broadway Archives - Have Sippy Will Travel

Photo A Day – Company on Broadway

My friend and I went together to go see The revival of the play “Company” recently. I was very “meh” on it. As talented as everyone was, I was not excited by the story or the characters. Sometimes, no matter how good the cast is, it can’t carry a boring plot. I thought it was odd, meandering, and it jumped about in a way that wasn’t fun or interesting but was (for me) disjointed and just unnecessary. There were a few good songs, but overall I didn’t find the score to be “wow”. I didn’t love the first rendition of the play, which I am too young to have seen when it was out originally, but have heard the songs numerous times. “Company” did all sorts of new and “first” things when it was first produced, but that was 50 years ago in the 70’s. I thought it was weird and stale.

My friend chose this one, and she was really pleased by it. She and I are from different generations, so that might have something to do with it- she had seen the first/original play play, done with a male lead. I liked the performers, I just wasn’t caught up with the story, the characters, or the music. They can’t all be winners- and that’s in addition to they can’t all please everyone. This one just wasn’t my cup of tea. Seeing Patti LuPone live is always exciting and a pleasure and worth going for in itself- the play is still running, but won’t be for long.

Info on the play via Wikipedia–

Company is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by George Furth. The original 1970 production was nominated for a record-setting 14 Tony Awards, winning six. Company lacks a linear plot, depicting instead a story occurring in the mind of the central character, a concept musical composed of short vignettes, presented in no particular chronological order, linked by a 35th birthday.

Company was among the first book musicals to deal with contemporary dating, marriage, and divorce.

Info on the new version via it’s website–

Tony Award® and Grammy Award® winner Katrina Lenk and two-time Tony Award and two-time Grammy Award winner Patti LuPone join forces in Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s groundbreaking musical comedy.

It’s Bobbie’s 35th birthday party, and all her friends keep asking, Why isn’t she married? Why can’t she find the right man and isn’t it time to settle down and start a family? As Bobbie searches for answers, she discovers why being single, being married, and being alive in 21st-Century New York could drive a person crazy.

Two-time Tony Award-winning director Marianne Elliott (War Horse, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Angels in America) helms this revelatory new production, at once boldly sophisticated, deeply insightful, and downright hilarious. COMPANY features Stephen Sondheim’s award-winning songs You Could Drive a Person Crazy, The Ladies Who Lunch, Side by Side by Side and the iconic Being Alive.

It will be closing soon- if you want to see it, you’ll need to hurry. https://companymusical.com

Finding Neverland on Broadway @NeverlandBway

After spending most of our life hearing about the magic of Neverland, have you ever wondered what inspired Peter Pan and Neverland? That is what the play Finding Neverland brings to light. Based on the Academy Award®-winning film, that has the same name, the show tells the story of a play-wright, J.M. Barrie and he was inspired to write the stories of Neverland.

Barrie has been lacking on his creativity and inspiration when he meets the beautiful widow Sylvia and her 4 sons, Jack, George, Michael and Peter. (Incidentally, currently playing Barrie is Matthew Morrison, of Glee and about a million other things. Not only were we delighted to see Matthew Morrison live, but also got to see So You Think You Can Dance season 10 winner Amy Yakima, who is as of now playing Peter Pan as well as dancing in the show.)

After hearing the young boys tell stories of magical escapades in the world of Neverland, Barrie write a play that most of the high-society theatergoers in London have ever seen. Despite taking a giant risk, Barrie wrote the play and discovered, just like in his play, When you believe, you can fly.

Finding Neverland, directed by Tony® winner Diane Paulus, also known for Pippin, Hair, features an original score by composer Gary Barlow and Grammy® winner Eliot Kennedy, with a book by celebrated playwright James Graham and choreography by three-time Emmy® winner Mia Michaels.

This is a great play to see with your family. Packed with beautiful visuals, lots of laughs and songs that will stick with you, this timeless story will remind you that you never really grow up. The staging was really fun and quite something to see- the ending was really sad but amazing and beautiful, but I don’t want to ruin it for you .

Many people (including yours truly) have enjoyed Finding Neverland, including Mary Poppins herself, Julie Andrews, who absolutely loved it. Ms. Andrews came with her daughter and grandchildren. And, after the show, they all took pictures with the cast and gushed over how much they enjoyed it.

The cast was ecstatic. Check out this photo taken backstage of Julie Andrews and Finding Neverland star Laura Michelle Kelly (who, coincidentally, originated the role of Mary Poppins in the stage version both in London and on Broadway).

Below are links to Instagram photos of the cast members and Julie Andrews if you’d like to see some more.

https://instagram.com/p/7l92ItI4E3/
https://instagram.com/p/7lmUghAo48/

https://instagram.com/p/7l80wbv_K4/

https://instagram.com/p/7l7XzEgtt9/

Finding Neverland plays at the Lunt-Fontanne Theater (205 West 46th Street). The schedule is as follows: Tuesday at 7:30pm, Wednesday at 2pm & 7:30pm, Thursday at 7:30pm, Friday at 8pm, Saturday at 2pm & 8pm, Sunday at 3pm. Tickets can be arranged online at www.FindingNeverlandTheMusical.com, by calling Ticketmaster at (877) 250-2929 or in person at the Lunt-Fontanne box office, located at 205 West 46th Street, between Broadway and 8th Avenues. For more information, please visit www.FindingNeverlandTheMusical.com.