A delightful production. By turns a gluttonous multimedia extravaganza and tantalizingly fictional tale based on Motown, Diana Ross and the Supremes. Phenomenal performances even from the third tier!

Spring Awakening – OCPAC It’s Rent but with German La Boheme influences! Talkback with (some of) the actors Ilse Moritz Hanschen Swing (Krista Pioppi) Wendla Talkbacks need question screeners – No self-undulating praise rambles – No gushing adoration for the cast – No “how to be an actor” questions My question: Did you have any inhibitions mounting this production?

I love that the Knights Who No Longer Say Ni made a David Letterman joke, (I’m not throwing stones, I’ve slept with all the knights on my staff; stupid human tricks) and John O’Hurley LOST IT! It was beautiful and hilarious and the single reason worth seeing the whole show (I saw it in Vegas 2 years ago). But then…did O’Hurley really lose it or convincingly act like he lost it? Apparently they did the same joke the night before, but then when our friends saw it a week later, it was a completely different joke! So it’s improvised every night. So is O’Hurley acting surprised because he’s prepared for hilarity or is he not preparing and losing it? A lot of my old review (viewable hereSpamalot (The Vegas Edition)) still applies…tragically. Eric Idle just isn’t as good at adapting his material as Mel Brooks is (although that remains to … Continue reading →

Basically they took the movie – which on it’s own is very smart and very clever – and made it all over the top instead of amplifying some moments and letting good moments from the movie stand. For example – the Greek Chorus of sorority girls? INSPIRED! But on the other hand… Emmett was around too much. Made her more blonde than she was in the movie. Fine he’s got a “Chip On His Shoulder” and a nice back story, but it makes her a weaker female role model. Callahan was too sinister too early. You never liked him at all, which makes his exit much more predictable. Adding the Irish bit took away from Vivian and Elle’s growing friendship, making her sudden transformation awkward. Sure the Irish bit is fun, but weird choice. Going to the restroom at the scene of the crime for the court finale was ridiculous. … Continue reading →

Featuring Topol! Apparently there’s more than one Fiddler movie (one of which Topol was the star of). Sorry! The most interesting aspect of seeing this show again after so many years (not since before I was in the show my sophmore year at OCHSA – as Avhram and a bottle dancer!), and especially now that I’ve thoroughly absorbed Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice (the 2005 movie, the Marvel comic adaptation), is the parallels between the two stories. Obviously research was required, and the following was thusly learned: Fiddler on the Roof is based on Tevye and his Daughters (or Tevye the Milkman) and other tales by Sholem Aleichem, originally written in Yiddish and first published in 1894 [placing them about a century behind Ms. Austen’s tale]. Tevye the Dairyman ([ˈtɛvjə], Yiddish: טבֿיה דער מילכיקער Tevye der milkhiker) is the protagonist of several of Sholem Aleichem’s stories. The character became best … Continue reading →