The Best of Broadway 2000-2009
The Best of Broadway 2000-2009
Directed by Wade Hair
Breakthrough Theatre, Winter Park, FL</strong>
While opera might be stuck in a Verde-Rossini-Puccini time warp, the American Musical Theatre continues to crank out exciting shows with innovation sound and story. This comprehensive review covers the last decade of new shows and Broadway revivals, pulling out the gems and even a few lesser lights. We open with the obvious: “Another Opening, Another Night” from the 2000 revival of “Kiss Me Kate.” It gets the whole cast on the cramped stage, but no one trips and we’re on our way. The AM radio pop sound is always popular, and “Run Around Sue”, “Mama I’m A Big Girl Now” and “My Boyfriend’s Back” filled that slot. Some of the more challenging tunes include “My Husband Makes Movies” from “Nine”, two tunes from “Assassins” and the Sondheim penned “The Children Will Listen” from “Into The Woods.”
Vocally, director Wade Hair sang some the big winners including the Act One closer “I Am What I Am” from “La Cage aux Folles” Kate O’Neil came out with a young mop-headed Matt Dutton for a Billy Elliot number, and “The Song That Goes Like This” was my favorite, sung by Lucy Yarborough and Ian Clark, although “When You Got It, Flaunt it” by Krystal Gillette came dangerously close to an on stage wardrobe failure.
Production values were a bit wobbly. While there were great costumes for every scene and decent choreography, scene changes distracted. Occasionally the cast moved the rehearsal cubes about, but ever so often the sound guy rushed up though the audience to help. That in itself was not a problem, but his very untheatrical camouflage jacket jarred with the rest of the more conventionally dressed cast. While you don’t absolutely have to wear black to move stuff on stage, this is really the first time I’ve seen this tradition violated. Still, the singing was great even if the backing track was recorded, and the sheer number of bodies crammed on stage made the audio clear thought the room. Its nice review, well presented and well attended.
For more information, please visit http://www.breakthroughtheatre.com
