Stairway To Paradise, a revue at the New York City Center Encores! Rob Berman, conducting, with Kristin Chenoweth, Ruthie Henshall, Kevin Chamberlin, Christopher Fitzgerald, Jenn Genovese, Capathia Jenkins, Kendrick Jones. Directed by Jerry Zaks. The New York City Center.
We happily caught the final showing of "Stairway To Paradise." A glorious romp, superbly done, we loved every minute of it, every star, every number, every comic bit. "The Yellow Peril" cracked everyone up including Kristin Chenoweth who couldn't stop laughing. Sneezing, it's been funny for a long time. There's a great comic ensemble in Paisiello's Il Barbiere di Siviglia (1782)). I wonder if sneezing as a gag in theater even predates that?
Kristin Chenoweth, what a complete talent, she has it all. She sang in all styles and ranges, and showcased her sound operatic training with a lovely performance of "Kiss Me Again," a number written for another glamorous opera singer/musical comedy star of long ago - Fritzi Scheff. I've followed Chenoweth's metoric career ever since "Charlie Brown" and I've never heard her voice in lovelier shape. Ruthie Henshall sang like Jo Stafford, Christopher Fitzgerald was so very funny and gave us a heartfelt "Brother Can You Spare A Dime", Capathia Jenkins was sizzling in the raunchy "My Handy Man Ain't Handy No More", Jenn Gambatase was a charming soubrette in the Garrick Gaieties numbers, songs I've been familiar with through the antique sheet music and now they came to life in front of my happy eyes.
"Stairway to Paradise" is brilliantly assembled and has been directed with the inimitable touch of Jerry Zaks, who makes everything he touches seem colorful. Not hard though with this great material featuring songs and sketches by the top Broadway talent of all time: Nora Bayes, Irving Berlin, Eubie Blake, The Gershwins, Rodgers, Hart, Norworth, Rome, Schwartz, Styne, etc.. The choreography by Warren Carlyle was spot on, the orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick expert, and the conducting by Rob Berman smooth as silk.
The breakthrough performance of the tap dancer Kendrick Jones has been noted by just about everyone writing about this show. I felt he grabbed "Stairway to Paradise" by its handsome scruff and walked away with it despite the excellence of everyone else. When Jones danced, you could feel the pulse of the audience racing, the excitement building in the theater. We wanted more from him, much more. The only other time I've experienced this in a musical was when Deborah Yates danced in "Contact" (whatever happened to her? I thought she was headed for stardom). But Jones, what a dancer - the best live tap dancing I've seen, perhaps on a level IMHO worthy of comparison to the legendary Nicholas Brothers. I hope he gets a show on Broadway and soon!
I am so grateful to Encores! - everyone involved, the incomparably talented performers, the intrepid producers, the more often than not inspired management. Year in and year out, they give us this special gift three times a season. When the Encores! comes around, New York, specifically the New York City Center is truly the center of the show business universe, making even the most arduous commute a necessity, a must. Broadway Bridge and Tunnel Test grade. A+
We happily caught the final showing of "Stairway To Paradise." A glorious romp, superbly done, we loved every minute of it, every star, every number, every comic bit. "The Yellow Peril" cracked everyone up including Kristin Chenoweth who couldn't stop laughing. Sneezing, it's been funny for a long time. There's a great comic ensemble in Paisiello's Il Barbiere di Siviglia (1782)). I wonder if sneezing as a gag in theater even predates that?
Kristin Chenoweth, what a complete talent, she has it all. She sang in all styles and ranges, and showcased her sound operatic training with a lovely performance of "Kiss Me Again," a number written for another glamorous opera singer/musical comedy star of long ago - Fritzi Scheff. I've followed Chenoweth's metoric career ever since "Charlie Brown" and I've never heard her voice in lovelier shape. Ruthie Henshall sang like Jo Stafford, Christopher Fitzgerald was so very funny and gave us a heartfelt "Brother Can You Spare A Dime", Capathia Jenkins was sizzling in the raunchy "My Handy Man Ain't Handy No More", Jenn Gambatase was a charming soubrette in the Garrick Gaieties numbers, songs I've been familiar with through the antique sheet music and now they came to life in front of my happy eyes.
"Stairway to Paradise" is brilliantly assembled and has been directed with the inimitable touch of Jerry Zaks, who makes everything he touches seem colorful. Not hard though with this great material featuring songs and sketches by the top Broadway talent of all time: Nora Bayes, Irving Berlin, Eubie Blake, The Gershwins, Rodgers, Hart, Norworth, Rome, Schwartz, Styne, etc.. The choreography by Warren Carlyle was spot on, the orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick expert, and the conducting by Rob Berman smooth as silk.
The breakthrough performance of the tap dancer Kendrick Jones has been noted by just about everyone writing about this show. I felt he grabbed "Stairway to Paradise" by its handsome scruff and walked away with it despite the excellence of everyone else. When Jones danced, you could feel the pulse of the audience racing, the excitement building in the theater. We wanted more from him, much more. The only other time I've experienced this in a musical was when Deborah Yates danced in "Contact" (whatever happened to her? I thought she was headed for stardom). But Jones, what a dancer - the best live tap dancing I've seen, perhaps on a level IMHO worthy of comparison to the legendary Nicholas Brothers. I hope he gets a show on Broadway and soon!
I am so grateful to Encores! - everyone involved, the incomparably talented performers, the intrepid producers, the more often than not inspired management. Year in and year out, they give us this special gift three times a season. When the Encores! comes around, New York, specifically the New York City Center is truly the center of the show business universe, making even the most arduous commute a necessity, a must. Broadway Bridge and Tunnel Test grade. A+
posted by James Camner | 8:24 PM
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