Hugh Was Here!

Even though it was walking distance from my apartment, I didn't buy a ticket to see Hugh Jackman: The Man, the Music, the Show at Capitol One Arena right away. I couldn't imagine what it'd be like to see Hugh Jackman in an arena instead of a theatre or movie. But as the date approached, my heart beat faster and I checked for tickets. By then, most tickets were being resold at ridiculous prices, and I couldn't talk myself into buying one since I was suddenly unemployed and depressed. But I told myself to buy a ticket if I had a new job by the time this show came to DC: July 1 was my new job search target deadline.

Hugh Jackman must have heard my plan and made it happen. I started a new job on June 17, and I remembered my promise two days before showtime. "Oooh, I have a seat in Row B, section 121," the box office salesperson told me. (It's in one of the first sections of stadium seating on the right side of the stage, above the heads of everyone on the floor.) I'll take it!

I fell head over heels for Hugh Jackman after seeing him in The Boy from Oz on Broadway in 2003. I already knew him as "Wolverine" in the X-Men movies. When I heard that he sings and dances in this true-story musical about a gay Australian songwriter named Peter Allen, I couldn't imagine it and had to check it out. I called my Dad from New York the day after seeing it and exclaimed that it was the best show I'd ever seen in my life. Over the course of its run on Broadway, I saw it three times and, of course, Hugh inspired some Kitties. As usual, I also immersed myself in my new obsession, watching and learning everything I could find about Hugh Jackman. So, I'm not sure why attending this new show starring Hugh Jackman in 2019 was even in question.

The Stage is Set. 

Once I bought my ticket, my Hugh Jackman fandom returned in full force. Work hours couldn't go by fast enough and getting stuck on the Metro because of a disabled train ahead made me consider walking back to DC from Virginia. (I didn't have to do that; it was just a 10-minute wait.) Once I got downtown, I worried when I saw the long lines inching into Capitol One Arena, but I made it to my seat with 15 minutes to spare.

The stage included a walkway that stretched into the middle of the floor seating and ended with a small circular platform. The place was pretty full and loud because a deejay was on the walkway spinning tunes and pumping up the crowd for some kind of spectacle. What was I in for? I felt better when I spotted a 12-piece orchestra – including stings horns, drums, and a grand piano – set up on the stage.

As the lights dimmed, the giant screens that flanked the stage lit up with a speedy montage of Hugh Jackman's movies. It reminded me that I've seen all of them and, oh yeah, this guy is amazing!

I was right that it would be weird to see Hugh Jackman doing a one-man show in a sports arena, but this was not that. The musicians, singers, and giant screens behind him made this a massive group celebration of song, dance, Australian roots, career milestones, and an overall extraordinary life.

The anticipation builds.... 

It's Showtime!

Act I

Hugh Jackman opened the show, singing the The Greatest Showman and followed that with Come Alive – two songs from The Greatest Showman, the 2017 movie musical in which he played P.T Barnum. On my way home from the concert, I overheard two girls and a guy discussing this event. One girl commented, "I was thoroughly entertained, like, the entire time." The other girl said, "I had no idea he could do all that! I mean, I think I might have seen half of an X-Men movie once." Apparently, some people paid big bucks to attend this show based on this one recent movie role.

After the two opening tunes, Hugh talked to us! He talked about his love of numbers and how he remembers random phone numbers and addresses from his past. (Just like my Dad, I thought!) He even rambled some memorized numbers off to us. He admitted that he turned 50 years old this year and did a high-kick impression of Sally O'Malley. He also told us that he's one of those annoying people who leaves concerts early – when there are about two songs to go – to get the car out of the garage before the traffic jams. He gave us permission to do the same tonight.

This tour is a giant production!

He explained his start in musicals, as Gaston in the 1995 Australian stage production of Beauty and the Beast and sang his character's song, Gaston, in character but not a candlestick costume. Then, he talked about meeting his wife, Deborra-Lee Furness, that same year, when they acted together in an Australian made-for-TV drama called Correlli. With a montage of photos of her and their family scrolling behind him, he sang, All the Way – the song that they played for their first dance as husband and wife.

Next, he admitted to having an Olivia Newton-John poster in his bedroom during the "Let's get physical!" era. This anecdote led into him singing a speedy version of I've Been Everywhere by Australian country singer Goeff Mack. He rattling off lyrics without any cue cards or cheat sheets, and it was a impressive workout.

Then, he walked over to the piano, saying he was going to play it! "I think three years of piano in high school qualifies you to play arenas," he quipped as he sat down. He played and sang, You Will Be Found – a song from the Tony-award winning musical Dear Evan Hansen. (Hugh Jackman wasn't in this show but the music was written by the same people who wrote the music for The Greatest Showman, Benji Pasek and Justin Paul.) He performed this together with DC's own 18th Street Singers. I loved that he enlisted some locals, and the song was so moving!

Afterward, Hugh talked about how his dad always worked, every day without fail, at Price Waterhouse. That is, until he took three days off to walk Hugh to the stage door at Carnegie Hall, where he was participating in a charity event. Although it was semi-casual event, his dad showed up in full back tie to escort his son to the door because, to him, it was that important. So, the next song, Soliloquy from the Rogers and Hammerstein musical Carousel, was performed in his dad's honor.

Carnegie Hall is one of the world's best venues!

Next was a rousing rendition of This is Me from The Greatest Showman, sung with background vocalist Jenna Lee James and accompanied by eight dancers. That was pretty good, but then they topped off the first act with a medley of three songs from Les Miserables. (Hugh starred as Jean Valjean in the fantastic movie musical version of Les Miserables in 2012.) He performed Valjean's Soliloquy, I Dreamed a Dream, and One Day More with additional singers (both background vocalists Jenna Lee James and Kayleigh McKnight as well as the 18th Street Singers), filling the arena with these classic songs while swirling giant flags along the walkway. It left me teary-eyed!

A selection from Les Miserables capped off Act I. 

As the lights came on, a giant clock appeared on the stage's circular screen, and Hugh said he'd be back in 20 minutes. He pointed at the clock and told us to watch the numbers. As I settled all the lovey-dovey butterflies in my stomach, the older woman next to me exhaled and said, "I wonder what he's going to do next. I mean, what's he going to do next?!"

By then, I had figured it out and I couldn't wait, so let's get to it!

Act II

Hugh Jackman didn't come back in 20. Instead, the screens showed footage of his spectacular performances in The Boy from Oz, from 2003 through 2004, which earned him the Tony for Best Actor in a Musical. Then, Peter Allen hit the stage, and I couldn't stop smiling! In full character, Hugh chatted and improvised with the audience, as he did during all the performances of that amazing show. (This is one of the many reasons he won that Tony. Every performance was new, different, and exciting!)

On this night, he came off stage and walked along the stadium seating (on the far left side), scanning the crowd. He picked a large guy named Kyle, who looked out of place at this Hugh Jackman concert. Kyle said he just lost a $10 bet with his wife, who had guessed that Hugh/Peter would come over to talk to him. "Do you want me to spot you a $20?" Hugh/Peter asked. Instead, he gave him a $100 bill that he found in his pocket and brought him on stage. Hugh/Peter asked him what he did for a living, and Kyle said that he actually just had a job interview. Hugh/Peter was excited about this and asked eagerly, "For what?!" Kyle hesitantly explained, "Well, I'm in recovery, and I help people with substance abuse issues." That earned him a roaring round of applause and a few hugs from Hugh – I mean, Peter – who was telling him how fantastic he was! (That is fantastic!)

Then, Hugh/Peter moved on to chatting with the wife: "Does he pick his own clothes?" and eying Kyle's boring ensemble, "He can no longer be in charge, darling."

Getting back to the songs, with Kyle still on stage, Hugh sang a slew of Peter Allen hits, including, Not the Boy Next Door; a medley of Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do), Don't Cry Out Loud, I Honestly Love You, Quiet Please, There's a Lady on Stage, and I Go to Rio; and Tenterfield Saddler. During Arthur's Theme, he sang and addressed Kyle with a wink, "Just once in your life, you'll find him... Kyle..." They started dancing and, unprompted, Kyle lifted him off his feet. (I told you he was a big guy.) Hugh/Peter exclaimed, "We could do the Dirty Dancing thing!" Everyone laughed as he tried to bounce upward into that shape, but they did not prepare for that! It was still the best. I wanted to see Boy from Oz all over again (and again)!

The selection from The Boy from Oz made everyone happy!

Next, to calm things down a bit, the background vocalists Kayleigh McKnight and Jenna Lee James started singing A Million Dreams from The Greatest Showman. Hugh was backstage changing but came out in time to wander around the stage, strolling around dancers as they sang. Then he joined in by the third verse. It was an ethereal, moving performance by everyone involved. They even had someone on stage sharing lyrics in sign language.

After that awesomeness, Hugh talked to us some more! He said, "I had a very difficult childhood. I only had three channels on the telly. We didn't even have remote controls!" He said that he used to run home from school to watch old movies on TV (because that's what they played on TV back then), and that's how he fell in love with movies and musicals. (This is what I did when I was a kid!) He then went into a medley of show tunes, including Luck Be a Lady, Singin' in the Rain, I Got Rhythm, Steppin' Out With My Baby, and Sing Sing Sing.

Everybody could use some old show tunes now and again. 

You can guess what my favorites were in that group. He had an umbrella, of course, and then just like Gene Kelly, he picked out people in the audience to sing the "I got" part for George Gershwin's "I Got Rhythm." That made me happy, even when pointed at a girl who wasn't paying attention. (He said, "Oh, you weren't listening, were you? It's okay. It's not school. You can do whatever you want," and he moved on to another person.)

As he got into Steppin' Out With My Baby, he gave one of the dancers a solo moment: "This is Camille, from DC!" he said. He built up the moment before her solo, telling everyone that her family is here watching her and, "She's only been waiting for this her whole life – no pressure!" (She was a star!)

Hugh talked about how his big brother made fun of his interest in dance when he was a kid, so he played rugby instead. Then, when he was in his late teens, his brother apologized after seeing him perform somewhere, telling him he should pursue what he loves, so he enrolled in his first dance class the next day. Then, Hugh started tap dancing, and my night was compete!

The dancing lessons paid off!

Hugh told us he likes musicals; they are all great! But he really likes rock music too. Suddenly, a bunch of different loud songs came on over the speakers, like "Taking Care of Business" by Bachman-Turner Overdrive and "Jump" by Van Halen. And then, Hugh started banging on various drums because I think he can do everything! The dancers were carrying these drums - some were sideways, some were straight on, and some were held up high. It was all choreographed and exciting to see and hear. At the end, he did one of Wolverine's signature poses – with drum sticks in hand, not blades – and everyone screamed! He spotted a guy in the audience at the end of the walkway, waving a DVD of Real Steel...and he signed it while on stage! He laughed, "So when I did that [pose], you thought Real Steel, huh? That's right. Yup, Wolverine was in Real Steel."

You get a drum, and you get a drum, and you get a drum! Everybody gets a drum! 

After the drum extravaganza was over, Hugh exclaimed, "Let's see Ryan Reynolds do that!" And immediately followed with, "Do not post that! I might get 4 million tweets tomorrow morning!" (Sorry, Hugh, but that was funny. Ryan Reynolds fans, it's a joke!)

I couldn't have guessed where we were going from here, but it was Australia. He talked about the Australian Outback, the vastness of the land, and how there is nowhere else like it. Then four indigenous musicians (three men and one woman) – part of the company Nomad Two Worlds – played two songs, Art Song and Inhibition, complete with digeridoos! The woman, Olive Knight, translated some of the language, including, "The land is crying for its people, and the people are crying for the land. Do not be silent. Fight for her. I had a dream, and my dream came true." The Australian portion of this program ended with Hugh singing Israel Kamakowiwo'ole's version of Over the Rainbow.

See the digeridoos?

Then Hugh switched gears and sang Mack the Knife to the crowd. At one point, he kissed an audience member's hand instead of shaking it. When he let go, she melted into her friend's arms. (It wasn't me.)

It was here that he announced, "There are two songs to go, if you want to go." I figured I should stay at this point.

Phone flashlights made the arena look like it was full of stars. 

While he sang From Now On from The Greatest Showman, he introduced all the dancers and musicians for rounds of applause. And, during the last song – Peter Allen's Once Before I Go – he signed autographs and sometimes interjected between lyrics: "Can I borrow your Sharpie? Multitasking!"

I told you he can do everything.

Broadway Extravaganza 2014

Hi everyone,

Last fall, I planned a solo Broadway Extravaganza Weekend. At first, I was only going to New York to see Cabaret on my birthday, but when I moved the trip to October, all the stars aligned and descended on Broadway. So, I couldn't help tacking on three more shows. This whirlwind of entertainment brought out my love for theatre in full force. (The 2015 Tony Award nominations were announced this week, so I'm very timely, just seven months after the fact.) Here's the rundown.


The River, Royal Court Theatre Production, Circle on the Square, October 31, 2014

I fell pretty hard for Hugh Jackman after seeing him in his Tony-winning performance as Peter Allen in The Boy From Oz in 2004. Who knew Wolverine could be charming, sing, and dance? I next saw him on Broadway in 2009 in A Steady Rain, a gritty drama costarring Daniel Craig. When I read that Hugh Jackman planned to return to Broadway in another drama last year, I bought my ticket without reading much about the plot.

The River, a new one-act play by Jez Butterworth, is about a guy who loves to fish and his two girlfriends. It takes place in the man's cabin, close to where the fishing is good. After the play was over, I heard a few people exclaim how amazing it was, but most of the people around me were bewildered. As we exited the theatre, a lady in front of me turned around and asked anyone who would listen, "Who was the woman with the scratched out face? What did it mean? Do you know?"

This play seemed purposefully confusing to spark this kind of conversation afterward. For example, Hugh Jackman's character (The Man) started one scene with Cush Jumbo (The Woman), who then walked into the bedroom off stage. Then, Laura Donnelly (The Other Woman) came out of the supposed bedroom, continuing the conversation but within a different context. They were actually talking about something else at a different time. Although nothing was ever quite clear, the play was cleverly written and entertaining. During the show, I kept making up scenarios that explained what it all meant. Maybe the first woman represents a new relationship and the other one represents a past one. Maybe he killed one of them, and her scenes are memories. I kept waiting for something sinister to happen that never did.

Cush Jumbo and Hugh Jackman 

The acting in this play made it worth it. Only Hugh Jackman could keep our full attention while talking about fish and fishing or sustaining a lengthy scene alone, preparing a fish dinner in silence – gutting the fish, cutting up veggies, putting everything in a pan and in an oven. (We didn't get to eat it.) I wondered if I'd be bored if an unknown actor was doing the same thing, but this play's other two cast members were unknown to me and yet equally fantastic.  

Someone responded to the frustrated lady's questions with what she thought everything meant, clearing it up for us with an explanation that never occurred to me: Hugh Jackman's character is a sleazy, shallow guy with commitment issues. Have I mentioned that Hugh Jackman is a really great actor?


Cabaret, Roundabout Theatre Company, Studio 54, November 1, 2014

I've seen Bob Fosse's 1972 movie version of Cabaret, starring Liza Minnelli and Joel Grey, so many times that I've hesitated seeing it live on stage, directed and performed by other people. This production, however, excited me with director Sam Mendes, co-director and choreographer Rob Marshall, and stars Alan Cumming and Michelle Williams. (This revival was a close copy of the 1998 Broadway production, which also starred Alan Cumming as the Kit Kat Club's emcee.)

Cabaret is based on a book by Christopher Isherwood about the Nazis' rise to power in Berlin in 1931. The story involves Kit Kat Club cabaret singer Sally Bowles (Michelle Williams) and her relationship with a young writer (Bill Heck). In a side story, their landlady and her Jewish beau share a doomed romance. The actors who played these roles, Linda Emond and Danny Berstein, were the only cast members to earn Tony nominations last year, and they deserved them! The best thing about Cabaret, though, is the musical numbers and atmospheric staging that made this show a true cabaret-going experience. I sat in the balcony, where each two seats shared a connected table and lamp that had a red shade with fringe. Ushers, dressed as waiters, walked around offering food and drinks. If you were rich enough for floor seats, you could sit at tables, as if you were really in the Kit Kat Club. Twenty minutes before the show started, dancers roamed on to the stage, stretching, posing, and chatting with audience members. We were all in it!

Michelle Williams and Alan Cumming

Reprising his role, Alan Cumming seems born to play the role of emcee. Before I saw this show, I kept unintentionally hearing that Michelle Williams was just so-so as Sally Bowles. It's not true! First, if you're comparing her to Liza Minnelli, like I did at first, forget it because they're completely different people. If you're putting Michelle Williams's Sally Bowles next to Alan Cumming's over-the-top character that was already dubbed as the reason to see this thing before it even opened, that's not fair. Though I had to get used to Sally Bowles being British and the writer being American (instead of the other way around as it is in the movie version), I thought Michelle Williams had an interesting presence in this mix of characters as well as a great singing voice. (Soon after I saw Cabaret, Emma Stone and Sienna Miller took over the role of Sally Bowles respectively before it closed in March.)

Any story about Nazis is depressing, but the Kit Kat Club will cheer you up with its nightly performances and fantastic live band. You'll get your chance to come to the cabaret when this show tours in 2016. Find more information here.


The Last Ship, Neil Simon Theatre, November 1, 2014, and January 10, 2015

Of all the shows that I saw during this Broadway Extravaganza weekend, The Last Ship was the one I thought about the least. Sting spent at least five years working on developing this musical, a story written by Tony winners John Logan and Brian Yorkey (Red) and based in Sting's hometown and on its working-class citizens. I knew I had to see The Last Ship, and that I'd have a good time, but I didn't expect how much I'd absolutely love everything about it and how delirious and emotional I'd feel by its end.

The story, which takes place in the ship-building town of Wallsend, begins with Gideon (Michael Esper) skipping town to escape his abusive father (Jamie Jackson) and the fate of taking over his job in the shipyards. He leaves behind his girlfriend Meg (Rachel Tucker) but promises to return for her once he's settled. Fifteen years later, he returns when he hears of his father's death, discovers that the shipyards are on the verge of closing down, and finds his girlfriend in new life with another man (Aaron Lazar) and teenage son (Collin Kelly-Sordelet). Encouraged by the town's likable priest Father O'Brien (Fred Applegate), the shipbuilders decide to build one last ship for pride's sake. Although Gideon fought against that way of life, he finds purpose in helping them, gains a sense of community he's missed, and struggles to come to terms with his past.

Sting released an album inspired by The Last Ship, and all of the songs are from this story's characters' points of view. I loved how this show incorporated those songs so seamlessly. The cast members sang them in character, making them entirely their own. (Lucky for us, an original Broadway cast recording is available!) The lyrics swiftly move the story along, and it was exciting to hear them make sense in this context. The show included some new songs I'd never heard before as well as some of Sting's old songs, including "Island of Souls," "All This Time," "Ghost Story," and "When We Dance." (For this show, the lyrics were changed only slightly to fit into the story and they work!) It's true that I love nearly all of Sting's music, but I think these latest songs that he wrote for The Last Ship are his best yet.

Ship-buider solidarity in the rain...  Photo © unknown

The set and staging was impressive and seemed expensive. The stage was wooden but one side of it looked like a dock, and a large basin of water extended off and along the front of the stage to represent the sea. The backdrop included stone with stained glass windows for a church setting, rusted steel with ladders to represent the ship, and metal staircases and balconies on either side for different entrances and exits. Lighting added to the atmosphere, portrayed ocean waves or sunlight flooding the church. The shipbuilders had real equipment too, working on scaffolding and with welding machines. It rained onstage at one point and, at another, the workers literally pulled the ship together, making the stage floor rise up into shape.

Rachel Tucker and Aaron Lazar

I loved that this story involved working-class people. The scenes were mostly either in a bar or in a shipyard, and everybody yelled at each other in a get-over-yourself sort of way. The choreography was unique with tough-guy moves because shipbuilders aren't dancer. (Think of West Side Story!) The cast was fantastic, including my standout favorites Rachel Tucker as Gideon's girlfriend Meg and Fred Applegate as Father O'Brien.

I saw The Last Ship a second time in early January after it was announced that Sting would take over the role of shipyard foreman Jackie White from his friend Jimmy Nail through the end of the show's short run on January 24th. Aside from attracting more theatergoers and singing the songs with his unmistakeable voice, Sting's involvement didn't make much difference to me because he was acting in character. I was so invested in the story, which was solidly written with so many fully realized characters, that I lost him in the crowd sometimes. Being the fanatical Sting fan I am, I'm pretty sure that means that they had a good thing going here. I cried at the end of both performances!

Sting! (with Fred Applegate in the background)

I was sure that The Last Ship was going to win a bunch of Tonys this year, including Best Musical, but I think it closed too soon (due to lack of ticket sales) to get everyone's attention. It received two Tony nominations for Sting (best original score) and Rob Mathes (best orchestrations). I'm sad that The Last Ship has already closed on Broadway, but I'm sure this won't be the end of it. I eagerly await its return to the stage in whatever form it may take.


On The Town, Lyric Theatre, November 2, 2014

I was still so delirious about The Last Ship that I watched On the Town the following day in a blur. On the Town is one of my favorite Gene Kelly movie musicals, which I know by heart. Like the movie musical, this Broadway revival is G-rated and family friendly. On the Town originally hit Broadway in 1944, but the story is universal. It follows three sailors on 24-hour leave in New York City. They soon fall for three lovely ladies, take them on the town, and have an adventure in the big city. This funny, entertaining show, written by the great Betty Comden and Aldolph Green with wonderful music by Leonard Bernstein, is a classic that I'd never seen on stage.

What I love about this production is that the abstract sets reminded me of the backdrops of my favorite old Warner Brothers cartoons, as did some of the exaggerated performances. Jackie Hoffman as music instructor Madam Dilly and Jackie Hoffman as Lucy Schmeeler, for example, offered some broad, slapstick comedy, making us laugh just the way they walked or reacted to situations. The highlight of this show, of course, was Leonard Bernstein's score and Jerome Robbins inspired dancing (choreographed by Joshua Bergasse). The beautiful Pas de Deux performed by stars Tony Yazbeck as Gabey and Megan Fairchild as Ivy too everyone's breath away.

It was wonderful to see this show with so many others of all ages in the audience, all of us sharing a laugh and mesmerizing moments. I think this show is going to last. This production of On the Town is nominated for four Tony Awards in the musical category: leading actor (for Tony Yasbeck), best director, best choreography, and best revival. Visit the show's official website to learn more and plan a trip to see it.

You can catch the Tonys on Sunday, June 7, 2015, on CBS. Here's a full list of this year's nominees.

Best,


Production photo credits: The River – © Sarah Krulwich/New York Times; Cabaret – © Joan Marcus; The Last Ship – first two photo © unknown, photo with Sting © Photo Art; On the Town – © Joan Marcus

Hugh The Man!

This weekend, my friend Anastasia is seeing Hugh Jackman in The Boy from OZ in Australia, where the show has gone on an arena summer tour. After a fantastic year-long run on Broadway two years ago, Hugh won a Tony Award for his brilliant performance as Peter Allen. I saw the show three times, and I made and gave Hugh this card because he brightened up my summer! How thrilling that he now has the chance to bring it home! Be sure to check Anastasia's blog for her review of the show!

Congratulations Hugh!!! Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, and most wonderful, and yet again, wonderful....
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