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I just saw a preview of this and it is perfectly delightful, just the most perfect surprise. Just the right length, but not too short, to have no intermission, so it breezes by in the most delicious way--echoes of the old shows, of 'Oklahoma', a touch of 'The Music Man', all the most 'wholesome' all-American shows in the very best sense. Piper Goodeve is charming and sings well as Anne, although this is another piece that would have been perfect for Kristen Chenoweth--she's not always going to be brassy and could do this still (and by the way, sidwich, I listened to 'Light in the Piazza', and definitely think Chenoweth could do that show, she's also capable of toning down and darkening a bit, but the album sounds good as it is, though I can't say I thought it exciting in the way some critics have--same complaint, songs sounding too much alike, although I admit they were smooth), but has other irons in the fire. Heather MacRae is hilarious as the gossippy Rachel Lynde, and Erick Devine and Bethe B. Austin are very touching as the sister and brother who take Anne in. Gilbert Blythe nicely done by Andrew Gehling.

Exuberant and charming music by Nancy Ford and lyrics and books by Gretchen Cryer. These are Musical Comedy legends ('I'm Getting My Act Together...') and this is just an adorable evening. I do urge people to see it who can--previews through March 29 and running through May 5. Charming sets, and though sentimental, it never irritates or gets too cloying. There are other versions of this I noticed from googling, but I find it hard to imagine that they get it guite as right as Ms. Cryer and Ms. Ford do.

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I just saw a preview of this and it is perfectly delightful, just the most perfect surprise.

...

and though sentimental, it never irritates or gets too cloying.

I'm glad to hear good things of this, since I have a great deal of fondness for the books, and also for the television programs. There is indeed a difference between sentimental and gooey!

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This is very interesting. The Don Harron/Norman Campbell Anne of Green Gables musical has been playing to sell-out crowds every summer at the Charlottetown Festival since 1965.

http://www.confederationcentre.com/anne.asp

As for ballet versions, Jacques Lemay choreographed one to Campbell's music for the Royal Winnipeg Ballet in 1989.

Trivia: Cambell's connection to ballet was longstanding. He directed many ballet telecasts for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and won Emmy Awards for telecasts of the National Ballet of Canada's Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty.

Harron got the idea for writing an Anne of Green Gables musical while reading the book to his daughter. Mary Harron grew up to direct I Shot Andy Warhol, American Psycho and The Notorious Bettie Page. Go figure.

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I've been following the reports on "Anne of Green Gables" as they come in with a great deal of interest. I'm a great fan of "I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking it on the Road" and am very interested in what Cryer and Ford have developed. (And actually, I never realized that there was such a following for the Canadian musical version of "Anne of Green Gables" until the press for the Cryer/Ford version started. Apparently, it's very beloved.)

and by the way, sidwich, I listened to 'Light in the Piazza', and definitely think Chenoweth could do that show, she's also capable of toning down and darkening a bit, but the album sounds good as it is, though I can't say I thought it exciting in the way some critics have--same complaint, songs sounding too much alike, although I admit they were smooth

I don't question that Chenoweth could sing it, and probably do an amazing job from a musical perspective. I just don't think she'd be right for for the role by any stretch of the imagination.

And actually, although Kelli O'Hara has a huge following in the musical theatre community, I actually preferred Katie Clarke (her replacement) who is a significantly weaker vocalist. I just felt that Clarke worked better dramatically in many ways although I think Kelli O'Hara is a much better all-around performer and very arguably the best young soprano around. (And interestingly, Chenoweth and O'Hara are performing together on Friday in Oklahoma at a benefit in honor of their mutual former vocal teacher at Oklahoma State University.)

I would have liked to have seen Celia Keenan-Bolger who did the pre-Broadway tryouts and who many feel was the strongest of them all, but apparently Guettel decided he wanted a purer "legit" soprano for the role after the tryouts.

As for the show on the whole, I have a lot of misgivings about "Light in the Piazza," but I do think Guettel is very talented.

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Sidwich--I do agree Kelli O'Hara sounds wonderful on the record. I wish I had seen the show, I had other things that made me not notice it all during that year. Except, this story does not interest me, now I do remember that I specifically decided it seemed irrelevant. I have gotten rather severe in some of my tastes, as in film, I rarely think a love story with the old sorts of narratives is anything but boring, so that I'll think one has succeeded to some degree if it explores a more difficult kind of love story because socially impossible in the past, as 'Monster's Ball' and 'Brokeback Mountain'; and then I'll think that yes, there is still a such thing as the love story. However, the phrase 'Love If You Can' in 'Piazza' was pretty well-tailored for our unromantic times. Would be interested to know what you thought of the show itself, please don't bother staying 'on-topic' here. Did you think it worked as a love story still?

I also listened to 'Marie Christine' after you mentioned it, also has some things of interest in it, but frankly, I preferred the tuneful bright charm of the Ford/Cryer show to either of these scores--it was just as professional, but I'm tired of Broadway 'brooding-sound', among other characterstics of recent scores I liked less. I liked the 'City of Angels' score fairly well, but it was mainly because of that old show-bizzy song 'I'm Nothing Without You'. I'd like to hear the Canadian version of 'Anne of Green Gables' as well, I'm sure it's very different, and it sure is old.

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Sidwich--I do agree Kelli O'Hara sounds wonderful on the record. I wish I had seen the show, I had other things that made me not notice it all during that year. Except, this story does not interest me, now I do remember that I specifically decided it seemed irrelevant. I have gotten rather severe in some of my tastes, as in film, I rarely think a love story with the old sorts of narratives is anything but boring, so that I'll think one has succeeded to some degree if it explores a more difficult kind of love story because socially impossible in the past, as 'Monster's Ball' and 'Brokeback Mountain'; and then I'll think that yes, there is still a such thing as the love story. However, the phrase 'Love If You Can' in 'Piazza' was pretty well-tailored for our unromantic times. Would be interested to know what you thought of the show itself, please don't bother staying 'on-topic' here. Did you think it worked as a love story still?

Light in the Piazza made it to television on PBS and it may turn up again. I found the score dullish, as you note, every song sounded the same, and although Guettel writes a competent lyric he should maybe think about a collaborator down the line.

Thank you for the "Anne of Green Gables" report. I loved the books back when and it's nice to hear that this is a good show.

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Light in the Piazza made it to television on PBS and it may turn up again. I found the score dullish, as you note, every song sounded the same, and although Guettel writes a competent lyric he should maybe think about a collaborator down the line.

dirac--I'd be interested to hear how you thought they managed the story too. I know it's hard if you don't care much for the score, but did it seem an anachronism? That's why I never gave it much thought till now.

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Did you think it worked as a love story still?

To me, no. I think there's an inherent tension in the story that Guettel and Craig Lucas could never quite get over for me, which is that I could never quite buy that Clara was capable of the profound love that Guettel and Lucas were trying to depict when she was still essentially a child. So that part of the story never really worked for me, and the resolution of the story falls apart if the love story doesn't really work.

I do buy it as a very interesting mother/daughter story, though. I think part of why Katie Clarke worked somewhat better for me was because she her portrayal of Clara shaded more child-like, and so the ending of the story resolves more ambiguously which I think worked somewhat better.

although Guettel writes a competent lyric he should maybe think about a collaborator down the line.

Yes, Guettel's competent, but I don't think he's much more. I don't know that he'll ever take on a lyricist as a partner, though. He seems to have difficulties with collaborators. He lost his first librettist on "Light in the Piazza," and "Princess Bride" has already been shelved because William Goldman quit on him.

I liked the 'City of Angels' score fairly well, but it was mainly because of that old show-bizzy song 'I'm Nothing Without You'.

"City of Angels" is one of my favorite (relatively) recent shows, in no small part because of David Zippel's lyrics. I think he's one of the best around right now.

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"City of Angels" is one of my favorite (relatively) recent shows, in no small part because of David Zippel's lyrics. I think he's one of the best around right now.

I am finally catching up on some shows I missed by at least listening to the scores. Right now I'm listening to 'The Life' and I can't even believe how good this score is, better than 'City of Angels' as music, I think definitely. One of the blurbs has said it's his (Cy Coleman's) best score since 'Sweet Charity'. I'd agree, I simply had no idea how beautiful it is, even though there have been complaints about the book from some reviews I've looked up--bound to be full of cliches, but I think even trying to do this sort of show is frought with every peril. Still, a score with real songs that don't all sound the same is something distinguished, and I really am sorry not to have seen it. I imagine it didn't have even more praise due to the subject matter--has to be, because this score is one of the best of the last 40 years. Ben Brantley said it had echoes of 'Threepenny Opera' , 'West Side Story', and 'Rent', but that says something to me about his ear: I think it's a lot more like Gershwin, Arlen and also some elements from LA noir movies like the 1975 'Farewell My Lovely' theme and some of Jerry Goldsmith's things, like 'Chinatown.' Light-years beyond the score for 'Rent', I'm afraid, and the resemblance to 'West Side Story' is pretty much a surface matter, I don't even hear much 'Threepenny Opera', if at all.

Did you see it? If so, do tell about it.

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