Two Show Day

When it came to picking shows, we obviously couldn't have picked 2 more different shows if we'd tried. The plan was to specifically go up to see one, but after months of hearing about the second, we just had to add it to the itinerary.  While I know that a 2 show day from a performer's standpoint is quite difficult, a 2 show day as an audience member is fantastic! After you've seen the first, you're pretty excited about what you've just seen and obviously ready to do it all again.  Good news is, you can in a matter of hours.  It's the perfect scenario.

Fully Committed at the Lyceum Theatre

First up was "Fully Committed" with Jesse Tyler Ferguson.  Now you may think I'm mentioning only him because he's the major name and I'm being a bit dismissive of the rest of the no names in the cast.  But I'm not, because there is no one else in the cast.  "Fully Committed" is a one man, 90 minute tour de force of talent.  Jesse Tyler Ferguson plays Sam, a trendy restaurant reservationist who's spending the entire day answering phones. 

The kicker is, not only is he playing Sam, but he's also playing the 39 people that call over the 90 minutes.  I can't even memorize telephone numbers, and he's able to memorize the pages upon pages of dialogue while giving each character a different personality and voice. I literally have NO idea how he managed it. I'm in awe of his talent.  While I wasn't sitting gaping at his awesomeness, I was ogling the stage setup which was gorgeous.  There's a short video of it floating around somewhere online if the picture (I probably wasn't supposed to snap) isn't enough. But suffice it to say, everyone from the director, to the set designer to Jesse Tyler Ferguson himself brought their A game.

The show was brilliantly funny and fast paced, and I couldn't believe it was over after the 90 minutes.  It felt like it had just started.  He was so brilliant in fact, when a phone went off in the audience (So RUDE!), he was able to make snide comment ("I've been answering these phones so long, I'm hearing them in my head..." : ) while staying in character. Before seeing it, I was annoyed he wasn't nominated for a Tony for his performance.  After seeing it, I'm downright enraged.  He's a spectacular talent!  

Oh and then this happened which made me very happy: 

The Robber Bridegroom at the Laura Pels Theatre

"The Robber Bridegroom" was on the other end of the spectrum entirely.  This show was a true ensemble musical, off-Broadway and very old-school.  Also, I couldn't help loving every minute of it!  It's billed as a Southern-fried fairy tale and that's pretty much what it was.  There was lots of dirt, twang, banjos, and mason jars.  The score was very bluegrass, and was played beautifully.  Instead of having an orchestra which wouldn't have worked for the music, their band played on stage with the actors the entire show, sometimes sharing jokes and dancing with the cast. 

The storyline itself is just as ridiculous as it sounds: Jaime Lockhart is a gentleman by day and a bandit by night.  The only thing that separates these 2 traits is the 2 stripes of berry stain on the bandit's face.  He falls in love with the rich girl of the town after he steals her clothes.  It sort of moves along from there, without spoiling too much. Again, the cast is what made it.  Steven Pasquale as Jaime Lockhart was unbelievably funny and dreamy at the same time.  

He played the country boy perfectly, and nailed all the funny bits, even when things went a bit awry.  At one point after a bit of knife play, the knife sailed into the audience.  He was able to get off the stage, grab the knife and play the bandit to the poor audience member that had caught the knife ("Give me all your money!) all while staying in character.  The cast just gelled perfectly together, and since they're on stage for the entire show - playing things like trees, or doors - you could tell they really enjoyed working with each other.  So much so, that after a not particularly funny line, by the ever enjoyable Greg Hildreth (a standout as the dumb guy), Steven Pasquale broke for a good 45 seconds and literally could not retain his composure, which made the rest of the cast as well as the entire audience laugh uncontrollably.  Covering up Greg Hildreth's mouth so he didn't say anything else funny - by Steven Pasquale no less - was the only way to eventually get back on track.  

You don't usually see so many little things go awry like that, which made it even funnier and a wilder ride.  Once again, the set decorator and costume designers were on point as well. Every part of the show screamed the South.  It was so very different from anything I've ever seen, and I just loved it.  I only wish it wasn't closing next week, so I could go see it again.  I suppose I'll have to make do with the soundtrack they're recording next month - woohoo!