Broken Wings Review Roundup

Posted on February 16, 2022 by boz

London theater critics have given generally positive reviews to the new Off West End musical Broken Wings, based on Kahlil Gibran’s 1912 novel, which had a concert production in 2018 at the West End’s Haymarket. The current staged production is booking at the Charing Cross until March 26. The creative team includes Nadim Naaman and Dana Al Fardan (book, music, lyrics), Bronagh Lagan (direction), Erika Gundesen (music direction), Philip Michael Thomas (choreo), Joe Davidson (ochestrations), Gregor Donnelly (sets, costumes), Nic Farman (lights), and Andrew Johnson (sound).

The cast includes Yasmeen Audi (Layla Bawab), Haroun Al Jeddal (Mansour Bey Galib), Lucca Chadwick-Patel (Young Kahlil Gibran), Soophia Foroughi (Mother), Alex Kais (Ensemble), Johan Munir (Bishop Bulos), Nadim Naaman (Kahlil Gibran), Ayesha Patel (Dima Bawab), Stephen Rahman-Hughes (Faris)and Noah Sinigaglia (Selma Karamy). Below are writers Nadim Naaman and Dana Al Fardan in “Selma,” shot in The Forest of the Cedars, Bcharreh, Lebanon, in 2018.

The Guardian (Miriam Gillinson): Perhaps intended to inject dynamism into a fairly static production, the rotating [stage] feature actually has a strangely stultifying effect. … Naaman’s score, co-composed with Dana Al Fardan, is best when it’s unabashedly romantic. … But there’s not a huge amount of variety to the music and surprisingly little of the unique sounds or rhythms of the Middle East. … Scenes are often played out and then needlessly summarised by the older Gibran who hovers on the edges of his life story, repeating what does not need to be repeated. It’s a shame because there are some delicate reflections on love and striking singing. 2 out of 5 stars.

London Theatre 1 (Chris Omaweng): The musical, filled as it is with ballads that give the audience the hairdryer treatment, each number ending with a Very Long Note, makes a distinction between organised religion (bad) and God Himself (good). … There are too many musical numbers in a similar style, brooding and intense, which at least makes the relatively rare joyous showtunes stand out. … Declarations of love, while lovely, go on for so long they start to lose their emotional impact. … A thoughtful piece of theatre, it’s the polar opposite of an overly exuberant jukebox musical, and thus, despite some dispiriting moments, is simply best described as something different. 4 out of 5 stars.

Theatre Weekly (Greg Stewart): It may be almost a century since Gibran died, but the themes of his novel … remain depressingly relevant; most notably immigration and gender equality. Naaman’s book eloquently gets these points across, and with an entire cast comprised of actors of MENASA heritage, this is an authentic piece of work. The story itself sometimes finds itself lacking. … However, the music more than makes up for that. Just as Gibran thought himself as Lebanese-American, the score of Broken Wings blends traditional music of the Middle East with Western sounds. … It has the odd flaw, but this a brave new musical that will surprise and delight audiences. 4 out of 5 stars.

WhatsOnStage (Alun Hood): If a musical were to be judged solely on its actual music, then Broken Wings would be something of a triumph. … Elsewhere though, this adaptation … feels like a watchable, if not always coherent, hybrid of operetta and those humourless sub-Les Mis epics. … It’s ironic that a show based on such ground-breaking source material comes over as so determinedly old-fashioned. … Despite being dramatically undernourished as a piece of theatre, the unique combination of bombast and delicacy in the music lingers long in the heart and mind afterwards. I suspect it’ll divide people, but that its most staunch supporters will be vociferous. 3 out of 5 stars.

Posted in London, Shows | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Black No More Review Roundup

Posted on February 16, 2022 by boz

New York theater critics have given mixed reviews to the new Off-Broadway musical Black No More, inspired by George S. Schuyler’s 1931 Afrofuturist novel. The creative team includes John Ridley (book), Tariq Trotter (music, lyrics), Anthony Tidd and James Poyser (music), Daryl Waters (music, music supervision, orchestrations, arrangements), Scott Elliott (direction), Bill T. Jones (choreo), Zane Mark (music direction, arrangements), Derek McLane (sets), Qween Jean (costumes), Jeff Croiter (lights), Nevin Steinberg (sound), and Nikiya Mathis (hair & wigs). The New Group limited engagement runs at Signature Theater’s Pershing Center through February 27.

The cast includes Tariq Trotter (Dr. Crookman), Brandon Victor Dixon (Max Disher), Lillias White (Mme. Sisseretta), Jennifer Damiano (Helen Givens), Tamika Lawrence (Buni), Theo Stockman (Ashby Givens), Tracy Shayne (Mrs. Givens), Ephraim Sykes (Agamemnon), and Howard McGillin (Rev. Givens), with ensemble members Leanne Antonio, Rhaamell Burke-Missouri, Elijah A. Carter, Ryan Fitzgerald, Gaelen Gilliland, Polanco Jones Jr., Zachary Daniel Jones, Sarah Meahl, Mary Page Nance, Oneika Phillips, Nicholas Ranauro, Malaiyka Reid, Mars Rucker, Angela M. Sauers, Akron Watson, Nyla Watson, and Edward Watts.

Tariq Trotter and company (photo by Monique Carboni)

New York Stage Review (David Finkle): Something highly listenable and watchable has arrived not a moment too soon. … Before going further, this welcoming reviewer should report that Black No More is somewhat short of perfect, but during the first half-hour or so gives the impression it will be. As the storytelling dips and revives during the rest of the two acts, the result is still far from a letdown. … The Black No More strengths are so numerous it’s difficult deciding where to start. All right, with the score. … Choreographer Jones is another of the production heroes. … The cast is also top-drawer, in large part due to those with shake-the-walls-raise-the-roof voices.

New York Times (Jesse Green): The New Group’s musical version makes the smart decision to borrow only the novel’s rudiments. It dumps most of the silly names, thin caricatures and weirdly jovial tone in favor of a more serious look at internalized racism and the conundrums of assimilation. The result is a gorgeous mess. … The book makes only halfway repairs to the original, while introducing new problems that music and dance can’t solve. But oh, what music and dance! … As Black No More continues its development process, it will surely need to find more breathing space like that between the whimsy of the novel and its current chaotic gloom. … I hope the authors can do so without losing what’s already beautiful about this promising work.

Talkin’ Broadway (James Wilson): The New Group’s exhilarating new musical adaptation retains the novel’s relevance, and it is the rare show that appeals to the intellect, the heart, and the soul. … If the musical downplays the trenchant political commentary while emphasizing the melodramatic elements, it makes up for it in dazzling theatricality. … Unfortunately, while Trotter applies his adroit musicality to good effect, he is not nearly sinister enough. Indeed, rather than offering a threatening presence, he tends to get lost in the swirl of the staging. Trotter, however, and the rest of the creative team have crafted an ambitious and daring new musical.

Theater Mania (Pete Hempstead): [Ridley] follows Schuyler’s lead and doesn’t spare us the vicious language of bigotry and hate in his book for the new musical Black No More. … Nor does Tariq Trotter. … Though the musical takes place in the 1930s, it often sounds like today, and that’s no accident. … Despite the brilliant cast and the show’s thematic daring, there is a palpable falloff in action during the second act as Ridley’s book loses its satirical edge and humor, and slides into the melodramatic and preachy. … It’s enough if Black No More gets us thinking about ourselves and talking about what we might need to do to dismantle hate; it doesn’t have to offer the solution.

Posted in Off-Broadway, Shows | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Space Dogs Review Roundup

Posted on February 15, 2022 by boz

New York theater critics have given mixed reviews to the new Off-Broadwy musical Space Dogs, based on the true story of Soviet dog Laika and the scientist who sent her into space during the Cold War. The creative team includes Van Hughes and Nick Blaemire (book, music, lyrics), Ellie Heyman (direction), Darrell Grand Moultrie (choreo), Wilson Chin (sets), Haydee Zelideth Atuñano (costumes), Mary Ellen Stebbins (lights), Nathan Leigh (sound), Stefania Bulbarella and Alex Basco Koch (projections), and Amanda Villalobos (puppets, props). The cast includes writers Van Hughes and Nick Blaemire. The show plays at MCC Theater through March 13.

New York Theatre Guide (Joe Dziemianowicz): If a pair of eager-beaver performances and cute overload were enough to make Space Dogs achieve orbit, then this new Off-Broadway musical … could be categorized as out-of-this-world. But no. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know it takes more, including songs you want to hear again. … Although it’s hard to knock a show for ambition, this one tries to do too much and goes slack as it moves forward and periodically punctures the fourth wall. … In the end, the 90-minute Space Dogs feels like an overextended idea in this full-length form. It might shine brighter as a show of a more compact breed.

New York Times (Maya Phillips): Laika has been resurrected as the subject of a vapid new musical. … It’s informative, in a slipshod way, but also hopelessly cheesy, packed with dad jokes, puns, silly accents and even a doggie beauty contest. Space Dogs gives off the vibe of a B-grade educational children’s show. … Hughes and Blaemire attack their material with such enthusiasm; their earnestness is palpable, even taking into account the corniness of the book and their imperfect vocals. … What would my own dog think of such a show, I wondered as I left the theater. I’m betting he’d prefer to keep his paws on the ground.

Theater Mania (Kenji Fujishima): Space Dogs is as the theatrical equivalent of the popular NPR science podcast Radiolab. It’s the kind of show that feels a need to jazz up a potentially dry subject with an excess of flashy technique and cutesy antics. Some might find Nick Blaemire and Van Hughes’s new historical show charming for that reason. I found it overbearing. … Moments that evince an actual political and moral perspective on history, however, are overwhelmed by Blaemire and Hughes’s insistent desire to entertain at all costs. This well-intentioned musical ends up feeling like something they most likely didn’t intend: an insult to audience intelligence.

Time Out (Raven Snook): Like the canine cosmonaut at the heart of the two-man musical Space Dogs, Van Hughes and Nick Blaemire want to be loved. … The writer-performers give us everything in their arsenal: projections, live feeds, puppy puppets, goofy props and broad characterizations, a pastiche pop-rock score with plentiful harmonies. But it’s hard to share their obsession. … Looking into the eyes of the real-life Soviet space dogs in a small exhibit of photographs in front of the theater only underscores the musical’s glibness. Hughes and Blaemire seem to genuinely adore that history was changed by dogs, but the show is all lark and no bite.

Posted in Off-Broadway, Shows | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

A.D. 16 Review Roundup

Posted on February 15, 2022 by boz

Washington area theater critics have given generally positive reviews to the world premiere musical A.D. 16, about a teenage Mary Magdalene who falls in love with the carpenter’s son next door. The creative team includes Bekah Brunstetter (book), Cinco Paul (story, music, lyrics), Stephen Brackett (direction), Katie Spelman (choreo), Christopher Youstra (music direction), Doug Besterman (orchestrations, music supervision), Walt Spangler (sets), Emilio Sosa (costumes), Colin K. Bills (lights), Matt Rowe (sound), and Anne Nesmith (wigs).

The cast features Phoenix Best (Mary) and Ben Fankhauser (Jesus) with Kelli Blackwell (Diana), Alan H. Green (Jacob), Jade Jones (Jessica), Jared Loftin (Nicholas), Calvin McCullough (Matthias), Adelina Mitchell (Ruth), Christian Montgomery (Bartimaeus), Da’von Moody (Simeon), and Chani Wereley (Esther). The shows continues at Olney (Md.) Theatre Center through March 6.

Broadway World (Pamela Roberts): A.D. 16 is a big, exuberant, ambitious musical that’s packed with talent. … That’s not to say this world premiere wouldn’t benefit from some tweaks as it continues to evolve — particularly in the final quarter of the production. But come see it now for its powerhouse performances, lush production values, and captivating songs. … At its core, A.D. 16 is the coming of age story of Mary Magdalene. The role is in the extraordinarily capable hands of Phoenix Best. … While A.D. 16 is propelled by great irreverent humor and snappy songs, there is a strong and tender heart at the center. … A.D. 16 is masterful. It is impressive. It is a delight.

DC Metro Theatre Arts (John Stoltenberg): In A.D. 16 — a magnificently entertaining new musical now playing at Olney Theatre Center — 16-year-old Mary of Magdala crushes on 16-year-old Jesus of Nazareth. … Jesus calls Mary on the self-interest in her “doing good just to be seen.” In that moment and in that scene, Mary sees (and so do we) that Jesus has now begun to speak of a love that transcends what she felt when she fell for him. And at that juncture … A.D. 16 as a musical turns into a stunning epiphany of the highest form of love. … Here the humor and the homily of the play become as one. And a beautifully profound new musical is born.

MD Theater Guide (Andrew White): What sets this show apart isn’t necessarily the skillful mixture of pop-music genres in the soundtrack, or even the performers, although they raise the rafters with one virtuoso turn after another. What struck me, and others, was the way Brunstetter and Paul are willing to skewer the hyper-righteousness of both the left and the right. … To be sure, this being a comic musical, all the potential gut-punches get pulled at the last minute, although there are misfortunes and missteps enough to leave us thinking. This will not only be a thrilling vehicle for a cluster of rising stars onstage, it will give you a lot to ponder long after the house lights come back up.

Talkin’ Broadway (Susan Berlin): Rather than satirizing religious principles, the authors use anachronism to offer a fresh perspective on stories people think they know. Brackett has marshaled a richly talented cast of actors with powerful voices, dancing ability, and overall presence. Best is an ideal Mary; Fankhauser is sweetly hangdog as a Jesus still learning what he’s capable of; Green gives a powerful performance as a father who tries to balance his love for his daughter with keeping her out of danger; and Da’Von T. Moody and Kelli Blackwell shine as the most outspoken of the lepers.

Posted in Regional US, Shows | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The Music Man Review Roundup

Posted on February 11, 2022 by boz

New York theater critics have given mixed reviews to the third Broadway revival of The Music Man at the Winter Garden Theatre. The original Tony-winning production starring Robert Preston opened in 1957; the show returned to Broadway in 1980 with Dick Van Dyke and then in 2000 with Craig Bierko. The current creative team includes Meredith Willson (book, music, lyrics), Franklin Lacey (book), Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman  (addl. lyrics), Jerry Zaks (direction), Warren Carlyle (choreography), Santo Loquasto (sets, costumes), Brian MacDevitt (lights), and Scott Lehrer (sound).

The cast includes Hugh Jackman (Harold Hill), Sutton Foster (Marian Parro), Jefferson Mays (Mayor Shinn), Jayne Houdyshell (Eulalie Shinn), Shuler Hensley (Marcellus), Marie Mullen (Mrs. Paroo), and Benjamin Pajak  (Winthrop Paroo), with Gino Cosculluela (Tommy Djilas), Emma Crow (Zaneeta Shinn), Remy Auberjonois (Charlie Cowell), and the barbershop quartet of Phillip Boykin (Olin Britt), Nicholas Ward (Oliver Hix), Daniel Torres (Ewart Dunlop), and Eddie Korbich (Jacey Squires).

Jackman and Foster (center) with the cast (photo by Joan Marcus)

Associated Press (Mark Kennedy): Hugh Jackman is playing one of musical theater’s greatest con men on Broadway these days but he’s not fooling anyone: He’s the real deal. … But Jackman is but just one astonishing part of the subtly reworked Meredith Willson musical. … It overflows with talent, clever ideas and a hard-working multicultural cast. … If there ever was a stage match for Jackman, Foster is it. … You wouldn’t expect this 60-plus year-old chestnut to speak to 2022 but it often does. … The Music Man starts on a train and feels like a ride you never want to stop. As the conductor says at the beginning: “All aboard!”

Hollywood Reporter (Frank Scheck): The revival of The Music Man was planned long before the pandemic, but its years-delayed arrival only serves to make it seem more essential for a badly battered Broadway sorely in need of spirit-lifting. … Jackman has the audience in the palm of his hand. And when Sutton finally gets to shed her character’s decorousness and let loose her tremendous dancing chops, there’s definitely no more trouble in River City. … In its determined effort to evoke the musical comedy Broadway of yore and make us feel happy simply to be in a theater again, the show ironically feels urgently timely.

New York Times (Jesse Green): There comes a moment … when high spirits, terrific dancing and big stars align in an extended marvel of showbiz salesmanship. Unfortunately, that moment is the curtain call. Until then, the musical … only intermittently offers the joys we expect from a classic revival starring Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster. … We get an extremely neat, generally perky, overly cautious take on a musical that, being about the con game of love and music, needs more danger in the telling. … If we’re going to keep selling classic shows, we have to find meaningful new ways to package them. Even for the best salesmen among us, and Jackman is surely that, the territory is changing fast.

Theater Mania (David Gordon): It’s a perfectly enjoyable, not life-changing staging of a classic musical, and if you’re looking for a night out that takes you away from the February doldrums, however briefly, this Music Man is a sight for sore eyes. But if you’re looking for a Music Man that makes you want to stand up and cheer, this ain’t it. … This production knows what its audience wants, and to be sure, it’s not The Music Man or any other show: it’s unimpeded time with Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster, and in that respect, it delivers in spades. … You probably don’t care what I think, anyway. You’re going for Hugh, and he won’t let you down.

Time Out (Adam Feldman): For a revival of musical theater’s most famous portrait of a con artist, the new Broadway production of The Music Man seems oddly lacking in confidence. Meredith Willson’s 1957 classic should sweep you up in a happy spell of suspended disbelief. … And who better to cast such magic, one might think, than Hugh Jackman. … Yet while this Music Man is a solid and professional piece of work, and includes many incidental pleasures, the hoped-for enchantment never arrives. … The Music Man’s story of duplicity and redemption could have deeper resonance today than ever, but this incarnation sticks resolutely to the surface.

Posted in Broadway, Shows | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Dirty Dancing Review Roundup

Posted on February 10, 2022 by boz

London theater critics have given mixed reviews to the West End revival of Dirty Dancing, based on the 1987 film. The musical had its stage premiere in 2004 at Sydney’s Theatre Royal and opened on the West End in 2006, returning there in 2013. The creative team for the current production includes Eleanor Bergstein (book), Federico Bellone (direction), Austin Wilks (choreography), Valerio Tiberi (lights), Armando Vertullo (sound), and Jennifer Irwin (costumes). The cast incldues Michael O’Reilly (Johnny Castle), Kira Malou (Frances “Baby” Houseman), Carlie Milner (Penny Johnson), Lynden Edwards (Jake Houseman), Lori Hayley Fox (Mrs. Houseman), Lizzie Ottley (Lisa Houseman), and Colin Charles (Tito Suarez). The show is booking at the Dominion Theatre through April 16.

London Theatre (Marianka Swain): To its credit, this Dirty Dancing … thoroughly understands its audience. While some screen-to-stage transfers make significant changes or updates, this is a firmly sealed time capsule. … On the other hand, it’s a peculiar beast of a stage show. Retaining the movie’s exact structure, with lots of short scenes and location changes, makes the action feel rushed. … But the show kicks into high gear during the exhilarating dance numbers. Choreographer Austin Wilks transfers the movie’s terrific routines with panache and adds some flashy, rhythmic original sections. 3 out of 5 stars.

Londonist (Franco Milazzo): Less a movie-to-stage adaptation and more like a jukebox musical, Dirty Dancing is unmissable for fans of the ultimate girls-night-in movie. For everyone else? Not so much. … Those who haven’t seen the original 1987 sleeper hit may struggle to follow what plot there is here; writer Eleanor Bergstein has taken the movie’s most memorable scenes and strung them together like a greatest hits album with barely a toe-flick in the way of exposition or characterisation. Where this show excels in spades is in the casting of leads. … Ultimately, Bergstein knows her audience and delivers them the goods in this faithful but flawed production.

Theatre Weekly (Nicola Barrett): Are you ready to have the time of your life? … Dirty Dancing is seriously something special. … Be prepared for the sheer electrifying atmosphere, the air that is thick with proverbial hormones, and an audience rabid with enthusiasm. … The entire cast and production team deserve the highest of praise, particularly the vocal talent. … However, it was pretty clear who stole the entire audience’s hearts, if the screaming and giggling from the stalls was anything to go on, and that was Michael O’Reilly’s Johnny. … A commanding presence on stage, O’Reilly’s performance is the pièce de résistance to an already amazing show. 5 out of 5 stars.

The Upcoming (Michael Higgs): With nice choreography, pretty set designs and a few great songs, Dirty Dancing seems to be a neat show on the surface. … Sadly, its plot is as lightweight as a peanut and contains no more substance now than it did in 1987. Beyond its shiny exterior, viewers are left with an abyss of tired, idealised nonsense, yearning for a past that never really existed. … Thankfully, some of the music is enjoyable, especially when performed by Colin Charles as Tito Suarez. … Die-hard fans of the movie might be pleased, but others may wish to find different entertainment. 2 out of 5 stars.

WhatsOnStage (James FitzGerald): Singing takes a backseat compared to other musicals, and dialogue is a bit pedestrian; the story instead taking shape through dazzling dance routines. … Often, though, the couple’s relationship feels less like a passionate affair and more like a professional on Strictly Come Dancing politely trying to show an amateur how to waltz. … The show is more concerned with the flashy show-stopping scenes such as the joyful ending, when a talented dance ensemble and (somewhat under-maximised) band fill the stage alongside the key performers. Fun and straightforward — in those moments, Dirty Dancing seldom puts a foot wrong. 3 out of 5 stars.

Posted in London, Shows | Tagged | Leave a comment

Music Man 21-Debut Salute

Posted on February 9, 2022 by boz

Tomorrow night, the long-awaited revival of The Music Man, starring Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster, will open at Broadway’s Winter Garden Theatre. Yesterday, their costar Jefferson Mays, who plays the fictional River City’s Mayor Shinn, spoke from a lectern on the sidewalk across from the show’s marquee to honor the 21 performers making their Broadway debuts in the production: Nick Alvino, Jordan Beall, Ronnie Bowman Jr., Audrey Cardwell, JT Church, William Colin, Gino Cosculluela, Emma Crow, Kammie Crum, Aydin Eyikan, Carlee Flanagan, Ethan Green-Younger, Emily Hoder, Ethan Lafazan, Kayla LaVine, Drew Minard, Benjamin Pajak, Tanner Quirk, Daniel Patrick Russell, Kayla Teruel, and Mitchell Tobin. The honorees were also serenaded by the show’s barbershop quartet (Broadway veterans Phillip Boykin, Eddie Korbich, Daniel Torres, and Nicholas Ward) with the second-act opener, “It’s You.” 

Posted in Broadway, Shows | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

2022 Oscar Nominations

Posted on February 8, 2022 by boz

This morning, actors Leslie Jordan and Tracee Ellis Ross announced the nominess for all 23 categories of the 2022 Academy Awards. (You can watch the full livestream announcement below.) Topping the roster with 12 nominations was the drama The Power of the Dog. With seven nominations, West Side Story is the top musical contender. In June, the academy announced the honorees of its 12th annual Governors Awards, including the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award to Danny Glover and Honorary Academy Awards to Samuel L. Jackson, Elaine May, and Liv Ullmann. The winners in the competitive categories will be revealed at the ceremony for the 94th Oscars on March 27 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, which will be televised live on ABC, directed by Glenn Weiss for the seventh straight year.

The nominations for West Side Story include supporting actress (Ariana DeBose), costume design (Paul Tazewell), sound (Tod A. Maitland, Gary Rydstrom, Brian Chumney, Andy Nelson, Shawn Murphy), cinematography (Janusz Kaminski), production design (Adam Stockhausen, Rena DeAngelo), director (Steven Spielberg), and picture.

Other musicals with multiple nods include Tick, Tick … Boom! for editing (Myron Kerstein, Andrew Weisblum) and actor (Andrew Garfield) and Encanto for animated feature, original score (Germaine Franco), and original song (“Dos Origuitas” by Lin-Manuel Miranda). Musicals earning one nomination each include Cyrano for costume design (Massimo Cantini Parrini), Summer of Soul for documentary feature, and Robin Robin for animated short film.

The remaining nominees for original score are Don’t Look Up (Nicholas Britell), Dune (Hans Zimmer), Parallel Mothers (Alberto Iglesias), and The Power of the Dog (Jonny Greenwood). The remaining nominees for original song are Belfast (“Down to Joy” by Van Morrison), Four Good Days (“Somehow You Do” by Diane Warren), King Richard (“Be Alive” by Beyoncé and Dixson), and No Time to Die (“No Time to Die” by Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell).

Posted in Awards, Film | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

2022 Razzie Nominations

Posted on February 7, 2022 by boz

This morning, the Golden Raspberry Award Foundation announced the nominees for its 42nd Razzie Awards, which “honor” the worst films of 2021. Topping the list is the Netflix-filmed performance of the short-lived Broadway musical Diana, which earned nine nominations, followed by the thriller Karen with five nods. This year, the foundation also added the special category “Worst Bruce Willis Performance in a 2021 Movie,” specifically for the frequent Razzie nominee. As per tradition, the winners will be announced on March 26, the day before the annual Oscar ceremony.

The nine nominations for Diana include Worst Picture (David Bryan), Worst Director (Christopher Ashley), Worst Actor (Roe Hartrampf as Prince Charles), Worst Actress (Jeanna de Waal as Princess Diana), Worst Supporting Actor (Gareth Keegan as James Hewitt), Worst Supporting Actress (Erin Davie as Camilla Parker Bowles), Worst Supporting Actress (Judy Kaye as Queen Elizabeth II / Barbara Cartland), Worst Screen Combo (“any klutzy cast member and any lamely lyricized or choreographed musical number”), and Worst Screenplay (Joe DiPietro and David Bryan).

Also receiving multiple nominations was the film adaptation of the Tony-winning Broadway muscial Dear Evan Hansen, whose four citations included Worst Director (Stephen Chbosky), Worst Actor (Ben Platt as Evan Hansen), Worst Supporting Actress (Amy Adams as Cynthia Murphy), and Worst Screen Combo (“Ben Platt and any other character who acts like Platt singing 24-7 is normal”).

Posted in Awards, Film | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

January 2022 Theater Music

Posted on February 7, 2022 by boz

The past month offered a wide range of new theater music, from original concept albums to premiere releases of rare recordings. Among the concept albums is Scarlet, a post-apocalyptic science fiction parable about climate change with a baroque-pop score featuring music and lyrics by Jess Newman and Richard Lindenfelzer. The studio cast includes Maggie McKenna as Scarlet with Sheridan Adams, Blake Appelqvist, Melanie Bird, Jayme-Lee Hanekom, Alessandra Merlo, Sam Richardson, and Liam Wigney. Dean Gild produced the five-track EP.

The Musical Theatre Project and Harbinger Records have offered the first release in any format of the Smithsonian’s 1981 concert production of the 1924 operetta Rose-Marie, under the music direction of James R. Morris. Ron Raines and Debra Vanderlinde headline the cast that includes Adriana Amelias, Mark Basile, Joseph E. Di Genova, Richard M. Hailey III, Gary Holcombe, William McClary, Dona D. Vaughn, Laura Waterbury, and the Catholic University A Capella Choir. This is the only complete recording of the show, which has book and lyrics by Otto Harbach and Oscar Hammerstein II, and music by Rudolf Friml and Herbert Stothart.

Broadway Records released the new Broadway cast recording of Caroline, or Change, by Jeanine Tesori (music) and Tony Kushner (book, lyrics). The cast of this 2021 revival includes Sharon D Clarke as Caroline with Gabriel Amoroso, Alexander Bello, John Cariani, Joy Hermalyn, Arica Jackson, Tamika Lawrence, Caissie Levy, Adam Makké, Kevin S. McAllister, Harper Miles, NKenge, Nya, Richard Alexander Phillips, Jayden Theophile, Nasia Thomas, Jaden Myles Waldman, Samantha Williams, Stuart Zagnit, and Chip Zien. Joseph Joubert conducts.

Stephen Oremus and Harry Connick Jr. produced the Sony Masterworks recording of the Annie Live! NBC-TV broadcast, by Charles Strouse (music), Martin Charnin (lyrics), and Thomas Meehan (book). The cast includes Celina Smith as Annie with Tituss Burgess, Harry Connick Jr., Ben Davis, Taraji P. Henson, Megan Hilty, Jeff Kready, McKenzie Kurtz, Andrea McArdle, Anastacia McCleskey, Nicole Scherzinger, Celina Smith, Alan Toy, and Jacob Keith Watson. Oremus also provided music direction, and Connick provided additional lyrics for “Maybe.”

Another notable concept recording released in January was Past Demons, by Ryan Scott Oliver (music, lyrics), based on the tales of horror and mystery by Shirley Jackson. The studio cast features Jessie Hooker-Bailey, Ethan Carlson, Miranda Luze, Nicole DeLuca, Eleri Ward, Daniel Yearwood, and Eric Ulloa. Joshua Zecher-Ross and Ryan Scott Oliver co-produced the five-track EP.

Posted in Albums, Books & Media | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment