ONCE FOR A ONCE IN A LIFETIME MUSICAL

I went to see the musical Once at the Fox and it was so amazing!

The musical really focuses more on Girl's fierce desire to better the lives of those around her, and her belief in Guy's music.  

"Help thy brother's boat, and lo! Thine own has reached the shore."-- Hindu proverb 

The movie's story was similar, but more fully explored the complexities of Guy and Girl's characters and romantic relationship.  And oddly, the romantic angle was explored more in the movie.  The musical keeps the film's integrity, and stays focused on the importance of making music together-- a relationship almost more intimate than sex or romance.  The musical is incredibly uplifting and empowering.

It is beautifully staged- as a Dublin pub, and as a play being told in a Dublin pub, with the other cast members doubling ("dublin-ing") the audience, musicians, actors, and stage crew.

The script was a little perfunctory, but it was okay.  Plenty of jokes, the characters were such "characters" that even the weak jokes got strong laughs, and the good jokes made everyone roar. ("Do you love being Irish?"  "Are you serious?" "I'm Czech, I'm always serious!"  might be paraphrasing.)

The choreography is modern movement, but as revealing and integral to the story as the chorus line was in the eponymous Broadway show.

And the cast was AMAZING!  WHAT A TALENTED GROUP OF PERFORMERS!  Tony worthy, I think.  Each one a singer/musician/dancer/actor/comedian extraordinnaire! And plenty of stage presences and star power!

If you love musicals, music, musicians, and the creative process of making music-- RUN DON'T WALK TO SEE ONCE!

Get there early so that you can go on the onstage bar and join the sesiun and the craic with the cast singing pub songs! ("session" and "crack"-- fun and talk--the energy).

(Be warned that beer is $9 on stage! Really.)

"Falling Slowly" made tears roll down my cheeks.

Go see it while it is here!  Through April 20th!

SEE ONCE MORE THAN ONCE!!!!!

PS-- Saw the Queen musical "We Will Rock You" at the Fox, and want to say the petite but powerfully voiced Scaramouche is going to be the next Audra McDonald or Idena Menzel.  She needs a Tony worthy show, although for Queen fans it was brilliant.