Tags
broadway, kristin chenoweth, on the twentieth century, peter gallagher, roundabout theater company
If there was ever someone born to play the role of Lily Garland, it’s Kristin Chenoweth. My goodness, she is utterly spectacular in the role.
Considering that HipTix are pretty much sold out for The Roundabout Theatre Company’s On the Twentieth Century, I was super excited that my school got us group tickets. Though it was still in previews and Peter Gallagher was out, it was just stupendous.
While the show is funny—combining operetta, farce and slapstick comedy—it’s not my absolute favorite. Massive egos, a religious nut, and bumbling sidekicks keep the musical comedy on its tracks, so to speak. The cast overall is wonderful, all complimenting each other nicely. Mary Louise Wilson is a riot as Ms. Primrose and Andy Karl makes great arm-candy for Chenoweth.
Still, the star and the reason everyone should be seeing this show is, simply, Kristin Chenoweth. Talk about a role that was practically made for her. She’s said before that Lily Garland is a role that she’s wanted to play for a really long time, so this is very much a dream come true for her. Vocally speaking, she’s bringing her A-game for this one. She is absolutely brilliant. For someone that has vivid middle school memories of listening to the Wicked cast recording on repeat, watching her perform live was a dream come true.
The set also deserves a nice nod of appreciation. David Rockwell has worked wonders, the on stage train is so much more than what I expected and I’m so glad that it is. The costuming by William Ivey Long doesn’t fall too far behind, either. Keep an eye out for those two come Tony season…