I went to Broadway! an Interview with Amanda

What show(s) did you see on Broadway on your latest trip?

A New Brain at Encores Off Center, Friday, June 26, 8pm. Starring Jonathan Groff, Aaron Lazar, Ana Gastayer and Dan Fogler (It technically wasn’t a “Broadway show” but I am going to include it here because it was awesome). 

Something Rotten at the St James Theater, Saturday, June 27, 2pm. Starring (my biggest Broadway crush) Brian D'Arcy James, John Cariani, Heidi Blickenstaff and Tony Award Winner Christian Borle. 

Fun Home at the Circle in the Square Theater, Saturday, June 27, 8pm. Starring Beth Malone, Judy Kuhn, Tony Award Winner Michael Cerveris, Emily Skeggs and Sydney Lucas

What stood out to you most about the theatre when you got there?

Encores shows are performed at City Center, which is in Midtown, but a little bit more uptown from the heart of the theater district. I wore new shoes on the walk up to the theater, so I was paying more attention to my aching feet than the decor when I first walked in. However, Once I sat in my seat, I had a little time to take in the view, I noticed the amazing ceiling details. It is always a treat to look up and see beautiful details like this:

I arrived an hour before curtain to see the pre-show in the mezzanine lobby, arranged (and introduced by) Jeanine Tsori (who is not only the Tony Award winning composer of Fun Home, but is also the artistic director of Encores Off-Center). The Lobby Project is a free pre-show performance from artists and performers that is relevant to the main stage production that you are about to see. The night I went, a "clown doctor" shared a sketch about his experience in becoming a clown doctor and healing people with laughter.

Yep, just like Patch Adams.

Supposedly the following night, Jonathan Groff was just going to be singing (which would have been amazing to see in that intimate of a space). It was really neat, and helped set the tone for the evening.  

The St James Theatre opened in 1927 and has had many historic shows pass through its wings. Most recently, the Academy Award winning movie (and one of my favorites from 2014) Birdman took place almost exclusively in the theater and the surrounding blocks. This was another beautiful theater with lots of eye candy. One thing that stood out to me here was just how much is costs to purchase alcohol and bring it to your seat; I believe I paid $15 for one beer. Crazy!

I had previously seen the 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee in the Circle in the Square Theatre, so I felt like I knew the lay of the land going in. This theater is below the Gershwin Theater, and you have to take an escalator/elevator underground to the space. Built in the 1950’s, this is a more contemporary looking theater, without the ornate details of theaters like the City Center or the St. James. One thing that stood out was the bathroom space. It is downstairs, just off of a room full of lockers and photos of previous shows. The line for the women’s was SO LONG prior to the start of the show. Since there was no intermission, the pressure was on to empty your bladder prior to show time. The actual playing space was arranged in-the-round as opposed to the traditional proscenium arrangement, which was very neat. This allowed for very creative staging, and made it so you could always feel a connection with a character on stage, even if it wasn’t the main character of the scene. 

Did you enjoy the show?  Was there a technical or a musical/orchestral aspect of the show that stood out?

I loved all three shows so much. When planning my trip, I had a really hard time deciding on what show to see. It was such an incredible season of shows, and we purchased our tickets before Tony nominations, so we were taking a risk that these shows would even still be running, let alone Tony winners. We ultimately planned our trip around A New Brain, since it was only running for one weekend only, and it is one of my all-time favorite shows. 

Just a brief background on Encores Off-Center: it is a program during the summer, where shows that were performed off-Broadway get another chance to shine. Since the commitment is only one weekend, there are often movie and Broadway stars attached to these shows. And the audience is usually full of industry big-wigs. It is a really neat experience. Tickets are also usually half the price of most Broadway shows.

One of the things I have noticed that often happens at Encores, is the original composer or a guest arranger will use this opportunity to make some changes to the original score or book, some times subtle, some times drastic. What stood out the most to me was that some songs in the original A New Brain production were completely removed from the show (“Calamari,” “Whenever I Dream,” and “Eating Myself Up Alive”). Because of this, the opening scene took place at Gordo’s house (or music studio?) as opposed to a restaurant, and some lyric changes were made because of it. The “Brain Dead” montage was also vastly different, mostly because two songs were missing, but in their absence, the tango (the song “Brain Dead”) was extended and featured the entire cast tangoing with medical gear. The cast was great, the modest staging was perfect, and it really was a treat to get to see this performance. Definitely was on my top-three all-time-favorite nights of theater.

I went into Something Rotten without knowing ANY of the music, which I did intentionally so I could be surprised by the show. I didn’t even watch their performance on the Tony’s (talk about Will Power!) I was SO pleased that I held out. Everything felt fresh, and new. The show didn’t have many technical aspects that stood out, other than the larger than life set pieces. One of my favorite sets were for the Shakespeare in the Park scene, where they performed the song “Will Power.” This show relied more on the humor and content of the songs as opposed to technical gimmicks, which I appreciate. The costumes were also very impressive.

Fun Home was just an overall amazing show. I went into this show knowing every word from the off-Broadway recording, so I knew the moments that would musically impact me the most (Days and Days, Telephone Wire). I was also surprised that some of the songs were cut (the song that young Allison sings about calling her “Al for short”).  What I was the most impressed with in Fun Home (technically) was the staging, and how different set pieces moved around, and came out of the ground to just create a seamless masterpiece. Since this was based on Allison Bechdel’s graphic Novel, I was tickled when they started incorporating more of a “comic book” feel to the staging, around the second half of the show when the character of Allison really starts working on her graphic novel. Panels of light would shine down on the ground in the outline of a square or rectangle, and different characters would stand in them saying their line. It was tasteful and didn’t feel gimmicky. 

Were there any stand-out performances from particular performers? Did you recognize any of the performers in the program or once you saw them on the stage?

I was very lucky to see all of the original Broadway cast members for Something Rotten and Fun Home, so I was familiar with who was playing all the leads. Christian Borle won the Tony award for his performance as Will Shakespeare in Something Rotten, so he was obviously a stand-out performer in that show. I also just love Brian D’Arcy James (BDJ), and I have always wanted to see him perform live. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the performance of John Cariani, the love-struck, Shakespeare obsessed, poet brother of BDJ. The women of the show were also phenomenal (I mean, Heidi Blickenstaff? Come on, she is amazing). The ensemble was fantastic as well. One thing that stood out to me was the incredible diversity of the ensemble. You could tell there were people of all different ages, sizes and ethnicity, all clear triple threats. I really appreciated that, and it really made it feel more like a village, as opposed to a Rockette show.

As with Fun Home, I knew all of the performers going into the performance. Beth Malone, who plays the adult Allison was just captivating from the moment she walked on stage. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. She was so committed, 100% of the time to what she was doing (and she was the only one who never left the stage). I also felt that Michael Cerveris did a phenomenal job as the Bechdel family patriarch/funeral director/high school English teacher/closeted homosexual/home restoration enthusiast. It was obvious why he won the Tony award for this performance, it was so haunting, and honest and at times, even disturbing.

Most musical theater does not have characters as complex as you will find in Fun Home. The music, lyrics, and book really allow you to see these characters grow, and as an audience member, you have time to connect to each of them. The rest of the cast was amazing too. One surprise performance was from Roberta Colindrez, who played Joan, Allison’s first girlfriend in college. She was just so cool and played the part so well. She is perfect at playing the cool girl who you either want to be or want to be with. One disappointment (that turned into a nice surprise) was that we did not get to see the critically acclaimed Sydney Lucas play Small Allison. We got to see her understudy (and now replacement) Gabriella Pizzolo portray the role. I was really bummed when I saw that little piece of paper in my program, but she had me the moment she ran onto the stage demanding that her father play airplane. Not gonna lie, her honest and beautiful performance definitely made me tear up. 

One of the super cool things about the timing of my trip, was the very first day I was there, the supreme court ruled in favor of gay marriage, so the city practically erupted in joy and rainbows. It also just-so-happened to be Pride weekend. That night, many of the lead performers made an announcement after curtain call, or they had rainbow flags or other signs of support. That night, I went to see A New Brain, and you could tell that the performers were on cloud nine and giving the performance of their life. Especially at the end of the show, when singing the lyrics “What was dark so long had felt like winter, finally there’s sun. And so I sing, that I feel so much spring.” I felt like it reflected what was currently going on, and it was beautiful.

Jonathan Groff was just amazing. He was such an incredible Gordo, however that was expected J I was surprised by how great Ana Gastayer was as his mother. I mainly know her from SNL, and often forget that she played ELEPHABA in Wicked (translation: girl can sing). Some of the minor characters also really blew me away, especially the “Nice Nurse” played by Josh Lamon. He was hilarious. I can’t imagine a more perfect (yet completely different) version of “You Boys Are Gonna Get me in Trouble” or the sponge bath scene. I was also really impressed with the doctor, played by Bradley Dean, who also doubled as Gordo’s dad.  He brought an amusing arrogance to the role that I didn’t get before. 

Were you familiar with the show? If you were, was there a song, or ‘moment’ that you were particularly looking forward to?

I was very familiar with A New Brain and Fun Home prior to the show, and was mostly just looking forward to experiencing the show live. For Something Rotten, all of it was new to me. I was really looking forward to “A Musical” because I had heard about the “amazing musical number halfway through act one that received a standing ovation.” I also know this was the number performed on the Tony Awards, which I skipped over, so I was really looking forward to finally seeing it. I was also looking forward to seeing Christian Borle in this role, since the promo videos I saw looked so funny.

Was there any big surprise moments in the show for you (scripting, musically, emotionally?)

The music changes in A New Brain that I discussed previously were the biggest surprises to me. I was surprised by how emotionally connected I was to this production; I think I had tears in my eyes the majority of the show (which for me, is a great thing).

Something Rotten was just one big surprise. I think I went in with low expectations, because with shows like this (ie. Splashy, over the top comedies, like Spamalot and The Producers), I am always a bit disappointed that it wasn’t funnier, or I often feel it doesn’t live up to the hype (or in my mom’s case with The Book of Mormon, she knew all of the jokes from the soundtrack prior to seeing the show). However, I was laughing out loud pretty much the entire show, and had a giant smile plastered on my face. At some point in the show, I was really worried if they could make the breakfast theme of the “omelette” show actually funny, and then was surprised when they performed their show (within the show) and it ended up being probably one of my favorite moments of the show. I was also surprised with just how much tap dancing was in the show. I mean, I went into it KNOWING that Casey Nicholaw did the choreography, but for some reason, my brain didn’t register that with tapping. One of my absolute favorite moments of my trip was just before intermission, in the song “Bottom’s Gonna Be On Top” Christian Borle and BDJ had a “tap-off” that was perfectly executed…and hilarious.

Overall, the staging in Fun Home was the most surprising to me. It was just so clever. Also, some of the most heartbreaking and creepy scenes are not included on the cast album (as most of the dialogue is included), so I was pleasantly surprised by those little nuggets that were completely unexpected.  One moment in the show that I was impacted the most by was right before the song “Telephone Wire,” where adult Allison, who has been almost like a ghost telling the story from afar, steps into the story and interacts with her father as she recalls her last car ride with her father and contemplates what she could have done differently and if it would have prevented his impending suicide. It wasn’t necessarily breaking the fourth wall, but definitely went through a boundary that was set early on in the show, which was very neat.

How would you describe this show to a friend of yours who had never heard of it?

A New Brain is a musical comedy about a children’s show song writer who suddenly collapses. This is the story of the time he spends in the hospital and how he maintains his role of son, boyfriend, musician, and friend while coming face-to-face with his mortality.

Something Rotten tells the story of Nick and Nigel Bottom, two renaissance playwrights who are trying to create the next best thing and become better than the best (Shakespeare). Nick visits a Soothsayer who tells him Musicals are the next big thing, so they set out to create the first musical. 

Fun Home is the true story of the life of a middle aged, lesbian, cartoonist, who is writing a graphic novel about her childhood and examining life with her father, who was a closeted homosexual. The story is told as one big flashback to different periods in her life, when she was growing up in a funeral home, and when she was discovering her sexuality in college.

Anything else you’d like to mention about the show, or your experience?

View of Kinky Boots at the Al Hirshfield Theater from our room

I not only had a great time at the shows, but the hotel we selected was perfect for what we needed. Right in the heart of the theater district, ROW NYC is the perfect place for a quick shower and to rest your head at an affordable price. It was literally right around the corner from the St. James Theater, which was a perfect location.

I also want to give a shout out to the hosts of my two favorite podcasts (The Ensemblist and The Theater People Podcast) for giving excellent restaurant recommendations, all in the theater district. The Glass House Tavern was perfect for post-show drinks, especially since it was also very close to our hotel room. Great drinks and delicious appetizers for a nice night cap. We went back the following morning for breakfast (which was also A+). Before we saw Fun Home, we went to 5 Napkin Burger, which really helped me feel like I was at home in San Diego (the craft beer capitol of the world). My favorite restaurant we ate at was Lillie’s Victorian Establishment, which you just have to see to believe. Huge vaulted ceilings, antique furniture, stained glass murals, just absolutely beautiful. We had cocktails and dessert, and then decided to come back the following day for breakfast. Loved Lillie’s. 

Is this your first trip to Broadway? If not, how many times have you been in the past? What have you seen? What’s one moment that sticks out for you?

This was my second trip to NYC. I went 10 years ago, and stayed for a bit longer, allowing me to see more of the city (and more shows!) That trip, I saw Sweet Charity with Christina Applegate and Dennis O’Hare, Fiddler on the Roof with Harvey Firestein, Rent, Avenue Q (Original Broadway Cast), Spamalot (Original Broadway Cast), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels(Original Broadway Cast), 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Original Broadway Cast), and Phantom of the Opera (obviously not the original Broadway cast). From that trip, my biggest regret was not getting to see The Light in the Piazza. I have grown to love that show so much in the years after my trip, and to have missed the opportunity to see Victoria Clark, Kelli O’Hare and Matthew Morrison at Lincoln Center just kills me.

The moment that sticks out the most to me was going to see The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, I was chosen as one of the few audience member spellers, so I was on stage for half of the show, interacting with Dan Fogler, Celia Keenan Bolger and all the rest of them. “Amanda is going on a fashionable safari” is the only quip I remember them saying about me when I went up to spell (which was pretty spot on as I was wearing a blend of khaki’s and browns). I was first asked to spell “COW,” which ended up starting the song “Pandemonium.” I later got out on the word DENGUE (explosive diarrhea) and I now forever will know how to spell it. That was my most memorable night at the theater, ever.

Do you tend to have a favorite ‘type’ of musical? Is there a type of musical you really don’t like?

I usually like contemporary dramas. If a musical makes me cry, It is alright in my book. That is truly my test for how much I like a show. In general, I really like dark pieces, like Sweeney Todd (and is probably why I like A New Brain and Fun Home so much) and ones with more of a rock vibe, like Jesus Christ Superstar and Tommy.

I'm not a super huge fan of juke-box musicals in general, there are only a few that I really like. I think the main thing for me is that the show can’t be hyped up too much before I see it. That always ruins it for me.

Do you have a dream show? One of your favorite musicals with your favorite stars that has yet to happen?One that has?

My favorite show of all time is Jesus Christ Superstar, and I feel that it was in its perfect state with Carl Anderson, Ted Neeley and Yvonne Elliman as the leads. I have seen it so many times and nothing compares to them. Perfection. Lucky for me, if I want to see them, I can just watch the film in all of it’s hippy glory.

I really hope one day someone makes a Wreck it Ralph musical (side-note, people have opinions about this). The dream cast: Brian D’Arcy James as Ralph, Stark Sands as Fix-It Felix, Cady Huffman as Sergeant Calhoun, and Joel Gray as King Candy. I don’t know who would play Vanillope, maybe Jenni Barber, or Krysta Rodriguez? I don’t know…either way, MAKE IT HAPPEN DISNEY!

  

How long have you been a fan of musical theatre? Was there a show you remember listening to or seeing? What was the first time you remember obsessing about a particular show, or performer? Do you know why?

My mom and grandma both love musical theater, so I grew up listening to it and going to plays and musicals with them since as far back as I remember. When I was in Kindergarten, my mom brought my brother to go see Phantom of the Opera in Los Angeles, and I spent the whole night crying because she didn’t bring me. They brought back an official show program and I just devoured it on a daily basis. It just looked so cool to me. I was especially fascinated with what the Phantom looked like without his mask on. My dad finally brought me to the touring company production in San Francisco when I was in 5^th grade. It might have been the best night of my life (up to that point).

Not sure what my FIRST live show was, it might have been West Side Story or Into the Woods at a local high school, or it could have been something else at a local professional theater (Starlight) that my mom had season tickets to.  I was really big into watching movie musicals growing up. I would watch classic Rodgers and Hammerstein shows like Carousel and The King and I with my grandma (I never cared for State Fair or Oklahoma). West Side Story was one of my favorite movies, and I would watch it non-stop. Love the iconic choreography of Jerome Robbins.

I also have always loved the Jesus Christ Superstar movie (which I know is a very polarizing topic). I  DO remember going to the touring production of the show, it must have been 1992? Maybe 1993? And all I remember is that the King Herod wore pants VERY SIMILAR to Prince at the 1991 VMAs (if you weren’t around for it, look it up). I just thought it was pretty cool

Is there a reason why you love Musical Theatre so much?

Because it makes you feel things and see stories that you don’t experience in every day life. It transports you to a truly magical place where anything can happen.