I've repeatedly gotten stuck writing long paragraphs about the shows I saw earlier this month, so forget that. Here's some quick thoughts so I can actually write something postable lol.
-Hadestown is really great! Very happy I was able to see the original cast before entropy kicked in. The whole team did great, and I love the way the lean set and cast is contrasted with everyone's pure energy. The soundtrack is killer. The Epic's, Wait for Me I/II, Why We Build The Wall, Lady of the Underground were the highlights for me.
The way my heart sank to the bottom of my chest at the smallest motion of the center platform speaks volumes to how much this story enveloped me. Just wonderful. I can't wait to feel that terrible all over again.
-Phantom of the Opera is a show I had a good time watching, but I don't think I'll ever classify myself as a superfan. Some of the more operatic or romance elements just didn't mesh with me. The best parts for me were the horror, meta, and comedy elements. The spooky vibe the sets create is so wonderfully rich. I love shows that take advantage of the entire theatre, and this show does this multiple times to great effect. It's really a strength of the medium to be able to feel surrounded by a story happening around you and I always welcome it. I'm also a Letters song apologist, deadshot my kind of humor.
-Dear Evan Hansen is a show I enjoyed watching as well, but in this case against better judgement. The plot really is just kind of despicable, and it never really gets resolved in a satisfiying way. It also makes a lot of the really great soundtrack kind of not fully mesh with the story. The soundtrack is incredible and I don't think it's much of a stretch to say it carries the show. Banger on top of banger, Waving Through a Window, Sincerely Me, Requiem, You Will Be Found. This is peak pop-broadway and this is coming from someone who honestly does not enjoy most pop broadway (most of it is just kind of flavorless, no personality). The cast honestly did really great and I felt a lot of real emotion, it just kinda sucks that its hamstringed by a overarching plot like this. Conflicted about it's poor composition, but I enjoyed myself nonetheless.
-Chicago was a surprise pick for me to make up for last minute changed plans. It was a lot of fun! Very vaudeville, and the cast really was putting in the paces here. There were multiple times where I just thought "God, this performer is charismatic as hell". Roxy did a whole number with nothing but her and the band where she adlibs for like 8 minutes and there was not a second where she lost the crowd. Amus is a favorite of mine, but really no one was off their game in my showing. I will say, if the performers had been off their game I'm not sure I'd like it as much. The songs are classic broadway showtunes, but on the whole mostly just fine to me. Just like Hadestown, I liked the lean sets. Shoutout to the conductor who was hamming it up the whole time.
Now to post this without thinking about it too hard, less we scrap another Live Theatre thread post lmao.