My 2008 Theatre Experience

I just picked up my tickets for Wicked this morning (I'm watching the SF production next week) and I started thinking about all the shows I saw last year. It wasn't many, but for the most part I loved each experience.

May 2008
Dream (A Midsummer Night's Dream), Curran Theatre, San Francisco, CA
This was a very unique experience. The play was performed in several languages including English, Hindi, Bengali, Sanskrit... to name a few. Some people didn't quite get it, but I loved it. The set was beautiful and the whole play felt intimate, dramatic, provocative and oozed sensuality. With dancing, martial arts, acrobatics, thrown in, it was definitely an imaginative take on the comedic play.

July 2008
Wicked, Apollo Victoria, London, UK
Aside from the numerous YouTube videos floating around, this was my first time seeing Wicked live. I read Gregory Maguire's novel back in 2001 when I first discovered it, and I'm quite glad I'd forgotten most of its plot points. This musical vaguely resembles the novel, but adapted for the stage perfectly. My only caveat with it was "Dancing Through Life." That number, although staged and lit beautifully, seemed long in some parts, and the point were most people stopped paying attention. There's a lot of things mixed in that moves the plot along, but you have to really pay attention. "Popular" which comes next, reels you back in and is my favorite number from the show. It's also the one number that can be acted very differently by each actor and is therefore fun to watch different interpretations. From the music, to the set, costuming and lighting, the light comedy and drama, Wicked is the quintessential modern day musical.

August 2008
Wicked, Apollo Victoria, London UK
I like to see things more than once and I definitely jumped at the opportunity to see this again. It was only two weeks later and the end of my holiday, but what a way to end it. Btw, I definitely liked and appreciated more Glinda's character this time around.

September 2008
Spring Awakening, Curran Theatre, San Francisco, CA
RENT, Century Theaters, San Bruno, CA
I watched both shows a day apart. RENT was shown in the movie theaters and was supposedly the last show filmed, but really wasn't. It was a show recorded a month before, with the final curtain call added in. RENT was my musical for a long time and let's just say..... Jonathan Larson meant this musical to be experienced live. This was my first time seeing Spring Awakening and what a first time it was. I remember leaving the theatre knowing I liked it, but didn't quite know how to feel afterwards. I thought about it for days and I realized that I was actually blown away. This is truly my musical. Everything about it I loved. It's in your face and subtle, it's funny and sad, it was just perfect. The contrast from the music and the play was spot on and I just had to watch it again......

October 2008
Spring Awakening, Curran Theatre, San Francisco, CA
I saw Spring Awakening twice this month and was very sad to see the production leave San Francisco. Watching it for the first time, I felt like I had a lot to take in. The second time, I understood and appreciated the plot even more. The third time, I just sat back and let the play take me on a thought provoking journey accompanied by stellar music. I really need to write a proper review... but I'll save that for a later time.

December 2008
Phantom Of The Opera, Orpheum Theatre, San Francisco, CA
I posted a review of this, so for a full one, just scroll down. For now, let's just say this is definitely the musical of the 80's. From the staging, lighting and music, you can definitely feel it's age and Andrew Lloyd Webber's glory days..... It's just not anytime recent.

Spring Awakening, Eugene O'Neill Theatre, New York, NY
When I found out Spring Awakening was closing on Broadway, I was flabbergasted. When I went through all the list of shows that were closing/closed, I was just sad. There is a bastardization of Broadway going on..... I feel like most of the great shows have fallen prey to this and we're left with mediocre shows. Don't get me wrong, there are still a few good ones out there, but none that I love. Boy did I love this show..... So I made sure to see it one last time, at the theater were it started. (Although this is arguable.... The Atlantic production was of course the true beginning.) It was quite bittersweet.

All in all, I had a pretty good year at the theater. I wish I could have seen more shows, but I do need to eat and pay rent too. I also discovered my current "It" show and mourned its closing on the Great White Way. I hope 2009 has some amazing shows in store for me.