October 2011 Reviews - NYC

[johnnyc]

How about the drinking fountain? Don't worry, it's not coin-operated.

Not yet, maybe. Wouldn't surprise me if using it required depositing $1.00 the next time I'm there.

[Todd]

How about the drinking fountain? Don't worry, it's not coin-operated.

Not yet, maybe. Wouldn't surprise me if using it required depositing $1.00 the next time I'm there.

There's a drinking fountain at the Imperial ?? Where is it ? Can't believe I've been there all those times and not noticed it.

[LiamM]

There is one next to the box office towards the street. You can use it anytime the lobby is open.

[CJ-Rochester]

There's a drinking fountain at the Imperial ?? Where is it ? Can't believe I've been there all those times and not noticed it.

There are two drinking fountains. One is in the main lobby against the wall by the cancellation line. The other is in the upstairs lounge between the restrooms. It is tucked into a corner where there are stacks of extra Playbills. That area is always congested during intermission but I have used this fountain numerous times.

[ERinVA]

I try to avoid liquids at the Imperial. That way I don't have to deal with the restroom line that goes all the way down the stairs. Maybe that's why I have never even noticed either water fountain.

[johnnyc]

I recall a couple of times when I uttered a very audible Holy Crap (OK, maybe not crap): The first time was when he opened his mouth and started singing. I so didn't expect that. I didn't think my favourite Billy voice was going to be Giuseppe's. Brought me to tears.

I don't know if you are familiar with this video, shimmyshimmy, but it is a striking example of Giuseppe's singing voice from earlier this year when he took on an extremely difficult piece - the U.S. National Anthem, at a Portland sporting event.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGAWIRsfBrM

And an even more thrilling National Anthem from Giuseppe in Chicago during March, 2010, I believe, when he sang in a higher key.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5A88k0w8WY

[Todd]

I'd never heard that performance from the Portland Trailblazers basketball game before. That rivals the performance of Josh Waiss-Gates doing the Australian national anthem from a couple of years ago, in my humble opinion. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cS21hH7R06M

[ERinVA]

Let's get back to reviews of the show, shall we?

[angelenroute]

So further to last weekend's review. I forgot to mention that Peter did the most emotional "Letter" that I've ever seen. I'm not sure if he does that consistently. The whole show really is so totally different when different Billys perform. I always struggle with the question of what is that makes the show so special, but I think that's a big part of it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8LPdUiV ... ture=email

1) All of the Billys do various moments justice in amazing ways, but Peter's Letter scene is fantastic. He becomes a crying person and it makes me cry every time.

2) Great interview!

Sean

[angelenroute]

On Friday night, October 14th, I attended the show for Ben Cook's finale as Tall Boy on Broadway. Peter was Billy and Jack Broderick was Michael.

Apologies in advance, as this will just be a sharing of notes and not a full essay-style review.

It was my first time seeing Jack. He was a lot of fun and the audience, including me, loved him!

Peter has now become my most-often-seen Billy, edging out Trent. He's just always on when I go. =) But he's fantastic so it's always a pleasure watching him transform from clumsy boxer to stellar dancer.

At Intermission, the people on either side of me were asking me about the show, as I'd indicated before it started that I'd been there before. Of course they were in shock when I told them it was my 35th time seeing it. "Some people I know have seen it over a hundred or even 200 times!" The only man near me, there with his wife who I was speaking with, asked me what exactly it was about the show that made me want to keep on seeing it. My response was along the lines of, "It just runs you through every possible emotion throughout the show. It's half musical and have serious play, so it pushes you and pulls you this way and that so by the end you're just like, 'wow!'" They were very genuinely admiring what I said and seemed to completely "get it", especially after witnessing Act 1 culminating in Peter's incredible rendition of Angry Dance.

If I had thought of it, I could have wowed them with a predicted note handed to them in a sealed envelope with instructions to open after the show. Because when the curtain came down in front of Michael on the bike in the final scene, the wife said to me, emotion in her voice, "Now I know why you keep coming back to see this!" "Open your envelope now," I imagine myself whispering back, and there they would read my eerie prediction.

For Ben's last, some fans clapped and whooed for him as he ran through the doors before shouting his, "He's heard!" His push-ups have always been hysterical but they were extra hilarious Friday night and so much of the audience who knew it was his last joined with many who didn't in laughing very, very loudly at his comedy in this scene! Awesome! His posh "gosh" is perfect and Small Boy brought him flowers at the final curtain.

Lots of pictures and hugs at stage door.

Ben is a really sweet young man who impresses everyone he meets. His dad is a really great guy and very sweet too, so it's no wonder Ben has become the great kid he is. Glenn and Ben have become a familiar source of friendly energy at the Imperial Stage Door for a long, long time now, and I will miss them both very much. I know we all will!

I'm already looking forward to finally seeing Ben in the role of Michael in Philadelphia next month, just under 5 weeks from now, when I catch a couple of shows there.

All the best to Ben and Glenn and the entire Cook family for an awesome time traveling our beautiful country with this beautiful show!

Sean