Day 4 of the NYC trip, Beth was REALLY looking forward to Thursday night. “The Music Man” at The Winter Garden Theatre on Broadway. Why? Most would think it was to see Hugh Jackman…nope. It was to see her favorite triple threat, Sutton Foster.
What’s a triple threat? An entertainer that is equally and amazingly talented at acting, singing and dancing. If you’ve ever seen Sutton’s performance in the title song to “Anything Goes” you will understand just how amazingly talented she is. Attached below.
To be honest, the role of Marian Paroo does not showcase Sutton’s immense talent. Sutton does some dancing and some singing, but let’s face it. “The Music Man” highlights Greg, I mean Prof. Harold Hill played by Hugh Jackman.
Perhaps R Dub’s favorite scene was the opening train scene. Set in a moving passenger car full of traveling salesmen. The dance choreographer did an awesome job of creating a dance that truly made the audience believe that the train was moving. Very cute and very enjoyable.
Jackman spent an inordinate amount of time breaking the 4th wall and generally ‘hamming’ it up during the performance. What’s the fourth wall? That’s the imaginary wall that exists between the stage and the audience. In most cases, actors are discouraged from acknowledging that an audience exists during a performance. Doing so is referred to as ‘breaking’ the 4th wall.
In fact, during a major scene with Sutton, one that was intended to be a touching, heartwarming and serious scene. Jackman appeared to purposely make Foster break character, followed by a seemingly lengthy time of uncontrolled laughter by the two actors.
The crowd loved it, and the actors ate up the roar of the crowd. They did eventually recover and go back into character to finish the scene and the duet to “Till There Was You”. As a rank amateur of community theater, R Dub was astounded by Hugh’s actions that are normally a stage sin and his ability to recover and get back to the script.
For those of you who are fans of the television show “Ghosts”; Mark Linn-Baker, who played Mayor Shinn is also the recurring character of Henry on “Ghosts”. Henry and his wife Margaret live in the property next door to Sam and Jay.
I digress.
The evening was capped off while waiting by the cast door after the show was over. We traveled with friends Scott and Kari. Scott was able to ‘fist bump’ Hugh when he exited the cast door while heading to his limo for departure of the theatre.
The only disappointment for the evening…Sutton Foster did not make a public exit through the cast door. The throng outside the door were ecstatic that Hugh took the time to greet the fans, high five and fist bump many on his way out.
Overall, a great deal of fun. Broadway did not disappoint. Three shows in three days, all musicals. We will be back.
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