Culture Corner: Review of Mary Poppins

By now you probably realize that I love a giant Broadway production. So when Jason, Kristen, Kara and I went to see Mary Poppins, I thought we'd at least get that. It's effin Disney, for heaven's sake! I mean, does it get any better than that? Turns out, it kind of does. Young Frankenstein was better. Wicked was better. Many simpler productions were better.

I expected more. I wanted more. I should have gotten more.

Don't get me wrong - some of it was great. The cast was super talented, particularly the kids who were so adorable they practically made my ovaries hurt. The sets and costumes were amazing. And the couple of big numbers were great - but they could have done more. They should have done more. More big dance numbers!

I don't remember the movie all that well, but if felt as though some things were added (probably to make it "fresh") but those scenes didn't actually add anything. The show didn't do enough and yet, oddly, at the same time - the play was too long. There was a horribly scary number and some pretty boring numbers too. I'd been lukewarm abt seeing this show from the start. Maybe I should have trusted my instincts.

Jason says: Let's - go - fly - a - kite...I mean, I LOVE Mary Poppins, but I almost would have preferred to go fly a kite that Wednesday night. The company I saw it with was enjoyable. It was an ok play. A few scenes were very cool (Supercali....for example). Otherwise, I'd say see it if you have the time and nothing else to do one night, as long as the tickets are cheap.

Culture Corner: Review of The American Plan

During Melanie Gras 2009, Jason, Kara and I went to see The American Plan. This one will have you talking for weeks to come. That's what it said in the review that Jason read. The beginning of the play was a little slow, but we watched and we waited. And when we least expected it, the lady behind us "whispered" to her husband, "THIS is what is going to happen." And Jason, Kara and I all sat there and watched and thought "crap. THAT is what is going to happen." And then it happened and was anti-climatic for us all. At least, those of us within ear shot of that lady.

What else do I have to say about this? It was a good play, but I felt the second act seemed rush. A lot happened, but I would have liked to see some items flushed out more, a little more explanation of how we got from A to C. Honestly? If we hadn't been told we'd be talking about it, I don't think we would have been talking about it.

Jason says: "___________ " (I still don't know exactly what to say about it, except that I honestly can say I enjoyed this one.)

Culture Corner Review: In the Heights

Musings was well overdue for a Culture Corner segment - and you've got at least two others in the wings. You see, about a million years ago (or in October), Jason, Kristen, Alisa, Kara and I went to see In the Heights.

I feel like a lot of the press on this show talks about how different it is, so I went in expecting something closer to the dearly dparted Passing Strange rather than a fairly standard musical production. I mean - we're talking full-on, stop-the-action-and-face-the-audinence-and-sing-musical. At first I wasn't sure how I felt about that - it seemed a little disjointed, especially for solos - but as the show went on I got more used to it, but I'm still not sure I liked it. However - this kid? This kid was destined to be a star!



Jason says: "When Ken Rosato speaks, one should listen. It was one early morning around 5:30am and Ken spoke to me saying that I should go see this musical (well, not to me personally, but you get the drift). I immediately told Melanie that morning we needed to add it to the list, this new show about life above Manhattan. Though we didn't see it pre-Tony's, it was well worth the wait. An energetic, upbeat look at a life growing up different from my own. I enjoyed every bit of it, well, except for one minor thing...our seats were, how should I say it, 'in the heights' of the theater."

Culture Corner: Review of Spring Awakening

From Playbill.com: Based on Frank Wedekind's play of the same name, Spring Awakening boldly depicts how a dozen young people make their way through the thrilling, complicated, confusing and mysterious time of their sexual awakening.

This was one of the most bizarre shows I have seen this season. Alisa, Kara, Jason and Kristen and I went to see it on a Tuesday night. It was a lot of show to take in on a Tuesday night. Pretty heavy subject matter for me to process. And of course, there's the brief nudity. SCANDAL!!!!

The cast is very talented. I would say they are mainly singers first, then actors but regardless, they really are phenomenal. The music is really superb. Hunter Parrish of Weeds was in the production we saw and for the most part, he held his own.

Bottom line? Not for kids or the faint of heart or if you're looking for a fun, feel good time. However, it is a very well done and interesting show.

Jason says: BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH. This was my second time seeing Spring Awakening, which I originally ranked as one of my top 3, if not THE top, plays I had ever seen. I saw the original cast, WAY before the TONY was won. Even though I enjoyed that version better (isn't the original always the best?), this one was up there as well. A great performance by all, including Weeds star Hunter Parrish, made for a delightful evening with friends...I wonder how these kids would do growing up IN THE HEIGHTS???