Notes from the Big Apple

I've been down in New York since last weekend, to celebrate American Thanksgiving with my extended family. I love spending a few days in New York City before the holiday, catching up with old friends and seeing shows. This trip I was really excited because there are some interesting new musicals on Broadway. Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, got a great preview write up in the New York Times and seemed promising, as did, Kander and Ebb's final work, The Scottsboro Boys. Also on my short list was, American Idiot, the new show, set to the music of Green Day. There are some real heavyweights on Broadway right now. James Earl Jones and Vanessa Redgrave are starring in Driving Miss Daisy. Elaine Stritch and Bernadette Peters are back on Broadway in A Little Night Music. Ms. Kristen Chenoweth is starring opposite Sean Hayes in Promises, Promises, which also features a cameo by Molly Shannon. And the incomprable Patti Lupone is in the new show, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, based on the classic film by Pedro Almodovar.

With so many shows to choose from it was a tough call as to what I should see during my limited time in town. So my first stop was to visit my friends at New York Theatre Barn . I wanted to find out what they have seen and what they would recommend. Unfortunately they did not have great things to say about a few of the above mentioned shows and their criticism was echoed by a few other trusted voices. Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, was probably the show I was most excited about but from everything I have heard it may not be worth seeing. Most of the criticism for the show was about the music. Several people have told me that the score is not very good, and one person even went so far as to say that the show doesn't have a score. Yikes! Other people took issue with the story, saying that the show had some clever bits but either didn't develop them or made them into cheap jokes rather than anything with substance. Too bad. I also heard similar criticism for American Idiot. Most detractors felt that it isn't really a musical, but actually a song cycle. Not that there is anything wrong with a song cycle, but you get the picture.

Nobody I talked to had seen the Scottsboro Boys yet, but it was definitely the hot ticket in town. Everyone wants to see it, including me. The show tells the story of nine black boys who were arrested in 1931, for allegedly raping two white women, while traveling by train in the South. The show is also the last fully published collaboration between Kander and Ebb. The legendary duo wrote such classics, as Cabaret and Chicago, and had several shows in development, but Mr. Fred Ebb sadly passed away in 2004.

Usually when I am in town. I like to get half price tickets from TKTS in Times Square, for Wednesday matinees. You never know what is going to be available, which is half the fun of it, and you are guaranteed to have some choices. This year the line was unusually short, I practically walked right up to the window. There weren't nearly as many shows up as I had hoped, but both Promises, Promises and Women on the Verge... were available. Despite my great love and admiration for Ms. Lupone I opted for the former. I am frankly sick of seeing movies turned musicals on Broadway, and Promises is a classic.

The score of Promises, was written by Burt Bacharach and feature such iconic tunes as, "I Say a Little Prayer", and "I'll Never Fall in Love Again." Neil Simon wrote the book, so all and all it's a pretty solid piece. The show stars Sean Hayes, of Will and Grace fame, and despite a touch of cold that was evident he held his own and was very charming. When the revival was reviewed at least one critic chastised Mr. Hayes for being "too gay" for the role, a criticism which I have occasionally lobbied against other actors. But I actually didn't find his portrayal overly campy. No more so than the show itself, which is pretty camp.

As for Ms. Chenoweth, I have very mixed feelings about her. Her unique vocal tone does sometimes grate on my nerves but there is no denying her vocal prowess, and she as endearing as ever, not to mention perfectly cast, in the role of Fran Kubelik. She and Mr Hayes have an obvious affection for one another that helps sell their love story. With a little help from Molly Shannon the show has a lot of laughs and lightens the heart. There is nothing heavy hitting about Promises, Promises, but then again does a show have to be challenging to be entertaining? Definitely not.

I will be in town a few more days and am going to try and get to one or two more shows. Scottsboro Boys anyone?