My main concern going into the show was how the sets and staging on the tour were going to live up to the magnificent Broadway production. And although there were a few things that I missed, and a few times that the stage looked bare, overall the cast more than made up for it, and if someone had never seen it before, they probably wouldn’t have noticed anything. I saw the show with Alison and Laurie, and it was Laurie’s first time, and she certainly didn’t feel anything was lacking! Here’s a few more thoughts on the show and cast.
We were sitting in the front row of the third balcony, so it was a slightly different view than I’ve had of the show before. 🙂 It was interesting though, especially in the opening number, to see the movement and interaction of the three groups. The song itself was wonderful, as usual! Just an example of something that was different on tour – on Broadway at the beginning there is that large viewfinder-thingy (I don’t know what it’s called! 🙂 hanging down over the stage. It wasn’t there on tour. Not a huge deal though!
“Goodbye, My Love” was very nicely done. Cathy Wydner was a very good Mother, with a lovely voice. I may have preferred Donna Bullock’s interpretation a bit more, but I have nothing to complain about with Cathy. Stephen Zinnato was a wonderful Father! He has a very deep voice, and I’d love to hear him sing more. And Jim Corti was also wonderful as Tateh. After seeing him as Houdini all the other times I’d seen the show, I had a bit of trouble picturing him as Tateh, but he was really great. I also adored John Frenzer as Younger Brother! He had a bit more energy and youthfulness about him which I found very endearing.
I enjoyed “Success”, as usual, though one thing I really missed from Broadway here was the image of the bridge crushing the immigrants. What they did instead still got the point across, but it certainly didn’t have the same effect.
Although I enjoyed Lawrence Hamilton’s singing as Coalhouse, I felt he was really lacking a certain confidence – almost, but not quite, cockiness – that the role calls for. He was very, very sweet when courting Sarah, but later on I just didn’t believe that he had the fire and passion that would make the other men follow him. But that said, I found his early scenes very well done. “Wheels of a Dream” was very moving! This was helped by Lovena Fox as Sarah, who was *outstanding*! Definitely the best Sarah I’ve seen, she has the most amazing voice! Her “Your Daddy’s Son” was brilliant!
I also need to mention that Leon Williams is playing Booker T. Washington in the tour! It was really nice to see him again, and he has gotten even better since I saw him do the part on Broadway.
Cyndi Neal was a very good Emma Goldman, though I don’t think anyone could ever really compare to Judy Kaye in that role for me. “The Night that Goldman Spoke at Union Square” was a scene that really stood out for me this time though, it was very well done.
On to Act Two – on Broadway it opens with Houdini’s magic trick, but since that would be impossible to do on tour, they’ve changed it to a more obvious premonition of the firemen’s deaths. It was a little strange, and I think that if I didn’t know that’s what it was supposed to be, I would have been a little confused.
Would you believe nobody in the theatre applauded for “He Wanted to Say”?! I did, and Alison did, but that was it. Sheesh. That’s one of my favourite songs in the whole show. And they did it very well!
“Back to Before” and “Make Them Hear You”, my two absolute favourite songs in the show, were both really good, and of course, at the end, when the little Coalhouse runs out, I was sobbing again. Whoever had that idea is brilliant. 🙂 All in all, it was a great show, and I’d highly recommend this tour to anyone!
“It’s in the title, people!”
Alison, commenting on a review which mentioned how the show celebrates the “jazz” age
The cast: (in order of appearance)
|
The Little Boy |
NICHOLAS BOAK |
|
Father |
STEPHEN ZINNATO |
|
Mother |
CATHY WYDNER |
|
Mother’s Younger Brother |
JOHN FRENZER |
|
Grandfather |
AUSTIN COLYER |
|
Coalhouse Walker Jr. |
LAWRENCE HAMILTON |
|
Sarah |
LOVENA FOX |
|
Booker T. Washington |
LEON WILLIAMS |
|
Tateh |
JIM CORTI |
|
The Little Girl |
LINDSAY NYMAN |
|
Harry Houdini |
ERIC OLSON |
|
J.P. Morgan |
KENNETH KANTOR |
|
Henry Ford |
JAY BODIN |
|
Emma Goldman |
CYNDI NEAL |
|
Evelyn Nesbit |
JACQUELINE BAYNE |
|
Stanford White |
TODD JONES |
|
Harry K. Thaw |
ERIC GUNHUS |
|
Admiral Peary |
SANDY WINSBY |
|
Matthew Henson |
PAUL DAVID BRYANT |
|
Judge |
KENNETH KANTOR |
|
Foreman |
AUSTIN COLYER |
|
Reporter |
TODD JONES |
|
Kathleen |
MARY McCANDLESS |
|
Policeman |
JAY BODIN |
|
Doctor |
SCOTT CALCAGNO |
|
Child Buyer |
SCOTT CALCAGNO |
|
Policeman |
ERIC GUNHUS |
|
Sarah’s Friend |
INGA BALLARD |
|
Trolley Conductor |
KENNETH KANTOR |
|
Willie Conklin |
AL BUNDONIS |
|
Fireman |
TODD JONES |
|
Brigit |
TRACEY MOORE |
|
Conductor |
JAY BODIN |
|
Town Hall Bureaucrat |
JAY BODIN |
|
2nd Bureaucrat |
MARY McCANDLESS |
|
Clerk |
TODD JONES |
|
Black Lawyer |
PAUL DAVID BRYANT |
|
Reporters |
JAY BODIN, KENNETH KANTOR |
|
Welfare Official |
MARY McCANDLESS |
|
Baron’s Assistant |
TRACEY MOORE |
|
Gang Member |
PAUL DAVID BRYANT |
|
Pas de Deux |
PHILIP MICHAEL BASKERVILLE, IVY FOX |
|
Charles S. Whitman |
SANDY WINSBY |
|
Little Coalhouse |
TAJEAL DANTE PARIS |
|
Ensemble |
APRIL ARMSTRONG |