While word on the street is that NEXT TO NORMAL will not transfer anywhere, I now hear that NEW JERUSALEM, the absolutely excellent David Ives play that concluded its too short run at Classic Stage two weeks ago, will supposedly move to Broadway's Circle in the Square this spring. I am truly happy to hear this. Not just because it's a great play that belongs there, but I had really wanted to see the play again before it closed.
So what did I see this weekend?
First was INTO THE WOODS at Cap21. You know, I was amazed that how much Sondheim one could see in a single weekend: INTO THE WOODS at Cap, SUNDAY on Broadway, COMPANY on PBS, SWEENEY TODD in movie theaters.
Steinhardt (which just did an overwhelmingly beautiful production of FLOYD COLLINS) did a very leaden INTO THE WOODS two years ago that was too not well acted. However, I was really amazed by how great the Cap production was. All Cap productions take place in their small blackbox theater on 18th Street. (Steinhardt shows get the benefit of a full proscenium space and ample production values.) Cap shows get little more than small building block crates. But what really amazed me about their INTO THE WOODS was how well the cast understood the material, leading to some brilliant acting choices and textual analysis. Bravo to its director! I was also glad to hear that the next Cap production will be one my fav old-school musical comedies: BOYS FROM SYRACUSE.
I was supposed to review THE ADDING MACHINE, which opens tonight, on Saturday afternoon. But just 90 minutes before the matinee was to start, I received a phone call from the press agent informing me that the show's lead actor was sick and that the matinee would be cancelled. As such, I will need to reschedule that one at some point. I've heard really mixed things on the show. Some love it, some hate it. But I think the best piece of advice I received was that I'd feel similar about ADDING MACHINE to that of SLUGS BEARORS OF KAROL ISLAND, which I found somewhat interesting, but not totally enjoyable. Oh well, we'll see.
Saturday night I reviewed PASSING STRANGE. My review will be out Friday.
Sunday night I went to LYRICS & LYRICISTS tribute to the work of FRED EBB at the 92nd Street Y. Organized by Rob Fisher, it featured a small cast and pit performing a variety of his songs (most, of course, from the Kander & Ebb songbook) including Brent Barrett, David Garrison, Judy Blazer and Tyne Daly.
An inherent production with a tribute to Ebb is that so much of his material is really well-known. Take, for instance, anything from CABARET or CHICAGO, or even to a less extent SPIDERWOMAN, WORLD GOES ROUND, FLORA, CURTAINS or ZORBA. Some rarities were mixed in to add a fuller flavor. But if anything could have been cut, it should have probably been the sexpot numbers like "All That Jazz," "Ring Them Bells" and "Arthur in the Afternoon." If you're going to do these, we need some Fosse staging.
David Garrison's narration was helpful, providing some anecdotes about the lyrics and about Ebb's Manhattan-centric personality as well.