Kevin Kline's Cyrano de Bergerac

We just happened to see this come on the tv tonight after the news, so we watched it. Kevin Kline is great as Cyrano de Bergerac in this made-for-tv filming of a Broadway revival.

Playbill has a report. The New York Times has a review praising Kline's performance in the role. The PBS site should have information here, but I've been getting "server error" each time I try to go there. There are clips linked at googlevideo, including an excerpt from an interview with Kline in which he discusses audience interruptions during the play.

I enjoyed this. I like the story, and I like the Jose Ferrer version from 1950. Theatre Memphis is hosting a performance of the play in February.

I found the photo at the top of the post on several different web sites.

Theatre Memphis Christmas Carol

We went to see Theatre Memphis' production of A Christmas Carol tonight. We don't go every year, but we've gone many times and enjoy some years more than others. We like this year's play. Our favorite characters this year are Fred, Christmas Present, Scrooge and Peter. There seems to be more music in this one than usual, and the entire thing seems shorter. The music is a wonderful touch, with the actors providing musical interludes and some background for scenes. The Christmas pageant scene is static and short with none of the emphasis that has been placed on it in some years, but that is a good thing as it doesn't distract from Scrooge's story.

The Commercial Appeal review is positive, singling out a few select performances, including this bit of praise

R. Joel Pinkston gave a precise and nicely shaded performance as Scrooge's nephew.

and concluding with this:

All in all, fine work throughout, so if you've been waiting for a good traditional version, grab the kids and go to this one.

That reviewer noted

There was a problem with the music occasionally drowning out the performers

but the theater must have corrected that because we had no problems with the sound.

It was a pleasure. The little girl in front of us hid her head in her mother's shoulder during the scene between Scrooge and Marley, but the play captivated her and her older brother as well as appealing to the adults in the crowd. The folks, young and old, sitting around us laughed and applauded and said complimentary things. Hoorah for a job well done!

Theatre Memphis' Sweeney Todd

My familiarity with the Sweeney Todd story is strictly limited to the 1936 film, so I've been curious about the musical version and have been looking forward to seeing what Theatre Memphis would do. The Younger Son and I went tonight for Friends & Family night. There was a good crowd.

Christopher Blank has an article (no review yet) at GoMemphis.com that emphasizes the "contemporary" touches used in creating the set.

I loved this show. It was grim and disturbing, perhaps because I was familiar with one incarnation of the story but not this one. Definitely not this one. The actors were great, especially the 2 leads, and, though I'm not a voice critic, I thought the voices were wonderful. I thought the set and costumes were perfect. Except for the fact that the shrill, ear-piercing whistle was over-used and too loud I've got no complaints, and I can usually find something to complain about. This is perfect Halloween fare -a bit of lightness mixed with despair and desperation. If it wouldn't cost me $28 bucks I don't have, I'd go see it again!

Theatre Memphis' West Side Story

I'm a recent convert, but I've come to see the value of seeing the stage versions of these big musicals that I fell in love with on film. Chorus Line taught me a valuable lesson. Tonight we saw West Side Story at Theatre Memphis. My one complaint was the orchestra, which overshadowed the singers. We had trouble hearing some of the singers' words. The instrumentalists could back off some without losing anything, and the singers wouldn't get lost behind them.

The play was long, lasting 2 1/2 hours with a short intermission, but we enjoyed every minute. The sets were striking. The Husband and I each commented on that. Not much had to be moved on and off the stage, so there was no distraction from the actors, yet each scene was distinctive. We liked the way the windows were done.

I had wondered how they would cast it, and they cast it with lighter-skinned actors in one gang and darker skinned actors in the other. I heard they had trouble finding enough people (Chris Blank, linked below, notes it), but I wouldn't have known that just from watching and listening. The leads are strong. I'm not sure why the Jets wannabe Anybodys especially caught my eye, but she did. The Husband particularly liked Doc.

Chris Blank of the Commercial Appeal has an article but no review yet. ArtsMemphis has 2 photos. If I find reviews I'll add them.

The photo above is their publicity poster.

6/18/2008: The Memphis Flyer has a review. Chris Davis says, "There's not a harder working cast in Memphis at the moment." On the lighting:

Matthew Strampe's lighting is like a kiss that forgives a multitude of sins. It meshes with the more theatrical elements of McCollum's sets and makes this West Side Story's best moments, such as fight choreographer Pam Hurley's rhythmic rumbles, seem magical.

.

6/20/2008: Christopher Blank has a review in the Commercial Appeal which mentions the 2 characters we were so impressed with:

Leighann Colin is precious as the scampering pipsqueak tomboy Anybodys. Kudos to the marvelous Barry Fuller as Doc, who in the final scene holds the entire weight of the musical on his slumped shoulders.

and notes

an effective set by Christopher McCollum and gorgeous lighting by Matthew Strampe

. He has a link to his video review.

Pippin

I've seen Pippin on a college theater stage and have the original cast album CD (which replaced my well-worn LP), but none of us had seen the filmed version. The Younger Son, The Daughter and I watched Pippin during lunch today, and though everybody liked it fine, I was disappointed. There is a lot missing from the film. I'm particularly disappointed in War is a Science, which seems much shorter. It's been a while, but it seems to me like entire songs and even whole scenes were missing.

Here's a song from early in the film:

A Chorus Line

I found a great find at Spin Street while I was there paying a small fortune for The Red Shoes and was able to pick up A Chorus Line for $4.99. I love bargain prices on DVDs, so I bought it to make 2 films to watch for the Invitation to the Dance movie blogathon.

I had never seen this film before, but I had seen the stage production and knew the story and the music. I hadn't remembered the line about the film The Red Shoes but thought it was a fun coincidence considering The Red Shoes was the last movie I saw and that was just last night. Actually, there was a lot of the movie I didn't remember from the theater production I saw, but I saw it on stage a long time ago.

The New York Times didn't like it. Roger Ebert says,

The result may not please purists who want a film record of what they saw on stage, but this is one of the most intelligent and compelling movie musicals in a long time - and the most grown up, since it isn't limited, as so many contemporary musicals are, to the celebration of the survival qualities of geriatric actresses.

The closing scene:


TheatreMemphis did A Chorus Line in 1999, but I didn't see it there. You can't link to individual pages at their site (what a pain), but if you click on "Photos" at the top, then click on "1990" on the left, then click through to the 5th picture there's one shot of "A Chorus Line". I told you it was a pain.

Theatre Memphis' Room Service

Theatre Memphis' Room Service got a lot of laughs from their large audience tonight and spontaneous applause at several points during the play. I'm only familiar with the play as the inspiration for the Marx Brothers movie by the same name, but I enjoyed seeing the play itself. I think Theatre Memphis did a great job with this one. My only beef with them right now is that the promise of a Shakespeare play each season has been broken after, what... 2 seasons? Oh, and too many big honkin' musicals. But I'm weird.

ArtsMemphis.org has a couple of photos. MemphisDailyNews.com has an interview with director Kell Christie. Christopher Blank has a video review of this play and a play at another theater here. His video presentation includes an excerpt from the play.

The Kansas City Repertory Theatre has a guide to the play online.

Twelve Angry Jurors

Twelve Angry Jurors is currently being presented at the Galloway Coffeehouse by Threshold Theatre. The Elder Son is in the play so I'm hardly an unbiased observer, but I thoroughly enjoyed this. It is a small intimate production done "in the round" with a seating capacity of 40 or so, and the action takes place up close and personal. I am a fan of the Henry Fonda film 12 Angry Men and am impressed by how well the story holds up when translated into a modern setting. Maybe I should say I'm saddened by how well the story holds up, since the bigoted attitudes sounds all too believable. The yelling got loud, and I left the theater with a bit of a headache, but then, those were 12 angry jurors. It's an emotionally intense play.

The venue is the Galloway Coffeehouse located in the Galloway United Methodist Church in midtown. I understand the church itself has merged with another church a bit further east, but the building continues to be used by community groups. The space had good parking, seating was comfortable and refreshments during the 15-minute intermission were readily available. My needs are simple.

Ticket info:

Friday, Feb. 8 at 8pm
Saturday, Feb. 9 at 8pm
Sunday, Feb. 10 at 2pm
Friday, Feb. 15 at 8pm
Saturday, Feb. 16 at 8pm
Sunday, Feb. 17 at 2pm

All performances will be held in the Galloway Coffeehouse, located inside Galloway Methodist Church at the corner of South Cooper and Walker (across from First Congo). On-site parking is available. Tickets are $10 and may be purchased at the door, or you can make reservations by calling 383-9725. The play lasts 2 hours.

Now, if they could just get an online presence....