Shows from September 2011 to Present Part 10


19. The Columnist – May 27th 2012
            Sometimes you end up trying to make it to the lotto for Newsies but ended up meeting your Facebook friend from Baltimore and getting rushing tickets for a different show.  We ended up getting tickets for a new play not a musical.  We as in my mom and I went to see The Columnist. 
            The Columnist is based on the real-life story of Joseph Alsop (John Lithgow) whose columns were running three times a week in more than three hundred newspapers.  Power, influence, changing the course of history: It’s all in a day’s work for political pundit and Cold War enthusiast Joseph Alsop, who has made a name for himself via a widely syndicated column in the early 1960s. Known equally for his brash temper and impeccable taste, Alsop has a knack for uncovering the secrets of the dignitaries, presidents and socialites he writes about. But when an explosive personal secret the scribe has been hiding all his life is ready to blow, Alsop must question his place in the world, professionally and personally. 
            This show was interesting because I am in the field of journalism and this was a different kind of play for me to see.  I liked the story of it.  Some great notable players were Boyd Gaines (Stewart Alsop), Grace Gummer (Abigail), and Brian J. Smith (Andrei).  Margaret Colin, Stephen Kunken and Marc Bonan gave good performances too.  I think the only actor I can single out is John Lithgow who was the driving force around the action around the other characters.  All the characters desires and their consequences were revolved around Joseph Alsop.  Over all I thought it was good show not great but good. 

20. Ghost the Musical – June 21, 2012
            The most spectacular things are the supernatural.  The same case can happen on Broadway.  It can be where the impossible becomes possible.  Especially with Ghost the Musical.  This was my second time seeing it and it was still amazing. 

            Ghost take place in present day New York and it centers on Sam Wheat (Richard Fleeshman), a banker and Molly Jenson (Caissie Levy), an artist.  They are like any ordinary couple who are really in love with each other.  One night when they are coming home to their apartment, they are mugged and Sam is killed and he turns into a ghost (he does not go to heaven, he does not go to hell but he is stuck in that world unseen and unheard to anyone including Molly (think of the movie/musical like the TV show “Ghost Whisperer”.  Ghost is like a pre “Ghost Whisperer”).  When Sam learns that Molly is in danger, the only person he can turn to for help is storefront psychic Oda Mae Brown (2012 Tony Nominee Da’Vine Joy Randolph) who is reluctant to get involved but Sam convinces her to help him to get to Molly and get revenge on the people who took his life.

         This was my second time seeing the show and obviously it did not disappoint.  All of the cast was the same at the last time so check the other post on the previous review.  They were all amazing.  Go see it.  I guarantee you will enjoy everything about this production.  I’m so happy this West End hit finally came across the Atlantic. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Shows from September 2011 to Present Part 11

21. Nice Work if You Can Get it – July 8, 2012             Sometimes, things can happen unexpected.   I expected to be sitting at home relaxing looking through Facebook.   I see a post from someone who had a pair of comp tickets to the Tony Nominated musical Nice Work if You Can Get it .   This someone was a friend of my uncle who is a trombone player in many Broadway Shows.   He previously played at the Imperial Theater during Billy Elliot and now he is back for Nice Work if You Can Get it .   So, I called him up and told him and I will take them.   He actually told me he had a feeling it was going to be me calling him (if anyone knows how much I am a Broadway fanatic I am, I would jump at a chance for anything cheap or free).             Set in the 1920s, Nice Work If You Can Get It is the story of charming and wealthy playboy Jimmy Winter (Matthew Broderick), who meets rough female bootlegger Billie Bendix (Kelli O’Hara) the weekend of his wedding. Jimmy, who has been mar
Read more

Show from September 2011 to Present Part 2

Image
Hello and welcome to my new blog a continuation of my old one, theateropinionsbylea.blogspot.com, why a new site because I forgot my blogspot password.  I will be posting reviews first what I wanted to put up before.   Show from September 2011 to Present Part 2 3. Voices in Conflict – December 8, 2011             The junior drama show Voices in Conflict is one of the first shows I got to watch at my former High School, Frank Sinatra School of the Arts as alumni.   As the Director’s Note states: The Show is a series of monologues taken from the letters, poetry, blogs and the documentary film “The Ground Truth” by: Bonnie Dickinson and Iraqi citizens.   The play was controversial because it shows the impact of war from differing perspectives and experiences and includes the voices and sentiments of the theatre students (of Wilton High School, CT) who wrote the play.   The play was censored and banned by the Wilton CT Public Schools.             This is a very outstandin
Read more

Shows from September 2011 to Present Part 15

  29. Annie – January 20, 2013                 The classic songs – It’s a Hard Knock Life”, “Maybe” “Little Girls”, “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile” and the popular anthem “Tomorrow” are a few standards that impacted a new generation of Broadway.   Since its inception in 1977, the story of a red headed orphan named Annie has touched Broadway audiences of all generations.   Its legacy expands to two movie versions (1982 and 1999 respectively) and inspiring kids to reach their Broadway dreams.   Annie is often considered one of the dream roles for kids.   Its 2013 and Annie is back home in “N.Y.C.” and on Broadway where she belongs in a new revival that opened at the Palace Theatre.                   Based on the popular comic strip, Annie tells the extraordinary story of a little orphan (Title character played by Lilla Crawford) who ends up in the lap of luxury with Depression-era billionaire Oliver Warbucks (at this performance I attended, Merwin Foard (who would no
Read more