Broadway: The Light in the Piazza


Lovely: to look at and to listen to

After seeing the scene from The Light in the Piazza on the Tony Awards this year, which I thought looked lovely, I downloaded the album on iTunes. I'm a background music listener, and the album doesn't really work that way. There are numerous soprano women roles and without paying attention closely the score and the singing seems to run together.

So I wasn't completely sold on this show being the one show I had to see with only one shot to see theatre while in NY. But enough people chimed in on my blog posts requesting advice that I figured I better just give in to the wisdom of crowds.

I'm glad I did. The Light in the Piazza is almost a throw-back to a bygone era of musical theatre, but in every good way. LIke how? Like this:

1. Legitimate singing.
Hey I admire a powerful pop belt as much as the next gal, but how lovely to hear the mezzo and the soprano featured on Broadway again. In fact I don't think there was really a moment of all-out belting in the show...and I didn't miss it. Then there's the lyric tenor of Fabrizio. Hearkening back to Lieutenant Cable in South Pacific as one example, the role is written for a true classic Broadway tenor (Italian language or no.)

2. Songs.
Yes, songs. Not pseudo-opera. Not endless sung-thru recitative. Songs with a beginning, a build, and a climax. Opportunities to applaud. (I mean really...take note when you go to more modern pieces...see how often they prevent you from your natural instinct to applaud!)

3. Lovely, period costuming.
Oh, the show is lovely to look at. The women look beautiful. The men are debonair and handsome. It's romance defined by fabric and stitching.

4. Acting and drama.
You know, I enjoy a "fun" musical. But I can never understand it when the Tony's hand out acting awards to "fun", "energetic" performances like the young woman in Hairspray and ignore the full-bodied creation of a three-dimensional character, like Bernadette Peter's depiction of Mama Rose in Gypsy. Victoria Clark and the rest of the Piazza crew create character portraits that are familiar without being caricatures.

5. An intriguing storyline.
I wanted to know what would happen. I wasn't quite sure what would happen. I liked that.

The show had a few draggy moments. And a few actors that seemed under-used, such as Michael Berresse, Patti Cohenour and Sarah Uriarte Berry, but one can only seem under-used if one shines in the moments one has, and it certainly is nice to see such talent in supporting roles.

I don't count Piazza as one of those shows I need to see again and again. But it was a wonderful way to spend my afternoon...in that darkened theatre despite the beautiful Indian Summer weather outside!

Posted: Thu - October 20, 2005 at 07:04 PM       EmailFeedback

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