So during Part I of this series, an unseen gentleman in the mezzanine section of a recent performance of Catch Me if You Can selected Baby It's You! as the worse production when comparing Catch Me if You Can and Baby It's You!.
When you look at the montage on youtube.com, the production looks like a good time. In fact, the singing is very good and all of the songs are hits. Heck, I am still humming a few of them.
If this production is marketed as a musical tribute or concert, audiences would know what they are going to see and would walk away pretty satisfied with exception of perhaps the price. I mean why should someone pay Broadway prices when venues such as BB King's club in Times Square showcases enjoyable musical tributes all the time at a better price.
However, the production was marketed as the inspiring story of Florence Greenberg who became the music industry's first female powerhouse. This just sounds like it has the makings of a great piece of theater. Instead, what audiences received (including that unseen gentleman and me) is a series of costume changes and brief lines crammed into The Shirelle's and other repertoire of the time.
By the middle of the second act, I personally found this very annoying and wondered where is the story? Where is the powerhouse? Where is the drama?
So, I will have to agree with the unseen gentleman. Baby It's You is far worse and if forced to choose, I would go to see Catch Me if You Can for its plot, character development and original music.
Link to review of Baby It's You! on Broadway.
Link to review of Catch Me if You Can on Broadway.
No comments:
Post a Comment