Disney Strikes Again with Aladdin

I recently saw the new Disney production of Aladdin, subtitled "The New Musical".  Getting tickets was a bit last minute so there wasn't a lot of anticipation, but I did have "A Whole New World" running through my head all day.

The story line is roughly the same as the movie, and doesn't take itself too seriously.  A new addition are three friends of Aladdin (Babkak, Omar, and Kassim) who act as narrators, reprising "Arabian Nights" with various verses to advance the story.  The lyrics are quite humourous even pointing out that they're going to use the split stage effect to keep the action flowing.  One funny line that may play better when the show gets to Broadway was somthing like "they're tourists, they'll clap for anything".  I didn't hear so much as a giggle.  But then it's likely the majority of the audience were locals and not tourists, something I expect may be different in NYC.  Adding these storytellers is an interesting technique and generally it works.  What I'm not sure works though is the literal personification of Iago.  He comes across more like LeFou from Beauty and the Beast than Jafar's evil sidekick with his own agenda.  Likewise the three friends supplant the faithful sidekick Abu, and the magic carpet doesn't show up until needed for the all important flight of wooing (the Genie provides it as part of Aladdin's wish to become a prince).  All understandable changes given the difficulty of turning animated objects into real elements on a stage.

Aladdin in the market

The sets were impressive.  Agribba grew out of the desert with swirling buildings that were able to give various sky lines including one looking out over the city as Aladdin and Jasmine escape to his loft.  There they sang an extra duet "A Million Miles Away" which is a really nice song, that may be new or maybe was cut from the original movie.  Another extra song was "Proud of Your Boy", movingly sung by the handsome Adam Jacobs as Aladdin.  It appeared in several different reprises and I believe was one that was cut from the film.

I was anxiously awaiting what they were going to do with the Cave of Wonders and sort of expected to be disappointed.  Never underestimate Disney and production numbers.  Wow!  That scene worked on all levels.  The outside was impressive, then as Aladdin entered the cave, and our viewpoint switched as well, the sets were staggered as they flew in from the sides giving the impression of moving deeper inside and everything started to shimmer gold.  He gets trapped of course and rubs the lamp to read what's written on it and the Genie swirls up from the ground!

James Monroe Iglehart, the Genie, sounded a bit like Robin Williams at times when he reached the

Genie in the Cave of Wonders

higher register of his voice, and a few of the gags from the movie were included.  So now that Aladdin has met Genie: Cue production number!  It had waiters appearing from the back and the wings, a table magically producing food, dancing girls stepping out of gold pillars, Aladdin disappearing and an energetic tap number that I think surpassed "Be Our Guest".  The Genie was phenomenal.  He delivered magic tricks (pulling a special Mouse out of a hat), and a medley of Disney songs that was awesome!  Whoever re-wrote "Friend Like Me" deserves a prize.

Jasmine in the market

Jasmine was beautiful, although to be nitpicking I found the swinging, dangling earrings somewhat distracting.  Courtney Reed has a great voice and as if sneaking out to the market wasn't enough to show her independence she gets a solo number ("Call Me a Princess") showing her spunkyness at refusing her suitors.  No animal sidekick for her either though; pet tiger Rajah was replaced by the much easier to train ladies in waiting.

The second half peaked with "A Whole New World".  Disney learned from Mary Poppins: The New Musical in regards to the creation of a night sky.  The garden walls pulled back as Aladdin and Jasmine flew in front of a large moon and sky that twinkled and swirled in the background.  Moving larger lights then appeared as actors, almost completely hidden in the dark, gave the sky depth and the carpet flew closer to the front of the stage.

In the garden pre flight

The stars switched to planets which weren't quite as effective in hiding the actors twirling them, but added more colour.  The carpet provided a surface for a few spot lights to illuminate Aladdin and Jasmine while still remaining quite dark itself.  Ending back on the balcony garden, they dismounted and shared a first kiss...cue "awww" moment :)

The "awww" is short lived though, as Jafar appears and drags Aladdin off for trespassing in the Princess's quarters.  Jonathan Freeman as Jafar had the voice from the movie picture perfect.  And why shouldn't it?  He was the voice in the movie!  I haven't seen the film in years and wouldn't have picked it out though.  It was the cackle that triggered recognition.

Sultan, Iago, Jafar
(http://tardisdelorean.tumblr.com)

It was nice to see a Sultan less bumbling than the animated one.  Another plus was that he didn't have enough stage time to make me frustrated enough to want to shake him out of Jafar's spell.  Clifton Davis played the Sultan in a way that though blinded to Jafar's selfish ambition, there was still hope he'd be capable of fighting Jafar if he recognized what was going on.  Jafar's evil was toned down, maybe a bit too much.  His reveal of Aladdin's true status of street rat to the palace didn't seem like a particularly big deal.  The Genie, now fulfilling Jafar's wishes, arrived and granted the wish to make him Sultan.  Jafar's black robe "magically" becomes white matching everyone else (most of the cast was on stage for the wedding already wearing fine white clothes).  Maybe there were technical difficulties, but the platform Jafar was on only rose about a foot, so he really wasn't all that imposing.  There was no snake, and the snake staff didn't even have glowing eyes (surprising given the ease of using LED lights these days).  Aladdin didn't have to fight Jafar, and Jafar's wishing to be the most powerful genie was almost too easy.  His decent into the lamp though was well done.

The final dance number had the whole cast getting a chance to strut their stuff with a few Bollywood style dance moves thrown in to some snippets of "A Whole New World".  The Genie appeared decked out in Hawaiian shirt and small suitcase ready to travel the world.  Unfortunately he didn't say he was headed for Disney World :)

On the way out I overheard someone say the sets were good, the orchestra played the songs well (there were 18 players in the pit, a good size, and the three trumpets were great!), but they ruined the rest.  I completely disagree.  There may be room for improvement, some tweeking perhaps to a rather long battle of Babkak, Omar, and Kassim's with the palace guards in their attempt to rescue Aladdin.  But it's accompanied by the good song "High Adventure" and some funny schtick.  Besides, this is the purpose of out of town tryouts, to figure out the best show possible.  I think it will only get better, but check it out and form your own opinion.  It's in town until the beginning of January before heading to Broadway.  May it have a long run and tour again, because it's worth going to see twice.

Photos from Mirvish.com unless otherwise indicated

Beauty and the Beast

NETworks touring production of Disney's Beauty and the Beast was recently in Toronto.  This one I wasn't going to miss.  I have fond memories of the previous incarnation back in 1995 at the Princess of Wales Theatre.  That might have actually been my first time in that theatre.  The recent version was brought by Dancap, not Mirvish and there were some large differences.

By its nature a touring production is generally not as elaborate as one settling into a location for a more lengthy run than a few weeks, but being familiar with the latter it's hard to get the preconceived notions out of my head.  Additionally I am intimately familiar with the music on the Broadway cast recording, so the first thing that hit me was the lack of lush and full sound in the overture.  With a grand total of 6 strings (2 each of violin, cello and bass), 2 brass (trumpet and French horn), 6 reeds, keyboards, and percussion in the pit, there's just no competing with the larger orchestra that would have been used in studio.  Next up was the different narrator in the "Prologue".  The haunting voice and ending vocal sneer at "for who could ever learn to love...a Beast?" was sorely lacking.

The village set
(toronto.broadwayworld.com)

The smaller, simpler sets worked well enough, just not what I was expecting.  The curtain as the castle door was rather flimsy looking given it is suppose to be a fortress, and the town street of three houses/businesses that kept swirling around had a dizzying effect.

tower/balcony during
rehearsal
(www.revamp.com)

The inside of the castle had twisted vine type stairs that were interesting since at first glance you weren't sure how it would be used, the stairs were hidden within the twists.  However, these flipped around regularly as well, making it look like they were making the most out of the little they had.  It worked for the Beast's "If I Can't Love Her" solo to close Act One when he climbed the tower inside then the set flipped around and it wasn't that hard to imagine he was outside on a balcony.

various portals during rehearsal including colourful books
(www.revamp.com)

In contrast, the second act library scene lost the grandeur of a huge library by having brightly coloured books on portal drapes fly in.  There was only a small shelf of books behind Belle and the Beast during the reading of King Arthur that fit the characteristics of the rest of the sets.

Be Our Guest number
(toronto.broadwayworld.com)

As scenes go "Be Our Guest" was the one that most closely resembled the original I remember, complete with audience showering ticker tape.  What I did miss was Cogsworth calling out "oh no, not the kick line" just before the end.

Emily as Belle
(www.showbizdeluxe.com)

The costumes were impressive, particularly Belle's golden ball gown.  The enchanted objects were pared down slightly which didn't have a negative effect except for Cogsworth.

L: Costume on Broadway
(disneymusicalgallery.tumblr.com)
R: Costume similar to tour
(www.news4uonline.com)

The brown velour type material looked a bit tacky, and I think a larger real clock portion could have helped.  However, James May was a great Cogsworth.

Michael as Lumiere
(toronto.broadwayworld.com)

Lumiere's flaming hands used the 'blow air on material with an orange light to create fire' type look (a more technical description I'm sure exists I just don't know what it is).  This could have been more convincing if the colour wasn't quite so orange and if the flame extended further beyond the wick.  While Michael Haller had the candlestick characteristics down, he also added a rather thick French accent making him difficult to understand at times.

Matt as Gaston
(toronto.broadwayworld.com)

I was not disappointed by the vocal talent though.  Matt Farcher as Gaston had the necessary biceps, cleft in his chin (real or drawn in, it was hard to tell) and a glorious voice (my favourite of the voices actually) which made "Me" and "Gaston" some of the highlight numbers.  Of course the dancing in the bar has stuck with me since I saw the original show.  I love the idea of having the mugs act like tap shoes for the hands.  Fantastic choreography!

Dance in the bar (toronto.broadwayworld.com)

Jimmy Larkin as Lefou was very bouncy and I'll guess it was the same actor who gave the enchanted carpet his athletic twists and flips in"Be Our Guest".  I found William A. Martin unconvincing in the role Maurice.  His gray hair and bushy eyebrows looked fake which probably didn't help, but I just didn't buy him as Belle's father.

The lovely Emily as Belle and Dane as the Beast
(broadwaycritic.files.wordpress.com)

As for the title characters...Emily Behny was a true beauty in the role of Belle.  Her voice could sound a bit shrill at times, but perhaps that was due to a microphone/amplification issue.  She soared over the final notes in "Home" effortlessly.  There was also an extra song in the second half I hadn't heard before.  After the Beast lets Belle go and she's back at the cottage with her father she sings "A Change In Me".  It was added in 1998 when Toni Braxton played Belle and it stayed in the show.  It shows Belle's character has been changed as well, not just that of the Beast.

Dane as the Beast
(toronto.broadwayworld.com)

And how about that Beast...while I wouldn't perhaps classify Dane Agostinis as your drop dead gorgeous leading man (although he looks more so the part in real life than as the Prince at the end, probably the long haired wig), I enjoyed his voice and portrayal of the Beast.  When he got to the low register in "If I Can't Love Her" I got shivers.  The higher ending of the song didn't come quite as naturally and I'm not sure I completely believed he was tormented at having no hope of loving someone.  He didn't seem devastated enough, but I'll take that rather than having it over acted.

In conclusion I'm glad Dancap had the show stop in Toronto and I'm glad I took the opportunity to see it.  If the rumours I've heard are true that Dancap isn't going to continue next season, their contribution to the Toronto theatre scene will be sorely missed.

Mary Poppins: The Musical

The story of super nanny Mary Poppins has been around since 1934 when P.L. Travers wrote the original book.  Since then it has transformed into a Walt Disney movie (1964) starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke and now a Broadway musical.  As a side note, Julie Andrews had not done a movie before Mary Poppins as her career had been on the stage.  She was reluctant to take the role.  However after losing the part of Eliza Doolittle in the movie version of My Fair Lady to Audrey Hepburn, the role Andrews originated on the stage, she consented.  Come Academy Award time her choice was vindicated as she won the best actress Oscar for Mary over Hepburn.  The most recent incarnation combines elements from both the movie and the book into a Broadway musical, which is currently on tour in Toronto.

Ashley Brown as Mary

(www.lasplash.com)

I went in to the show with high expectations, particularly for whoever had the role Mary Poppins having heard Ashley Brown (the originator of the role on Broadway) in several other symphony concerts.  In this case I was not disappointed, Rachel Wallace was a great Mary.  Neither was I unsatisfied with Bert (Nicolas Dromard), George Banks (Laird Mackintosh, who also played the role on Broadway and back in the day was Raoul in the Toronto Phantom of the Opera), Winifred Banks (Elizabeth Broadhurst), or the ensemble.  The personalities of the children were much more obnoxious than in the movie.  Perhaps this was to further the transition the entire Banks family undergoes.  Add a fast speaking tempo and an annoying whine to a high pitch young girls voice, on top of an English accent, and Jane (Annie Baltic) was quite often difficult to understand.  I didn't have quite the same problem with Michael (Reese Sebastian Diaz), although he had fewer lines.

17 Cherry Tree Lane interior
(Photo Joan Marcus)

The set (designed by Bob Crowley) for 17 Cherry tree Lane was pretty nifty.  It folded open at the front in the fashion of a dolls house and recalled to mind the opening of several Disney fairy tale animated films which used the turning of storybook pages.  The front view was the main room, and included a staircase which Mary magically slid up.  Turning the house around revealed the kitchen.  To move to the nursery the roof lowered to the stage.  By maintaining the scale of the house, this was the smallest set and gave the nursery a cramped feel.  The advantage was when the action moved to the roof, it opened up a great expanse for the sky, and dancing over rooftops.

Special effects weren't overdone and were positioned to enhance the story, not just act as gimmicks.  This included the flying, definitely a necessity in Mary Poppins, but was limited to Mary, kites, and Bert tap dancing across the stage proscenium.

Supercalifragisticexpialidocious (torontosavvy.me)

I would be remiss to not address the music.  Most of the Sherman brothers' songs from the movie were included ("Chim Chim Cher-ee", "The Perfect Nanny", "A Spoonful of Sugar", "A Man Has Dreams", "Feed the Birds", "Lets Go Fly a Kite" etc.) although often with altered lyrics to fit different plot situations.  "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" for example occurred in a shop of words rather than a sidewalk painting horse race.  Enhancements here included the addition of a whole theme which allowed an entire dance number to unfold around the premise of spelling this word with 18 consonants and 16 vowels.

LHS: youtube RHS: Rachel Wallace and Nicolas Dromard as Mary and Bert
(www.toronto.com)

"Step in Time" which had Bert and the chimney sweeps tap dancing over the London rooftops was also retained from the movie to fantastic effect.  The beginning slow tempo with silhouetted sweeps against chimneys (especially the one who was balancing on one foot while holding his broom) was eye-catching!  Oh, to be able to tap like that.

Laird Mackintosh, Blythe Wilson as 

Mr. & Mrs. Banks

(www.thestar.com)

The additions of "Practically Perfect" as a solo for Mary, "Anything Can Happen" and "Being Mrs. Banks" slipped into the theme of the Disney canon as if they'd been there forever.  I liked the tighter story line with Mr. and Mrs. Banks having some clear character development in addition to the children. Bert acting as a narrator worked well and gave him some fun moments, like the opening of the second act where he "paints" on the curtain.  His character is so sweet (or maybe the actor who plays him is part of the charm as well).  At one point Mary gives him a kiss on the cheek.  A kiss he returns at the curtain call.

Steffanie Leigh & Nicolas Dromard

(Photo Joan Marcus)

One disappointment was that the orchestra pit was covered :(  All that could be seen was the conductor.  But that's hardly the reason one goes to a musical, and if this one continues to be as popular as it is, maybe there will be a return visit to Toronto at some point.  For an entertaining and enjoyable evening with foot tapping songs and even a message behind the magic, it is practically perfect!

2011 TSO Pops Season Opener

Steven Reineke
(tso.ca)

The 2011/2012 season is the 90th Anniversary of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.  They opened their season with Christopher Plummer reading Henry V, and the Pops series started on October 4 with some more big names.  Conductor Steven Reineke returned to present Hollywood Hits, with guest vocalists Jodi Benson and Hugh Panaro.

(www.bravobroadway.com)

Jodi was the voice of Ariel in Disney's The Little Mermaid 26 years ago, and is still on the job.  If Barbie in Toy Story sounds anything like Ariel, it would be because Jodi was the voice of her as well.  Her only appearance in a live action movie was as the receptionist Sam in Enchanted (which incidentally featured a few other ladies who voiced Disney Princesses) She also originated the role of Polly in Crazy for You on Broadway, and was nominated for the best actress Tony award.

(thephantomoftheopera.com)

Hugh Panaro's major claim to fame is likely his role as the Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera, which he is currently reprising on Broadway.  He is one of the few (depending on where you read it, some say only) performer to have played Raoul AND the Phantom.  There is a Toronto connection as well.  He was Gaylord Revenal in the controversial production of Show Boat that opened the Toronto Centre for the Performing Arts (before the head honchoes at Livent got in legal trouble) back in 1993.

The concert opened with the 20th Century Fox fanfare, fitting to start off movie music, although the roar of Leo the MGM lion would work as well, before moving into "Hooray for Hollywood".  The vocal stars were introduced through "Top Hat, White Tie, and Tails/Steppin Out" (there really is nothing quite like Irving Berlin) as a duet then were showcased in solos.  Hugh smoothly, and in classic crooner style sang his way through Porter's  "Begin the Beguine" which I just recently learned had words.  The piece doesn't have the standard 4 bar phrase format (it is actually 108 bars long rather than the standard 32 bar song form of the time) making it harder to instantly stick in your head the same way a Berlin tune will, for example.  However, I've heard it enough now that the melody has become familiar and it's one of those pieces you can always hear something new with each listen.  The line in the piece "an orchestra's playing" is always smile inducing when sung with a full orchestra on stage, and this concert was no exception.

Jodi returned for "Over the Rainbow" and I wasn't feeling all that impressed.  The light, airy but still rich Ariel voice disappeared as she switched on the belter style and it had too much vibrato on the high end for my taste.  Particularly in a song such as this.  In fact, the concert as a whole hadn't really impressed me yet.

The following two orchestra pieces changed my mind!  I've heard "The Trolley Song" as a solo (classic Judy Garland Meet Me In St. Louis of course), a small ensemble (it was in the first symphony concert I attended "Those Glorious MGM Musicals" with the NAC Orchestra), and a full chorus ("A Chorus of Hits" same orchestra), but I can't recall seeing a strictly orchestral performance before.  This one was fantastic, although with the arrangement being by Conrad Salinger there really was no doubt it wouldn't be.  There were lots of chimes, and bells, and it had the rich, lush sound he's known for.  From my seat I could see the first violin music and talk about some serious runs!  It didn't go unnoticed by Mr. Reineke either, as he quipped to the violins after the piece "enough notes in there for you?"  They didn't seem to have any problems with it though.  Continuing with classic orchestrations, the next was by Robert Russell Bennett, who worked on many Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals, including The Sound of Music.  There were melodies in this arrangement not in the movie (perhaps "No Way to Stop It" from the Broadway version) and it was interrupted by audience applause during a switch into the slower "Edelweiss" and "Climb Every Mountain" section (incidentally exactly like the version in this clip, which sounds like a similar arrangement although pretty bad playing when compared to the TSO).

After that I was engaged, and was drawn in even more with Hugh's performance of "Sit Down You're Rocking the Boat".  He played Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls In Concert, and it was fun to see him as Nicely Nicely Johnson.  His enthusiasm and theatrics were especially entertaining.  Jodi returned with "The Way We Were" by Marvin Hamlish, before they joined forces with Primus: The Amabile Men's Choir to conclude the first half with "Circle of Life".  The Lion King was recently re-released in 3-D and was #1 at the box office 2 weeks in a row!  Pretty impressive for a re-release. Go Disney :)

Post intermission things were restarted out west with Elmer Bernstein's "Main Title from The Magnificent Seven".  This piece was on the program in the first and only concert I saw Erich Kunzel conduct in person and so will always remind me of him.  I finally got around to watching the movie this past summer, and it's a classic, but I think made even better because of the music.  Orchestral pieces in the second half also included the theme from "the best Hitchcock movie, Hitchcock never wrote" which would be "Charade" and because a Hollywood Hits concert just isn't complete without something by John Williams, his "Raiders March" from Raiders of the Lost Ark.  There is only 1 person who has won more Academy Awards than Williams (who has over 40).  Walt Disney himself!

But before returning to Disney music though we stopped in Kander and Ebb territory with pieces from Cabaret.  Hugh is amazing!  He continued to show his versatility by putting on this fantastic accent and announcing in "Wilkommen" style that "Roy Thomson Hall is bee-u-tiful, the TSO is bee-u-tiful, the conductor is bee-u-tiful", which got Steven laughing.  In another Judy Garland link, only this time via her daughter, Jodi channeled Liza Minelli for "Cabaret" wearing a pretty stunning red dress.

Combining again they sang a subdued and sweet rendition of "Moon River".

"Moon River" (toronto.broadwayworld.com/
article/Photo-Coverage-Jodi-Benson-and-Hugh-
Panaro-in-Concert-with-the-TSO-20111012)

Having Ariel in person (wearing a fitting mermaid style blue gown), required of course that "Part of Your World" be sung, although Jodi seemed genuinely happy to do it, saying it's a song she loves and doesn't get tired of performing.  She even noticed a young girl with a Sebastian (the crab from The Little Mermaid) toy in the audience and commented how sweet it was.  I was interested in whether this would be a movie sounding performance or the more grown up Jodi we'd been seeing throughout the evening.  It ended up being a bit of both, beginning with the Ariel innocence but growing up as the song progressed.  This song was also the source of the most humour for the night and almost started late.  After the introductory chatting between Steven and Jodi, he turned around, cued the orchestra, and his baton went flying into the viola section!!  The orchestra, true professionals they are, kept right on playing as Jodi started laughing, and someone in the viola section passed his baton back.  Jodi made the comment "that's life theatre" and Steven said "it happens" which sent Jodi and the audience into another set of giggles.   Amazingly she refocused just in time for her entrance.

The "it happens" moment (toronto.broadwayworld.com as above)

Not to be outdone in the signature song department, Hugh, tieless and looking dashing in a black shirt and jacket (alas I can find no picture from this song), walked out to the opening chords of "The Phantom of the Opera" which segued into "The Music of the Night" (link is to his performance on a CBS news show).  I've heard (not all in person) several Phantom's: (Michael Crawford, Colm Wilkinson, Gerald Butler, Ted Keegan, and whoever performed the 4 times I saw the Toronto production), but none had the smooth voice, suave character, versatility in acting, precise diction, pure power, vocal range or dynamics as Hugh Panaro!  It was absolutely stunning and concluded with an almost immediate and incredibly well deserved full house standing ovation!  I haven't seen that happen mid concert at any that I've attended so far, and I expect it's even more rare at one classified as Pops.  There are not enough positive adjectives to describe how awesome it was.  If I make my first trip New York while he's still playing The Phantom, that WILL be the Broadway musical I go see!

4th dress similar to this
 (www.karianna.us/reviews)

The evening could have ended there, although I'm not sure the audience would have let go without a solo encore, but there was still the real finale to the evening, "You Can't Stop the Beat" from Hairspray.  Dressed in her fourth gown of the evening, this one a pastel tie die pattern, Jodi was committed to the dancing.  Hugh was a bit more standoff-ish, but by the second encore ("Mamma Mia" then "Dancing Queen") they were trying out some synchronized disco moves.

With a beginning to the season like this, I can't wait for the next Pops event!  In case any TSO decision makers ever happen to find this, bring Hugh Panaro back ASAP!  I vote for Rags to Ritzes: A Tribute to Irving Berlin :)