Big Fish the Musical

It has been a while since a theatrical production has stirred up so much in me. Four years since I stepped foot in the Neil Simon Theatre to see Norbert Leo Butz in "Catch Me If You Can" the musical on Broadway, I was back in the same venue to see Norbert again, but this time in "Big Fish the Musical," which just opened last week.  I want to start by saying that I was brought to tears by this show. It was beautiful, and a spectacle in itself. Norbert was incredible, though I expected nothing less from the two time Tony Award winner.

For those who are unfamiliar with the source material, "Big Fish" tells the story of a father, Edward Bloom, who tells astounding larger-than-life tales about his life. From meeting giants and living in small hospitable towns, he has lived his life to the fullest. However, as Edward's cancer worsens, and his son Will is about to have a son of his own, Will is determined to learn the truth about the life his father lived. "Big Fish" was originally a novel published in 1998 and written by Daniel Wallace. It was later adapted into a feature film in 2003 by Tim Burton with a screenplay by John August.

When I saw the movie for the first time last year, I thought that while the film was visually appealing and its tale fantastical, I could not connect with the characters. It was simply one of those movies that I saw, enjoyed, but then forget about over time. However, this musical adaptation had an entirely different effect on me. I was moved, engaged, and was filled with my own vision for what could have been.

The cast, led by Norbert Leo Butz as storyteller and father Edward Bloom, was top notch. Kate Baldwin plays Sandra, Edward's wife, and rising Broadway star Bobby Steggert portrays Will Bloom, his son. They were all fully comfortable in their respective roles, and the chemistry between Norbert and Bobby was impeccable, but more on that later.

The set fully illuminates the larger-than-life stories that Edward tells, from dark forests to a field of daffodils. And the lighting design accentuates what's on the stage and immerses the audience in the story being told. But with such beautiful production design is where this show falls short in its execution.

Directed and choreographed by Susan Stroman, whose previous credits include "The Producers" and "The Scottsboro Boys," there were several moments that simply wowed me, but other parts left me underwhelmed. My problems with the production can perhaps be best summed up with the words of Ben Brantley, who reviewed the show for the Times last week. Brantley states that, "for outlandish stories to seduce, you should never be able to separate the teller from the tale," and I couldn't agree with this more. He continues to write that:

"The problem is that you feel these colorful visions are being thrust not just upon the audience but also upon Edward. It’s as if the contents of an immense toy chest had been emptied on top of him, when you need to believe that it’s his imagination that summons these gaudy phantoms into existence. Yes, there’s plenty of theatrical cleverness in how these ingredients are arranged. But it’s as if some cosmic Florenz Ziegfeld is the one doing the arranging, not an Everyman Walter Mitty from Dixie."

And that is exactly how I felt during several of the numbers in the show. The production opens strong with a wondrous number ("Be The Hero"), but then stumbles through the rest of the two acts before finishing off strong once again. But most of the issues had to do with Stroman's directorial decision to make everything happening around Edward bigger than big, and as a result, pulled me away from the storyteller and his telling of the tale. In one of my favorite numbers from the score, "Time Stops," everyone on stage moves in slow motion as Edward Bloom sings of finally meeting his true love Sandra. But as the title of the song suggests, I couldn't help but imagine how much more powerful that moment and song would have been if everything on the stage actually stopped so that the song and its singer could have been the sole focus. On the other hand, in one of the better executed numbers titled "Out There on the Road," Norbert Leo Butz dances and tells the story about his encounter with a giant named Carl. With Norbert's humorous dance moves and facial expressions, I fully felt his character's excitement as he recounts this particular event in his life. I wish more of the show would have been like this, but instead we get several big numbers where the director lets the flashy special effects, and not its phenomenal lead actor do the telling of the story.

The score, written by Andrew Lippa (Tony nominee for "The Addams Family"), had its bright spots, notably "Time Stops," "Be the Hero," and "Fight the Dragons." But with a sensational tale at hand, I wish there were more numbers on par with the wondrous story being told.

But despite its flaws, "Big Fish the Musical" still resonated with me (more so than the film did). In the execution of Edward's death at the end, Will finally realizes that his father was a honorable and good man who loved him deeply. Edward told these outlandish stories because he wanted to inspire his son to live a big and fulfilling life and to experience as much of the world as he can, something that he never got to do. And by the time Will realizes this, it is too late. Edward has had a stroke, and is in a coma at the hospital. Because he was never able to finish telling Will his story, Will finishes it for him, creating a big fantastical happy ending to Edward's journey. This incredibly emotional, well-executed and acted scene made for a stirring ending.

"Big Fish" was not perfect, but when it was it soared, and those charming moments and extravagant performances, remind me of my love for the theatre, and will stick with me for a very long time.

Bibliography

Brantley, Ben. "A Dad’s Tall Tales and a Down-to-Earth Son." The New York Times. October 6, 2013. Web. <http://theater.nytimes.com/2013/10/07/theater/reviews/susan-stroman-directs-big-fish-on-broadway.html?_r=0>.

Matilda the Musical (2011) - Theatre Review

Magical, heart-warming, and exciting. Matilda the Musical features a cast of talented children that is the most invigorating group of kids I've seen since Billy Elliot.

Featuring music by Tim Minchin and a book by Dennis Kelly, Matilda the Musical is West End's newest musical based on the popular Roald Dahl novel of the same name. Like Billy Elliot, the cast features a group of young children who sing and dance their asses off like no other.

While I didn't LOVE Tim Minchin's score like many others have, there were a few songs that I thought were memorable, namely "When I Grow Up" and "Miracle". Another number that raise the show's quality bar is "Revolting Children". The choreography, acting and children in this production is top-notch, and one can't help but smile at what a beautiful piece of theatre Matilda is.

The lighting and set design are also very well done, with very intricately designed moments here and there throughout the 2 1/2 hours of the production. All in all, Matilda the Musical is a fun piece of family theatre fare. The show is no doubt bound to be a new hit in the West End, and most definitely a must see!

War Horse (2011) - Theatre Review

Based on the book of the same name by Michael Morpurgo, War Horse is a must-see spectacle that gives a whole new theatrical experience to the West End stage.

Adapted for the stage by Nick Stafford, the show premiered in 2007 in London, England. Currently being performed at the New London Theatre, War Horse is both emotionally invigorating and captivating. The story follows a young boy named Albert and his friendship with his horse Joey. Set behind the backdrop of World War I, Joey is soon enlisted to be used as a war horse, sold to the cavalry and shipped to France. Unable to cope with the separation from his friend, Albert soon enlists himself in the army as well in hopes of finding his horse again along the way.

With a phenomenal cast full of young British talent, and innovative set and costume design, the production is an absolute spectacular. The real standout however, is the intricately designed life-sized horses used in the play. The puppets, controlled by four actors move and interact with the actors on stage with such fluidity and life-like movements that at times, you can't help but forget that those aren't real horses.

Not much more needs to be said about the show, as it is something that every avid theatre goer must experience once in their lifetime. War Horse is truly perfect production that will no doubt move you with its touching story, and wow you with its carefully crafted stage designs.

Ghost the Musical (2011) - Theatre Review

GHOST the Musical was a innovative, visually stunning and emotionally invigorating production here in the West End.

The stage adaptation of Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore's 1990 film of the same name, GHOST is a new West End musical that opened on July 19, 2011 at the Piccadilly Theatre and is expected to transfer over to Broadway spring of 2012. Starring Richard Fleeshman and Caissie Levy, the musical follows a couple, Sam Wheat(Fleeshman) and Molly Jensen(Levy) who are attacked one night while returning to their apartment. And when Sam dies, he turns into a ghost, guiding Molly to help her find his killer.

Directed by Tony Award winning director Matthew Warchus and featuring music by Dave Stewart and Glen Ballard, the show features a timeless love story that will surely captivate an audience. Caissie Levy gives a commanding performance as Molly Jensen, exuding so much heart and emotion into the role that at times, you can feel her pain of losing the love of her life. Richard Fleeshman also shines in the role of Sam, and his rock/pop vocals fits perfectly with the musical numbers in the production.

The highlight of the show however, is the set design and special effects that make the "ghost" in GHOST so real. With out of this world illusions and projections and holograms, viewers will be wowed by every out of this world act Fleeshman is able to perform thanks to the creative team behind this production.

The only flaw I had with the show is the number "Ball of Wax." The song feels out of place, immediately removing all sorts of emtions from the previous scene where Sam dies. Maybe a slow number should be inserted before it, but if it were me I would have played up the somber emotions of the audience first before lightening up the mood with the very old school Broadway number that is "Ball of Wax."

With a very talented cast and creative team, memorable ballads, and special effects that completely knocked the movie's effects out of the park, GHOST is a musical that is not to be missed.

Billy Elliot the Musical (2011) - Theatre Review

The touring production of 10 time Tony Awards winning Broadway musical Billy Elliot has made a stop in the Bay Area in San Francisco for a limited engagement. I had the pleasure to see the show here, with Ethan Fuller playing the role of Billy the night I saw the production.

I had heard about Billy Elliot and seen the "Angry Dance" Tony performance, but did not really know what the plot of the show was until I saw the show last night. The musical completely blew me away, not only with the phenomenal dance numbers put on by the young children in the cast, but also by the heartfelt story.

The song "The Letter" literally brought tears to my eyes, and "Solidarity" left me giving the entire cast a standing ovation. The young children in the production were all amazingly talented dancers, all on point, crisp and sharp in their coordinated routines and choreography. The set design served its purpose, and the stunning aerial dance sequence performed by Billy to the soundtrack of Swan Lake was absolutely beautiful.

I cannot rave enough about how much I loved this show, and I plan to see it once more during its time here in San Francisco. Billy Elliot has easily become one of my top favorite Broadway shows to date.

Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark (2011) - Theatre Review

Broadway's most expensive musical, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark has long been panned by critics since it began previews back in November 2010. It was set to open in December, but was pushed back six times after to a new opening date of June 14, 2011. After going on a three week hiatus to implement new changes to the show including new songs, rewriting the book and fixing choreography, the series dumped its original directed Julie Taymor and returned on Thursday May 12 to resume its preview performances.

I have been dying to see this show since it debuted in November 2010, and had the privilege to see the show on Friday May 13, its second preview show after it returned from its hiatus. Despite all the hate from the press and frequent theatre goers, I must say that I really really liked this show. I mean, sure, it has its problems still but it's nothing too drastic that the producers can't fix by the time the show official opens. And credit does have to be given to the eye-popping costume and set designs and to the much-talked-about flying sequences.

First let me talk about the new plot of the show — after its revisions, the story is now more similar to the first Spider-Man movie. The show opens with Peter Parker giving a school report on the mythological character Arachne. Peter Parker is your average geeky social outcast, bullied by his fellow classmates and falling head-over-heels for the girl-next-door, Mary Jane Watson. After a school field trip visit to the Oscorp Labs, Peter is bitten by a spider and turns into the iconic superhero of comic-book fame. Norman Osborne, after going too far with his experiments, turns into the Green Goblin and also creates six mutated villains known as the "Sinister Six". They terrorize Manhattan as Spider-Man must save the innocent victims roaming the streets of New York City while at the same time leading a normal life that includes a budding relationship with Mary Jane.

I really liked the character of Arachne, played by T.V. Carpio, who served as a guardian for Peter Parker. She has a few good songs as well including one of the musical's theme songs "Rise Above". Reeve Carney played Peter Parker/Spider-Man and perfected both the geeky and heroic aspects of the part. His raspy rock-band voice was absolutely beautiful and different than your typical Broadway Male Lead vocals, but in a good way. Next to Normal's Jennifer Damiano stars as Mary Jane Watson, who sings a few memorable tunes as well. My favorite talent in the acting department however was Patrick Page, whose portrayal of the villain Green Goblin was sheer perfection. His sinister laugh and humorous one-liners brought a lot of life to the character. Further, in a phone-booth scene where Green Goblin tries to call 'The Daily Bugle', I could not stop laughing at the humorous take the producers and Page added to that scene.

U2's Bono and the Edge wrote the score to the musical, which they describe as a "rock opera." Besides some lines that can be perfected and others cut the only problem I found in this show was the score. There were many songs that were both memorable, catchy, and absolutely amazing. But then there were those other songs that were complete disasters. Both Bono and the Edge are talented musicians, but I think that they should have brought in a third musician, a Broadway veteran composer to help bring a more Broadway-like tone to some of their numbers. Songs like "D.I.Y. World" and "Bullying By Numbers" which were suppose to be the show-stopping ensemble numbers fell short. Not only was it not musical-worthy, it was almost cringe-worthy at points. In addition, the Green Goblin song "I'll Take Manhattan" was a good concept, having the Goblin play on a piano and sing, but the song itself needs major work in my opinion. With some tweaking that song actually can be really good. However, despite those lackluster numbers, I actually liked a handful of the songs from the show. Arachne's "Rise Above" was very beautiful and well-sung by T.V. Carpio; her duet with Peter Parker "Turn Off the Dark" was also very good. Mary Jane Watson's "If The World Should End" and the Mary Jane and Peter Parker duet "I Just Can't Walk Away" were so good, I was dying for the soundtrack after I heard them sing it. And last but not least, Reeve Carney absolutely killed it when he sang Peter Parker's 11 o'clock number and theme song "The Boy Falls From the Sky." I am obsessed with that song and his voice...SO. AMAZING.

I must admit that I was so intrigued by this show because of all the flying sequences. I wanted to go to see Spider-Man fly around a theatre, battling villains in the air, etc. And I all my dreams came true at the Foxwood Theatre on Friday Night. Spider-Man flew all over the 3-level theatre, from the Orchestra to the Flying Circle and even to the Balcony where I sat. He flew so fast, and his in-air battle with the Green Goblin was so epic. Spider-Man took off and landed a few times from the launch pad on the balcony which was right in front of where I sat, and as I watched the actors land and take-off from the pad, my heart stopped beating every time. The show ended with Spider-Man swinging all over the theatre and then flying to the very top of the balcony. Spider-Man landed right in front of me, and that could not have been a better ending for me as an audience member sitting right in front of Spider-Man.

The show was visually stunning, a must-see spectacle and a thrilling ride that I enjoyed very much. After the show, I got to meet all of the cast. Reeve Carney even knew who I was! I follow him on Twitter and tweeted him before the show, and when I met him afterwards I told him that I followed him on the site and told him that my name was Kyle. He then responded with a smile and said, "Oh, you are Kyle Fong! You are from California right?" It made my day. Spider-Man knew who I was! And it made me love Reeve Carney and his performance even more. I honestly cannot rave enough about how much I loved seeing this show, and I most definitely would go see it again after they finish perfecting it for Opening Night in June. Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark is one of Broadway's highest-grossing shows, and the $65 million dollars spent on this production was surely worth it.

Catch Me If You Can the Musical (2011) - Theatre Review

March Shaiman and Scott Wittman, the creative team behind Hairspray is back on Broadway with a new high-flying new musical, Catch Me If You Can. With choreography by Jerry Mitchell and starring Norbert Leo Butz and Aaron Tveit, the new show is based on the movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio of the same name.

I have been eagerly awaiting the day I could see this musical since I heard about it, and I finally got the opportunity to on Thursday, May 12. I am a huge fan of Aaron Tveit, and have had Catch Me's score on repeat since January. After seeing the show I am pleased to say that I was not disappointed whatsoever. In fact, I LOVED it.

The score was perfect. The tunes were catchy, and I absolutely loved all the solo numbers, from Kerry Butler's "Fly Fly Away" and Tveit's "Goodbye". Further, the dancing and its choreography was stellar. From the larger-than-life opening number "Live in Living Color" to iconic kick-line tune "The Jet Set" and the Norbert Leo Butz led "Don't Break the Rules", I was absolutely in awe of how energetic the entire ensemble was. Tveit was a true shining star in the role of Frank Abagnale Jr., and Norbert Leo Butz' performance as FBI Ageny Carl Hanratty was perfection. In addition, Kerry Butler as Brenda Strong, Frank's love interest and Tom Wopat as Frank Abagnale Sr. were also very memorable.

I honestly cannot go on about how much I loved this entire show. Having the orchestra on stage as a set and turning the film's plot into a 60's television special was brilliant, and gave the life of Frank Abagnale a reason to sing about. I had a fun time seeing this show, and also had the opportunity to meet Aaron and Norbert after the show. I look forward to seeing Aaron Tveit continue to grow and whatever he does next, I absolutely cannot wait to see him in it. He is a true star on the rise and I am so glad that I got to see him in this show.

Catch Me If You Can - Performance Preview

I know that I mostly post about Film and Television on here, but I am also a huge fan of theatre. I especially love musicals and have performed in numerous of shows since I was a child and throughout high school. Besides the critically-despised Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, numerous of other shows are opening this spring on the Broadway Stage in New York. Of the many shows, I am especially looking forward to seeing Catch Me If You Can, starring Aaron Tveit, Norbert Leo Butz and Kerry Butler. The show opens this Sunday, April 10th and I will be seeing the show in May (rest assured, a full-length review will be posted). Below is some just released footage for the production, and it is making me all the more excited to see this!