Last night I spent my first night in a theater other than Radio City in what seems like forever! Between the rehearsal period and starting shows (we've been open for two weeks already?) I haven't had a chance to go see any performances whatsoever.
So after 3 shows and a pointe class I headed over to City Center to see the Encores performance of "On the Town." When I saw it was performing I got really excited because I LOVE the old movie version of it with Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra (Radio City is bringing out the true musical theater nut in me...).
I've never seen an Encores production, but apparently it's sort of like a pre-Broadway workshop type thing, so the actors carried around black binders with scripts and music. And the way the stage was set up...they had the entire (big, wonderful) orchestra taking up just about all of the stage, with the front panel free for the actors and a smaller stage built up behind the orchestra. It wasn't exactly conducive to Jerome Robbins' awesome choreography, but besides those two flaws the show was great!
The music is so fun and the actors and dancers were all great. I really enjoyed seeing something other than my daily Christmas show, haha.
What struck me the most, though, was just walking into City Center. I always thought City Center felt huge, particularly from up in the highest balcony way up in heaven up there. But last night we had like 5th row orchestra seats - the closest I've ever sat in there - and the theater felt so small! I'm so used to Radio City that I think I've been taking it for granted...this morning when I got back onstage I was reminded of just how incredibly huge it is here. Puts things in perspective (and gave me added inspiration for a 10am show :)
Anyways, we have another show now at 1pm, and then this afternoon is our student showcase at Ailey. We're doing excerpts from Giselle, and then there are lots of other groups coming to perform as well. Exciting...but it makes it another 4 show day for me, haha. Ah well, it's worth it. Apparently we sold out both of this afternoon's shows as of a few days ago, so that's big for us :)
1 comment:
Taylor, I am just catching up on several months' worth of posting on your blog. That is so exciting about your gig at Radio City!
When I read Somewhere, Jerome Robbins' biography (well the first half of it anyway, it is sooo long), I learned that although On the Town was choreographed by Robbins, they completely replaced him with another choreographer for the movie. Which explains why the movie doesn't have particularly memorable dances in it. I would love to see the staged version as he choreographed it!
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