spouzic
Female Authority Figure
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Registered: 04-2003
Location: Hell
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Two reviews for the price of one, 1/16 & 1/18
1/16
I attended the Wednesday performance of Hairspray because I had heard such great things about Kasey Marino as Corny Collins. Gretchen Beiber was also on as the female authority figure. And it was my first time seeing George Wendt and Tom Rooney. I had seats in the very back of the orchestra.
Kasey Marino lived up to the hype. He did a lot of little things that no other Corny does really giving Corny a well thought out personality. I hope he takes over the role one day in the future.
Gretchen was hysterical as the female authority figure. Ive liked her in every role Ive seen her do. Excellent Gym Teacher, she landed those jokes.
Tom Rooney's portrayal of Wilbur can most closely be compared to that of Stephen DeRosa, kinda like a mad scientist.
Geogre Wendt was an ok Edna. I felt like he wasnt getting the laughs he should have been. Sometimes he played up his deep voice other times not, it seemed a bit inconsistent. I really like the way he delivers the 'excuse me?' line- he actually seems taken aback as opposed to going for the joke.
One thing I wish they would stop doing is the way the telephone joke is handled. When Harvey did the role, after he was asked what he was wearing and returned the question, his face would simply drop and hed slowly hang up. I had always assumed the person on the other end had said "nothing" but with the addition of "hellooo?" its changed the joke and I dont think it works as well.
1/18
I have to admit that I didnt really watch the show so much as watch Clarke Thorell. If he was on stage, my eyes were on him. I was so giddy sitting in the front row and my excitement just grew from the opening pre show announcement back in Clarke's voice. He's still my favorite Corny. Hes so perfect- hes got the tv personality, hes obviously flirtatious with Brenda, and hes completely different when it comes to those business scenes. I dont think Ive had so much fun at hairspray in years and hes such a great guy, I honestly think he was as happy to see me as I was to see him- itd been almost a year since the last time I saw him in anything. We were talking after the show and he was telling me how amazed he was at how comfortable he felt back on the stage, he wasn't nervous at all.
I did take my eyes off him long enough to notice that sitting in the front row, George Wendt is more enjoyable and it may just be his tv background thats leading his performance to be smaller and not carry well throughout the theatre. He was making facial expressions that I couldnt see from my seat two days earlier.
Also sitting in the front row, I found myself wondering why Ashley Parker Angel stands so close to people when hes talking to them. Hes a great singer and a good dancer, but it was a bit distracting that he seemed to be talking right into peoples mouths.
I think Darlene Love may be fighting a bit of a cold and I dont say that because she was bad, she was phenomenal but knowing how she usually does the role, she was deviating from her normal money notes to more riffing sounds which worked just as well.
All in all, two great performances.
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1/19/2008, 12:19 pm
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