I admit it, I'm a sap

I've already seen The Bridges of Madison County a couple of times (thankfully, one of my trips was comped), but after listening to a sneak preview of the cast album, I thought, gee, I need to hear this music sung to me live again.  And so it happened that I bought yet another TDF ticket to the show.

I had my closest seat yet last night, in the ninth row, just off to the side.  And I was in a romantic swoon through most of the evening.  After listening to the score quite a few times already, I could hear more and more wonderful things in the lyrics and how they're set inside the music.  I really think Jason Robert Brown has written a score that ranks up there among my very favorites.  I love me some strings and sounds of yearning.  This score is right in my wheelhouse.  The lead characters even sing of 'being weepy' and 'I'm looking for something.'  Hello.  That was totally me last night and many other nights.  Welcome to my world.  If it's a little bit masochistic for me to keep going back and watching all this beautiful romance, agony and ecstasy when I might appreciate a bit of either in my real life, oh well.

photo credit: Joan Marcus

The lead performances of Kelli O'Hara and Steven Pasquale were even more majestic last night than my other trips - they are really digging deep and finding more and more layers  in these characters.  And Hunter Foster really got to me last night - he's also finding such good stuff and making a case for his character as just-as-hunky-as-the-hippie-hunk.  At least to me.  Since I now know when the distracting (to me) character numbers were coming, I was free to listen to the songs while staying engaged in the central characters' actions.  Although, I have to admit, the song "Get Closer" was a tad overdone last night and was really distracting.  I don't recall it being done quite so broadly and for comic effect before - I thought it was a little indulgent.  But the character's book scenes were all again spot on.

I still don't like the director's use of the townspeople, I can't help it.  Except in "You're Never Alone."  Then it makes complete sense and makes an impact to have everyone involved in that song.  But having them wander around the stage, move set pieces, and be on the outskirts of all the action like phantoms just hits me the wrong way, even though I genuinely do understand the reasoning and the impulse. 

I wish I could understand why the show isn't selling better.  Last night, the orchestra looked full, which was great (I didn't check out the mezzanine), but I've read the ticket sales aren't what producers hoped.  It doesn't make any sense - there's a very buzzed about score, two actors who are gorgeous and marketed extremely well, and it's a known title.  Do men think it's going to be sappy?  I don't know.  Even with my quibbles about the directorial choices, I still think The Bridges of Madison County is well worth seeing and is my vote for best musical this year, though I still have to see a couple of the other contenders.  But this book and score are so rich, it just grabs me and won't let go.  I'm listening to "Almost Real" right now, which is one of the best theater songs I've heard in years.  Please, go see this show.  It would just be a crime if it couldn't stay open...