See http://www.wpcnr.com/article6095.html for a praised-filled review of Kate's "incandescent Christine."
Some excerpts:
The first time you hear Kate Rockwells shimmering and haunting voice as Christine Daee, you are enchanted.
When you walk out into the night after WBTs Phantom, youre talking about the incredible voices of Ms. Rockwell and Mr. Ramey, made to sing with each other. Youre overwhelmed by the power of a classic denouement. Ms. Rockwell and Mr. Rameys voices blend. They soar. Their duets touch deep into the soul.
Kate Rockwell assumes the adult role as Christine Daee, the opera ingenue in Maury Yestons and Arthur Kopits Phantom. Known as a finalist on NBCs Grease: Youre the One that I Want, Ms. Rockwell, after seeing her tonight, should never rock and roll again. She is born to play the Christine role, and all the great musical roles, for that matter. In the program notes, she described Christine as her dream role. Well she gave it all she had tonight.
Ms. Rockwell has it all: range with a confident finesse and control, flowing, sparkling out into the theatre; essence: this woman takes you from the depths of pity to the height of hope to the stuff that dreams are made of, with her stop-you-in-your-tracks voice; credibility: her sense of movement, her expressions, her warmth and way with the lyricists words, make hers a voice that you will fall for too, as Eric, the doomed Phantom does.
You never tire of hearing Ms. Rockwell and youre going to hear her a lot.
I loved this Phantom.
So did its composer and lyricist, Maury Yeston.
The WBT Producer and Co-Owner Bill Stutler introduced Maury Yeston, as a guest of the WBT on press night. Mr. Yeston at intermission was heard and seen by this reporter, shaking his head in admiration, saying
More on WBT "Phantom" and Kate's Christine at http://www.thejournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071013/ENTERTAINMENT/710130312....
"Phantom" - the Maury Yeston and Arthur Kopit musical of Gaston Leroux's novel "The Phantom of the Opera" - makes a magical return to Westchester Broadway Theatre in Elmsford.
This is not Andrew Lloyd Webber's "The Phantom of the Opera," the longest-running musical in Broadway history.
This one is better.
It's not sung-through light opera. It's a traditional big-book musical, with scenes - written by Arthur Kopit - that take you deeper into the story and flesh out why a masked man would live in torment in a tomb beneath the Paris Opera House....
His obsession, the newly arrived soprano Christine Daee, shows up as if in answer to a prayer, just after he's wondered aloud - in the propulsive, searching song "Where in the World" - if such a heavenly voice exists.
Yes, it does, and it belongs to a magnificent Kate Rockwell, whose remarkable vocal range is equaled only by her ability to breathe life into a farm girl who arrives in Paris with a song in her heart. Rockwell is a first-rate actress.
One of the finalists on the televised casting call known as "Grease: You're the One That I Want," Rockwell proves that her considerable talents would have been wasted if she had been singing "Hopelessly Devoted to You" eight shows a week in "Grease" on Broadway.
If her TV fans show up just to see Rockwell, they'll come back again and again to see her and co-star Aaron Ramey.
"One of the finalists on the televised casting call known as "Grease: You're the One That I Want," Rockwell proves that her considerable talents would have been wasted if she had been singing "Hopelessly Devoted to You" eight shows a week in "Grease" on Broadway"
Kate's talents would not have been wasted. That assertion that Grease is a waste of time is absurd.
Okay, now I'm confused. All this time it's been touted that Kate has been cast as "Young Sam" but the caption of the photograph is misleading.
"The fabulous foursome faces some younger competition in the upcoming "Sex and the City: The Movie." Carrie walks out of Tiffany's to find four women, who resemble the younger Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte, strutting their stuff up Fifth Avenue."
This suggests, to me anyway, that Kate is not "Young Sam" but rather a Sam-like character who is younger than Sam herself. For all we know this is the only scene in which Kate appears.
-- Edited by Eris at 01:30, 2007-10-23
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"All our dreams can come true -- if we have the courage to pursue them." -- Walt Disney
"He took in the smell of the ballpark, he smiled. He loved the ballpark, there were smells there that couldn't be found anywhere else."
I misunderstood, as well. I assumed that the movie was cast "young", and that Kate was playing Sam. It made sense that she was glad she wasn't "stuck" in "Grease" for a year.
Now, it sounds like she's a walk-on, or rather a walk-by, in the movie. It was foolish of whoever said it that Kate would be wasting her time singing HD eight times a week. No doubt, Christine is a much better role for her, but it's Dinner Theatre, not Broadway.
Jennifer Hudson has been cast in a supporting role!!!!
Eris, does your "touted" imply a charge of aggrandized claims about Kate? What I've offered here is merely repetition of some things read in online news articles plus what I heard directly from the theater marketing person at Kate's alma mater. No intention to mislead or exaggerate.
As a Kate fan myself, I can be happy for her even if that is the only scene in which she appears...and expect she knows how to make the most of it.
Peter Kramer of The (Westchester County) Journal News didn't ever state that "Grease" was a waste of time but rather that Kate's considerable vocal talents are better suited to the role of Christine.
Mrs N wrote:Eris, does your "touted" imply a charge of aggrandized claims about Kate? What I've offered here is merely repetition of some things read in online news articles plus what I heard directly from the theater marketing person at Kate's alma mater. No intention to mislead or exaggerate.
As a Kate fan myself, I can be happy for her even if that is the only scene in which she appears...and expect she knows how to make the most of it.
It's been posted in multiple places that Kate is playing "Young Sam". I meant no disrespect to you, Mrs. N. I'm simply confused! lol
__________________
"All our dreams can come true -- if we have the courage to pursue them." -- Walt Disney
"He took in the smell of the ballpark, he smiled. He loved the ballpark, there were smells there that couldn't be found anywhere else."
Eris, my husband got a call this evening from his son in Sarasota. He and his wife (who fly to NYC every other year to catch a few Broadway productions) have seen "Tale of Two Cities" and were favorably impressed.
Mrs N wrote:Eris, my husband got a call this evening from his son in Sarasota. He and his wife (who fly to NYC every other year to catch a few Broadway productions) have seen "Tale of Two Cities" and were favorably impressed.
That's great! I'm so very excited! 8 days!
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"All our dreams can come true -- if we have the courage to pursue them." -- Walt Disney
"He took in the smell of the ballpark, he smiled. He loved the ballpark, there were smells there that couldn't be found anywhere else."
Its a step back in time, a rollicking romp to those rock-and-roll heydays otherwise known as the 50s for those who opt to see the Roxy Theaters 2007-08 season opener, Grease.
Matt Nolan (left, seen here post-show with Grease enthusiast Miranda Sizemore), from televisions Youre the One That I Want, won the role of Danny Zucco, tough-talking, leather jacketed hot-rodder with a not-so-secret crush on sweet-young-thing Sandy (with the Sandra Dee shoulder length hair and the virginity too).
From the ducktailed, slicked back hair to the twisted lock hanging over his forehead, Nolan swaggered his way through the show in perfect Zucco style, never missing a beat in move or facial expression as the braggart trying to impress his buddies with a summer conquest, in the delighted but unexpected encounter with Sandy on that famed first day at school, and in a hilarious accident at the drive in all eyes kept returning to him, the perfect casting choice. Did I mention his strong voice?
The cast of Grease on the Roxy Theatre
This version of Grease came complete with Greased Lightnin the flame red convertible that is the T-Birds pride and joy once theyve finished rebuilding it.
The songs are familiar: Summer Nights belted out with a hard doo-wop edge by the entire company; Kenickie and the T-Birds Greased Lightnin with its hip swaggering beat; the wistfulness of Sandy as sung by Nolan; an energetic all-cast We Go Together, and a powerhouse rendition of There are Worse Things by Nikki Ferry as Rizzo.
Grease is a high energy hit, a show with lots of footwork, strong rhythms and songs familiar to most of us from prior exposure to the stage show of the classic film with John Travolta and Olivia Newton John.
In fact this was a vocally strong cast, each member lending the right edge humor, pathos, whimsy to their solo spots and this show manages to showcases virtually every performer in one or another of its songs.
Its not just the cast that prances about in costume; Grease fans opted to share the festivities by attending in costume: poodle skirts, bobby-sox and all. Pictured at right, Grease afficionados Miranda Sizemore (l) and friend Shelby Bagwell (r) waited for post-show pictures and autographs with Nolan.
The show is sold out through its Oct. 6 finale.With good reason. It is a performance rooted in just plain fun!
The Picture of Dorian Gray is the next show in the Roxy line-up, and will play Oct. 12 through 27. For ticket information, call the Roxy at 931-645-7699 M-F from 9 a.m. to noon or visit their website at www.roxyregionaltheater.org
Photos of Matt Nolan and his fans by Debbie Boen; cast photo by Greg Williamson.
I'm home and I'm exhausted. I was supposed to get home five hours before I did but you know air travel these days. I enjoyed the show and got to talk to "hubby". I'll post more when I'm lucid.
__________________
"All our dreams can come true -- if we have the courage to pursue them." -- Walt Disney
"He took in the smell of the ballpark, he smiled. He loved the ballpark, there were smells there that couldn't be found anywhere else."
I saw Patricia Cannelli on "Dont forget the Lyrics" last night. They made no mention of the fact she was on YTOTIW. I guess she was right when she said she was not right for Sandy but we had not see the last of her . They flew in her family...11 brothers and sisters, mom, dad and uncle as well as a friend. Shw won $100,000 and said she was going to take the family for a vacation to Italy and start a charity for poor people with big families to buy a house. She was fun to watch.
A photo of Austin at "Simply Barbra" where he was apparently a guest for one night. This looks to be a one man show for Steven Brinberg with guests dropping in.
Those scheduled to interpret the works of these writers include David Gross, Nick Dalton, Julia Dennis, Kathy Hart, Gabrielle Lee, Florence Levitt, Kelly McCreary, Kathy Morath, Regina O'Malley, Julie Reyburn, Danielle Rhodes and Robby Stamper.
__________________
"All our dreams can come true -- if we have the courage to pursue them." -- Walt Disney
"He took in the smell of the ballpark, he smiled. He loved the ballpark, there were smells there that couldn't be found anywhere else."
Does anyone know when Ashley's run will end in Hairspray? Im going to NY in March for Spring Break specifically to see Grease and if she is still in Hairspray I would love to see it too - especially with Lance Bass and George Wentz! Before I had heard her run was only going to last through Nov. but has that changed recently?