The Drowsy Chaperone and Avenue Q

[ellen_datlow]

After waiting for ages for these two shows to become availabe on TDF (my discount theater membership) they did and I saw them --one last week, one tonight. I had heard about The Drowsy Chaperone from my friend John, who had seen it in previews (his now ex-girlfriend is one of the dressers) and raved about it. By the time, I realized I wanted to see it, it was too late to get cheap tix and I do NOT go to Broadway except at a discount. Prices are ridiculously high: up to $100+ now for the best seats. Anyway, Rick Bowes and I saw it last week and enjoyed it--it's about a lonely guy who is into old Broadway shows and listens to their cast albums on his record player. As he does, the stage is transformed into the scene of the actual play. It's a lovely idea and quite a lot of fun. Not deep, but sweet.

Avenue Q won the Tony Award for best musical in 2004 and beat out Wicked (IIRC)in an upset. Another sweet play, with muppets. Some nice musical numbers, some wonderful emoting by the actors holding the puppets and the actors not playing muppets. Again, not deep but fun. I had my doubts initially but the play and characters grew on me as the show went on and I discovered myself suspending my disbelief regarding the human puppet-handlers being "behind" the scenes. Not sure if this is clear.

Almost finished with the copy edit of The Del Rey Book of Science Fiction and Fantasy. I plan to hand it back to my editor Chris Schluep, Monday.

Comments

[nick-kaufmann.livejournal.com]

Another unsweet song title from Avenue Q: "Everyone's a Little Bit Racist".

Wicked is supposed to be great, but Avenue Q is genius.

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

Despite the "unsweet" nature of the two songs mentioned above--and others, the underlying feeling of the show was sweetness (IMO, of course). Even a bunch of "losers" working together can make good. Even an, ahem, whore can be redeemed by a deus ex machina. Satire, parody, but still an overall sweetness throughout.

[melissajm.livejournal.com]

I ought to check it out. I'd been thinking it was just out to shock.

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

Maybe so, but I'm an unshockable New Yorker. The tourists seem to find it a lot more "shocking" than I and my friend did.

[melissajm.livejournal.com]

Ah. I shock easily.

I'm disappointed. Proctors' Theater in Schenectady did this major remodelling so they could show things like Phantom, Wicked and Lion King...they showed Phantom for their grand reopening, but the new schedule I just got has hardly any musicals in it. I wonder what happened?

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

I'd very much like to see Lion King because I love Julie Taymor's imaginative puppetry. Unfortunately, I think she sucks using her own scripts. She's only good when she has something (a story?) to work with. If Lion King ever goes discount or on TDF I'll go.

I prefer older musicals. The music is so much better than in most contemporary musicals. I saw West Side Story (small production) in the Berkshires when I was there this summer with my family.

[melissajm.livejournal.com]

I used to keep on top of the latest musicals, and lately I haven't been finding as many that I enjoy. I'd wondered if it was that the newer ones were too dark/gritty/whatever for me, but maybe the older ones really do have better music.

I'm in show withdrawl. I need to go see Les Miz again. ;)

[mjlayman.livejournal.com]

The WashPost agrees with you on Julie Taymor's Across the Universe (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/13/AR2007091302249.html).


But she was honored last night at the Legacies of Women in the Performing Arts (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/14/AR2007091402663.html) event.

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

The NY Times gave it a rave yet the trailer made me want to gag. ;-)