Gigi

OMG I love Gigi! I love the music, the story, the costumes! I got tickets with TDF for me and my friend Voon. I wasn't super excited to see Vanessa Hudgens because I don't really care about her and know her to be a movie star. But the urge to see the story line that I love so much was too strong. 

The costumes were AMAZING! I loved all the colors, blues and reds! Vanessa was a bit stiff as Gigi the child. She really came into the character at the end of act 1. It was a bit long to wait for that. The show itself was also a bit long. The second act had a couple of songs that I felt were unnecessary. The best actors were Corey Cott (Gaston) and Victoria Clark! Victoria Clark is a given as she is broadway royalty. For Corey Cott, I'd never seen him perform before, but he was so convincing that I leaned over to Voon and said that he'll get a tony nom for this performance. It can't be easy acting against someone who isn't giving it all back. 

 The scenes at Maxime's were always really fun to watch. The choreography was enjoyable. In the first act, Gaston went to a series of balls, all different themes. The transitions for each ball were very exciting to watch. The choreo changed its feeling with each ball as well.

Act 1 ending was fun! "Night they Invented Champagne!" 

 And of course, the big reveal for her ballgown got applause. I did feel like they loved each other, but Gaston's journey was much more exciting to watch. It's hard to give Vanessa a fair trial as no one can compare to Leslie Caron's stellar performance on screen. In fact, I think I may have to watch the movie now.

 We had great seats (Row U center section of orchestra) but they were obstructed only by the overhang. I don't think we actually missed ANYTHING, but I always like to see the top of the marquee.

Into the Woods

I have been dying to see this live. I fell in love with the story when I was a teenager (what a great time to come upon Sondheim) and had even auditioned for a local production when I was in the 11th grade (I didn't get cast as Little Red so I didn't take it), and then there's a lot of ITW mania after the movie came out earlier this year. With all the mainstream attention, I was a little worried that the story would be destroyed, the show would lose its gall, or some other theater catastrophe!

Upon entering the space, it felt very intimate. No curtain. The actors came onstage 5 minutes before they started. They broke the 4th wall. They jumped off the stage to say hi to their friends. We were not in an ordinary theater setting. The show has been stripped. No longer is there an entire orchestra. No, now it's a singular piano with occasional bassoon, cello, guitar, pretty much anything else that anyone in the cast could already play. 

We had great seats (row K off to the right). I'm starting to love this theater space as it is so small. I see everything and feel included!

 Actors were doubling characters, so depending on who was free to play the giant, that's who would take on the role. The actress who played Little Red also played Rapunzel, her different costumes being a red cape or a knitted wig. At times, it felt like "hipster Into the Woods". I really enjoyed the stepsisters, who were played by the two actors who played the Princes. They would stand behind a curtain rod to symbolize dresses. Very imaginative. It reminded me of seeing Peter and the Starcatcher only more chaotic. Aaron did mention that he was glad that he saw the movie before going because he would've been lost without previously knowing a little bit. He did say that he didn't like the 2nd act (bummer) because it was so contrasting from act 1 (that's the point, sweetie!) I enjoyed it.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch

 I'm so happy that I returned to see this show a second time. I enjoyed myself the time before but left the theater with many questions, and while some questions STILL remain unanswered, I felt like I watched an entirely different show. Seeing John Cameron Mitchell play Hedwig as opposed to Michael C Hall was like night and day. Before, I had see Hedwig very angry, hostile, unloving towards her husband (still played by Lena Hall who was on her second to last performance before leaving). John was the original Hedwig from the film. His diction was so clear. Even the hardest of rock songs were understandable.

John had a spill on the street a while back which put him in a knee brace and sneakers as opposed to Hedwig's memorable heels. It was interesting to see her strut the stage in converse, but she did it well. She even made Ytsik put a crate under her foot anytime she sat anywhere. Way to run with what you've got. 

 We sat in the balcony which was a whole section above where I sat last time. We had row E which was second to last. Not too bad....as soon as the show started we moved down to row B, and it felt no different from the first row of the mezzanine. The best part of seeing the show on a Friday is that curtain time was at 10 PM, making it feel more like a concert. All the other theatergoers were super fans.

Here's the iconic sneakers. We waited outside to get autographs. We got autographed sugar daddy suckers and Lena signed everyone's playbills.