STEEL PIER Pt.1

Press reel for 1997 Kander and Ebb Broadway musical--Part I

[@chocolatesouljah]

It feels as though I’ve walked into a dream! I saw this in the summer of 1997 and oh, what a thrill it was! I think I saw it maybe two or three weeks before it closed. There’s a theory that musical theater composers or composers in general become sort of written out. That The well runs dry. Richard Rodgers was used as an example. That pretty much the Music he wrote after “no strings”pales in comparison. I feel this way to some degree about “steel pier.” as much as I loved seeing the show live I found it a bit melodically challenged. I tried very, very hard to get my musical theater students excited about the opening number “everybody dance” but to no avail. It just wants to be a more interesting song in my opinion. A better opening number compositon wise. It does create an atmosphere and sets the plot up well but it ain’t “wilkommen” or “All that Jazz” or “Life is...” I will say that I found Gregory Harrison to be more bold voiced and interesting than what I see here than when I saw the show. In general I thought the show was perfectly cast. The late great Mr. McDonald was just magical. SIGH! Karen Ziemb! What an amazing musical comedy leading lady. she really has it all. She’s an amazing dancer and a very talented actor but I’m always surprised for some reason by how well she sings. My favorite number in the show that she did was “running in place” Who is sort of a tour de force kind of almost like a roses turn moment. I wish I could see that again. Again, I’m not bashing the show but the last number I mentioned could’ve used more interesting music I think. When Debra Monk launched into everybody’s girl. I thought I’d died and gone to musical comedy heaven. The lyrics are hilarious but more than anything I thought she played it so well such a pro I was in stitches. And of course that imp Kristin Chenowith did stick out in the ensemble. I remember some amateurish mugging on her part but she still shine. It was early on and you could see she had that it factor. It’s funny, to this day I think of The Richard Rodgers theatre as the place where “steel pier” played not the super sensational smash hit current tenant that s housed there. Thank you Aurora Spiderwoman For taking me there back to that to that theatre.

[@chocolatesouljah]

And I'm back to watch again! So wonderful to be able to jump into this time amchine.

[@holdyourhats]

Marvelous!

[@MavisDanton]

Great UCLA production of this show now playing