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. 

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