“Hello, Pastor Keith? Our homosexual son, his Jewish boyfriend, and some of his hungover white theater friends are coming to church today, so do you mind telling the music director to cancel what he had planned? Because they want to do a number they haven’t rehearsed.”
This production really doesn’t understand the point or purpose of ‘understudies’ do they? First DiMaggio, then Marilyn, you’d think they’d figure out it’s good to have a backup plan.
And I think Marilyn will be played by Ivy’s mother (Bernadette Peters).
This week’s ABRIDGED script (with kudos as always to Eve to introducing it to begin with). This one features a drinking game (and eating game) that I’ll let you read for yourself, and my favorite lines from it include:
I did! Leslie Odom Jr, I was hoping we would get to hear him sing eventually! I saw him on Broadway a few weeks ago in the new musical Leap of Faith (which actually is closing today, May 13) and he had a wonderful solo number.
Question about that (asking for a friend): Does it end with a kid on crutches unexpectedly walking in a way that might or might not be a miracle like the movie did?
That little asshole should be put in jail for attempted murder. But I’m sure we’ll see him back next year, causing all sorts of problems for the production one way or another.
I was afraid they were going to give the big night to Ivy, even after repeatedly portraying her as a villain (a somewhat sympathetic villain, but a villain nonetheless).
Having just seen Megan Hilty onstage in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes this weekend, it is even more frustrating to see McPhee get that part: Hilty–when you give her a chance and let her do more than pout and sulk–is a *brilliant *comic actress.
That’s one of the many problems with this entertaining train wreck: they keep Mary Sueing McPhee down our throats, when someone with twice her talent is standing nearby.
I was having a hard time buying that you could write, orchestrate, light, learn and perform a new song as fast as was portrayed, but then I remembered that the Glee kids could do it, so…
Plus, the orchestra is invisible so I guess they have magical powers and that probably helps.
JACK DAVENPORT: Katharine, you are my Marilyn! You have something that Megan Hilty doesn’t!
KATHARINE MCPHEE: Talent?
JACK DAVENPORT: What? No no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no. No. You have an overemphasized underdog status. That trumps talent any day! Marilyn is yours.
Some of the creative team: We are echoing the voice of many audience members by saying that we believe Megan Hilty would do better!
I think the writer gets paid by the obscure reference; either that or she’s just so impressed with herself for knowing them and knowing that many of the readers won’t know what she’s talking about. It was funny but it was also somewhat irritating to read.
The season ended like it began… with some really wonderful musical numbers and some fascinating and authentic-seeming backstage glances, with some boring and meaningless soap operatic plot crap, and with a lead actress who is pretty and can sing but just doesn’t have the star quality that we keep being told she does. Still, I certainly enjoyed the season overall, and am looking forward to next year.
Did someone say Jonestown? I have actually seen Jonestown: The Musical. It was… interesting. Very high body count, certainly. And no one seemed to want to buy beverages at the concession stand.
I liked the last number, but there were large parts that I didn’t see any real connection to Marilyn with.
“If you see someone’s hurt and in need of a hand, don’t forget me…”
I’m sure Marilyn was a nice enough person, but really… was she Jesus’s baby sister?
“But forget every man who I ever met/because they only live to control/other man hating lyrics…”
Kind of trashes Dimaggio and Miller and others who seem to genuinely care about her.
Also, the whole thing is just a little too upbeat for something that just ended in suicide.
Anyway, eh. McPhee was adequate, but I’m just totally on Team Ivy. She looks and sounds the part and has the phoniness and reality of Marilyn.
My guess for next season: Ivy is going to have a new secret admirer and singing coach that she thinks is her father’s angel. However, nobody will be able to find Ellis, and ever since he went missing there have been accidents and things vanishing from the theater and voices from behind mirrors.