Tapeworthy

Me and My People - Other People - Play Review

2012-01-23T21:00:00.002-05:00

Other People - The Tank Theatre at the Young Centre - Toronto, ON - **** (out of 5 stars)
Written by Christopher Shinn, Directed by Aaron Willis

I couldn't help but feel uncomfortable watching "Other People" act awkwardly towards each other. For that, Other People, the play, was a fascinating look at the connections we try to form with other people, and our self destructive nature we seem to inherently have in building the bonds we want. With a terrific cast of young Toronto up-and-coming actors giving outstanding performances, Other People easily becomes a self-investigating look at our own relationships.

Shinn's play works best in its realistic moments of conversation or the awkward moments that come about. Roommates and friends Petra (Tatiana Maslany) and Stephen (Ben Lewis) invite Stephen's ex-boyfriend Mark (Indrit Kasapi) to stay with them as he returns from a bout in rehab. The intelligent Petra hides her job as a stripper from her roommates, and then finds her mind and personality as the object of a man's (Mike McPhaden) fascination. Meanwhile, Stephen says he's still loves Mark, but Mark, who has turned religious, finds himself entangled with a street kid named Tan (Brendan McMurtry-Howlett). Stephen finds Mark's religious epiphany a little perplexing, and returns to meet a bad date named Darren (Richard Lee).

Tatiana Maslany (Dog Sees God) gives an intelligent and thoughtful performance in Petra. She easily draws in the audience, never needing to fully explain her choice to strip for money, and yet still making Petra feel instantly relatable in her inability to move beyond the emotional boundaries she sets herself. McPhaden is instantly likable as the shlubby man, and his connection with Maslany's Petra gives Other People its heart, while Shinn gives Petra probably the best speeches and the best lines, including the explanation for the play's title.

Stephen is the centre of all the relationships axis and Ben Lewis (Dog Sees God, Degrassi: TNG) is a perfect foil as our audiences' entry point. Indrit Kasapi gives a solemn and mysterious performance as newly religious Mark and Lewis's Stephen outwardly vocalizes and reacts in the same manner I would have to such a turn of events.

Kasapi's performance is "weird" because I would find the same types of people's spin in life sort of weird and mysterious, and Kasapi nails down the role. When a completely energetic and confident Tan (a refreshing Brendan McMurtry-Howlett) pops into Mark's life, Mark is slowly drawn out yet afraid, with Kasapi slowly revealing the layers Mark is trying to keep tight.

Shinn's play falters at moments when it sacrifices realism with jolts to move the plot along, but when it settles backs into the conversations between Petra and the man, Stephen and Darren (a funny Richard Lee in a small role), Stephen and Mark, Mark and Tan, and when the roommates all converge in the apartment they live together in, yet not truly understanding each other's lives, does Other People hit its stride.

I left the show not exactly liking it, because it so easily makes you self-reflect into our own disconnections in our life. I liked the play because it's a perfect starting point to a great discussion. Despite some characters being strippers, or multi-millionaires and crack addicts, I found myself easily recognizable in all of these other people on stage, and making similar mistakes. The play isn't fun per se, since it gives the audiences so much to think about, but that's sort of the point, and it's taken me a few days to write this review because I keep trying to wrap my brain around each characters stories. Luckily, despite the sadness the play brings up, the production is clever and witty with some tremendous performances from some of the best young actors to watch out for. These are people to take notice of.

Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com

Can Do Attitude - Hairspray - Musical Review

2012-01-17T05:00:00.007-05:00

Hairspray - The Max at Signature Theatre - Arlington, VA (Greater Washington D.C.) - ****1/2 (out of 5 stars)
Music by Marc Shaiman, Lyrics by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman, Book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, Based on the 1988 film Hairspray by John Waters, Directed by Eric Schaeffer, Choreographed by Karma Camp and Brianne Camp
Runs until Feb 5th 2012

You really can't stop the beat in your head once you've seen Signature's take on the musical Hairspray. Signature does it again on their tiny stage, filling it with an abundance of energy and sass on a superb looking set. Schaeffer, hot off his Broadway hit Follies, switches gears to a more fun and frothy musical that takes some serious issues of prejudice and overcomes it with positive can-do attitude, supplied in ample size in Carolyn Cole as our protagonist Tracy Turnblad.

Carolyn Cole is a true find as Tracy Turnblad, easily mixing sassy attitude with a lovability factor that is only topped by her comedic timing. Cole is VERY funny in all manners, from her demeanor and tiny laughs, to the sounds she makes as she bounces and twists around the stage, or her zippy line readings that add heart to her character and the story. Cole balances her Tracy just right, making her out-of-the-box-thinking believable while making her a champion of the outsiders without verging onto grating annoyance. It's hard not to smile when Cole's Tracy is on the stage, and when she moves, you can understand why Corny Collins is on her side.

Cole is surrounded by a terrific ensemble, probably the best set of enthusiastic and young dancers I've seen in this company. The choreography is probably the best I've seen come out from Karma Camp (this time co-choreographing with Brianne Camp), as it keeps the story flowing with a non-stop beat that gives the entire show its energy and helps sets the time and place.

The set by Daniel Conway (who also did the gorgeous set from Woolly Mammoth's In the Next Room, the Vibrator Play) , which I believe is a reconfiguration of his beautiful set from Sunset Boulevard, is simple but extremely effective, while leaving ample space for the dancing. The overhead crown of window and shop signs is a nice touch that really fills the room, making the audience feel right in 1962 Baltimore. Kathleen Geldard's costumes are fun and bright, and with sets that have an overall muted blues and pinks, it allows the characters to pop out from the stage.

Robert Aubry Davis makes a loving Mama Edna Turnblad, while Signature stalwart Harry A. Winter is an adorable Papa Wilber Turnblad.

Sherri L. Edelen (wonderfully opposite in Siganture's Walter Cronkite is Dead) is hysterical as the evil racist nemesis Velma Von Tussle, and really milks every look and walk and insult. Edelen takes a perfectly appropriate diva turn, while still emanating a mother's overbearing love for her "perfect" daughter Amber, played with wonderfully snootiness by Erin Driscoll.

Stephen Gregory Smith (so great in Signature's The Boy Detective Fails) is charming as ever as Corny Collins, the host of the dance show Tracy is trying to get onto.

James Hayden Rodriguez as Seaweed, is another great find. Handsome, smooth and charming, he's exactly what is required in Seaweed, and his connection with Lauren Williams' Penny Lou Pingleton is sweet and amusing. Williams herself is adorable and funny as Penny, Tracy's best friend.

Patrick Thomas Cragin is terrific as Link Larkin, the boy both Tracy and Amber like. Cragin has the voice and the moves of a leading man, and ironically, looks a little like a miniature version of Matthew Morrison, who originated Link on Broadway.

Nova Y. Payton rounds out the main cast, and while she doesn't appear until late in Act 1, she certainly makes up for it in every song she sings. With a quiet start, Payton nicely holds back in her diva songs, and in her dialogue delivery, giving the build up into her songs the patience they require. It makes Motormouth Maybell's "I Know Where I've Been" all the more moving.

I absolutely adored this production of Hairpsray, with my face grinning the entire time from cheek to cheek. A great response considering I felt indifferent to the show when I saw the Toronto sit-down of the original Broadway production. When the film version came out, I thought it was a vast improvement over the stage show, but Signature shows that the stage version can work with a terrific cast, a beautiful set, and an added intimacy Signature is known for. While the show inherently still has some tiny moments that don't quite work for me, (I still don't love the song "The Big Dollhouse", though here it's quite an amusing production number, nor the duet "(You're) Timeless to Me" which I never thought quite worked in any version I've seen), overall, its message of positive perseverance, it's buoyant songs and dancing, and a superb Signature production, easily won me over.

Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com

Best of Stage 2011

2012-01-04T01:00:00.012-05:00

Another great year on the stage, which includes plays and musicals in theatre, revivals, ballets, opera, cabarets, one-person shows. I saw shows in Toronto, New York City, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and Boston this year. 148 different shows, 155 different times. Plus 3 theatrically related concerts that aren't with Hugh Jackman.

It was also my first foray into Broadway on a business level, where I have a personal investment in How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying on Broadway. So take my review as what you want, since I've involved myself with the show, but I truly did love it (and went back to see it 4 times (and not free!)).

As always, I consider shows I saw in 2011, whether they opened or not during that year. I however do not consider shows I've already seen in previous years (unless it's a brand new production) and that includes shows: Candide, Black Watch, Spring Awakening, Hair, Billy Elliot, The Lion King, As You Puppet, Chicago, The Importance of Being Earnest, War Horse, Traces as seen in previous lists:
Best of Stage 2010
Best of Stage 2009
Best of Stage 2008
Best of Stage 2007

And I had my personal record this year, seeing 158 shows, and with so much good stuff, I had to add an Honourable Mentions at the end of the list, any of them which would have easily made my Top 20 in other years. But alas, these are my Top 20 picks from everything on I saw on stage in 2011!

Here's the Best of Stage 2011:

1. The Agony and The Ecstasy of Steve Jobs (Play) - Anspacher Theater at The Public Theater - New York, NY - Review
Written and Performed by Mike Daisey, Directed by Jean-Michele Gregory
A man at a desk rants about his love for Apple, and the ups and downs in Steve Jobs career. Sounds like a lecture, and yet Mike Daisey someone transforms his diatribe of the rise and fall and rise again of Apple and Steve Jobs into an thought provoking, emotional theatrical play, that slowly unfolds and explains how the religion of Apple computers came to be. Daisey doesn’t hold back in damning the company that creates products he and all of us love, but the simplicity and beauty in his presentation (including a subtle but stunning lighting design) takes the story of the biggest company on earth Into a human and humane level.

2. Oklahoma! x2 (Musical Revival) - Fichander Theater - Arena Stage at the Mead Center - Washington D.C. - Review
Music by Richard Rogers, Book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, Based on the play Green Grow the Lilacs by Lynn Riggs, Directed by Molly Smith, Choreographed by Parker Esse, Original Dances by Agnes de Mille
What I used to think of as a creaky old corny musical is given a refreshingly young and spirited revival that makes Rogers & Hammerstein's iconic musical feel relevant and new again. With a beautiful young and colour-blind cast full of soaring voices to spare, Molly Smith invigorates Oklahoma! into a gloriously exciting show, and gives Eleasha Gamble, Nicholas Rodriguez, Cody Williams, June Schreiner, and Nehal B. Joshi star-making turns.

3. Once (Musical) – New York Theatre Workshop – Off-Broadway, New York, NY
Music & Lyrics by Glen Hansard & Markéta Irglová, Book by Enda Walsh, Based on the Motion Picture Written & Directed by John Carney, Directed by John Tiffany, Movement by Steven Hoggett
Either you will roll your eyes to sleep, or, like me, this magical little musical will keep melting your heart until you succumb into its romantic haze. With direction and movement from John Tiffany and Steven Hoggett (of my favorite stage play production Black Watch), the musical stage version of the movie takes the simple love story and transcends the cutesy premise with a deepening richness through the magic of a theatrical staging, and Enda Walsh beefs up the stories and side characters and improves upon the film it's based upon. The new additional music from Hansard and Irglová is absolutely beautiful and at every moment a new song started, I felt like something special is revealing under my eyes and ears. I cannot wait to see this again when it moves to Broadway in 2012.

4. Assassins (Musical Revival) - Birdland Theatre & Talk is Free Theatre at The Theatre Centre - Toronto, ON - Review
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, Libretto by John Weidman, Directed by Adam Brazier
Toronto musical star Adam Brazier basically assembled some of the best musical actors in the city in his remount of Assassins and created a rich, deeply moody and atmospheric Assassins. Every assassin gets to shine and tell their "moment" in Sondheim's absorbing musical, and Brazier and the amazing cast gives it the depth, the twisted dark humour, and the emotional pathos required to elevate an already great musical into one of the year's best.

5. Sleep No More (Play Revival) - The McKittrick Hotel - Off-Broadway, New York, NY
By Punchdrunk
Macbeth by way of Hitchcock in a 100 room "hotel" that you must walk through to experience. The visuals and set decoration is worth the price of the ticket alone, but as the bellhop states at the beginning, the curious will be rewarded, and if you open your eyes (under the required mask) and seek it out, you will experience Macbeth like you've never experienced before.

6. Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo (Play) - Richard Rogers Theatre - Broadway, New York, NY - Review
Written by Rajiv Joseph, Directed by Moisés Kaufman
The ghost of a tiger, played by Robin Williams no less, haunts and wanders through the Baghdad zoo and the American soldiers who guard the grounds, all while their Iraqi translator is forced to face his own demons. Williams holds back and integrates himself perfectly with the rest of the excellent cast, including Arian Moayed and Brad Fleischer, while Kaufman, using Derek McLane's beautifully simple yet epic feeling set, directs a layered and thought provoking play that is both moving and disturbing. Rajiv Joseph's story is both comical and tragic, while interweaving the lives of an Iraqi translator, the American soldiers and the son of Saddam Hussein, all while questioning life and all its priorities while surrounded by the Iraq war. Strangely profound for a play with a tiger at its centre.

7. His Greatness (Play Revival) - independent Artist Repertory Theatre at Factory Studio Theatre - Toronto, ON - Review
Written by Daniel MacIvor, Directed by Edward Roy
A play about Tennessee Williams' in Canada near the end of his career, his dutiful assistant, and the male escort hired for the premiere of a reworking of one of Williams' later failed plays. Writer Daniel MacIvor joins the cast in an intimate but grand mess of a night within William's life. Greg Gale as the escort, and Richard Donat as Williams, give epic performances that is like a trashy behind the scenes look at a classy subject matter. Or is it a classy behind the scenes look at a trashy subject matter? His Greatness lets you decide, but it's fascinating either way.

8. How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (Musical Revival) - Al Hirschfeld Theatre - Broadway, New York, NY - *Biased Review*
Music and Lyrics by Frank Loesser, Book by Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock and Willie Gilbert, based on the book by Shepherd Meade, Directed and Choreographed by Rob Ashford
I might be totally biased (see intro above) but I had an absolute blast watching one of my favorite musicals come to life in a delightfully spirited and energetic production (with some amazing choreography from Ashford). The satirical tone is a little too toned down for my taste, and Anderson Cooper muddles the role of the narrator (missing most of the comical beats) but an amazing supporting cast of Ellen Harvey, Rose Hemingway, Christopher J. Hanke, Mary Faber, Michael Park and Rob Bartlett only reinforced the charming and gung-ho Daniel Radcliffe in the leading role. While his voice wasn't belting quality, it was suitable for the young naive go-getter who must use a book to overcome his career standing and to get ahead of the rat race. Radcliffe gives his fullest effort which shines the most in his dancing skills as he easily oozes his awkward charms. John Larroquette seems to be having a blast, and the pairing of Larroquette and Radcliffe is inspired. Ashford didn't quite have the pacing right (but has cut and edited the show down several minutes creating a smoother show) but what the show lacked in finesse, it overcompensated in energy, a little like it's central character!

9. Clybourne Park (Play) - Woolly Mammoth Theatre - Washington, D.C.
Written by Bruce Norris, Directed by Howard Shalwitz
A sort of sequel to Raisin in the Sun, Pulitzer Prize winner Clybourne Park is a clever, and surprisingly hysterical follow-up to Lorraine Hansberry moving classic (pun not initially intended but works, so why not?!). The beauty of Clybourne Park is that we get both the historical telling, that looks at the other side of Raisin in the Sun, at the house being sold to the black family. Act 2 fasts forwards to current times when we can no longer decipher if our prejudices are based on racial factors, economics, or simply architectural preferences which Norris sets up a thought provoking play without losing any entertainment value. Shalwitz and the Woolly Mammoth Theatre cast delivers it with zest and aplomb, in a beautiful set that manages to let the audience reactions become part of the story, further pushing the discussions (and the buttons) the play brings up.

10. Venus in Fur (Play) - Manhattan Theatre Club at Samuel J. Friedman Theatre - Broadway, New York, NY
Written by David Ives, Directed, by Walter Bobby
Is she a silly dumb actress or is she hiding her intelligence? Is she playing the writer/director or is she just his puppet? Who has the power, the female actress or the male writer/director? And is there even more to David Ives' fun and intriguing play about an actress who is late for an audition, but barges in anyways to give an audition of a lifetime? Nina Arianda is everything you have heard about and revives her astounding performance against a worthy opponent in Hugh Dancy. The fun is watching the power balance constantly shifting back and forth, and Arianda and Dancy are superb in this masochistic quest to outsmart each other in this "casting" process. Or is this even a "casting" process? Either way, it's a sexy power struggle that is out of this world.

11. Jesus Christ Superstar x2 (Musical Revival) - Stratford Shakespeare Festival's Avon Theatre - Stratford, ON
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Lyrics by Tim Rice, Directed by Des McAnuff
An Andrew Lloyd Webber musical about Jesus Christ makes my list? Hell ya! Des McAnuff's thrilling new revival of the rock classic (that I had never loved before) is both deeply moving and richly layered in a strangely subtle interpretation of the very bombastic musical. Having the Stratford Shakespeare company of actors give serious performances, and bringing out the subtle love triangle between Jesus, Judas and Mary Magdalene, somehow gives the show the depth it needs. Stratford's trio of musical stars Paul Nolan, Chilina Kennedy and Josh Young, anchor the show, while vets Brent Carver and Bruce Dow adds some extra luster to the shiny production. McAnuff's interpretation that uses modern sets and Lisa Shriver's pounding choreography and mixing it with a mix of ancient and modern costumes, gives the story it's historical period weight while adding relevancy to the biblical play.

12. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Play Revival) - Shaw Festival's Royal George Theatre - Niagara-On-the-Lake, ON
Written by Tennessee Williams, Directed by Eda Holmes
Gray Powell, Jim Mezon and Moya O'Connell sizzle in Tennessee Williams' classic tale of disappointments and family commitment. The heat seems to seep through Sue Lapage's set, letting O'Connell sweat it out as Powell's Brick and Mezon's Big Daddy battle it out. Thrilling as ever and Powell is heartbreaking.

13. Ghosts (Play Revival) - Soulpepper Theatre at Young Centre’s Baille Theatre
Written by Henrik Ibsen, Adapted and Directed by Morris Panych
Gregory Prest and Nancy Palk, as the son and mother who are entrapped in a life left behind from their late father/husband, give quiet but entrancing performances in Ibsen's classic. Panych's no frills re-telling of Ghosts is crisp and sits within its wonderfully beautiful set letting the ensemble give straightforward performances that doesn't muddle Ibsen's captivating story of familial binds.

14. The Grapes of Wrath (Play Revival) - Stratford Shakespeare Festival's Avon Theatre - Stratford, ON
Adapted by Frank Galati, Based on the novel by John Steinbeck, Directed by Antoni Cimolino
A sprawling tale of misfortunes thrust upon a family crossing the land from the midwest to California seems like it would be a difficult tale to put on a static stage, but Cimolino and the large Stratford casts keeps the show moving by being extremely... well..., moving. A superb cast, led by Evan Buliung, Janet Wright, and Tom McCamus, (and includes Paul Nolan, Chilina Kennedy, Josh Young, also starring in Jesus Christ Superstar) reminds us that stories of the poor and downtrodden are timeless and in every time period.

15. The Book of Mormon (Musical) - Eugene O'Neill Theatre - Broadway, New York, NY
Music, Lyrics and Book by Matt Stone, Trey Parker and Robert Lopez, Directed and Choreographed by Casey Nicholaw
Two Mormons go to Africa and learn that they are not necessarily the butt of all jokes, but in fact the Black people are. Still, the music from Robert Lopez (Avenue Q) combined with the spitfires of the South Park boys Matt Stone and Trey Parker, have created a spirited and spiritual new musical that is every bit as heartwarming and loving as a the musical classics, only with a lot more swear words. While the satire and the punches don't go quite as far as I had hoped, and the jokes while amusing, aren't necessarily gut-hurting laughs, it's still one of the most fun and hummable new musicals to appear on Broadway, one that has made stars out of the talented but unknown Josh Gad (Back to You), Andrew Rannells (who was wonderful in Jersey Boys tour) and Nikki M. James (who held her own against Christopher Plummer at Stratford a couple years ago).

16. Peggy Pickit Sees The Face of God from Another Africa (Play) - Volcano Theatre presented by Canadian Stage Company at St. Lawrence Centre's Bluma Theatre - Toronto, ON - Review
Written by Roland Schimmelpfennig, Directed by Liesl Tommy
Two couples reunite after one couple returns from years of charity work in Africa, while the other has led the typical suburban North American life, and as the night progresses and the wine flows, hurtful truths, secrets and tragedies spill out. It reminded me of God of Carnage only much better, far deeper, and with a larger emotional punch. With a neat use of live video projection, and a time jumping device that reinforces key plot points after bouts of confusion, Tommy's production blurs the lines between the comical and the devastating turns in these two couples' lives.

17. On A Clear Day You Can See Forever Workshop (Musical Revival) - Vineyard Theatre - Off-Broadway, New York, NY
Music by Burton Lane Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, New book by Peter Parnell Based on the original book by Alan Jay Lerner, Reconceived and Directed by Michael Mayer
While the full Broadway production has been much maligned (even though I really loved it as well, despite a hideous set design, and some poor stage directions), I was truly enthralled at the workshop lab that was presented at the Vineyard Theatre to it's subscribers and insiders. While the cast (almost all who have moved to the Broadway production, except notably the lead Marc Kudisch who was a stand-in for Harry Connick, Jr.) simply sat in an arc, only standing and raising their music stands holding their scripts, the simplicity let my imagination run along with the wildly crazy new book about a therapist who hypnotizes a gay florist only to discover a jazz singer from a former life. With Jessie Mueller belting out gorgeous tunes, David Turner as a delightfully simple florist, Drew Gehling as a gentlemanly boyfriend, and Sarah Stiles as the sassy best friend, gives Marc Kudisch's straight laced and strong centre more room to emotionally collapse, and it's quite the emotional twister.

18. Arabian Nights (Play) - Arena Stage's Finchlander Theatre - Washington, D.C. - Review
Written and Directed by Mary Zimmerman
Mary Zimmerman made Greek seem easy in the astounding Metamophoses and then gave us a splendidly funny Voltaire via her revised Candide. This time around, she presents the 1001 tales of Arabian Nights in a magical evening of moral and odd tales and tales within tales that can sometimes be confusing and a little overwhelming, but when it worked, Zimmerman took us away to the desert nights of ancient times within the confines of theatre-in-the-round at Arena Stage. The flexible cast switched it up to present the numerous tales, and creates a whirlwind of intimacy when the cast finishes off the remaining 1001 stories be splitting off to tell each corner of the theatre all the different stories as they slowly rotated around the stage. Definitely magical.

19. Seussical (Musical Revival) - Young People's Theatre - Toronto, ON - Review
Music by Stephen Flaherty, Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, Book by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, Directed by Allen MacInnis
A delightful production of an imperfect musical made to feel perfect for the young and the young-at-heart from a superb cast, some colourful and imaginative costumes, and the lovely music of Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty. And George Masswohl is so devastating as Horton, who tries to save the Who's, he really does become the elephant in the room.

20. Anything Goes (Musical Revival) - Roundabout Theater at Stephen Sondheim Theatre - Broadway, New York, NY
Music and Lyrics by Cole Porter, Original Book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, New Book by Timothy Crouse and John Weidman, Directed and Choreographed by Kathleen Marshall
Really? That's the story of this classic Cole Porter musical? And this is the revised version? Despite the clunky story that pulls together a string of zany characters each with their own completely different storylines (is that why it's called Anything Goes?), the cast is game and the show truly starts sailing as soon as the tap dancing numbers begin. And oh what tap dancing numbers with a giant cast of delicious looking sailors and the sparkly Sutton Foster at the helm.

Honourable Mentions (in alphabetical order):

A Minister's Wife (Lincoln Center Theater Off-Broadway)
Andrea Martin’s Final Days! – Everything Must Go!! (Oakville, ON)
Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes - Part One: Millennium Approaches, Part Two: Perestroika (Signature Theatre Off-Broadway)
Follies (Broadway)
Godspell (Broadway)
Good People (Manhattan Theatre Company on Broadway)
The Hollow (Signature Theatre in Arlington, VA)
Hugh Jackman in Concert (Toronto)
The Normal Heart (Buddies and Bad Times Theatre/Studio 180 in Toronto) and The Normal Heart (Broadway)
Now. Here. This. (Vineyard Theatre Off-Broadway)
Other Desert Cities (Broadway)
Red (Canadian Stage Company in Toronto)
Sons of the Prophet (Roundabout Theater Company Off-Broadway)
Suicide, Incorporated (Roundabout Theater Company Off-Broadway)
Unnatural Acts: Harvard's Secret Court of 1920 (Classic Stage Company Off-Broadway)

Independent Shows
These shows may not have large budgets, but while some are imperfect and could use a bit of retooling, I believe these shows could have definite futures on a larger scale (in alphabetical order):

Hero & Leander (Musical) - Summerworks at Factory Theatre - Toronto, ON
Music by Scott Christian, Lyrics by Wade Bogert-O'Brien, Book and Directed by Kevin Michael Shea

Kim's Convenience (Play) - Best of Fringe at Studio Theatre in Toronto Centre for the Performing Arts - Toronto, ON
Written by Ins Choi

Mickey and Judy (Musical) - Fringe Festival at Tarragon Theatre Extra Space - Toronto, ON - Review
Written by Michael Hughes

The Tiki Bikini Beach Paradise Party A-Go-Go! (Musical) - Fringe Festival at Tarragon Theatre - Toronto, ON
Written, Directed and Choreographed by Allison Beula, Original Music by Jeffery Straker

Breakthrough Performances (in alphabetical order):
The Cast of Unnatural Acts: Harvard's Secret Court of 1920: Jess Burkle, Joe Curnutte, Frank De Julio, Roe Hartrampf, Roderick Hill, Max Jenkins, Brad Koed, Jerry Marsini, Devin Norik, Will Rogers, Nick Westrate

Uzo Aduba in Godspell
Nina Arianda in Born Yesterday and Venus in Fur
Gabriel Ebert in Suicide, Incorporated
Greg Gale in His Greatness
Eleasha Gamble in Oklahoma!
Drew Gehling in On a Clear Day You Can See Forever
Joel Gomez in Rent (Sheridan)
Sarite Harris in The Great American Trailer Park Musical
Kaylee Harwood in Camelot
Jacob James in The Life & Times of Mackenzie King
Nehal B. Joshi in Oklahoma!
Steve Kazee in Once
Aaron Krohn in The Homecoming
Telly Leung in Godspell
Jennifer Lim in Chinglish
Julia Mattison in Godspell
Julia McLellan in Rent (Sheridan)
Lindsay Mendez in Godspell
Cristin Milioti in Once
Arian Moayed in Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo
Jessie Mueller in On A Clear Day You Can See Forever
Chris Perfetti in Sons of the Prophet
Kimberly Persona in Hero & Leander
Gray Powell in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Gregory Prest in Ghosts
Elizabeth Rodriguez in The Motherf*cker with the Hat
Nicholas Rodriguez in Oklahoma!
George Salazar in Godspell
Brett Schaller in Rent (Sheridan)
June Schreiner in Oklahoma!
Andrés Sierra in Rent (Sheridan)
Paul Sun-Hyung Lee in Kim's Convenience
Alexandra Silber in Master Class
Stephen Gregory Smith in The Boy Detective Fails
Yul Vázquez in The Motherf*cker with the Hat
Cody Williams in Oklahoma!
Jonathan Winsby in Camelot

Great Performances (in alphabetical order):

The Cast of Angels in America: Robin Bartlett, Christian Borle, Bill Heck, Zoe Kazan, Billy Porter, Zachary Quinto, Robin Weigert, Frank Wood

The Cast of Assassins: Graham Abbey, Whitney Ross-Barris, Kevin Dennis, Alex Fiddes, Lisa Horner, Martin Julien, Paul McQuillan, Janet Porter, Steve Ross, Christopher Stanton, Jonathan Tan, Alicia Toner, Geoffrey Tyler, Ezra Tennen

The Cast of By the Way, Meet Vera Stark: Stephanie J. Block, Daniel Breaker, David Garrison, Kimberly Hebert, Kevin Isola, Sanaa Lathan, Karen Olivo

The Cast of Clybourne Park (Washington, D.C.): Chris Dinolfo, Kimberly Gilbert, Michael Glenn, Mitchell Hébert, Jennifer Mendenhall, Cody Nickell, Jefferson A. Russell, Dawn Ursula

The Cast of Other Desert Cities: Stockard Channing, Rachel Griffiths, Stacy Keach, Judith Light, Thomas Sadoski

The Cast of Peggy Pickett Sees the Face of God: Tom Barnett, Maev Beatty, Tony Nappo, Kristen Thompson

The cast of Traces: Mason Ames, Valérie Benoît-Charbonneau, Mathieu Cloutier, Bradley Henderson, Philippe Normand-Jenny, Xia Zhengqi, Florian Zumkehr

Angela Bassett in The Mountaintop
Tammy Blanchard in How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Justin Bott in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Evan Buliung in The Grapes of Wrath
Danny Burstein in Follies
E. Faye Butler in Oklahoma!
Bobby Cannavale in The Motherf*cker with the Hat
Jenn Colella in Kiki Baby
Mike Daisey in The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs
Tyne Daly in Master Class
Hugh Dancy in Venus in Fur
Oliver Dennis in The Fantasticks (Toronto)
Colman Domingo in Chicago
Richard Donat in His Greatness
Bruce Dow in Jesus Christ Superstar
Michael Esper in The Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures and The Lyons
Francesca Faridany in The New York Idea
Brad Fleischer in Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo
Santino Fontana in Sons of the Prophet
Sutton Foster in Anything Goes
Josh Gad in The Book of Mormon
Renée Elise Goldsberry in Good People
Christopher J. Hanke in How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
John Benjamin Hickey in The Normal Heart (New York)
Adam Jacobs in The Lion King
Nikki M. James in The Book of Mormon
James Earl Jones in Driving Miss Daisy
Ryan Kelly in Living with Henry and The Normal Heart
Marc Kudisch in On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (Workshop)
Florence Lacey in Sunset Blvd
Linda Lavin in The Lyons
Hugh Jackman in Hugh Jackman in Concert
John Leguizamo in Ghetto Klown
Matt Leisy in The Fantasticks (New York)
Jeff Lillico in Parfumerie
Hamish Linklater in School for Lies
Chilina Kennedy in Jesus Christ Superstar and The Grapes of Wrath
Lorne Kennedy in The President
Daniel MacIvor in His Greatness
Andrea Martin in Andrea Martin’s Final Days! – Everything Must Go!!
George Masswohl in Seussical
Jan Maxwell in Follies
Jim Mezon in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Red
Liz Mikel in Lystrata Jones
Jeff Miller in The Normal Heart (Toronto)
Patina Miller in Sister Act
Tam Mutu in Chess
Paul Nolan in Jesus Christ Superstar
Moya O'Connell in Cat On a Hot Tin Roof
Lisa O'Hare in Gigi
Sarah Orenstein in The Normal Heart (Toronto)
Geoff Packard in Liberty Smith( and Candide)
Nancy Palk in Ghosts
Christopher Plummer in Barrymore
Daniel Radcliffe in How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Aaron Ramey in Oklahoma!
Andrew Rannells in The Book of Mormon
Fiona Reid in White Biting Dog
Cara Ricketts in The Homecoming
Mark Rylance in Jerusalem
Melissa van der Schyff in Bonnie & Clyde
Eliza-Jane Scott in Amelia: The Girl Who Wants to Fly
Jeremy Shamos in New York Idea and We Live Here
Jos Slovick in The Secret Garden
Piotr Stancyk in Romeo & Juliet
Bobby Steggert in A Minister's Wife
David Turner in On A Clear Day You Can See Forever
Aaron Tveit in Catch Me If You Can
Robin Williams in Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo
Janet Wright in The Grapes of Wrath
Josh Young in Jesus Christ Superstar

Here is every Stage Show I saw in 2011 in alphabetical order. All reviews are based on a 5 stars system:

The Agony and The Ecstasy of Steve Jobs (Play) - Anspacher Theater at The Public Theater - New York, NY - Review *****

Alice in Wonderland (Play) - Théâtre Tout à Trac at Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People - Toronto, ON - Review ***

All New People (Play) - Second Stage Theatre - Off-Broadway, New York, NY - **1/2

All's Well That Ends Well (Play Revival) - The Public Theater at Delacorte Theater - Shakespeare in the Park, Central Park - New York, NY - **1/2

Amelia: The Girl Who Wants To Fly in Concert (Musical Revival) - Theatre 20 at Panasonic Theatre - Toronto, ON - ***

A Minister's Wife - Mitzi E. Newhouse Theatre - Off-Broadway, New York, NY - ****

Andrea Martin’s Final Days! – Everything Must Go!! (Play) – Oakville Theatre – Oakville, ON - ****1/2 *Biased Review*

Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes - Part One: Millennium Approaches, Part Two: Perestroika (Play Revival) - Signature Theatre at The Peter Norton Space - Off-Broadway, New York, NY - ****

Another Africa (Play) - Volcano Theatre presented by Canadian Stage Company at St. Lawrence Centre's Bluma Theatre - Toronto, ON - Review ****
Shine Your Eye - ***
Peggy Pickit Sees The Face of God - ****1/2

Anything Goes (Musical Revival) - Roundabout Theater at Stephen Sondheim Theatre - Broadway, New York, NY - ****

Arcadia (Play Revival) - Barrymore Theatre - Broadway, New York, NY - ***

Arabian Nights (Play) - Arena Stage's Finchlander Theatre - Washington, D.C. - Review ****

Assassins (Musical Revival) - Birdland Theatre & Talk is Free Theatre at The Theatre Centre - Toronto, ON - Review ****1/2

As You Puppet (Play) - Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People - Toronto, ON - Original Review *****, Revised Review ****1/2

Barrymore (Play Revival) - Elgin Theatre - Toronto, ON - ***

Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo (Play) - Richard Rogers Theatre - Broadway, New York, NY - Review ****1/2

Bharatti (Musical) – Sony Centre for the Performing Arts – Toronto, ON - **1/2

The Big League (Play) - Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People - Toronto, ON - Review ***

Billy Elliot (Musical) - Canon Theatre - Toronto, ON - Original Broadway Review ****1/2, ****1/2

Black Watch (Play) - National Theatre of Scotland at Shakespeare Theatre Company's Sidney Harmon Hall - Washington, D.C. - Original Toronto Review *****, Original New York Review *****, *****

The Blue Flower (Musical) - Second Stage Theatre - Off-Broadway, New York, NY - *1/2

Bonnie & Clyde (Musical) – Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre - Broadway, NewYork, NY - **

The Book of Mormon (Musical) - Eugene O'Neill Theatre - Broadway, New York, NY - ****1/2

Born Yesterday (Play Revival) - Cort Theatre - Broadway, New York, NY - ***

The Boy Detective Fails - The Max at Signature Theatre - Arlington, VA - ***1/2

Bullet for Adolf (Play) - Hart House Theatre - Toronto, ON - *1/2

Burning (Play) – The New Group at Theatre Row’s Acorn Theatre – Off-Broadway, New York, NY - Review ***1/2

By the Way, Meet Vera Stark (Play) - Second Stage Theatre - Off-Broadway, New York, NY - Review ***

Calendar Girls (Play) - Royal Alexandra Theatre - Toronto, ON - Review **

Camelot (Musical Revival) - Stratford Shakespeare Festival's Festival Theatre - Stratford, ON - ***

Candide (Musical Revival) - Huntington Theatre – Boston, MA – (Original Review from Washington, D.C. ****1/2) - ****1/2

Catch Me If You Can (Musical) - Neil Simon Theatre - Broadway, New York, NY - ***1/2

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Play Revival) - Shaw Festival's Royal George Theatre - Niagara-On-the-Lake, ON - ****1/2

Celebrating Greta (Ballet) - The National Ballet of Canada - Four Seasons Centre - Toronto, ON - Review ****
Mozartiana - ***
Other Dances - ****
In the Upper Room- ****1/2

The Cherry Orchard (Play Revival) - Classic Stage Company – Off-Broadway, New York, NY - ***1/2

Chess x2 (Musical Revival) - Princess of Wales Theatre - Toronto, ON - ***

Chicago (Musical Revival) - Ambassador Theatre - Broadway, New York, NY - ****

Chinglish (Play) - Longacre Theatre – Broadway, New York, NY – ***

Cinderella (La Cenerentola) (Opera) - Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts - Toronto, ON - **1/2

Close Up Space (Play) - Manhattan Theater Club at Stage 1 City Center – Off-Broadway, New York, NY = **

Clybourne Park (Play) - Woolly Mammoth Theatre - Washington, D.C. - ****1/2

the cosmonaut's last message to the woman he once loved in the former soviet union (Play) - Canadian Stage Company at Bluma Theatre in the St. Lawrence Centre for the Performing Arts - Toronto, ON - Review *1/2

Dangerous Beauty (Musical) - Pasadena Playhouse - Pasadena, CA - ***

Death Takes A Holiday (Musical) - Roundabout Theatre at Laura Pels Theatre at the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center For Theatre - Off-Broadway, New York, NY - ***1/2

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Musical Revival) - Empire Theatre - Belleville, ON - ***1/2

Don Quixote (Ballet Revival) - The National Ballet of Canada at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts - Toronto, ON - Review ****

Driving Miss Daisy (Play Revival) - Golden Theatre - Broadway - New York, NY - Review ***

The Fantasticks (Musical) - Jerry Orbach Theater at the Snapple Theater Center - Off-Broadway - New York, NY - Review ****

The Fantasticks (Musical Revival) - Soulpepper at Baillie Theatre at the Young Centre - Toronto, ON - Review ****

Follies (Musical Revival) - Marquis Theatre – Broadway, New York, NY - ****

Forests (Play) - Tarragon Theatre - Toronto, ON - Review *1/2

Ghetto Klown (Play) - Lyceum Theatre - Broadway - New York, NY - Review ****

Ghosts (Play Revival) - Soulpepper Theatre at Young Centre’s Baille Theatre - ****1/2

Ghost Stories (Play) - Panasonic Theatre - Toronto, ON - ***

Gigi (Musical Revival) - Reprise Theatre Company at Freud Playhouse - Los Angeles, CA - Review **

Godspell (Musical Revival) - Circle in the Square Theatre – Broadway, New York, NY - ****

Good People (Play) - Manhattan Theatre Club at Samuel J. Friedman Theatre - Broadway, New York, NY - ****

The Grapes of Wrath (Play Revival) - Stratford Shakespeare Festival's Avon Theatre - Stratford, ON - ****1/2

The Great American Trailer Park Musical (Musical Revival) - Hart House Theatre - Toronto, ON - ***

Hair (Musical Revival) – Royal Alexandra Theatre – Toronto, ON – (Original Review from the Park and Broadway ****1/2) - ***1/2

Hero & Leander (Musical) - Summerworks at Factory Theatre - Toronto, ON - ****

His Greatness (Play Revival) - independent Artist Repertory Theatre at Factory Studio Theatre - Toronto, ON - Review ****1/2

The Hollow (Musical) - The Max at Signature Theatre - Arlington, VA - ****

The Homecoming (Play Revival) - Stratford Shakespeare Festival's Festival Theatre - Stratford, ON - ***

House of Blue Leaves (Play Revival) - Walter Kerr Theatre - Broadway, New York, NY - **1/2

How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying x 4 (Musical Revival) - Al Hirschfeld Theatre - Broadway, New York, NY - ****1/2 *Biased Review*

Hugh Jackman in Concert x2 (Musical) - Princess of Wales Theatre - Toronto, ON - Review ****

The Importance of Being Earnest (Play Revival) - Roundabout Theatre at American Airlines Theatre - Broadway, New York, NY - ****

The Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures (Play) - Newman Theater at The Public Theater - Off-Broadway, New York, NY - **1/2

i think i can (Play Revival) - Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People - Toronto, ON - Review ****

Jerusalem (Play) - The Music Box Theatre - Broadway, New York, NY - ***

Jesus Christ Superstar x2 (Musical Revival) - Stratford Shakespeare Festival's Avon Theatre - Stratford, ON - ****1/2

Julius Caesar (Play Revival) - Shakespeare Theatre Company at Sidney Harmon Hall - Washington, D.C. - **1/2

Kiki Baby (Musical) - New York Musical Festival at The Theatre at St. Clements - New York, NY - **1/2

Kim's Convenience (Play) - Best of Fringe at the Studio Theatre in the Toronto Centre for the Arts - Toronto, ON - ****

The Last 15 Seconds (Play) - Theatre Passe Muraille - Toronto, ON - ***

Liberty Smith (Musical) - Ford's Theatre - Washington, D.C. - ***

The Life & Times of Mackenzie King: The History of the Village of the Small Huts: 1918-1939 (Play Revival) – VideoCabaret at Cameron House – Toronto, ON – Review ****

The Lion King (Musical) - Princess of Wales Theatre - Toronto, ON - ****

Little Miss Sunshine (Musical) - Mandell Weiss Theatre at La Jolla Playhouse - La Jolla, CA - **1/2

Living with Henry (Musical) - Fringe Festival at George Ignatieff Theatre - Toronto, ON - **

Love Lies Bleeding - Alberta Ballet at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts – Toronto, ON – Review *

Love Virtually (Musical) - Best of Fringe at the Studio Theatre in the Toronto Centre for the Arts - Toronto, ON - ***

The Lyons (Play) - Vineyard Theatre – Off-Broadway, New York, NY - ****

Lysistrata Jones (Musical) – Walter Kerr Theatre – Broadway, New York, NY - **1/2

Master Class - Manhattan Theatre Company at Samuel J. Friedman Theatre - Broadway, New York, NY - ***1/2

Measure for Measure (Play Revival) - The Public Theater at Delacorte Theater - Shakespeare in the Park, Central Park - New York, NY - ***

Mickey and Judy (Musical) - Fringe Festival at Tarragon Theatre Extra Space - Toronto, ON - Review ****

Milk Like Sugar (Play) – Playwrights Horizons' Peter Jay Sharp Theater – Off-Broadway, New York, NY - ***1/2

The Milk Trains Doesn't Stop Here Anymore (Play Revival) - Roundabout Theatre at Laura Pels Theatre at the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center For Theatre - Off-Broadway, New York, NY - *1/2

The Misanthrope (Play Revival) - Stratford Shakespeare Festival's Festival Theatre - Stratford, ON - ***

Miss Abigail’s Guide to Dating, Mating & Marriage! (Play) - Sofia's Restaurants Downstairs Cabaret Theater - Off-Broadway - New York, NY - Review **1/2

The Motherfucker with the Hat (Play) - Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre - Broadway, New York, NY - ***1/2

The Mountaintop (Play) - Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre – Broadway, New York, NY - ***

My Mother’s Jewish, My Father’s Italian, and I’m in Therapy! (Play) - Bathurst Street Theatre – Toronto, ON - *1/2

Newsies (Musical) - Paper Mill Playhouse – Millburn, NJ - ***1/2

The New York Idea (Play Revival) - Atlantic Theatre at the Lucille Lortel Theatre - Off-Broadway - New York, NY - Review ***

The Normal Heart (Play Revival) - Buddies and Bad Times Theatre in association with Studio 180 - Toronto, ON - Review ****

The Normal Heart (Play Revival) - Golden Theatre - Broadway - New York, NY - Review ****

Now. Here. This. (Musical) - Vineyard Theatre - Off-Broadway, New York, NY - ****

Oklahoma! x2 (Musical Revival) - Fichander Theater - Arena Stage at the Mead Center - Washington D.C. - Review ****1/2

Olive and the Bitter Herbs (Play) - Primary Stages at 59E59 Theaters - Off-Broadway, New York, NY - *

On A Clear Day You Can See Forever (Musical Revival) - St. James Theatre - Broadway, New York, NY - ****

On A Clear Day You Can See Forever Workshop (Musical Revival) - Vineyard Theatre - Off-Broadway, New York, NY - ****1/2

Once (Musical) – New York Theatre Workshop – Off-Broadway, New York, NY - ****1/2

Other Desert Cities (Play) - Lincoln Center Theater at the Booth Theatre – Broadway, New York, NY - ****

Parade (Musical Revival) - Acting Upstage and Studio 180 at the Berkeley Street Theatre Upstairs - Toronto, ON - Review **1/2

Parfumerie (Play Revival) - Soulpepper Theatre at Young Centre’s Baille Theatre - ***1/2

The Post Office (Play Revival) - Pleiades Theatre at Berkeley Street Theatre - Toronto, ON - Review **

The President (Play Revival) - Shaw Festival's Royal George Theatre - Niagara-On-the-Lake, ON - ***

Private Lives (Play Revival) - Royal Alexandra Theatre - Toronto, ON - Review **1/2 and
Private Lives - Music Box Theatre - Broadway - New York, NY - Review ***1/2

The Railway Children (Play) - Roundhouse Theatre - Toronto, ON - ***

Red (Play) - Canadian Stage Company at Bluma Theatre in the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts - Toronto, ON - Review ****

Relatively Speaking (Play) - Brooks Atkinson Theatre – Broadway, New York, NY - *1/2

Rent (Musical Revival) – Sheridan College Theatre – Oakville, ON - ****

Romeo and Juliet (Ballet) - National Ballet of Canada - Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts - Toronto, ON - Review ***1/2

Saint Carmen of the Main (Play Revival) - Bluma Apel Theatre at St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts - Toronto, ON - Review *1/2

The School For Lies (Play) - Classic Stage Company - Off-Broadway, New York, NY - Review **1/2

The Secret Garden (Musical Review) - Royal Alexandra Theatre - Toronto, ON - Review **1/2

Seussical (Musical Revival) - Young People's Theatre - Toronto, ON - Review ****

Sex, Religion and Other Hang Ups (Play) - Theatre Passe Muraille - Toronto, ON - Review ***1/2

The Shape of a Girl (Play Revival) - Green Thumb Theatre at Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People - Toronto, ON - Review ***

Sister Act (Musical) - Broadway Theatre - Broadway, New York, NY - ***

Sleep No More (Play Revival) - The McKittrick Hotel - Off-Broadway, New York, NY - ****1/2

The Soaps - The Live Improvised Soap Opera (Play) - Fringe Festival at Bathurst Street Theatre - Toronto, ON - ***

Songs For a New World (Musical Revival) - Angelwalk Theatre at Studio Theatre in the Toronto Centre for the Arts - Toronto, ON - Original Review ****1/2, Revised Review ****

Sons of the Prophet (Play) - Roundabout Theater at Laura Pels Theatre at the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center For Theater - Off-Broadway, New York, NY - ****

Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark (Musical) - Foxwood Theatre - Broadway, New York, NY - Review **

Spring Awakening (Musical) - Pantages Theatre - Los Angeles, CA - Original Broadway Review *****, ****

Standing on Ceremony: The Gay Marriage Plays (Play) – Minetta Lane Theatre – Off-Broadway, New York, NY - ***1/2

Stick Fly (Play) – Cort Theatre – Broadway, New York, NY - ***1/2

Suicide, Incorporated - Roundabout Theater at the Black Box at the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theater – Off-Broadway, New York, NY - ****

Sunset Blvd (Musical Revival) - The Max at Signature Theatre - Arlington, VA (Greater Washington D.C.) - Review ***

Theme and Variations & Apollo & Russian Seasons (Ballet) - National Ballet of Canada at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts - Toronto, ON - ****
Theme and Variations - ***1/2
Apollo - ***1/2
Russian Seasons - ****1/2

Three Sisters (Play Revival) - Classic Stage Company - Off-Broadway - New York, NY - Review ****

The Tiki Bikini Beach Paradise Party A-Go-Go! (Musical) - Fringe Festival at Tarragon Theatre - Toronto, ON - ****

Traces (Circus) - Union Square Theatre – Off-Broadway, New York, NY – (Original Review from Toronto ****1/2) - ****1/2

Unnatural Acts: Harvard's Secret Court of 1920 (Play) - Classic Stage Company - Off-Broadway, New York, NY - ****

Untitled - La La La Human Steps at Canadian Stage - Bluma Appel Theatre - Toronto, ON - **

Venus in Fur (Play) - Manhattan Theatre Club at Samuel J. Friedman Theatre - Broadway, New York, NY - ****1/2

Wanda T. Grimsby: Detective Extraordinaire (Play) - Fringe Kids at Palmerston Library Theatre - Toronto, ON - ***

War Horse (Play) - Lincoln Center Theater at Vivian Beaumont Theater - Broadway, New York, NY - Original London Review ****, ****

War of the Clowns (Play) - Fringe Festival at Jewish Community Centre's Courtyard - Toronto, ON - *1/2

We Live Here (Play) - Manhattan Theater Club at Stage 1 City Center – Off-Broadway, New York, NY = **1/2

White Biting Dog (Play Revival) - Soulpepper Theatre at Young Centre's Michael Young Theatre Stage - Toronto, ON - **

Wishful Drinking (Play) - Royal Alexandra Theatre - Toronto, ON - ***

The Wizard of Oz (Pantomime) – Ross Petty at the Elgin Theatre – Toronto, ON - ***

The Yellow Brick Road (Musical) - Theatreworks USA at The Lucille Lortel Theatre - Off-Broadway, New York, NY - Review ***

_________________________________________

Best of 2011 Lists:
Best of Music 2011
Best of Television 2011
Best of Stage 2011
Best of Movies 2011

Previous Best-of Lists:
Best of 2010 Lists:
Best of Music 2010
Best of Television 2010
Best of Stage 2010
Best of Movies 2010

Best of 2009 Lists:
Best of Music 2009
Best of Television 2009
Best of Stage 2009
Best of Movies 2009

Decadeworthy - The Best of 2000-2009 Lists:
SYTYCDworthy (w/ Videos) - List Format
Theatre of the Decade
Best Films of the Decade
Favorite Films of the Decade
Television of the Decade
Television of the Decade - 1 Season Wonders

Best of 2008 Lists:
Best of Music 2008
Best of Television 2008
Best of Stage 2008
Best of Movies 2008
Best of Television Fall '07 - Winter '08 List

Best of 2007 Lists:
Best of Music 2007
Best of Television 2007
Best of Movies 2007
Best of Stage 2007
Best of 2007 (The Final Wrap Up)
Best of Television Fall '06 - Winter '07 List

Best of 2006 Lists:
Best of Music 2006
Best of Television 2006
Best of Movies 2006
Best of 2006
Best of Television Fall '05 - Winter '06 List

Best of 2005 Lists:
Best of Television 2005
Best of Movies 2005

Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com

Best of Television 2011

2011-12-28T08:00:00.011-05:00

A bit of a misnomer because this list is basically Best of Network Television 2011. Due to work, living in Canada, and downgrade in cable, I've fallen behind on many of my cable faves, including Breaking Bad, Bored to Death, Mad Men, United States of Tara, Nurse Jackie, Damages, Burn Notice, etc and I haven't even seen some of the new shows like Homeland, Games of Thrones, Enlightened and such. Although I've also way behind on network shows Fringe and Supernatural.

So, for 2011, I'm sticking to those on Network TV or Basic Cable, which isn't to say it's any less honourable, since many of my faves are actually on basic cable. I know everyone else is showering their love for the pay cable shows, but I'm happy enough with these choices:

Here are my picks for the Best of Television for 2011:
(With the ranking from the three previous lists (Best of 2010, Best of 2009, Best of 2008)

1. Parks & Recreation (NBC) - (7, Not Ranked)
I love these characters of Pawnee! The show has finally perfected that blend of awkward humour, sweet stories, and oddball characters and letting every cast member shine in their own way, without any one element overtaking the whole show.

2. Friday Night Lights (DirecTV/NBC) - (1, 1, 1)
In it's last season, the long time fave ended it's run without fanfare, continuing its stories of the folks of Dillon just as normally as their lives would be. With old characters coming back in low key ways, peppering in with newer characters living their own lives in Dillon, the continued heartache and emotional power the show finds within the small moments in daily life in small town America makes this one of the best dramas to ever have hit television. What a wonderfully powerful five seasons it's been.

3. The Good Wife (CBS) - (4, Not Ranked)
The drama has shifted from Alicia Florick's failing marriage and moved over to various levels within her family life, the wheeling and dealings at Lockhart and Gardner, political aspirations of surrounding characters, all while the cases each week remain as intriguing as the overarching plots. A superb cast is only enhanced by possibly the best guests actors rotating through the episodes.

4. Happy Endings (ABC) - (New)
What started as a lame Friends rip-off has turned into a insane version of Friends that is insanely fun and funny. Elisha Cuthbert is actually funny. On PURPOSE! Casey Wilson finally gets to shine. Damon Wayans Jr. has comedy born into him. Zachary Knighton handsomely imbues low key humour with some nice natural reactions. Adam Pally just spits out zingers, and Eliza Coupe finally has a place for her pointed barbs. Sometimes it's off, but when this show is on, it's one to get off on.

5. Revenge (ABC) - (New)
When I first saw the idea of this show about a nice girl returns to the Hamptons to enact revenge on those in her past, I rolled my eyes in groaned. When I finally saw the show and it's stylish execution, I rolled my eyes in amazement at the crazy twists, and groaned in horror at the plot turns, loving every single juicy soap opera moment. Emily Vancamp nicely flips her sweet girl image from Everwood and Brothers & Sisters to battle Madeleine Stowe, redefining the word "bitch" in her performance. An attractive ensemble cast drives up the plotting plots as secrets and lies are slowly revealed every episode.

6. Community (NBC) - (3, Not Ranked)
It's almost like they don't care anymore and have given up hope in attracting a larger mainstream audience. Of course, by doing so, it's created a series of uberclever episodes which seem to award its small community of fans.

7. Modern Family (ABC) - (5, 3, New)
Still lovable and funny, if not quite as bitingly hilarious as it was when it first started, but at this point, we love the characters so much, I'm happy to just spend time with the family.

8. Cougar Town (ABC) - (6, Not Ranked)
Courtney Cox and the Cul-de-sac crew seem to have found their perfect flow of kooky and quirky humour and dialing it up even further. Like Community, they have definitely left the mainstream and ventured off onto their own street, and by doing so, has made it funnier and more lovable than before.

9. Raising Hope (FOX) - (Not Ranked)
Martha Plimpton and Garret Dillahunt. Just them two alone, as young grandparents living in poverty, would be worth it, but Lucas Neff is superbly charming as father Jimmy, Shannon Woodward is lovely with a hint of crazy, and Cloris Leachman is just plain crazy as Maw Maw. Somehow all these put together makes for a sweet natured comedy about low brow people.

10. Awkward (MTV) - (New)
Suburgatory may be getting good reviews on ABC with it's stellar cast, but it's almost a pale repeat of the summer's surprise showing from MTV that out-satirized the suburbs while blending John Hughes styled romance and comedy. It mocked the suburban teenage life while still lovingly embracing it.

As a special note, especially because Season 4 of So You Think You Can Dance Canada was possibly the best season for dances in any season I've seen of the US or Canadian version, here's the best routines of the year (from both Canada and US seasons this year):

Melissa Mitro and Adam Lopapa - "Set Fire to the Rain" - Adele, Choreographed by Sabrina Matthews:

Jordan Clark and Joey Arrigo - "That's Life" - Frank Sinatra - Choreographed by Sean Cheesman

Jordan Clark and Christian Millette - "Skin" - Rihanna - Choreographed by Sean Cheesman

Melanie Moore and Marko Germar - "I Got You" - Leona Lewis - Choreographed by NappyTabs Napoleon and Tabitha d'umo

______________________________________

Best of 2011 Lists:
Best of Music 2011
Best of Television 2011
Best of Stage 2011
Best of Movies 2011

Previous Best-of Lists:
Best of 2010 Lists:
Best of Music 2010
Best of Television 2010
Best of Stage 2010
Best of Movies 2010

Best of 2009 Lists:
Best of Music 2009
Best of Television 2009
Best of Stage 2009
Best of Movies 2009

Decadeworthy - The Best of 2000-2009 Lists:
SYTYCDworthy (w/ Videos) - List Format
Theatre of the Decade
Best Films of the Decade
Favorite Films of the Decade
Television of the Decade
Television of the Decade - 1 Season Wonders

Best of 2008 Lists:
Best of Music 2008
Best of Television 2008
Best of Stage 2008
Best of Movies 2008
Best of Television Fall '07 - Winter '08 List

Best of 2007 Lists:
Best of Music 2007
Best of Television 2007
Best of Movies 2007
Best of Stage 2007
Best of 2007 (The Final Wrap Up)
Best of Television Fall '06 - Winter '07 List

Best of 2006 Lists:
Best of Music 2006
Best of Television 2006
Best of Movies 2006
Best of 2006
Best of Television Fall '05 - Winter '06 List

Best of 2005 Lists:
Best of Television 2005
Best of Movies 2005

Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com

Best of Music 2011

2011-12-27T13:30:00.008-05:00

Yes, over the last few years, my tastes have gone back to pure pop. So be it!

See here:
Best of Music 2010
Best of Music 2009
Best of Music 2008
Best of Music 2007
Best of Music 2006

"Best" of course is a relative term but here's the music I found myself most wanting to hear throughout the year.
Here are my picks for the Best of Music 2011:

1. Adele - 21
There really wasn't any question this year, was there? Obvious top spot, but for obvious reasons.

2. Raúl Esparza: In concert at Black Creek Festival's Best of Broadway at Rexall Centre, Toronto - "Soliloquy" from Carousel", "Defying Gravity" from Wicked". In concert at The Kennedy Center 9/11 10th Anniversary Memorial Concert in Washington, D.C. - "Hallelujah"
Chilling, wonderful, haunting. Raúl's live performances were simply astounding and unforgettable. (For "Hallelujah", check the video at the 68 min. mark)

3. J. Lo feat. Pitbull - "On the Floor"
Try not moving to that beat! Who knew J. Lo could still come back with a pumping dance track.

4. Britney Spears - "Hold It Against Me"
Britney's back bitch! And with a great song of double entendre's? What could be better?

5. One Direction - "What Makes You Beautiful"
The next generation of the British boyband and it's absolutely darling!

6. The Book of Mormon - Original Broadway Cast Recording
The music and songs are the star of the show, despite what the buzz is saying. A stellar recording that actually betters the hit Broadway show by keeping it to the hilarious and tuneful songs and still exuding the sweet charm of the story.

7. Hedley feat. P. Reign - "Invincible"
Not Hedley's best (especially not as perfect as last year's #1 choice "Perfect") and yet I still couldn't get it out of my head, nor could I not sing along everytime I heard it. Some great hooks, Jacob Hoggard sounding great with his pop raspy voice, and I can't get enough of it.

8. Kristina Maria feat. Laza Morgan -"Co-Pilot"
A sweet beat that turns the ignorable simple lyrics into something fun and infectious, with a staccato of consonants that give it an extra oomph.

9. Bad Vs. Evil feat. Bruno Mars - "Lighters"
A great mix of hard edged of Eminem and Royce d 5'9"'s rapping and the smooth sounds of Bruno Mars' voice.

10. Adam Levine: Maroon 5 feat. Christina Aguilera - "Moves Like Jagger" and Gym Glass Heroes feat. Adam Levine - "Stereo Hearts"
A one two punch with two of the catchiest songs of the year. Adam Levine sure gets around.

Honourable Mentions:
Billy Currington - "Let Me Down Easy"
Blake Shelton - "Honey Bee"
Cody Simpson - "On My Mind"
Gavin DeGraw - "Not Over You"
Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson - "Don't You Wanna Stay"
Lady Antebellum - "Just a Kiss" and "Hello World"
Manafest - "Everytime You Run"
The Midway State - "Atlantic"
Neverest - "About Us" and "Everything"
Rascal Flatts - "I Won't Let Go"
Selena Gomez & the Scene - "Love You Like a Love Song"
Thompson Square - "Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not"
Tinie Tempah feat. Eric Turner - "Written in the Stars"
Zac Brown Band - "Colder Weather"

Undecided Song I both love and hate:
Nicki Minaj - "Super Bass"
Love half the song, love the beat, hate moments within, especially when she uses the mocking voice.

Foster the People - "Pumped Up Kicks"
Love the beat, but why does this song get a pass at repeated lyrics and dance tunes usually don't? The least they could have done is a lame rhyme as opposed to repeating the same few words.

The Worst of Music 2010:
LMFAO

Here's the Best of List in video format:

1. Adele - 21 (Album)
"Set Fire to Rain"

"Someone Like You"

2. Raúl Esparza: In concert at Black Creek Festival's Best of Broadway at Rexall Centre, Toronto - "Soliloquy" from Carousel", "Defying Gravity" from Wicked". In concert at The Kennedy Center 9/11 10th Anniversary Memorial Concert in Washington, D.C. - "Hallelujah"
For "Hallelujah", check the video at the 68 min. mark.

3. J. Lo feat. Pitbull - "On the Floor"

4. Britney Spears - "Hold It Against Me"

5. One Direction - "What Makes You Beautiful"

6. The Book of Mormon - Original Broadway Cast Recording
Andrew Rannells and company - "I Believe"

7. Hedley feat. P. Reign - "Invincible"

8. Kristina Maria feat. Laza Morgan -"Co-Pilot"

9. Bad Vs. Evil feat. Bruno Mars - "Lighters"

10. Adam Levine: Maroon 5 feat. Christina Aguilera - "Moves Like Jagger"

and Gym Glass Heroes feat. Adam Levine - "Stereo Hearts"

______________________________________

Best of 2011 Lists:
Best of Music 2011
Best of Television 2011
Best of Stage 2011
Best of Movies 2011

Previous Best-of Lists:
Best of 2010 Lists:
Best of Music 2010
Best of Television 2010
Best of Stage 2010
Best of Movies 2010

Best of 2009 Lists:
Best of Music 2009
Best of Television 2009
Best of Stage 2009
Best of Movies 2009

Decadeworthy - The Best of 2000-2009 Lists:
SYTYCDworthy (w/ Videos) - List Format
Theatre of the Decade
Best Films of the Decade
Favorite Films of the Decade
Television of the Decade
Television of the Decade - 1 Season Wonders

Best of 2008 Lists:
Best of Music 2008
Best of Television 2008
Best of Stage 2008
Best of Movies 2008
Best of Television Fall '07 - Winter '08 List

Best of 2007 Lists:
Best of Music 2007
Best of Television 2007
Best of Movies 2007
Best of Stage 2007
Best of 2007 (The Final Wrap Up)
Best of Television Fall '06 - Winter '07 List

Best of 2006 Lists:
Best of Music 2006
Best of Television 2006
Best of Movies 2006
Best of 2006
Best of Television Fall '05 - Winter '06 List

Best of 2005 Lists:
Best of Television 2005
Best of Movies 2005

Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com

History Repeats Itself - The Life and Times of Mackenzie King - Theatre Review

2011-11-28T18:00:00.000-05:00

The Life & Times Of Mackenzie King: The History Of The Village Of The Small Huts, 1918-39 - VideoCabaret at Cameron House - Toronto, ON - **** (out of 5 stars)
Written by Michael Hollingsworth
Runs until Dec. 18th 2011. The War of 1812 will run at Stratford Shakespeare Festival in 2012.

If history class could have only been this fun and snappy, I may have actually paid attention and taken more than just the Grade 9 requirement. If only I knew about Michael Hollingsworth's epic cycle of Canadian history back then, Canadian history could have been entertaining. Last year I finally caught my first VideoCabaret, The Great War and now the cycle continues onto the next portion of history, during the reign of Mackenzie King. Well, the play doesn't solely focus on Mackenzie King's tenure, fall, and rise again in Canadian Parliament, but follows his rivals, the unions and the other political shenanigans that happened at the time. The same time Mackenzie King spoke with his dead mother for advice. Yes, it's quite the hodgepodge and VideoCabaret mixes it all up in hilarious and biting fashion.

If you haven't seen a VideoCabaret show, then the show is worth it alone just to see the way Hollingsworth presents his satirical history plays. Done Black Box style, the theatre is pitch black and lights only show actors in white makeup and in over-exaggerated costumes and props appear to float in the theatre frame, giving it a flickering old film look. Lights go on and off with complete scene changes in what must make for some quick madness backstage, but gives the audiences quick scenes that speed thru Hollingsworth's bullet history points, all with a comic edge ticking at its pacing.

For The Life and Times of Mackenzie King, the issues at hand make it a bit more serious than last years The Great War (I know, right?) with less satirical zingers, perhaps because many of the social injustice issues being made fun of via Mackenzie King could be so relatable to now. With the Occupy movements, and unions being squashed by our current federal government, the realization that history is really repeating itself turns out to be less funny and more of a grave concern. It gives VideoCab's current show more poignancy than just a typical satyrical history play.

Many of the same actors are back from last year, including the hilarious Mac Fyfe, Paul Braustein, Greg Campbell and Richard Alan Campbell, but is joined this year by delightful newcomers Linda Prystawska and Jacob James. Jacob James has some particularly hilarious moments and it's hard to believe this is his first year as part of VideoCabaret.

Photos by Michael Cooper
Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com

Tales in Two Cities - Red, The Normal Heart, Private Lives - Play Reviews

2011-11-25T15:00:00.010-05:00

Red - Canadian Stage Company at Bluma Theatre in the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts - Toronto, ON - **** (out of 5 stars)
Written by John Logan, Directed by Kim Collier
Runs until Dec. 17th 2011

The Normal Heart - Golden Theatre - Broadway - New York, NY - **** (out of 5 stars)
Written by Larry Kramer, Directed by Joel Grey and George C. Wolfe
Ran until July 10 2011. Opens June 6 2012 at Arena Stage, Washington D.C.

The Normal Heart - Buddies and Bad Times Theatre - Toronto, ON - **** (out of 5 stars)
Written by Larry Kramer, Directed by Joel Greenberg
Ran until Nov. 6th 2011

Private Lives - Royal Alexandra Theatre - Toronto, ON - **1/2 (out of 5 stars)
Private Lives - Music Box Theatre - Broadway - New York, NY - ***1/2 (out of 5 stars)
Written by Noel Coward, Directed by Richard Eyre
Ran until Oct. 30th 2011 in Toronto, Began on Broadway Nov. 6th. 2011

So I saw Red, The Normal Heart and Private Lives both in Toronto and on Broadway in New York. Local Toronto productions of Red and The Normal Heart both managed to be very different, but just as outstanding as their Broadway counterparts of the same play in different productions with different direction and cast. Oddly, I saw the same production of the same play in two different cities, and came out with far different reactions. Private Lives opened in Toronto but by the time I finally saw it at the end of it's Toronto run, Paul Gross was out sick. Then as luck would happen, I was invited to see it on Broadway less than 2 weeks later, without an understudy, and it was like a whole different show. Amazing how one actor can change the entire dynamics of a play (albeit, basically a 4 person play).

Seeing John Logan's play Red again left me with the same quibbles about the play itself, which I think is a cleverly constructed play that makes some typical art issues and debates seem more brilliant and worldly. The play nicely stays tight on 2 particular years of Mark Rothko's life when he creates a work commissioned specifically for the Four Seasons restaurant of the new Philip Johnson/Mies van der Rohe Seagrams building. Hiring a young assistance gives the play a nice guise for Rothko to sprout his artistic beliefs to a fresh young painter with ideas of his own, but as I noted in my review from the Michael Grandage Donmar/Broadway production (which I also gave 4 stars out of 5), the play is deceptively simplistic and relies on tremendous performances to keep it colourful.

The new Toronto production, directed by Kim Collier (who directed the magnificent Studies in Motion last year for Canadian Stage), luckily has those colourful actors to fill the Rothko and the assistant's shoes. Jim Mezon (who was tremendous in this summer's Cat on a Hot Tin Roof at Shaw) has a slow burn growl with that glint of deep thoughts behind darting eyes under those Rothko spectacles. Newcomer David Coomber (probably the lone survivor from this summer's godawful play Bullets for Adolf by Woody Harrelson) grows some confidence and strength thru the play until his assistant Kin holds his own against Rothko, and I mean that as in the arc of the play. Coomber's freshness is played perfectly against a seasoned Mezon's Rothko, as they work the studio room, layering the air with one life account over another, as the paintings behind them keep switching out as 2 years goes by.

David Boechler's beautiful recreation of Rothko's studio is angled coming straight into the audience. It sort of lets Mezon's Rothko to thrust himself on us while his paintings loom towards the viewers as constant reminds of Rothko's dominance in the art world. Revealed behind two disappearing walls that formed a giant ice cube sitting on the stage as one entered the theatre, the soft glow of the studio lights breaks the cube (a joke about Rothko destroying the cubist painters before him? As pointed out by the Globe's Nestruck).

While the lighting and musical score seemed to have a bit too many pulsating heavy handed moments that tried to underline "the idea" of the scene, and the video interludes, while lovely, didn't quite seem to connect with the actual play itself despite being images of red brushstrokes, Kim Collier manages to keep the pace steady, moving Logan's play with a beautiful soft brush swathed over a large canvas. If Grandage painted a bold crimson canvas on his stage, with a domineering Alfred Molina almost crushing an easily lovable Eddie Redmayne, Collier seems to have a gentler hand with Mezon and Coomber, as if she's priming her canvas from left to right to Grandage's vertical strokes.

Collier's Red brings out more of the nuances between Rothko and his assistant. Since there's less of a physical threat (just due to the fact that the larger Mezon is still not as tall as the nimble Coomber, whereas Molina easily overbears Redmayne), Mezon's Rothko has a more reluctant guiding hand over Ken, and uses a calm-before-the-storm-threatening tone to outlay his power. It's a different hue to the play Red that makes the play compelling and mesmerizing despite it's flaws.

Seeing The Normal Heart for the first time on Broadway with it's starry cast, didn't quite leave me as emotionally ripped and teary eyed as many around me were (or had been told), but I did feel an anger towards the frustrating circumstances that gay men encountered when the AIDS virus first took hold of NYC in the 80's. Larry Kramer's play is quite a ranting exhibit of his own fight in rallying people, and specifically the gays of New York, and the politicians in charge to recognize here was a disease killing them. It's not the most elegant of plays, and the fragmented scenes gets the history across, but the humanity and the emotions play at heightened states, giving actors some juicy dramatic moments, but giving very little room for nuance and any actual true emotional connection, whether it between characters, or with the audience at hand.

The terrific Broadway cast includes television stars Jim Parsons (fun to see him doing a role very different to his Sheldon in The Big Bang Theory), Lee Pace (giving a different sexy swagger to his leading role in Pushing Daisies), Luke MacFarlane (Brothers & Sisters), some theatre vets Joe Mantello (Angels in America), John Benjamin Hickey (Cabaret), Patrick Breen (Next Fall), and film star Ellen Barkin in the lone female role. Barkin and Hickey won Tony Awards for their roles, and while Barkin puts up a feisty bravado, almost bullying performance as Dr. Brookner, I found it tended at times to lean towards being shouty and overdone. I applaud Barkin for the passion she put into the charged role, as the lone medical supporter to the case.

Joe Mantello also turns in a passionate performance as Ned Weeks, the central figure who is a veiled version of Larry Kramer himself (who was at the theatre every night handing out flyers after the show, if that gives you any indication about his passion for the cause). Kramer's passion turns to pushy annoyance as a real person, as a character and as a plot point, so Mantello dials it up and keeps it there. It may be accurate, and it gives the play the political and moral outraged required at the heart of the story, but it doesn't quite give it the actual heart. For that, John Benjamin Hickey gives a bravura performance that gives humanity to the piece, as a New York Times Style columnist Fleix Turner who falls in love with Ned Weeks.

The plain set is nicely boxed in with a white backdrop the a sculptural relief of words that gives it a simplicity and grandeur required to fill a Broadway house. On the flip side, the Toronto production (a co-production between Buddies and Bad Times with Studio 180) is set on a plain checkered floor in a in-the-round black box space. The intimacy helps the audience connect emotionally with the story and the characters and makes The Normal Heart seem a little less of a political play and far less of a rant piece.

It helps with a cast that includes Sarah Orenstein as Dr. Bruckner, who gives a far more nuanced portrayal while still keeping the anger level up. Jonathan Wilson is also just as excellent, angry and nuanced as Ned Weeks, and while stirs up that pushiness via the character, Wilson plays it at a tone without overdoing it. He's balanced by a terrific Jeff Miller as Felix, who gives a strong but giving counterpart. Paul Essiembre and Ryan Kelly are wonderful in their roles, while Greenberg keeps the play moving swiftly from all sides of the stage. It's a stellar production with a mostly great ensemble, but as with the Broadway production, even with the added intimacy, I still come out of The Normal Heart with anger at my heart, bustling with activism in the blood.

The case of Exes In (2 different) Cities: Private Lives is one of those oh-so-clever-British-Noel-Coward comedies set ups that would never happen in real life, but that's what the the-ah-tah is for. So yes, it's about Amanda and Elyot. Exes now both on their honeymoons to their new respective spouses. And of COURSE they happen to be next to each other in adjoining balconies. As the realization occurs, comedy and pratfalls abound as Amanda and Elyot reunite, reminisce, rekindle their love, remember their hatred for each other, and all the passions in between.

The reason for this latest revival is because Sex and the City's Kim Catrall plays Amanda and she purrs and flirts around in such British elegance that the iconic Samantha is easily forgotten. Her counterpart is Paul Gross, Canadian television, theatre, and film star (and probably best remembered in the US for Due South and Slings & Arrows), and Paul easily has the suave manly old-style charm that can pull off an Elyot. He's handsome and charming, but can still play rough, and has the command that can actually go against Catrall's sensual but strong Amanda. She's a modern women with old-school elegance and Catrall easily simmers between both ends, giving a wonderfully comic performance.

The problem in Toronto was with Gross out sick, his understudy, while genial, seemed soft and was completely trampled over by the strong Catrall. Hence the play, which really requires two equals in battle, felt unbalanced and thus unfunny. Catrall did her best and Simon Paisley Day and Anna Madeley get a bit more space to shine (since generally they are relegated on the back burner from the main show of Amanda and Elyot), and the understudy wasn't terrible, but the rhythm felt off and the play fell flat.

With Gross and Catrall at their prime, purring, shaking, growling, and simmering at each other, you see an Amanda and Elyot who are so wrong and yet so passionate about each other, they can't help destroy their lives, the room (in a stunning design by Rob Howell) and everyone around them. Day and Madeley do their best, with Day having some particularly hilarious quips, especially with Gross, and Caroline Lena Olsson gets some nice zingers as the French maid, but this is really Catrall and Gross' show and they have a lot of fun with it and it shows.

Photos for Red by Bruce Zinger
Photos for The Normal Heart Toronto by John Karastamatis
Photos for The Normal Heart Broadway by Joan Marcus
Photos for Private Lives by Cylla von Tiedemann
Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com

Bleeding Love - Romeo and Juliet & Love Lies Bleeding - Ballet Reviews

2011-11-18T23:00:00.013-05:00

Romeo and Juliet - National Ballet of Canada - Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts - Toronto, ON - ***1/2 (out of 5 stars)
Choreographed by Alexei Ratmansky, Music by Sergei Prokofiev
Runs until Nov. 27th 2011

Love Lies Bleeding - Alberta Ballet - Sony Centre for the Performing Arts - Toronto, ON - * (out of 5 stars)
Choreographed by Jean Grand Maitre, Music by Elton John

A brand new version of Romeo and Juliet has made its world premiere at the National Ballet, with hot young choreographer Alexei Ratmansky giving us his new vision of the classic tale. With the classic music of Prokofiev, Ratmansky has created a brand new ballet with new sets and costumes by Richard Hudson and a choreography that blends a touch of contemporary moves with more traditional Russian techniques.

The Alberta Ballet, which last brought their The Fiddle and the Drum to Toronto via the National Ballet, has taken their current populist project Love Lies Bleeding around Canada in a small tour. A ballet set to the music of Sir Elton John and Bernie Taupin detailing the life of Elton John via dance, there has been a lot of buzz going for it, but sadly disappoints.

The new Romeo and Juliet looks like a 70's modern take on the traditional Renaissance, with overly tall sets that use monochromatic muted colours in the sets and costumes, making it look like an old children's picture book come to life. It's a bold choice, since it looks dated already, but gives the story a fairytale feeling.

With the Montagues and Capulets not identified by a division of colours, the ensemble dances can seem confusing, but the leads easily stand out, while little story book moments seem to pepper the background. And with leads Guillaume Côté and Elena Lobsanova (for opening night, as the cast rotates through the performances), there's a romantic whimsy between the two dancers that clearly deserve full attention.

Guillaume Côté, as always, is a wonderful romantic lead. Pairing him with Elena Lobsanova, who seems delicate and wistful, truly gives this tale of teenagers in love a youthful and romantic charge. Lobsanova's dancing is strong yet light and airy (though she did take a tiny tumble on opening night but got right back up and continued as if nothing happened). The pas-de-deux under the balcony scene lets the two dancers beautifully charm each other (and us). Every moment these two get to dance with each other alone, there's a romantic air that cannot be manufactured, though with some help from Ratmansky's choreography.

Ramansky also gets to be more playful with the boys here, with some adorably humour choreography of Romeo, Benvolio (the always wonderful Robert Stephen) and Mercutio (Piotr Stanczyk). The three are given dances that truly show their bond together with Piotr Stanczyk giving a tour-de-force performance that explains Mercutio's loyalty (and his cheeky humour).

Jirí Jelinek is given some anger laced choreography as Tybalt and gives a great nemesis performance. Lorna Geddes is sweet and divine as the Nurse, while Rebekah Rimsay and Stephanie Hutchison are delightful as the Prostitutes.

This new production has some absolutely wonderful moments, but also seems to float along the fairytale line, making it a pleasant affair, but never quite reaches the dramatic emotional heights the story lends itself to.

On the other hand, the new Romeo at least has lots of beautiful choreography, which is more that can be said for Love Lies Bleeding. The highly anticipated latest work from the Alberta Ballet was a huge disappointment, despite having the use of Elton John and Bernie Taupin's songs.

Using popular songs with dance can easily help jump start a connection to an audience largely unfamiliar with ballet. When done right, like Rooster set to Rolling Stones music, it can culminate into a thrilling dance work that utilizes the power of beloved songs and translate them into emotionally powerful dance performance. Love Lies Bleeding seems merely content on presenting flashy costumes and dancers running in circles as it attempts to tell the tale of Sir Elton John himself.

The choreography throughout the entire show is lackluster at best, with a lot of butt shaking and circular running around the central Elton John double. There's very little actual ballet choreography within the dancing, and Maitre seems content on prosaic dance moves and simple grand gestures to move the piece along.

When the ballet (and that term should be used loosely here) finally has a hint of emotional depth, as Elton John meets his partner David Furnish (or what I assume is Furnish), and there's actually a lovely pas-de-deux, the show is over and we end with a big brassy encore. Amazingly, by trying too hard to be flashy and edgy, Maitre made Elton John music a bore.

Photos for National Ballet of Canada by Bruce Zinger
Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com

Song Books - Seussical and The Yellow Brick Road - Musical Reviews

2011-11-18T16:00:00.003-05:00

Seussical - Young People's Theatre - Toronto, ON - **** (out of 5 stars)
Music by Stephen Flaherty, Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, Book by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, Directed by Allen MacInnis
Runs until Dec. 30 2011

The Yellow Brick Road - Theatreworks USA at The Lucille Lortel Theatre - *** (out of 5 stars)
Music and Lyrics by Tommy Newman and Jaime Lozano, Book by Tommy Newman, Jaime Lozano and Mando Alvarando, Directed by Devanand Janki
Closed Off-Broadway on Aug. 19th 2011, Currently on a National Tour.

The newly renamed Young People's Theatre in Toronto has revived Seussical, in a brand new production based on the revised and shortened intermissionless version of the Broadway musical based on the works of Dr. Seuss. The Broadway production may have been considered a flop, and the book (of the musical) had always been problematic, but the music of Ahrens and Flaherty (who created the majestic and stunning Ragtime) is wonderful, fun and quite beautiful. YPT's delightful new production (different to their 2006 version) beautifully captures the best of the musical and manages to smooth over the wrinkles in the already streamlined book.

I'm not sure if YPT's current production is based on the new streamlined one-act version of Seussical, which first premiered at the Lucille Lortel Theatre by Theatreworks USA. I remembered enjoying that Off-Broadway production, with the great Theatreworks USA bringing free shows to NYC audiences every summer. Their latest new creation The Yellow Brick Road puts a latin spin on the classic tale of Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz (and is currently on a National Tour).

Seussical the musical amalgamates different elements from Dr. Seuss books, using the Cat in the Hat (a wonderful Damien Atkins) who sort of defaults as a narrator. The Cat in the Hat tells the main tale of Horton the Elephant (a heartbreaking George Masswohl returning again in the same role) who hears a Who and tries to protect the little people of Whoville, lead by Jojo, the littlest Who (a dear Jennifer Villaverde). The Cat guides Jojo through the tale (in a sort of meta way) while pushing Jojo to think beyond the norm, in imaginative ways.

Meanwhile, a side story has Gertrude (an empathetic Jane Johanson) the bird with a small tail, trying to capture the heart of Horton, while selfish Mazzie (a delightfully hilarious Sharron Matthews) goes off on vacation, leaving her egg in Horton's care.

The cast, which also includes an angry kangaroo (with the soulful belty voice of Nichola Lawrence), is first rate, and bring the right amount of zany energy to the world of Seuss. Director Allen MacInnis (who directed the wonderful The Frog and Toad last year) keeps the flow mostly in check, and keeps all the different elements flowing together nicely, especially the narrator Cat in the Hat, who tends to pop in and out, and the story of the birds, which always seems to come out of nowhere and seemed annoying in the Off-Broadway incarnation that I saw.

George Masswohl is heartbreaking as Horton, and as dressed in ingenious costumes by Judith Bowden, his Horton the Elephant is endearing while giving a surprisingly emotionally deep performance. The show may be geared towards kids, but Masswohl gives the show the conviction required by a Ahrens and Flaherty show.

Seussical may be playing at the Young People's Theatre but the spirited energy of Dr. Seuss and a first rate production makes this musical one for all ages. So bring the kids, but if you don't have any, don't let that stop you.

The Yellow Brick Road is a new musical spin on The Wizard of Oz taken towards In the Heights. It places our new heroine Dora in New York City, just as she tries to avoid her quinceañera. Dora is soon whisked away to a strange land where she must follow the yellow brick road, and where she learns that learning the rhythms of her culture can help her find her way back home.

The story is a fun excuse to throw in a lot of Salsa and Meringue choreography into fun and rhythmic songs as Dora (Virginia Cavaliere) travels through a journey where she meets the Scarecrow (Ryan Duncan), Mountain Lion (Cedric Leiba, Jr.) and Iron Chef (Frank Viveiros) as they set off to meet the Wizard (Lexi Rhoades). This new version of a classic tale nicely spins things around into a modern day tale, giving it a fresh urban vibe while inserting some nice moral tales about respecting ones own culture and family.

Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com

Shame (On Me) (Contest!)

2011-11-17T14:53:00.012-05:00

See Shame, on me!

I'm giving away several passes to the Scotiabank Theatre Toronto screening of Shame on Thursday, Dec. 1st 2011 at 7pm from Alliance Films. Shame is the new film by Steve McQueen, starring Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan, which opens in theatres on Dec. 2nd.

So this it the film lots of people are talking about, and I'm dying to see Michael Fassbender's performance, which won him the Best Actor award at the Venice Film Festival. Michael Fassy is having quite the year, after being Magneto in X-Men: First Class, and now this is a very different and emotional role that strips him down, in more ways than one.

Here's the trailer:

To enter:

- Email me at tapeworthycontest at gmail dot com
Subject: "SHAME CONTEST"
And tell me which Canadian Film Festival the film Shame made it's Canadian premiere?

- Please include your name and email. (And twitter account name if you included the Bonus Entry tweet)

- For a BONUS ENTRY, follow @Tapeworthy and tweet this msg: "I want @Tapeworthy to give me Shame! (With Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan)"

The Details: - Contest closes at 11:59pm EST on Tuesday Nov. 22nd 2011. Only winners will be contacted directly by Wednesday Nov. 23rd 2011. Winners will be randomly drawn from all entries. Only one prize pass per person.

- Contest is open to residents of Canada. Prize does not include transportation.

- Prize consists of a Code to redeem for a Pass for 2 tickets to Shame screening presented by Alliance Films on Dec. 1st at 7pm at Scotiabank Theatre in Toronto, Ontario. Doors to open at 6pm. Tapeworthy is not responsible for over-capacity of screening or the prize itself. Screenings are overbooked to ensure capacity. Please arrive early. Tickets are distributed on a first come, first serve basis. Code or Pass does not guarantee admission. No one will be admitted into the theatre with any type of audio or visual recording device, including cameras, cell phones with photo capabilities, laptops etc. Security will enforce this policy at the screening.

Film is subject to classification. Issuer has a right to refuse, revoke or limit admission in its sole discretion at any time.

Post Film:

Tweet your thoughts and feelings about Shame with hashtag #ShameFilm and/or @AllianceFilms in the tweet and Alliance Films will be choosing winners and giving away DVD prizes!

Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com

Is It Still Flaming Hot? - Burning - Play Review

2011-11-15T17:41:00.010-05:00

Burning – The New Group at the Acorn Theatre in Theatre Row – Off-Broadway – New York, NY - *** (out of 5 stars)
Written by Thomas Bradshaw, Directed by Scott Elliott
Runs until Dec. 17 2011

Taboos only become taboos when a societal construct deems something so. When a unified response deems something morally reprehensible within human kind. So what happens when you have individual people who become so matter-of-fact with their urges and beliefs that they begin defying societal rules in order to satisfy ones own logic of identity?

Burning, the provocative and controversial new play by Thomas Bradshaw pokes at societal buttons in two somewhat-related stories in two different decades. In the 80’s, an established gay couple, who produce and star in Broadway shows, take in a gay teenage orphan wanna-be-actor, where the lines between servant, son, and sexual toy begin to blur. Fast forward to current times, and we see a Black painter who hides his race from the press, gets his racially shocking art pieces get misinterpreted at a Berlin gallery, winning the fans from a sibling duo of Neo-Nazis.

The premise is loaded enough, with plenty of fascinating and disturbing events and characters to explore. While the two stories are really connected with a third story, the link between the two seems more like a story contrivance than anything to further the two main stories. In fact, there’s so much going on, that this could have been easily split into two plays and had a deeper exploration behind some of the characters underlying decisions. The balance between the two plays, with wildly different tones, may help the overall epic nature of the play, but as fascinating and interesting as I could get involved in all the characters, the end left me still unconnected to several characters, including the German siblings (Drew Hildebrand and Reyna de Courcy) and the older gay theatre couple (Andrew Garman and Danny Mastrogiorgio).

When the play does work, the taboos don’t feel piled on for controversy’s sake, and the characters actually sound reasonable even while they dryly justify their actions. When the play works at its best, we get an understanding of why a character behaves and does the things they do, whether it be a need to simply satisfy human urges, or to use sexual power to advance themselves in a game of human chess.

Hunter Foster (Urinetown, Million Dollar Quartet) as the older version of the teenage boy Chris, who has now grown into a terrible actor, and Stephen Tyrone Williams (above with Doss) as Peter, the painter, are particularly convincing. Barrett Doss (as Gretchen, a German prostitute) and Larisa Polonsky (as Peter's wife) create fascinating portrayals, while Vladimir Versailles (as a relative of Peter's who meets Chris) and Evan Johnson (as the teenage orphan) bring a wonderful knowing naivety. However, the cast is wildly uneven and some seemingly in completely different plays (which in a way, they are). Was this Elliott’s intent? Maybe, as some comical moments seem to purposefully counter the mundane tone that re-affirms the matter-of-fact nature of the characters’ rationalization. The constant disrobing of characters and the amount of simulated sex becomes almost becomes a crux in the storytelling, or again, is the repetitiveness an effort to desensitize the audience?

There’s a beautiful set by Derek McLane (How To Succeed in Business, Without Really Trying, Anything Goes) that has nicely integrated lighting design by Peter Kaczorowski (Born Yesterday, Anything Goes) and video design by Wendall Harrington and Elliott manages to keep the many strands of storylines from the large ensemble cast easily separable and understandable while sharing the small stage.

While Burning has apparently been met with all sorts of strong reactions, I surprisingly found the play fascinating but never found it incendiary. I definitely did not hate it, but I never found the different stories connecting in a satisfying manner, and I'm not sure if it's because I missed some deeper level or layer, or if the play just never quite reaches the brilliancy it seems to seek. Nonetheless, for a play almost clocking in at 3 hours, I never found myself bored, though that neutral reaction may in fact inflame Bradshaw's intent.

Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com

Five Guys With A Show - One-Man Show Reviews

2011-10-18T15:00:00.006-04:00

Ghetto Klown - Lyceum Theatre - Broadway - New York, NY - **** (out of 5 stars)
Written and Performed by John Leguizamo, Directed by Fisher Stevens
Opens in London's West End Oct. 25th thru Nov. 12th 2011, Texas Feb 2012

Sex, Religion and Other Hang Ups - Theatre Passe Muraille - Toronto, ON - ***1/2 (out of 5 stars)
Written and Performed by James Gangl, Directed by Chris Gibbs
Runs until Oct. 22nd 2011

Mickey and Judy- Toronto Fringe Festival - Tarragon Theatre Extra Space - Toronto, ON - **** (out of 5 stars)
Written and Performed by Michael Hughes
Ran until July 21st 2011. More shows to be announced soon.

Hugh Jackman in Concert - Princess of Wales Theatre - Toronto, ON - **** (out of 5 stars)
Created and Performed by Hugh Jackman, Directed by Warren Carlyle
Back on Broadway starting Oct. 25th 2011

The Agony and The Ecstasy of Steve Jobs - Anspacher Theater at The Public Theater - New York, NY - ***** (out of 5 stars)
Written and Performed by Mike Daisey, Directed by Jean-Michele Gregory
Runs until Nov. 13th 2011, Returns in 2012

If you tell me it's going to be a one-man show, I will tend to shudder and run far far away. Give me a big ensemble number. Give me characters yelling at each other, interacting with each other. Give me multiple parts harmony. But don't give me one person standing alone on the stage. I picture that episode of Friends when Chandler shows up to Alex Borstein ranting a feminist one-woman diatribe at him. And some of the one-person shows I've seen have felt that way.

So I'm amazed that I went to 5 one-man shows so far this year and they not only did not make me want to run, they were all excellent in their own way.

John Leguizamo's Ghetto Klown is the 5th in his series of solo shows, though the first one I've seen, and apparently, the most personal and revealing, as he continues to reveal his personal meltdowns and career choices all while dishing the dirt on his fellow celebrity co-stars. Johnny Legz bounces around the stage with that same kinetic energy you know from his films, but he's insightful and thoughtful while never losing that urban street vibe where he originally came from. From his feelings on his family, his original hood, to his career goals and ultimate love for theatre, Ghetto Klown is a hilarious and revealing tour of the life of a grounded celeb and actor.

On the other end of the fame spectrum, James Gangl, a not famous actor trying to work his way into the game, shares what happened after he fell in love with the perfect girl while filming a Coors commercial. Gangl weaves his search for love, his devotion to his religion, and the hang-ups from mixing the two. Hence the title, Sex, Religion and Other Hang Ups, now running after being a hit at this year's Toronto Fringe Festival. Gangl has an easy going presence that's immediately likable, and he turns what first sounds like a comedy act, into something deeper and personal (and hilarious to us) as he struggles with staying true to his religion while gettin' some.

Michael Hughes' Mickey & Judy, another hit at this year's Toronto Fringe Festival, is an exquisitely intimate evening as Mickey takes us on his personal journey growing up, trying to be fabulous, and looking to Judy Garland as an idol. We get to see a sweet and fragile side of Mickey growing up, and uses the life and songs of Judy herself to build himself to the man he is today. The show becomes a warm and enrapturing cabaret with Mickey's personal struggles becoming an engaging story thread between well placed Judy Garland songs that begin to blend musical theatre storytelling within the solo show. (Disclosure: Since seeing and loving the show, I have become twitter friends with @mickehughes)

Then there's another Hugh who is taking his singing and dancing show back onto the stage. A little actor named Hugh Jackman (who starred in some movie called X-Men) brought his new solo show to Toronto, and soon will be Back on Broadway with the show. Known in the mainstream as a big action star, Hugh Jackman goes back to his musical theatre roots on the stage and sings, dances, sings, tells jokes, tells stories from his childhood, sings and dances some more and Hugh has the entire audience in rapture. Hugh Jackman knows how to command the stage and has that old-timey star quality that is rarely found these days. His voice is strong and splendid and while some of his song choices lean a little too much towards the Vegas side, when he's performing musical theatre classics (such as "Siloloquy" from Carousel, the opening number of The Music Man, or the title song from Singing in the Rain (which he really should just star in a revival of)), Hugh Jackman is in full force in the right element. His energy never lets down, and he's simply a born entertainer, backed with an 18-piece orchestra and 2 backup singers. Hugh's improv skills are snap-on as he banters back to the audiences yelling their devoted love, and proves that he really needs to stop making crappy movies and come back to the stage permanently.

While Hugh Jackman runs around the stage, dancing up a storm, Mike Daisey is a large man who sits at a table and talks. On occasion, he will take his small towel to wipe the sweat from his face, and once in a while, he will turn a page from the few sheets sitting on the table, but make no mistake, Mike Daisey's theatrical monologue The Agony and The Ecstasy of Steve Jobs is absolutely fascinating, entertaining and enthralling. Daisey weaves his rants and stories of Steve Jobs and the rise and fall and rise again of Apple into a surprisingly emotionally engaging piece of theatre (with a beautiful lighting design that is subtle and yet totally obvious). Daisey loves his Apple, loves his Apple gadgets and even takes apart his Apple devices apart and puts them back together as a form of comfort. So he takes quite a bite out of Apple when he begins to investigate closely at the religion Steve Jobs built around Apple, and how Jobs got those Apple products into our hands, via the factories in China. The tales of Daisey's visit to Shenzhen China to see where Apple products are made become quite damning on Steve Jobs reputation and while Daisey has changed the ending to acknowledge Jobs' recent death, he makes no apologies for his ultimate statement, all done without sounding like a lecture.

Having been told of Daisey's amazing storytelling skills, I still could not have imagined how amazing and theatrical this show felt, and how funny, amusing, shocking and interesting a monologue about a computer guru could be. I know only wish I could see some of Daisey's former shows including the apparently amazing How Theater Failed America.

Luckily, these 5 solo shows did not fail me and I have a full new appreciation for a well created one-man show.

Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com

Theatre Greatness in Canada - Play Reviews

2011-10-03T00:01:00.008-04:00

His Greatness - independent Artist Repertory Theatre at Factory Studio Theatre - Toronto, ON - ****1/2 (out of 5 stars)
Written by Daniel MacIvor, Directed by Edward Roy
Runs until Oct. 23rd 2011

White Biting Dog - Soulpepper Theatre at Young Centre's Michael Young Theatre Stage - Toronto, ON - ** (out of 5 stars)
Written by Judith Thompson, Directed by Nancy Palk
Runs until Oct. 21st 2011

Another Africa - Volcano Theatre presented by Canadian Stage Company at St. Lawrence Centre's Bluma Theatre - Toronto, ON - **** (average out of 5 stars)
Shine Your Eye, Written by Binyavanga Wainaina, Directed by Ross Manson - ***
Peggy Pickit Sees The Face of God - Written by Roland Schimmelpfennig, Directed by Liesl Tommy - ****1/2
Runs until Oct. 22nd 2011

I had a little bout with Canadian plays in the past week to various results, but the excellent plays are definitely exciting entries for Toronto's theatre scene.

A play about Tennessee Williams, a gay hustler (and wanna be porn-star) and a theatre opening? My three favorite things and I had never heard about this play before? How did I miss it? Now I'm glad I didn't miss seeing His Greatness.

His Greatness is the fictional story of the true event when Tennessee Williams, near the end of his career, went to Vancouver to attend the opening night of a revival of a re-written version of one of his failed plays. His Greatness takes place in his Vancouver hotel room where his assistant organizes his entire life, including hiring a male escort to attend to Tennessee's needs.

Richard Donat's tremendous Tennessee Williams is big, suave, seductive and frightening. Delusioned by his own grandeur, Tennessee has become a celebrated playwright and uncontrollable child. His assistant, played by Daniel MacIvor himself, knows Tennessee's every want, whim, and need, and is prepared for every turn William throws at him. It's a co-dependent and dysfunctional relationship that truly begin to reveal itself when the assistant hires a male escort (a terrific Greg Gale with defined abs to match) who himself gets seduced by Tennessee's power while seducing his greatness himself.

Each relationship gets nicely explored and evolves through that opening night, and the disastrous morning after, as the Male Escort becomes a sort of muse to Tennessee, letting the relationship with his assistant splinter. It's a wonderfully evocative play, with some fascinating interplay between the three characters, all with the haunting ghost of Williams giving it some historical drama, while MacIvor beautifully uses the personal drama as statements on life and theatre itself.

The set wonderfully engulfs the tiny Factory Studio Theatre, and while the whole play takes place in the hotel room, it never feels confining to the play, and only to the characters. Richard Donat (who incidentally, actually appeared in the play in question in real life!) simply BECOMES Tennessee Williams. It's a truly magnificent performance. MacIvor and Gale are terrific foils to Donat's Williams, and the production gels together under Ed Roy's direction. His Greatness truly is some great theatre.

White Biting Dog may have been controversial and shocking when it was first written and produced, but time or Soulpepper's current remount has not helped Judith Thompson's play. Studied in many Canadian Theatre schools, I have actually never heard of it prior to this staging, and Nancy Palk's production has me left wondering why this play is so studied.

The play, about a suicidal man who stops himself after hearing instructions from a dog to help save his dying father, becomes a chaotic and surreal mess as his mother, her new young boyfriend, and a passerby, get involved in this new quest, all while taboos get thrown into the story for good shocking measure. Only now, the taboos have become cliches and with little reason to empathize with any character, it just becomes an entertaining, if confusing and unsatisfying jump into a dysfunctional family. While Mike Ross has a naturally endearing demeanor, and Fiona Reid is a hoot as his cougarish mother, I left feeling like I had been gnawing on a fake bone.

Canadian Stage presents Volcano Theatre's Another Africa, first mounted at Luminato a few years ago where it was a trilogy of one-act plays. This time, only 2 have survived with an added prologue. While I barely even realized what was the prologue (as it is used to segue into the 2 plays, the two plays, Shine Your Eyes and Peggy Pickett Sees the Face of God were two very different plays that nicely present African through various eyes.

Shine Your Eyes encompasses Another Africa's first act, with a fascinating look into modern day Africa via the eyes of a young computer hacker Gbene (played by a wonderfully thoughtful Dienye Waboso) who works the computer scams under a man from her home village. Meanwhile, the young hacker chats up with a woman from Toronto (Ordena Stephens-Thompson) and manages to set up a way for Gbene to come over permanently. It's a beautiful play with ideas about home, belonging and where one comes from in a world sitting between an old country and a modern world.

Beautiful direction from Ross Manson, and terrific performances from the cast keep things flowing but I found that there was an overuse of monologues directed to the audience that lost its punch as the piece went on. At first beautiful and heartfelt, became a little mundane and slow, as I'm not a fan of the Greek theatre style of telling a story as opposed to showing. Luckily, mixing in dance and movement with a sleek set into the ensemble moments of the play generates the energy and interaction between the characters that brings the fascinating story to life.

Act 2's piece Peggy Pickett Sees the Face of God is about one couple who throws their friend's a little homecoming soiree upon their return from Africa on a humanitarian mission. In the 6 years they were gone helping in Africa, the couple that stayed home bought a house, had a child, and other suburban sounding stuff, but things begin to unravel when the initial excitement of seeing each other, and the politeness and manners start to wane when real issues begin to surface. Without spoiling anything, the play itself hints at the underlying story at hand in moments of fast forward, rewind, and glimpses of future moments in a time jumping piece, and what seems like a comedy of manners, turns into something far darker and emotionally compelling.

If the set up sounds a bit like God of Carnage, it did feel a lot like Yasmina Reza's overrated play (soon to be the film Carnage) except Peggy Pickett was far better constructed with far more depth and soul. While the laughter was often awkward because of the painful situations, the awkward jokes and character reactions fully made sense once the audience realizes the entire situation at hand.

The cast of Kristen Thompson, Tony Nappo, Maev Beatty, and Tom Barnett were impressive in conveying the multiple layers within each character, all while trying to play nice in a civil dinner party. Each actor is superb, while Liesl Tommy's direction, that also uses a live projection being handled the actors themselves, is precise and taut and manages to unravel the chaos in what must be a precise series of events.

Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com

SYTYCD4 - The Gr8 Deb8

2011-08-29T21:00:00.022-04:00

So You Think You Can Dance Canada - Season 4 - Top 10 Results, Top 8 Performances - Eps. 419-420
Judges (Top 10): Jean-Marc Généreux, Tré Armstrong, Stacey Tookey, Mary Murphy
Judges (Top 8): Jean-Marc Généreux, Tré Armstrong, Blake McGrath, Mary Murphy

I got to go to another live taping for the performance show again, and as always, the dancers were hot, and freaking amazing.

And while I think the Top 10 results (below) got it right, now that it's down to Top 8, I have no idea who should be cut. I could see any of them winning really.
Seriously, I don't know who to vote for because I would call for them all (negating all my votes). Who is everyone else voting for?

Top 10 Results

Top 10 Group Dance
Style: Contemporary
Choreographed by: Sabrina Matthews
Song: "Heavy in Your Arms" - Florence + the Machine

Should Go Home/Will go Home: François and Yuliya

Bottom 6 Dancers:
Denitsa
Yuliya
Melissa
Adam
Christian
François

And François and Yuliya were cut. Great dancers, but at this point, it leaves a very strong Top 8.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Top 8 - Performances

Jordan Clark and Adam LoPapa
Style: Hip-Hop
Choreographed by: Luther Brown
Song: "Say It With Me - Chris Brown
Grade - Dance: A
Grade - Girl(Live/TV) : A+/
Grade - Boy (Live/TV): A/

Jordan gets Hip-Hop and knocks it out of the park. Are we really surprised at this point? I think I realized that Jordan HAS to perfect her dance moves and punch up everything just to get her huge red mane flowing with her dance. Her hair looks spectacular with every movement but I think to keep it flowing (and out of her face at times), she moves her body with just that extra effort... does that make any sense?

Anyways, AMAZING.

Adam? Awesome. Always a joy to watch. Sexy, confident, with just enough humbleness to make it all work, and a body that rocks the moves with beautiful effort.

Here's the video of Jordan and Adam's Hip-Hop:

Denitsa Ikonomova and Christian Millette
Style: Samba
Choreographed by: Gustavo Vargas
Song: "Tambourine - Eve
Grade - Dance: A
Grade - Girl (Live/TV): A+/
Grade - Boy (Live/TV): A+/

I forgot these two are dance partners in real life. Not because they have no chemistry together (they TOTALLY do), but because they've been so great with other dance partners, in various styles, that I've totally forgotten that they came in to this competition together as a pair.

Yet this dance reminds of why both are still in the Top 8 and what a partnership they have together. There's such a relaxed freeing vibe between the two, that they took Gustavo's part Samba and part Hip-Hop routine and crushed it.

Top notch.

Here's the video of Denitsa and Christian's Samba:

Lindsay Leuschner and Shane Simpson
Style: Contemporary
Choreographed by: Stacey Tookey
Song: "Uninvited - Alanis Morissette
Grade - Dance (Live/TV): B+/
Grade - Girl (Live/TV): A/
Grade - Boy (Live/TV): A/

Lindsay and Shane to me, are the quiet professionals of the group. I feel I really don't know who they are still, but they're always good, never lets us down, and are always consistently strong partners.

Pairing them up together gives us more professionalism, even when it's not my favorite Stacey Tookey dance.

Here's the video of Lindsay and Shane's Contemporary:

Melissa Mitro and Matt Marr
Style: Jazz
Choreographed by: Melissa Williams
Song: "Nobody's Perfect" - Jessie J
Grade - Dance: A
Grade - Girl (Live/TV): A+/
Grade - Boy (Live/TV): A+/

I mean SERIOUSLY. SERIOUSLY. Melissa Mitro. What the? The audience collectively gasped when she leaped onto the chair and jumped on Matt's back. And she danced the whole routine with that kind of controlled abandon.

And Matt, the lovely ever smiley Matt. Who like Adam, has always been great but has gotten even better through the competition and owning up to the levels of the best dancers in this competition.

Here's the video of Melissa and Matt's Jazz:

Top 8 Group Dance
Style: Jive
Choreographed by: Danny Arbour
Song: "" -
So much fun. SO MUCH FUN. Though I did notice Shane and Matt fell off a step at some point, and uh... that's about it? My eyes were zig-zagging around to every dancer who just looked like they were having a blast, and worked brilliantly as a Top 8 team.

Solos:

Melissa Mitro
Song: "" -
Grade: A

Matt Marr
Song: "" -
Grade: A

Christian Millette
Song: "" -
Grade: A

Denitsa Ikonomova
Song: "" -
Grade:A

Lindsay Leuschner
Song: "" -
Grade: A

Shane Simpson
Song: "" -
Grade: A

Jordan Clark
Song: "" -
Grade: A

Adam LoPapa
Song: "" -
Grade: A

The Final Roundup:

Should Go Home: Uh, no one.
My Predictions:
Bottom 4 Dancers
Adam
Denitsa
Shane
Lindsay

Will Go Home: Shane and Lindsay? Oh gawd, I don't even want to think about Tuesday.

This is how I rank all the dancers overall (based on dancing and personality): (last week's standings in parenthesis, ties listed in alphabetical order)
Overall Ranking:
1 (tie). Jordan (1)
1 (tie). Melissa (1)
3 (tie). Adam (3)
3 (tie). Christian (3)
3 (tie). Denitsa (3)
3 (tie). Lindsay (3)
3 (tie). Matt (3)
3 (tie). Shane (3)
And I really don't think this list is a cop-out. I really would rank them in a giant tie.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -
For More So You Think You Can Dance:
Check here for the most Recent current postings and Latest News on SYTYCD

So You Think You Can Dance - Season 8 and So You Think You Can Dance Canada Season 4:
SYTYCDCanada Top 12 Results, Top 10 Performances
SYTYCDCanada Top 14 Results, Top 12 Performances
SYTYCDCanada Top 16 Results, Top 14 Performances
SYTYCD Top 10 Performances and Results, Top 8 Performances and Results, Top 6 Performances
SYTYCDCanada Top 20 Results, Top 18 Performances and Results, Top 16 Performances
SYTYCD Top 12 Results & SYTYCDCanada Top 20 Performances
SYTYCD Top 14 Results, Top 12 Performances & SYTYCDCanada Top 22 Results
SYTYCDCanada Top 22 Performances
SYTYCD Top 14 Performances & SYTYCDCanada Audition Finals & Introducing the Top 22
SYTYCD Top 20 Redux Results, Top 16 Performances and Results & SYTYCDCanada Audition Vancouver, Edmonton, Saint John, Montréal
Top 20 Redux Performances
SYTYCD Top 20 Results & SYTYCDCanada Auditions: Toronto
So You Think You Can Dance - Season 8:
Top 20 Performance
Auditions:
Los Angeles, Vegas Week, Top 20 Reveal
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Atlanta and Bay Area

So You Think You Can Dance Canada Season 3:
Finale - Final 6 Results
Top 4 Performance
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Top 16 Performances, Top 16 Results
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So You Think You Can Dance - Season 7:
Finale - Final 3 Results
Top 3 Performances
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Top 6 Redux Performances, Top 6 Redux Results
Top 6 Performances, Top 6 Results
Top 7 Performances, Top 7 Results
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Season 7 Top 11 Showcase
Auditions:
Dallas, Nashville, Vegas Week and Top 11 Announcement
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New York City and Miami
Announcing the All-Stars! With Sexy Pictures!
Discussion on Format Change

Decadeworthy - SYTYCDworthy - Ranking All the Top 10 Dancers from SYTYCD and SYTYCDCanada (w/ Videos) - List Format

So You Think You Can Dance - Season 6:
Finale - Final 6 Results
Final 6 Performances
Top 8 Performances, Top 8 Results
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Introducing the Top 20, The Top 20 Showcase

So You Think You Can Dance Canada - Season 2 with So You Think You Can Dance Season 6 Auditions:
Finale
Top 4 Performances
Top 6 Performances, Top 6 Results & US Vegas Week Auditions Continued
Top 8 Performances, Top 8 Results & US Salt Lake City and Vegas Week 1 Auditions
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Top 12 Performances, Top 12 Results & US Boston Auditions
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Top 18 Performance, Top 18 Results and SYTYCD Top 15 Dances of all time
Top 20 Performance, Top 20 Results
Top 20 Announced
Auditions - Toronto, Vancouver, Saint John
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My Top 25 Routines from SYTYCD Season 1-5

So You Think You Can Dance - Season 5:
Finale
Top 4 Performance
Top 6 Performance, Top 6 Results
Top 8 Performance, Top 8 Results and Panel Chat
Top 10 Performance, Top 10 Results and Panel Chat
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Top 20 Performance, Top 20 Results and Panel Chat
Auditions - Vegas Week Part 2 - Top 20 Announcement, Top 20 Pictures/Panel Chat
Vegas Week Part 1
New York City, Denver, Miami, Memphis, LA, Seattle

So You Think You Can Dance Canada:
Finale
Top 8 and 6 Performances and Results, Top 4 Performances
Top 10 Performances, Results 10 to 8
Top 12 Performances, Results 12 to 10
Top 14 Performances, Results 14 to 12
Top 16 Performances, Results 16 to 14
Top 18 Performances, Results 18 to 16
Top 20 Performances and Results
Introducing Canada's Top 20
Auditions:
Toronto Week - The Cut to the Top 20
Vancouver, Halifax, Calgary, Montreal - West, East, Middle and Quebec
Toronto - Toronto's Best Foot Forward
The Judges, The Host, The Teaser, All Photos from CTV

So You Think You Can Dance - Season 4:
Finale
Top 4 Performances
Top 6 Performances and Results 6 to 4
Top 8 Performances, Results 8 to 6
Top 10 Performances, Results 10 to 8
Top 16, 14 and 12 Weeks Recaps by Vance again
Top 12 Performances, Results 12 to 10 - Guest Blogger Linz McC
Top 14 Performances, Results 14 to 12 - Guest Blogger Linz McC
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Top 18 Performances, Results 18 to 16
Top 20 Performances, Results 20 to 18
Introducing the Top 20
Auditions:
Callbacks in Las Vegas - The Top 20 Revealed - What Happens In Vegas
Milwaukee, WI - How The Midwest Was Won
Charleston, South Carolina and Washington D.C. - S.C.D.C. The New Electric (Boogaloo) Term!
Salt Lake City and Dallas - Yeehaw Utah!
Los Angeles - It's Time To Put On Those Dancing Shoes Again Kids!

So You Think You Can Dance - Season 3:
Live Tour - Toronto, Pasha's Solo Video, Neil's Solo Video
Finale - Winner Result
T op 4 Performances - Finals
Top 6 Performances, Top 6 Results
Top 8 Performances, Top 8 Results
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For So You Think You Can Dance Season 2:
Favorite Video Clips
Song List Live Tour 2006 - Toronto
Live Tour 2006 - Buffalo, Pics, More Pics
Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com

SYTYCDC4 - Dirty Dancers

2011-08-23T01:30:00.013-04:00

So You Think You Can Dance Canada - Season 4 - Top 12 Results, Top 10 Performances - Ep. 417-418
Judges (Top 12): Jean-Marc Généreux, Tré Armstrong, Luther Brown, Blake McGrath, Mary Murphy
Judges (Top 10): Jean-Marc Généreux, Tré Armstrong, Stacey Tookey, Mary Murphy

Top 14 Results

Top 14 Group Dance
Style: Ballroom
Choreographed by: Jean-Marc Généreux and France Mousseau
Song: "Dirty Dancer - Enrique Iglesias feat. Usher & Lil Wayne

Actual Bottom 3:
Lindsay and Christian
Geisha and Joey
Yuliya and Shane

So yes, at this point, like I said last week, the group of dancer is so strong that most cuts will hurt. And the worse part, the few dancers that I felt we could lose, were all partnered with some of the BEST dancers. Sadly, all three pairs in the bottom 3 had great male dancers, but based on the past few weeks, I would have cut Christian, who is amazing, but Joey is simply the best male from the group and Shane is not far behind him.

Luckily for Christian, the judges thought differently (and luckily for us, he'll prove he deserves his spot in the Top 10 with the Top 10 performance this week) and cut JOEY.

JOEY ARRIGO. WTF?

Ok, I know. the Alternatives are not much better but JOEY. I'm ANGRY.

To be honest, if anyone should have gone home, François' time has come. But alas, he wasn't in the bottom and thus automatically in the Top 10. Seriously, if Joey was in instead, it would have been the perfect Top 5 males. PERFECT.

Meanwhile, Geisha gets cut. Not a surprise, but just as she was FINALLY showing some promise. Oh well. She's a smart girl, and studying something sciency so she'll be fine either way.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Top 10 - Performances

Denitsa Ikonomova and François Pruneau
Style: Mambo
Choreographed by: Gustavo Vargas
Song: "Bemba Colorá - Celia Cruz
Grade - Dance: B+
Grade - Girl: A
Grade - Boy: A-

François is one of those dancers you can't hate but he reminds me of Benji Schwimmer. He's great at what he does, and he's quite good at other styles, but he coasts on personality and there are now dancers that are far better in a variety of styles and have that extra dazzle and spark to take them over the edge.

Denitsa on the other hand has the spark, and she's like a little spitfire and while she too probably coasts a bit too much on her petite spiciness, Denitsa has seemed to done better in opposing styles, especially in the hip-hop dances (surprisingly) and at this point, that's what is required to be a winner on the show.

Anyways, ballroom dancers dancing something close to their styles. Their great of course but again, Denitsa has this natural sizzle that takes it over the edge.

Here's the video of Denitsa and François' Mambo:

Lindsay Leuschner and Adam LoPapa
Style: Contemporary
Choreographed by: Blake McGrath
Song: "Remember When It Rained - Josh Groban
Grade - Dance: B+
Grade - Girl: A
Grade - Boy: A

A little fumbly on one of the lifts, but here's two great contemporary dancers, two very hot dancers, who have been sort of been under the shadows of Melissa, Jordan, Joey and Shane. While Adam has come into his own in the past couple of weeks with some great partners and choreo, Lindsay is one of those great dancers looking for a great routine. I'm not sure if this is the one that will make her memorable, but it sure proves that Lindsay is the forgotten underdog.

She's stunning and her chemistry with Adam is palpable. But I still feel she deserves even more somehow, though a partner in Adam is a start.

Here's the video of Lindsay and Adam's Contemporary:

Melissa Mitro and Shane Simpson
Style: Hip-Hop
Choreographed by: Luther Brown
Song: "The Time (Dirty Bit) - Black Eyed Peas
Grade - Dance: A+
Grade - Girl: A+
Grade - Boy: A

You know how good Melissa and Shane were in this? I DESPISE this song. DESPISE this song. With a passion. And I've already watched it 5 times before I could type this. Usually I type my opinions while I watch and the judges do their thing. I just watched spellbound and rewound, and rewound and rewatched.

So this is Melissa's 6th Standing Ovation in a row? Seriously, I know she's from my hometown of Richmond Hill (woot woot!) but WHERE IS SHE FROM? SERIOUSLY? WHO DANCES LIKE THAT? WHO PERFECTS EVERY STYLE SHE'S GIVEN? Manages to form some tight chemistry with every new partner? She must be a robot. That's the only explanation.

Shane is fantastic too. Groovy. Hard. Intense.

Here's the video of Melissa and Shane's Hip-Hop:

Yuliya Zavadska and Matt Marr
Style: Contemporary
Choreographed by: Sabrina Matthews
Song: "My Love" - Sia
Grade - Dance: B+
Grade - Girl: B+
Grade - Boy: A-

I think after two smashing pieces with perfect music last week, this choreo from Sabrina doesn't quite match up.

The power and emotion and the moves were all there, but as the judges noted, the transitions would be the one thing to take it to the next level, though with some movements like Matt's running towards Yuliya only to stop suddenly, I think some of it was planned that way to begin with.

Love Matt. He's like that puppy dog that you love who goes wild with enthusiasm and love, and while I think he just needs to smooth out some of his movements and add a finesse, he's got it down and is still a joy to watch.

Yuliya is lovely and tries her best here. The judges loved her and I thought she does a fine job and again, just needs some finessing with the in between moments, both physically and emotionally, but impressive for a ballroom dancer.

Here's the video of Yuliya and Matt's Contermpoary:

Jordan Clark and Christian Millette
Style: Contemporary
Choreographed by: Sean Cheesman
Song: "Skin - Rihanna
Grade - Dance: A+
Grade - Girl: A+
Grade - Boy: A+

Jordan getting contemporary AGAIN? On the other hand, Contemporary with Christian? With Sean Cheesman? I'll shut up. Because SHUT UP THAT WAS FREAKING AMAZING.

Ok. Jordan is fantastic. We know that.

And we know Christian is such a MAN! And he's pretty amazing in other styles. In fact, I practically forget he's originally from the ballroom style. But seriously, he was smokin' here, and I'm not just talking about his body. The way he moved, he was step by step, movement by movement in sync with Jordan.

And that backflip Jordan does from the ground? What's with THAT? And the way she just spins around Christian's neck like it was nothing? Christian is SOLID and Jordan is just sick!

Here's the video of Jordan and Christian's Contemporary:

Solos:

Lindsay Leuschner
Song: "It Doesn't Hurt" - Katie Thompson
Grade: A-

Adam LoPapa
Song: "You Should Be Dancing" - The Bee Gees
Grade: A

Christian Millette
Song: "Happy (Spiritual South Go happy In Rio Remix)" - Max Sedgley
Grade: A

Jordan Clark
Song: "Hometown Glory" - Adele
Grade: A

Yuliya Zavadska
Song: "Fever" - Peggy Lee
Grade:B+

Matt Marr
Song: "For the Night I Can't Remember" - Hedley
Grade: A-
Totally frenetic (again, like a crazy happy puppy dog) that just needs to tighten up into a full unified routine, but still so impressive with some killer moves.

Melissa Mitro
Song: "To Build A Home" - The Cinematic Orchestra
Grade: A
So many crazy moves and such power and control in her dancing, and I love that she can slow it down and speed it up in split moments, though I almost wish she had a fully slow encapsulating moment just to contrast the power she has in the rest of the routine.

Shane Simpson
Song: "Love Is Gone" - David Guetta feat. Chris Willis
Such an exciting dancer and as great of a partner dancer as he is, I think he's even better in solos.
Grade: A

François Pruneau
Song: "Reet Petite" - Jackie Wilson
Grade: B+
Fun and enjoyable but I had to laugh and roll my eyes at that final shirt ripping. Only Dmitry can really get away with it.

Denitsa Ikonomova
Song: "Le Serpent" - Guem et Zaka Percussion Ensemble
Grade: A

The Girls:

The Boys:

The Final Roundup:

Should Go Home: François and Yuliya
My Predictions:
Bottom 4 Dancers
Yuliya and Lindsay
Adam and François

Will Go Home: Yuliya and François

This is how I rank all the dancers overall (based on dancing and personality): (last week's standings in parenthesis)
Overall Ranking:
1 (tie). Melissa (1)
1 (tie). Jordan (1)
3 (tie). Adam (4)
3 (tie). Shane (6)
3 (tie). Christian (8)
3 (tie). Matt (5)
3 (tie). Denitsa (7)
3 (tie). Lindsay (9)
9. Yuliya (10)
10. François (12)

Um, can you tell I'm pretty undecided on a ranking?

- - - - - - - - - - - - -
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Looking Fresh and Green - Oklahoma! - Musical Review

2011-08-18T01:00:00.002-04:00

Oklahoma! - Fichander Theater - Arena Stage at the Mead Center - Washington D.C. - ****1/2 (out of 5 stars)
Music by Richard Rogers, Book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, Based on the play Green Grow the Lilacs by Lynn Riggs, Directed by Molly Smith, Choreographed by Parker Esse, Original Dances by Agnes de Mille
Runs until Oct. 2nd 2011

Oh! What a beautiful production! Oh! What a beautiful play!

Ok, so confession. I've never actually been a huge fan of the musical Oklahoma!. I've always thought it felt dated, simplistic, and just a bit corny. To me, it was always a mildly enjoyable musical, but never the epic show the groundbreaking musical history dictates. At least, that's what I thought until I saw Arena Stage's current remount of their revival hit from last year, which makes the 1943 musical feel fresh, young and vibrant. With it's theatre-in-the-round presentation, you step miles away from D.C. and straight into Oklahoma! country, and miles away from its anchor at the new Mead Center (a glorious new theatre complex by Vancouver's Bing Thom Architects, that is worth seeing a show just to go visit).

Eugene Lee's simple wooden sets envelop the Fichlander Theatre and sets the sunshine yellow tone that the young cast brings to this invigorating revival by Molly Smith. Being so up close and personal with the stage, the Fichlander brings a closeness to Oklahoma!, with a 360 presentation that strips away the dated nature of the play and brings us iright into simpler times, letting us easily buy into the story of a cowman trying to court a farm girl before the mysterious (read: dark) farm hand lays a hand on her.

Eleasha Gamble (who has dazzled me with her voice before in other local DC shows like Les Miserables at the Signature Theatre, and The Civil War at Ford Theatre) wonderfully gets to shine in a deserved lead role of Laurey, the strong female farm girl at the heart of the central love triangle. Gamble's beautiful voice and her smart and grounded presence is simply perfect for Laurey. PERFECT. Did I mention Gamble is a woman of colour? Molly Smith colour-blind casts this revival and if there are any critics against this, I challenge them to watch Gamble's performance and NOT agree that she makes a perfect Laurey, blonde hair or not. If there's a case that colour-blind casting CAN work, even in such historical contexts, Gamble should be the first example.

Matching wits and emotions with Gamble is Nicholas Rodriguez (who I best know from daytime soap One Life To Live as the 3rd wheel who tried to come between Oliver Fish and Kyle, its first gay love story). Nicholas Rodriguez has a boyishly handsome face and looks very different from previous Curly's I've seen (or know of), which is probably why I loved Rodriguez's Curly even more, for bucking the image of the character and still creating a smashing central lead that is both likable and confidently romantic while showing cracks of emotional vulnerability. Curly's later confrontation with Jud can sometimes feel a tad bullying, but Rodriguez never gets to that point. We understand Rodriguez's Curly, we root for him, but we never feel duped, nor frustrated (with some of his silly social moves). I say all this and I haven't even started mentioning Nicholas' GORGEOUS singing voice.

Knowing Rodriguez only previously from a soap opera, I figured he'd have a passable voice and coasted on his looks and likability, but I was not prepared for the smoothness in his singing that felt both full and large, while soothing and subtle. His entrance to "Oh What A Beautiful Mornin'" sets us up for a beautiful night, but his "The Surrey With the Fringe On Top" shows the intricate emotions and playfulness as he begins to romance Laurey, and us the audience.

It's also nice to see two very young actors cast in the roles of the young maybe-lovers Ado Annie and Will Parker, as well as a suitably young Ali Hakim that gives the second love triangle storyline far more humour and springy lighthearted romance than I've ever fully understood it as.

Ado Annie is a young silly girl who falls in love too easily, and often just feels like a plain silly character. June Schreiner's youth and gee-golly playfulness sets her Ado Annie into the right age, which easily explains Ado Annie's naivety and gives her story a far funnier spin that still feels believable and real.

Cody Williams gives an equal fresh and green performance that at moments feels unrehearsed and unprepared, and whether by design or not, gives his Will Parker a genuine heart (as simplistic as it may be) that excuses Will's silly love story, as Shreiner and Williams' Ado Annie and Will re-enact that comic nature of first love.

Of course, it's not quite Ado Annie's first love, and Nehal B. Joshi, another young actor, livens up the character of Ali Hakim and gives the character a far less creepy vibe I've seen previously, and makes his traveling salesman a far more believable character duped into love than previous caricature portrayals I've seen. Joshi's expressions and intonations hit every comedic cue without turning himself into a clown, and rounds out a believable love triangle that had before felt like a bad cliche.

Of course, if there was ever a bad cliche in this musical, it seemed to fall upon the character of Jud, the lone farm hand who imbued all kind of darkness just because he was a loner, and didn't sing happy tunes. I always thought the scenes with Jud never really worked and were almost ridiculous in trying to cram an antagonist the way it does. I won't say it still totally works here, but Molly Smith has managed to make Jud far more compelling, and explain his story within the confines of the musical, far better in a reasonable manner. And Jud and Curly's on-going dislike is far better reasoned with Rodriguez and Aaron Ramey as Jud. Ramey gives this Jud a misunderstood soul, one that is pushed over the edge. Ramey (who I've seen recently in Miss Saigon in Toronto) has a beautiful thundering tone, and sings with such passion, while he makes his Jud less of a straight-out bad guy, and more of a troubled man who falls in too deep. Ramey's portrayal smoothes over the problems I've had with the Jud character, and another reason this revival works so well.

A great ensemble surrounds the excellent leads, that includes Hugh Nees as Andrew Carnes (Ado Annie's father) and E. Faye Butler (who has recently left the show to star in another Arena Stage play) as Aunt Eller. The young cast two-steps it's way around the 360 stage, in wonderful choreography by Parker Esse.

I loved this Oklahoma! so much that it's really made me re-evaluate other musicals I haven't loved, and wondering if I would have liked them more, if only they had a great cast and stunning production like this one that shows me the true brilliance of the intended show. This Arena Stage revival made a very old musical feel very young and new, with a modern connection that did not sacrifice it's old-simpler-times story and tone. Simply a marvelous and joyous production that relies on young raw talent full of energy and subtle performances in a very bright show.

Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com

SYTYCDC4 - Adele and "12"

2011-08-16T01:00:00.004-04:00

So You Think You Can Dance Canada - Season 4 - Top 14 Results, Top 12 Performances - Ep. 415-416
Judges (Top 14): Jean-Marc Généreux, Tré Armstrong, Rex Harrington, Melissa Williams, Dan Karaty
Judges (Top 12): Jean-Marc Généreux, Tré Armstrong, Luther Brown, Blake McGrath, Mary Murphy

I haven't even gotten around to watching the US Season 8 final performances and finale yet (though I've already been spoiled anyways, not that it was a huge surprise) and while I adored Melanie and Marko, I have to say, there are far more Canadian dancers this year that I'm excited for than the US one had.

I also got to see this week's Top 12 live at the taping, and as always, there's a level of excitement seeing the dancers live that adds something to the dances. I tend to notice different things, and some things look better live than on TV, and vice versa, so I've given grades for both this week. Except this was probably the most outstanding week EVER, that it was basically deciphering between amazing and awesome, and the subtleties from between.

Top 14 Results

Top 14 Group Dance
Style: Jazz
Choreographed by: Melissa Williams
Song: "Rumour Has It - Adele

Actual Bottom 3:
Yuliya and JP
Geisha and Joey
Carlena and Shane

Well, on the plus side, we get to see a Joey solo, and how wonderous it is:

The girls' solos:

Alas, the two hip-hoppers, Carlena and JP, were finally cut. Just as they were finally getting their groove on and getting pretty good, they were cut (but alas, of all the remaining dancers, fairly so).

- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Top 12 - Performances

Lindsay Leuschner and Christian Millette
Style: Salsa
Choreographed by: Francis Lafrenière and Claudia Primeau
Song: "Aguanile" - Héctor Lavoe
Grade - Dance - Live/TV: A-/B+
Grade - Girl - Live/TV: A/A-
Grade - Boy - Live/TV: A/A

Maybe seeing Christian's chest in person made it hotter, but I thought this sizzled live, with all the fast arm movements, but it looked slower on the screen now. Maybe because I could get a better view of the foot movement, which was great, but the arms looked faster. Still, Lindsay looked great and I missed the arm actions that Mary noticed, and Christian has such a masculine presence even while he's shaking his booty salsa style.

Here's the video of Lindsay and Christian's Salsa:

Melissa Mitro and Adam LoPapa
Style: Contemporary
Choreographed by: Sabrina Matthews
Song: "Set Fire To the Rain" - Adele
Grade - Dance - Live/TV: A+/A+
Grade - Girl - Live/TV: A/A+
Grade - Boy - Live/TV: A/A

This was amazing live, and it was still amazing on TV. Though I will admit, despite the emotional power, while watching live, I noticed a few stumbly moments (that were still noticeable on camera), but Adam and Melissa were in such a power mode that they sort of burned right through them and it didn't really matter.

I've been loving Adam and I'm glad he's gotten to shine again (plus seeing him shirtless ain't bad either), while Melissa is like the super strong dark horse. I couldn't remember her at the start, though I recognized her skills and her talents, but she really just threw herself into this dance and you kind of gasp while watching her.

Still, much of this was designed so well by Sabrina with perfect accompaniment from Adele, that SYTYCD should just have a special episode where they dance only to Adele's catalog. Maybe gather Stacey Tookey, Sabrina, Sean Cheesman, Mia Michaels, Wade Robson together. And make sure Melissa and Adam are a part of it.

Here's the video of Melissa and Adam's Contemporary:

Denitsa Ikonomova and Matt Marr
Style: Hip-Hop
Choreographed by: Steve Bolton
Song: "C'Mon (Catch Em By Surprise)" - Diplo vs Tiesto feat. Busta Rhymes
Grade - Dance - Live/TV: A/A
Grade - Girl - Live/TV: A/A
Grade - Boy - Live/TV: A/A+

Blake and Luther thought there was something missing and I have NO idea what they were talking about. I thought Denitsa and Matt were ALL IN and they totally hit it with every power in their bodies. Denitsa totally lost her ballroom background and got totally in the groove, and Matt was the bigger surprise, giving the dance a full throttle effort. Matt just looked powerful in that dance and his usual happy energy was channeled into some scary electronic funk.

Here's the video of Denitsa and Matt's Hip-Hop:

Yuliya Zavadska and Shane Simpson
Style: Jive
Choreographed by: Danny Arbour
Song: "Thunder on the Mountain" - Wanda Jackson feat. Jack White
Grade - Dance - Live/TV: A/A
Grade - Girl - Live/TV: A/A
Grade - Boy - Live/TV: A/A

I forgot that the Jive can often be the death-routine for dancers. Shane looked like a natural. Seriously, he was hopping. This is Yuliya's thing, and she's a master, but Shane was the real surprise, although really, is it that big of a surprise? He's always consistent in being so strong at all the dances. I don't even know why I doubt him anymore.

Here's the video of Yuliya and Shane's Jive:

Geisha Chin and Joey Arrigo
Style: African Jazz
Choreographed by: Sean Cheesman
Song: "Jungle" - Highlight Tribe
Grade - Dance - Live/TV: A/A
Grade - Girl - Live/TV: A/A
Grade - Boy - Live/TV: A/A+

Joey is my favorite male dancer. Geisha, at this point, is probably my least favorite female dancer. So I think last week, Giesha pulled my Joey down to the bottom 3 where he had to dance for his life. So I'm nervous for Joey.

But if it is based on this dance this week, they deserve to be safe. Joey, as always, was extraordinary, and finally, Geisha rose to the occasion and matched Joey step for step. Geisha was totally into the spirit of the piece, and looked fantastic. Finally!

Here's the video of Geisha and Joey's Afro Jazz:

Jordan Clark and François Pruneau
Style: Contemporary
Choreographed by: Sabrina Matthews
Song: "Let Go" - Frou Frou
Grade - Dance - Live/TV: A+/A+
Grade - Girl - Live/TV: A+/A+
Grade - Boy - Live/TV: A/A

Another beautiful number from Sabrina Matthews, with another perfect music pick.

Jordan is just WOW. As always. François, who at this point, and only by default, might be my least favorite male dancer, was superb and fluid here, and such a great partner for Jordan.

Here's the video of Jordan and François' Contemporary:

Top 12 Group Dance
Style: Hip-Hop
Choreographed by: Sho-Tyme
Song: "I Can Transform Ya" - Chris Brown feat. Lil' Wayne & Swizz Beatz
Grade - Dance - Live/TV: A/A-

Great dance. FUGLY COSTUMES. WTF WAS THAT??? What was with the reflectors on the girls' boobies?

But great group dance. Surprisingly mostly in sync. Always fun to see who catches my eye in group dances but my eyes were darting everywhere. Christian was kind of adorable in trying to hit it hard. Shane was a bit off at times though, but Adam, Matt and Joey were always ON. Denitsa, still on her hip-hop high, was amazing here. Jordan and Melissa, showed their front running status by upping each other in attitude. Geisha did quite well on the side.

The Final Roundup:

If you may have noticed, I pretty much gave Straight A's across the board. Only differing in plusses or minuses (and really, only one minus). That may have been one the strongest all-round episodes ever. I seriously can picture a good 8-9 of them WINNING this thing, or winning any other season of both the Canadian or the American version. So it's gonna be a tough battle from here on in.

Should Go Home: Um based on tonight? Lindsay only because I somehow forgot about her bird routine? Even though she's such a great dancer that I love? Based on overall? François and Geisha?
My Predictions:
Bottom 3 Couples
Lindsay and Christian
Yuliya and Shane
Geisha and Joey

Will Go Home: Geisha and Christian

This is how I rank all the dancers overall (based on dancing and personality): (last week's standings in parenthesis)
Overall Ranking:
1 (tie). Melissa (3)
1 (tie). Jordan (1)
1 (tie). Joey (2)
4. Adam (4)
5. Matt (8)
6. Shane (6)
7. Denitsa (9)
8. Christian (7)
9. Lindsay (5)
10. Yuliya (10)
11. Geisha (12)
12. François (11)

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My Top 25 Routines from SYTYCD Season 1-5

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So You Think You Can Dance Canada:
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Milwaukee, WI - How The Midwest Was Won
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Salt Lake City and Dallas - Yeehaw Utah!
Los Angeles - It's Time To Put On Those Dancing Shoes Again Kids!

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Finale - Winner Result
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Top 6 Performances, Top 6 Results
Top 8 Performances, Top 8 Results
Top 10 Performances, Top 10 Results
Top 12 Performances, Top 12 Results
Top 14 Performances, Top 14 Results
Top 16 Performances, Top 16 Results
Top 18 Performances, Top 18 Results
Top 20 Performances, Top 20 Results

For So You Think You Can Dance Season 2:
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SYTYCDC4 - Canada, Still with Triple AAA Rating

2011-08-09T00:50:00.003-04:00

So You Think You Can Dance Canada - Season 4 - Top 16 Results, Top 14 Performances - Ep. 413-414
Judges (Top 16): Jean-Marc Généreux, Tré Armstrong, Sergio Trujillo, Dan Karaty
Judges (Top 14): Jean-Marc Généreux, Tré Armstrong, Rex Harrington, Melissa Williams, Dan Karaty

Top 16 Results

Top 16 Group Dance
Style: Contemporary
Choreographed by: Blake McGrath
Song: "God is Able - Smokie Norful

Actual Bottom 3:
Denitsa and Joey
Jordan and Shane
Shelaina and Kevin

um WHAT? THE? F#$K?

ok, I know this is a strong group of dancers. Very strong. Whom many that I love. And we knew it was going to be a difficult decision. And Melissa, Adam, Christian, Lindsay are STRONG dancers.

But I'd also clearly put Joey, Jordan, Shane and Shelaina there on top too. So how are they ALL on the bottom?
In the end, after dancing for their lives:

Shelaina, one of my faves, and Kevin, are cut. I'm especially disappointed in Shelaina's elimination. Not that Denitsa is a bad dancer, who I would happily place on top too, but Shelaina was excellent and should have made it at LEAST to the Top 10 portion of the show. Crazy.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Top 14 - Performances

Jordan Clark and François Pruneau
Style: Samba
Choreographed by: Gustavo Vargas
Song: "Chillando Goma" - Fulanito
Grade - Dance: A
Grade - Girl: A
Grade - Boy: A-

I know this is closer for François but was it me or did Jordan outdance him here? Jordan was mesmerizing and gives that extra pop into her Samba. I couldn't take my eyes off her. François is great, a great partner with great moves and Samba skills, but I practically forgot he was there in the presence of Jordan who just looked fierce.

Here's the video of Jordan and François' Samba:

Geisha Chin and Joey Arrigo
Style: Contemporary
Choreographed by: Stacey Tookey
Song: "Gasoline Rainbows" - Amy Kuney
Grade - Dance: A
Grade - Girl: A
Grade - Boy: A+

That was Geisha's best work ever. Joey is a star and I'm in love with him, and another amazing week from him. He's always excellent. But he really brought up Geisha's game up and she was fabulous finally.

Here's the video of Geisha and Joey's Contemporary:

Yuliya Zavadska and JP Dubé
Style: Hip-Hop
Choreographed by: Sho-Tyme
Song: "Give Em What They Askin For" - Busta Rhymes
Grade - Dance: A-
Grade - Girl: B+
Grade - Boy: A-

Um, I actually thought that was pretty good. Yuliya actually hit it hard and totally transformed herself. JP, while hip-hop, is usually a soft hip-hop dancer and never quite hits things hard enough but I thought Sho-Tyme programmed something perfect for him that he hit just right. I think I liked it more than the judges did.

Here's the video of Yuliya and JP's Hip-Hop:

Lindsay Leuschner and Christian Millette
Style: Jazz Funk
Choreographed by: Blake McGrath
Song: "Blow (Cirkut Remix)" - Ke$ha
Grade - Dance: A
Grade - Girl: A
Grade - Boy: A-

A tired concept but done quite cute here in a fun routine that truly pits the married spies out against each other on a mission. Lindsay gives some kicks at Christian, working it around in their dance chemistry together. Lindsay is just whip crackle in this. Christian is solid as always, though there were a few foible moments but still amazing. The judges seem to have the same minor criticisms for Christian but still heap their love for him.

Here's the video of Lindsay and Christian's Jazz Funk:

Denitsa Ikonomova and Matt Marr
Style: Cha Cha Cha
Choreographed by: Natalli Reznik and Francois LaFreniere
Song: "Give Me Everything" - Pitbull feat. Neyo, AfroJack & Nayer
Grade - Dance: A
Grade - Girl: A
Grade - Boy: A-

Dan Karaty has it right again. Matt might not be the best technical dancer but there's a reason he's never been in the bottom. He exudes warmth and excitement with his personality and it shines through in his dancing. He just LOOKS like so much fun and he's an entertainer. That said, while he doesn't get the Cha Cha quite perfectly as well as partner Denitsa (who obviously excels in her own style), and with that final fumble, Matt does actually quite well for a ballroom dance.

Rex forgives Matt's ending because of his showmanship (and admits to dropping Canada's prima ballerina Karen Kain on her face! As he says, "it happens! Live shows, It happens!")

Here's the video of Denitsa and Matt's Cha Cha Cha:

Carlena Britch and Shane Simpson
Style: Contemporary
Choreographed by:
Song: "Wise Up" - Aimee Mann
Grade - Dance: A
Grade - Girl: A-
Grade - Boy: A

Finally Carlena gets contemporary. And you know what? She does a pretty great job. She gets the steps, the movements, and more importantly, she acts out the role. I'm still not sure if I feel the true passion behind it all, but she fakes her way through it all and does a pretty great job, and that's a big step for a street dancer to learn in a few days. The passion will come when she's more comfortable with the style and can fully give herself over (without worrying the steps, the flow, and acting the emotions).

Shane is amazing as always. Like Joey, is always such a great support and partner with such a strong mix of technical and emotional performance. (Oh, and now Rex also compares Shane to Joey, who both have "an inner soul").

Here's the video of Carlena and Shane's Contemporary:

Melissa Mitro and Adam LoPapa
Style: Hip-Hop
Choreographed by: Luther Brown
Song: "" -
Grade - Dance: A
Grade - Girl: A
Grade - Boy: A

I forgot Melissa is from my hometown. Go hometown girl! I feel bad now cause I STILL keep forgetting about her, and then remember that she's excellent everytime. And yet again, here she's solid in a hip-hop. Can she be too good that you forget she's even in the competition?

Love Adam too and he's always been solid. WIth no difference this week.

Melissa and Adam are AWESOME in this hip-hop and get all dirty and hard into it. There's no ounce of the York region white folks trying to be all downtown. This is the real deal.

Dan Karaty flat out calls Melissa the best dancer on the stage. Melissa and Rex have all kinds of praise for them. I've given up trying to decipher what Tre and JM are trying to say.

Here's the video of Melissa and Adam's Hip-Hop:

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

The Final Roundup:

Should Go Home: JP and Geisha
My Predictions:
Bottom 3 Couples
Um, no clue.

JP and Yuliya
Carlena and Shane
Geisha and Joey

Will Go Home: JP and Yuliya, tho really, I have NO idea this time.

First time this season, I'm finally doing the overall ranks - This is how I rank all the dancers overall (based on dancing and personality):
Overall Ranking:
1. Jordan
2. Joey
3. Melissa
4. Adam
5. Lindsay
6. Shane
7. Christian
8. Matt
9. Denitsa
10. Yuliya
11. François
12. Carlena
13. JP
14. Geisha

- - - - - - - - - - - - -
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Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com