This is a very silly show. And in the spirit of the show, I have to say, it was as corny as it looks from the promos. Full of puns, one-liners, and sexual innuendos à la Airplane or Naked Gun, Shucked will make your face hurt from laughing. Two narrators - Ashley D Kelly and Grey Henson (who may as well have been reprising his role as Damian in Mean Girls) - lead us through the ridiculous plot as they try not to laugh at their own jokes. The songs are catchy and well sung by a strong ensemble cast. Alex Newell as Lulu (the best friend) brings down the house, Andrew Durand as Beau (the beau) does too, Caroline Innerbichler as Maizy hold hers own, and Kevin Cahoon as Peanut (the dimwitted, but wise brother) gets the most laughs. Everyone is great, and everyone is having the best time.
Sweeney Todd isn't my favorite musical, but I would see anything starring Josh Groban and Annaleigh Ashford. This dynamic pair does a phenomenal job bringing both humanity and humor to their characters. The production is a refreshing reminder that this story is not meant to be a creepy Tim Burton nightmare - it's a dark comedy full of hidden motivations and desires that reveals the underbelly of human nature. As much as I love Groban (and he is amazing in the title role), Ashford is the bigger draw here. She absolutely nails the role of Mrs Lovett, conquering Sondheim's rapid fire tongue-twisting lyrics while also landing perfectly timed physical comedy. The supporting characters are great too (Jordan Fisher as Anthony Hope is a standout), and the set is very well done with the barber chair mechanism smoothly delivering bodies to a giant furnace below.
Myles Frost was born to play this role. The full cast of dancers is incredible, and the other two MJs (Bane Griffith and Tavon Olds-Sample) are amazing... but Frost is mesmerizing. In most of the dance scenes I had to remember to consciously take my eyes off of him sometimes in order to appreciate the full ensemble. My main complaint is that the show is too damn loud - I love Michael Jackson's songs, but no one wants a headache at intermission.
The story focuses on the time period leading up to Jackson's 1992 Dangerous World tour, with a handful of flashbacks. We see Joseph Jackson (Apollo Levine) forcing nonstop rehearsal on the Jackson Five, and his abusive focus on Michael as the standout talent in the family. There are a few scenes showing Jackson's work with Quincy Jones, and some brief mentions of "allegations" but mostly we see Jackson as an artistic genius and his process for maintaining creative control over the upcoming tour. His demands are outlandish and expensive, but Jackson does not allow for compromises when it comes to his vision. |
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