Amazing Moments In Theater

September 27, 2010

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF AMAZING MOMENTS IN THEATER! Here are two that happened for Broadway In Chicago just last week. One of them has passed, and one that you still have a week to catch.

Sutton Foster on stage at The Broadway Playhouse — Photo By Amy Boyle Photography

1. An Evening with Sutton Foster

It was not just “AN” Evening” it was “THE PERFECT” Evening. Sutton Foster certainly gave one of the most captivating 90 minutes in the theatre. Everything together – her voice, her range, her personality, her connection to the audience, her intelligent program – combined to make the opening of the BROADWAY PLAYHOUSE one of the most magical christenings of a theatre I have had the good fortune of attending. Sutton describes having her Musical Director Michael Rafter on the piano as a blessing for the audience for his arrangements and performance – I describe the entire performance as a blessing on the theatre – a gift to those who got to see it and the perfect beginning for our newest theater.

Thank you Sutton!

2. Rock of Ages

On a completely different note but equally as entertaining in its own right… I wouldn’t have thought that “Rock Anthems! Power Ballads! Mix Tapes! Wine Coolers!” (Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 9/24/10) could bring people to their feet – but the combination, along with Constantine Maroulis in the lead, have been doing just that! Eight shows of standing ovations and people rocking in the aisle.

You might say that the 80’s were my era, but alas I skipped over the 80s with my focus on Broadway show tunes instead (what a nerd!). Believe me I certainly don’t want to go back to, or even memorialize, the Regan era. I’m not saying that I regret missing the whole musical genre of the 80s but the greatest hits, especially the 30 in the show, are out of this world! The show is smart and written with the send-up intelligence that made me laugh until I cried. Plus I, as well as everyone in the audience, did some of the most athletic seat dancing ever witnessed in a theatre. As Chris Jones said “this was a heck of a good time – a raucous night for non-nerd adults”; I might add nerd adults like me! Oh to have one more chance in our lives to be cool. For one night, I was cool in my studded jean jacket dancing in my seat….you will want to be too!