In the Heights at West Valley Arts

Before Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote and starred in another Tony Award winning musical called In the Heights. I have seen it several times (two different productions at PTC as well as the Broadway touring production in San Diego) and I really love it (maybe not quite as much as Hamilton) because it is a very powerful story about community and the family you make with the people around you. Last night I had a chance to see it at the West Valley Performing Arts Center and I think it is their best production yet! The story revolves around a woman named Claudia (Sonia Maritza Inoa-Rosado Maughan) who acts as an abuela (grandmother) to everyone in a small neighborhood in Washington Heights. Usnavi (Pedro Flores) owns a bodega beset with problems, such as a broken refrigerator, while trying to keep his wayward nephew Sonny (Scotty Fletcher) in line. He dreams of returning to the cool breezes of the Dominican Republic. Vanessa (Micki Martinez) is hoping to escape the barrio, and her abusive mother, to move downtown but a credit check for her new apartment stands in her way. Nina (Beatriz Melo) is the pride of her parents (Monte Garcia and Sophia Davis) and the whole neighborhood because she received a scholarship to Stanford but college is a lot harder than she thought it would be, especially since she has to work two jobs to make ends meet, and she is thinking of quitting. Abuela Claudia has looked after them all of their lives and she just might find a way to help them make all of their dreams come true. The entire cast, which is entirely made up of POC, is incredibly strong and I really enjoyed every performance.  However, my favorites were Luseane Pasa as Daniela because she is so sassy in "No Me Diga" and she just about blows the roof off of the theater in "Carnaval Del Barrio" and Melo because you can really feel her pain for disappointing everyone in the neighborhood in "Respira (Breathe)" and her rendition of "Sunrise" (with Kiirt Banks as Benny) is lovely. I was also struck by how much Flores sounds like Lin-Manuel Miranda but I also appreciated that he made the character his own.  Besides the cast, I was also quite impressed with the choreography by Izzy Arrieta and I loved the big ensemble numbers "In the Heights," "96,000" (which was a big crowd-pleaser), "Blackout," and "Carnaval Del Barrio." I also loved the staging of "Alabanza" (my favorite song in the show) because the candlelight processional is incredibly beautiful. The cast executes the choreography very well and it was really fun to watch them dance with so much energy and exuberance! Finally, I think the set by Jason Baldwin is fantastic and does much to enhance the story. The main stage is a courtyard with brick walls covered in graffiti and the dispatch, salon, and bodega are located in the corners (with additional set pieces rolled on as needed).  The aisles function as streets and are used by the cast for entrances and exits. The areas above the wings are configured as fire escapes (I loved the laundry hanging across the windows). This is definitely one of my favorite productions this year (and I have seen quite a few) so I highly recommend this wonderful show (go here for tickets).

Note:  I was so happy to see such a large crowd last night!

Elvis

I am a huge fan of Baz Luhrmann!  I didn't especially care for Australia, but Strictly Ballroom, Moulin Rouge, and The Great Gatsby are some of my favorite movies.  I have lost count how many times I have watched them but I am sure that it is an embarrassingly high number!  I have been looking forward to Luhrmann's latest project, Elvis, for so long and my excitement only grew after it was screened at Cannes to positive reviews.  I finally had the chance to see it last night and it is everything I expected from a Baz Luhrmann movie (and that is a good thing)!  The story of Elvis Presley (Austin Butler) is told through the filter of his troubled relationship with his manipulative manager Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks).  Parker narrates from his deathbed to set the record straight about his perceived responsibility for Elvis's death.  He meets the young Elvis while managing Hank Snow (David Wenham) and Jimmie Rodgers (Kodi Smit-McPhee) on the carnival circuit and, after seeing a performance in which Elvis captivates the audience, he convinces his naive parents Gladys (Helen Thomson) and Vernon (Richard Roxburgh) to let him take over his management and business affairs.  He forces Elvis to tone down his provocative act to be more family friendly, to be drafted into the military rather than be arrested for indecency, to appear in a series of third rate movies, to appear in a Christmas special, and to perform exclusively at the International Hotel in Las Vegas rather than tour.  He also alienates Elvis from the two woman who love him:  his mother Gladys and his wife Priscilla (Olivia DeJonge).  Elvis defies him as often as he can to be true to himself and his roots and, in so doing, he becomes the King of Rock and Roll.  However, he eventually ends up bloated, addicted, and alone after a final capitulation.  Luhrmann is known for his dazzling over the top style and the visuals are absolutely gorgeous even if some of his signature montages are a bit frenetic.  The narrative, which may or may not be completely accurate, is incredibly compelling and I was particularly interested to learn that Parker manipulates Elvis into the Las Vegas residency to cover his own debts.  I loved how all of Elvis's performances are staged, especially his first performance of "Baby Let's Play House" as the girls in the audience lose their minds over him, his 1968 comeback special performance of "Jailhouse Rock" (the black leather outfit!), and the Las Vegas performance of "Suspicious Minds."  Butler gives a performance that is nothing short of amazing, especially when he is on stage (he even sings as the younger Elvis), and I am sure that he will be in the running for every Best Actor award.  Hanks gives one of the most bizarre performances I've ever seen with weird prosthetics and an inconsistent accent (which is unfortunate because he is the narrator) but I appreciate the fact that I never once saw the actor in the character.  Every other character, including Priscilla, is relegated to the background but it almost doesn't matter because you simply cannot take your eyes off of Elvis!  It is an entertaining spectacle and I absolutely loved it!

The Black Phone

Horror movies are a hard sell for me but I was really intrigued by the trailer for The Black Phone so I decided to see it last night.  Despite a few decent jump scares and an unhinged performance from Ethan Hawke, this is not really a horror movie (as the marketing campaign implies) but more of a psychological thriller and I really enjoyed that aspect.  A serial killer known as The Grabber (Hawke) is responsible for the disappearance of five teenage boys in a suburb of Denver.  His next victim is Finney (Mason Thames), a shy thirteen year old who is often bullied at school and terrorized by his alcoholic father (Jeremy Davies).  After being kidnapped, he wakes up in a soundproof basement with an old fashioned  phone that suddenly begins ringing despite being disconnected.  All of the former victims of The Grabber begin communicating with Finney through the phone to help him escape their fate.  Meanwhile, Finney's sister Gwen (Madeleine McGraw) has had unsettling dreams about all of the crimes and, when her brother is kidnapped, she also receives clues from the victims which she uses to help the police with their investigation.  All of the elaborate instructions given to him do not seem to work at first until, in a brilliant final act, Finney finally learns to stand up for himself.  I really loved the message about self-empowerment (it was much more emotionally satisfying than I was expecting) which is why the subplot involving Gwen's dreams didn't really work for me (I wonder if her character was expanded from the short story by Joe Hill for the movie).  Because Gwen rescues him from a bully in the first act, I think his character arc would have been a lot stronger if Finney had not had to rely on her once again to lead the police to him.  The sepia toned cinematography adds much to the sinister atmosphere and the 1970s period details are nostalgic in an unnerving sort of way.  Hawke, who wears a creepy mask most of the time, is absolutely terrifying because he creates volatile shifts in tone by using just his body language and voice.  Thames does a great job conveying so many different emotions as he discovers his inner strength and McGraw shines, especially in an incredibly powerful scene, even if her character feels superfluous to the story being told.  While this isn't as scary as expected, it is compelling and I would recommend it.

The Drowsy Chaperone at HCTO

Last night I saw another production of The Drowsy Chaperone (go here for my review of the Empress Theatre's production) at HCTO.  This show has become one of my favorites because, as a fan of musical theatre, I love the message about its power to transport you away from the real world and all of your problems to a place where happy endings are possible for a few hours.  Man in Chair (Daniel Fenton Anderson) is feeling a bit blue so he decides to listen to his cast recording of The Drowsy Chaperone, a popular musical from 1928 which features mix-ups, mayhem, and a gay wedding (which, he explains, had a different meaning back then).  As he listens to the record, the actors appear in his apartment and bring the show to life with frequent pauses, during which the actors freeze, for his wry commentaries on the musical theatre tropes found therein.  Mrs. Tottendale (Liz Whittaker) and her Underling (Dayne Joyner) are hosting the wedding of wealthy oil tycoon Robert Martin (Preston Taylor) and Broadway star Janet Van De Graff (Brittany Sanders) who is giving up her glamorous career to marry a man she barely knows.  Robert is leaving the wedding details to George (Josh Valdez), his best friend and best man, while Janet's Chaperone (Amelia Rose Moore), who gets drowsy when she drinks champagne, is charged with keeping the couple apart to prevent bad luck.  Broadway producer Feldzieg (Benjamin J. Henderson) is unhappy about losing his biggest star and sets out to stop the wedding by convincing a Latin lover named Aldolpho (Jacob Thomason) to seduce the bride.  An investor in the Feldzieg Follies is also worried about losing its biggest star and hires two gangsters (Preston Harmon and Ethan Freestone), disguised as pastry chefs, to stop the wedding but a ditzy chorus girl named Kitty (Amanda Baugh) is hoping to take Janet's place.  Mayhem ensues but a happy ending comes when Trix the Aviatrix (Aria Love Jackson) marries four couples on her plane while flying to Rio.  Man in Chair puts the wrong record on at the beginning of Act 2, because the woman who cleans for him puts his records back in the wrong sleeve, and the cast, as completely different characters, perform "Message From a Nightingale" from a different musical until he realizes his mistake.  This production is extremely well done and I laughed and laughed through the whole thing.  The cast is incredibly strong but my favorites were Moore and Thomason because they are completely over the top in "As We Stumble Along" and "Aldolpho," respectively.  I also really enjoyed Anderson because he interacts with the cast more than I have ever seen before and I especially loved it when he does a soft shoe routine along with the tap dancing Taylor and Valdez during "Cold Feets" and when he steadies the blindfolded and rollerskating Taylor during "Accident Waiting to Happen."  The choreography is fantastic (I am always so impressed with how effectively the small space is utilized at HCTO) and I particularly enjoyed "Show Off" (the quick wardrobe changes are a lot of fun), "Toledo Surprise" (I loved it when the record gets a scratch and the cast performs the same steps over and over), and "Bride's Lament" (the monkeys!).  The 1920s costumes are fabulous (I especially loved all of the feathers used on the Chaperone's costumes) and the set of Man in Chair's apartment is very effective because the cast enters through a large armoire.  This show makes me so happy (for a few hours, at least) and I loved what HCTO did with it!  I highly recommend getting a ticket (go here).

Singin' in the Rain at HCT

I have been looking forward to HCT's production of Singin' in the Rain ever since the 2022 season was announced because I just knew it would be amazing. I had the chance to see it last night and it certainly lived up to all of my expectations because I had a smile on my face from beginning to end! Don Lockwood (David Paul Smith) is a silent film star in the 1920s along with his bubble-headed partner Lina Lamont (Erin Carlson). When the studio decides to transition to "talkies," Lina's obnoxious voice and terrible acting threatens to ruin the picture. Don decides to dub Lina's voice with that of Kathy Seldon (Debra Weed Hahn), an aspiring actress with whom he has fallen in love, and chaos ensues when Lina finds out! This production is very much informed by the wonderful 1952 movie of the same name and all of the big song and dance numbers are just as spectacular. I really enjoyed the choreography in "Fit as a Fiddle," "Make 'Em Laugh," "Moses Supposes," "Good Mornin'," and "Broadway Melody" because they feature fantastic tapping (which always impresses me) and the use of set pieces and props which are integrated into the dancing. However, I was especially enchanted by "You Were Meant for Me" because it takes place on an empty soundstage with a lot of different lighting effects and other special effects. I think I gasped out loud at an effect featuring Kathy and a backdrop of shooting stars. It is simply magical! The highlight of the show is definitely the iconic number "Singin' in the Rain" because Don dances around the lamppost as rain actually falls around him! It was absolutely thrilling to watch this sequence, especially since I was sitting on the first row in the splash zone! The young girl sitting next to me squealed with excitement every time we were splashed and I think this caused Smith to be a bit more exuberant whenever he was kicking puddles in our section! The set is quite simple with elements brought in from the wings and coming down from the rafters but I was impressed by the attention to detail. The marquees above each entrance to the theater feature the logo for Monumental Pictures, the stage is outlined with plexiglass in the shape of a filmstrip, and the LED screens look like the red velvet curtains you would find in Art Deco movie theaters. Large screens come down from the rafters to show the movie Don and Lina are filming and I loved it whenever we would see Lina's version and then the version dubbed with Kathy's voice because the sound design is quite impressive in these scenes. The 1920s costumes are dazzling with flapper dresses and headdresses that feature more sequins than you can count! Hahn and Smith are great singers and dancers and have a lot of chemistry, especially when they are fighting, and Carlson (who is one of my favorite actresses at HCT) is an absolute hoot, but Alex King, as Don's sidekick Cosmo Brown, steals the show with his comedic timing and physicality! I loved everything about this show and I highly recommend getting a ticket (go here) but you need to act quickly because many shows are already sold out (with good reason).

Note:  Even the bows are entertaining because the entire cast returns to the stage wearing rain coats, hats, and boots while the rain falls once again!