Review roundup

I've fallen behind in my reviews, thanks to being overwhelmed by a visit from the parents and everyone else under the sun (there were seven people sleeping in my two-bedroom apartment at one point last weekend). So, in the interest of space, here are a few quick capsule reviews of the shows I saw during their visit:

"Curtains"
Perhaps it was my hunger from my recent lackluster experience with "The Pirate Queen," but few shows in recent memory have left me with as pleasant an aftertaste as "Curtains," now in previews for a March 22 opening. Although the show--a murder mystery set among the colorful characters trying out a show in Boston--is far from perfect, the cast is pretty darn close to it. As the theatre-loving investigating police lieutenant, David Hyde Pierce is his usual nebbish self but manages to do so in a way that feels delightfully fresh, unlike some others who have fallen into that type (paging Matthew Broderick). Debra Monk, as the producer, stops the show with her brassy numbers, and leading man Noah Racey is probably the best dancer on Broadway right now -- and that includes the entire cast of "A Chorus Line." Even Edward Hibbert, whom I usually find cloying, scores here as the director. Some songs are certainly better than others, and I found myself not really giving much of a damn about the whodunit aspect, but overall, this is truly a crowd-pleaser that might not be a critical darling but certainly deserves a decent run. And I finally broke my Ernie Sabella curse! He was out when I saw "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" and "Sweet Charity," but the third time was the charm. EDIT: I can't believe I forgot to mention Karen Ziemba and Jason Daniele, both of whom also are excellent, and ditto what I said about Racey for Ziemba.

"Prelude to a Kiss"
What began as a seemingly dull and trite romantic comedy cliche actually turned into an engaging evening of theatre. The absurd plot centers around an idealistic but morose young bride (Annie Parisse) who somehow switches bodies with a feeble old man (John Mahoney) on the day of her wedding. The early scenes detailing the courtship of Peter and Rita drag on for quite a while, and one almost expects to see the Lifetime logo in the bottom corner of the stage. But oddly enough, Rita becomes a much more entertaining character when she's played by Mahoney. Alan Tudyk is fine as the befuddled Peter, but show-stealing honors go to Robin Bartlett and James Rebhorn as Rita's parents.

Lea Salonga in "Les Miserables"
I hereby recuse myself from ever reviewing "Les Miserables." I have far too much of a history with that show. Yes, I was one of those teenagers who had all three CDs of the complete symphonic cast recording memorized, and I've probably seen that same darn production of it more times than any other show, and like a dear old friend, I can love it despite its faults. So just a few words about it's new leading lady. Following the departure of the much-maligned Daphne Rubin-Vega, Lea Salonga--star of "Miss Saigon" and former Eponine--is a fine fit for the overly tragic role of Fantine. She does what she's supposed to do: sings the hell out of "I Dreamed a Dream," gets abused in a few scenes and finally gasps her last, vanishing (save the well-disguised appearance as a boy at the barricade) until her ghost comes back for the finale. Hey, you wanted nuance? This is "Les Miserables." If I want nuance, I'll go watch "Grey Gardens." But let's see Christine Ebersole try that deathbed scene!