NYC Theater Trip 2023: "New York, New York" at St. James Theatre

Show*: 6

Title: New York, New York

Location: St. James Theatre

Written By: book by David Thompson and Sharon Washington, music and lyrics by Kander and Ebb, additional lyrics by Lin-Manual Miranda

Summary: An adaptation of the 1977 movie about two struggling musicians in NYC (played by Liza Minnelli and Robert De Niro) for which the inconic song was written, with new songs, characters, and plots added.

Highlights: This is another movie I've never seen (which I don't think is uncommon); in fact I had no idea that the song so identified with Frank Sinatra was actually written for Liza Minnelli to sing in this movie. From what I hear, this one was changed a lot, and I think too many things were added. In addition to the central love story, which is compelling if a bit cliche, there's an added element of an interracial relationship, a Holocaust survivor, a mother waiting for her POW son to return (spoiler alert that's no surprise - he doesn't), a Cuban immigrant with an abusive father (who may also be gay), and more. I saw the show in previews, so it's possible they'll tighten things up before the April 26 opening, but right now it comes off as trying to do too much with too heavy a hand. But there are some great moments. Director/choreographer Susan Stroman evokes classic musicals like On the Town in her dance montages of NYC, and there's a tap dance number done on scaffolding high above the city that's a thrill. I enjoyed the mostly new score, and the cast is fantastic. Another SIX queen, Anna Uzele, makes the most of the lead role of Francine; Colton Ryan is a charming Jimmy, with more than a little Frank in his voice, but his own interesting delivery of lyrics; and Clyde Alves is a terrific dancer and sidekick as Jimmy's pal Tommy. The set is stunning (in what I heard may be the most expensive production design ever on Broadway) - multiple massive moving three-story structures representing apartment buildings with balconies and fire escapes, absolutely gorgeous recreations of many iconic NYC landmarks using lighting and backdrops, and an orchestra pit that rises up to take center stage in the final number. And that final number? The title song, of course. And the thrill of belting out "If I can make it there, I'll make it anywhere, come on come through, New York, New York!" with the cast, band, and a full theater, almost makes up for what the show may be lacking. There's a great musical in there, if they can carve away the extra stuff to reveal it.

*Once again, I'm using an abbreviated Fringe-style summary for my NYC 2023 trip, since I am in the greatest city in the world with much more exciting things to do than write! Click here to see all of my Broadway-related blog posts.

Broadway tour of "Hamilton" at the Orpheum Theatre

After four and a half long and eventful years, the Pulitzer Prize winning musical and cultural phenomenon Hamilton has returned to Minneapolis (rescheduled from summer 2021). I'm lucky enough to have seen it five times now, and every time I see it, it has a different resonance. From the fall of 2015 when things felt hopeful, to the night before the 2017 presidential inauguration when they did not, to now - not too long after this and every other live performance was shut down for a year and a half. Hamilton has something to say about every moment in our history and present. Senator Amy Klobuchar kicked off press night talking about the Save our Stages Act that provided aid to performing arts venues during that very long intermission, so the overwhelming feeling last night was gratitude. Gratitude that we were all able to be "in the room where it happens" - it, of course, being theater. Gratitude that Lin-Manuel Miranda's singular creation is still going strong and more relevant and amazing than ever. Hamilton is the quintessential American story told through the quintessential American art form - musical theater. While not without some continuing challenges, that art form is back, in big and small ways. And it doesn't get any bigger than Hamilton. It's the rare phenomenon that doesn't just live up to the hype, it exceeds it. And it's the rare three-hour show that doesn't seem too long; it's engaging from start to finish and never lets up its whirlwind tour through the early history of this country. Limited tickets for the month-long run are still available from the official seller here (please DO NOT purchase tickets from third party vendors), or enter the daily lottery for the chance to win $10 tickets.

"Hamilton" Broadway Tour at the Orpheum Theatre

That's right, #TCTheater friends, music-theater's favorite founding father has finally arrived in Minneapolis, along with all of his friends. Three years after opening on Broadway and becoming the biggest theater sensation in years, maybe even decades, the second national tour is playing at the Opheum Theatre for a six-week run. I'm lucky enough to have seen it four times now, and it's still just as epic and thrilling, if not quite as mind-blowing as the first time. Hamilton is the rare thing that not only lives up to the hype, it exceeds it. In fact it's not really about the hype at all, the "all the cool people are seeing Hamilton so I guess I should see it too." You shouldn't go see Hamilton so you can impress your friends and neighbors, you should go see Hamilton because it's the quintessential American story told through the quintessential American art form - musical theater. It's one of those ground-breaking milestone events in the history of theater that has forever changed it. And it's also three jam-packed hours of music, dance, stories, entertainment, and inspiration. If you don't already have your tickets don't despair (and DO NOT buy tickets from third-party sellers!). There are tickets still available through the official channels, and you can enter a daily lottery in which 40 lucky people win the chance to buy tickets for $10 (click here for all the info). I don't think I need to try to convince anyone to go see it, or tell you how incredibly amazing it is. You already know that, the rest is up to you.

"Hamilton" at the Private Bank Theatre in Chicago

Seeing Hamilton on Broadway in the fall of 2015 is and will always remain one of the most memorable theater experiences of my life. This was back before the Tonys, back before tickets were impossible to get, back before we listened to the cast recording obsessively and memorized every word (well, not every word, there are a lot of words), back before Hamilton was the standard by which we measured everything, back before there was a we knew there was a Hamilton quote appropriate to every situation. Going into the show that first time, I didn't know much about it, other than it was fantastic. But I wasn't expecting it to be so brilliant, so emotionally impactful, so relevant and revelatory. I was absolutely blown away. Seeing it again 14 months later, in Chicago, is different. The show is mostly the same, albeit with a new but just as talented cast, but the world is different than it was 14 months ago (one could say "the world's turned upside down"), I'm different than I was 14 months ago, my knowledge of the piece is different than it was 14 months ago. Seeing it a second time could never be as mind-blowing as the first time - I know what to expect now. But in a way it's a richer, deeper experience, precisely because I know what to expect. I was able to see and hear things in a way I couldn't that first time, because there's just so much to take in. So if you get a chance to see Hamilton a first, second, or twenty-fifth time - take it. The national tour begins soon and will come to Minneapolis sometime next season, and the New York and Chicago productions will likely not be going anywhere anytime soon.

"Hamilton" at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on Broadway

"Look around, look around, how lucky we are to be alive right now!" Fans of the American musical are very lucky to be alive right now. Lin-Manuel Miranda is the future of music-theater, and the future is now. Hamilton is a quintessentially American piece of art: musical theater is an American art form, Alexander Hamilton's story, from orphan immigrant to founding father, is a quintessentially American story, the score is a modern American rap/hip-hop/pop/musical theater style, and the cast is a beautifully diverse representation of this country. Lin-Manuel has taken this part of American history that most of us have forgotten and created something so immediate, compelling, epic, human, and utterly modern. In short, Hamilton is everything musical theater should be.

It's rare that one person writes the book, music, and lyrics of a musical; most are written by pairs or teams of artists. It's even more rare that that person also stars in their creation. Who does that?! Lin-Manuel Miranda, that's who. Hamilton is his singular, cohesive, brilliant creation. And even though his excellent understudy Javier Muñoz filled in for him in the title role in the matinee on a two-show day that I saw, I still feel like I saw Lin-Manuel Miranda because this show is him. That's not to say he didn't have help - director Thomas Kail to keep the huge train that is the show on track, Andy Blankenbeuhler's sharp and modern and super cool choreography, Paul Tazewell's stunning period costumes with a modern twist, David Korins' design of a relatively simple but versatile and kinetic set, and of course, this amazing cast that brings Lin-Manuel's vision to vivid life.

Daveed Diggs as Thomas Jefferson with the cast

I love theater that makes me want to rush home and read more about the topic, and this show makes founding father Alexander Hamilton seem like the most fascinating person I never knew (history class was a looooong time ago). From George Washington's right-hand man during the Revolution, to Secretary of the Treasury, to author of the Federalist Papers, to a family man caught in a love triangle with two sisters, to the center of America's first political sex scandal, to death in a dramatic duel. But even thought this is a historical piece, the themes of politics, family, legacy, and striving to make this country better against opposition are extremely relevant to every time period, especially today.

The Hamilton cast recording was released recently and I was torn about whether to get it and listen to it, or wait and see the show first. I chose the latter, and now I cannot wait to download the album and listen to it obsessively. There are just so many words, and no matter how closely you pay attention (and you have to pay attention), you cannot catch them all on first viewing/listening. In fact, my stats friends at 538.com counted - Hamilton contains 3-4 times as many words as other musicals. That's insane. And brilliant. But it's not just the words, there are some great melodies too, that haven't left my head yet and likely won't for a long time.

Aaron Burr with the Schuyler sisters
(Leslie Odom, Jr., Phillipa Soo, Jasmine Cephas Jones,
and Renée Elise Goldsberry)

As I mentioned, I did not have the pleasure of seeing Lin-Manuel in the title role, but Javier Muñoz soon made me forget I was watching an understudy as he completely made this complex, layered role his own and seamlessly fit in with the huge and amazing cast. Highlights include Phillipa Soo as Alexander's wife Eliza; Renee Elise Goldsberry as her sister Angelica, Alexander's close confidante (the best love triangles are those in which there is love in all directions, as there is here, creating some achingly beautiful moments for all three); Leslie Odom, Jr. as rival Aaron Burr, who functioned as a sort of narrator; Daveed Diggs as a cool and funky Jefferson; and last but not least, Andrew Rannells, who is an absolute hoot as King George, the spurned lover of America who has rejected him (if you have to replace Jonathan Groff, Andrew Rannells is the only way to go).

In summary, everything you've heard about Hamilton is true. It lives up to the hype, and so much more. I was expecting to laugh and be wowed, but I was not expecting to be moved to tears. This is a show that's both big and epic, and also intensely intimate and emotional. It'll make you laugh, think, cry, and feel every emotion under the sun. This is what musical theater can do, and this is a prime example of why musical theater is my favorite thing in the world. Thank you Lin-Manuel Miranda.

(Note: The only way to get tickets is to buy them well in advance from the show's website. This is one of those shows that is never going to have discounts available. So just do it, it's worth every penny.)


Read more of my Broadway reviews here.