A LETTER FROM NEW YORK

ALL ABOUT THE ARTS

BRUNCH BUNCH

MUSICAL THEATRE SHOWCASE

This past week I accompanied my wife, Kimberly on a quick visit to NYC. The main reason was to be there for the 25th Annual CCM Musical Theatre Showcase. As part of the long weekend, some two dozen former students of Kimberly Daniel de Acha surprised her with a brunch honoring her upcoming retirement after 48 years (yes, I said forty-eight years) in the arts, first as a singer-actress who performed in and sang everything from Baroque Opera to show music, then as a Voice professor first at the New World School for the Arts, then at the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music and, most recently, at the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music.

Then there were the two showcases, one at 3 pm, one at 6 pm, where the 2017 Musical Theatre Senior Class performed in front of a score of NYC casting agents. Word has it the performances elicited a positive response from many of the artist management reps who attended.

AHRENS AND FLAHERTY

FLAHERTY AND AHRENS AT 54 BELOW

At Michael Feinstein’s 54 Below, there was a celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the CCM Musical Theatre Showcase, where many former CCM students who have become successfully active Broadway performers over the past quarter century sang two different shows to a capacity audience.

It wasn’t just simply an evening of song after song strung together, but rather an homage to the creative team of Steven Flaherty and Lyn Ahrens, the composer-lyricist pair that has given us a legacy of great shows, including the now-on-stage Anastasia, and the past hits Seussical, Rocky, Ragtime, and Once on this Island, plus scores of songs for other Broadway, film and TV shows.

There were many, many wonderful moments that evening, including show-stopping turns by Max Clayton, John Riddle, Julian Decker, Grady Long, Kathryn Boswell and Kimber Elayne Sprawl.

FLAHERTY AND AHRENS ON BROADWAY

And then, of course, there were several opportunities to see what’s on Broadway right now. With only three days with which to work, there were only three evenings and one matinee to squeeze into our schedule.

First of all we saw and loved and highly recommend the still-in-previews ANASTASIA. With lovely music and smart lyrics by the award-winning team of Steven Flaherty and Lyn Ahrens, and an intriguing book by Terrence McNally, adapted from the 1997 film, the show takes a genteel and elegant approach to the less than gentle story of the murder of Czar Nicholas and his family at the hands of the Bolsheviks during the 1917 Revolution.

The ensuing disappearance of the Princess Anastasia has been the subject matter of many books, plays and films, which is also the case here, though one given an unpredictable though happy ending. A terrific ensemble cast brings the show to life under the direction of Darko Tresnyak. We couldn’t brave the nose-bleed seats (at $69) though a very youthful audience did, filling the Broadhurst Theatre to capacity.

We were wedged into orchestra seats at $$$ a pop not quite made for a six-footer with orthopedic issues, but the enchanting show made our physical discomfort quickly vanish, especially as we watched our friend Kathryn Boswell, cover for the title role in her second Broadway fling as a member of the ensemble.

ON YOUR FEETGLORIA AND EMILIO ESTEFAN’S ON YOUR FEET

We took in ON YOUR FEET, Gloria and Emilio Estefan’s story about how a little band that could by the name of Miami Sound Machine turned itself into the most successful Latin group in show business history. Ana Villafañe and Ektor Rivera helm a smoking hot ensemble of singing and dancing Latinos under the direction of Jerry Mitchell and choreographer Sergio Trujillo.

As much a show (book by Alex Dinelaris), as it is a concert of Estefan/Miami Sound Machine hits, the evening flows as easily as Cuban rum and coke does in a Miami fiesta. The temperature outside the theatre was Nordic but inside the Marquis it was comfortably warm (or hot) depending on how your pulse rate rose to the beat of the unending Salsa music. Ours was as steady as the rhythm of our feet, even while seated.

After the show we had a drink with cast members Henry Gainza and Omar Lopez-Cepero, both friends from our days in South Florida.

ANDREW LLOYD WEBER’S SUNSET BOULEVARD

Andrew Lloyd Weber’s SUNSET BOULEVARD is vintage A.L.W. given a nice edge by the presence of Glen Close in the role of faded movie star Norma Desmond.

The show, still in previews, has a limited run, and, judging by the advance sales and the capacity crowds (even during previews) it would be safe to bet that regardless of what the critics say, it has a good chance of running for a while, especially if a star of the same high wattage can be found to replace Ms. Close once she is off to her next project.

That said, no snarky comments are needed. We did not think much of the show nor deluded ourselves into thinking that Ms. Close can sing. She can’t, although she can chew up the scenery like there’s no tomorrow. The dancing-singing ensemble is top-notch, including (full disclosure) our clarion-voiced friend, Julian Decker in the role of Myron.

WAR PAINTWAR PAINT, AN UNTO-DEATH-DO-US- PART TALE OF RIVALRY AND SUCCESS

As much as I wasn’t crazy about the A.L.W. show, we immensely enjoyed WAR PAINT. On one level, the  show, with a wonderful book by Doug Wright is about the unto-death-do-us-part rivalry between cosmetic gurus Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein. Beyond that, though, the musical is an edgy, unapologetic celebration of the resilience and warts-and-all determination of two extraordinarily brilliant and nasty women-entrepreneurs who rose from nothing – Rubinstein from abject poverty in the Jewish ghetto in her native Poland, Arden from a Canadian farming backwater – to become American success stories.

Two such larger than life figures require equally sizeable talents to portray them in words and music. Patty Lupone as Rubinstein and Christine Ebersole as Arden turn out superlative performances that, under the firm hand of director Michael Greif never ever cross the red line into grandstanding. The production, still in previews, blessed with exquisite costumes by Catherine Zuber, several of which are worn with beaucoup style by our friend Stephanie Park – a standout in the ensemble, has all the markings of a Broadway hit.

Here’s hoping.

Rafael de Acha

 

 

 

Published by ALL ABOUT THE ARTS

Rafael de Acha has enjoyed a distinguished career in the arts as a performer, stage director, producer, and educator. He was born and grew up in Cuba. At the age of 17 he moved to the United States to study Drama at the University of Minnesota, and later Languages at L.A. City College, Music at the Juilliard School of Music, at the University of Cincinnati’s College Conservatory of Music, and at the New England Conservatory of Music, from which he received the Master's degree. He has taught courses on the History of Music at the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music and at Florida International University, and contributed writings and reviews to Seen and Heard International (www.seenandheard-international.com ) and to this blog. He co-founded the award-winning New Theatre in Coral Gables, Florida, where he produced and staged twenty seasons of classical and contemporary theater, including fifty world premieres of plays that went on to have international and national productions on and off Broadway, including Ana in the Tropics by Nilo Cruz (Pulitzer Prize for Drama 2002 and Tony Nomination 2003.) In 2006 he was presented with a citation from The Dade County Cultural Affairs Council for “trailblazing contributions to the arts in South Florida.”