June 2010 Reviews - NYC

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ERinVA
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June 2010 Reviews - NYC

Post by ERinVA »

Here's the thread for June reviews.
Ellen



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-George Balanchine 1904 -1983


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Re: June 2010 Reviews - NYC

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Fri June 4

Billy-Michael
Michael-Jake
TB-Kylend
SB-Luke
Dad-Joel Hatch (First time as Dad?)
Tony-Jeff Kready
George- David Hibbard
Tracey Atkinson-Maddy

I have some new people that I now love in NY :lol: The crazy ticket brokers near TKTS who buy to many tickets that they can't sell :D :D :D . Can you say discount :D paid $160 total for A6 & 8. Third time in two weeks I have sat in A row with a discount. Sat with (clue) who I offered good deal to and really funny next to us A10 was Gerideth who had bought the seat earlier in the week. Now on to the review. Greg is on vacation till next Wed. So Joel H was doing Dad tonight for the first time I believe(Any long time forum members know different?) Last understudy that I saw was Donnie Kehr for Greg before Phil W got finished training for NY.

Stars Look Down
Luke always seems to have this mischievous look on his face when looking at the audience before the film. What a weird sight seeing Joel(Dad) dragging in Billy. Hey he's in the the wrong spot pops into mind :lol: :D. Then there is Michael who is now my all time seen Billy :D I do not think I have seen a bad show from him ever :!: :!: Joel has a softer more world weary presence.

Shine/Solidarity
Two new Ballet Girls and a new Swing for those who have not been to the show in a while. Does it make a difference no way. People sitting near us love the girls particularly Ava who is this cute little pixie :) This is the part of the show that draws you in like a trapped fly and does not let go. Any of the Billy's Attitude Promenade is your first true he can do it moment. Joel does a very good job with tone and posture for the confrontation with Mrs W.

Expressing Yourself
Jake :D :D :D :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :D :D plus Michael what a team.

Angry Dance
I am out of words that describe Michael. So lets just say a simply :!: awesome :!: :D. We all need ear plugs to sit this close :lol:

Deep Into The Ground
Joel does a good job for a first time here as well.

Electricity
Grace, agility and passion make Michael's Electricity a marvel to behold. loud applause and shout of approval follow his final pose. Joel has his funny moments overall.

Finale
Does the show have to come to an end :cry: :D Yet another high note for the company and Michael the leader of the gang :!:
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Re: June 2010 Reviews - NYC

Post by gpcolo »

Thanks MF for your review of this show and its unique casting. Part of the attraction of seeing this show so many times is experiencing the different Billy's and Michael's along with those surprising adult role changes. I never pictured Joel Hatch playing Jackie Elliot but it sounds like he played the part very well.
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Re: June 2010 Reviews - NYC

Post by ERinVA »

Joel has been an understudy for Dad from the beginning. I believe he has actually played Dad before, but I am not sure when the last time was.
Ellen



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-George Balanchine 1904 -1983


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Re: June 2010 Reviews - NYC

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ERinVA wrote:Joel has been an understudy for Dad from the beginning. I believe he has actually played Dad before, but I am not sure when the last time was.
Sorry that is what I was wondering. I knew Joel was U/S but had never seen him actually play Dad.

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Re: June 2010 Reviews - NYC

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sctwins wrote:Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I really should have been New York this week!!!!!(stupid visa works!!!!! :( )

How was David Hibbard as George?I liked him when he did Spamalot!
Have David Hibbard a few times as George. He is more emotional and demonstrative in playing George.
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Re: June 2010 Reviews - NYC

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Sat May 5 Eve
Billy- Dayton
Michael-Jake
SB-Luke
Dad-Joel Hatch
George- David Hibbard
Tony-Jeff Kready

Had a celebrity sighting tonight. Henry Winkler( the Fonz)and wife in the audience. They went back stage after. This was Dayton's third show back :D .

Solidarity
I do not :!: :!: think it possible for Dayton to get any closer to Dad(Greg or Joel)when he does his (Your a b*st*rd)line :). Wow you want to talk about invading personal space :P Dayton can't be more than an inch from Joel's face and up on his toes when delivering the line.

Angry Dance
Watch Dayton's face when Debbie does her hoo-hoo line. There is this look of sheer wide eyed horror. Wish Joel was louder and more emotionally outgoing when saying (your mums dead). What a difference 3 shows back make. Dayton delivers a dynamic and dramatic :D :lol: finish to the first half. Once again I don't know how Dayton could have anything more to give in effort.

Intermission
Was talking to older couple sitting next to me. Told them how many Billy's I have seen(13 :( only) She had just watched BE movie with young Grand kids(under 7yrs old). She asked me if all the Billy's were like this . Because Dayton just blew them away with his talent.

Dream Ballet
Stephen Hanna gave Dayton a serious spin. I don't think it was me but it sure looked like Dayton was spinning a lot faster than usual :) . I do know that Stephen helped Dayton with his first move(the one leg 360 with arms wide) by holding his arm. Which I have only seen with Jacob C. since Stephen came back.

Electricity
Two hands off the chair instead of one right now. Dayton comes out of his ending pose and steps back. You can see the emotion welling up in his eyes. A smile trying to come to his face as he looks around at the audience applauding him. Dayton stays like this for a while than turns to Dad. Michael does something similar. 10 out 10 times this draws an aw and more applause from majority of audience. In the kitchen scene where Lesley comes over to ask how the audition went. You can see Michael(Jake) making fun of Lesley and then Billy(Dayton)kicking his foot to stop it :D you have to be sitting center or left audience to see the gestures and facial expressions :lol:

SD
Nice crowd to thank Dayton for his wonderful show.
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Re: June 2010 Reviews - NYC

Post by cincinnati »

Friday June 4

I was at the Friday performance with Michael Dameski as Billy.

I will write a review on this night in the next day, but I have to say that Michael has left me speechless for the last few days. Words will be difficult to describe his work on Friday night, my gosh he held the crowd in his hands....I cannot begin to believe the talent the Human Tornado has....shocking....

Also, I was sitting next to none other than former presidential canidate from 1972, former South Dakota senator George McGovern....at 87 years old the Senator looked very good....he too by the way was left in awe of the Michael....
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Re: June 2010 Reviews - NYC

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Intermission
Was talking to older couple sitting next to me. Told them how many Billy's I have seen(13 only) She had just watched BE movie with young Grand kids(under 7yrs old). She asked me if all the Billy's were like this . Because Dayton just blew them away with his talent.
And of course you said yes! 8-) That is what I love the most about this show. You can always answer yes to that question. :D
Ellen



"I don't want people who want to dance; I want people who have to dance.”
-George Balanchine 1904 -1983


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Re: June 2010 Reviews - NYC

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Friday June 4

Billy Michael
Michael Jake

I must say that in the many trips to the Imperial I have come to understand the fact that to me the best seats in the house are between row E and G.....I was in row F right smack in the center....with the "Human Tornado" slated to play Billy....it just doesn't get any better....I sat down in my seat, glad to be in a sport shirt and slacks (summer wear) instead of my suit (winter wear)......the early June crowd to me became pretty obvious was an older crowd, the ones around me consisted of a lot of Broadway rookies ..... very nice people...looking at the Playbill like a People magazine...LOL LOL....Then an elderly man and lady came right in front of me, (we all hope that the ones around us are nice seat mates, and short people to sit right in front of us too..) the man sat down next to me and the lady to his right....The man said "Good evening"...the opening was moments away...I said hello and looked up and sitting next to me was an 87 year old George McGovern...the former Senator from South Dakota and 1972 presidential canidate...what a nice man....what a nice man...What seemed strange to me though was...he was shocked I knew who he was....although the whole evening no one seem to notice until the show was over and I said Good night Senator...that brought some attention....anyway....Senator McGovern sure loved the play...he thought Michael was everything I told him he would be....he was shocked by how good Michael was...

I will not attempt to list each song, number this time....for your reading time's sake.....

Let me just start by saying that Michael Dameski has improved each time I have seen him, this night being the third time I have seen the "Human Tornado".
Jake Evan Schwenck was really on his game this night, his performance in "Express Yourself" was a dead knockout....the facial expressions, the timing is right on....what a great job by Jake....Michael is not an easy role to play....just like the outfielder who replaced Babe Ruth for the Yankees....(I am speaking of the Babe Ruth of the Imperial, David Bologna). Jake has developed into a very solid performer who will not sell anyone short.....I really enjoyed Jake this night....!
Michael had me shaking my head by Solidarity, this is a new record for my head shaking....LOL LOL....that is a sign with me when I am in a mild state of shock about how darn good someone is in a part....I have said many times before in this forum that Carole Shelley and Thommie Retter are just plain great in their roles....I am guilty at times of not reporting how well these two perform...you know...it's like a good Major League baseball umpire....there are so good at their job you just take them for granted and don't talk about them......
Solidarity to me as I have said many times before has to be one of the very very best productions in the history of Broadway....Insert the (Gene Kelly) type talent of Michael Dameski and it's worth the price of the ticket alone.
I must talk of the outstanding singing talent of Michael.....I am a novice about this subject....but Michael can sing and he hit every note this night with haunting perfection, my gosh I thought to myself , how is this possible...?
The acting skills that Michael displays are so dead on, it has you in a state of confussion over reality, there, is that a good enough description coming from a novice.....?
It is very obvious to me that Michael is very cognisant of the fact that by the end of Angry Dance that he is in complete control of entire crowd....much like the puppet show at the start of the second half....Michael has a bit of an air about him, that translates into a cocky style of acting....to me this is a good thing, you can sense command in this 100 pound human dynamo, a sense of I will stir this emotion, this feeling of excitment and this feeling of joy.....he is like a leader of a huge flock of birds with his sweeping arch of talent.
Michael was downright amazing in the Swan Lake....leaving the crowd looking like a deer in headlights on a highway when he came down from flying....the crowd really didn't know what to think, say or do.......it was as if Michael's performance and the smoke that comes from the stage had given the crowd anestesia and were unable to respond....
Electricity....I have not had the same feeling that the "Living Legend" himself, Kiril Kulish had give me numerous times with his work with Electricity....that Michael struck me with.....quite the honest it was shocking how much he nailed this number that night. I stood and clapped while others remained seated around me...
Finale......I saw something during the first few moments of the Finale that only the Great Kulish had done before....when the music stops with the Billy at the front of the stage ....Michael looked like a small child on Christmas moring...he let out a loud YES......
Michael Dameski is a superstar in my opinion...Thommie Retter calls Mikey "Rockstar"....I disagree with my good friend Thommie...take the Rock off of that nickname....replace it with MEGA....then you got the Human Tornado.....Every 100 years or so there comes along a Gene Kelly.....The late Mr. Kelly would have loved to see Michael on the boards of Broadway.......Well, I suggest that Michael is the one that has answered that saying about the 100 years or so.......Now let me get Dorothy to rub those ruby slippers together and wish for my next trip in town to have the "Human Tornado and the "Babe Ruth" of Broadway together....Dameski and Bologna.....like Huntley/Brinkley.....and for now I will just SMILE..... :D
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