broadwayguy2
Principal of PPHS
Registered: 07-2007
Posts: 191
Karma: 2 (+3/-1)
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Harvey's first night back!
I had the best seats in the house.. front row CENTER. Yes, I was crying.
Before getting into Harvey, let me just say how happy I was to have the chance to see Gretchen Bieber as Velma last night. Hands down, and I don't say this often, she is my absolute favorite Velma. Not a mistep in her performance. Gorgeous, with gams to next wednesday and a GREAT set of pipes. No one sells the end of "Velma's revenge" like that girl.
On to the (wo)man of the night..
MUCH of the creative team seemed to be there, Shaiman, Wittman, O'Brien, Lenz, Lion, and, of course, John Waters himself. George Wendt was in attendance, as was Joy Behar and the little boy from Ugly Betty.
The engery from the house was higher than I have seen it in ages. Harvey's first entrance recieved extended cheers and applause. It lasted about 30 seconds, but you can't gauge how long it would have lasted had Harvey not ended it, because it was dying yet.
It was so wonderful have to have him back.. all of the little moments that he adds.. I missed it. Every joke blew the roof off the place and his "excuse me" elicited cheers as well.. not to mention the way he strutted off the stage after telling off the Matron in the jail and his shocked silence at the prank call in act one.
He threw a few zingers out there. I can't recall all of them off the top of my head, but he made one quick calling himself a "soccer mom" when describing Edna (clearly a veiled Palin crack, I think) and something I can't recall, though it was hysterical, instead of offer up a bail bondsman.
The Har-de-Har Hut scene in Act Two, and "Timeless To Me" was nothing short of brilliance. On the phone with Pinky, he mentioned returned the pettipants, which had only been used twice - "once to model them for Mr Turnblad, and then when he modeled them for me". He pulled out a few good ones during "Timeless." From the old days, he pulled out the crack about Wilbur needing a lube job (in addition to a paint job", and at`the end, he was throwing them from left field in grand vaudevillian fashion.. after the "you never can tell" if a man is Jewish joke, e threw out the usual "sure you can", followed by "that reminds me.. I need a bone. (VERY pregnant pause for the laughter) For the dog!"
During the finale, he is sporting the redesigned dress that he wore on the Tony Awards and in Las Vegas.
Curtain call was sheer madness. Deafening cheers, John Waters coming from the wings with a bouqet, Harvey crying and roses being thrown from the audience (which he graciously gave to Marissa Perry). Naturally, the cheering wouldn't stop and the crowd wouldn't let him go without giving a speech, which, to the best of my rememberancce throw my own tears amounted to "I thought I said good bye to Edna on this stage a few years ago, but her I am again to say goodbye to her, and Hairspray, again for good very soon.. but until then.. Let's F*$%IN' party!"
I couldn't have said it better myself, Harvey. Welcome home.
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11/12/2008, 4:11 pm
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Dmrockon09
On The Short Bus
Registered: 12-2007
Posts: 235
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Re: Harvey's first night back!
Great to hear! I'm so glad the show is in back in business.
--- Set by Emma. On WoO.
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11/13/2008, 4:57 pm
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