart Shatto. He gets the opportunity to display his vocal and acting abilities in several numbers, punctuated by, “Something From A Dream” in Act I. And while Emily Pellecchia’s interpretation of Bud and Francesca’s daughter Carolyn is spot-on, Thomas Cromer’s performance of their son Michael is a little subdued for a masculine teen that is looking to rebel against the confines of rural Iowan life. The Johnson’s neighbor Marge is vital to the portrayal of the bond rural farming communities can have; and while Nikki Yarnell plays the role with a little less empathy than I’ve seen in previous productions of the show, she and Mark Megill (who plays her husband Charlie), are great. Perhaps the real standout among those playing supporting roles is Giuliano Augello, who brings down the house in her portrayal of Robert’s ex-wife Marian. Her performance of, “Another Life” was shockingly brilliant! Her light shines bright; and she fits in perfectly with the Broadway actors that make up this cast.

The scenic designs by Anna Louizos are simple (not basic) and reminiscent of the original production with some smart, albeit subtle, differences. They’re also used in a highly effective manner as they’re manipulated on stage throughout the scenes by the cast. This was one of the first shows I ever saw on Broadway that employed that technique. And it adds to the ambiance of the scenes incredibly wel. Interestingly, I learned that because cast members were involved in setting props and moving set pieces manually, they had to becoming card-carrying members of the respective union for such stagehands. Director Hunter Foster, who I’m sure has some strong emotional ties to the show since he has been involved with it since its inception, has made some absolutely wonderful staging decisions that incredibly enhance the story. 

One of the more powerful numbers is, “Get Closer,” sung by neighbor Marge in a comedic fashion while the romance between Francesca and Robert are played out towards the end of Act I. In the original production, the character sings the number stage left, somewhat distracting from the main character development. Here, the number is sung off stage with a filter designed to alter Yarnell’s voice to mimic a radio broadcast. This allows the audience to focus solely on the fiery love and connection that’s occurring between Francesca and Robert. Other notable elemental changes include deletion of a brief reunion scene fantasized by Francesca when her family encounters Robert in town and a completely different conclusion to the final scene of the show. In the original production, Francesca and Robert embrace on the bridge where they first kindled their love. In this production, Francesca relives the moment where she posed for a photograph for Robert on the bridge, invoking an even more powerful emotional reaction from the audience that imparts a slightly different, yet equally impactful, impression. 

In conclusion, I just can’t say enough good things about this production of Bridges. I saw the show two days in a row and can conclude that it is one of the best theatrical experiences I’ve ever had. When I have amazing theatrical experiences such as this, I take a moment to thank God. I thank God for blessing the performers with their immeasurable talents and abilities; and I thank God for the skill and wisdom of the composers, musicians, writers, directors, and everyone else involved in bringing something as truly magical as this to life. There’s no doubt this production was truly blessed by the almighty. Thank you to everyone for making this production of The Bridges of Madison County one I will never forget!

While the run has ended, you can check out a behind the scenes video on the production below:

Follow the Playbill link below to watch Carrie Hope Fletcher perform the absolutely gorgeous, “Far Too Late” from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s upcoming musical Cinderella. As reported by Playbill:

Get a taste of Andrew Lloyd Webber, David Zippel, and Emerald Fennell’s upcoming Cinderella musical in the new video above, with title star Carrie Hope Fletcher singing “Far Too Late.” Lloyd Webber accompanies her on the piano at Her Majesty’s Theatre (home of The Phantom of the Opera) in London’s West End.

Cinderella was initially slated to debut this fall, but was pushed back to spring 2021 due to the coronavirus. 

Joining Fletcher (Heathers, Les Misérables) on stage will be Olivier nominee Victoria Hamilton-Barritt (Murder Ballad) as the Stepmother. Laurence Connor (Miss Saigon) will direct.

Cinderella features an updated story and book by Fennell (Killing Eve, Promising Young Woman) with lyrics by Zippel (City of Angels). Also attached to the project is choreographer JoAnn Hunter (Disaster!, School of Rock). 

Additional members of the cast and creative team will be announced at a later date.

https://playbill.com/article/watch-carrie-hope-fletcher-perform-far-too-late-from-andrew-lloyd-webbers-cinderella-musical

Just five weeks after the spectacular production of RAGTIME was staged at Theater Under the Stars in Houston, an entirely different and very unique production of the show has found its way to the Tony-winning Serenbe playhouse in Serenbe, GA. This theater, about 30 minutes outside of Atlanta, is known for its incredibly unique stagings and productions that are far from traditional. 

Last year, the theater mounted what I concluded was an overall weak production of TITANIC, one of my all-time favorite musicals. The main issue with TITANIC lied in the overall weaker performers casted, who frankly didn’t have the singing talent necessary to pull off the demanding numbers of the show. That is certainly not the case with Serenbe’s RAGTIME; the performers here are absolutely incredibly talented and beyond capable. The orchestra also performs Stephen Flaherty’s score magnificently. 

The main story hinges around three composites of a changing American face at the dawn of the Twentieth Century. One, a rich upper-class White family, another African Americans, punctuated by the show’s main characters Coalhouse Walker, Jr. and Sarah, and immigrants, portrayed through the eyes of Tateh and his “little girl.” The supporting characters of the show, which include showbiz harlet Evelyn Nesbit, Model T manufacturer Henry Ford, Booker T. Washington, Harry Houdini, and Emma Goldman (among others) are also essential to ensuring the elaborate story unfolds competently. And unfortunately, the major criticism this staging of RAGTIME deserves concerns just how the story is conveyed.

The show is performed inside a giant circus tent in a Vaudeville style, with a very long center stage where the action occurs. That action occurs from one end of the tent to another, which makes following the scenes and scene transitions very difficult. Despite having VIP tickets, we were seated at one of end of the stage, which made it very challenging to see the various aspects of the crowded stage, with characters often flanking each other despite this having absolutely nothing to do with the plot. 

If you are unfamiliar with the show, you will find this claustrophobic approach to portraying the plot quite difficult to follow. One of the friends who saw the show with us on Saturday had never seen the show before; and he had absolutely no idea what it was about. At intermission, he was totally clueless as to what was going on. And by the show’s end, he remained entirely perplexed as to what the major elements of the plot were.

Now, if you know RAGTIME and are familiar with the show, you will LOVE this production, not because of its unique staging which is unfortunately much more of a distraction than enhancer, but because of the Broadway-worthy performers who blow every single number OUT OF THE PARK! Courtney Chappelle (Mother), Chase Davidson (Mother’s Younger Brother), Jacob S. Louchheim (Tateh), Marcus Terrell Smith (Coalhouse Walker, Jr.), and Nicole Vanessa Ortiz (Sarah) are enormously talented and can really act and sing. Despite the awkward and inappropriate Vaudeville theme the show is framed through, these performers REALLY make this theater-going experience absolutely worthwhile. 

I applaud Serenbe for experimenting theatrically with traditional shows; but it’s essential to ensure the format in which a show is presented serves only to enhance it rather than significantly detract from it. Director Brian Clowdus made a heck of a blunder in thinking a Vaudeville-staging of RAGTIME, which deals with quite serious and nuanced thematic material, would be appropriate to the source material. The potential of what this show could’ve been is astronomical and limitless given its phenomenal cast.  But what’s here amounts to a silly, frenetic, and very questionable production that is chuck full of talent that this production simply doesn’t do justice. This doesn’t mean I don’t recommend the show—I DO! But, don’t expect to see RAGTIME how it should be presented. Instead, go for the incredible performances, hair-raising musical numbers performed by superbly capable performers, and a supporting orchestra that plays its lush and gorgeous Tony-winning musical score to absolute perfection. For ticket information, visit: http://www.serenbeplayhouse.com/ragtime.

The sweeping and phenomenally-scored, written, and moving Broadway musical RAGTIMEhas come alive in what can only be described as an absolutely phenomenal production by Theater Under the Stars at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts in Houston, TX. The show is helmed by Marcia Milgrom Dodge, Tony-nominated for her staging of the revival of the show that bowed at the Kennedy Center in 2011 and found its way to Broadway in 2013.

The show centers around three major social groups that are mixing, by force, in turn of the century United States. One is a rich white upper class family, the next a Black community experiencing the racial realities of a post-Civil War America, and the final the immigrants who are pouring into the country for a better life. The three groups eventually clash and meld with one another; the show highlights that by focusing on a handful of main players—Coalhouse Walker, Jr., a popular and accomplished pianist with a acute understanding of the realities of racism who has fallen in love and fathered a baby with a poor Black woman named Sarah, Father, Mother, Younger Brother and Mother’s son (Edgar) who are experiencing maturation of a familial unit that is being torn apart by the crushing change in a time when their racial privilege and class has afforded them major life advantages, and a Latvian immigrant father (Tateh) and his daughter, poor and incredibly strained by a move to a foreign land that wants little to do with them other than to exploit them for their work.

Told behind the backdrop of racial stress, the industrial revolution where workers are starting to fight against their oppressive enslavement, and the personal stories of these three groups, RAGTIME presents an elaborate story of American history by weaving a tapestry of incredibly moving story, soaring music, and phenomenal effect. I have personally seen many productions of the show, including the original Broadway production (which remains to this day one of the best theatrical experiences of my life), revival, and several regional productions. 

I can easily attest that the production of the show here is simply the BEST one I’ve ever seen outside of that original Broadway bow in 1997. We’ll get to the acting and singing—which are both superb—but let’s talk technical aspects first. Dodge has recreated much, if not most of the creative elements from her Tony-nominated RAGTIME, with erector set type elements with a posterior projection screen that serves as a backdrop for the settings. Two moving staircases serve as the centerpiece for many of the show’s sequences, utilized effectively throughout. There are some enhanced set pieces and accentuated props used sparsely. But the show largely retains the qualities of its predecessor while adding elements that only add to its quality. 

As for the acting and singing—WOW! The actors here are first-rate (many plucked right from the stages of Broadway) including Tony nominee Robert Petkoff, who figuratively “steals” the show. His turn as Tateh rightly earned him a Tony nomination. He would repeat that here if possible. Mother is played extraordinarily by Courtney Markowitz while Father is played by Drama Desk nominated Broadway veteran Ryan Silverman. Of all the times I’ve seen the show, I have never seen a performer with the voice and acting abilities of Ezekial Andrew. Andrew is operatically-trained, which I at first found to be a potential threat to his ability to play the character. Opera, after all, is a FAR different musical style than ragtime. But, he proves here that he is not only a versatile singer that knocks RAGTIME’s sweeping numbers out of the park, but an absolutely incredible and talented actor who brings a unique and refreshing portrayal of the show’s main character. Sarah is played by Danyel Fulton, who also blows the roof off of the theater! She brings the heartbreaking characteristics of Sarah to life. Fulton’s big solo number as well as that of Markowitz were standing-ovation worthy.

There’s just not enough praise I can give this show. Even the side characters of Evelyn Nesbit (Emma Degerstedt), Harry Houdini (Josh Walden, also the show’s associate director and choreographer), and all the other supporting roles are played to shocking perfection. I can only imagine the cost of bringing this show to Houston—from the HUGE cast of close to 40 and orchestra of the same size, a Broadway-caliber performers and creative team, and all the other professional elements at play here, TUTS has shown its abilities to stage productions as a regional theater are second to none. RAGTIME plays at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts through April 28th. Tickets can be purchased at: https://my.tuts.com/single/PSDetail.aspx?psn=86. DO NOT MISS THIS SHOW!

Almost ten years ago, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Love Never Dies, his sequel to his beloved The Phantom of the Opera, premiered in London’s West End. While the original production was headlined by Broadway and West End megastars Ramin Karimloo (as the Phantom) and Sierra Boggess (as Christine), it was instantly panned by critics and failed to hold ground, earning the negative nickname “The Paint Never Dries.” But that wasn’t entirely Webber’s fault. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer at the same time the show began previews. Because he was battling cancer, he wasn’t able to devote the time necessary to make the changes the show needed to become a success. After the London production shuttered, Webber was determined to give Love Never Dies the justice it so desperately deserved.

He determined the next stop for the show would be Australia, where he brought in a new director and an entirely new production team of artists to redesign major elements of the musical, making it vastly different than the staging in London. The result was beyond efficacious. Critics and audiences lauded the Australian version of show. It become a huge success and ran for seven months at the Regent Theater in Melbourne. The Australian production gave breath to the show Webber absolutely loved. It had been resuscitated and given a new life as an absolute musical masterpiece that appropriately reflected Webber’s musical genius. He would even claim that Love Never Diesis the best score he’s ever composed, second only to EVITAand is something he is, “very, very proud of.”

With this new and well-received production settled, there were plans to bring it to Broadway. But brand new revivals of Sunset BoulevardandCATSjoined the long-running School of Rockandoriginal Phantomto give Webber a record-breaking 4 shows running at once. This resulted in shifting resources for Love Never Dies, that would instead, be toured around North America in a beautiful production that very closely mirrors the Australian version of the show.

I have been able to see this touring production four times now, twice early in its embarking in Orlando and most recently in Dallas. It was quickly evident from the start of the tour that this show was going to be something truly magical. And as the tour has progressed, the cast’s chemistry has meshed incredibly well, resulting in what should be a genuinely respected and admired piece of musical theater.

Love Never Diesis set ten years after the original. After his destruction of the opera house in Paris, the Phantom has escaped to the shores of Coney Island, where he has founded one of the world’s first carnivalistic amusement parks with the help of his long-time friend Meg Giry, and her daughter, Meg. Despite his new life in America, he is unable to forget his love for Christine Daaé, who is now an international operatic superstar. He concocts a scheme to get close to her by outbidding Oscar Hammerstein for her American debut performance, which would take place in his concert hall. Other major players in the show include Daaé’s now-husband (and drunken gambler) Raoul, son Gustave, and sideshow performers that provide a cohesive attachment to the carnival-like atmosphere that serves as the story’s backdrop.

All of the actors in this production are absolutely phenomenal. Not a single one is anything less than stellar. Bronson Norris Murphy brings the Phantom to life and possesses some of the strongest and best vocals I have ever heard in the theater. He is incredibly talented and has a solid grasp of the necessary dynamics of the role; and he is able to extend his vocal nuances to the gorgeous songs of Love Never Dieswith perfection. He brings down the house with the opening number Til I Hear You Singand is given an early opportunity to not only demonstrate his chops but also his expert breathing and spacing techniques.

He is matched by the equally talented Meghan Picerno, who meshes entirely with Murphy in strikingly beautiful and soaring numbers like Beneath a Moonless Skyand Once Upon Another Time.The performance by Karen Mason as Madame Giry is also incredibly strong. She articulates the duplicitous nature of her character exceedingly well, and brings the house down in the final number of Act I. Mary Michael Patterson plays Giry’s daughter Meg, who gets several numbers that allow her to showcase her immense talent and vocal abilities. Sean Thompson (fresh from the Broadway revival of Sunset Boulevard) portrays a very unlikeable Raoul and fulfills the role exquisitely.

Due to his age, the actor playing Gustave varies. Jake Heston Miller played the role in both performances I saw in Dallas and was marvelous, although assisted with some backtracking in The Beauty Underneaththat largely escaped the audience’s notice. This number is his duet with the Phantom at the end of Act One, which has been reworked for the touring production. While the number is still outstanding, it is not as good as the version of the song as heard in the Australian and London productions. Fleck (Katrina Kemp), Richard Koons (Squelch), and Stephen Petrovich (Gangle) also give strong performances as the Phantom’s henchman. Their characters help interweave scenes and set changes while interjecting some comedic relief and adding to the mysterious air of the story.

The sets (supervised by Edward Pierce, the Broadway set designer of countless Broadway shows, including Wicked and Bright Star) work flawlessly, utilizing a turntable that centers and shifts much of the action. This is joined oftentimes with large left and right stage pieces that, along with some amazing lighting (by Nick Schlieper), create an ultimately dark and incredibly appropriate setting. The costumes (designed by Gabriella Tylesova, also responsible for the show’s scenic design) are also magnificent and couldn’t be any more (at times) beautiful, opulent, and seamless.

Spectacular performances punctuated with truly phenomenal singing combine with a gorgeously beautiful and lush score, perfectly implemented sets, costume, and lighting to produce what is simply put, one of the best pieces of musical theater to ever grace the stage. It will be truly a travesty if Love Never Diesis unable to make it to Broadway, where it rightly belongs. But of course, to make that happen, millions of dollars are needed. And in an ever-increasingly competitive landscape, getting a show to a Broadway stage takes an incredible amount of risk, even for Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, who has probably the best track record of success of any Broadway composer in history.

So—don’t risk waiting for Love Never Diesto make its way to NYC. Find out where the tour is stopping near you and GO SEE IT!It far eclipses most of the current showson Broadway and achieves the rare feat of surpassing its predecessor. Andrew Lloyd Webber and his creative team have created a masterpiece that here, has been placed in the hands of performers who have ensured it is executed with absolute sheer perfection.