Review: Once

If any musical currently running on Broadway exemplifies the changing state of musical theatre, it is Once. That may seem like an unexpected statement to make about a musical based on a movie, but bear with me here, dear blog readers. 

I didn’t have high expectations for the musical adaptation of Once when it was first announced. I fell in love with the heartfelt indie film a few years ago after Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2008. As much as I love the glitz of Broadway musicals, I was afraid that it would squash the authenticity of the story about a heartbroken Irish songwriter and the Czech immigrant who inspires him to keep his music alive. Then it won a Tony for Best Musical. Then my theatre-nerd friends wouldn’t stop raving about it. Then I looked up some clips on YouTube. And then I put tickets to the show on my Christmas wish list.

Once was everything I could have wished for in an adaptation of the film I love so much. It was true to the film's plot and kept the same slightly melancholy tone while energizing the musical numbers. The indie spirit of the film was hardly lost on the stage.

This was one of the first Broadway shows I’ve seen to use an interactive pre-show set up, which is something I’ve grown to love in smaller productions. The set is pretty minimalist, with a bar acting as a street corner in Dublin, a cramped apartment and a recording studio. That bar wasn’t just for show (no pun intended), as drinks were served onstage before the show. As it got closer to curtain, the actors gathered around the remaining bar patrons/audience members on stage and performed a few folk tunes. The actors accompanied themselves with violins, guitars, melodicas and upright basses and continued to do so into the show. This is a trend in musical theatre - seen in the recent revivals of Sweeney Todd and Company - that I’ve been loving as it gives musical theatre more of a folk music storytelling element to the stage, bringing usually glitzy Broadway productions down to Earth.

Steve Kazee, Cristina Milioti and the whole cast give some really great performances.  Many of them come from a “straight acting” background rather than the world of musical theatre and have been seen in more plays than musicals. This really shows, since they act the crap out of each scene they’re in. I see Once as more of a play with music than a musical, and this approach to casting the show really worked. 

All that being said, I think that Once will work better in a smaller setting. It is such an intimate musical and some of those quieter emotional moments can get lost in a 1,000+ seat house. The actors all do a great job, but some points tend to fall flat when you’re up in the nosebleeds.

Regardless, if you’re in Manhattan any time soon, check out Once.  It’s definitely one of the best shows I’ve seen in New York in a long time.

Once is currently running at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre at 242 W. 45^th St., New York, NY. Tickets start at $60. General Rush tickets are available in person at the box office for $34.50 Tuesday through Thursday and $39.50 Friday through Sunday (limit two per person). 

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Review: Bring It On: The Musical

On a Friday night a few weeks ago I did something that I've never done before: I saw a Broadway musical...by myself. I've had plenty of experience going to the theatre on my own before, but the shows I've seen alone in the last few years have been smaller productions from regional companies or universities. Broadway is a different story. I'm accustomed to feeling at home with the groups of tourists when attending a show with my family, but though the audience of Bring It On: The Musical was mostly around my age, I did feel out of place as a more seasoned theatre patron attending the show alone. Nevertheless, Bring It On was so fun that I forgot how out of place I was and had a very enjoyable night at the theatre.

Image via my Instagram.

I've never seen the film of the same name that the musical was based on (I know, I don't deserve to call myself a Millenial), but from what I've read on Wikipedia and IMDb, the plots are not as similar as those of other musical adaptations of popular films. In this musical entry into the Bring it On canon, a bright young cheerleader named Campbell has it all: great friends, a great boyfriend and a spot on the top of the social food chain at Truman High School. To top it all off, she's just been voted the captain of the acclaimed Truman cheerleading squad. Weeks before school starts, Campbell receives a letter notifying her that she's been redistricted and must report to Jackson High School for her senior year. Jackson is on the "other side of the tracks" and Campbell is a little out of place among the metal detectors and grafitti-covered lockers. She decides to join the closest thing to a cheerleading squad that Jackson has: a dance crew. After some vetting, she’s accepted and convinces the crew to try out for the national cheerleading competition to get revenge on Eva, the sophomore who’s taken her place as queen bee and cheerleading captain at Truman.

Though the story is a little predictable, Bring It On really brings the fun with awesome cheerleading-inspired choreography. Many of the ensemble members have some kind of cheerleading background allowing them to toss their castmates so high they almost hit the stage lights and flip across the stage with ease. As it is a musical about cheerleading, the young cast brings the appropriate amount of energy to their performances. It definitely helps that Bring It On marks the Broadway debut of many members of the cast. The music is good, but a bit less memorable. Lin-Manuel Miranda and Tom Kitt’s score definitely shines on the more hip-hop influenced numbers, Miranda’s strong suit as seen in his Tony Award winning score for In The Heights. The first act spends a good deal of time building Campbell’s high school world and the rather expositioney writing wasn’t my favorite (to be fair, I’m picky). The writing picks up in the second act, however, adding lots of topical jokes about social media and pop culture (Doctor Who references! Nerds rejoice!). The timeliness of the writing does make me a bit concerned about the play’s future (and that of other musicals that take on a similar style), but that’s a discussion for another post.

Some standout performances include Ryann Redmond’s Bridget, a big girl who’s been relegated to mascot duty for years at Truman but really finds herself at Jackson. Redmond can really belt and she brings both humor and humility to the story. And the girl can rap! I hope to see this CAP 21 student in many more performances in New York and beyond. I also loved Elle McLemore’s portrayal of Eva, a sweet cheerleader with a bit of a vengeful side (when I say a vengeful side, I really mean that she turns into a blonde Gollum by the end of the show).

For another musical based on a popular film, I was pretty impressed with Bring It On. Though it might not sit on the shelf of the great American musicals, it was just a lot of lighthearted fun. And hey, if that’s the way Broadway’s going right now, I guess I can get behind it.

Bring It On: The Musical is currently running at the St. James Theatre at 246 W. 44^th St., New York, NY through December 30. Tickets start at $39. General Rush tickets are available for $35 beginning when the box office opens (cash only, limit two per person). For more information, check out bringitonmusical.com. 

Coming Soon...

Well, it seems to have been some time. I sincerely apologize for my absence from Standing Room Only. I won't bore you all with excuses and stories of where I've been for the past two (or however many) months, but just know that much of it is theater-related and it is all awesome. But right now, it's back to business. Sort of.

I have a bunch of great stuff planned for the next few weeks of Standing Room Only. I'll be here to help you make some sense of all the theater you're probably being bombarded with right now, or just to bombard you with some more. For example, I'm seeing a bunch of shows in the next two weeks, most of which I will be reviewing on here. Here's just a few of the shows I'm planning on seeing soon:

• Bad Jews, Roundabout Theatre Company 
• Pookie Goes Grenading, Azuka Theater
• The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Drexel Players
• The Republican Theater Festival 
• Satchmo at the Waldorf, The Wilma Theater

So yes, I'm sorry this post isn't more interesting, but I felt the need to get the "sorry I abandoned you for two months" stuff out of the way before I moved on to the good stuff. Watch this space, theater fans! 

Everybody's Rushin': How to Get Student Rush Tickets

Being able to take advantage of student rush tickets is one of the best perks of being a student in my opinion. My university ID has afforded me some of the best discounts on theatre tickets out there, and has allowed me to see productions that I might not have seen otherwise. In my quest to find the best student rush offers in the theatre world, I’ve found that there is an art to “rushing” a show, one that I would’ve liked to know more about before I rushed my first show. So, dear reader, I present you with the three essential steps to acquiring student rush tickets.  

Step 1: Do your research ahead of time.

Visit the show or theatre’s website and find out when the box office opens and if they offer student rush tickets at all. Generally speaking, you’ll need to purchase the tickets in person, so figure out how to get to the box office. If the box office only accepts cash for student rush tickets, be sure to pay a visit to the ATM. Call the theatre if you have any questions that can’t be answered through the information on the website. And of course, don’t forget your ID!

Step 2: Arrive early.

Photo Credit: Elvert Barnes

The definition of “early” may depend on the show you’re seeing. For smaller theatres, arriving at the box office fifteen minutes before it opens is usually sufficient. For Broadway shows or bigger productions, plan to get there three or more hours before if you want to be guaranteed a ticket. Bring a book or something to do while you wait, and don’t be afraid to talk to the people in line. Lots of people have met good friends waiting in line for rush tickets to their favorite shows.

And finally…

Step 3: Be flexible. 

I say this because it is entirely possible that you will wait for tickets for a while only to have the box office announce that the show is sold out when you are the next person in line. It is also entirely possible that the show will be sold out before you even get to the theatre. Try not to be disappointed if your original plan doesn’t work out, and have a back-up plan for the evening. There may be a fair amount of planning involved in rushing, but it is a process based on spontaneity and chance. And, to be honest, that’s what makes it so exciting.

Do you have any stories from the student rush line, or any tips for future rushers? Post them in the comments!

Prologue

Welcome, theatre enthusiasts (or soon to be enthusiasts), to Standing Room Only, your hub for theatre news, reviews, and tips!

In this digital age, many believe that live theatre is a dying art. Boy, are they wrong. Nearly every city in America has their own thriving theatre scene, and more young people are studying theatre than ever before.  I'm here to find the best theatre experiences and give my readers the resources they need to enjoy theatre on a budget. I also want young people to feel comfortable in a theatre environment. The theatre isn't just for blue-haired matinee ladies anymore. Young artists are creating exciting, experimental works for theatre-goers like you. I'm here to help you find them.

Photo credit: Alan Cleaver

So, who am I, the almighty voice at the other end of your internet connection? My name is Charlotte, and I'm just your average social-media obsessed college student with a passion for theatre. I'm currently studying Screenwriting & Playwriting at university in between my many internet ventures (all of which you can find on my About page).

If you're so inclined to watch this space for more, you can subscribe via RSS on the left sidebar. I hope you're all as excited about this new project as I am!