Saturday night, I saw the last production of this year's Encores! season at City Center, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. I've never seen the musical before, and only really have a passing knowledge of the film, so I went in nearly completely unaware of what I was going to see. Though I had noticed that all the reviews seemed to be raves for the show...I had a great time! I think I had a smile on my face the entire evening. It was just an adorable, fun, beautifully presented old-fashioned musical comedy. What a treat.
Starting with the overture, you're just swept away with the brassy and fun sounds of Jule Styne's music. The lyrics by Leo Robin were charming and funny. The chorus members (including the girl who was wearing my gala dress! again! who knew I was such a stylist!) harmonized beautifully and the dancing chorus really showed Randy Skinner's choreography off to its best advantage. The big tap number in the second act (with Phillip Attmore and Jared Grimes channeling the Nicholas Brothers, and the effervescent Megan Sikora) was one of the best numbers I've ever seen! It was spectacular, with build after build! You just don't see enough tap dance anymore. And I love me some tap.
Megan Hilty was goshdarned adorable as Lorelei Lee. She wasn't imitating Marilyn Monroe or Carol Channing - she just had her own clear-eyed, warm, sweet take on the character. I really loved her performance. Her running joke of yelling 'entrez!' was just as cute the last time as it was the first (which is no easy task). And she brought the house down with her rendition of "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend." She had a couple of flubs in her dialogue, but she charmingly acknowledged them, got the audience on her side, then moved on. I thought she was terrific.
Rachel York was grand as Lorelei's tough talking friend and Aaron Lazar was pretty dreamy as her love interest. Deborah Rush was really funny as his dotty mother (but it was a little disconcerting to see her play so old), and Simon Jones was his usual droll self as the cuckolded husband. I thought Stephen Buntrock was a riot as the Jack LaLanne-ish zipper king (and his solo in the second act was hysterical!), and Brennan Brown was very funny as several different characters. I wasn't quite as sold on Clarke Thorell as Lorelei's love interest, but the problem could be in the writing. He sang very nicely and was perfectly pleasant, but a little zip or oomph might've been nice. But maybe that's not what they wanted - who knows??
Oh, and I can't forget to mention the dance number featuring the Olympic athletes. Hoo boy. That was grand. I really liked all the choreography, actually. There were nice homages to period dances, like the Charleston, but also really robust movement as well. For once, the dancing didn't look like a filler at the front of the apron - it filled the stage on its own. Which was great.
I've heard there are people who think the show should transfer to Broadway for a limited summer run - I'd be all for that. I'd love to see the show again. I think it could do well in a limited run. It can use Megan Hilty's Smash buzz, and the fact that there's nothing like it on Broadway right now. They've already announced they're doing a cast album, which I will definitely have to get. I'd love to hear those songs again, and the gorgeous vocal arrangements.
I've really enjoyed all the shows at Encores! this season, so I just want to warmly remember my friend Loran, who kindly made it possible for me to go. I only wish she could've been there too...
Tomorrow, my first ballet of the season! I can hardly contain my excitement!!!!!
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