Kate & Leopold (2001)

Another Opening, another show
I remember seeing Alfred Drake ant Patrice Munsel in this show as a young child. I also have the Howard Keel, Kathryn Grayson Movie version from 1953 and though I love that version, this one feels better to me. It is a well produced video of a live production of the latest revival of this delightful production. Brent Barrett plays Graham/Petruchio with just the right amount of acerbic wit, Rachel York is a delightful Lilli Vanessi/Kate and the chemistry betwen the two of them is fantastic. Teh rest of the cast is supurb.

Flat and mostly overacted
I had higher expectations when I purchased this DVD.
I was not disappointed technically but I was EXTREMELY disappointed with the acting as a whole and with the uneven singing of Rachel York. She couldn't seem to decide whether she wanted a pop, jazz, or traditional musical theatre sound. Her voice was all over the place. Furthermore, I found her character very annoying...she was screechy and not at all vunerable. I preferred Kathryn Grayson's performance in the movie as she managed to be vunerable, witty, and charming, as well as screechy, demanding, and somewhat tyrannical. Truly, I could barely watch this entire video and at the end I could have cared less if Fred and Lilli got together. I think that was the most powerful statement for me.
The production was acted (or directed) with a lot of mugging and so much of it was over the top. Can today's directors PLEASE leave something for the audience to think about and figure out themselves? Everything need not be a commentary!
I wish I had seen Marin Mazzie because I heard she was incredible. Rent this before buying it or better yet do what I did and buy it used. It hardly cost anything and that is what is it worth.

Flat and mostly overacted
I had higher expectations when I purchased this DVD.
I was not disappointed technically but I was EXTREMELY disappointed with the acting as a whole and with the uneven singing of Rachel York. She couldn't seem to decide whether she wanted a pop, jazz, or traditional musical theatre sound. Her voice was all over the place. Furthermore, I found her character very annoying...she was screechy and not at all vunerable. I preferred Kathryn Grayson's performance in the movie as she managed to be vunerable, witty, and charming, as well as screechy, demanding, and somewhat tyrannical. Truly, I could barely watch this entire video and at the end I could have cared less if Fred and Lilli got together. I think that was the most powerful statement for me.
The production was acted (or directed) with a lot of mugging and so much of it was over the top. Can today's directors PLEASE leave something for the audience to think about and figure out themselves? Everything need not be a commentary!
I wish I had seen Marin Mazzie because I heard she was incredible. Rent this before buying it or better yet do what I did and buy it used. It hardly cost anything and that is what is it worth.