Dr. Blackwell's BLOG

On Monday February 17th, a once in a lifetime experience occurred on the stage of Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center. The original Broadway cast of the Tony Award-winning Best Musical TITANIC reunited for a concert performance of the show, complete with a 120-piece orchestra and 200-member choral ensemble. The experience was truly memorable and is something I will cherish and never forget. It was a great way to close a chapter on the show and open a new one as it plans to return in a newly conceived version on Broadway in the Fall. Below is Playbill’s Steven Suskin’s beautifully articulated review of the event and a video of the cast in rehearsal last week.

By Steven Suskin
18 Feb 2014

Titanic steamed into Avery Fisher Hall last night and received a more-than-rousing reception from a house packed with thousands of diehard fans of the 1997 musical by Maury Yeston and Peter Stone. Not only were the musical numbers ecstatically (and deservedly) received; many of the members of the original cast who were on hand to recreate their roles were greeted with strong entrance applause. To borrow a phrase from Walter Lord’s 1955 bestseller about the ill-fated maiden voyage, it was “a night to remember.”

Titanic was the massive musical that overcame a rocky in-town preview period to become the Best Musical of the 1996-97 season, winning Tony Awards for Yeston, Stone, designer Stewart Laing, and Jonathan Tunick(inaugurating the new category of Best Orchestrations). The show ran two years, which was not quite enough to bear the outsized costs — including a shipload of scenery and a cast of 42 — but sufficient to establish it as one of the most significant musicals of its time.Stripped of scenery and costumes, but supported by a full orchestra conducted by original music director Kevin Stites — and including seven members of the 26 piece opening night pit band — Yeston’s score sounded glorious. Augmenting the effect was an added chorus; while the original show was sung wholly by the principals, last night’s event added more than 200 singers from seven high school choirs coming from as far as Nebraska and Colorado. Craig Arnold of Manhattan Concert Productions, which offered last year’s concert version of Ragtime, produced. Don Stephenson, who in 1997 played the second class Englishman eloping with a member of the nobility (and who was subsequently a replacement star of The Producers), directed the concert. 

More than half of the original cast was assembled, with 22 actors recreating their roles. Some of the cast members have gone on to Broadway stardom, like Michael Cerveris and Brian d’Arcy James. (Among the most celebrated of the originals was the then-little known Victoria Clark, who all but stole the show as Alice Beane, the second class passenger who storms the First Class deck. Clark was announced for the concert but withdrew last week.) Others have been little seen in the interval, but last night the years seemed to melt away. The voices were true, if not always as strong as originally, with the various solos — Yeston’s score is filled with important solos for many of the characters — ringing authentic.

The most significant of these solos were those written for the three crew members. D’Arcy James’ “Barrett’s Song” and “The Proposal,” Martin Moran’s “The Night Was Alive,” and David Elder‘s “No Moon” were all as chillingly pristine as they were on opening night in 1997. Cerveris, John Cunningham and David Garrison reprised their roles as architect, captain and owner, climaxing in their vicious trio “The Blame” and the architect’s wild “Vision” as he pores over the blueprints while the ship goes down.Theresa McCarthy and Jennifer Piech were joined by Erin Hill as the three Kates, scoring with the charming-turned-majestic anthem “Lady’s Maid.” Michele Ragusa, who played a small role in the original, moved up to Clark’s role of Alice Beane and did especially well. David Costabile andJohn Bolton helped steer the proceedings from the bridge, while Ted Sperling was back onboard — with his violin — as ship bandleader Hartley. As the evening approached its inevitable climax, Alma Cuervo and Ron Raines as the Strauses of Macy’s offered the tender showstopper “Still.” Serving as a central cog — and a humanizing touch as the ship starts to sink — was Allan Corduner as Etches, the First Class Steward.

The bravura fifteen-minute opening sequence (“The Launching”) drew an almost astonished ovation from the crowd. The show was intact with one addition, an operetta-like duet called “I Give You My Hand.” This was cut during previews, leaving the characters played by Stephenson (the concert’s director) and Judith Blazer without a major singing moment. Performed here by Ryan Silverman and Jill Paice, one understands how it doesn’t enhance the show.

The performance ended with a firestorm of curtain calls, capped by Yeston graciously bowing to the audience and acknowledging the late librettist Stone, whose picture appeared on a screen above the stage. This was a one-shot Titanic, but fans of the musical can look forward to Thom Southerland’s intimate production from London’s Southwark Playhouse, which is scheduled for Toronto in July and Broadway in the fall. The concert suggests that Yeston’s Titanic remains as powerful and glorious as originally.

I had the opportunity to venture off to New York City last weekend and got to see some amazing new Broadway shows, including 2 musicals (both of which were in previews) and 2 plays (one of which was in previews). Check out my reviews below:

 Bridges of Madison County. To preface this, I must divulge that I never saw the movie incarnation of this story and have never read the book. However, I did see and LOVE Parade, which hails from the same composer as this fantastic show. Bridges tell the story of Francesca (Kelli O’Hara) a middle-aged Italian immigrant housewife who’s mundane existence is turned upside down when a rugged and handsome stranger named Robert (Steven Pasquale) comes to town to photograph historic bridges that punctuate the local landscape. While many stories of love affairs fall into the realm of cliche and silliness, Bridges is somewhat immune to that because of the unique aspects of its story. For example, the main character’s immigration experience is integrated into the plot and is used to provide an etiologic framework to explain the rationale for her behavior. The book is written by Marsha Norman of The Color Purple (which incidentally, I did not like). The pace is perfect and the character development superb. And O’Hara’s performance as Francesca is one of the finest I’ve ever seen on stage. Her voice is purely angelic; and she portrays the character with an amazing realism. Pasquale is also great as her opposite; and the side characters are also very well portrayed. Hunter Foster provides a solid performance as Francesca’s husband Bud; but the amazingly talented Cass Morgan (the original Mama from MEMPHIS) is relegated to the sidelines with only one solo number, which to me is sad because Morgan gushes with talent. The beautiful and soaring score from Jason Robert Brown is both moving and engaging, pulling the audience in and truly conveying the emotions of the complex characters. The only downside of the show is the sets, which are manually manipulated by cast members throughout the production. They are a little too simplistic; and the need for the actors to shift them from one end of the stage to the other comes off as a little cheap. Regardless, by the end of the show, I found myself incredibly moved and connected to each character of the story. And in a time when many musicals come off as trite and superficial, Bridges of Madison County is surprisingly fresh and excitingly phenomenal!

 ROCKY: The Musical. I have never been a major fan of the story of Rocky. There’s nothing wrong with it per se; but the underlying message of the underdog being triumphant and the shy and quirky girl falling for the big dumb jock is certainly a little overdone. What attracted me to the Broadway show was simple–the composers of the music! Ragtime is one of my all-time favorite Broadway shows. And with the same composers (Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Aherns) on board, there was no way I was missing Rocky. And guess what? I’m glad I didn’t! This show is A LOT of fun! No, you won’t leave the theater with a new knowledge of an amazing piece of history or even something of significance; but you WILL leave with a smile! And the performances of the leads (Andy Karl as the Italian Stallion and Margo Seibert as his love interest Adrian) are strong. Both have great voices and give convincing interpretations of their respective characters. The music of the show is pop-rock in style and is catchy and fun. The sets (when they’re working–there were two long technical holds during the performance I sat through) are breath-taking and incredibly technologically complex. And the final fight scene, complete with a regulation-sized boxing ring that extends several rows into the orchestra (the rows are cleared and audience members transferred to seating areas on the stage), had the audience cheering. Although the overhead projection of the event and large flat television screens which float down to the stage throughout the show to illustrate media coverage of the fight threaten the show’s time setting, which is supposed to be in the late 1970’s. And there are some issues with pacing in the show currently; it is a little too long. Rocky’s training scenes are a little repetitive and monotonous; and the setup of the matchup, cooked-up by Apollo Creed’s promoter, is way underdeveloped and seems plopped together and rushed in haste. These issues are easy fixes, however, and I expect these kinks will be smoothed before opening night. Rocky really is a TON of fun! Don’t go see this show expecting an intellectual exercise. Relax, eat a little popcorn, and sit-back and enjoy the guilty pleasure Rocky provides.

 Machinal. Roundabout’s production of Machinal, which is loosely based on the true story of the life of husband-killer and executed American criminal Ruth Snyder, is a haunting work of theater. Rebecca Hall’s portrayal of Young Woman (names are never revealed in the show) is flawless. And the show’s rotating set is literally mind-boggling and incredibly effective at augmenting the story itself and further demonstrates the mechanistic nature of the main character’s unraveling life. Young Woman obviously suffers from mental illness. When she begins to have loose associations (the actual clinical term for the condition in which a psychotic individual links words together that are often situationally unrelated), the set darkens and only Hall’s face is spotlighted during the event. As a nurse practitioner, I immediately diagnosed the character’s condition and appreciated this highly effective manner of allowing the audience to literally enter the character’s psychology. Machinal isn’t a fun show. It isn’t a show that lightens one’s mood. But it does demonstrate a powerful story of a disturbed person during a time in American history when women were treated much differently than they are today. It is a haunting and amazingly crafted work and should not be missed.

 All The Way. I decided last minute to see this show. And I am really glad I did. Bryan Cranston’s performance as Lyndon Johnson surely puts him as the frontrunner for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play. The story follows Johnson’s unofficial term as President immediately following the assassination of President Kennedy up to his election night victory. An amazing cast brings the story to life. There’s just too many good actors for me to even begin to mention here. And they all provide stand-out performances. The book tells the story of a tumultuous time in American history when the civil rights movement was in full-gear and Johnson was working feverishly to pass a civil rights bill that would pave the way for racial equality throughout the nation. The set (a round congressional appearing arena with the Oval Office at center) is simple yet appropriate. The show could be trimmed down a little; it seems to drag a little bit at the end. But, the amazing performances provided by this amazingly talented ensemble cast makes every minute an absolute joy.

The touring production of the Tony-Award winning musical Once makes its way to Orlando this week for a week-long residence at the Bob Carr Center for the Performing Arts. The show, which garnered several 2012 Tony Awards, including the coveted Best Musical, has become a fan-favorite in New York and has been a success in both its off-Broadway and Broadway runs. Some of what translates to the touring production works. But unfortunately, some of the performances somewhat keep the show from reaching its full potential. First let’s identify what works–The sets (which somehow managed to best the groundbreaking and technologically advanced sets of Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark at the 2012 Tonys) and the lighting of the show are picture-perfect carbon copies of their Broadway counterparts. And the overall performance of the ensemble cast is strong and impressive. Unfortunately, not all of the performers in the show stand out. Or, perhaps they do, but not for good reason. And herein lies the main problem with this touring production of the show–their lead Guy (the character’s true name is never revealed throughout the show) played by Stuart Ward (who also played the role on the West End) delivers an amazingly well-acted performance that is ultimately damaged by subpar singing that results from his attempt to make his performance of the character unique from the original.

And when compared to that original Broadway lead and Tony-Award winning actor Steve Kazee, Ward’s vocals are devastatingly disappointing. His interpretation of the character is good when he’s not singing; but when the songs start, his staccato singing style butchers much of the melodic and beautiful music that made Once so beloved. Also missing from Ward’s performance is some of the gorgeous and often emotional bridging lyrics that Kazee used to really convey the emotion and heart of the music and story. A simple crescendoing and down-scaling “Yeah…” sung by Kazee on the show’s heartbreaking final number “Falling Slowly” is used to bridge a very brief instrumental interlude. Kazee’s singing of what is that small nuanced detail further illustrate the tragic sadness of the plot. It is left out by Ward altogether. And there are many examples of missing vocal nuances throughout his performance. The other lead Girl (the character’s name is also never revealed) is played beautifully by Dana deWaal. She hits the notes and emotions of the character perfectly. She is truly the one standout performer in this cast.

Another major criticism has to be given to Raymond Bokhour, who plays Guy’s dad Da. His performance was one of the flattest I’ve seen on stage in quite sometime. I’ve seen Once twice on Broadway, including a preview performance of the show featuring the entire original Broadway cast. The second time I saw the show, most of the cast (minus Kazee, who was replaced by a fantastic actor named Ben Hope) remained. In both of those performances, I do not remember the character of Da being weak, withdrawn, and sheepish. Bokhour’s interpretation of the character seemed to both my partner and I as being startlingly off. His shy and depressed demeanor significantly damaged the dynamic between his character and Guy. Girl’s sisters, brothers, and mother are skillfully portrayed by their respective actors; and although there were a couple of missed notes in the opening performance, all of the performers should be highly commended on their talent in playing both their character and the entire musical score of the show simultaneously. Witnessing that feat alone is enough of a reason to see Once.

Once truly is an amazing show. But sometimes, when actors attempt to put their own “spin” on a character, they distract from the role rather than augment it. Unfortunately, that’s what ends up happening here with this particular touring production of the show. Stuart Ward’s misdirected harsh singing style and at times rock-like vocals harden a score that is soaring with a delicate beauty. And Raymond Barkhour’s Da is so wildly divergent from what it was originally intended to be that the show seems to careen a little off-course. If you’ve never been spoiled by the amazing performances of the originals (Steve Kazee, Christin Milioti, and even Kazee’s stand-in Ben Hope), then this touring production will more than likely suffice. But, if you were lucky enough to experience the magic of that original cast, you’re more than likely going to be disappointed in the performances of Ward and especially Barkhour, whos’ own personal takes on the main and a pivotal character respectively, detract from, rather than enhance, this truly moving and beautiful show. Once plays through Sunday at the Bob Carr Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Orlando. For tickets, visit the official Web site at: Tour Info – Once the Musical – Official Broadway Site.

Both Playbill and Broadway World have reported the incredible news late last week that the Tony-Award winning Best Musical TITANIC is heading back to Broadway. Rather than inform you of my fond love for the show (it is my all-time favorite show to ever grace the stage), below I have reproduced Broadway World‘s Pat Cerasaro’s fantastic synopsis of the 1997 production and a little more news about the upcoming revival that’s headed to Broadway this Fall:

Today we are celebrating a particularly epic and eminently emotionally evocative Best Musical Tony Award winner just announced to be returning to the Great White Way later this year in a stripped-down, back-to-basics production based on a recent rapturously-received hit London revival – Maury Yeston and Peter Stone‘s TITANIC!

In Every Age

Originally opening on April 23, 1997 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre and ultimately running there for 804 performances, the premiere production of TITANIC started out as anything but a dream – the preview period itself has been described by many directly involved as an all-out nightmare, as a matter of fact; and, understandably so. Originally book-ended by a contemporary prologue and epilogue depicting the unearthing of the famed drowned luxury ship in 1986, the musical was extensively revised and rewritten over the course of its somewhat long preview period. Composer/lyricist Maury Yestonadjusted many musical passages and added material that would go on to become among the most cherished in the score, while master bookwriterPeter Stone and director Richard Jones continued to shape and refine the complex, multi-layered story weaving together fact and fiction in an entertaining and intriguing manner. Undoubtedly, the most problematic element of all those endured during the 27 previews was the oft-malfunctioning three-tiered set, which reflected the sinking of the ship as the show progressed with an increasingly raked series of levels upon which the actors inhabited the various classes on the ship – steerage to crow’s nest. It was a massive production and the famous sinking of the ship was addressed in a surprising way, indeed, yet the prospects of the production as a whole looked quite dire as it faced unfavorable reviews once it finally opened and the production was at last finalized and frozen.

Nevertheless, TITANIC quickly became a hit with audiences – thanks in no small part to the fact that the musical found an early champion in Broadway lover and then-talk show queen supreme Rosie O’Donnell, who praised the new musical continually on her daytime TV talk show – and it managed to run more than two years on Broadway, certainly proving early naysayers wrong. So, what precisely is it about TITANIC that made it a must-see musical back in 1997 and also a delectably revival-worthy property today? Why, the performance opportunities amply afforded by that majestic score and smart, sharp book – let alone the inherent real-life historical attributes contained within them!

Plus, just take a look at that simply remarkable original Broadway cast, with a number of them in early if not their very first major roles – Michael Cerveris, Victoria Clark, Brian D’Arcy James, David Garrison, Alma Cuervo,Larry Keith, John Cunningham, BeckyAnn Baker, Judith Blazer, Martin Moran, David Elder, Theresa McCarthy, Michele Ragusa, Ted Sperling, Henry Stram, Clarke Thorelland William Youmans, to name but a few! How can this new 2014 production ever hope to possibly match, let alone eclipse that vast assortment of phenomenal talent? Well, with a cast of a dozen or so and an orchestra of about half that size – at least judging by the production this revival will be based on – it will be a smaller scale affair, in any event, but with just as rich acting potential allowed to the ensemble of actors.

Additionally, long before Fall, fans of TITANIC will be able to satiate themselves with the February anniversary reunion concert showcasing the original cast of TITANIC, as well – proving, yet again, that TITANIC lives on… in every age!

Check out my recent InDepth InterView with original TITANIC cast member Victoria Clark discussing the TITANIC reunion, as well as sharing stories from the original production, available here.