Crazy for You at the Stratford Festival

All photos from Stratford site

I've never had an easy answer to the "what is your favourite musical?" question.  However,  I think I'd probably say Crazy For You.  Scratch that, I know I'd say Crazy For You.  After seeing it again today (for the 3rd time and if time or ticket deals allow I'd go again without hesitation) I'm confident in that.  The music of Gershwin, a fantastic story with a happy ending, and high energy dancing, it doesn't get any better than that.  Each time I see it, there's something else I notice.  Maybe the cast is adding things or making small changes to keep it fresh for themselves, but if the moments really weren't there before it's wonderful since it keeps it fresh for the audience too.  Moments like Bella going to pour a drink and opening his hand to show there's no glass there, or the banter between Bobby and Polly in "I Got Rhythm" like the line "Show me what you got" as they have a mini dance off, are perfect.

Franklin in New York

Josh Franklin is wonderful as Bobby Child.  I first saw him as Billy Crocker in Anything Goes last summer in Toronto.  He's also played Bob Gaudio in Jersey Boys (and got to perform a set from that show in A Capitol Fourth!).  There seems to be a trend with him playing characters who have names starting with 'B'.  Perhaps Bobby in Company is next on his to do list?

I first saw Crazy for You when it was in Toronto 20 years ago (oh my, was it really that long ago?).  That production I saw at least twice, maybe three times.  Camilla Scott starred as Polly Baker, and maybe I'm biased because she was the first I saw so I draw comparisons, but I think I preferred her to Natalie Daradich.  Natalie is good, has a great voice, and lovely dancing, I just have fond remembrances of Scott in the roll.

"Naughty Baby"

While I am comparing productions, there were a few things I missed in Stratford's.  "Stiff Upper Lip" had no pointe shoe tap dance section that I still remember clearly along with the climbing chairs stacked on the table.  The reference in the Stratford production to Les Mis by mentioning the stacked chairs looked like the French Revolution helped make up for it, but alas there was no climbing on them.  Lank (played by Shane Carty) and Irene's (played by Robin Hutton) "Naughty Baby" number didn't seem sleazy enough.  I know, it's a family show musical, but Irene in a satin nightgown helped add that element, in a somewhat subtle way, to the Toronto production.  Lank certainly got his distain for Irene across with his line delivery though.

The performance I think I had trouble buying into the most was Lally Cadeau as Mrs. Child.  I'm not sure why, maybe subconsciously to my mind she'll always be Janet King (sorry Ms. Cadeau), and so I didn't find it believable.

"I Got Rhythm"

The choreography was great!  Huge shout out to Donna Feore.  Her use of the stage was fantastic.  It was also fun to recognize some steps that were taught in my tap class this year.  "I Got Rhythm", the closing to Act I, didn't have the spoons, dancing on corrugated tin, or playing a saw like a violin from the Toronto production, but honestly I didn't miss it by the second viewing.  It's different, but there's SO MUCH going on and so many amazing dance feats showcasing the fantastic cast, what's not to like?

Overall the use of the stage was well done.  The sets were varied and easily gave the New York City and Deadrock Nevada feel.  The big white ball, appropriately lit as the sun or moon, was fun too.

Green tutus

Most of the costumes were also great.  The show girls in pink were perfect, exactly what I expected for "Nice Work if You Can Get It".  For a moment I was a bit worried when the opening had Bella Zanger's girls in these green, funky, flat, tutu things, but it got better.  Josh Franklin even pulls off Bella's pink suit with style.  Although he's handsome enough to pretty much look good in anything.

I had forgotten some of the dialogue and the wit that is interspersed throughout the show and found myself burst out laughing when Bobby takes a large step away from Lank when Lank says to him,  "You are close to an idiot" :)

The interaction between Franklin and Tom Rooney (who plays Bella) in "What Causes That" was absolutely hilarious.  The audience was in stitches.

The sound levels were also perfect.  For a while I thought the singers might be unamplified and had to look really hard to find the mics.  They are getting so small these days!  Franklin's was almost completely hidden in his side burn and most of the ladies I couldn't see at all. I assume they were hidden in or under their wigs.  The sound was always pure and never over powering.  Taps were amplified when needed (such as Bobby's dancing solos) but mostly just showed the dancers skill in having clean and precise sounds.  They made it look easy.

The cast recording is now available and I expect it's really good especially if they used or augmented the 20 or so musicians who were already in the pit.  Even 20 is a large number compared to what tours with a Broadway show these days, so it was super nice to hear the richness of the Gershwin score.  Unfortunately the orchestra was back to being hidden behind the stage unlike in 42nd Street a few seasons ago where they were visible on a balcony.

Finale - the happy ending!

I always use the speed at which the audience gets to their feet as a gauge of how much they enjoyed the performance.  Standing ovations were almost immediate.  It was also nice to see genuine looks of appreciation from the actors.  I hope they had as much fun doing the show as I have had watching it.

Gershwin and Beyond

(www.online-inquirer.com)

May 6 I was back at Roy Thomson Hall for Gershwin and Beyond.  It was to be conducted by Joana Carneiro however due to a shoulder injury she was unable to lead the series of two concerts.  Substituting was American Edwin Outwater.  He had conducted a concert earlier in the season I had wanted to go to but didn't so it was nice to have another opportunity.  Until I read his bio I didn't realize he's the music director of the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony.

The concert opened with Bernstein's "Overture to Candide", which seems to be the selection of choice for opening light classics concerts.  As usual it was joyously played.  Really I don't mind if it's performed a lot, it's one of my favourites.

(hurdaudio.blogspot.ca)

In the introduction to "The Chairman Dances: Foxtrot for Orchestra" Mr. Outwater explained it was part of John Adams opera Nixon in China.  It comes from Act 3 when the President and Chairman Mao, along with their wives are dancing, probably at a ball.  He described the piece as starting with a bit of important business going on, then switching to a classic 1950's Hollywood sound before concluding with percussion sounds reminiscent of an old record with the needle sliding off and up.  It was funny as the young conductor indicated "well that's what I've been told.  I don't know records." :)  The ending didn't really sound like the needle lifting to me, but maybe I just need to hear the real thing again for comparison.  The record I remember playing as a kid was You're a Good Man Charlie Brown and I think the old record and player is still around somewhere.

The first half ended with the always enjoyable "Rhapsody in Blue".  Written by George Gershwin I believe originally for 2 pianos, it was actually orchestrated by Ferde Grofe.  It's true that this piece has become widely recognized.  As Mr. Outwater said "people know it from all sorts of places, like the tunnel between Terminal 1 at Chicago's O'Hare; Neon and Gershwin you might say."  So true!  Admittedly when I haven't been in a hurry in Chicago I've enjoyed a leisurely stroll through the tunnel.  But it wasn't always the soothing, relaxing piece we consider it today.  In its day it would have had things to make the previous generation gasp.  The guest pianist was Todd Yaniw, who I would consider a prodigy having made his debut with the Edmonton Symphony at 13.  Now 26, he's recently received a Master's degree from Rice University studying with another TSO regular Jon Kimura Parker.  As always, it opened with the fantastic clarinet solo by YaoGuang Zhai.

O'Hare Tunnel

Opening the second half was a fanfare inspired by Copland's "Fanfare for the Common Man", but written by Joan Tower and titled "Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman".  Back in March the Baltimore Symphony had a program which included both of these.  A good idea, although I think the "Common Man" would have overshadowed the "Uncommon Woman" merely by being more recognizable.  It was a good fanfare, one I'd like to hear performed again.

Barber's "Adagio for Strings" has been paired by the TSO with "Rhapsody in Blue" before.  It's always a stirring piece but it bothers me that people find the quietest pieces and moments within them to start coughing.  Someone should do a study on the reasoning behind why one cough triggers 15 more from other people around the hall.  I have to force myself to focus on the music, get sucked back into the beauty and try to ignore what's going on around me.  No one clapped though in the spot where there's a pause when people sometimes think the piece is over.

(www.sheetmusicplus.com)

The finale was by Aaron Copland, "Four Dance Episodes from Rodeo".  As part of his intro, Mr. Outwater said something akin to the following "Copland's music is considered by conservative politicians in my country to be an example of pristine America.  I guess they didn't know he was a gay, Jewish socialist from Brooklyn!"

The piece is in four movements Buckaroo Holiday, Corral Nocturne (a pun on chorale), Saturday Night Waltz, and Hoe Down.  The first and finale are fast and light hearted and my favourites.  I haven't seen the suite performed before, but would love to again.  The audience clearly enjoyed it and applauded after each movement which was considerately acknowledged by the conductor rather than just ignoring it; the benefit of a casual concert I suppose.  There was even a burst of applause in the middle of Hoe Down, although the indication from the podium at that point was a skeptical expression as if to say "we're not done yet".  It was great to hear the audience enjoying it, and I'll guess the orchestra didn't mind too much, they had just yelled "yee haw" :)

Night of American Music

The Oct. 9 concert titled Rhapsody in Blue included two pieces from Samual Barber, the "Overture to Candide" by Bernstein and the title piece featuring guest pianist Jon Kimura Parker who apparently has been guesting with the TSO for 25 years.  The evening began with a great pre-concert chat by Rick Philips where we found out how Gershwin came to write "Rhapsody in Blue" as well as some stories about Barber and Bernstein.

"Overture to Candide" was a rousing start to the evening.  From the choir loft seats it's great fun to watch the conductor.  I'd never seen the string players have to pull stray hairs off their bows before, but there were a few who did after this piece.  There was also a guest concertmaster, Jonathan Carney.  He's the regular concertmaster of the Baltimore Symphony.  An interesting note, the BSO's Pops season opened Oct. 7, and why anyone would want to miss Maestro Everly and Gotta Dance is beyond me, but then I'm not a trained musician, mearly a fun loving amateur.  Mr. Carney's style seemed a little flamboyent to me, at least more than I usually recall seeing from the other TSO associate and assistant concertmasters.

Next up was "Symphony #1" by Barber.  Maestro Oundjian introduced this piece (I do love how there's talking in casual concerts!) and mentioned it's rarely performed because people don't quite know how to program it.  After hearing it, I've decided I'm not a fan.  It's interesting I suppose, but it didn't really resonate with me.  The evening's concert was dedicated to a cousin of the Oundjian family, making the very famous Barber piece, "Adagio for Strings" especially poignant.  No one could ever accuse Mr. Oundjian of being stoic on the podium, he feels what he's conducting, and while I often have trouble finding a downbeat, the orchestra produces beautiful music with his leading.  At one point he made a gesture that looked as if he was drawing a bow across a violin.  It's not hard to tell that is his instrument.  There's one very pregnant pause in the piece and the audience was told that in a previous concert some people had thought the piece was over and started clapping, however he felt sure that wouldn't happen tonight.  And indeed, with that reminder, it didn't.

The program concluded with the much more upbeat "Rhapsody in Blue" by George Gershwin.  This piece was named by Ira and originally was going to be "American Rhapsody", however with other names around like "Study in Gray", it became "Rhapsody in Blue".  Gershwin was asked to compose the piece by Paul Whiteman for a concert called An Experiment in Modern Music in 1924.  He hadn't been working on it and with 5 weeks left, on a trip to Boston for out of town tryouts for a musical, he developed the piece.  Gershwin wrote a piece for 2 pianos.  The second piano part became the orchestration.  Apparently Gershwin was mostly self taught and asked Ravel and Stravinsky if he could study music with them.  Ravel's response was "why would you want to be a B class Ravel when you can be an A Class Gershwin?". Stravinsky asked how much money he made, and when Gershwin laid out a 6 digit figure, Stravinsky said "I should be studying with you".

Now back to the actual performance of the piece.  Peter Oundjian introduced Jon Kimura Parker and explained they attended Julliard at the same time, but only met at their graduation ceremony (their guest speaker was Aaron Copland and neither were really paying attention) since they were seated beside each other.  Not a lot of names come between "Ou" and "Pa" so the alphabet brought them together.  They joked around a bit, mentioned the glissando in the clarinet at the start of the piece and how when the clarinetist slid it for the first time (it wasn't originally written that way) it was liked and since then the clarinet player pretty much does what he likes that sounds good.  At this the oboe player looked like he was laughing and the clarinetist gave a quick shake of his head.  However, it sounded really cool, and is something I'm going to have to read about how to do, this may make runs a lot easier ;)

There was an instant standing ovation at the conclusion of the piece.  For an encore Mr. Parker took the microphone and said "when you play with an orchestra you've got to have...", sat down and started playing "I've Got Rhythm".  After being presented with flowers, and there still being a standing ovation, he went back in time, but stayed in the same country, concluding the evening with "Solace" by Scott Joplin.