So I thought this might be a good idea, and we can check here and read some peer reviews before we take off to the city to see a show. We all agree? Good.

Let's limit it to one show per post. And I've seen four shows in the last three days, so please excuse my double posts!

Let the reviewing begin!!

Show: Spring Awakening
Location: Hershey, PA (Tour)
Date: Sunday, January 10, 2010

This was my second encounter with Spring Awakening. I had gone the previous Tuesday with a friend, and my girlfriend later decided that she wanted to see it, so I was forced to go again (but for $15 student rush, I wasn't going to argue).

The first time I thought it was alright. Our seats were center in the 5th row of the mezzanine. I think the problem the first time was that I was focusing too much on what was going on and I lost the deeper meaning of the show.

The second time, I got alot more of what was going on. I picked up on the themes of the show and got what it was trying to say about some of the things the world is facing today. It probably didn't hurt that I was in Row Q of the Orchestra.

Most of the perfomances were good, but no one really stood out to me. The actress playing Elsa (her bio said she came in 5th in Candian Idol) was probably the best if I had to choose. The guy playing Moritz was good, but looked really strange and awkward next to everyone else (probably more than the writers intended). Stand out songs were deff "Bitch of Living" and "Totally ----."

So it's definately worth seeing if the tour is in the area, but I would be sure to research the show and listen to score before attending. It also helps to have a general idea of what is going on and who the characters are and how they're related. The show is not for everyone. There were alot of older people at the show that had obviously not researched thoroughly enough, seeing as they disappeared after intermission.

Show: Mary Poppins
Location: Broadway
Date: Monday, January 11, 2010

I went into the theatre with average expectations. I grew up watching the film and had heard from others who had seen the show that it was quite a bit darker than the film. But the girlfriend really wanted to see it, and I wasn't opposed to giving it a show, so I obliged.

And I'm glad that I did. I LOVED it.

The whole experience was incredibly magical. I'm still reeling over how she pulled that tall lamp and potted plant out of her hand bag, just like in the film.

It was easy to see why Laura Michelle Kelly won the awards she did for originating the role in London. She was fabulous. She wasn't Julie Andrews, but that worked for her and the show. The rest of the cast was great as well. We saw the understudy for Mrs. Banks, but you never would have known it (probably the whole idea behind the understudy, lol).

In my opinion, two things added to the show being darker than the film. The first was the song the replaced "Temper, Temper", called "Playing the Game." In the song, the toys come to life and terrorize Jane and Michael like the children terrorized the toys. The song was strange, came out of no where, and didn't really fit with the rest of the show. Not to mention it was scary as anything.

The other thing was a subplot added to the second act. It involved Mr. Banks' old nanny coming to take Mary Poppins' place after she leaves the Banks household. The new Nanny is also mean and scary and sings the new song "Brimestone and Treacle." And of course Mary arrives and saves the day. I loved this new subplot and thought it really added to the show.

I really can't say enough about the show. I havn't had that much fun at a show in quite a while. I left the theatre with a smile on my face (until I met the cold New York City winds) and continued humming the the songs for the rest of the evening. I strongly recommend the show show for both the young and young at heart. It's Disney, so you have to take the show for what it is. And what it is is a spoonful of fun.

You mean Ilse? Also, I loved her.



I've seen both Taylor Trensch and Blake Bashoff, and Trensch seems the younger and more awkward of the two -- but I liked them both. Bashoff was definitely more intense, though.

You win a lot when you see a show the second time. You have a greater grasp on whats going on/going to happen and thus you can focus more on all the smaller details that you probebly missed the first time.

Little bit off topic, but I love Steffi D. Proud Canadian and I was a CI fan from season 1 (until it got canceled last year...) and Steffi D was one of my favourite contestants ever. She's so quirky<3.

I would review the last show I saw, but I don't feel like being the second Mary Poppins review in a row. So wait till next Sunday and I'll review RENT.

I was lucky enough to see the national tour of RENT in Madison last Saturday from second row center seats on the first balcony! It was fully spectacular. Particular standouts were Anthony Rapp (as expected) as Mark and Lexi Lawson as Mimi-her voice is gorgeous and her dance/gymnastic skills fantastic! The weakest part of the show was probably Nicolette Hart as Maureen. She was decent-ish but not as amazing as the rest of the cast. Overall, a marvelous show!

Anthony and Lexi are both spectacular, but may I ask what you didn't like about Nicolette Hart?

Wicked" San Francisco on the Sunday after Thanksgiving '09

Elfaba: Vicki Noon (3rd time seeing her)
G(a)linda: Natalie Daradich (2nd time seeing her (1st time was the previous Friday Mattinee
al other cast was principle players
it was an AWEsome performance from Start to finish. Natalie's Popular was quite good Defying Gravity was FANTASTIC! "For Good" nearly had me in tears.
during the Curtain calls they made a BC/EFA pitch similar to the one they were doing on B'way but there was an extra pitch w/ ours they were holding a raffle at some point and whoever's name was drawn won a walk-on in the actual show. I remember seeing in the newspaper a reporter got to do a w/o,not sure if it was a planned w/o or if he was the winner.

Next show i'm seeing: "Phantom Of The Opera" at the Majestic on June 18 followed by "Wicked" at the Gershwin on June 20th. the performance of Phantom will mark the 2nd time in 10 years that i've seen the New York production of the show w/ the distinction of being the longest running show on Broadway

That's a pretty cool fact! Here's another one: you'll be seeing Phantom on the one year anniversary of when I saw the show in NYC too. I saw Wicked at the Gershwin on June 17th (my second time seeing the show), so that's close too.

Her version of "Over the Moon" was soooo good, but the rest of her performance didn't quite stay at that level. She just seemed to be lacking that "spark" and big personality that I think is really important to Maureen.