Have seen and enjoyed two terrific new musicals in the past two nights: VIOLET and BULLETS OVER BROADWAY. Two vastly different shows with vastly different aims. VIOLET is novelistic, with complex, challenging characters, an intricate and atmospheric score that blends bluegrass and gospel, and a perfect cast. (Joshua Henry continues to dazzle with star presence, acting chops and a voice that combines velvet and thunder. In the title role, Sutton Foster gets to shed her usual gloss and perkiness for a deeply damaged yet resilient soul in search of a miracle. The onstage band and ensemble of singer-actors provide a non-stop playlist of soulful sounds. The writing is ambitious and lyrical and always theatrical. And you get to enjoy Annie Golden in two roles, each is memorable. Meanwhile, a few blocks away, BULLETS OVER BROADWAY is a good old-fashioned song-and-dance show blessed with a really funny book (I personally prefer Woody Allen style of humor to Mel Brooks) and a score comprised of excellent 1920s songs, outfitted with new lyrics as needed. Like THE PRODUCERS, 42ND STREET or VICTOR/VICTORIA, this is a showbiz fable populated by types. The aim is to carry you along and make you laugh, with plenty of traditional Broadway pizzazz. I loved the sheer fun of the whole thing. This is the kind of show that has to be done really well to sustain such constantly silly high spirits. It made me smile from start to finish. Both shows deserve to run and find their audiences.
Posted on: Thu, 10 Apr 2014 03:53:13 +0000