Broadway has changed.
And those changes were much in evidence during the recent Tony Awards telecast.
But not all of the changes have been for the better. New, smaller, supposedly more intimate musicals eschew big sets, strong production numbers, glitzy show stoppers and anything even vaguely resembling choreography. And they've been joined by more jukebox musicals that chuck original compositions for a rehash of already popularized top-charting standards in tribute to some performer, group of performers or noted tunesmith.
The latest of these, Ain't Too Proud actually snagged the best choreography award simply for recreating the synchronized moves of The Temptations.
In opting for Ain't Too Proud, the Tonys committed an unforgivable sin. They snubbed the best-choreographed show to hit Broadway in a long time -- Kiss Me, Kate.
In fact, nothing tops Kiss Me Kate's irrepressibly high-stepping numbers including Tom, Dick or Harry; I Hate Men and, above all, Too Darn Hot. If you saw the Too Darn Hot number on the Tony telecast you know it was absolutely breathtaking.
Kiss Me, Kate closes at the end of June but as far as we're concerned it deserves to run forever because it's one of the best revivals to hit Broadway in years -- far better than the 1999 revival which we also saw.
This grand, witty Cole Porter musical has not only been lovingly recreated by the Roundabout Theater Company but it's also been updated just enough with superb direction by the masterful Scott Ellis, music direction by the legendary Paul Gemignani and choreography by Warren Carlyle.
This is a big, bawdy, roughhousing backstage musical that requires perfect timing for all its rapid-fire jokes, clever asides, physical antics and tongue-in-cheek sentimentality. It's tuneful, raucous, romantic and highly theatrical, sometimes all at once.
Kelli O'Hara is not only the perfect Lilli/Kate but she's matched moment-for-moment by Will Chase as Fred/Petruchio. They are this season's Broadway Dream Duo. O'Hara excels with So In Love and I Hate Men. And Chase soars with Were Thine That Special Face and Where Is The Life That Late I Led.
But let's not forget Corbin Bleu without whom the haunting Bianca and the rousing Too Darn Hot would not exist.
The program states that with this production, Kiss Me, Kate "comes back to masterful life with intensity, passion, delight -- and perspective."
We couldn't have said it better ourselves.
This is/was the season's best revival of a musical!
