atm711 Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 What could one not like about a musical with Weill's music and boasts lyrics by Maxwell Anderson, Bertolt Brecht, Howard Dietz, Ira Gershwin, Oscar Hammerstein II, Langston Hughes, Alan Jay Lerner, Ogden Nash, and Elmer Rice. It was in two acts; Act 1 the European years and Act 2, America. The first Act was the best and it gave me high hopes for the rest of the show. A highlight of this Act was a musical number "Schickelgruber" about the actual birth of Hitler performed in larger than life silhouette behind a white scrim. There was even a mention of his writing the score for 'Seven Deadly Sins', but Balanchine wasn't mentioned. Act 2 plodded along until the end with a beautiful rendition of September Song---talk about weeping at the theatre--oh, my. Michael Cerveris richly deserved his Tony nomination. Donna Murphy's voice, I thought, was too soprano for the lower ranged Lenya; while watching her I kept thinking that she looked like Danilova---same smallround face and lithe dancer's body and the accent was more Danilova than Lenya. Link to comment
dirac Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 while watching her I kept thinking that she looked like Danilova---same smallround face and lithe dancer's body and the accent was more Danilova than Lenya. Murphy was actually cast, plausibly enough, as a ballet teacher in "Center Stage." Thank you for the review, atm711. I love Weill and I hope this one makes its way out west eventually. Link to comment
Helene Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 while watching her I kept thinking that she looked like Danilova---same smallround face and lithe dancer's body and the accent was more Danilova than Lenya. Murphy was actually cast, plausibly enough, as a ballet teacher in "Center Stage." Well, until that scene from a made-for-TV-movie in which her character counsels Eva that it all starts at the barre. Definitely would have been one of my edits. Link to comment
Recommended Posts