“The Next Ten Minutes” - Adam Kantor & Betsy Wolfe
The Last 5 Years - March 7, 2013
“Moving Too Fast” - Adam Kantor
The Last 5 Years - March 7, 2013
“Bare” - Jason Hite, Alex Wyse
January 4, 2013 Matinee
I don’t think I have the appropriate words to describe this one.
“Are You There?” - Gerard Canonico, Alex Wyse
January 4, 2013 Matinee
This was one of my favorite parts of Alex’s performance because he really got to sing. That’s the only thing that was upsetting about him being on as Peter, Peter isn’t necessarily a big singing role anymore and alex just has such a beautiful voice. I’m glad songs like this are still there so he got to show it off a little bit.
“You and I” - Alex Wyse
January 4, 2013 Matinee
I just think he’s great. He was clearly a little nervous and jumped the gun a bit at the beginning, but he settled down and it was just adorable.
“Rosa’s Confession” - Betsy Wolfe
The Mystery of Edwin Drood
October 31, 2012 Matinee
You can hear how excited I was when she was announced at the murderer. And I’m not even a little sorry about it. This girl is insanely talented and this whole show is just amazing. Go see it if you had the chance. And vote for Rosa Bud!
“Tomorrow” - Lilla Crawford
October 10, 2012 Evening
Absolutely incredible. This girl has talent far beyond her years. If there’s one reason to see this revival, it’s absolutely without a doubt her. Her voice gives me chills every time I listen to this and her entire performance startlingly well-realized for someone so young this soon into previews. I can’t wait to get back and see how her performance has grown.
“Goodbye Until Tomorrow” from The Last 5 Years - Jen Noble
Half Hour: A Last Minute Concert
August 19, 2012
Sorry she’s more talented and much prettier than you are. Haters are allergic to perfection. Fact.
“With You” - Caissie Levy
August 14, 2012
I don’t have any of what I’m about to write out planned, so just be aware of that. It’s also 3:26 in the morning as I type this, so also be aware of that.
I don’t remember the first time I heard Caissie Levy sing, it was probably some shoddy YouTube quality bootleg of her as Elphaba from either LA or her stint on Broadway. I was probably mildly impressed, if totally unaffected by it.
I do remember the first time I took an interest in her, though. When the 2009 revival of Hair announced its transfer with Eden Espinosa as Sheila, I was disappointed. I’m not a fan of Eden’s out of control voice, her untrained technique, etc. When that announcement proved false and Caissie was announced in Eden’s place, I was thrilled to just have someone who wasn’t Eden. I remember getting home from school the day of the announcement and immediately searching Caissie on YouTube. I was floored this time around. I can’t recall which video did it for me, but I immediately fell in love with her voice.
The first time I saw Caissie perform live was Hair’s opening night: March 31, 2009. From her first song until the last note out of her mouth, I was along for the ride. Maybe her acting wasn’t all that brilliant, but it didn’t matter to me much as soon as she opened her mouth. Because Caissie has one of those voices that just sort of trumps all. She could walk onstage eat some Skittles and then belt to the high heavens, and all I’d walk out talking about is how good she sounded.
After the original revival cast left the show on March 7, 2010, I didn’t see Caissie perform live onstage again until March 21, 2012. Literally 2 years and 2 weeks after the last time. The first time I saw Ghost on Broadway, I was less than impressed. Way less than impressed. I was actually wildly disappointed. To me, it was a misuse of talent, I thought the score was a mess, the book was terrible, and Caissie had so little to do.
I didn’t see the show again for a couple months, but when I did finally make a return trip, my opinion had made a complete 180degree turn. I found the show to be entertaining, exciting, and I was completely enamored with Caissie once again.
I’ve gone back to the show several times since my second trip, and each time, Caissie blows me away. Her riffs might be wild—and OH, are they wild! Don’t believe me? Check my “audio” tag and listen to “Rain/Hold On” from August 7—but where Caissie is at her absolute strongest is in songs like “With You,” when she can use each part of her voice in succession, build it up, layer it, and leave you emotionally drained and stilling wanting more from her.
I think what impresses me the most about Caissie is how absolutely effortless it all is for her. She’s sitting on the floor and these notes are just floating out of her as if it’s in her blood to just produce them like it’s nothing. Her voice just builds from this quiet, tranquil sadness, to this agonizing and on-the-brink anguish. But it never loses the strength and beauty that Caissie has always had. She knows how to manipulate her voice and do what needs to be done, but not change her voice or ruin its integrity.
The other thing that has always impressed me about Caissie is her complete and total control over her voice. Whether she’s singing by the book or riffing up a storm, everything is specific, she never lets her voice take over and do what it chooses. She has a specific beginning, middle, and end to her voice no matter what she’s singing. She starts something and before it’s even begun, she knows how she’s going to end it.
When Ghost closes on Saturday night, I’ll be sad, because I don’t know how long it’ll be before I get the true honor of hearing Caissie Levy perform live again. But until Saturday night, I’ll relish the times I have heard her live and I’ll look forward to the next time I get to. If you haven’t, I highly encourage you to make a trip to the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre and experience this woman’s incredible voice for yourself. I’m sure you won’t regret it.
“Santa Fe” - Corey Cott (u/s)
August 8, 2012 Evening
He just has such a nice voice. And he took the song in a really different direction which made it really fun to watch. I can’t wait to see him go on again in the future and watch him settle and grow into the role. Just spectacular.
