Customer Reviews

Kiss Of The Spider Woman: The Musical (1994 Broadway Cast)

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have been a long-time admirer of the musicals of Kander & Ebb, particularly "Chicago" and "Cabaret". With "KOTSW," they are at the peak of their prowess, creating a score/lyrics of dazzling and heartbreaking brilliance.

Vanessa Williams is astounding as Aurora/The Spider Woman -- one is reminded of the great sultry film vamps of the 30s and 40s, which Aurora obviously is. Williams demonstrates great expressivity in her voice, as well as an impressive range.

Howard McGillin is a fine Molina, though in the dialogue sections he tends to come across as a bit too fey. His singing voice is quite good, and he absolutely triumphs with "Dressing Them Up", a showstopping high-camp number. I am anxious to acquire the OBC recording of KOTSW, simply to hear how Brent Carver approaches the role.

Brian (soon-to-add Stokes) Mitchell is wonderful as Valentin, capturing well the anger and frustration and initial homophobia of the character, and the development of his relationship with Molina is subtle but convincing. Mitchell is given what I think is one of the most rousing numbers written for the musical stage, "The Day After That".

There is a level of sophistication to KOTSW that seems to be a first for Kander & Ebb. This is not to say that they have tried and failed before, but "Chicago" and "Cabaret" didn't call for the emotional sweep which imbues KOTSW; rather, they delivered what they promised: hard, glittering scores with incisively biting lyrics.

Particularly impressive among the songs are "Over the Wall," "Dressing Them Up," "Dear One," "Where You Are," "Gabriel's Letter/My First Woman," "Gimme Love," "The Day After That," and "Anything For Him."

Ultimately, the score and lyrics succeed on the two leads; Mitchell and McGillin flesh out the characters and give their relationship a complexity and believeability. The score builds up to what I think is the climactic number, "Anything For Him," which provides the key turning point in their friendship, while maintaining the complex nature of their relationship.

KOTSW has more than earned its place alongside "Chicago" and "Cabaret" as pinnacles in the careers of Kander & Ebb, and at the same time secures its place as a pinnacle in the genre of musical theatre overall.

Being a huge fan of KOTSW, I was anxious for this new recording. Miss Williams does wonders in the title role- she has the sexual allure and smooth, sultry vocal quality that former star Chita Rivera was somehow missing. Howard McGillan displays stunning vocal comand...but leaves one longing for the heartbreaking musical interpretations of his predecessor in this role, Brent Carver. (I feel it is worth noting that Jeff Hyslop, the only actor to play Molina on Bway who was not recorded, brought both McGillan's vocal power and Carver's tear-jerking vulnerability to the role). Brain Mitchell does very well -however he somehow didnt' seem to "own" this role as much as others I have seen him play. It is worth investing in this recording simply for Williams' dazzling new interpretations of the score and for the material that is missing on the Original Cast Recording CD that can be found here.

Although Chita Rivera is a good "spider woman" on the london cd, I prefer Vanessa Williams'smooth and young voice because she sounds(and looks) like a movie actress/temptress of the 30's and 40's. The supporting cast does a good job with the haunting Kander/Ebb music. Kiss of the Spider Woman is a tragic story with great music, and nobody sings the title role better than Vanessa Williams. You will not be dissapointed with this cd.

Vanessa Williams is absolutly phenomenal as the title role in Kander and Ebb's KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN. Her voice is strong, clear, and seductive, and I will never be able to stop listening to her PERFECT rendition of the title song. Howard McGillin has one of Broadway's most distinct voices, and his baritone is very strong, but actually TOO strong for the role of Molina. Brent Carver's performance will be missed for the vulnerability he showed on the original cast recording. Brian Stokes Mitchell, however, is pure dynamite as the revolutionary Valentine. His voice (love the accent) is sensational whether he is singing in rage ("I Draw the Line") or sorrow (the absolutly BEAUTIFUL "Marta"). In the almost non-singing role of the Warden, Herndon Lackey is chilling in the included dialogues, and Mimi Turque does very well with the moving "You Could Never Shame Me." I HIGHLY recommend this CD, for every fan of great Broadway music.

I was told after I had already become obsessed with the show that it has a habit of becoming habit-forming. It's an extremely addictive show, mostly because of the intricasy with which it weaves its story. It is beautifully written, with musical themes that have dramatic purpose, unlike the themes used by Andrew Lloyd Webber or Boubil/Schoenberg. When a theme recurrs in this show it takes you back to a dramatic moment from earlier in the show, compounding the magnitude of every moment.

And the performances are spectacular. Vanessa Williams blew me away with her seductive, glamourous, sly Spider Woman. Her performance of the title song cannot be beat. Howard McGillin is heartbreaking as Molina, and the voice on Brian Stokes Mitchell melts me every time I hear it. This score seems to have been written with his voice in mind.

This is just about as good as musical theatre gets, and it is perfect.

This production of KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN premiered in Toronto in June 1992. As a theatre reviewer I atteneded the opening night performance. It is rare that a show is so near perfect at this early stage in its life. The first act needed some trimming and the pacing was uneven, but the score and performances were nothing short of dazzling. The production played Toronto through the summer of 1992 the opened in London for a six month run, then the cast moved to Broadway where the show deservedly won the 1993 Tony for Best Musical and Tonys were won by the three stars.

A CD was made during the show's London run and is billed the "original cast recording. Kander and Ebb have found so much heart in this story: "Dear One" is one of the most beautiful songs the partners have ever written. (In an interview, John Kander told me this was his favourite number in the score. Fred Ebb's favourite was the song "Dressing Them Up" where he got to show off his lyric writing abilities.) "You Could Never Shame Me" has become an anthem that every closeted gay man wishes to hear from his own parents. Listen to the longing that comes through in Carver's sensitive reading of "She's a Woman." The score sometimes goes off the rails..the "Morphne Tango" was one number that Toronto critics expected to be dropped and yet it's still there. Overall it's another first rate show from Kander and Ebb (and Terrence McNally who adapted Manuel Puig's novel.)

As the musical enetered its second year in New York the original cast members departed and Vanessa Williams was signed to play Aurora (A younger more sensual Aurora) with Howard McGillan and Brian Stokes Mitchell. A new "Broadway" cast recording was made by Mercury which included more of the score as well as several key dialogue seuqnces (very abridged) so the recording gave the listener a sense of hearing the full show.

Because it communicates more of the drama of the piece, the second recording is slightly preferable. The packaging includes background notes, a detailed synopsis and libretto. The Cd was produced by Thomas Z. Shepard (who did a similar CD of the revival of DAMN YANKEES! featuring much dialogue form the show) and it is a first rate production.

Vanessa Williams belongs on Broadway. I went to see this show February 1995 with Ms. Williams holding down the fort. She was magical. She was electric. She is a star. She was so good that I started rehearsing and emulating her every movement and sound from the CD. I plan to one day posses the same title role as The Spiderwoman. The music is equal to the greats of Chicago and Cabaret. One must see and hear the strength of this musical. It changed my life.

I love this version, and it's fun to compare it to the 1992 version with Brent Carver and Anthony Crivello. Both productions have their strong points and their not-so-strong points. If you love musical theatre, I recommend it highly.

Award winner actress-singer-ballerina Vanessa Williams makes a thrilling Broadway debut in maybe Kander & Ebb's best collaboration ever.
She brings a sweetness and a sexyness to the score that no one has ever brought to it.
One of the best Broadway Recordings I own.

Terrific.

Beautiful is all I can say. The music is spectacular and I'm sure the stage presentation all around is spectacular. Vanessa Williams is perfect for this seductive role and what a voice. Her transition from mainstream to theatre was an excellent move on her part. The other two characters are good too. There voices are strong and gritty. Something mainstream music has lost. The only thing I don't like is the ending. It is sad that people who are just trying to good end up being used and abused by those around them. I think the spider woman was the only one who cared about him . Even though she just wanted his life, I think she grew to want him as a whole. I know it's just a play but It touched me and I think everyone can relate to it. Though when it's all said and done no one got hurt in reality so I can live with the ending. Anyone who would want to purchase either the Vanessa Williams version or the Chita Revera version would not be disappointed. It's perfect for any open minded person who has love for good singing and a good story.