If you get a chance to see Disney's new musical "On the Record", I highly recommend that you see it, especially if you are a disney freak/afficionado. Even if you are not, just a plain fan of music , "On the Record" is a must-see musical!
The plot is simple: a day in a recording studio. Yup you guess it, the characters are recording classic disney songs in a new way. Through these songs, story of each character is revealed. This musical does not have much dialogues, but the cast effectively use body gestures and mannerisms to humanize their roles. The renditions of the songs are awesome. The cast took it to a "new level."
As for audience appeal, this show has it. The producers try to appeal to an older audience by "toning" /holding back the pageantry (which is quinessential to the "Disney Formula") in the costume design and the set. The characters wore mostly black, grays and white and some silver metalic tones (it almost look like a hybrid commercial for J-Crew and Armani Exchange clothing store). The set has the simplicity of modern day functional appliances, nothing like the courtly and flamboyant style of "French Baroque."
As for the kids, they will like anything, and the songs will surely mesmorized them. And, Ahh the glitters, they were shiny, and they were integrated strategically throughout the show.
The songs, which were Disney trademark that established the foundation of Disney kingdom, remain the focus of the show. The cast, crew, creator, etc succeeded by not over emphasizing on costume and set designs. Disney's "On the Record" is not ony for the "young at heart"; it is for everybody. A spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down, a spoonfull of 2 hour disney musical makes one not only dream but see the possibilities one can achieve. This is the bare necessitiy of life: living the life one has imagined (Thoreau).
On a Separate note, this week's Alias, was much better than last week, there was this corny line Sydney said but I liked it. It's so "cliched" but the way Jennifer Garner executed it, it's tres classique.
Here's a recap of the scene. The bad guy found out that Sydney was not who she "appeared". So he was beating her up and asking questions. He asked her for her real name. Sydney answered with a russian sounding accent "Imma." "Imma what?" He asked. She answered "I'm ma going to kick your a$#!" That wasn't the answer he was looking for so WHACK!!!!
She was also wearing a horrible wig, it looked like a long blonde mullet.
I don't know what kind of pyschology the writers are trying to apply, but it looks like Sydney is seeing first hand the manipulations she experienced being applied to her sister. What conflict do you think that would do to Sydney's character or how would her sister react when she finds out (even worse when she finds out that Sydney knew all along) Can you just imagine how betrayed her sister would feel?
Posted by Michael Diezmos at January 14, 2005 3:28 PM