Well, last night I went to see the first preview of Seattle's 5th Avenue production of
Sunday in the Park With George, starring Hugh Panaro as George. Visually, it was stunning! The projections are so cool! Vocally, it was wonderful! Hugh Panaro has a great voice (and he's very nice to look at, too). Billie Wildrick was Dot/Marie and did not copy Bernadette Peters. I'd seen her in a show here in Olympia and one of the Village Theatre readings in Issaquah. She's very good. The rest of the cast was quite good, as well. The only weak link was the Boatman/Dennis (this was a different doubling than the original). He was lacking vocally (but not bad) and over-acted the Boatman a bit, but he was touching as Dennis and gave a different spin to him than Brent Spiner. He's a Seattle local and the audience liked him. Patti Cohenour was very good as Yvonne/Naomi Eisen. I love her voice. And the "Chromolume" effects were cool! I can't even begin to describe it. I wonder if it's how the London and Broadway versions (upon which this production were based) were done or if they created their own "vision." I MUST SEE THIS SHOW AGAIN!!
The best part was that my regular seat was the second row from the VERY back. I went to the box office and asked if I could move closer (and pay the difference) and I was moved to row D, seat three...the fourth row! It was INCREDIBLE being that close! I never want to sit that far in the back again!
