00064: REAL WOMEN HAVE CURVES (Broadway Musical Review)

Zoot Suit by Luis Valdez, was the first and only Chicano play to ever make it to Broadway. This happened back in 1979. Although many people may argue that Zoot Suit is a musical, it isn't; it is a play with music, and we can all engage in a conversation about this topic later. Right now, I simply want to highlight that since Luis Valdez's master piece, no other Chicano play or musical has ever been on a Broadway stage until the musical Real Women Have Curves opened a few weeks ago. Just to clarify, there has been many Latiné/Latinx plays and musicals on a Broadway stage, but never a Chicano musical. And if we also need to engage in a conversation about this topic, we can do this too, but at this moment, this space is for the new Broadway musical Real Women Have Curves.

With a book by Lisa Loomer with Nell Benjamin and music and lyrics by Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez, "Real Women" is based on Josefina Lopez's original play and also on the HBO's screenplay written by Josefina Lopez and George LaVoo.

The musical is set in Boyle Heights (a section of Los Angeles) in 1987, and its story follows a recent high school graduate named Ana Garcia--played with high energy and enthusiasm by newcomer Tatiana Córdoba--who just been accepted to Columbia University with a full scholarship. The problem is that her mother Carmen Garcia--played by Justina Machado, a seasoned TV and film actress who's accolades are too many to mention, but also a Broadway newcomer--expects her to join the family sewing business. The business is run by Ana's older sister, Estela Garcia--played with so much charisma by Florencia Cuenca, also a newcomer to the Broadway stage. As we follow Ana's story we learn that the women working at the shop are all (except for Ana) undocumented immigrants. Ana was born in the US. These women, against all odds, have been surviving and living the best way they can in a country that doesn't welcomes them at all.

It is no secret, or perhaps for many it is, that Ana's story in based in the life of its creator, Josefina López, who as an undocumented immigrant was expected to work with the family rather than study. In the play and in the film, the story highlights the complicated and often tumultous relationship between mother and daughter while also underlining the lives and the constant fear undocumented immigrants carry while navigating life in the US. The musical makes an honest attempt to reach those goals. But the fear of being undocumented and the heaviness one feels due to such reality seemed to be challenging issues to truly put into song. In the same manner, the tension created and explore between mother and daughter in both the play and the film, while exposed in the musical, are not truly explored.

This doesn't mean the musical isn't entertaining, fun, or emotional because it is. There is in fact, a character that doesn't exist in Josefina's play and film that became an addition to the musical story and plot, Itzel. Itzel is a recent undocumented arrival, an Indigenous Guatemalan teenager who has experienced hardship and atrocities back in her homeland. She's now trying to live a better life in the USA by looking at her situation in a positive way. She sings the funny, yet uplifting song "If I Were a Bird," a song about soaring above all challenges. The song is heartwarming and, at the same time, funny. But no song is as funny as "Adiós Andrés," where the woman at the shop sing about the trials and tribulations of "Andrés, que viene cada mes." Andrés is now leaving Carmen because she has reached menopause--if you know, you know. 

But perhaps the most entertaining, uplifting, and empowering song of them all is the musical's title song, "Real Women Have Curves." Where, due to the high temperature conditions in the sewing shop, the women find themselves in the necessity to work in their underwear. And let me tell you, seeing these women on stage, reclaiming space, and embracing their bodies, while singing, dancing, and celebrating their curves without apologizing, really makes you cheer and celebrate. As a male, I have nothing but praise and respect for the courage and pride these women as characters and actresses, transmit during this number.

Like Josefina, I grew up as an undocumented immigrant in the 1980s. I identified with her story and many of her struggles are familiar and have hit home since I first read the play back in the day. The musical made me live moments I rather forget, one being the moment when "la migra" rates the shop next to them and the women have to hide while experiencing moments of desperation and fear, hoping no immigration officers would come their way. I went through that more than once. The other moment was when we find out that Itzel's has been "capture" by la migra at a bus stop. This immediately reminded me of what is going on today all over the country, where brown men and women are being detained on the way to work, to the doctor, or simply while grocery shopping. And when Ana was at the detention center, trying to help Itzel, I felt the frustration and hopelessness our people feel at seeing our lives being completely shuttered by a system, that once again, only exist to remind us that we don't belong here.

The musical received two Tony Award nominations, one for Music and Lyrics (Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez) and one for Best Performance by an Actress in a Feature Role in a Musical (Justina Machado.) Both nominations are well-deserved. And while the musical didn't received any other nominations, as a musical Real Women Have Curves is a groundbreaking piece of theatre because it is the first Chicano musical ever to grace a Broadway stage. It is also a musical work that addresses the undocumented immigrant story, and allows immigrant women who are not the "typical leading ladies" to shine and reclaim space on a Broadway where most of the stories are by, for, and about White people. I only hope it doesn't take another 46 years to have another Chicano play or musical on Broadway. 

The bows at the end of the show!

 

00063: BOOP! BROADWAY MUSICAL

Theatre historians considered the musical Oklahoma! (1943) as the work that epitomized the "book musical." In fact, it is often said that the history of musical theatre is divided into everything before Oklahoma! and everything after Oklahoma! Although, enough time has passed to have other musicals as breakpoints in history, Oklahoma! is also the musical that marks the beginning of the "Golden age of Musical Theatre." 

Fast forward to the 2000s, where Broadway musical creators are experimenting with new musical theatre structural forms and approaches while utilizing different music genres that may or may not work or may or may not be accepted by the audience (think Hamilton, for example.) Now let's jump to the present, 2025, where a new musical at the Broadhurst Theatre is playing, BOOP! The Musical. 

This new musical based on the beloved Betty Boop cartoon, uses a traditional musical classic structure that works perfectly. Opening and closing with big showstopper musical numbers in its two acts, BOOP! follows a linear plot structure as the story jumps back and forth from Betty Boop's cartoon world in the 1930s and our "real" world in New York City in 2025. 

BOOP! The Musical combines two different separate looks: black and white in the 1930s and color in the present time. And while in Betty's world the look is black and white and the costumes sparkle, in our world the look is in color and the costumes standout because, well, it is New York City, and no other city in the country can give the weird of Times Square, like theatre does. Yet, no matter the colorful strangeness of the Big Apple or the lack of color in Betty's world, the show offers elaborate (and magical) props, set pieces combined with AI projections, and non-stop tap dance numbers to satisfy your musical theatre thirst. 

With a modern look but following a classical musical theatre structure, BOOP! The Musical gives us exactly what is expected, a linear story line, a leading couple, a supporting couple, an antagonist (in the form of a modern politician), a goal for the main character (Betty) to achieve, and of course, a love story. And as Betty tries to find herself and achieve her goal, she has the opportunity to inspire and help others along the way. Yes, this musical is a traditional musical in every sense of the word, but this doesn't mean it is boring or uninterested. On the contrary. It is entertaining, and funny, and energetic, and filled with surprises and comedy from start to finish. 

The star of the story is Betty Boop, and the star of this show is its leading lady Jasmine Amy Rogers, who has, deservedly so, been nominated for a TONY as Best Actress in a Musical. She embodies the look, the voice, the sensuality, the cartoonish body look, and the spirit of Betty Boop. It is amazing to see how Ms. Rogers behaves, moves, and talks like the Betty Boop cartoon among a world full of mostly humans. In fact, after seeing her performance, she deserves that Tony Award above one of my favorite actresses, Audra MacDonald, who is also nominated in the same category. 

Another great performance comes from Stephen DeRosa who plays Grampy. His comedic timing and body language is just on point, and his character is written with some of the best nerdy scientific lines, remind us of Doc from "Back to the Future." Perhaps this is the reason why he didn't get a Tony nomination. But both Jerry Mitchell and Gregg Barnes received nominations for Best Choreography and Best Costumes respectively. 

An outstanding performance comes from Angelica Hale who plays Trisha, a 13-year old girl who sees Betty Boop as her hero but doesn't see herself as one. Her voice is powerful and her acting's strong. Another strong performance is Ainsley Melham who plays Dwayne becoming Betty's love inserts. He has a stage presence you can't ignore and he's definitely a triple threat actor with good acting, singing, and dancing chops. 

Overall, BOOP! The Musical is very entertaining and fun to watch. The opening number, "A Little Versatility," is a classic Broadway tap dance musical number and so is the opening number in Act Two, "Where is Betty?" The same can be said about both the closing number in Act One and Act Two. Both musical numbers get your blood pumping, your energy up, and your spirits way high. But the tour de force here is the 11 o'clock number, "Something to Shut About," sang by no other than Jasmine Amy Rogers, as Betty, standing on stage, by herself in a beautiful sparkling Betty Boop-like dress. 

There are other highlights, of course, even a funny, yet creepy musical number that makes you laugh while keeping you feeling uneasy. This number, "Take It to the Next Level," was hilarious to watch yet unsettling because it is sang by politician Raymond Demarest, play disgustingly good by Erich Bergen. It isn't disgusting because it is sang by a politician but rather due to what the character has in mind toward Betty while singing it. But, it's all good because in a traditional musical comedy fashion the character gets what he deserves. 

At the end, BOOP! The Musical is a gem that I'm sure it will have a commercial success, and once the rights are available, the show will be produced at colleges, universities, and community theaters all over the country, that is, of course, if the government allows the arts to survive. 

Boop! The Musical did not get a "Best Musical" nomination. I am going to assume that the lack of nomination comes from its straight forward and very light bubbly story. As a musical comedy it is good, but I'm sure that what's missing is a little bit of depth in the characters and the story. It is unfortunate I don't get to see all the musicals nominated in the "Best Musical Category." I would have love to see how they're fair when compering to this bubbly and entertaining gem that is Boop! The Musical.

The bows at the end of the show!

00062: BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB (Broadway Musical)

I knew that attending a musical about Cuban music was going to be contagiously fun and entertaining. I also knew that the new broadway musical, Buena Vista Social Club was going to be a story about the musical group's history and their songs. What I didn't know was that such musical was going to not only give me a very illuminating lecture on that history, but also carried me through the member's social-economical, racial, cultural, and emotional journeys of this internationally known musical group.

As soon as the musical company members appear on stage, the audience knows we are in for a true musical journey. To start, the orchestra (in this case, the musical "instrument members" of the Buena Vista Social Club) are on stage from start to finish. The band opens and closes the show with two very contagious, very entertaining, and very upbeat songs. And as soon as our narrator appears (Juan de Marcos played by Justin Cunningham) on stage to tell us the story of the music group, we are transported to Havana, Cuba between the years 1958 and 1996.

The musical is about how this group of musicians came together in 1996 to create their now infamous album. But it is through the character, Omara Portuondo (played by two actresses: Youn Omara by Isa Antonetti in 1958 and Omara by Natalie Venetia Belcon in 1996 (nominated for Best Feature Actress in a musical) that we are transported to the days when these musicians were young, energetic, and full of life artists fighting to survive in a Cuba that was about to explode and change the country and its habitants forever. 

If you want to know about the history, how the group came together, and more, watch the 1999 and 2017 documentaries. The album from the club was release in 1997 by 1998 they were an international success. The documentary, titled "Buena Vista Social Club," includes interviews with members of the band as it follows them through their two main lineup concerts, one in Amsterdam and one in NYC at Carnegie Hall. And then, 16 years later, a second documentary titled, "Buena Vista Social Club: Adios," follows five of the original band members from the first film as they go on one final musical proyect, as it recalls their ups and downs over the years. And now that the "history lesson" is over, I must get back and talk why this new Broadway musical received 10 TONY nominations including one for Best Musical.

Whether the story being told on stage, about the musicians and their lives and relationships is true or not, what makes this musical not only engaging but also deeply moving is the book written by Marco Ramirez, nominated for a TONY for Best Book of a Musical. The way he weaves the story and connects it to the characters' lives, their emotional path and decisions is so clear and strong that when a musical number (an original song from the Buena Vista Social Club is performed) that song--sang completely in Spanish--soars in the air with meaning and emotional gravitas. Yes, the music is contagious and uplifting but the meaning behind the songs are far more emotional and weight heavy on us as we connect each musical number to a situation created by the character's lives. 

Through the witnessing of the characters' lives in 1958 and the band reunion in 1996, we not only witness great musical art in the making but we also learn about racism, social class, discrimination, colorism, revolt, and about a Cuba that is about to become what it is today. To me, though, what truly grabbed me from the start and did not let me go, not even after I left the theater, was the choreography by Patricia Delgado and Justin Peck (also nominated for a TONY), which not only combines the sensuality and rhythms of music genres such as son, boleros, and danzón, but also the internal emotional turmoil the characters are experiencing. 

When Young Ibrahim, played by Wesley Wray sings for the first time, the song, "Bruce Maniguá" the music and choreography are combined with rhythms and movements that invoke the harshness of slavery and the realities of being a black person, who might be "free" but still is oppressed because of their skin color. It is here, in this song, with a choreographed dance filled with sensuality and raw, sharp movements, where without noticing, tears ran down my face. From then on, I completely surrendered my entire being to the musical experience and storytelling. All this is due because the story is very moving, emotional, and palpable, and because of the characters' struggles and situations grab you from the start and do not let you go until they are done with their stories, their dancing, and their singing. 

But the story, the singing, the acting, and the dancing are not the only stars of this musical. There is also lighting, costumes, sound, and set design. All of these technical elements come cohesively together to highlight the musical's themes and messages, and to create the mood, the atmosphere, and focus needed within each scene and throughout the story. Every technical element is not only designed with clarity and purpose but it is also executed with exactitude, enhancing the power of the music, underlining the beauty of the story, and highlighting the poetry of the songs. 

The musical received 10 very well-deserved TONY nominations that also include, best director, best orchestration, best scenic design, best costume design, best lighting design, best sound design, and of course, best musical. I have not had the opportunity to see all the musicals that were nominated for best musical category. Unfortunately, I won't see them all, but I can comfortably say that Buena Vista Social Club is in fact, a very strong contender in the Best Musical Tony Award category. As a side note, the musicians who make up the musical's band "Buena Vista Social Club" will receive a Special Tony Award for their work. 

Whether the musical receives the big prize or not, what it is needed now is a pro-shot recording of this production. There is so a lot to learn and discuss from its music, songs, characters, story, and from these great Cuban artists, as well as from the creators of the show and the artistic team, that seeing the show once is not enough. And because of its importance and influence in the music world, the musical needs to be accessible to every one around the world. "Every Cuban Song has a Story to Tell" is a caption found in an program's insert that contains a letter from Juan de Marcos and explanations of the songs. As a Broadway musical, Buena Vista Social Club, like the album from 1996 and the documentaries from 1999 and 2017, deserved to be recorded and preserved for future generations to witness, to enjoy, but overall, to understand how these wonderful musical artists created music that connects with the world. 

A taste of the energy of the show! 

00061: SMASH, BROADWAY MUSICAL

Another visit to NYC and another round of Broadway musicals to enjoy, well, at least that is the hope. The first show to see this week was the musical SMASH, which is based or inspired, or whatever, on the hit TV series with the same name. It is being produced at the Imperial Theatre on 45th Street.

SMASH is a musical about the making of a musical, in this case, the making of "Bombshell: The Marylin Monroe Story." Unfortunately for "Bombshell," the music composer and the lyricist, a married couple with a long list of flops, aren't writing very good songs and/or scenes. Or maybe they are writing very good songs and/or scenes but the director of "Bombshell" and the leading actress in it don't think the songs and/or scenes are that good. Or maybe everything is good but only the closing number is not good. Or maybe the bad thing is the director who has no guts to do his job, or the leading actress with a diva complex, or the choreographer who is also a great singer and ends up taking over the main role, despite the fact they have an understudy, or maybe the fault lands on the composer and lyricist who are fighting all the time because they are frustrated and one of them is going to therapy and becoming an alcoholic. Or maybe... but their show is "almost there. Almost." 

Unfortunately for SMASH, it is exactly the mess and frustration found within the making of "Bombshell" that makes this TV series turned musical into an underwhelming experience that still feels as if it was in out-of-town tryouts. To be cleared, I am not comparing the TV series to the musical and I wasn't expecting the musical to even be like the TV series. These are two different medias and they need to be approached differently.

Within the plot of "Bombshell," mostly everyone complains about the "speaking scenes" not being funny, and "why are there speaking scenes in a musical when no one expects anyone to talk?," but ironically though, it is precisely these scenes within "Bombshell" that make the musical SMASH entertaining, not the songs or the dance numbers, either found within "Bombshell" or out of it. 

There were times when I felt that SMASH could had been better as a spoof/satire about the making of a musical. And by this I mean, that instead of an actual musical, it would have been better to create a satire about making a musical because believe me, the only fun part in SMASH as a musical, where the scenes within "Bombshell." Those "speaking scenes" within the musical were entertaining and laugh out loud funny. But the rest? The musical numbers? The ones within "Bombshell" and the ones in SMASH, they were underwhelming and quickly forgotten.

Like "Bombshell," SMASH is a real mess, which is also ironic. The song that is supposed to be their big highlight is "Let Me Be Your Star," but honestly it just doesn't do much and it is quickly forgotten. What I remember though is the performance of Caroline Bowman as she sings the song "They Just Keep Moving the Line." That song was a showstopper and the one that should have been the 11 O'Clock number, instead we get Robyn Hurder as Ivy Lynn playing Marilyn Monroe singing 'I Never Met a Wolf Who Didn't Love to Howl!" and that song is visually and energetically a flop. 

But just because SMASH is not a good musical--it only received two TONY nominations by the way, it doesn't mean the actors are not good. They all did a fantastic job, especially Brooks Ashmanskas, as Nigel, the director of "Bombshell," (Nominated for Best Actor in a Musical) and I truly thought Caroline Bowman deserved a nomination too. Instead, while the choreography wasn't that spectacular and it felt boring an flat, Joshua Bergasse received the nomination.

Overall, SMAH isn't a smash and I don't think it will ever become one either. It had the potential to become a great hit, but like the composer and lyricist in "Bombshell," the composer and lyricist in SMASH did what they had to do, with what they got. The book, although it had some funny and entertaining scenes within "Bombshell," wasn't that strong, and that makes SMASH, a wreck.  

00060: THE BROADWAY MUSEUM

Advertised as "an interactive and experiential museum that celebrates Broadway's rich history, starting in 1732," the Museum of Broadway is one of New York Cities' latest attraction. For tourists, it is a place where they can buy unique Broadway paraphernalia and learned a little about the 'in and outs' of theatre in general. For theatre enthusiasts and artists, the museum gives us an opportunity to rediscover a little more about theatre history, the way it is done, find theatrical gems (original photographs, original props, original costumers, original set designs, etc...)

The museum counts with three floors of historical information, pictures, facts, trivia, and show installations that make you feel as if you were either on stage, or in a movie set. This installations are also very instagram-able. The installations though, are only about specific Broadway musicals that have either made a difference in theatre history or have influenced popular pop culture. 

There is an installation for the original production of Oklahoma! This musical changed the course of how musicals were written and thanks to its creators, a new genre musical theatre was born: The integrated musical. Although Show Boat was the first show to do that, Oklahoma! is the musical that marks the beginning of the Golden Age of the American Musical. 

Likewise there are installations for musicals such as West Side Story, Cabaret, Hair, and The Lion King, among others. Throughout the museum and between the installations, visitors can follow, along the walls, the history and development of Broadway's plays and musicals. And of course, like everything else that is curated by one person or a group of people, those in charge get to pick what plays and musicals become the narrative of said history and development. I, for example, noticed that the only Chicano play EVER produced on Broadway, ZOOT SUIT by Luis Valdez, is not among the Broadway's historical narrative. I may sound bias, because I'm a Latinx Theatre Artist but, I think that if the Museum of Broadway is showing visitors the history and development of theatre, you would think that one play that represents a big population of the United States would be part of the narrative. 

I think one of the most exciting parts of the museum is the "behind the scenes" aspect of theatre-making, which it is titled "The Making of a Broadway Show," where visitors get to learn and interact with the mechanics of creating a script, a score, costumes, props, lights, etc... And then, of course, you have the exhibition of original costumes and props from famous musicals such as Cats, A Chorus Line, The Phantom of the Opera, Hamilton, and Rent, among others.  

For me, the most fascinating aspect of the museum, besides the history and development narrative, was admiring the miniature scale sets and theatre buildings of some Broadway musicals, such as Wicked and In the Heights. I'm sure there are others but I don't remember them. 

Overall, visiting the Museum of Broadway is a great experience for every theatre aficionado, theatre maker, and theatre artist. 

00059: GYPSY WITH AUDRA MAcDONALD (BROADWAY)

January 12, 20255

As someone who teaches musical theatre and has dedicated his last 10 years of teaching to centering people of color within the theatre world, I have talked about George C. Wolfe and other African American theatre artist who have tried to break the Broadway mold. Going to see Gypsy was not about seeing the musical but the work of George C. Wolfe as director and the star of the show, Audra McDonald.

During the fall semester, I talked about Shuffle Along (among many other shows), which was done on Broadway in 1921, and how this musical was an influence to many other musicals of the time. I also talked about George C. Wolfe and his reimagining of the musical, giving it a new titled, Shuffle Along or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and all that Followed. And while I never saw the adaptation, I know a few things about it to understand that George C. Wolfe tried to make a statement in regards to African American entertainers and Broadway. And so, with this in mind, I took my seat at the Majestic Theatre to enjoy the greatness of Audra and Wolfe, but I was not ready for what was about to happen. 

To say that the production under George C. Wolf was spectacular is an understatement. To say that Audra was a marvel to watch on stage is diminishing her talent. Both the direction and acting were strong (as expected) and far more emotional and challenging (in a good way) than expected. I also anticipated the director to make settle but very important statements about race with the production. He didn't disappoint. 

The music, the lyrics, and the story are all great, most of us know that. After all, the majority of historians and theatre critics considered Gypsy the best musical ever written. They are not wrong, okay, we are not wrong. The sets, the lights, the costumes, and the makeup, were all, of course, on point. The acting, the singing, and the dancing, as well as the choreography were also all excellent. What I want to concentrate on, instead, is the directorial approach by Wolfe and the interpretation of Rose by McDonald.

To start, when Rose "collects" the different boys that will be part of June's act, all the boys are African American. I expected this because this is George C. Wolfe and he could make that happen. Also, Rose and her two daughters are African American so it made sense to have an ensemble of Black boys. But once the musical number that serves to show the passing of time comes around and the boys "grow up," they are all replaced by White teenagers. And while this switch may not have a significance to many in the audience, it does become a very important choice and statement from the director. It sets up the question: Why make such change? The answer, of course, comes later in the story. 

Second: When June and Louise find themselves waiting for her mother and George to discuss their new vaudeville contract with an influential producer, the two sisters sing the musical number "If Mama was Married." It is here in this number where we clearly see two sisters who, although love their mother, have started to develop a desire to be free from their mother's tight grip. But while Louise (played by Joy Woods) always sings the phrase "if mama was married," in a sweet tone, projecting a hope that she may or may not be able to reach, June sings the same phrase with anger, projecting a very strong resentment towards her mother.

Never before have I seen such interpretation of the song. People, including myself, laughed at some of the commentary the girls made about their mother, and we also start to feel sorry for the young women. With Jordan Tyson in the role of June, you also start to see how this song becomes the moment when June expresses the hate she feels toward her own mother. While both actresses have strong voices, sing with energy, and beautiful harmonies, their interpretation under Wolfe's direction, turns this song into a foreshadowing and a sad reality for the sisters, who, sooner or later will have to be strong enough to disengage from their mother, especially June who is now showing us a life that is horrifying to her rather than filled with joy. Her anger and resentment is real.

Later in the story, Rose finds out that June and one of the boys from the act have gotten married behind her back; they also have eloped. Rose, then decides that Louise will now lead their vaudevillian act but instead of creating a new act for Louise, Rose simply tries to make Louise like June, forceing her to wear June's blonde wig. But Louise isn't happy with Rose's choice so she tells her mother, "I don't want to be blonde; I want to use my own black hair." It is at this moment when we are able to connect the reason why Rose "switched" from having young black boys to white teens. We come to realized that Rose not only wanted June to be successful in show business, but understood that in oder to "make it," June needed to portray the "blonde beauty." This is a very poignant moment in the musical because without changing anything in the musical, in terms of its writing, Mr. Wolfe highlights the difficulty and struggles vaudeville black troupes experienced (and how today Black actors continue to experience) in show business. Rose's decision to replace her black boys for white teenagers is a "smart" career move, and a smart directorial decision to highlight the struggle of Black entertainers. 

Let's move now to Audra's performance. From the start, Audra commands attention, mainly because she is a powerhouse on stage. One cannot help but to cheer and clap the moment she enters. But also because the way she slowly injects little acting choices to Mama Rose. At first, she's just a regular stage mom, with demands about this and that. But soon, we start to see beyond the strong-will woman who wants her daughter June to succeed in show business. We start to see her obsession, her over-powering control over every single detail of those around her, including George (played incredibly strong by Danny Burstein), who slowly and surely figures out that Rose has only one objective: show business. 

As the story develops, Audra's Rose start to show signs of weakness and fear. "Everyone always leaves me," she tells us. And while we all may feel sorry for her, we quickly start to understand that it is her own doing that makes people leave. I was closed enough to see Audra's eyes twitch, her hands tremble, her mind drifting in thought whenever a situation became difficult. When June leaves, Rose only allows her a few seconds in her mind, and you almost see the pain in Audra's face, but, all of the sudden, she hides her pain by deciding to rebuild the vaudeville act with Louise at the front. 

Later, when the day comes for Rose to marry George, we all know is not going to happen because, in  previous scene, when George asked her to marry her, Rose's answer was "yes," but Audra's body language and facial expression was telling us otherwise-the twitching and hand-shaking was there again. The day of the wedding, we see Rose feeling uneasy, and it is Audra's defeated body language and mumbling lines that let us know that not only her show business dream has come to an end, but also that she does not want to marry the man that loves her. Yet there is no escape for she promised George to marry him when their vaudeville act contract ended. And by now, all the members of their vaudeville act have gone, so she must fulfill her promise. Yet, when she suddenly hears that the headliner for the burlesque act is nowhere to be found and that the show is in a bind, Audra's body suddenly perks up, and as if hit by a lightning bolt, Rose is full of energy and decision making, telling the burlesque director that her daughter Louise can fill the lead's spot. It is here where George comes to a realization and decides to leave Rose as she sacrifices her daughter Louise's freedom and happiness, over a burlesque act.

And so, Louise becomes the infamous Gypsy Rose Lee, and even with all her success, she isn't able to make her mother Rose entirely happy. We see a depressed woman now, and, at the same time, a woman who sacrificed everything for her daughters, and who also regrets not being under the spotlight herself. When Audra sing the gut-wrenching last song ("Rose's Turn") we are witnesses to a woman who slowly starts to deteriorate before our very own eyes. The repetition of the lyrics and the inability to sing some of them, suddenly become hunting, shocking, and horrifying as we see Rose loosing her composure, her mind, and her spirit. By the end of the song, we are devastated because Mrs. McDonald delivers one of the most powerful interpretations of the song ever done before. The Rose we met at the top of the show is no more. Yes, many actresses before Mrs. MacDonal have belted the song to stratosphere levels, Audra doesn't need to do that, all she needs to do is deliver a powerful interpretive performance, which she does as no one ever before. And that brought not only chills but tears to Louise, who is watching her mother from the sidelines, and also to the eyes of many audience members, including me. 

At the end of the song, the audience stood up on their feet, given Mrs. McDonald an almost five-minute ovation that was only stopped by Louise's first line in the last scene, and while in prior performances Louise has walked off stage, leaving her mother behind, or has walked off stage and has signaled Rose to join her, in this production, Louise gives her mother her expensive lush fur shoulder boa and a very strong heart-felt hug. Then, showing her compassion, offers Rose her hand, and slowly both, mother and daughter walk off into the sunset. And the tears continue. 

GYPSY BOWS

This musicals gets four very emotional snaps!

00058: THE OUTSIDERS (Broadway)

January 11,2025

This musical is based on the 1967 book written by S. E. Hinton and the 1983 film directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The musical's book is  by Adam Rapp and Justin Levine and music and lyrics by Jonathan Clay & Zach Chance and Justine Levine.

The Outsiders tells the story of a group of teenagers who are called "The Greasers," and their story is told from the point of view of one of the group's members: Ponyboy Curtis. Ponyboy is writing about his own experiences as part of "the greasers," which eventually would become the book he's writing, titled, "The Outsiders."

Like the book, the musical is touching and emotional. And although the music genre isn't something I like (country), the lyrics are strong and heartfelt. The ensemble of actors (mostly male) do an incredible job at performing and singing. Their dancing, interpretive moment, and fight choreography are some of the highlights of the show. The three actors playing the Curtis Brothers worked together well and have a strong sense of emotional responsibility. And while they are brothers, each is very distinctive in their personalities, ways of thinking, and looks. 

Ponyboy is our leading man (teen actually.) He has a best friend, Johnny, and both look up to an older member of their gang, Dallas. Dallas has been to prison and knows the ways of life, and he makes an effort to show the younger ones how to survive. Of course, in this story, things do not go well for many of the young people, they either get killed or killed themselves, which makes "The Outsiders" a musical that has a tragic ending... and a hopeful one too. Mostly everyone knows the story of "The Outsiders," if you are one of the few that doesn't, it is time to pick up the book and read it or just watch the film. 

In terms of performances, every cast member in this ensemble piece performed with strength and professionalism. The emotional moments were there and the singing and dancing were top notch. And while all the characters have their great moments, songs, and personal stories, my favorite character and story became the one about the older Curtis Brothers, Darrell. Being the oldest, he felt a responsibility to take care of his younger siblings. The pressure to be a young man, a responsible person, and a father figured, really became a very frustrating burden to him. His song "Throwing in the Towel" was one of my favorites, along with "Great Expectations," which is a reflection on how people expect certain things from others or how we set up goals and have great expectations for ourselves but life gets in the way. Both songs truly resonated with me. 

Despite the tragic endings for some of the characters and the hopeful ending for others, the musical is a very strong theatrical piece that I can see being produced all over the country. It is about teenage life in rural America, like "Footlose" the musical, but with much better music and lyrics and with a much stronger and emotional story. And despite that sometimes musical delude the emotional core of a narrative, especially of a book, I feel that "The Outsiders" musical does a very good job at offering us strong characters and an emotional story while entertaining us through song and dance, and artistic achievement. 

This musical gets three musical snaps! 

00057: SUNSET BOULEVARD (BROADWAY)

January 13, 2025

Before I start my review on this Broadway revival, let me be very transparent about one thing: I DO NOT LIKE ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER'S MUSIC. I find it simplistic, repetitive (read boring), and from a whole musical theatre composition one or two song are good and the rest are just noise. And while I will never be able to compose a single musical group of two notes myself, I believe his musical theatre compositions are to theatre what pop music is to music in general: catering to the simplistic mind. You may agree or disagree with me. That isn't important.

Now that such thing is out of the way, allow me to talk about the Broadway production of SUNSET BLVD's revival. This production was excellent, not because of the music and/or lyrics, but because of its directorial concept and approach. 

The musical is based on the 1950's film of the same name, a film that was done in black and white and received an OSCAR for its art direction (being filmed in black and white.) The revival's director, Jamie Lloyd, took note of such achievement and follow on such steps by presenting the musical as a black and white cinematic concept. Such approach paid off. 

The actors wear black costumes with touches of white here and there, a white t-shirt, a white tank top, or white socks, or a hint of white in some of the costumes. The lighting is stark, harsh, and white, and coming from all directions, projecting giant shadow on the standing walls found in front of the proscenium arch. There is no set, just an empty stage where actors are free to move as slow as possible, or a fast as needed, and in configurations where the choreography at times is dance moves, at times is interpretive dancing, and at times is simply artistic movement. Add to that movie cameras manipulated by different chorus members, projecting the actors on stage and/or close ups of specific actors on a giant moveable screen that appears and disappears, and you have a musical that is being done not only onstage but also on the screen as a black and white movie. The result, a cinematic feast on a live stage. Pure art!

Mandy Gonzalez

The original actress playing Norma Desmond is Nicole Scherzinger, which according to reviews and word of mouth is fantastic in the role. I, however got to see Mandy Gonzalez and I couldn't be happier because as a Latinx Theatre artists, seeing another Latinx Theatre artist in such a role brings personal pride. I only mention this fact because in the show I saw, all the original cast, but one of the actor, performed on stage, and all of them did a wonderful job. 

This review is not about the music or the lyrics or the musical composition, trust me, it is not. There are a couple of songs that stand out ("Sunset Boulevard" and "As If We Never Said Goodbye"), but nothing else. does This review is about the directorial concept and the technical aspects of the show, which make the musical bearable to watch. Honestly, I was bored with the music but the lighting, the choreography, and the camera work kept me paying attention, even when I wanted to leave. 

As I said before, all the actors did a wonderful job in their roles as actors and singers. The chorus also played an incredible role in this production and they all did an excellent job. It is the music that doesn't really convince me. Several times I heard short snipes from other shows: CATS, Evita, Phantom. And like in the other musicals, in Sunset Blvd, only a couple of songs become a highlight. But the visual creation on stage and the camera work, brought the scenes to life and gave them new perspective. 

Before the Show

There is one particular scenes when two characters are confessing their love for each other, even though they are dating other people. During this scene we see one of the other people on stage (Norma), in the background, hovering like a menacing shadow (and it does makes sense), while the other character being talked about is seen on the screen, crying, and as audience members we understand what is going on and how their heart is being or will be broken when learning that the women he loves is actually in love with someone else. This is an emotional moment that stays with us for a while. It is, because like in a film, the camera help us focus our attention on who is being affected by the scene being performed. It is scenes like this that makes this on stage musical, feel like a film. And for this reason, along with all the excellent technical work and directorial choices that Sunset Blvd is a good piece of theatre, as long as you are able to put up with the musical mediocrity of its composer. 

This Broadway revival gets two artistic snaps. 

00056: DEATH BECOMES HER (BROADwaY)

January 12, 2025

Death Becomes Her is a new musical based on the 1992 film starring Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn, and Bruce Willis. And while I have not been a strong fan of musicals based on films because, well, the musical is just retelling the same story using the same songs, (read "The Bodyguard" or "Sister Act" musicals), Death Becomes Her, the musical is different because the original source is a campy comedy rather than a musical film like "Moulin Rouge" or "La La Land." Both were good films, by the way, but Moulin Rouge, the musical, however, is just a horrid amalgamation of cheesy pop songs and tired sentimentality catering to the simplistic mind.  

But I digress. 

I had no expectations about the Death Becomes Her, the musical, except knowing the story was in fact the same as the film, and since I've seen the film and like its twisted/corky comedy, my only hope was to see a musical that at least would take a cue from the comedy. I was not disappointed. The musical was that and more, slap comedy and over-the-top acting, with a doze of tongue in cheek. The director and the actors knew that this comedy needed to be handled with unseriousness seriousness, and they understood the assignment. 

Michelles Williams (formerly a member of Destiny's Child) belt songs and demanded our attention whenever she was on stage as Viola Van Horn, the mysterious woman that sells the "fountain of youth" elixir. Megan Hilty, best known for playing an actress auditioning for the role of Marilyn Monroe in the series "Smash," had the audience cheering, clapping, and laughing out loud as she portrayed Madeline Ashton, the famous aging movie star. Jennifer Simard, best known in the theater circle, was funny, caring, and campy as Helen Sharp, the wannabe writer and Madeline's long time friend and rival. Christopher Sieber, another successful Broadway actor, nominated for a TONY Award for Best Supporting Actor in the musical Spamalot, stole the show with his magnificent comedic timing as the drunk and neurotic Dr. Ernest Menville. Props also go yo Taurean Everett as Chagall and Josh Damon as Stefan. Both, shine in their respective roles. 

(Right: Megan Hilty, Left Jennifer Simard)

Breaking the fourth wall from the start, actors wink at the audience whenever an obvious joke or action happened. They delivered lines in an exaggerated way, taking deep breaths, holding the last syllable for a long time or brining the pitch up or way down whenever necessary. They broke line delivery several times as they look at the audience and waited for reactions, they switched their voice tones, sounding like children or cartoonish, and all these choices made the musical enjoyable, entertaining, and fun to watch. 

One of the most entertaining and camping number was sang by Megan Hilty as Madeline Ashton, while performing in the musical "Me Me, Me" she was starring in (yes, a play within a play). The song: "This is for the Gaze," referring to her character as someone that needs to be looked at at all times, yet, the whole song was about "the gays" and oh, how fun it was to watch as the musical number was campy to the max as Hilty not only play Madeline but also became Liza Minnelli and Julie Andrews during the number.

And while many other numbers were entertaining and highlights, the top prize goes to Mr. Sieber when he interpreted "The Plan," a song that is not truly sang but "delivered" when such comedic timing that it comes a lesson in monologue presentation for any aspiring comedic actor. 

The music was lively, fast, and uplifting. The choreography was filled with classic and modern moves, and plenty of acrobatics. The special effects, recreating those from the film, such a broken neck, head twisting all around, big whole in the body, were all there, meticulously planned and one done with excellent.

Death becomes her is a very campy and cheerful musical, one that should be watch by the entire family and one that, when released for performing will, no doubt, be a favorite of many colleges, universities, and regional theaters. 

This production gets three campy snaps all around.