My Top 5 Obsessions This Week
It has been a whirlwind lately of travel and shows. Including a new series that I absolutely recommend . I will get right to it.
1) Mean Girls on Broadway was a hilarious musical lighthearted romp that will appeal to the cult of Mean Girls fans and newbies who never saw the 2004 movie. Although Fetch may never happen this updated book by Tina Fey is worth it. Narrators Janis and Damian offer the opening song A Cautionary Tale with all the bite and wit you could hope for. Meet The Plastics was another favorite. Several standouts include the amazing scene stealer Grey Henson as Damien who is” “Too Gay to Function” Taylor Louderman as the Apex Predator Regina George and Barrett Wilber Reed as Janis Sarkisian and a shout-out to Kerry Butler in multiple roles including the “cool mom” . Meeting Louderman and Henson after the show was another highlight.
2) Summer-The Donna Summer Musical just opening on Broadway was a trip down memory lane. From the iconic beginning as a stage pillar lifts with only a turntable that rises and plays the opening tune I was hooked. Tony winner LaChanze, Storm Lever and Ariana DeBose play Donna Summer at different phases of her life- Duckling Donna, Disco Donna and Diva Donna. From Love to Love You Baby, MacArthur Park, Hot Stuff, Bad Girls- the hits and storyline unfolded the story of her life and ended as all enchanted evenings do- with Last Dance. Amazing show and meeting the three talented ladies afterwards was the perfect ending.
3) Hello Dolly featuring the amazing Bernadette Peters in one of my favorite musicals was a dream come true. A magical evening with Peters breathing life into the indomitable Dolly Levi and the super talented Victor Garber as the gruff Horace Vandergelder. A standout was the superb Santino Fontana as Cornelius Hackl. Amazing sets , songs ended with the gracious Peters bending down and grasping my hand was the perfect ending for me to say Hello Dolly.
4) Rise the newest NBC offering is a musical drama hybrid with a largely unknown cast with the exception of Josh Radnor and the amazing Rosie Perez stepping out of her comfort zone as two battling heads of a high school drama department. Bucking all the conventions of typical high school musicals newly minted head of drama Radnor decides to shake it up and put on the controversial Spring Awakening. Mixing it up with his own family, the principal and the coach while battling for the balance of work and home it is the Anti Glee. I love the whole cast including Stranger Things’ “ Barb” Shannon Purser who is everywhere these days. Moana’s Auli’i Cravalho and Ted Sutherland are my top two although everyone is great.
5) Bananarama at the Warfield a few weekends ago was so great I wanted to make sure no one misses the tour. It marks the first time the original lineup of Siobhan Fahey, Sara Dallin and Keren Woodward have toured North America.
Backed by a live band they opened with Nathan Jones, Cruel Summer and brought the house down with Na Na Hey Goodbye. This was a tight set and the girls(ladies) rocked the house to a sold out audience who danced like the House was on fire(which it was). I would love to catch them again.
3) Hello Dolly featuring the amazing Bernadette Peters in one of my favorite musicals was a dream come true. A magical evening with Peters breathing life into the indomitable Dolly Levi and the super talented Victor Garber as the gruff Horace Vandergelder. A standout was the superb Santino Fontana as Cornelius Hackl. Amazing sets , songs ended with the gracious Peters bending down and grasping my hand was the perfect ending for me to say Hello Dolly.
4) Rise the newest NBC offering is a musical drama hybrid with a largely unknown cast with the exception of Josh Radnor and the amazing Rosie Perez stepping out of her comfort zone as two battling heads of a high school drama department. Bucking all the conventions of typical high school musicals newly minted head of drama Radnor decides to shake it up and put on the controversial Spring Awakening. Mixing it up with his own family, the principal and the coach while battling for the balance of work and home it is the Anti Glee. I love the whole cast including Stranger Things’ “ Barb” Shannon Purser who is everywhere these days. Moana’s Auli’i Cravalho and Ted Sutherland are my top two although everyone is great.
5) Bananarama at the Warfield a few weekends ago was so great I wanted to make sure no one misses the tour. It marks the first time the original lineup of Siobhan Fahey, Sara Dallin and Keren Woodward have toured North America.
Backed by a live band they opened with Nathan Jones, Cruel Summer and brought the house down with Na Na Hey Goodbye. This was a tight set and the girls(ladies) rocked the house to a sold out audience who danced like the House was on fire(which it was). I would love to catch them again.
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