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A CurtainUp Review
Idol: The Musical
By Julia Furay
Idol: The Musical, both opened and closed on August 12. And with good reason.
This dead on arrival show got one of the most hostile audience receptions I've ever encountered. The audience sat slumped in their chairs. Jokes landed few if any chuckles. Songs garnered sparse applause.
As directed by Daniel Tursi, this was was not only a dreadful and unprofessional new musical, but also a dishonest one. It's claim bot be "a new musical based on the worship of Clay Aiken" indicated that there might be some enjoyable lampooning of our national obsession with American Idol. Instead, the Clay Aiken worship was just a flimsy excuse to get together a bunch of cliched "misfits"(none of whom act anything like real people) against whom an evil starlet plots at every turn. There are subplots, but I won't bore you by detailing them.
The production was rocky from the start and a complete change of cast in the middle of previews was futile. Even though some of these last-minute replacements have terrific voices (particularly Katy Reinsel as bad girl Adrienne and Jillian Giacchi as tomboy Alex) , but they could do little with this material.
The canned music, tinfoil set and garish lighting were just three more elements working against this sinking ship. I left the opening-closing wondering whether an earlier opening (and quicker death) would have been kinder to the cast, production team, and audience. Surely, theater this bad isn't good for anyone.
| IDOL: THE MUSICAL
Book and Lyrics: Bill Boland Music and Lyrics: Jon Balcourt Director: Daniel Tursi Cast: Dawn Barry(Midge), Philip Deyesso (Connor), Saum Eskandani (Duncan), Jillian Giacchi (Alex), Katy Reinsel ( Adrienne), Stephanie Robinson (Emily), Kierstyn Sharrow (Cass), Shadae Smith (Kodi), Joe Walker (J.D.) Lighting Design: Charles Shatzkin Running time: 95 minutes 45th Street Theatre, 354 West 45th Street From 7/5/07 to 8/12/07 Reviewed by Julia Furay based on August 12th opening and closing performance |
Try onlineseats.com for great seats to
Wicked
Jersey Boys
The Little Mermaid
Lion King
Shrek The Musical
Easy-on-the budget super gift for yourself and your musical loving friends. Tons of gorgeous pictures.
Leonard Maltin's 2007 Movie Guide
At This Theater
Leonard Maltin's 2005 Movie Guide
>
Wicked
Jersey Boys
The Little Mermaid
Lion King
Shrek The Musical
Easy-on-the budget super gift for yourself and your musical loving friends. Tons of gorgeous pictures.
Leonard Maltin's 2007 Movie Guide
At This Theater
Leonard Maltin's 2005 Movie Guide
>