NEWSIES - the musical

Yesterday Michael Marie & I went to got see Newsies - the musical at Paper Mill Playhouse. This Disney production was really good. Not great ryan charisma? Well, we'll discuss that later. This means the show had a built in audience that would be the same audience for any boy band concert. As a matter of fact, a woman sitting two seats away from me said "I feel like I'm at a boy band concert." So there was hysterical screaming and applause before the show even got going. Take it for what it is. First I thought the multimedia and set were excellent. The costumes were appropriately period. What a visually fun show! The cast was big. The chorus (newsies) were about 20 men, and basically is the main character. As for the leads, I really enjoyed everyone of them. Their acting and vocals were great. Even the girl. Well, why was it only good ryan charisma? OK, let's dish...

The newsies (boy paper-carriers) were grown men. No really, they were grown men, who happened to be short. I found myself looking at the twenty-somethings and thinking "he aint `15, 16 nor even 17'. Some of them had receding hairlines. Thank god for hats, eh? I looked at these "boys" and thought wow they're sexy. Boys are not sexy, they don't have men's calves, thighs & 'boy bulges'. It was inappropriate. I wish they had used real boys in the 13 - 17 age range. Very uncomfortable. Should you see this show? Sure, but it's Disney so once is enough. I don't need to see this again.

FOLLIES

A small group of us, Sam, Michael Marie, Gail, Michelle, Mr. Adam & I went to see the latest incarnation of Stephen Sondheim's Follies. Did you like it Ryan? Well, yes - very much so. It was lush, well directed, well acted and sung. There were some great directing moments that I can't give away and, as the show calls for, some real difficult, heavy moments. All done well and with a creative flair. I was asked "on a scale of 1 - 10? Well, I'd give it a 9. I would. There were things lifted from the script that were so clever. If, and that a big if, "IF" I were to have any huge criticism of the show it would be that Bernadette Peters was the weakest link. Yes, you read right. And her rendition of "In Buddy's Eyes" was stunning. Should you see this show? Yes, but bring a tissue.