Chitty!
I saw Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Thursday night from seat AA3. It was amazing, full cast and perfect. I love it all. Here is a review copied from my personal journal:
The cast was superb. Raul Esparza defiantly fitted the role, acting and singing wise. I idolize him, and he was amazing. He was about two feet away from me, too. I loved the character of Caractacus Potts, he boy can Raul be amazing. I can’t believe I got to see him perform. He was Tony material, but look at the nominees, and that’s why I think he wasn’t nominated. It was my first OBCast, and I loved it. Erin Dilly was perfect for the role. I wanted her or Sutton to win at the Tonys. She defiantly deserved the nomination. Her voice was great, and she really got into it. She made Ellen and Henry smile many times, and her acting was the best. Philip Bosco was amazing, and I loved his “I have to go to India”ness. He was very grandpay and I was surprised he wasn’t nominated for Tony. He can sing and I was happy to see him, after seeing him in the movie Hitch. Very great! Ellen Marlow was amazing. She can sing, dance, act and everything else. She smiled at me from the stage. She’s 11, and when she wins her fifth Tony 20 years from now, I won’t be surprised. Henry Hodges reminded me of Mike’s brother. He was amazing, but his acting needs tweaks here and there. He can sing, and is very fun. Kevin Cahoon spit on me. I was in heaven, but that was my goal, to get spit on. He was the best bad guy, and so amazing. He did scare me, too! Marc Kudisch and Jan Maxwell needed those Tonys they were nominated for. They were amazing together, and perfect and hilarious. Marc’s chi-[cken (you know what I mean)] ness was amazing. I loved his acting so much, it was my favorite role! Jan was amazing and hilarious and perfect for the role. You have to go see it! The Vulgarians [Chip and Robert] were amazing. Chip was hilarious, and Robert looked like Johnny Depp in Charlie… I loved their lines the best [“I wanna be Vulgar and English” “Then you’d be American!”]. They scared me when they ran up next to me and I forgot how close I was. The dogs were funny, and the poodle ran across randomly in a later scene and Robert said it was a huge wildebeest and Chip played along and it lasted a minute or improvising. It was great. Raul and Erin improved, too, when he proposes and a boy screamed “NO!”. He was great and they laughed. The show started off slow but ended amazingly. The sets and score and book were awesome, and the car was amazing. I waved to Erin when she was flying in it, and she waved back. I got lots of confetti at the end, Chitty’s colored confetti and Child Catcher’s confetti.
At the stage door it was packed with little kids. Erin came out first, and I met her and she signed my Playbill. She was a doll [on a music box, which was my favorite scene!]. Then Henry came out, and I didn’t really need his autograph, and he scootered away quickly. Two ensamble members, one a little boy, one a guy came out and said to me “Hey! You were in the front row!” “Yeah yeah, I saw you!” and I replied “yes I was! Great job in the show!”. I loved it! People looked jealous, well just the 18 and 17 year old. It was me, then, and about twenty 10 year olds. I felted stupid. Kevin came out and people booed and hissed. He loved it. He took many pictures with kids, to prove he likes them. He was nice to me, and very sincere. He was great and I was happy, and he was an original in The Lion King the Musical, he was Ed the Hyena. Ellen was such a kid, taking her time, telling girls she had the same dress. She's too much for words! Jan came out last, about an hour after the show. Little girls needed to meet her, and they screamed with happiness. She was too kind.
Also, I was there in Bryant Park: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was up first, singing “Truly Scrumptious”. Ellen Marlow and Henry Hodges along with Julie Barnes sung the song. Julie didn’t look scrumptious but had an amazing voice, and the best British accent. I thought it was acting, but later that night I read she was from England. Next up was Rick Hilsabeck singing "Hushabye Mountain". He looked in pain, but he had an amazing voice. My mother was incredibly impressed that he was an understudy. I told her to wait until she sees and hears Raul tonight. Finally Rick, Julie, Ellen and Henry all sung the theme song “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang”. It was the second time I heard that song, and I loved it! I was so anxious for that night’s performance of the show.
The cast was superb. Raul Esparza defiantly fitted the role, acting and singing wise. I idolize him, and he was amazing. He was about two feet away from me, too. I loved the character of Caractacus Potts, he boy can Raul be amazing. I can’t believe I got to see him perform. He was Tony material, but look at the nominees, and that’s why I think he wasn’t nominated. It was my first OBCast, and I loved it. Erin Dilly was perfect for the role. I wanted her or Sutton to win at the Tonys. She defiantly deserved the nomination. Her voice was great, and she really got into it. She made Ellen and Henry smile many times, and her acting was the best. Philip Bosco was amazing, and I loved his “I have to go to India”ness. He was very grandpay and I was surprised he wasn’t nominated for Tony. He can sing and I was happy to see him, after seeing him in the movie Hitch. Very great! Ellen Marlow was amazing. She can sing, dance, act and everything else. She smiled at me from the stage. She’s 11, and when she wins her fifth Tony 20 years from now, I won’t be surprised. Henry Hodges reminded me of Mike’s brother. He was amazing, but his acting needs tweaks here and there. He can sing, and is very fun. Kevin Cahoon spit on me. I was in heaven, but that was my goal, to get spit on. He was the best bad guy, and so amazing. He did scare me, too! Marc Kudisch and Jan Maxwell needed those Tonys they were nominated for. They were amazing together, and perfect and hilarious. Marc’s chi-[cken (you know what I mean)] ness was amazing. I loved his acting so much, it was my favorite role! Jan was amazing and hilarious and perfect for the role. You have to go see it! The Vulgarians [Chip and Robert] were amazing. Chip was hilarious, and Robert looked like Johnny Depp in Charlie… I loved their lines the best [“I wanna be Vulgar and English” “Then you’d be American!”]. They scared me when they ran up next to me and I forgot how close I was. The dogs were funny, and the poodle ran across randomly in a later scene and Robert said it was a huge wildebeest and Chip played along and it lasted a minute or improvising. It was great. Raul and Erin improved, too, when he proposes and a boy screamed “NO!”. He was great and they laughed. The show started off slow but ended amazingly. The sets and score and book were awesome, and the car was amazing. I waved to Erin when she was flying in it, and she waved back. I got lots of confetti at the end, Chitty’s colored confetti and Child Catcher’s confetti.
At the stage door it was packed with little kids. Erin came out first, and I met her and she signed my Playbill. She was a doll [on a music box, which was my favorite scene!]. Then Henry came out, and I didn’t really need his autograph, and he scootered away quickly. Two ensamble members, one a little boy, one a guy came out and said to me “Hey! You were in the front row!” “Yeah yeah, I saw you!” and I replied “yes I was! Great job in the show!”. I loved it! People looked jealous, well just the 18 and 17 year old. It was me, then, and about twenty 10 year olds. I felted stupid. Kevin came out and people booed and hissed. He loved it. He took many pictures with kids, to prove he likes them. He was nice to me, and very sincere. He was great and I was happy, and he was an original in The Lion King the Musical, he was Ed the Hyena. Ellen was such a kid, taking her time, telling girls she had the same dress. She's too much for words! Jan came out last, about an hour after the show. Little girls needed to meet her, and they screamed with happiness. She was too kind.
Also, I was there in Bryant Park: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was up first, singing “Truly Scrumptious”. Ellen Marlow and Henry Hodges along with Julie Barnes sung the song. Julie didn’t look scrumptious but had an amazing voice, and the best British accent. I thought it was acting, but later that night I read she was from England. Next up was Rick Hilsabeck singing "Hushabye Mountain". He looked in pain, but he had an amazing voice. My mother was incredibly impressed that he was an understudy. I told her to wait until she sees and hears Raul tonight. Finally Rick, Julie, Ellen and Henry all sung the theme song “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang”. It was the second time I heard that song, and I loved it! I was so anxious for that night’s performance of the show.