Ruthless! The Musical -- Off-BWay 1992 (LA 1993)

Book:  Joel Paley
Lyrics:  Joel Paley
Music:  Marvin Laird

I watched this production.

Is poking fun at Gypsy and Mame
"The central role of Tina was played by future Broadway actress Laura Bell Bundy, and featured Natalie Portman and Britney Spears as understudies."




Opening number seems to set up the ridiculous world as well a Judy Denmark's devotion of her life to Tina's "career" so to speak.  She's the Mama Rose type, alright.

Lead (Louise) gets cast cause her parents are donating all the set and costumes.

So most of the roles are similar in motivation, etc.  Tina, Sylvia and Myra Thorn.  All want talent, to succeed, etc.  Later Judy/Ginger (who breaks out of it a bit with "It Will Never Be That Way Again")

Critical of what goes on in theatre perhaps as well.  From the slicing and dicing, and the "this is a theatre, not a playground, we're not here to have fun."  The argument about "I don't think Puddles would shake hands here. / I can't act like this. / You can't at all."

"Ms. Lerman who was to star TONIGHT in her school production of Pippi In Tahiti, and would have been eleven years old...  Tomorrow."  Dang, they cross ALL THE LINES.  >:)  I like it.  
The subsequent song "Kisses and Hugs" is glorious with Judy (the mom) trying to handle the tragedy like a normal mother (a taste of realism), but gradually it devolves back into the world of the play, because of course Tina isn't concerned at all.  That was beautifully written too.  All innocent and simple.  Nothing complicated here.


I also appreciate the consistency of the running jokes.  With the "Please call me this" etc.  And Judy taking everything literally.  "Cigarette? /  No thank you. /  No, do you HAVE one? /  Oh, I'm afraid I quit.  /  Cold turkey?  /  I'm not sure, I'll go check."

"I Hate Musicals" brilliant especially in that it's self-deprecating.  "The story is moving, chock-full of suspense / The plot takes a twist and the mood is intense / Then someone sings a song like this, it doesn't make sense."
Also relevant to the real world.  Critical of new musicals.  Sex.  Keyboards/synth rather than real orchestras.

"There are no lousy songs.  Only lazy singers."  The book is so well written.  :O  (but seriously.  I don't use the :O face often, and it looks kind of sarcastic, but I really do love this book.)

You're INDICATING.  <3

THIS BOOK IS SO WELL WRITTEN!!!!  Circular, bringing things back.  The "I'll get it" with Eve, only she's better at it, and can preemptively do it.  The "toast, Danish, Denmark." etc with the reporter.  (Speaking of the reporter, the version I watched, the transformation from Myra Thorn to the reporter was glorious.  Didn't recognize her.)

That's a fun show to have a curtain call in.  o.O

I really liked the first act.  I think the second act was maybe not as well constructed?  They changed things up, and that's always difficult to do in a second act, cause you've been setting up so much from the first act.  But the things coming back in the script really helped, I think.  That circularity, etc.  Made it verbally coherent, if not visually.  I wonder how much that had to do with the set, and how much it had to do with the show.  Maybe a different set would have felt more unified throughout the show.


Song:
I really wanted to learn something of Sylvia's.  But they didn't really stand out to me as anything special.  As a result, I think I'm going to learn "I hate musicals".

Carrie: The Musical - BWay 1988, revival OffBway 2012

Book:  Lawrence D. Cohen
Lyrics:  Dean Pitchford
Music:  Michael Gore

Obviously based on Stephen King's Carrie.

(I watched the Off-Broadway version)
Carrie:  Molly Ranson
Sue Snell:  Christy Altomare

For full cast and review click
Nother review

Both say, and I agree, it seemed a little bit watered-down.  Perhaps commonplace?
The second notes, however, that it's difficult to be a serious musical, and those that are (Miss Saigon, or Spring Awakening) are set far away from the current time and place, whereas Carrie is set here and now.  High school, modern day.



"I remember how those boys could dance" I liked Carrie's first lyrics.  But they seemed very stream-of-consciousness and the music did not match the eager, tumbling energy that she possessed.  I thought her mom's section was effective.  Lyrics, and music.  When Carrie began to interject, it brought me out a little bit.  

"A Night We'll never Forget" (Act 2 opener) Pretty good storytelling song.  Lots of different things happened.

"Why Not Me" I like it.  Gonna learn it?

"Stay Here Instead"  Beginning underscoring beautiful.  Scary, sort of Horror, I had honestly expected more of that throughout the show.  We'll see if there is more later.  But that was beautiful.


        "The sweetest memories are never planned"




Choreo in general underwhelming, I think...  When they're high schoolers at the prom, it makes sense, but when they're angsty teenagers, like at the opening or at the Act 2 opening, that was disappointing.

Lyrics try to rhyme too often?  Also not any internal rhymes, or cleverly placed things (that I noticed).