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Michael Giltz
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Silence Of The Lambs , Musicals , Theater , Entertainment News
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Inspiring Funny Hot Scary Outrageous Amazing Weird CrazyTheater: "Hair" Back On Broadway;
Hannibal Lecter Sings!
HAIR *** out of ****
SILENCE! THE MUSICAL * 1/2
HAIR ***
ST. JAMES THEATRE
As the ads say, Hair is back on Broadway for the
summer of love in a limited engagement. A seminal
counter-culture movement used as a marketing hook?Groovy! What's striking about Hair on a second viewing
in its current incarnation is how a show that wasprobably shocking and envelope-pushing at everymoment when it was born (interracial sex,
homosexuality, casual drug use, cross-dressers, anti-war,
full frontal nudity and on and on) feels so innocent and wholesome now.
It is directed by Diane Paulus, who managed to turn a dusty relic with only two truly outstanding musical
numbers ("Aquarius" and "Let The Sun Shine In") into a fresh production with some depth and emotionalheft. It began more than two years ago in Central Park. So it's no surprise that the current versionplaying through September feels exactly like what it is: the latest road version of a hit revival. Anyonewho saw the original electric cast will find it lacking a bit. Anyone coming to it fresh will be able toappreciate how the show was spruced up and an eager, generally solid cast. If nothing else, it joins CatchMe If You Can as one of the sexiest shows on Broadway right now.
I actually avoided the show when it transferred to Broadway. I couldn't imagine the performance I saw inthe ideal setting -- the middle of New York City under the stars -- could be improved on. But all the
FOLLOW USSeptember 15, 2011
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EDITION: U.S.
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reviews insisted the show remained effective and they're right. The cast bursts through the exits from the
street to begin act two, they cavort about as much as ever and if you're in an aisle seat, you can expectyour hair to get tousled and toyed with repeatedly by the hippies. Interactive theater gives me the heebie-jeebies and the flower power aura of the show is far from my comfort zone. But you'd have to be a realstick in the mud not to loosen up a little. And it was worth it to see the senior citizen in front of me getinto the spirt of things and start tossing flowers he was handed across the aisle and up and down the rowwith abandon, startling other theatergoers and amusing himself (and me) to no end.
It's a shame they didn't take this opportunity to cast the show with age appropriate actors. I think seeing
actual teenagers would give their eager embrace of platitudes a new poignance and the harsh finale even
more punch. But if you missed it and want to see what the fuss was about, Hair is still solid enough in its
concept and execution to satisfy. Here's the original cast performing on David Letterman.
NOTE: Hair is staying true to its progressive spirit by working with Broadway Impact . The show spoke
out in favor of basic rights for all Americans by championing marriage equality for gays and lesbians
around the country. They'll demonstrate solidarity by hosting several gay marriages of members of theBroadway community onstage July 25 right after that night's performance. Cast members will also host abe-in to raise money for Broadway Impact (a group fighting for marriage equality for all citizens) at
Rockwood Music Hall on July 24.
SILENCE! THE MUSICAL **
THEATRE 80
Context is everything. Stumbling upon a YouTube video that features a number from a proposed musical
version of The Silence Of The Lambs was probably fresh and hysterical. Seeing the show mounted in an
early form at the NYC Fringe Festival back in 2005 was worth a chuckle as well, making it a gameshowcase for some talented actors and the creative team.
But now Silence! The Musical has been around for six years, played in London and is mounted with a fine
professional cast. Whatever modest possibilities the concept had have been thoroughly worked over; the
joke has been done to death.
As in the movie, the man playing Hannibal steals the show. In this case, it's Broadway actor Brent Barrett
who has delicious fun as the magnetic and ruthless killer. He delivers his numbers with aplomb and hislines with exceptional comedic flair. If there's any reason to seek this out, he's it. Jenn Harris is nearly hismatch as Clarice Starling, but her voice is far inferior, which may be the reason our heroine has so fewsongs to sing. A little less mugging would help, but she generally does a dead-on parody of Jodie Foster's
Oscar-winning role. The other standout is Lucia Spina who plays both Buffalo Bill's latest victim and that
woman's mother, a powerful Senator. If Jon and Al Kaplan (who did the music and lyrics) have a futurein musicals, it's because of the number the Senator sings in her plea to Buffalo Bill, a song in which sherepeats her daughter's name over and over to personalize his victim and make it harder for him to kill.The song is marvelously sung, very much in character, not "jokey" but very funny and also quite catchy. It
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moves the plot along as well, accomplishing everything a musical number should do.
That's about it. Most of the show is filled with songs that are ummemorable and poorly sung. (Though
Deidre Goodwin has fun with her one brief moment in the spotlight and shows she indeed has some pipes
too.) The Book Of Mormon and Avenue Q proved dirty songs can be funny and memorable. But being
dirty isn't enough. Hearing Buffalo Bill sing "F--- me hard" isn't amusing in and of itself, unless you're 12years old. Similarly, Clarice's father sings a pointless tune and it too has one joke about how boring it is
to be dead. That joke is repeated again and again (and then again when it is reprised). Ditto for one of
Hannibal Lecter's songs, which is amusing at first but leaned on once too often.
So Silence! The Musical has too many weak numbers with even good ones beaten to death in a show that
wouldn't be better at 80 minutes but would at least provide a more pleasant evening rather than its
current padded state of 2 hours. Sometimes a simple parody works just fine as that: a simple little
parody done online via one or two songs. Very few skits on Saturday Night Live get turned into movies
and most of the ones that do shouldn't have been. The same is true of musical parodies: a little goes a
long way and a longer one ultimately offers very little. Here's the cast discussing what other moviesthey'd like to see turned into musicals.
The Theater Season 2011-2012 (on a four star scale)
All's Well That Ends Well/Shakespeare in the Park **
Broadway By The Year: 1997 ** 1/2
Hair ***
Master Class w Tyne Daly ** 1/2
Measure For Measure/Shakespeare in the Park ***
One Arm ***
Silence! The Musical * 1/2Spiderman: Turn Off The Dark * 1/2
Unnatural Acts ***
Zarkana **
Thanks for reading. Michael Giltz is the cohost of Showbiz Sandbox, a weekly pop culture podcast that
reveals the industry take on entertainment news of the day and features top journalists and opinionmakers as guests. It's available for free on iTunes. Visit Michael Giltz at his website and his daily blog.
Download his podcast of celebrity interviews and his radio show, also called Popsurfing and also
available for free on iTunes. Link to him on Netflix and gain access to thousands of ratings and reviews.
Note : Michael Giltz was provided with free tickets to these show with the understanding that he would
be writing a review.
Follow Michael Giltz on Twitter: www.twitter.com/michaelgiltz
Sponsored Links
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sarah_ross
RetweetDear Twitter Friends pls check this
out: Have We Overlooked the Most
Effective Way to Prevent Terrorism
& War? http://t.co/YyoQ1EIR
soundcloud
Retweet'Listening for the Sounds ofinnovation.", a great guest post by
our own @Bougie over on
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FRONT PAGE POLITICS BUSINESS ENTERTAINMENT TECH MEDIA LIFE & STYLE CULTURE COMEDY HEALTHY LIVING WOMEN LOCAL MORE
Michael Giltz
Freelance writer
GET UPDATES FROM MICHAEL GILTZ
Read more
Silence Of The Lambs , Musicals , Theater , Entertainment News
2
13
0
0React
Inspiring Funny Hot Scary Outrageous Amazing Weird CrazyTheater: "Hair" Back On Broadway;
Hannibal Lecter Sings!
HAIR *** out of ****
SILENCE! THE MUSICAL * 1/2
HAIR ***
ST. JAMES THEATRE
As the ads say, Hair is back on Broadway for the
summer of love in a limited engagement. A seminal
counter-culture movement used as a marketing hook?Groovy! What's striking about Hair on a second viewing
in its current incarnation is how a show that wasprobably shocking and envelope-pushing at everymoment when it was born (interracial sex,
homosexuality, casual drug use, cross-dressers, anti-war,
full frontal nudity and on and on) feels so innocent and wholesome now.
It is directed by Diane Paulus, who managed to turn a dusty relic with only two truly outstanding musical
numbers ("Aquarius" and "Let The Sun Shine In") into a fresh production with some depth and emotionalheft. It began more than two years ago in Central Park. So it's no surprise that the current versionplaying through September feels exactly like what it is: the latest road version of a hit revival. Anyonewho saw the original electric cast will find it lacking a bit. Anyone coming to it fresh will be able toappreciate how the show was spruced up and an eager, generally solid cast. If nothing else, it joins CatchMe If You Can as one of the sexiest shows on Broadway right now.
I actually avoided the show when it transferred to Broadway. I couldn't imagine the performance I saw inthe ideal setting -- the middle of New York City under the stars -- could be improved on. But all the
FOLLOW USSeptember 15, 2011
9 Signs Your
Husband Is GAY,
According To...PHOTOS: Kirstie
Alley Makes Her
Runway Debut
Christina Ricci At
Alexander Wang:
Hit Or Miss?Keira Knightley:
Sexually Dangerous
EDITION: U.S.
Like 43
Posted: 7/14/11 03:19 PM ET
SHARE THIS STORY
Submit this story
Get Entertainment Alerts
Sign UpPHOTO GALLERIES
CONNECT
FRONT PAGE POLITICS BUSINESS ENTERTAINMENT TECH MEDIA LIFE & STYLE CULTURE COMEDY HEALTHY LIVING WOMEN LOCAL MORE
Like 40KTelevision Mad Men Jersey Shore Scarlett Johansson Smarter Ideas More Log in
reviews insisted the show remained effective and they're right. The cast bursts through the exits from the
street to begin act two, they cavort about as much as ever and if you're in an aisle seat, you can expectyour hair to get tousled and toyed with repeatedly by the hippies. Interactive theater gives me the heebie-jeebies and the flower power aura of the show is far from my comfort zone. But you'd have to be a realstick in the mud not to loosen up a little. And it was worth it to see the senior citizen in front of me getinto the spirt of things and start tossing flowers he was handed across the aisle and up and down the rowwith abandon, startling other theatergoers and amusing himself (and me) to no end.
It's a shame they didn't take this opportunity to cast the show with age appropriate actors. I think seeing
actual teenagers would give their eager embrace of platitudes a new poignance and the harsh finale even
more punch. But if you missed it and want to see what the fuss was about, Hair is still solid enough in its
concept and execution to satisfy. Here's the original cast performing on David Letterman.
NOTE: Hair is staying true to its progressive spirit by working with Broadway Impact . The show spoke
out in favor of basic rights for all Americans by championing marriage equality for gays and lesbians
around the country. They'll demonstrate solidarity by hosting several gay marriages of members of theBroadway community onstage July 25 right after that night's performance. Cast members will also host abe-in to raise money for Broadway Impact (a group fighting for marriage equality for all citizens) at
Rockwood Music Hall on July 24.
SILENCE! THE MUSICAL **
THEATRE 80
Context is everything. Stumbling upon a YouTube video that features a number from a proposed musical
version of The Silence Of The Lambs was probably fresh and hysterical. Seeing the show mounted in an
early form at the NYC Fringe Festival back in 2005 was worth a chuckle as well, making it a gameshowcase for some talented actors and the creative team.
But now Silence! The Musical has been around for six years, played in London and is mounted with a fine
professional cast. Whatever modest possibilities the concept had have been thoroughly worked over; the
joke has been done to death.
As in the movie, the man playing Hannibal steals the show. In this case, it's Broadway actor Brent Barrett
who has delicious fun as the magnetic and ruthless killer. He delivers his numbers with aplomb and hislines with exceptional comedic flair. If there's any reason to seek this out, he's it. Jenn Harris is nearly hismatch as Clarice Starling, but her voice is far inferior, which may be the reason our heroine has so fewsongs to sing. A little less mugging would help, but she generally does a dead-on parody of Jodie Foster's
Oscar-winning role. The other standout is Lucia Spina who plays both Buffalo Bill's latest victim and that
woman's mother, a powerful Senator. If Jon and Al Kaplan (who did the music and lyrics) have a futurein musicals, it's because of the number the Senator sings in her plea to Buffalo Bill, a song in which sherepeats her daughter's name over and over to personalize his victim and make it harder for him to kill.The song is marvelously sung, very much in character, not "jokey" but very funny and also quite catchy. It
MOST POPULAR ON HUFFPOST 1 of 2
'Web Cam 101 For Seniors'
Turns Oregon Oldsters Into
YouTube Celebrities
Scarlett Johansson Nude
Photos Prompt Investigation
SHOCK VIDEO: Debate
Audience Says Uninsured
Patient Should Be Left To Die
Celestrellas: Angola named
Miss Universe 2011 - show
recap (PHOTOS & VIDEOS)
AOL TV: Jon Cryer, Ashton
Kutcher & Angus T. Jones
Talk 'Two and a Half Men'
Season 9 (VIDEO)
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(video)
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Send Red Flags To Employers
DON'T MISS HUFFPOST BLOGGERS 1 of 5
Kumi Naidoo
Don’t Make a Wave: Greenpeace at
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Candy Spelling
iPads and Social Media in the
Classroom?
Like 117K
Like 93
Like 64K
Like 2K
Like 453
Like 2K
Like 111
Like 3K
Like 1K
Missoni For Target
Merchandise FloodseBay
Scarlett Johansson
Contacts FBI AboutHacked Nude Images
Scarlett Johansson
moves the plot along as well, accomplishing everything a musical number should do.
That's about it. Most of the show is filled with songs that are ummemorable and poorly sung. (Though
Deidre Goodwin has fun with her one brief moment in the spotlight and shows she indeed has some pipes
too.) The Book Of Mormon and Avenue Q proved dirty songs can be funny and memorable. But being
dirty isn't enough. Hearing Buffalo Bill sing "F--- me hard" isn't amusing in and of itself, unless you're 12years old. Similarly, Clarice's father sings a pointless tune and it too has one joke about how boring it is
to be dead. That joke is repeated again and again (and then again when it is reprised). Ditto for one of
Hannibal Lecter's songs, which is amusing at first but leaned on once too often.
So Silence! The Musical has too many weak numbers with even good ones beaten to death in a show that
wouldn't be better at 80 minutes but would at least provide a more pleasant evening rather than its
current padded state of 2 hours. Sometimes a simple parody works just fine as that: a simple little
parody done online via one or two songs. Very few skits on Saturday Night Live get turned into movies
and most of the ones that do shouldn't have been. The same is true of musical parodies: a little goes a
long way and a longer one ultimately offers very little. Here's the cast discussing what other moviesthey'd like to see turned into musicals.
The Theater Season 2011-2012 (on a four star scale)
All's Well That Ends Well/Shakespeare in the Park **
Broadway By The Year: 1997 ** 1/2
Hair ***
Master Class w Tyne Daly ** 1/2
Measure For Measure/Shakespeare in the Park ***
One Arm ***
Silence! The Musical * 1/2Spiderman: Turn Off The Dark * 1/2
Unnatural Acts ***
Zarkana **
Thanks for reading. Michael Giltz is the cohost of Showbiz Sandbox, a weekly pop culture podcast that
reveals the industry take on entertainment news of the day and features top journalists and opinionmakers as guests. It's available for free on iTunes. Visit Michael Giltz at his website and his daily blog.
Download his podcast of celebrity interviews and his radio show, also called Popsurfing and also
available for free on iTunes. Link to him on Netflix and gain access to thousands of ratings and reviews.
Note : Michael Giltz was provided with free tickets to these show with the understanding that he would
be writing a review.
Follow Michael Giltz on Twitter: www.twitter.com/michaelgiltz
Sponsored Links
TOP VIDEO PICKS 1 of 12
Halle Berry's Flawless
Bikini Bod
Olsen Sister Flashes HerBra
Scarlett's naked pics, TylerPerry is highest paid
MOST DISCUSSED RIGHT NOW 1 of 2
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HOT ON TWITTER 1 of 2
More Entertainment News at THR.com
More Celebrity News at People.comBecomes A TwitterTrending Topic
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READ MORE
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Claimed
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'Terrified' Chaz Bono
Haters
She's Baaaaaaaack!
J.B Smoove On Larry
David Is A Playboy, The
End Of 'Curb,' And The
Ruckus
Like 2K
PHOTOS: Johnny Depp
Gets Creepy
Like 2K
Anna Faris Talks
Women Actresses,
Co-Stars And...
Madonna, In
Toronto, Denies
Telling Volunteers
Not...
Michelle Williams'
Marilyn Monroe
Transformation For
'My...
Paul Rudd In
Playboy: Self-
Loathing, Nudity
And... Buy a link here What is Scientology
Think For Yourself and Find Out for Yourself.
Scientology.org
#1 Snoring Solution
New solution that allows medical insurance to pay for remedy.
www.WhyYouNeedtoKnow.com
College - 100% Online
Be more employable! Earn a certificate up to a doctoral degree at Baker Online®.
www.bakercollegeonline.com
eBay® - Official Site
Visit eBay for great deals on a huge selection of items. Shop eBay!
www.ebay.com
More in Entertainment...
HUFFPOST'S BIG NEWS PAGES
Video
Weird Animals
Astronomy
Food
Fashion
Scott Brown
Kanye West
Barack Obama
Maria Shriver Buy a link here Sponsored Links
What is Scientology
Think For Yourself and Find Out for Yourself.
Scientology.org
#1 Snoring Solution
New solution that allows medical insurance to pay for
remedy.
www.WhyYouNeedtoKnow.com
College - 100% Online
Be more employable! Earn a certificate up to a doctoral
degree at Baker Online®.
www.bakercollegeonline.com
MORE BIG NEWS PAGES »
ENTERTAINMENT CELEBRITY MEDIA COMEDY MUSIC TV CELEBRITY KIDS MOVIEFONE
Advertise | Log In | Make HuffPost your Home Page | RSS | Careers | FAQ
User Agreement | Privacy | Comment Policy | About Us | Contact Us
Copyright © 2011 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc. | "The Huffington Post" is a registered trademark of TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc. All rights reserved.
Part of HuffPost News
sarah_ross
RetweetDear Twitter Friends pls check this
out: Have We Overlooked the Most
Effective Way to Prevent Terrorism
& War? http://t.co/YyoQ1EIR
soundcloud
Retweet'Listening for the Sounds ofinnovation.", a great guest post by
our own @Bougie over on
@HuffPostTech http://t.co/aIT65Ox
FRONT PAGE POLITICS BUSINESS ENTERTAINMENT TECH MEDIA LIFE & STYLE CULTURE COMEDY HEALTHY LIVING WOMEN LOCAL MORE