Some Like it Hot - Musical Comedy Review | The Cosmic Curtain

[00:00:00] Speaker A: Welcome back to the bright lights of Broadway. This is the cosmic curtain, the official podcast of the cosmic Circus Broadway. I'm Brian Kitson, head writer over at the Cosmic Circus and Cosmic Circus Broadway. And joining me, as always, is my co host and fellow backseat babe, RJ Miller. Zelenko. How's it going today? [00:00:19] Speaker B: Pretty swell. How about yourself, sir? [00:00:23] Speaker A: It's a Monday. We're living the life beginning the week, as they would say, whatever that means. Absolutely. It's a great day to be from the state of Michigan with the Tigers winning their games, as I've been told by RJ. So not only that, we're here to celebrate the second show of Broadway in Detroit, 2024. 2025 season, which is some like it hot. Real quick spoiler warning. If you haven't seen some like it hot, and you haven't seen the movie from the 1940s or fifties, what are you doing here? [00:01:01] Speaker B: Why? [00:01:02] Speaker A: Why are you here? I mean, obviously want you to listen, but, like, you know, don't get yourself spoiled. So then jumping right in. This is a film, this is a musical that is adapted from a 1959 film starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, and Jack Lemon, which I'm sure we've heard of some of those names. Have you seen the show before? [00:01:23] Speaker B: I have not. [00:01:24] Speaker A: I did not either, which I had some people tell me that, like, you have to watch the movie. It's so good, and I don't think you needed to watch the movie before you saw the musical. [00:01:35] Speaker B: I. I mean, I would be curious to see what the differences are due to the time when it was created and now when it's been brought to the stage. But I don't think there's anything particularly. Nothing, even with Marilyn Monroe starring in it. Like, you can typically know what you're to expect with Marilyn. [00:01:56] Speaker A: So, yeah, I was informed by someone that that was actually the film where she does the stepping over the grate. So, like, the fact that, like, that is the film, we all kind of know a scene from it, but, like, I couldn't tell you what this show was gonna be about before I went and saw it. I had no idea. I wouldn't do it blind. No. No idea what the music was gonna be, no idea about the story. But from what I understand, it's like that classic comedy that people go to, and this is quintessential Marilyn Monroe and Tony Curtis. And there's the whole laughing at the cross dressing aspect of it, but I was really glad I kind of went into the show blindly. Do you feel like. Did you like that you didn't know anything before seeing that? [00:02:41] Speaker B: Yes. And no one for the purpose of not knowing what alterations were made. Sure. But also, it did give me, like, it made me pay attention more like I had to be paying attention to the characters and the plot a lot more closely than maybe shows I've seen a million times, because I know what to expect in this one. I really had to follow what was going on, which can sometimes make you lose out on some of the details because you're so focused on. Let me just get the storyline down. But I was happy going in blind. [00:03:29] Speaker A: So I didn't know anything about the story much. But just to give people a little bit of background, this is a story of two men that witness a murder, and they have to get away. So to get away quickly, they dress up as women enjoying a traveling band, and their goal is to make it to Mexico. And if they make it to Mexico, they'll be free and clear of the mafia, question mark. That is a mafia, right? [00:03:54] Speaker B: Yeah, basically. Yeah. [00:03:57] Speaker A: But along the way, they get themselves into trouble, mostly with falling in love and finding identities, which those, some of those aspects are from the original story. But it seems like the identity of Daphne and Jerry and the fact that we changed some of the ethnicities and backgrounds of some of the characters is what really drove this story to be something different than what originally was. The first being that two of our main characters, the two of the three trios, are african american. And this does change the story quite a bit, because you get this. We're during prohibition times, and we know what time was like back then. It wasn't great for anybody who was different. It wasn't great for anybody who was black. Like, there's, there's this aspect of the story that is changed by changing the characters, specifically sugar, Marilyn Monroe's character, who's played by Leandra Ellis, Gaston, who plays sugar, and then Tavis Cordell, who plays Daphne. Jerry, did you like that? Did you like that little update? Again, not knowing the original story, but, like, having this, it felt like it made the story almost more well rounded to have this, like, other storyline about what life was like for somebody who wasn't a white man in America back during Prohibition times. [00:05:23] Speaker B: Yeah. Yeah. I was curious immediately. I mean, because the opening number, it was something that was, was very clear to me, with it being about what it was about and in the timeframe that it was, I was like, hmm, I wonder how many of these characters were originated by white people and have essentially been translated now to people of color, or that could just be specific for this particular casting. I don't know if that was intentional or not, but I think. I think it was unique. And I liked. I liked feeling like they were drawing some attention to kind of that plotline. It wasn't just. It wasn't entirely rom.com. there was still, like, a level of, like, I guess, historical essence, you could say to it. [00:06:24] Speaker A: No, absolutely. And I, from what I understand, and this is having to talk to somebody who was, like, gotta see the movie that, like, everyone in the original film is white, which is. Makes a lot of sense when you understand that, like, when it was made, there wasn't a lot of representation. Unfortunately, even so much so, that Osgoode storyline of being code switching names while being, like, in Mexico and having the spanish heritage, that was all for the show, too. That was not in the movie. And that helps to further the code switching storyline of Daphne and Jerry. That works out really well. And I thought that was an interesting kind of component that they added in there. So, you know, adding these. These different, like I said, you know, backgrounds and ethnicities and. And, you know, changing some of the characters. And, like, at the end of the day, sugar is still sugar, but she has now a more in depth storyline because she's not just the pretty blonde girl. She's the girl who wants to see somebody on the screen who looks like her, which is something that I have heard as a therapist. I've heard people say that they want to see somebody that looks like them. They want to have somebody in the pictures or singing songs or writing the stories that are representative of who they are. So to have that kind of modern story, but, like, also in this timeless tale, I think, was a really cool transition that they added with having. By switching, you know, sugar to being african american. [00:07:51] Speaker B: Yeah. And the relatability, like you just mentioned, the representatives presentation, sadly, in a way, to me, still rings true. Right. Like, in the timeframe that this show is, you know, taking place in the time that it was originated. And then even today, some of these battles are still happening. And so I think even that makes it even more important that they did have it cast the way that they did. And, yeah, it just brings. It brings more depth. It brings more interest in regards to the characters from what I was kind of getting from those around me that had seen the movie and had kind of grown up with the show. Marilyn Monroe, of course, is the beautiful blonde, kind of like a sex symbol. And that is exactly who she was. Like, that is who she was as a person. That's who she was sold as in the movie. And so I would assume without seeing the film, it's a big assumption, but I would assume that it would lack depth in regards to, you know, she, as that character, would already have that spotlight. And then, like you mentioned, this individual was really gearing towards that opportunity, and there was some. There was something to fight for. And I think we all love. We all love an underdog, right? [00:09:26] Speaker A: For sure. [00:09:26] Speaker B: So that just adds a whole other level to the plotline. [00:09:30] Speaker A: I mean, I think the first moment we meet sugar, you know, in the bathroom, like, she comes onto the train and she goes into the bathroom scene. And you got. As soon as I saw her, and I said, well, this is not Marilyn's character. Not again, having not seen the film, and I feel like maybe this is, like, the big component we're missing here, but, like, when she walked in there, she was somebody who almost felt more, like, filled with, like, these hopes and dreams and also not going to take no for an answer, and, like, was not going to just be the pretty face, but was going to be the person that set things into motion, which, if we look at, like, what a woman's role was back in prohibition times, that was not something that we saw. And we saw that not with just sugar, but we saw that with sweet sue as well. Like, these are two people who are very much developed in ways that they, from what I understand, from what people told me, were not in the film, that they were just. They were playing second fiddle to, you know, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon, who were Joe and Jerry. And I feel like this story, this show was very much about. Just as much about sugar as it was about Joe and Jerry. [00:10:33] Speaker B: Yeah. Yeah. You kind of had a railroad effect of parallel storylines that eventually crossed. Um, but you still get that individualistic frame of mind. You're still kind of rooting for both, even though they're. They have different endgames. Um, and, yeah, all around. Because at the. At the end of the show, really, you're like, you want the best for literally everyone, not just one side or the other. [00:11:10] Speaker A: Absolutely. I think that there was a moment where, when Joe was pretending to be the producer or the writer, and I just wanted sugar so bad to be in the movie that I was mad at him, which is rightfully so. He was pretending, but I was mad in the fact that she wanted this dream, and there was no way it was going to become a reality until the end, when she actually was just when Joe and her, let's go and make it a reality. Let's go tell the story. And I was like, oh, this is. That was what I wanted. I wanted her to see herself and be herself on the screen so bad. I think I was more attached to sugar than I was to some of the other storylines of this musical. [00:11:50] Speaker B: Yeah, once again, I mean, like, we. We see, I think, men in general. Like, once again, in the era of this film, like, it's a man's world type mantra, and they kind of, like, get what they want. And especially in rom.com, like, it tends to be like, he gets everything he wants and more, and that is the end. So it's nice to see, like, she has said she has wanted this from the beginning, and she gets to go where she wants to go without sacrificing who she is or defying her character in any way. It just stays very true to the end. [00:12:38] Speaker A: From what Wikipedia says, the movie ends with sugar running and jumping onto the dock and then just confessing being okay with Joe and running off, wanting to just be with him because he's the only man that ever treated her well. So, again, that is very different than the show that we got, and I'm almost glad that they didn't go that way. I think that it would have alienated a lot of people of a modern audience if that that was gonna be the end. [00:13:06] Speaker B: Yes. And I think there's a lot of pieces in the show that were essentially, maybe. Maybe redone is not the right word, but were reconfigured to appeal to the current generation rather than keeping the older stuff in and having people feel like that, that didn't age well. [00:13:31] Speaker A: Yeah, I mean, I think one of those things that, like, the biggest change probably was making Daphne and Jerry non binary and why they never said those words. Cause they didn't have that language or, you know, or identifying as trans. Again, they didn't say it cause they didn't have that language. At least they didn't talk about that language back then. But, like, in the film, it actually ends again. I know this because someone told me it ends with Daphne ripping off her wig and being like, I'm actually a man, and Oscar being like, well, nobody's perfect. And they laugh and they ride off into the sunset. It ends with him revealing that he's a man, where in this story, we actually got the I'm not a man. And that was this big gender identity exploration, and I was not expecting that from the show at all. And I think that's probably one of the most positive ways we've seen it from like, a Broadway story as of recently, of just being, like, finding your identity and then, like, the way that Joe handles it, too, of just being like, what do I call you? And then just, like, switching. And, like, I think that there was this, like, this beautiful. Like, they took the time to get to know the person and the story. But I guess. What are your thoughts? Because, I mean. I mean, do you think that they did pretty well with the trans storyline? [00:14:54] Speaker B: Yeah, I mean, so once, to reiterate, everything you just said, totally shook when this plotline occurred and was very. At first, I was terrified because we see this storyline go south so many times, even when people are trying to be positive or I or write something well. But in this case, I thought it was pretty well done. I was pleasantly surprised. It is a very thin line to walk because you're still trying to appease the older audience in regards to staying true to the story, but also take it from where we are today and where we are now and using the language that we have now that they might have not had 50 years ago. So I think it translated very well. I absolutely loved. There was a line that, like, you were kind of saying where Joe is basically, like, what do I call you? And as I'll just out myself here as a trans person, I related to that so much because there are, I cannot say how many times people ask me, what do I call you? What name do I use? Throughout many stages of my transition. And typically, I said, actually very similar to the lines in the show, which was ultimately, I do not care, you know, if you slip up and use my dead name or if you use my name, as long as you're saying it with love and you're not coming from a place of, you know, essentially evil or trying to be mean, that's fine with me. I mean, of course, I would like you to call me by my name, but essentially, when I first came out, when I first transitioned, I knew, especially for family, I had lived under one name for almost, you know, 25 years. And so it's a hard thing for some people I know. Disclaimer like, this is not everyone's experience, right? This is my own personal experience. But for the show to really kind of embrace that and basically say, like, it's less about the name and more about what you mean when you say the name. And then Joe basically saying, you know, okay, like, it didn't have to be. They didn't make it some super elaborate scene. I think it was literally three lines of. For them just to be like, be kind and him prefer to say, okay, and it's that simple. And that, especially in today's political and cultural climate, is really a massive takeaway, I think, and pretty cool that you can do that in front of an audience and kind of. It's always a toss up. Everyone has their beliefs, but I very cool to see that on stage because, once again, representation matters. And I myself had never seen or heard that being said, live so blatantly or so clearly. I've obviously seen shows where the role was intentionally trans or non binary, and it was created that way, whereas this one kind of goes along that journey with the person. So that was a very long winded way of saying, I appreciated the way in which this show addressed the topic, because I'm sure that I wouldn't have loved the way that the film did it. So. [00:18:45] Speaker A: I was blown away by the line when Daphne says, just do it with love. And I was just like, that is. I think that. That it says it all without saying much. It was like one line, and you were just like, from both sides. You know, as a. As a cisgendered man, you know, you. You care about these people and you just want to make sure that you do right by them, and then you do, you know, especially being a psychologist who specializes in trans issues, it's just like, you always want to make sure that you don't mess up. You know, it lets you know that, like, there's being seen and being validated. It's just as important as being right. I don't know. I think that's the right way to say that I did. It did cross my mind that I was worried about the, like you said, like, with some people, some of the older generation, to go in there and they were gonna, like, that was not what they expected, and I hope that they took it. They took away the right message from that. Not that we're like. Not like someone, like, changed the story for the sake of being, like, changing the story, but, like, changing the story to explore an identity that was probably there in the original story. But there wasn't the. That wasn't the moment that people were talking about it. And there wasn't anybody at that time that could look at that film and say, I'm being seen in that, and we can have this classic story switch it to a modern generation and say, we see you. You're validated. And it's totally. This is probably something that would have happened to somebody who went through that journey and found themselves. [00:20:18] Speaker B: Yeah. And I. Granted, I can't speak for her. But I. I did bring my mother along on this, to this show with us, and she had seen the movie. She grew up with it. She was born a few years after the movie came out. And so, of course, it was more. So, I guess my grandma's. My grandma's time, but she was familiar with it. And we actually had a and 45 minutes conversation around this topic on our drive home because I was curious about how the movie ended and how it was perceived. And we did discuss that this was just something that may have always been, but the terminology and the safety around those identities didn't exist even as she was growing up, which was, you know, a couple decades after this show came out. And so, yeah, absolutely. Just as we know our language and our. How. How the world works and how our culture operates changes, I mean, literally, daily, but especially generationally. And so, yeah, I agree. I do hope that, you know, some people will feel very strongly one way or the other, but I do hope that it felt. I thought they did a good job at making it feel a tad more educational and not like we're shoving this down your throat, right? They're just being like, it's simple. This is who I am, and I'm good with that. And I felt like it was. Well, from what I heard, it seemed well received. [00:22:08] Speaker A: I would agree that entire audience, they were. It sounded like they were eating it up. And people that I talked to after the fact, everyone has seemed to love it, which is really. I know that there was quite a few empty seats, and I hope that word of mouth is strong for this one, for this reason specifically. And I also loved how subtle it was at first. There was actually a moment in the first act where Daphne, I noticed, was just in the back of a scene and was just touching her hair. And I was just like, are they going where I think they're going? And then, like, it started to go. And by the time we got to the scene in Mexico, I was like, oh, we're here. And, like, I was just like. And I think that, like, that also, like you said, it was educational without being, like, beating you over the head with it, because it was like, this is slowly dropping those little bits, and you're just getting a little bit more and a little bit more. Because at the beginning, Jerry was actually very much against it. You know, there was not. They were not going to dress up. They were not going to be a woman. And then, like, by the time they got into the train and they're in the bathroom, they're looking at themselves in the mirror, and they're, like, doing different things and they have a slightly different strut. And that strut got slightly more dynamic as the show went on. And I just thought, wow, that was. It was almost magical to see, because, again, we don't see this. I can't even think of a single Broadway show right now that does a trans storyline anywhere near this. I can't even think of one that actually does a trans storyline that's in the popular media right now, other than and Juliet. [00:23:39] Speaker B: Yeah. Yeah. And even. I mean, that's the one I can think of as well. And even then, it, because of the way that it's built, it doesn't address anything. It just kind of. There's a song and you. You're kind of shooting in the dark in regards to if people are understanding what is being laid down, whereas this just says it out loud, which is not bashful. Yeah. [00:24:05] Speaker A: And in fact, the difference between this and anguliette is that when we saw Angeliet and may sings not a girl, but not yet a woman, people laughed. And there was. I did not notice a single moment where anybody laughed about the storyline in the way that it wasn't supposed to be laughed at. There were scenes where, like, Daphne, like, when she gets back from Mexico and she's getting all flustered and bashful, they want you to laugh. And that's really funny because you're laughing with Daphne, you're not laughing at Daphne. But when we saw Ann Juliet, people were laughing at Mei. And I did notice. I didn't know if it was just different times, different periods, different people. But there was something different about how people responded to this one. [00:24:49] Speaker B: Yeah, I think. I think the generation, maybe the younger generation, who's never seen it before, they feel closer to the topic. But the older generation, I mean, people are smart, you know, like, I think if they had seen the movie, they knew there was something and there weren't words at that time or to poke fun of it didn't quite feel right, which is, I think, what the original film, of course, does to just kind of push it off. Right. Like, here's this whole movie about cross dressing, and here now it's the butt of the joke, but that doesn't feel too genuine to the character. And I think this felt genuine, which is why people accepted it more. And whether that's because we got to see the whole story or because we do see, and I agree with you, there were definitely parts, basically, from the moment that they put the dresses on that you started to see, you know, even the selection of the name, that was my first hint that I was like, oh, because she didn't pick a name that was in with her death name. She just, like, this name just came, and it felt. It felt right, or however she said it. And once again, as a trans person, like, people ask me about my name all the time, and I say, it just. It just is. It just came to me. It just felt right. So once again, the. I'm sure there was. There was some. Somebody in the writer's room that knew or had or listened to non binary or trans experienced folks because it felt very genuine. [00:26:47] Speaker A: And I wonder what came first. And it would be a great question to maybe one day ask the writer something like, did we write this character first? Or did it become part of, like, as you brought in the actors, did this become more, did you workshop it with the actors? Because being that this actor uses they them pronouns, while it does not say what their identity is in the playbill, it does use they them. Is that part of what is workshop? Because we know that this show went through workshop before we saw it, and it was on Broadway, and there was obviously workshops before Broadway. Like, was this a collaborative approach? Or, like you said, did they. Did somebody sit down and be like, this is a story we can tell, and we need to tell it. Right. [00:27:28] Speaker B: Right. And it was just. Obviously, it was sold. I can't even say sold well, because it's just real lived experience, probably, for this person. Right. And so. Yeah. Did that. Did it feel that way? Because this person has literally lived that experience. That's also a possibility. [00:27:50] Speaker A: Sure. It also made me think of something you said on Moulin Rouge, which you said about, and Juliet as well. This is not a jukebox musical. And so when we're telling stories and we're telling, or we're telling, you know, we're singing these songs, it's not like a song that everybody recognizes that we're giggling at. This is actually like a song that was from the. Either the original movie or was made for the show. And that, I feel, almost allowed the story to be more impactful. At least I hope that's part of what it was, because something you said about, like, you know, you know, he's singing rolling in the deep in Moulin Rouge, and you're supposed to be this, like, really, like Roxanne rolling in the deep, heartbreaking moment, and people are laughing because they know this. Or, like, the plastic bag, which there is a line in one of the songs for some, like, a hot where she says, do you ever feel. Sugar says that? And I could not stop for, like, five minutes thinking of a plastic bag. And I only wanted to punch you. [00:28:43] Speaker B: I thought it too. So it's fine. [00:28:47] Speaker A: Moving on, then, from this, how did you feel about the cross dressing aspect of this story? Because I'm gonna say that when I started watching this and I thought, oh, yikes, what are we gonna do here? Granted, again, old movie, we've seen this happen before. Misses doubtfire, does this. Bosom buddies. I mean, it's been done from time to time again. But I thought I was like, oh, God, I. Is this the story to do? And I think it was softened and made better because of what happened with Daphne and Jerry. But what are your thoughts on the cross dressing aspect of something like a hat? [00:29:18] Speaker B: Yeah, I mean, with this. I mean, the show is literally built around it. And so, yes, for all of the reasons that we just spoke on, it redeems itself. It makes sense to me why I've never seen this movie. Because I would probably hate it for that reason. Absolutely. Because you know that at the end, the cross dressing is the butt end of a joke. And, yes, you can say that it's in the name of comedy. And it is true for the time in which it was created. It just. I don't think, for me, it doesn't age well. And so no part of me would go. And that's probably why no part of me would go and watch this film and be like, oh, that was cute. Because it was created in a world where men, white men, were ruling the world. And it was fun and funny to knowingly pick at a group of people, which is essentially what you're doing in the name of. Once again, in the name of comedy, in the name of escaping. [00:30:26] Speaker A: Right. We would not have a movie made like this nowadays. [00:30:29] Speaker B: Right, right. Or if we did, I don't think it would be very popular. [00:30:35] Speaker A: Right. I thought. I thought this when I saw misses doubtfire, the musical. And I thought that, man, while Robin Williams does a great job in the role, this movie would not get made in 2024. [00:30:45] Speaker B: Yeah. And I know there was actually. I remember there being chatter around that show when it. When it started touring. And honestly, I haven't even seen it yet. I also have not seen the movie. I know the premise, but for the same reasons, I really struggle with the idea of creating comedy based on. Here's a good reason to laugh at someone. Right? Like, we're creating this reason even though it might be done very well, like you said, so but I remember there being talk about, you know, the non binary and or transness and versus cross dressing, and that's a whole other topic, different podcast. Yeah, you could say the same thing about hairspray. [00:31:34] Speaker A: Yes. [00:31:35] Speaker B: And I'm sure other handful of shows, so. [00:31:39] Speaker A: Right. Especially because, you know, like, hairspray is based off of a drag individual that they made the character. I mean, so is Ursula. Like, it's interesting what they did back in the day compared to now. And I'm glad that they were able to transition the story from one of just being like, men are dressing as women to make it a joke to it was actually very important. And I think that when you look at it, too, again, haven't seen the movie. What I liked is that it also changed Joe. It changed Joe in the fact of when we first meet Joe, he is having, sleeping with all the women, and he's just like a player and he's, you know, he's, he's, he's going around and then having, it kind of reminded me of Beyonce's if I were a boy, like, because he learned through, like, sugar and the other people of the band, he became a better man for sugar, which I thought was interesting, too, because there was also a growth there that is a little more subtle. You don't quite get it quite as much, but he does want to change for sugar at the end, and he probably would not have done that if he didn't go on that journey as well. [00:32:48] Speaker B: Yeah, he definitely, if I could put it in modern terms, he feels like a bro at the beginning of the show, 100%. And then towards the end, you know, that bedroom scene and he's sitting in the chair, they're having a conversation, and even the ending scene, you're like, oh, he feels, he feels more gentle, not in a super feminized way, but just in a, like, I am now aware of the world around me kind of way. [00:33:18] Speaker A: Switching gears a little bit. This show has very much the big band feel, which you don't always see in a show. It kind of reminded me of guys and dolls a little bit from, nicely, theater. Did you like that? Did you like the big band feel? [00:33:33] Speaker B: Yeah, I mean, the music nerd in me is always. Yes, definitely immediately knew that it was going to be something along those lines, even just by the opening number. And of course, even for the, the time. Right. That was the music of the time, and that was, was happening. So, yeah, love jazz, love big band music and everything that, that comes with it. [00:34:04] Speaker A: Did it feel dated at all with the music. [00:34:07] Speaker B: Um, I mean, it felt exactly like the age that it should have been. [00:34:13] Speaker A: Okay. [00:34:13] Speaker B: Like, it. It felt like, how else to say, old school musical theater, you know, sure, you're going to get the big numbers that are super long with a whole lot of dancing and maybe a little less singing, or maybe the singing is less intense because the dancing is very intense, big ensemble numbers, rather than just ballad after ballad after ballad. So, yeah, dated in the sense of, yes, it is very aware that it still was created many decades ago. [00:34:51] Speaker A: Going off, what you just said, I think I might be in love with tap dancing in that I loved funny girl, which was very tap heavy, and this was even more tap heavy than that. And I was just so amazed because some of those ensemble members are pretty much tap dancing from the moment they get on stage until the show is over two and a half hours later. And I was like, that takes stamina. That takes energy. Like, you're dancing from one end of the stage to the other, and some of them have, like, costume changes in the middle where they're switching out. I know I said to you during intermission, I was like, I'd hate to be the sound engineer that has to switch between the shoes of all the different players because everybody, tap dance is at some point in the show. That was probably one of the most impressive aspects of something like a hot. For me. [00:35:38] Speaker B: Yeah. And I think it's what draws some folks to it because it's a very unique skill, and it's not something that is typically written into shows nowadays. And so, yeah, if you want to see this art form, really, the only way to see it is to either literally go to a tap show or maybe something like, I don't know, the rock hats or something like that, or go to these older musical theater pieces because you know that that's what you're gonna get. And, yeah, I think it was the heaviest tap show I've seen in a minute. [00:36:14] Speaker A: I mean, shout out to tip tap trouble. That last scene where they're just going through all the doors and they're running away, I was just like. I was like, oh, my gosh, what is going. I was. It was absolutely just impressive from start to finish. [00:36:28] Speaker B: I cannot imagine rehearsals for that number. I just. I'm. All I see is just, like, over. And I'm sure it was, like, literally days of rehearsing just that number, because it is absolutely insane. And if, you know, if you get off by one beat, I mean, you're. I don't even know, you're sunk because it is moving quickly, and it's moving with essentially 20 to 25 people doing different actions in every single beat, every measure of that song. [00:37:00] Speaker A: I mean, some were coming in backwards, some were coming in forwards. The doors were spinning. You had to know which door to go in and out of to give you that Scooby Doo effect. I. In my head, I was like, I would have missed my cue for the door. Probably the entire show. I'd be coming out the wrong door. But they were superb, and each one was in sync even when they were doing it backwards. And I was just like, that had to take so much effort, so much time, so much energy. And I hope that they feel rewarded after they do that, because that was. I mean, that right there is the. Is a reason to go see the show. [00:37:33] Speaker B: Yeah. If I remember right, I think there was kind of an elongated applause after that number, which rightfully so, because I'm also positive that they are all, like, dying, like, huffing and puffing, because you can't not. I don't know how long that song was, but it was very long. And there were definitely, I mean, I think, two to three costume changes occurring simultaneously and then cycling back through before the song was even over for, of course, you know, the comedic. Comedic effect. [00:38:11] Speaker A: Absolutely. I mean, when they mean 11:00 number, that 100% was just the right way to do it. It had to be at least five to ten minutes long. I can't find the exact time because it's not even on the cast recording, because it's just all typing. There's no singing, but mad props to everybody involved in that scene because I was tired just watching it. Who were the standout singers and performers for you? Was there anyone that just blew you away? I have one, and I think it might be the same as yours, but. [00:38:38] Speaker B: Oh, man, you're not gonna say sugar. I mean, I I am. I am. There's. There's no. I mean, they're all so good, right? [00:38:52] Speaker A: Of course. [00:38:52] Speaker B: Professionals. But, yeah. Her delivery was just spot on, and it didn't. It felt effortless, and sometimes it can. Sometimes when you see a show, it feels exhausting. Like, not. Not in a. Like, oh, they must be exhausted, but, like, as a vocalist. Like, I can hear them straining or I can hear them reaching, whereas, like, when I listened to her, it was just, like, I didn't think about literally anything except the words that were coming out of her mouth because it just was effortless. So, yeah. [00:39:32] Speaker A: Do you know what role she played before she. Even to the show? Cause I'm writing the review right now, and I had looked it up, and I was shocked. [00:39:38] Speaker B: I mean, probably some, probably some powerhouse. [00:39:41] Speaker A: She played Anne Boleyn on six on Broadway, and I was like, that. That fits. [00:39:46] Speaker B: Yeah, she's got pipes. She's got some pipes. [00:39:50] Speaker A: 100%, though. Sugar was fantastic. But I also have to say that, uh, tavis Cordell, especially when they were singing, um, the knock me over, knock me with a feather or knock me over like a feather. That was just, um. You could have knocked me over with a feather. And that last note that they hit was just like, I was like, damn. And they had a range where they could hit the low notes. They went to the high notes. Like, you don't usually see range like that in a show. Usually you got, kind of got your part and you stick with it. You know, you have your, what is it, your octave? Is that what it's called, your range? But they went from, like, bottom to top and just everything in between, and I was shocked by that, that end of that song. I was like, yeah, they're a star. [00:40:41] Speaker B: Yep. It's a demanding, once again, these older shows, like, they just have, they demand more, I think. [00:40:48] Speaker A: Absolutely. And, in fact, I think between the two of them, they out showed Joe quite a bit, because Joe was more of the comedic, you know, the comedy role. He was more the tap dancer. You could tell he was a dancer, but not that he couldn't sing, but the other two were like, yeah. [00:41:05] Speaker B: And that role is not, like, really built to showcase a voice. I don't think it is exactly. Like you said, it's the comedic relief. It's the, you know, there was, yeah, maybe a little bit more dancing with, like, even comedic dancing, because his facial expressions were always over the top, but, yeah, vocally, a very good singer, but just didn't need to be on the level that the others were. [00:41:35] Speaker A: Speaking of this being a heavy show up with heavy comedy. Did you like the comedy? Cause I know that sometimes, depending on what it is, comedy's not always your favorite. Specifically, like, I know you didn't care for Deadpool. This was no deadpool kind of story, but there it was heavy on the, like, getting you to laugh. Did you like that? [00:41:53] Speaker B: Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it's, I think, more real life humor, if I can say that, and just built on life experience. So, you know, jokes that feel a little bit more real and less kind of that they're, that they're grabbing at, you know, kind of a pun or two, but, yeah, I mean, I, I know I laughed, so. And the audience, the reaction was overall very good. So you didn't just laugh. [00:42:32] Speaker A: There were scenes that you were literally belly laughing. And I was just like, who is this man? He does not laugh at like that at show. So I knew it had to be good because you were literally, like, out of breath laughing at a few parts. And I was just like, oh, this is hitting his funny bone. [00:42:51] Speaker B: I mean, apparently. Apparently that's where it is. [00:42:53] Speaker A: I don't know, but it could have also been the environment. Like, when you're with people and you're. They're laughing. Like, I could hear your mom laugh. I could hear your sister laugh. The people behind us were having the best time of their lives. There was specifically a man behind me who would not, like, he was. He was living, he was thriving. That made me laugh more. And I feel like when you're in an environment when people are laughing, you're more inclined to want to laugh and join along because of the psychological aspect of, like, nobody wants to be left out, but also because you're like, oh, this is funny. We're all laughing with that joy. That environment of, like, shared joy is intoxicating. And so I feel. I felt that, too, where I was, like, I was laughing a lot more in the show than I thought I was going to, and I didn't know if I was like, is it because I'm actually finding this super funny, or is it because everybody. I'm finding it funny, but so, as everybody else, so we're all joining in on this, and so, you know, chicken or the egg. But, like, I was impressed with the comedy of the show. Was there anybody that you felt was weak in the acting department, or do you feel like everyone did a pretty good job? [00:43:55] Speaker B: I wouldn't say weak, per se. I mean, there are just. There are supporting roles that you don't really get to know or are not super familiar with. And it's easy to say that those feel, like, lesser, but really, I just think it's because we see them literally less and we don't get to know them as much, but, yeah, kind of, like, as good. All of. All of them felt very strong. [00:44:23] Speaker A: Sure. I would say that, like, definitely what you said about, like, not knowing some of them, more, like, osgood not coming into, like, the last scene of this act one, you at first just like, who the. Who the hell is this guy? And he did have a pretty juicy role as it went on, but it took a while to get, like, who is this? Who's this stranger joining our story? Like, like, I've just spent all this time with these. With these three people. Why are you. Why are you coming in and ruining it all? You know? Because you didn't have enough time with him, you know? But I think that the actor did a fantastic job. But that was good because he was exceptional in the end. But, yeah, no, the whole cast was pretty fantastic. What about the costumes in the set? This was 100% a show trying to make you think it was the 1930s. The costumes seemed really impressive. They were very shiny. They were, you know, or, like, they. You know, they definitely played up Joe being older with some more of the older clothes, which I will say, I guess that's the one thing about the comedy of that one that, like, by the end of it, I was like, okay, we get it. He's old. And I think that what I was told is that in the original film, they kept playing it off that he was an ugly woman. And so you're ugly. You're ugly, you're ugly. And they changed it to, you're old, you're old, you're old. So when I understood that, I was, okay, I get it again. I think that maybe that one was beat over the head a little bit too much. But I understand, like, I think that's better than trying to say he was an ugly woman. Like, other, like, all the costumes seemed very impressive of building the story and the time. Did you like them? [00:45:48] Speaker B: Yeah, I would agree. The costumes were incredible. The set was exactly what I would expect it to be because it's a dance and voice heavy show. Like, your focus is not particularly on the stage. It's kind of just there as props. It's there to be used by the actors and actresses, but not really vital to what they're doing. But it did the job. There wasn't anywhere where I was like, that doesn't feel right, and everything felt seamless. There weren't a lot of breaks in the scene where it was like, all right, what is going on? Sure. [00:46:39] Speaker A: So, yeah, I mean, yeah, they definitely left the floor quite open for the dancing. In fact, the one. I think the one seat, the only set piece that maybe got a little chuckle at was just because it looked a little funny, was the boat. And I think it was supposed to intentionally look funny, like, you're on this yacht, and it just kind of, like, you can still see the scene behind it, you know, of. So I did. I did chuckle a little bit at that one, but I loved the. The chandeliers that came down because, like, that's a. Sometimes what really gave the club, its feel like the background was very beautiful, but it was so set far back so that they could dance. But those chandeliers came down and you felt like, oh, we're in a jazz club. We're, like, in. We're in the mix of it all. That felt cool. [00:47:20] Speaker B: Yeah, I will say my mom mentioned the lights that they dropped for the, when they go to Mexico, and she said, what a cool way to just very simply, you know, they really didn't change the set at all, aside from, you know, a couple chairs and the lights. But it. But it gave you exactly what you wanted because. And that's just such a simple, such a simple thing. But, yeah, nothing crazy. [00:47:55] Speaker A: As I say, I was also, for some reason, very impressed with the tables that they rolled in and out, and those people were just, like, pushing them with their legs, and they, like, zoomed across the stage. And I was like, that is such a cool effect because that's how you get somebody to and from. You build that scene of, like, having the tables of the jazz club. That was, like, a really cool, like, just the. It probably wasn't meant to be as cool as I thought it was, but I just thought, like, wow, that is really. That's just really impressive. Loved it. All right, our favorite question. Does some, like it hot have rewatchability? [00:48:23] Speaker B: I would say yes. [00:48:24] Speaker A: Okay. [00:48:26] Speaker B: Because I would want to go back and see all the things that I missed with it being a show that I had zero information on to begin with. Now that I have an idea of what the show actually is, I would want to go back and see all the little things and just entertainment value wise, of course, like we said this whole time, ton of music, ton of dancing, always something happening. The first act always feeling a tad longer than the second one, but the second one flew by. So, yeah, I'd say yes. How about you? [00:49:01] Speaker A: I would agree. I think this has great rewatchability. Even when there was something that went wrong and by I went wrong. I'm gonna say that Daphne's hat fell off quite a few times, but they impressively picked it up. Like, it would be like a part of their dance. You wouldn't even realize it was gone. They'd pick it up, they'd move on, and I was just like, wow, this is so seamless. It's so beautiful. And the fact that the way that these people are dancing across the stage and the way that they're singing, it was beautiful. And so, absolutely, we loved that. So, yeah, a big thumbs up from me. And that is about all the time that we have. So thank you again for listening to another episode of the Cosmic Curtain, the official podcast of the Cosmic Circus Broadway. Don't forget to, like, follow and subscribe to us at boxybabes or mycosmic circus. If you're interested in finding out, finding us outside of our box seats, please check us on our social media handles. Yes, we lost RJ, unfortunately, and that's okay. But you can find me at Kitson 301, and you can find RJ on Instagram. Journeys through underscore. The underscore pass underscore. And we would love to be able to continue the conversation. Of course, you can find all of our reviews and our work on the cosmic circus Broadway, and we look forward to their next curtain call. Take care, everybody.