Farewell to
Phantom! Closing Night in New York City
by Cyndi Ridge (Written
for the December 1996 Davis Gaines Information Network newsletter,
which has been replaced by this website. At the time it was believed
this would be Davis' last run as the Phantom. Subsequently, Andrew
Lloyd Webber brought it back to Los Angeles for a limited run at the
Pantages Theatre in 1998 and asked Davis to reprise the role, which
he did.)
October 5, Davis' last day as the Phantom of the Opera, came
fast and it was hard to believe that 5 1/2 years of masks and capes
and haunting the Paris Opera House were coming to an end. He
had two shows that day and as my plane landed on the east coast at
4pm, I remember looking at my watch and thinking that the matinee
would be over soon and then there'd be only one more chance to see
him portray the tortured soul that was Erik- and I was very happy to
be heading for my seat amongst the crowd who came to witness it.
Davis hired me to be his assistant six months into his run Phantom
run [in Los Angeles] and I realized that I had never known Davis
when he wasn't the Phantom. I reflected on the five years of
Phantomhood during my flight to New York -- the fan mail praising
his talents and sharing heartfelt stories of empathy, people
thankful to Davis for introducing them to heater or reaching their
souls, making them cry and introducing them to new friends -- the
benefits he sang at where the Phantom name and his talent helped
raise money for good causes or raised the spirits of those in need
-- meeting Mayor Bradley and being honored with a proclamation from
the city -- singing at Mayor Reardon's inauguration -- the sports
events that flew him by helicopter to sing the National Anthem and
regarded Davis as "their Phantom" -- the young children
who would tell Davis in no uncertain terms that they understood what
he did and were touched by it -- the many fans at the stage door who
showed their endless support and enthusiasm -- the symphonies that
invited him to sing and began his concert career -- growing from a
Phantom, to being known for his talent in his own right, to being
recognized on the street, to being one of the most requested concert
performers on the pops concert circuit, to being the world's
longest-running Phantom*.
What a journey. How privileged I feel to have been there.
Davis took the
stage for that final performance and his command of that stage and
character was solid and gripping. We followed him one last
time from his appearance in the mirror, through his seductive
rendition of "The Music of the Night", to the powerfully
provocative "Point of No Return", until he let Christine
go for the last time, clutching the wedding veil and singing out
into the auditorium, "It's over now, the music of the
night." We knew the impact of his portrayal of Erik was
not something we'd see again for a very long time, if ever. I cried.
A lot! And cheered even more.
Then Davis
took his final curtain call. The thunderous standing ovation
went on forever, and many in the audience had no idea it was his
closing performance! It was not announced before curtain or in
the program. Perhaps he was motivated by the fact that it was his
last show, or perhaps, as all the letters say, it was just one
of the 1,937 performances that Davis always strived to keep
interesting and moving and filled with the same energy as his very
first. I don't know. But when I saw Davis take his bow, after
a stirring speech by a cast member who let the unsuspecting audience
members in on the secret, I saw a man who, to me, seemed to allow
himself to enjoy the praise he'd earned. He seemed to be
totally enjoying the moment and perhaps also looking forward to the
next exciting step. I didn't ask Davis how he felt. I
thought that might be a private thing he needed to keep for himself.
As he spoke to
the audience, sharing his thoughts on the show, thanking the cast
and the fans for his Phantom experience, he joked around and also
touched on what a special 5 1/2 years it had been for him. And
then, saying, "There is something I've always wanted to
do," with one sweeping motion he tore most of the latex scars
off his face and the wigs off his head - revealing an unadorned
Davis. The audience went wild! Everyone knows there is a man
behind that mask and make-up, but to have Davis peel those layers
away in a second, and let everyone share with him, the actor and not
just Erik the character, that glorious final bow, was a moment no
one in the Majestic Theatre will soon forget!
*Footnote:
After the run at the Pantages Theatre in 1998, Davis' number of
performances as the Phantom went to well over 2,000. While
other touring actors have passed his number of performances in the
role, Davis remains Broadway's longest-running Phantom as of
February 2002.
KGO-AM Radio San
Francisco
Monday, April 22, 2002
Jerry Friedman Reporting
The Plush Room
Davis Gaines -- remember
him as the Phantom of the Opera? -- opened a one-week engagement at the Plush
Room, and what a beautiful voice to behold! Together with a great trio of
piano, bass and drums, he performs a dramatic evening of love songs -- some old
standards, some unfamiliar ones, some special material -- and it's a pleasure to
be in his company. His stage presence and superbly trained voice add up to
a relaxing, enjoyable performance. Unfortunately, there is only one
up-tempo novelty number, and not one song from 'Phantom'. Do catch Davis
Gaines in his first appearance at the Plush Room in the York Hotel... it's an
exquisite evening of cabaret.
'Sweeney'
a demonic delight
Acclaimed concert version airs on TV
Cellos couldn't
look more menacing than they do in the concert version of Stephen
Sondheim's "Sweeney Todd," airing at 8 tonight on KQED-Channel
9. As both accompaniment and visual backdrop for the singers of this
gleaming musical paean to bloodlust and revenge, the San Francisco
Symphony musicians are planted in the thick of things from beginning to
end.
It doesn't get
much creepier than this in Davies Hall.
"Sweeney"
was a stripped-down sensation when it was presented here in July. With a
somber George Hearn in the title role of a "demon barber" bent
on murder and the delectably noxious Patti LuPone as Mrs. Lovett, his
London accomplice, who bakes the victims into meat pies, this production
puts musical firepower front and center. The other principals and San
Francisco Symphony Chorus soloists burn as brightly as Hearn and LuPone.
Stage director
Lonny Price's minimal (but emphatic) stagecraft, an edited score and
some balance problems that suppress the orchestral sound in the live
recording make this a somewhat less enveloping TV account of Sondheim
and book writer Hugh Wheeler's masterpiece than the 1982 PBS original
(starring a more gleefully vicious Hearn). But "Sweeney," sung
and acted well, does its nasty, thrilling business in any form. And it's
exquisitely performed here.
First mounted on
Broadway in 1979, and subsequently reconceived for both opera houses and
chamber productions, the piece is simultaneously stealthy and
remorseless. It lures you into the horror, then plunges deeper and
deeper. Sondheim's fusion of music hall numbers, Italian operetta, the
"Dies Irae" theme, plangent melodies and a piercing factory
whistle builds a sturdy arch to the show's hellish conclusion.
Hearn's measured,
rueful approach to the role works beautifully under the filmed concert
conditions. Gazing balefully into the middle distance or turning arctic
to LuPone's cozy seductions (in "By the Sea"), he's a doomed
man who knows it. The heavy choral tread of "The Ballad of Sweeney
Todd" confirms his fate. Even the cheerful cannibalism waltz
("A Little Priest") has an air of internal foreboding as he
partners Mrs. Lovett.
LuPone, who
sounded a little wayward in the concert "Sweeney" recorded by
the New York Philharmonic last season, is irresistible here. Her slack,
ripe mouth wraps the notes with a slatternly sense of ease. If she
misses one or two, what the hell -- that's Mrs. Lovett taking her shot.
A miraculously
good Davis Gaines plays Anthony Hope, the trusting young suitor to
Sweeney's daughter, Johanna (the vibrant Lisa Vroman). Timothy Nolen
looks predatory in his flowing gray hair and sounds chillingly rancid as
Judge Turpin. Victoria Clark's Beggar Woman is a potent prophetess. Neil
Patrick Harris, all grown up from his "Doogie Howser" days, is
the heartbreaking waif, Tobias Rigg. He grows up very fast here.
Swooping around
and through the orchestra on long platforms, the costumed actors create
a kind of bustling London of the mind. All roads lead to Sweeney's
blackened heart. The TV editing is a little fussy and restless, but by
the second act the quick cuts, eerie dissolves and lurid red lighting
seem perfectly natural. It's all perfectly fitting, that is, for the
story of a man who can't stop slitting throats.
RATING: (Wild
Applause) SWEENEY TODD: Concert musical at 8 tonight on Channel 9.
CDs: Fear No More
by Ken Mandelbaum
THE FROGS/ EVENING PRIMROSE (Nonesuch/Warner
International Records)
Rrelease date October
16
The several books devoted to the work of composer-lyricist Stephen
Sondheim devote little space to his 1974 collaboration with Burt
Shevelove, The Frogs, and that's not surprising, as the piece is
neither a conventional nor full-fledged musical.
As is well known, this free adaptation of Aristophanes, with a cast
of characters including Dionysos, Pluto, Shakespeare, and Shaw, was
created to be performed by Yale Repertory Theatre in the university
swimming pool, with such Yale School of Drama students as Meryl
Streep, Christopher Durang, and Sigourney Weaver among the original
company. The Frogs has had numerous stagings since, but no major
professional New York mounting.
The brief score features just two extractable songs: The
opening "Invocation and Instructions to the Audience," familiar from
Putting It Together and several recordings, and the beautiful solo
for Shakespeare, "Fear No More" (Sondheim's setting of a speech from
Cymbeline), also previously recorded. Otherwise, the score consists
of choral interludes, less overtly melodic than most Sondheim, but
often striking.
The oddity and brevity of the score have also meant that The Frogs
has never been given complete preservation on disc. But last year's
Library of Congress birthday tribute to Sondheim included a concert
performance of the piece, and that cast has now been enlisted for the
first recording. Filling out the 47-minute CD are the four musical
numbers from the 1966 Sondheim-James Goldman TV musical Evening
Primrose. (The section of the Library of Congress salute featuring
songs Sondheim admires, in part or in full, was broadcast on the
radio, but will apparently not be released on disc as announced.)
It's good to have the complete Frogs score recorded, with Jonathan
Tunick's orchstrations, Paul Gemignani the musical director, and
several overqualified stars. Having done the Sondheim-Shevelove Roman
show .....Forum, Nathan Lane here does their Greek one. (Lane's
Sondheim credits also include the workshops of Assassins and Wise
Guys.) Lane is in fine comic fettle, bemoaning "Oh, frogs can be so
annoying!" But his only singing is that opening number, while co-star
Brian Stokes Mitchell gets to sing just a few introductory lines of
it. Thereafter, they're heard in dialogue and narration interspersed
with the chorus numbers. Davis Gaines (a cover in the original
Assassins, and Anthony in the Sweeney Todd concert airing October 29
on PBS) delivers a hushed, intense "Fear No More."
Evening Primrose is a haunting, Twilight Zone-ish piece, and
Sondheim's songs, written during a period when his work was unheard
on Broadway, are superb. Ella's "I Remember" and "Take Me to the
World" have by now been much recorded; all four Primrose numbers were
included on Mandy Patinkin's Dress Casual disc, where he was joined
by Bernadette Peters.
Having acquitted himself handsomely in those Sweeney concerts, and
about to continue his Sondheim career in this fall's Assassins, Neil
Patrick Harris is excellent here, about as fine as Anthony Perkins
was in the TV production, and far more suitable than the frenetic
Patinkin. While warm of tone and vocally admirable, Theresa McCarthy
(Titanic, Floyd Collins) isn't as distinctive as Peters on the
previous recording. (The finest renditions of the female solos remain
those by Marti Rolph and Victoria Mallory on the 1973 Sondheim: A
Musical Tribute.)
This disc fills a gap and is, needless to say, an absolutely
necessity for Sondheim completists.
Cast members (left to right) Randall Gremillion, Alysa Lobo,
Davis Gaines, Lisa Vroman, Elizabeth Ann Campisi and Neil
Hopkins
A
new musical version of "The Count of Monte Cristo"
got its first standing ovation last week. The audience
of 60 may have been modest and the venue, an Atherton
living room, well off the beaten path to Broadway. But
for the creators of this lush romantic show, which aims
to emulate "Les Miserables" and "The
Phantom of the Opera," the applause and, more
important, what it might mean, were crucial.
Being
loved is all well and good. Getting people to invest,
with a projected price tag of $10.9 million to land
"Monte Cristo" on Broadway, is the object of
the game.
In
a rare local twist on the commercial-theater ritual of
backers' auditions, a team of Bay Area artists and
producers took their act to Atherton on a homegrown
hunch. Why not start to raise the money for the show
right here,
where
it was conceived and created?
Backers'
auditions happen all the time in New York and Los
Angeles, where a seasoned pool of show business
investors wise to the daunting risks and long- shot
rewards can be tapped. But such auditions are almost
never attempted here for projects of this size and
scope. Commercial producers like Theatre on the Square's
Jonathan Reinis prefer to work with regular
"accredited" investors when he's raising money
for a project.
"Big
musicals are probably the most difficult of all
theatrical enterprises, " said Reinis, citing the
complexities of creating and retooling a show in
development. "You have to have incredibly deep
pockets."
Return
on a theater investment isn't always the sort that can
be put in the bank. For many, the gilded aura of a big
new musical may be an important part of the payoff.
"Who
doesn't want to hop on a plane and go to a London
opening-night party?" producer Regina Guggenheim
asked at the Atherton home of Jennifer and Rick Degolia.
The plan is to mount a production in the West End late
this year before moving on to New York. (The show has no
connection to the current "Count of Monte Cristo"
film.)
Targeting
an affluent Peninsula crowd makes a certain intuitive
sense. Milling with friends and fellow entrepreneurs
before the 45-minute musical precis of the show, Menlo
Park venture capitalist Tom Bredt compared investing in
a Broadway musical to backing a high-tech startup
company.
"It's
all personal," he said. "You share the
excitement of people who are passionate about an
idea."
The
analogy went further, with Bredt dismissing the counsel
of experts. "It's not what some analyst or guru
thinks. The investing community wants to know what the
customer thinks. That's what tonight is about."
Bredt's
wife, Polly, put it this way: "You look for
something that makes you tingle."
Wineglasses
and champagne flutes in hand, the guests polished off a
last goat cheese mini-souffle or caviar cube and took
their seats. Peter Maradudin, an ebullient Bay Area
lighting designer who hatched the idea for this show
nine years ago, introduced the six singers positioned at
music stands, labeled the new work-in-progress "the
next great musical" and retreated to the foyer.
Maradudin
co-wrote the book and lyrics (his first) with old
Stanford classmate and theatrical novice Lynn Stewart.
The music is by Brad Carroll, a composer and
writer-director-musical arranger for Walt Disney
Entertainment.
Ten
songs from the score were cunningly arranged, with
spoken narration in between, to suggest the range and
emotional impact of Alexandre Dumas' 19th century saga
of love, injustice and revenge. Davis Gaines and Lisa
Vroman, co- stars of "The Phantom of the
Opera" during its long run in San Francisco, locked
gazes, fingers and finally lips in the opening lovers'
duet for the hero, Edmond Dantes, and his beloved
Mercedes.
"We
were meant for each other," they vowed in Carroll's
caressing musical phrases. "I know that like I know
my name."
There
were snarling solos, a comic catalog of French luxuries
("That looks like saffron in the sorbet"),
more love duets and a dramatic monologue from Gaines
("Angel of Vengeance") that raised some yelps
of delight from the suburban crowd.
"It
feels like a no-brainer," Carol Walker gushed after
the performance. "It's poetry." Gaines had
really gotten to her. "I feel so drawn to
him," she said, "I'm not ever sure I can have
a conversation with him."
Lisa
Gordon wasn't so taken with what she'd heard. "I
got a little bored. I thought a lot of the music was
similar." She'd want to know the casting before
deciding to invest or suggest the idea to others.
"Phantom"
vet Vroman loves the fact that her character "isn't
20 years old the whole show," adores working with
Gaines and has a special interest in the music -- the
composer is a Los Angeles housemate. But with a busy
concert schedule and other projects pending, she can't
commit to a hypothetical London run of "Monte
Cristo" 10 or 11 months from now.
The
atmosphere in Atherton, both before and after the music,
was one of enthusiasm tempered by reality.
"No
one invests in theater thinking they're going to make a
fortune," noted Terri Tiffany, who does
public-relations work for her namesake jewelry company.
"But
this is very exciting."
"You've
got to see it in workshop," said John Traub, who
works in the semiconductor industry and is also an
American Musical Theatre of San Jose board member. That
not-for-profit theater company invested $500,000 in a
failed production of another Dumas-based musical,
"The Three Musketeers," last year.
The
bluntest downside view came from a member of the
"Monte Cristo" creative team. "It kills
you to take their 2,000 or 5,000 pounds," said
director Martin Platt of the small investors he's
courted in London, "and then have a show close the
first week."
The
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission requires that
all investors be apprised of such risks. There are also
rules about the sums that can be raised for a new show
at various steps along the way. The "Monte Cristo"
team has spent $160,000 of "front money."
Maradudin,
a 42-year-old newcomer to the commercial realm, is now
conversant with these and various other mazes a big
musical must traverse. None of it appears to have dimmed
the itinerant lighting designer's enthusiasm for an idea
he first conceived in a "dinner party bull
session" and then pursued, working alone in hotel
rooms for years on the adaptation of an 1,100- page
novel already unsuccessfully made into musicals by
others.
Maradudin's
energy and unfailing smile may help light the inevitable
dark patches that lie ahead.
"Peter
is the most optimistic person I know," says
lyricist Stewart. He hoped to raise $1 million or more
from last week's audition. A workshop at the San Jose
Repertory Theatre in March is the next step.
Watching
the performers from the foyer in Atherton, Maradudin and
producer Guggenheim stood side by side, like parents at
a talented child's first performance. Each of them held
a champagne flute but didn't drink. The celebrating
would come later.
S.T.A.G.E. Show to Benefit AIDS Funds By Los Angeles Times
Petula Clark, Tyne Daly, Betty Garrett, Sally Struthers and Davis
Gaines are among the cast slated to perform in the 18th annual Southland
Theatre Artists Goodwill Event, "Dream, the Lyrics and Music of
Johnny Mercer," March 8-10 at the Luckman Fine Arts Complex at Cal
State L.A.
S.T.A.G.E. has raised nearly $4million for groups supporting people living
with HIV and AIDS. This year, proceeds will benefit AIDS Project L.A., the
Neil Bogart Memorial Fund and Laguna Shanti of Orange County. Tickets are
$30-$200. (323) 656-9069.
Copyright 2002 Los Angeles Times
May
2, 2001:
The LA Times recap of the Kings game from 4/30/01
included this paragraph on Davis' rendition of the National Anthem:
At
Kings Games, the Commoners Play Hard Too By
REED JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
What
the Kings really have needed is a good-luck talisman. Currently
auditioning for the role is Davis Gaines, best known for playing the title
role more than 2,000 times in Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Phantom of the
Opera." At Kings games, Gaines has become the voice behind "The
Star-Spangled Banner," his soaring tenor a rallying cry akin to Kate
Smith's booming vibrato when she serenaded the "Broad Street
Bullies" Philadelphia Flyers teams of the '70s to glory.
On Monday, Gaines sent the sellout crowd of
18,478 into near-pandemonium. They didn't quiet down until former King Rob
Blake stunned his ex-teammates with a goal less than five minutes into the
game.
"Sweeney Todd" at the Ravinia
Festival
Chicago Sun-Times August 27, 2001
There was the aura of a
dark, cultic ritual at work in the spellbinding concert performance of
"Sweeney Todd" presented Friday night at the Ravinia Festival.
Much of this had to do
with the sheer galvanic force of the massive chorus, orchestra and star-studded
roster of soloists assembled on the pavilion stage, and on the blistering power
and caustic humor of Stephen Sondheim's seminal 1979 musical itself.
Dressed in black, and
moving among the musicians on a precarious network of raised ramps, a vast
contingent of performers brilliantly conjured the masses of Victorian London's
mean streets--the innocent and the guilty, the conspirators and victims,
madwomen and hucksters,--with all the vigor and pathos of a Charles Dickens
novel.
But the excitement
surrounding the production--staged with Brechtian force and directness by Lonny
Price, and conducted with fury and precision by Andrew Litton--was palapable in
the audience for this one-night-only event even before the first ghoulishly
melodramatic organ chords and piercing, guillotine-like screech of metal
signaled the start of the tale of the "demon barber of Fleet Street."
Speaking to a packed house
at the Martin Theatre just prior to the show, Sondheim explained how crucial it
was for young composers to hear their works performed by top professional
orchestras and singers. Yet now, at the age of 71--with his reputation as the
preeminent force in American musical theater for the past four decades
undisputed--he clearly feels the same hunger. And his exhilaration at this
rendering was palpable as he took a bow at evening's end. "Sweeney,"
the first of five Sondheim shows to be staged in this manner at Ravinia between
now and Sondheim's 75th birthday, seems to hold pride of place in the composer's
own heart.
The show itself, rooted in
the Grand Guignol tradition of Victorian-era pulp fiction, is a chilling
exploration of poisoned innocence transformed into a frenzy of murderous
revenge, and of capitalist ambition and the brutal struggle to survive turned
into deadly enterprise. It begins with the story of how perverse and powerful
men destroyed the lives of a young barber and his beloved wife. But as the
corpses of the vengeful barber drop from his chair to become the best and
fastest-selling meat pies in London, the whole thing grows into a great howl
against a system that literally and figuratively turns people into cannibals.
And it was the ferocious tension between innocence and experience, good and
evil, and idealized love and twisted passion that animated the Ravinia
production.
Two decades after stepping
into the role of Sweeney during the musical's original Broadway run, and
subsequently earning an Emmy for his television portrayal, George Hearn turned
in an incendiary performance in the title role. Though riveting throughout, it
was the way he grabbed the bravura aria, "Epiphany," by its bloody
neck--and tore at every raw shred of emotion and violent energy it
contains--that will remain etched in memory.
Adding sizzle to the fire
was the incomparable Patti LuPone as Mrs. Lovett, the opportunistic widow and
baker who schemes to become Todd's contentedly middle-class wife--a plan almost
as comical as it is demonic. LuPone, in fantastic vocal form, brought precisely
the right manic energy to the role, dancing zanily on the insane logic of her
character's plans, whether musing on the various flavors of her human pies
("A Little Priest") or fantasizing about her proper retirement
("By the Sea"). Opera veteran Sherrill Milnes also was in top
form--both wonderfully unctuous and revoltingly kinky as Todd's nemesis, Judge
Turpin, the righteous pervert who plans to marry his guileless, sheltered ward,
Johanna (exquisite vocal pyrotechnics by Heidi Grant Murphy in "Green Finch
and Linnet Bird"). In stark contrast, there was Davis Gaines as the aptly
named young sailor, Anthony Hope, whose beautiful voice matched his character's
purity of soul, and Neil Patrick Harris (TV's Doogie Howser), tremendously
touching and engaging as the tragic street waif Tobias Ragg. Hollis Resnik, the
sole Chicago talent in a major role, brought her usual dynamic presence,
impeccable diction and perfect timing to the role of the Beggar Woman, Sweeney's
mad wife.
Adding incalculaby to the
roaring thunder on stage was the chorus of 40 actor-singers, members of this
year's Steans Institute for Young Artists). The impact of their sheer numbers,
as well as their fierce vocal and dramatic attack, was stunning. So was the
vivid, voluptuous playing of the Ravinia Festival Orchestra, more than 50
strong.
The sell-out crowd
suggests that the Ravinia audience is hungry for this kind of grand musical
theater, and that the festival should consider scheduling a full weekend of such
performances next summer.
Hedy Weiss, theater
critic
Concert
review, 'Sweeney Todd' at Ravinia
By Richard Christiansen
Chicago Tribune Chief Critic
In the ripeness of his
years, Stephen Sondheim has reached the ideal state that he wishes for every
composer of American music theater.
Appearing before a
worshipful audience at the Ravinia Festival, the ground-breaking grand master of
the American musical bemoaned the lack of opportunity for young composers, who
need "to hear their work performed by professional voices with professional
musicians," a condition he believes is essential if they are to develop in
their work.
Sondheim himself has had
that opportunity for almost 40 years, collaborating with the best of Broadway
talent. Beginning with "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the
Forum" in 1962, the first produced show to use both his music and lyrics,
he has contributed such musicals as "Company," "Follies,"
Pacific Overtures," "Sunday in the Park with George,"
"Passion" and "A Little Night Music" to the American
theater. Once described as a cult figure, he is now recognized as a classic
composer, his musicals repeated in scores of productions throughout the world
every year.
Even for such an elevated
hero as Sondheim, however, the concert staging of his "Sweeney Todd"
at Ravinia this weekend represents a new level of vocal and orchestral
professionalism.
Friday night's performance
of the musical in the pavilion, preceded by Sondheim's talk in the smaller
Martin Theatre, was part of a new "music theater initiative" launched
by Welz Kaufmann, Ravinia's president and chief executive officer. Sunday's
staged reading of "A Shine on Your Shoes," a new musical put together
with the songs of composer Arthur Schwartz and lyricist Howard Dietz, and
Mondays' solo concert by Patti LuPone in the Martin also are part of that
schedule.
"Sweeney Todd,"
however, was the weekend's big blowout, so grand in its scale and so imaginative
in its staging that it virtually re-invented the work that Sondheim calls his
"song opera."
First presented on
Broadway in 1979, "Sweeney Todd" won eight Tony Awards, including best
musical, a feat that was not enough to make it a financial success. When it
later toured to Chicago in a mid-winter engagement at Arie Crown Theatre of
McCormick Place, it was a box-office disaster.
Perhaps this was because
Sondheim's music and Hugh Wheeler's libretto on "the demon barber of Fleet
Street," a man so maddened with revenge that he takes out his rage by
slitting the throats of his customers in 19th Century London, were too dark and
forbidding for a Broadway audience.
Since then, however, the
musical has become a revered staple of the Sondheim repertoire, often re-staged
in chamber productions and, on a bigger scale, in international opera houses.
(Lyric Opera of Chicago will present it in the 2002-03 season.)
Certainly, it has one of
Sondheim's most ambitious, most complex scores, everything from the poignant
"Not While I'm Around" and the lilting "Pretty Women" to the
buoyant "A Little Priest" and the foreboding "No Place Like
London."
The Ravinia production was
an encore performance of a wildly acclaimed concert version, originally staged
last May by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra and re-produced for three
performances last July with the San Francisco Symphony. (This version was taped
for an Oct. 31 Halloween TV performance on the Public Broadcasting System.)
Missing from this concert
staging, though smartly costumed by Gail Brassard, are the scenery and stage
effects of the gloomy Industrial Revolution wasteland that, in director Harold
Prince's original production, was the background for Sweeney Todd's tale.
On the other hand, this
version had the benefit of the rich, full sound of the Ravinia Festival
Orchestra, 53 members strong and grandly conducted by Andrew Litton. Most
important, it had the innovative staging by director Lonny Price, who deployed
his principal characters and 40-member chorus of local singers to sensational
effect.
The opening "Ballad
of Sweeney Todd," with the chorus advancing from its perch at the rear to
form a wall of dark menace and overpowering sound in the very front of the
stage, set a heart-stopping pattern for the rest of the evening. James Noone's
stage design, which gave the singers a series of stairs, ramps and performance
islands scattered throughout the orchestra, and Phillip Monot's spectacular
lighting, which shone sudden bursts of blazing white and hellish red on the
action, made the concert perhaps even more theatrical than the fully-staged
version.
As in New York and San
Francisco, George Hearn, who starred with Angela Lansbury in the show 20 years
ago in Chicago, was the demonic Sweeney, and LuPone was his accomplice, Mrs.
Lovett, the dimwit chef who grinds up his victims, serving them as the chief
ingredient of her meat pies.
LuPone, sporting what
sounded like a New Jersey Cockney accent, has some of the best stage moves in
the business, using them, and her big voice, to rollick with Sweeney as they
celebrate their thriving meat pie business. Hearn, now in his late 60s, was in
superb, stupendous form for this occasion, vocally and dramatically precise and
powerful.
Davis Gaines, as the
romantic sailor Anthony Hope, and Neil Patrick Harris, as the simpleminded
Tobias, both from the New York production, were joined here in a fine supporting
cast by Sherrill Milnes, marvelous as the evil Judge Turpin, and Hollis Resnik,
as the crazed beggar woman who becomes a key element in the story's melodramatic
finale.
Ravinia plans four more
annual concert stagings of Sondheim's work, ending in 2005 in his 75th year.
They will have to go some to top this almighty "Sweeney Todd."
Aug 1, 2001 - Davis
Gaines, Reno Jazz Orchestra's Sensational Artown Finale
Swinging his way through his
third season as a Reno Artown Festival headliner, Broadway singing star Davis
Gaines joined forces with one of the best jazz bands extant, the 21-piece Reno
Jazz Orchestra, for a closing Reno Artown concert that was sensational. What a
marvelous way to end this year's month-long festival.
Before a vast audience of thousands jammed into the Wingfield Park Amphitheater
Tuesday night (7/31/2001), Gaines and the Reno Jazz Orchestra pulled out all
stops for an evening of soaring song and hip and hipnotic orchestra playing that
has to go down in the annals of such summertime outdoor events as memorable.
From the orchestra's powerhouse second-half opener, Gordon Goodwin's "Sing,
Sang, Sung," to Gaines's quiet closing, "All My Tomorrows"
accompanied solely by pianist Carol Anderson, the emotional highs of the
concert's big moments and the poignant solitude of its intimate moments provided
the kind of roller coaster ride of thrilling ups and downs that makes a concert
connect in magical ways with an audience. If Tuesday's concert was the stuff
that dreams are made of, and it was, it was also the kind of remarkable evening
of music making that can only be brought to life by exceptional performers who
mirror life's shared moments and reflect them back to enthralled listeners.
Gaines, who rose to stardom playing the title role in the San Fransisco
production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's "The Phantom of the Opera," sings
with a liquid sound that allows him to wrap his voice around lyrics and phrases
for personal insights with words and a rapturous spinning of melodic lines that
is seductive, vintage artistry of the most riveting kind. Where can one find a
more finely spun interpretation of "Night and Day" or a more affecting
picture of loneliness than "Saturday Night is the Loneliest Night of the
Week" than with Mr. Gaines?
And so it went through over a dozen popular standards, each one a mini drama of
life, an art song of revelation. From the drive of "I've Got You Under My
Skin," one of the program's four Frank Sinatra arrangements, to the
sophistication of "Begin the Beguine" and the exhilaration of
"Come Fly With Me," everything Gaines and the band sang and played
took on a reinvented fresh new life of their own. Larry Blank is Gaines's
conductor. Carol Anderson is the singer's pianist. And - at least Tuesday night
- the Reno Jazz Orchestra was the Gaines band of choice. All furnished their own
superb ingredients making Tuesday's concert a rare showcase for some of popular
music's ultimate moments.
The Reno Jazz Orchestra, lead by superstar drummer Tony Savage, is one of the
very best big bands in the business. Made up of musicians who once manned house
bands in the heyday of Reno's big-name entertainment years (for such stars as
Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Tony Bennett, Marlene Deitrich, Elvis Pressley,
Sammy Davis. Jr.), the boys in this band are equal to any in the world. The
orchestra generates an exceptionally big sound. At any given moment it can erupt
with vulcanic explosions of rhythmic drive. And if those two things weren't
enough, it plays with a technical command that's just sensational.
Add to the excitement of hearing Gaines and the Reno Jazz Orchestra together,
the elegant new Siena Hotel Spa Casino's catering of the concert's gourmet food,
plus a heavenly, flawless Reno evening under the stars, and who could ask for
anything more?
It's estimated that over 150,000 people attended some aspect of Reno's sixth
annual Artown Festival. Here's to the people who had the massive job of booking
it, letting people know about it, keeping it glued together and making it run
like clockwork. Congratulations to Karen Craig, Artown's Executive Director,
Beth Macmillan, Artown's Festival Manager, Tim Jones, Artown's Associate
Director and Katie Perkins, Artown's publicist, for making this year’s Reno
Artown Festival another smashing success.
For information on future Artown festivals and events call 775-322-5443
Simply
wonderful
Sondheim's masterpiece 'Sweeney Todd' gets the performance it
deserves in concert
Stephen Sondheim
looked radiant when he joined the cast for the curtain call at
"Sweeney Todd" on Thursday, almost overwhelmed by the
wildly cheering standing ovation that erupted throughout Davies
Symphony Hall. Or perhaps he was simply as overcome as the rest of
us by the stunning concert performance of a masterpiece.
It wasn't only the
definitive vocal and character work of George Hearn as "The
Demon Barber of Fleet Street" and the formidable Patti LuPone
as Mrs. Lovett, who turns his victims into meat pies. Nor was it
the richly textured contributions of the supporting cast, led by
former "Phantom of the Opera" co- stars Lisa Vroman and
Davis Gaines.
It was the sense of
witnessing a now legendary musical theater landmark stripped of
Harold Prince's still vividly memorable staging to reveal a work
of, yes, staggering genius. If you can beg, borrow or steal a
ticket for tonight's one remaining show, don't pass up the chance.
Presented by the
San Francisco Symphony's Summer in the City program, co- sponsored
by the city Art Commission, the show reprises the New York
Philharmonic's concert staging last year in celebration of
Sondheim's 70th birthday -- also featuring LuPone and Hearn and
directed by Lonny Price. With its full orchestra and Symphony
Chorus, it isn't quite the eerily intimate grand guignol the
composer-lyricist had in mind when he wrote the "musical
thriller," but it comes closer than Prince's epic-scale
production on Eugene Lee's transplanted iron foundry set.
Price's minimalist
staging is brilliant, making use of the orchestra as the London
through which the characters wend their way. He creates striking
effects with the movement of the chorus, Greg Brunton's stark
lighting shifts and flashes of red against the rich blacks of Gail
Brassard's Victorian costumes.
The simplicity of
presentation highlights the central elements: the brilliance of
Sondheim's score with its "Dies Irae," Berlioz and
Prokofiev refrains blended with horror-film and English
parlor-song motifs; the muscular economy of Hugh Wheeler's book,
based on Christopher Bond's adaptation of a penny dreadful story
that had been kicking around London for 150 years; the lyrics that
range from Sondheim's wittiest ("The Worst Pies in
London," "A Little Priest") to some astonishing
lapses (that "I feel you . . . I'll steal you" ballad is
dying to be rewritten).
The score isn't
complete. Part of Sweeney's contest with the barber Pirelli (a
stalwart Stanford Olsen) and much of Mrs. Lovett's suspenseful
parlor song duet with the Beadle (a golden-voiced John Aler) have
been cut. But that loss is richly repaid by the restoration of the
evil Judge Turpin's leering, self- abasing "Johanna,"
sung with chilling intensity by Timothy Nolen. And every note is
gorgeously shaped by the soloists, the chorus directed by Vance
George and a superb orchestra conducted by Rob Fisher.
Hearn is, if
anything, an even stronger, more deeply vengeful and eerily
obsessed Sweeney than in the touring version that played the
Golden Gate 20 years ago, his voice every bit as commandingly
rich. LuPone creates a Mrs. Lovett distinct from but worthy to
stand beside Angela Lansbury's monumental original, blithely
mendacious and desperately loving, her supple voice unearthing and
exploring new riches in the score.
Neil Patrick Harris
is brilliant as the haunted, pitiful Tobias Ragg. Victoria Clark
is a rivetingly mad Beggar Woman. A boyishly fervent Gaines and
starry-eyed but determined Vroman breathe new life into the
imperiled young lovers. Stripped to its core, this
"Sweeney" is as sharp as a razor.
Saturday, July 21,
2001
San Jose Mercury News
Hearn's `Sweeney
Todd' barber is breathtaking
By Lesley Valdes
At 71, Stephen Sondheim is getting the attention he is due, and the
composer is giving back excitement to the classical music establishment.
He has an ambitious
repertoire project at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and a highly
regarded recording of the New York Philharmonic's ``Sweeney Todd: The
Demon Barber of Fleet Street.''
It was the San Francisco Symphony's turn Thursday night to handle the
national treasure with a version of ``Sweeney Todd'' that took advantage
of most of New York's previous production. George Hearn sings the
murderous barber; Patti LuPone plays Mrs. Lovett, the maker of human meat
pies; Lonny Price directs.
A sold-out house of 2,500
roared its approval when the evening was over -- a good thing, since the
production was being recorded for television, video and DVD.
George Hearn's performance
as the tragic barber is so right that it takes the breath away. His
interpretation -- singing, muttering or screaming out defiance -- displays
such exceptional vocal control that saying it compels is almost an
understatement.
LuPone doesn't sing so much
as bark and croon the comic part, but her Cockney accent is good and her
timing is almost perfect. She's a cheesy, sleazy Mrs. Lovett, which works
interpretatively. But amplifying her voice -- which is done for all the
principals -- was a mistake at Thursday's volume levels. The ear can
cringe when LuPone belts out duets with Hearn, and there's work to be done
on the patter songs that, even for this crass character, need a little
nuance.
Lisa Vroman, who sings
Johanna, the barber's daughter, is a favorite in this city, but it's hard
to hear the attraction. Her voice has a brilliant timbre, but there isn't
much variety to her singing.
That's not the case with
Davis Gaines, who plays Johanna's heartthrob, Anthony, with fine phrasing
and ardent tone.
Timothy Nolen's singing
made for a terrific Judge Turpin.
As the judge's beadle, John
Aler appears too nice, but his lyric tenor is precisely what is needed for
the high-flying part.
Stanford Olsen, who plays
the competing barber, Pirelli, strained for his high notes.
Neil Patrick Harris,
however, made an eloquent Tobias Ragg, the orphan who sniffs out the
rotten ways of Mrs. Lovett and her barber.
Victoria Clark is a crazy
beggar woman.
The necessary clutter that
infects concert versions of musicals and operas has been inventively
rearranged for this semi-staging at Davies Hall. Stage director Lonny
Price's mobile solutions work quite well. The orchestra, about 30 players,
is wedged into several places on stage, fitted like a jigsaw puzzle around
the singers.
Rob Fisher ably conducts
the strings from the center in front of a central walkway and ramp that
winds around the stage and permits the soloists and chorus to make their
points from several spots. It is worth remarking how well the San
Francisco Chorus members march across these narrow ramps to act their
parts.
Sondheim gets cranky when
critics write that he composes American operas. His standard retort: If
it's played in an opera house, it's opera; in the theater, a musical.
But ``Sweeney'' has all the
elements of Bernstein's ``West Side Story,'' Menotti's ``Amahl and the
Night Visitors'' or even Puccini's ``La Bohème.'' It has catchy tunes
with melodic and harmonic sophistication, a superb paring down of story
into dramatic ensembles, and smart lyrics. Of course, Sondheim wrote the
lyrics for ``West Side Story'' as well as his own works.
``Sweeney Todd'' was
acknowledged a masterpiece when it won the Tony Award in 1979. It's still
proving that assessment was spot-on.
Music Reviews
Theatre.com News
November 2, 2000
Sweeney
Todd: Live at the New York Philharmonic
(New York Philharmonic Special Editions NYP2001/2002; Limited Availability
Now -- see below)
For those not
fortunate enough to attend the three critically acclaimed, all-star
concert performances of Sweeney Todd at the Philharmonic this past
May, pause here, scroll down to the bottom of the screen, order this
recording, then scroll back up and continue reading. Yes, it's that good.
Those who saw the concert will undoubtedly want it too.
So many superlatives
have been showered on this masterwork by the master musical dramatist (and
the oft-neglected book writer Hugh Wheeler) over the past two decades that
I'll confine my remarks to personal memories. When I first heard Sweeney
years ago, I was immediately bowled over by the scope and scale of the
score. There's the crashing, descending figure that heralds Sweeney's
entrance in the opening number; the chilling "At last! My right arm
is complete again!" at the end of "My Friends"; Anthony's
soaring "Johanna" (one of the best arguments against those who
think Sondheim incapable of writing a simple, memorable tune); the
sinister counterpoint in "Pretty Women"; "Epiphany" --
my God, "Epiphany!"; and the comical lyrical gymnastics of
"A Little Priest." And that's just Act One! Then there's the
beautifully interlocking puzzles of "God, That's Good!" and
"Johanna" (quartet); the creepy/sweet "Not While I'm
Around"; and the horror of "I have no time!" and
"Benjamin Barker!" in the last murders. And finally, the ending,
in which each major musical motif in the show is reprised -- in reverse
-- so that by the time Toby slits Sweeney's throat, we've come full circle
to the beginning of another cycle of insane murders. Who else but Sondheim
would take the time to figure out that puzzle in a musical melodrama?
Having been produced
by several major opera companies, Sweeney was a natural for the
Philharmonic, but as Sondheim (and orchestrator Jonathan Tunick) have
always maintained that it's not an opera, it's essential that the ideal
cast include mostly musical theatre performers. First there's George
Hearn, singing the hell out of the title role he first performed twenty
years ago and proving that, in Sweeney's words, "life has been
kind" to his voice. He invested the part, one of the most vocally and
physically challenging in the musical theatre canon, with majestic pathos
and mania. One certainly doesn't pine for the originally scheduled by
ailing Bryn Terfel at all, though it would be interesting to hear his
interpretation someday. Then there's Patti LuPone, whose excellent comic
timing, unusually good diction, and great belt voice almost made one
forget that Mrs. Lovett was written for Angela Lansbury.
Although the
concert's lack of real costuming gave away the Beggar Woman's secret,
Audra McDonald proved herself a fine actress in addition to her marvelous
voice. Davis Gaines was a silver-voiced, guileless Anthony, and
Neil Patrick Harris (forget Doogie Howser) was a perfect Tobias. As for
the opera folk, Heidi Grant Murphy (Johanna) mercifully delivered
"Green Finch and Linnet Bird" not as a shrieking aria, but as a
sweet ditty. Paul Plishka and John Aler were a fine pair as Judge Turpin
and his Beadle, and Stanford Olsen's Pirelli was suitably over-the-top.
The New York Choral Artists provided the ideal chorus, with excellent
character and diction.
Conductor Andrew
Litton gave a nuanced, if somewhat restrained, reading of the score. The
orchestra was enthusiastic and made up for in precision, tonal color, and
dynamic contrast what they sometimes lacked in affinity for the Broadway
sound. Tunick's peerless orchestrations, although not altered (though with
customary Broadway pit reed doublings distributed among many more
non-doubling players), translated very well. The standard joke is that
orchestration is an eight-week job that has to be done in four weeks. The
sheer length of Sweeney would normally require months, but Tunick
did it in...that's right: four weeks. Think about that when you listen to
this recording.
RCA’s 1979 double
disc original Broadway cast album, featuring Lansbury and the wonderful
Len Cariou, is a recording no theatre fan should be without. The 1982
video of the national tour, with Lansbury and Hearn, is also a must,
though frequently out-of-print. The 1995 double-CD of the Catalan
production in Barcelona is fun but probably not essential. The
Philharmonic's concert was the third anniversary Sweeney concert in
the past two years. Kelsey Grammer and Christine Baranski starred in Los
Angeles, and Cariou and Judy Kaye performed in London. Gaines performed
the role of Anthony in all three, and Harris was Tobias in L.A. as well.
By all accounts, New York's was the superior concert. Thanks to minor
cuts, this new double-CD, 125-minute recording makes for a most
comprehendible listening experience. The Philharmonic's recording of Follies
in 1985, which includes amazing performances, is considered by some to be
too removed from the drama of the original show. That isn't remotely the
case here. The cast may not have been performing (or even rehearsing) the
show for long, but they were fully invested in the whole show, not just
their star turns.
Lonny Price did a
fine job staging the concert inventively in extremely limited rehearsal
time, but the real heroes on the recording are producers Tommy Krasker,
Lawrence Rock, and Barbara Haws, and mixer Joel Moss. They were able to
construct seamless performances from the three concerts, with superb
balance and no noise. The very few flaws were due to microphone placement
and actor movement -- completely unavoidable in a live recording. The
Philharmonic's own Special Editions label has outdone itself on packaging,
including a 130-page booklet with essays from Sondheim and most of the
participants, bios, a complete libretto (of the concert version), and
extensive color photos.
At a press
conference on October 18, New York Philharmonic Executive Director Zarin
Mehta pledged that if the initial run of 10,000 copies look like they’re
going to sell out, the Philharmonic will do a second pressing. This would
be highly unusual, since most theatre albums sell 2,000 to 10,000 copies
at most, and that only with wide release. It would indeed be a mark of the
classical audience’s acceptance of Sondheim as a “serious” composer.
One small
clarification: although I have had the good fortune to work with Sondheim
on several projects, I had nothing to do with this concert or recording.
And no, I don't get more work for writing positive reviews. In fact,
Sondheim expects honest evaluation.
But you don't need
to take my word for it about this album--just listen to the live audience
response. But keep in mind that Krasker had to fade out in order to fit
the score onto two discs. The night I was there, "Epiphany"
stopped the show for five minutes. And the ovation at the end -- the
applauding, stomping, and shouted bravos decidedly uncharacteristic for
the average Philharmonic audience -- went on for twenty minutes --
not bad for a show written to scare people.
The recording is
available directly from the Philharmonic for $45.00 by calling (800)
557-8268 or click
here, then click on "E-Store" on the left side. It is also
currently sold only at the Tower Records near Lincoln Center for $33.99 on
sale. Call (212) 799-2500 and press 6 for cast recordings.
Reno
Gazette Journal
July 22, 2000
GAINES STARS WITH
THE RENO PHIL AT LEGACY'S 5TH BIRTHDAY BASH
Thousands filled
Reno's North Virginia Street Friday night (7/21/2000) for the Silver
Legacy's fifth anniversary bash. Conducted by Barry Jekowsky the Reno
Philharmonic was the event's centerpiece. The evening's star was
"Phantom of the Opera" star Davis Gaines. Gaines, who has
appeared in the title role of Andrew Lloyd Webber's long-running musical
over 2000 times, leaves no doubt whenever he performs as to why someone
might select him to sing and act in a major show. That was as true last
night - he was sensational...
From a strictly musical perspective, Gaines stunning arrangements,
Jekowsky's stick-like-glue ability to accompany and the orchestra's
willingness to follow made Gaines's after-intermission set the evening's
only trully artistically viable portion of the program. The snap-to
change in the orchestra when Gaines's special materials were played
indicated some care was taken (perhaps by demand) so the star could do
what stars do and that's make sure their portion of the show leaves an
audience begging for more. And that's what happened, earning two standing
ovations.
Singing smoothly, snappily, rhythmically and ever so dramatically Mr.
Gaines's pliable, chameleon kind of voice changes colors with lyrics, the
usually taken directions with musical lines and does fascinating things
with phrases making each song he sings not just perfect renditions of
great tunes, but mesmerizing mini dramas and most certainly his own.
Opening with a fanfarish "After Today" from "Dr. Doolittle,"
then visiting soaring and mildly earthy versions of "I've Got You
Under My Skin" and "Here I Go Again," then haunting
renditions of "If Ever I Would Leave You" and "All the
Way," the Gaines ability to entrance with the raw and polished talent
that sells songs just grabs an audience and holds it in the suspension of
an enchanted moment that's stage magic only a few performers possess. If
that weren't enough, a magnetic "Music of the Night" and a
thrilling "Ol' Man River" cap the Gaines segment. Both are
terrific.
The purely orchestral portions of the program suffered by comparison.
Jekowsky's pops programming isn't very inventive and what is played is too
under-prepared to give outdoor revelers much of a hint as to what a fine
orchestra sounds like. Jekowsky is infinitely musical, but his pops
programs are more fizzle than sizzle. The perfunctory play through
of such offerings as "Jelico Ball" ("Cats"),
"Memory" ("Cats"), Gigi Symphonic Suite, South Pacific
Overture, Beauty and the Beast Suite, to name but a few in a program
containing several works too many, is barely okay. Closing the concert
with Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture is a good idea that works best, if the
overture sounds as though it's been rehearsed.
It's safe to presume my reaction to the orchestra's playing is a minority
report. The thousands of people within earshot of the concert seemed to
love every second of everything that came its way. One thing for sure for
all, Davis Gaines is one helluva fine singing actor.
With some alterations last night's Silver Legacy concert will be repeated
tonight (7/22/2000) at the Tahoe Donner Golf Course at 8 p.m. For
information regarding Reno Philharmonic events call 775-323-6393.
Music
Review
Fort Worth Star Telegram
April 14, 2000
GAINES ELECTRIFIES BASS HALL
By Perry Stewart
You don't need Three Tenors when you have one Davis Gaines.
Broadway's most frequent Phantom of the Opera has a range embracing pop,
country, folk and very probably genres not yet named. And, of course, he is a
rhapsodic interpreter of musical theater from Jerome Kern and Cole Porter to
Stephen Sondheim and Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Gaines flashed these abundant credentials with a flourish last night in the
first of four Bass Performance Hall concerts with the Fort Worth Symphony Pops
Orchestra. He captured the crowd early on with 'Listen to My Heart,' which is at
once poignant and electrifying and a fine canvas for the singer's soft vibrato.
His stroll down Broadway yielded 'If Ever I Would Leave You,' which has vocal
and dramatic build that Robert Goulet could only dream about. With 'It Only
Takes a Moment,' Gaines performs an actual scene from 'Hello, Dolly,' turning
into Cornelius, the shy store clerk.
To be truthful, Gaines always acts when he sings. His 'Where Is the Life That
Late I Led?' from 'Kiss Me, Kate' is a robust, swaggering and regally witty
example.
His trademark 'Music of the Night,' from 'The Phantom of the Opera,' was
predictably stunning. Broadway veteran Don Pippin, who conducted Gaines' segment
of the concert, guided the symphony through a brand new arrangement of the
number. The orchestra bent to the task with some immaculate string and woodwind
playing.
Gaines concluded his 70- minute portion with 'This Is the Moment' from 'Jeckyl
and Hyde,' then offered an encore of 'Old Man River,' which demonstrated a
remarkable vocal range and brought a chorus of bravos.
The symphony and musical director John Giordano opened the program with the
final movement of Dvorak's 'New World Symphony,' producing a fulsome, balanced
sound with lots of brassy brass and urgent strings. For contrast, maestro
Giordano followed with a delicate 'Clair de lune.'
The last and best of the orchestral portion was from Gershwin's
'Porgy and Bess'
and featured a haunting oboe on the 'Summertime' refrain.
Gaines did not sing 'Lost in the Stars.' Had he done so, he might have changed
the title to 'Lost in the Streets of Fort Worth.' Street closures due to the
downtown tornado cleanup bewildered many first-nighters, and as a result there
were numerous latecomers. Advice for subsequent concert-goers: Leave home at
least 20 minutes early.
The concert will be repeated tonight and tomorrow at 8 and Sunday at 2 p.m. at
Bass Hall, Fourth & Calhoun in downtown Fort Worth. Tickets are $20-$65; call
665-6000.
Former "The Phantom of the Opera" star Davis Gaines joined forces with the Reno
Philharmonic for the orchestra's annual outdoor pops concert on the fairway of the
Tahoe-Donner Golf Course. The concert was part of this summer's Lake Tahoe Summer Music
Festival.
When Gaines sang Saturday night (7/24/99) before more than 2000 enthralled listeners, if
anyone had ever wondered how a person becomes a musical theater star, Gaines quickly set
aside any doubts about talent being the principle ingredient. This young man has it all:
charm, presence, good looks, a fabulous voice, stellar musicianship, and - he can act.
From a grooving "I've Got You Under My Skin" to a poignant and dramatic
"Music of the Night," the phantom's soliloquy of loneliness and love, Gaines
simply could not have been better. The chameleon aspects of his voice and demeanor are
uncanny. He becomes what he is singing, both physically and vocally, with neither being
overdone. It's never flattering to compare singers, but Gaines's general sound is not
unlike that of Johnny Mathis. But that's just a vague starter, when trying to describe his
extraordinary gift for singing. His lead-in to "Somewhere Out There," a
whimsical "I see the moon, the moon sees me," took on a haunting
out-there-somewhere quality, as did the entire song, that's only fathomable by hearing Mr.
Gaines sing and not describable by the written word. Whatever the intangibles are that are
so elusive to describe, Mr. Gaines' talent for captivating singing is something to behold.
A soaring "This is the Moment" and an unforgettable "Ol' Man River"
only added luster to the singer's already impressive star sheen. .
Impressive also was the accompanying of the Reno Philharmonic under the firm leadership of
its conductor, Barry Jekowsky. Jekowsky's theme for the evening, "Music from Stage
and Screen," was somewhat another matter - .... Part of the problem - the Williams
tribute of four suites came late in the program - is the dampness of the outdoor
Tahoe-Donner venue. When the sun goes down in the high Sierras, it's awkward for an
orchestra to play its best in the cold night air. Intonation became a gnawing problem,
particularly in the French horns. The inability for the orchestra to hear one another,
outdoor acoustics and a strange at best sound amplification system, undoubtedly took its
toll.
This is Barry Jekowsky's first season as conductor of the Reno Philharmonic. He's
a find for the orchestra and is making great strides at putting the orchestra on America's
musical map.... With Jekowsky in charge, it's my guess even minor disappointments won't
happen often.
Music Review
RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL
July 26th, 1999
Philharmonic show captivates audience By SUSAN VOYLESPhoto Credit:TAMMY SWEET-HERNANDEZ
Thirteen-year-old A.J. Hernandez rated Phantom of the Opera star Davis Gaines' performance
in downtown Reno a double awesome Sunday night. "Awesome. Awesome,"
Hernandez said of Gaines' 2,000th rendition of "Music of the Night" from the
Phantom of the Opera. "Every time I hear him, he sings a little higher and a little
lower."
Hernandez, who saw Gaines perform for the 26th time Sunday, was among an estimated 5,000
people who stood or sat in lawn chairs or folding chairs to hear Gaines perform with the
Reno Philharmonic.
People filled Virginia Street in front of the Silver Legacy to hear the music of the
night. The crowd was hushed as Gaines hit the high and low notes and then gave him a
standing ovation.
It marked the fourth time the Reno Philharmonic has helped the casino celebrate its
birthday. The event, co-sponsored by U.S. Bank, was a highlight of the monthlong Uptown,
Downtown ARTown, Reno's celebration of the arts.
Maestro Barry Jekowsky presented a number of tunes from the stage and screen, ranging from
Disney's "Mulan" to songs from the "Sounds of Music" and "West
Side Story."
Hernandez and his family came from Los Angeles to see Gaines perform Saturday night at
Lake Tahoe and stayed over for the Reno performance. He carries an album full of pictures
of Gaines with himself, with programs duly noting each performance.
Hernandez said he plans to see Gaines perform in Dallas in September and in Detroit on New
Year's Eve. He has seen the "Phantom of the Opera" eleven times.
"He's the best," Hernandez said. He and his friends, Karrie Grama of Santa
Cruz, and Ido Bernstein of Los Angeles, rolled out a blanket next to the front row
reserved for VIPs at 2 p.m., staking out a spot six hours in advance of the performance.
Joan Thurbush, another Gaines' fan, grabbed a chair on the first row of open seating. She
has seen Gaines at least six other times and had Gaines' autograph on a cast on her arm,
signed at the earlier Tahoe Donner performance.
"He's one of the best singers. He has the most fabulous range I have ever
heard," said Thurbush of Fontana, Calif. "And he's a great guy."
At curbside, Kim and Harvey Kano of Redondo Beach, Calif., bravely brought their three
children, from infant to toddler to their 7-year-old son. They came mostly for the
fireworks, but the orchestra was a surprise.
"We didn't expect this," Kim said.
"I never knew Reno had a philharmonic," Harvey said.
"You just think of gambling," Kim said. But they know differently now.
Davis Gaines, right, at
the Hollywood Bowl led by John Mauceri, left
By DANIEL CARIAGA, Times Music
Writer
Photo Credit: LORI SHEPLER/L.A. Times
Put well-known and successful singers
on a stage together and some sort of dueling-divas situation usually arises. Not this
week, when John Mauceri and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra hosted "One Hundred Years of
Broadway" at the outdoor amphitheater on Friday and Saturday nights.
This despite the fact that the vocal attractions were--in alphabetical order, of
course--Justino Diaz, Susan Egan, Davis Gaines and Marilyn Horne--heavy hitters all.
Together and separately, the quartet, the orchestra, conductor Mauceri and a choral
assemblage, the Mitch Hanlon Singers, surveyed the American musical theater, from Victor
Herbert's "Naughty Marietta" through Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Cats" with
high energy but no upstaging or competitive strategies.
It was a generous, brightly performed and nicely paced program, as integrated as any
anthology-agenda can be. The singers contributed two items apiece to the first half; after
intermission, an abbreviated version of Rodgers & Hammerstein's "South
Pacific" plus a quickie finale in Gershwin's "Strike Up the Band," with
loud and brilliant fireworks, entertained the large, Friday-night crowd.
Each of the soloists cannily chose viable showpieces. Horne's "Bewitched" (from
"Pal Joey") and "The Man I Love" proved most memorable, through
transparent word projection and a handsome tone under full control, and Gaines made the
hoary cliches of the "Carousel" Soliloquy and the even-more-cliched sentiments
of "Ol' Man River" not only palatable but newly minted.
Both Horne and Gaines also gave pointedly characterized and richly sung performances in
the "South Pacific" scenes.
Baritone Diaz didn't really warm up until the second half, when he brought genuine
authority and solid vocalism to his Emile de Becque of "South Pacific." His
Nellie Forbush, young Susan Egan, contributed lilt and ebullience to the overfamiliar
Rodgers score; earlier, she showed great versatility and dramatic resources in excerpts
from "Cats" and "Company"--wherein she breezily took all three parts
in "Getting Married Today."
Overmiked and underblended, the Mitch Hanlon Singers seemed chorally challenged by its
chores in "South Pacific." Under the circumstances, it was just as well the
group had so little to do. Mauceri and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, now in their
ninth season at the outdoor showplace, supported the singers deftly and contributed strong
performances of their own in the overtures to "Naughty Marietta" and "My
Fair Lady" and in "Strike Up the Band," which, unfortunately, one could
barely hear amid the noisy fireworks. At midprogram, the orchestra also gave the world
premiere of three songs from the uncompleted musical "The Light in the Piazza,"
due for production in 2000. Its composer is the gifted, multi-prize-winning Adam Guettel,
whose previous work includes "Floyd Collins." He is the son of Mary Rodgers and
the grandson of Richard Rodgers.
These previews proved exceptionally pleasant and tuneful, but hardly conclusive. As
Mauceri said to the audience, "We can't offer you any more of this score, because
it's not written yet." In any case, this was a promising look into the future of
Broadway.
Copyright 1999 Los Angeles Times. All Rights Reserved
Sweeney Todd
Daily Variety
March 15, 1999
By ROBERT HOFLER,
Sweeney Todd - Kelsey Grammer
Anthony Hope - Davis Gaines
Beggar Woman - Melissa Manchester
Mrs. Lovett - Christine Baranski
Johanna - Dale Kristien
Tobias Ragg - Neil Patrick Harris
Pirelli - Scott Waara
The Beadle - Roland Rusinek
Judge Turpin - Ken Howard
The Company - Jeff Austin, Bill Carmichael, Nancy Gassner Clayton, John Ganun, Bill
Hutton, Linda Kerns, Carol Kline, Norman Large, Phil Meyer, Marnie Mosiman, Jimmy Smagula,
Nita Whitaker
High-profile casting is sometimes dream casting. And sometimes it isnt. The Reprise!
series gala 20th anniversary performances of Stephen Sondheims musical
Sweeney Todd at the Ahmanson Theater last weekend had it both ways. Christine
Baranski presented an inspired Mrs. Lovett, while Kelsey Grammer gave us a demon barber
who fell flat in more ways than one.
Grammer looked the part of the wronged man whose wife was supposedly driven to suicide
years before, and now, after a long exile in Australia, has returned to London to seek
revenge on the guilty as well as innocent unshaven. With his big, hulking presence and a
head made up to resemble Eric Stoltz in Mask, Grammer appeared ready to devour
Hannibal Lecter.
Then he opened his mouth to sing.
After a two-year run on Broadway, Sondheims unlikely musical about a serial killer
and his cannibalistic piemaker accomplice quickly became a staple of smaller opera
companies across the country. Although its occasional stretches of dialogue and witty
patter songs dont exactly sit well with most opera singers, there are many gorgeous
ensembles, duets and arias that do. Several of those numbers involve the character of
Sweeney Todd, and in a true act of perversity, Sondheim gave his loveliest music to the
very bloodthirsty baritone who does all the killing. He is a demon, but Sweeney used to be
a human being before life turned him inside out. His arias are songs of the memory, and
they are heartbreakingly gorgeous.
Maybe a little transposition downward would have helped Grammer, but he sang woefully
under pitch, struggling vocally throughout the evening. Sheer personality wouldnt
cut it here. So much of Sweeneys character is etched in song; the role demands a
real singer.
And the musical demands lots of blood. Yet the Ahmanson stage may have been the only place
in America that needed more violence. Without beautiful singing and gleeful
throat-slitting, Sweeney may as well stay in Oz. Even worse, director Calvin Remsberg
staged Sweeneys two encounters with his nemesis, Judge Turpin (Ken Howard), so that
both men are standing for Pretty Women. The teasing suspense of waiting for
the judge to get his throat slit while Sweeney shaves away was completely lost. It
didnt help that Grammer and Howard, also in poor voice, seemed to be doing a
rendition of Anything You Can Sing I Can Sing Flatter.
Apparently, the amplification system couldnt accommodate a sit-down murder.
Eschewing head mikes, the Reprise! production opted for a battery of standing microphones
that had the actors moving in a kind of connect-the-dots blocking. Was Sweeney crossing
the stage to kill somebody or to find an open mike? At some points in the evening,
the obstacle course of microphone stands seemed more a threat to life and limb than any
prop knife.
Then there was Christine Baranskis Mrs. Lovett, the Lady MacBeth of this whole
affair. On Broadway, Angela Lansbury made her a desperate social climber, and later in the
run, Dorothy Loudon gave the role an m.o. that ran on pure lust. Baranski hit both those
notes and found yet another: The evil of utter stupidity. Its as if Olive Oyl were
attempting an impersonation of Tallulah Bankhead. And that was just her singing voice!
Baranski produced a comic screech for The Worst Pies in London and a lovely
mezzo for Wait and By the Sea, an unlikely showstopper.
Another highlight was the Tobias of Neil Patrick Harris (Doogie Howser), who
delivered a touching, plaintive Not While Im Around. A nifty piece of
casting made for the reunion of Davis Gaines and Dale Kristien,
whove clocked a few hundred performances together in The Phantom of the
Opera. The harsh amplification took its toll on Kristiens high-flying
coloratura, but as the young lovers Anthony and Joanna, the duo never lost sight of the
roles comic underpinnings. Melissa Manchester completed the starry casting, as the
Beggar Woman with a secret. At the risk of sounding churlish, beggar women arent
supposed to sound this ravishing.
The evenings vocal award, however, went to the Beadle of Roland Rusinek. In arguably
the shows most treacherous singing role, he met the demands and then some. Also
stunning, the chorus sounded heavenly, especially when called upon to summon up every
demon of Fleet Street.
The Reprise! series presents what it calls semi-staged productions. That said, David R.
Zylas costumes looked pretty lavish in their witty outrageousness. The lighting by
Tom Ruzika and the scenic design by David Sackeroff were, indeed, minimal. But
couldnt someone have cut a hole in the barbershop floor so that the victims, freshly
murdered, didnt have to be seen tiptoeing, shoulders hunched, into the wings?
Sweeney Todd
L.A. Times
March 15, 1999
With a Killer Score, 'Sweeney'
Keeps Its Edge
By MICHAEL PHILLIPS
It was "Frasier" with a razor over the weekend at the Ahmanson. Opening its
third season, "Reprise! Broadway's Best in Concert"--the L.A. answer to New
York's "Encore!" series--on Friday presented the first of five semi-staged
performances of the 1979 throttler "Sweeney Todd."
The Grand Guignol pleasures of Stephen Sondheim's score
abounded. By design this concert version offered no fake blood (big savings here), no
bodies tumbling down a trap door. It focused attention on the music, while offering
performers, some better prepared than others, a shot at a show at once grand and tawdry.
In between "Frasier" episodes, Kelsey Grammer
starred as Sweeney (the role originated by Len Cariou), the "demon barber" eager
to rid the 19th century of its surplus population. Christine Baranski, that ruthlessly
effective ham best known as Maryann on "Cybill," took on Mrs. Lovett (originated
by Angela Lansbury), purveyor of the worst pies in London. The worst, that is, until
Sweeney starts providing her with higher-grade pie filling.
On a virtual summer stock rehearsal schedule of 10 days,
Grammer--comfortable in a nice, easy bass-baritone range--couldn't muster the vocal heft
(or the pitch) the most difficult songs demand. His duets Friday with Ken Howard,
surprisingly diffident as Judge Turpin, added an unwanted subtextual plea. Please, sir. We
want some more time to practice.
Grammer relies on that familiar, rumbling, naturally
authoritative speaking voice for effect, reminiscent of Orson Welles. As with Welles
you're made overly aware of that voice at times, at a given dramatic moment's expense. Yet
here, early on in particular, Grammer lent Sweeney a shrewdly considered loneliness
beneath the psychopathic simmer. He's a promising musical-theater talent, in addition to
being a superb light comedian (as millions know). This particular role may not be in his
immediate grasp, but with full rehearsal, plenty of others would be.
Baranski, by contrast, was ready to rip Friday. Working two
or three steps beyond the concept of "presentational acting," her Mrs. Lovett
may have resorted to one too many takes, lolls of the tongue and transition-filling bits
of shtick. But Baranksi's such a skilled audience favorite, fully aware of her low-comic
wiles, she gave things a welcome charge.
"Sweeney Todd" still throws audiences for a loop.
The score's lush creepiness, so cannily orchestrated by Jonathan Tunick, worms its way
into every crevice of this penny-dreadful tale. It features, among other things, a tender
love song sung to a set of razors ("My Friends"). Its chief villain, the judge,
lusts for his ward and whips himself for it. (The song "Johanna" was cut from
the original Broadway version but routinely finds its way into revivals. It's too much,
really.)
Sondheim has said he wanted to write "a background
score for a horror film," and he did. He did so apparently after checking into the
Bernard Herrmann Institute for Wracked Nerves. (Check out those weirdly escalating flutes
under the titular "Ballad of Sweeney Todd"--pure Hitchcock, meaning pure
Herrmann.) Sondheim's musical wit, however, is far lighter. This show, which ended Sunday,
may rub your nose in depravity, but Sondheim's music--not to mention his famous, darting
wit as a lyricist--leavens it just so.
In key roles director Calvin Remsberg's staging received
sterling support. Davis Gaines, many people's favorite Phantom in "The Phantom of the
Opera," gave the (ineffectual) role of Anthony real feeling and a walloping set of
pipes. Dale Kristien (Johanna), another "Phantom" alum, couldn't make full sense
of this stylistically conflicted distressed damsel--Sondheim and librettist Wheeler don't
seem sure how seriously to take her--but she proved a first-rate musical actress.
Scott Waara's plummy rival barber Pirelli, Melissa
Manchester's (not so very) mysterious Beggar Woman, and especially Neil Patrick Harris'
affecting Tobias served this score extremely well. Fresh from "Rent," where he
acquitted himself better than Anthony Rapp did on Broadway, Harris is a versatile, subtle
performer around whom a musical could, and should, be written.
The show's original director, Harold Prince, attempted
visually and otherwise to paint Sweeney into a no-win corner of the Industrial Revolution.
Sondheim's lyrics urge Sweeney on in his righteous slaughter of hypocrites, moralizers,
the haves of the world. Infinitely dumber shows, such as "Jekyll & Hyde,"
pull the same thing. It's a veneer of seriousness.
But even in this jaded, strung-out age, with its
post-"Sweeney" obsession with charismatic serial killers of the "Silence of
the Lambs" variety, Sondheim's score still imparts the cold creeps. Sondheim himself
attended the Friday gala, a benefit for "Reprise!" and for the ASCAP Foundation.
Following the performance, guest presenter Lansbury--noting a "passing
connection" to "Sweeney'--introduced American Society of Composers, Authors and
Publishers president Marilyn Bergman. She in turn handed a grinning, charmingly befuddled
Sondheim the ASCAP Founders Award.
Smiles all around. Yet the score's menace lingered long
afterward.
Cabaret Review
The Los Angeles Times
May 6, 1999
A Phantom Yields to Essence of Simplicity
Davis Gaines, with only a trio of
musicians backing him, uses his theater-filling voice to create an intimate and intriguing
performance at Founders Hall.
By DON HECKMAN, Special to The Times
There's never much doubt about what
to expect at a Davis Gaines concert: the juxtaposition of a boyish charm with a big,
theater-filling voice, a dramatic way with a song and an always-intriguing musical
program. But on Thursday night in Founders Hall at the Orange County Performing Arts
Center, the veteran musical theater artist, perhaps best-known for his more than 2,000
appearances in the title role in Andrew Lloyd Webber's "The Phantom of the
Opera," took matters a bit further, miniaturizing his musical framework via an
intimate, cabaret-style presentation.
His show was the essence of
simplicity. Accompanied only by a trio consisting of violinist Barbara Porter, bassist Ken
Wild and pianist-music director David Lai, Gaines placed his voice in the spotlight,
without the warm and comforting musical cushion of a large orchestra. And that voice, with
the capacity to range in barely a moment from a purr to a roar, was more than adequate for
the task.
He sang standards, some lesser-known
works and a bit of special material--notably a whimsical song that consisted of fragments
of melody and words from a long list of love songs. Everything was handled with taste and
understanding.
The foundation of Gaines' work is a
solid, dependable musicality, and it was on ample display. Not only did he sing with a
great range of color and timbre, but he did so with precise pitch and consistent musical
intelligence.
Wisely, he tailored the size of his
interpretations to the small, personal dimensions of cabaret. It was a performance so
well-structured, so beautifully done that Gaines never got around to singing a note from
"Phantom," and the omission didn't appear to bother his listeners at all. In
fact, the most impressive aspect of the evening was probably the revelation that Gaines
has moved well beyond an association with a specific show and now can do, and be, anything
he wants, in virtually any kind of performance setting.
One gripe about Gaines' otherwise
winning performance, the first of a three-night stand: Only once in his entire set did he
identify the names of any of the songwriters who created the music he was singing. The
exception was a reference to lyricist Sammy Cahn, in the context of a three-song Cahn set
of tunes that will be included in Gaines' next album. And even here, he neglected to
mention the composers who wrote the music for "Time After Time" (Jule Styne),
"All My Tomorrows" and "All the Way" (Jimmy Van Heusen) with Cahn.
That's like watching an actor on a
talk show describe a character he's played without acknowledging that the words and story
were created by a writer and did not simply materialize out of thin air. Obviously
songwriters such as Rodgers & Hammerstein don't need any particular identification,
but it surely would have been more respectful for Gaines to have at least named the
writers of some of the less-familiar material.
Copyright 1999 Los Angeles Times.
All Rights Reserved
Sweeney Todd
The New York Times
March 18, 1999
'Sweeney Todd': Such Rib-Sticking Meat Pies!
By PETER MARKS
LOS ANGELES -- If she doesn't erase
memories of Angela Lansbury, radiating dotty, malicious charm in the original Broadway
production of "Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street," Christine
Baranski certainly supplies wondrous new ones.
Her fey, wisecracking turn as Mrs.
Lovett, the all-too-practical meat pie maven of Stephen Sondheim's mercilessly brilliant
1979 musical, provided the highest highs in this 20th-anniversary concert version of the
landmark show, staged over the weekend here by Reprise, the West Coast answer to City
Center's hugely successful Encores musicals-in-concert series.
Ms. Baranski's contributions to the
lavish, five-performance revival at the Ahmanson Theater, which also featured Kelsey
Grammer, Melissa Manchester, Neil Patrick Harris and Davis Gaines, should without a doubt
place her on the short list of potential Mrs. Lovetts, if and when "Sweeney
Todd" comes back to Broadway. And while we're at it let's declare it no contest for
the roles of Anthony, the story's lovesick sailor, and Toby, the wayward manchild, in any
future production: the vocally astonishing Gaines, a longtime Broadway Phantom, and the
exceptionally tender Harris, best known and criminally underemployed as television's
Doogie Howser, were nothing less than breathtaking in their respective parts.
A fringe benefit of short-run
concert stagings of old musicals is the luring of dream casts of a caliber that once upon
a time would have been happily ensconced in long runs in New York. Drawing on the large
pool of stage-trained actors working in Hollywood -- Grammer and Ms. Baranski as well as
supporting players in the show like Gaines, Scott Waara and Ken Howard have all performed
on Broadway -- Reprise has acquired the knack after Encores of stocking its pond with big,
talented fish. (Encores, which spawned the hit Broadway revival of "Chicago,"
pioneered the musicals-in-concert formula that is now being applied not only in Los
Angeles but also in a yearly series at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
in Washington.)
Another benefit of this format is
the potential for a new perspective on a show that in its previous incarnations may have
been mishandled or misunderstood, and this is the arena in which the Reprise "Sweeney
Todd" falls short. Perhaps it is too much to ask of Reprise to accomplish more than
musical appreciation; "Sweeney Todd," with its baroquely agonized melodies and
grotesque tale of the collaboration between a killer barber and the adoring woman who
bakes his victims into pies, is one of the most imaginative musical concoctions of all
time. But in Calvin Remsberg's faithful revival there was more curating than creating.
While musically enjoyable it lacked the visceral power to fully engage the material, and
as a result the skin never crawled.
A member of the show's original
national tour, in which he portrayed the corrupt Beadle, Remsberg relied so heavily on
what has been done before that his "Sweeney Todd" at many times came across as a
watered-down variation on "Sweeneys" past. (The demon barber, played with a
curious bloodlessness by Grammer of "Frasier" fame, even parted his hair down
the middle, like every other Sweeney.)
Only in the sequence involving the
shaving contest between Todd and Waara's assured, debonair Pirelli did Remsberg reveal a
real directorial flair. The scene, an extended operatic parody, can often seem labored and
awkward, an interlude to be endured. But Remsberg, taking advantage of Waara's skill at
physical comedy, transformed it into a breezy spoof.
The real innovations here, however,
came in the guise of individual performance. Grammer, unfortunately, seemed a bit
intimidated by the role of Sweeney; vocally he does not have the upper register for the
demanding part, and the deficiency seemed to drain the portrayal of energy. Similarly Dale
Kristien's virginal Johanna, the long-lost daughter of Todd, and Ken Howard's villainous
Judge Turpin suffered from underdevelopment. Ms. Manchester's Beggar Woman, while
beautifully sung, had no tragic dimension. It was left to Ms. Baranski, Harris and Gaines
to ring this musical's haunting bells, and each came through vibrantly at a critical
juncture in the show's musical progression.
Gaines' triumph occurred first, in
"Johanna," the song that jet-propels the love story; it's hard to conceive a
closer approximation of shouting from the rooftops. Harris' moment came last, during his
purring second-act rendition of "Not While I'm Around." It was the capstone to a
portrayal of surprising clarity and sensitivity that made sense of the character for what
seemed like the first time ever. Harris' Toby became the conscience of the piece. Through
him you believed in the possibility of redemption.
Ms. Baranski, meanwhile, scored at
will all evening. The performance reaffirmed Mrs. Lovett as the show's juiciest role. As
the cunning mechanic who keeps the killing machine humming, the actress must be warm and
creepy at the same time. Ms. Baranski had no trouble conveying those contradictory
qualities, which were brought to life most amazingly in her superb rendition of "By
the Sea," a music hall ditty that in other productions has functioned as a throwaway
number. In Ms. Baranski's delightful delivery it became Mrs. Lovett's marvelously twisted
manifesto, the wish list of a malevolent nature with mundane desires expressing the kind
of demented neediness an audience would die for.
CAST: Kelsey
Grammer (Sweeney Todd), Christine Baranski (Mrs. Lovett), Davis Gaines (Anthony Hope),
Melissa Manchester (Beggar Woman), Dale Kristien (Johanna), Neil Patrick Harris (Tobias
Ragg), Scott Waara (Pirelli), Roland Rusinek (the Beadle) and Ken Howard (Judge Turpin).
Masada: The Musical
Daily Variety
December 17, 1998
(Excerpts from) LEGIT REVIEW
Notwithstanding the impassioned storytelling by luminaries Jon Voight, Rita Moreno and
Theodore Bikel, a sumptuous onstage orchestra, the vocal talents of such Broadway stars as
Davis Gaines, Valerie Perri, Kim Strauss, Jordan Bennett and an outstanding 20-member
chorus...a reading is a reading is a reading. This musical re-creation of the historic
defiance of 967 Jewish men, women and children against the legions of Rome on the mountain
fortress of Masada seldom transcends the hand-held scripts of the participants, despite
some interesting onstage inter-play among the cast.
The 73- A.D. confrontation between Zealot leader Eleazar Ben Yair (Gaines) and the
Roman General Flavius Silva (Strauss) is presented as an epic conflict between intractable
icons rather than two complex individuals. The problem lies mainly in the score and book
by Shuki Levy (music) and Shell Danielson (lyrics)....a substantial reworking of the basic
storyline and dialogue will prove crucial if the work is to move on to a fully staged
production.
Given the limitations of the presentation, the performances are uniformly marvelous.
Gaines powerful tenor soars magnificently in the first act opening, In a Land
Such as This, which emphasizes the Zealots determination to defy Rome
(Let no man be another mans slave), and in the second act, The
Choice, in which Eleazar guides his people into the decision to take their own lives
rather than be captured by Silvas army.
Perri [as Tamar] manages to transcend the stilted book, projecting a tangible sensuality
and fervor in her duets with Strauss...vocally, Strauss offers a powerful presence, though
he appears emotionally distant in Silvas relationship with Tamar....[Lisa] Guerin
and Bennett are appealing figures as the doomed lovers. Their wedding offers the only
light moment in the production as the full ensemble offers a raucous When Im
Drunk.
Production designer Marc Nunes tasteful and economic use of rear projection imagery
does much to give proper historical perspective to the production. He is aided immensely
by the lighting and sound designs of Tom Ruzika and Jon Gottlieb, respectively.
Masada: The Musical was presented for one night only as a fundraiser for
D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education).
Masada: The Musical
Los Angeles Times
December 17, 1998
(Excerpts from) AN UPHILL BATTLE FOR MUSICAL MASADA
On Tuesday, not long after President Clinton visited Masada, the mountain, the Shubert
Theatre hosted a concert performance of the new Masada: The Musical. The
shows creators hope to stage a full production atop the real Masada in Israel during
the millennium celebration. Theyre also aiming for Broadway and beyond. But
theyve got some rewrites to do first...
Theres potential for a stirring drama here... Shuki Levy, who first visited Masada
as a fourth-grader, conceived the musical. A movie and TV composer with 15 gold and
platinum records, hes also the co-founder of Saban Entertainment, producer of the
Power Rangers movies...Levys music confidently evokes the grandeur of a
Hollywood biblical epic whenever its momentarily liberated from the lyrics. But when
characters sing, the banality and awkwardness of Shell Danielsons words undermine
everything...
At the Shubert, a group of excellent theater singers--including Davis Gaines and Kim
Strauss as leaders of the Zealots and Romans (respectively), Valerie Perri as Tamar, Sarah
Tattersall as Gaines wife and Jordan Bennett and Lisa Guerin as the betrothed
couple-- stood at microphones, clad in dressy black outfits, directed by Glenn Casale.
Theodore Bickel and Rita Moreno narrated.
Phantom of the Opera
Long Beach Press-Telegram
September 1, 1998
Still
Phan-tastic by Ramon Moreno
Andrew
Lloyd Weber hit is as fresh and tragic as ever.
"The
Phantom" has returned to his old haunt-and what a welcome he received! The mere
dimming of the lights for Sunday nights opening performance at the Pantages Theatre
in Hollywood prompted the crowd to erupt into uproarious applause. What occurred onstage
during the subsequent 2 ½ hours would prove worthy of such an accolade, and much, much
more.
Broadway
veteran Davis Gaines is the consummate Phantom, having played the "opera ghost"
for nearly 2,000 performances-more than any other actor. Many of those shows were in the
early 90s at L.A.s Ahmanson Theatre, where "The Phantom of the
Opera" became the longest-running stage production in the citys history.
Gaines
portrayal of the lonely, deformed opera aficionado who stalks the occupants of a Paris
theater in the early 1900s is impeccable. His ability to infuse the lyrics with the pain
and sorrow that is the Phantom is quite remarkable. His commanding and sometimes
diabolical voice echoes through the cavernous theater like the thunder of an approaching
storm. Gaines flawless delivery earned him a standing ovation from a group of people
who, no doubt, had seen the show before.
In the
lobby prior to curtain and during intermission, attendees could be overheard counting the
number of times theyd previously seen "Phantom". Such devotion could imply
that these fans would be content with any "Phantom" production, never mind the
caliber of the actors or the quality of the sets and special effects. But the reality is,
no reputable company would even attempt "Phantom" without the talent and tools
to pull it off. There is no middle ground here. You either have it or you dont. And
Cameron Mackintosh and the Really Useful Theatre Company, Inc. have it.
Dry
ice, fog and smoke machines and more than 200 flickering candles are used to create the
surreal Phantoms lair. Candelabras, some as tall as 14 feet, surround the
hauntmeister as he lures the beautiful Christine to his hideaway. He is drawn to the
angelic voice of the young soprano, whom he hopes to nurture into an opera star.
Marie
Danvers is the proprietor of the golden vocal chords. She is a joy to listen to,
particularly in the early number, "Angel of Music", during which the Phantom
first appears in her mirror. She is equally dazzling in the second acts
"Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again", effectively projecting a heartfelt ode to
her dead father.
This
is the second time Danvers has graced the Pantages as Christine. In addition to performing
in the Yeston/Kopit version in Europe and the United States, Danvers was a member of the
Really Useful touring group that was in L.A. in January. Her experience serves her well;
her style is magnificent.
Lawrence
Anderson exceeds the expectations set by his peers, delivering a first-rate job as
Christines love interest and the Phantoms foe, Raoul.
Notice
is due all of the performers, including Patricia Hurd as the diva Carlotta Giudicelli and
Chip Huddleston and Ian Jon Bourg as the new, determined owners of the opera house.
Leila
Martin is perfect in the role of the stern dance instructor Madame Giry, adding a touch of
well-timed humor through the delivery of countless written notes from the Phantom.
The
most talked-about part of "The Phantom of the Opera" is the most difficult to
stage-the crashing of the theater chandelier. Unfortunately, the timing Sunday night was a
little off, and the 1,000 pound fixture should have descended much faster. Hopefully, this
is an effect that will be improved for future performances.
What
gives "Phantom" its longevity is the stunning beauty of the music, which,
despite the number of times it played, never grows old. This is the "Phantom" to
see.
Phantom of the Opera
L.A. Daily News
September 1, 1998
Phantastic
Streak by Rob Lowman
Gaines
grand in 1,957th turn as Phantom.
In
some ways, Sir Andrew Lloyd Webbers "The Phantom of the Opera" is perfect
entertainment-memorable music, lavish staging and costumes, and flashy special effects.
Its
also overrated, but that doesnt stop the current incarnation of the musical, which
opened Sunday (August 30) at the Pantages Theatre, from being enjoyable. This is thanks
for the most part to the superb performance of Davis Gaines in the title role.
Gaines
has played the Phantom 1,957 times, including Sunday, and the wit and subtlety he brings
to the difficult role is remarkable, especially considering the ease with which he does
it. Add to this a rich, expressive voice that never overreaches, never calls attention to
itself and yet can bring chills of emotion to the most hardened theater-goer
If you
somehow missed "Phantom" during its more than 10-year run in the States (it
opened October 1986 in London and January 1988 on Broadway where its still going),
or havent read the original novel by Gaston Leroux or seen any of the non-musical
filmed versions, heres a brief plot summary of the musical.
The
story really begins when the fat lady sings-in this case, Carlotta (Patricia Hurd), the
heavy-set diva at an opera house in Paris in 1875. The scene is a comic dress rehearsal
for a faux opera, "Hannibal", complete with nubile dancing girls and an
overweight leading man who has trouble climbing the fake elephant. When Carlotta walks out
on them, the new owners of the theater turn to a girl from the chorus, Christine (Marie
Danvers) who has been receiving secret help from the mysterious Angel of Music, the
Phantom, who haunts the theater and has been making demands on the previous owner.
Christine
is, of course, a sensation in her debut, and the Phantom takes her to his hideaway to
profess his love. Its there they sing one of the showstoppers, "The Phantom of
the Opera". Meanwhile, an old beau and theater patron, Raoul (Lawrence Anderson), has
come back into Christines life, and she is torn between the light (a sunny, normal
relationship with Raoul) and the dark (the intoxicating allure of the Phantom and his
music).
Spurred
by Christines success and angered by Raouls attentions, the Phantom becomes
more demanding, but his dictums meet with resistance from the new owners. Their defiance
is met with violence from the Phantom, including the famous crashing chandelier scene.
Inevitably, all this lurches to a final showdown as the authorities close in on the
Phantom, while Christine must choose between Raoul and her secret mentor.
The
staging and effects that make "Phantom" a delight to watch are all there in the
Pantages production. And while the falling chandelier doesnt seem quite as
spectacular as it once did, the colorful "Masquerade" number that opens the
second act remains exotically charming. The cast and the singing is uniformly good,
notably Anderson and Leila martin as Madame Giry, the ballet choreographer. Danvers
Christine is a bit hit and miss, but its a taxing role. Danvers has quite a lovely
voice when shes relaxed, but there are a few times she tries to punch a note too
hard. This has a lot to do with the music itself. Some of Lloyd Webbers score must
come with the equivalent of the stage direction of "overact here."
But
Danvers has not played the role anywhere near the number of times that Gaines has played
his character, and its clear he has had time to find nuances that bring the Phantom
to life. Without him, the Pantages production would be quite adequate, but Gaines
performance alone is worth the price of admission.
Phantom
of the Opera
Edge Magazine
September 16, 1998
The
(Sexy) Phantom of the Opera Returns to L.A.
Playing
through November 15 at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood is Andrew Lloyd Webbers The
Phantom of the Opera starring Davis Gaines as the man behind the mask. With a
spell-binding voice and an incredibly sexy performance, Gaines Phantom is a tortured
soul with an easily-broken heart and a bad case of unrequited love. So he kills a couple
of people in a jealous rage, wouldnt living in seclusion do that to anyone?
Gaines
holds the record as the longest-running "Phantom" both on Broadway and in Los
Angeles after performing the role nearly 2,000 times. Phantom also stars the amazing vocal
talents of Marie Danvers as Christine, Lawrence Anderson as Raoul and Patricia Hurd as
Opera diva Carlotta.
Directed
by Harold Prince, Phantom plays in a relatively-quick two-and-a-half hours with seamless
set changes and spooky surround-sound. The sets are breathtaking, especially the
underground labyrinth of stairs, the offgy lake, and the masquerade party with its
brilliant costumes.
Premiering
in the United States in 1988, Phantom won seven Tony awards, including "Best
Musical". It is currently the fifth-longest-running show in Broadway history.
Phantom
of the Opera
L.A. Weekly
September 11-17, 1998
Phantom
of the Opera
Twelve
years and scores of world touring companies later, Andrew Lloyd Webbers Phantom
phenomenon is no longer the epiphany that once created thousands of new theater-goers; it
remains, nonetheless, a huge audience-pleaser. And though slightly scaled down from its
magnificence at the larger Ahmanson stage, where it held court for years, this production
is highly professional, superbly sung and beautifully mounted.
The
highlight is the reprise of Davis Gaines aggressive and angry interpretation of the
facially deformed Phantom, who stalks the Paris Opera House and succumbs to the charms of
the lovely soprano Christine Daae (the fine Marie Danvers). Gaines astutely distinguishes
himself from Michael Crawfords more plaintive, ghostly rendition. The most familiar
songs, especially "The Music of the Night" resonate with emotion. Hal
Princes staging is dazzling when there is grand music and character passion,
but falls into stasis during moments of exposition .Ultimately though, the power of
this piece wins out, as evidenced by the enthusiastic applause.
Phantom
of the Opera
Backstage
September 3, 1998
by
Edward Shapiro
The
production that just landed at the Pantages does, however, have an ace up its sleeve in
the person of Davis Gaines For anyone considering a return visit, Gaines makes
this engagement the one to catch."
Phantom
of the Opera
Beverly Hills Courier
September 11, 1998
Stage
Review by Candy Carstensen
"Phantom
of the Opera" was dazzling and extraordinary ten years ago when it was a fresh import
from London, and its still as imposing as ever at the Pantages Theatre where it
opened this past Sunday (August 30).
it
still holds the magic and you know you are witnessing greatness it is still as
melodic and exquisite as ever.
Davis
Gaines Phantom is passionate and anguished, he is outstanding. He will break your
heart.
All in
all, "Phantom of the Opera" will always be worth seeing. Its just one of
the shows that has been touched by God.
Phantom
of the Opera
Daily Bulletin
September 2, 1998
Theater
Review by H.S. Wilson
With
passions reborn, Gaines breathes from behind that famous mask a new life into an otherwise
by-the-numbers production his superb rendition of "The Music of the Night"
produced a nearly euphoric reaction as though the opening night audience was witnessing a
theatrical "second coming".
Gaines
possesses a revived sense of what should always be the gothic thrill of it all.
Pacific
Symphony Orchestra Pops Concert
The Orange County Register
April 21, 1998
A Phantom
Works His Magic on Loyal Fans
Judging by
the exuberant reception given Davis Gaines on Friday at the OCPAC, there was a hefty
contingent of fans from his performances of Phantom of the Opera. In
the first of two weekend pops concerts with the Pacific Symphony Orchestra, Gaines
stylishly displayed the vocal talents that won him his own legions of avid admirers. The
concert edition of Gaines also benefited from his air of humility and a quietly charming
sense of humor, demonstrated as when he shyly observed the condom-like appearance of the
casing around his microphone, or with subtly comic deference asked the sound booth to
correct what he regarded as a volume problem with a pair of onstage speakers. Gaines
vocal approach to the more delicate moments of the selections of show tunes and American
standards was often masterful, applying a sensitivity that helped connect them to the
listener. One example of this was his performance of Music of the Night,
which featured a complex, moody arrangement by David Lai, musical supervisor of
Phantom who was on hand to conduct. Gaines attentive offering of
that showstopper made it sound fresh. Part of that songs success is its ebb and flow
of tenderness and power, and Gaines projected both qualities splendidly. His sustained
crescendos, as in the climactic moments of Music of the Night, surely
must be among the best of any male singer. Gaines found plenty of drama in one of the
greatest of Broadway songs, Ol Man River from Showboat.
Hearing a song of that quality from a singer of Gaines prowess was a treat, and it
understandably earned the singer one of several standing ovations. JEFF RUBIO
Ft. Worth
Pops
Ft. Worth Star Telegram
April 25, 1998
Ft. Worth
Pops, Vocalist Gaines put on a Celestial Night
The evening
started with stars and ended with the moon and everything in between sparkled. The show
really glowed with Lai, conductor of Broadways long-running The Phantom of
the Opera and Gaines, who has performed the role 1,937 times. The broad mix of
tunes were chosen to showcase the vocal strength Gaines brings to the stage and he did not
disappoint. Last nights audience gave Gaines two standing ovations. His set included
lounge classics When Somebody Loves You and Ive Got You
Under My Skin, his stirring version of The Music of the Night
and a moon-based medley that should keep the audience looking dreamily skyward.
SHAWN SHEPHERD
Hollywood
Bowl
LA Times
Sept 9, 1997
LuPone,
Luker, Gaines and the Great White Way
If the
audience for Friday evening's Broadway '97 concert at the Hollywood Bowl was expecting
Rebecca Luker and Davis Gaines to be soup and salad to main dish Patti LuPone, they were
in for a surprise. All three Broadway stars enlivened conductor John Mauceri's weekend
"trip up the Great White Way." Although the anticipated world premiere of
symphonic music from "Rent" wasn't ready, Mauceri led the Hollywood Bowl
Orchestra through hits from such classics as "Candide" and "Showboat"
and such crowd-pleasers as "The Phantom of the Opera" and "Beauty
and the Beast. There were suites from last season's "Titanic" and
"King David" and from this season's "Ragtime. The star
of the evening had to be Gaines. Whether singing out room assignments aboard the Titanic,
performing William Brohn's new arrangement of "Old Man River" or
caressing Andrew Lloyd Webber's very familiar "The Music of the Night",
Los Angeles' longest running Phantom essentially stole the show from Luker, possessor of
one of the purest, sweetest voices around, and sassy diva LuPone. The "Phantom"
selections proved to be the long, packed evening's unexpected high point. Luker and Gaines
had performed the show on Broadway together some years ago, when Gaines, not yet cast as
the Phantom, was playing suitor Raoul to Luker's Christine. Earlier this year, they'd
appeared together in New York's Encores! presentation of "The Boys From
Syracuse" and the chemistry carried over here. In a testimonial to the Bowl's
much improved sound system and their own musical training, all three soloists were
incredibly clear; you could hear every syllable. The 48 member Mitch Hanlon Singers fared
less well and, at times, the orchestra drowned out even a belter like LuPone. LuPone, who
rivals Bette Midler for stage confidence, also seemed underutilized without the snappy
patter of her solo shows. But making her third appearance with the Hollywood Bowl
Orchestra--"she'd like to be known as our band singer," Mauceri quipped--she
dramatically delivered her assorted anthems from both "Evita" and "Sunset
Boulevard.
BARBARA ISENBERG
Rainbow and
Stars
New York City
July 22 - August 9, 1997
"Gaines
displayed a gorgeous voice and an astute sense of repertoire. Even a chestnut such as
"Tea for Two" in his hands came alive with freshness, especially with his
charming interplay with an older audience member sitting ringside." Hollywood
ReporterJuly 30, 1997
"Gaines
is an extraordinarily gifted singer, with a rich baritone that could wreck Madison Square
Garden. He was just right, knocking off a program of mostly old favorites with impeccable
style, phrasing and control." Bergen RecordAugust 1, 1997
"With
an instrument that soars through the normal baritone and tenor ranges with pitch-perfect
control and an acute, mechanized vibrato, he appears to have a voice of
steel." New York TimesJuly 29, 1997
"If
you've an appreciation for legitimate singing, Gaines should not be missed. He possesses a
baritone of striking attractiveness and power, and brings to his best songs a
spell-binding concentration." New York Post July 25, 1997