October 30, 2009

Excellent Broadway reviews for 'Finian's Rainbow'

The revival of “Finian’s Rainbow” opened on Broadway on Thursday night and tumbled into the surprisingly warm reviews from the critics.

Set in the fictional state of Missitucky, the New York Times notes — approvingly — the plot seems “cooked up by somebody hitting the whiskey bottle a little too hard.” It takes on issues of race relations to easy credit and throws in a wacky leprachaun to boot.

A 24-member orchestra backs the cast, which features Kate Baldwin, Jim Norton, Cheyenne Jackson, Christopher Fitzgerald, Alina Faye, David Schramm and Terri White. The production is directed and choreographed by Warren Carlyle. The music credits goes to Burton Lane with lyrics by E.Y. Harburg. The book is by Harburh and Fred Saidy.

“Finian’s Rainbow” has an open-ended run at the St. James Theatre, 246 W. 44th St., map. Regular tickets are on sale through march 28 and are priced from $35 to $115. Premium and aisle seats sell for as much as $250 each. Wednesday evening prices are a bargain for Broadway, ranging from $25 in the balcony to only $57.50 for orchestra.

Children under the age of 4 are not allowed in the theater.

The “Finian’s Rainbow” Broadway reviews:

Daily News - “What makes the show a gem is the beautiful score by Harburg and Burton Lane. It’s wall-to-wall ear candy and director/choreographer Warren Carlyle’s witty staging, joyful dancing and fine cast showcase the music to the max.”

New York Times - “All the comforting pleasures of the genre — infectious song, exuberant dancing, jokes both lovably corny and unexpectedly fresh, and of course the satisfying pairing of a him and a her — are on abundant display in this thoroughly winning production, a welcome picker-upper in an uneven Broadway season.”

Wall Street Journal - “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more musically satisfying Broadway show than ‘Finian’s Rainbow.’”

Hollywood Reporter - “But whatever one thinks of the story, there’s simply no disputing that this is one of the greatest musical comedy scores ever written. Here’s but a partial listing of the classic numbers: ‘Old Devil Moon,’ ‘Look to the Rainbow,’ ‘If This Isn’t Love,’ ‘When I’m Not Near the Girl I Love’ and, of course, ‘How Are Things in Glocca Morra?’”

Variety - “But the humor is surprisingly durable, while the jokes about race relations, suspect banking practices, corrupt politics and rampant consumer lust still hit the target.”

USA Today - “The breezy satire in ‘Rainbow,’ which bowed on Broadway in 1947, may not pack the emotional wallop of, say, a ‘Show Boat’ or a ‘South Pacific.’ But this old-fashioned musical comedy, with its witty, whimsical book and sumptuous score, carries pointed lessons about tolerance, greed and the shared traits that make all living beings vulnerable and valuable.”

Post - “Whether you think this particularly whimsical crock is half-empty or half-full, the songs are pure heaven.”

NY1 - “But the true gold in this show is Kate Baldwin who delivers on all fronts.”

Steve on Broadway - “Sad to say, there’s also the book. The problematic, silly book. As magnificent as the score, cast and choreography make this Finian’s Rainbow soar, the libretto originally written by Harburg and Fred Saidy that’s been adapted by Arthur Perlman (the original adaptation for New York City Center Encores! was written by David Ives) remains as creaky as ever.”

Newsday - “It is interesting, but not essential, to remember that blacks and whites didn’t dance together on Broadway before this show, nor were ethnic stereotypes considered suitable for shuffling satire”

Associated Press - “Carlyle first did the show earlier this year as part of the City Center ‘Encores!’ series, and much of the cast is the same. But all the changes for Broadway have enhanced the musical.”

Bloomberg - “There’s a little bit of everything in the musical ‘Finian’s Rainbow’: Romance and satire, whimsy and cynicism, fairy tale and political diatribe. It is, above all, good.”

Image source: Official website for “Finian’s Rainbow” on Broadway.

October 30, 2009 10:02 AM in Broadway, Cheap Stuff, Midtown

®Copyright 2004 - 2009, All Rights Reserved