January 15, 1998 San Diego
First of all I must say that this was my first trip to any figure skating event and after all was said and done I felt sad that I hadn't been sooner. I would have liked, for instance to have seen Martini and Underhill live. Rats!
Well anyway the Stars On Ice show was spectacular as expected from this polished group. My favorites of the night were Bechke & Petrov, Paul, Brian, Scott, and Ekaterina (although the poor thing had great trouble with some of her jumps).
ACT I
The first ensemble piece was great - Scott got a standing ovation, of course. Love the Zeppelin music, it goes well with the whole skating thing.
I didn't care much for the muses throughout the show. The choreography was fine for the numbers but I just didn't get it.
Katya's Gershwin piece was exquisite, although she did fall. She is so graceful and entertaining to watch. Very expressive. She is also taller in person than I expected. After her performance an audience member yelled out "We love you Katya!" As she left the ice, Katya said "Thank you!" loud and clear.
Didn't much care for SWAK. Kristi seemed to be a little flat. Of course she landed everything as usual, but I believe most of the jumps were doubled rather than tripled. Anyway she was ok.
Sleepers was a great number for Paul. He really used the ice well and the number suited his style well. Paul is very dramatic to see in person, he has such wonderful line (plagiarized DickButtonism). He landed all his jumps was technically brilliant.
Scott's number With One More Look at You was touching. He fell once, but the number drew me in anyway. The audience gave him a nice long applause.
Man of La Mancha and Fun and Games. Pretty typical stuff from Katarina and Kurt. Perhaps I've come to expect too much from them but they just didn't do it for me tonight. Although I must say that Katarina is every bit the woman she appears to be on TV and more. Whew!
ACT II
I missed the first number (muses again) because I was buying food.
Roca & Sur skated ok, but honestly it seemed a bit flat.
I really like Brian's number "Story of My Life" His mom would have been proud. He landed all his jumps, including a HUGE triple toe (?) right in front of us. Nice. He was on tonight and was much better in person than I had ever thought he would be. He really has good form and technique.
Sweet Rosalyn, Tragically Hip, Its a Man's World by Roz, Kurt, and Katarina, respectively. I didn't care much for these numbers. Kurt was great as he usually is but I wish they had chosen a less serious number for him. I really think he shines in a more happy piece (like the one he does with the plaid suit - fun!). I'd also like to see brickhouse once more (I know, I know, its an oldie). His numbers tonight seemed more Tom Collinsish than Stars On Ice.
I really liked Bechke and Petrov tonight - they were hot!!!! The lifts, the jumps, the choreography, it was all there. They didn't miss in this number. She is soooo cute.
Loved the next number, Paul's Go the Distance. I loved it despite hating Michael Bolton. Again, Paul was on tonight and his skating was tops.
The Elvis number with Ekaterina, Kristi, and Kurt was entertaining. I liked Katya the best, although she had trouble again with the jumps. Rats!!!! Oh well I like her anyway!
The Show (Wizard of Oz), by Scott, was hilarious, but not the best I've seen him do by a long shot. Scott has such charisma out on the ice and you can really tell he loves the audience. He got another standing ovation.
Stairway to Heaven is a good number for this show. The choreography is good, and the music- well - gave me the chills.
Cough up the dough and see the show. You'll be glad you did.
-Scott Taylor
Los Angeles, January 18, 1998
From Marge:
In a word....LOVED IT!!!!!!! Especially the second act. Wow, did that move, did that shake, fabulous performances all over the place. EVERYONE was on! They must get inspired by the L.A. Forum audience (it was the best show I saw last year). There was the usual "battle of the audience sides" with one cheering louder than the next which cracked the skaters up and got them charged up. Not a full arena, but at least 3/4 full. My friend June said it was more full than last year but I don't remember. We had perfect seats (thank you June), 6th row dead center and didn't miss anything.
We even got a free program (and waiter service at the seats...these were GREAT seats!) T&D are in the fancy souvenir program. I like their photo, I don't know what they're skating but it's these really pretty powder blue costumes. Very nice. They look great and Jayne has a great "yeah, I can still do this at 40, what's it to ya" look on her face that I love. The "candid" shot on the postcard is cute, but Chris is a bit hidden. Some of the other skaters candid shots are really nice. They were obviously taken at rehearsal and are in B&W. Still no mention of T&D on the paper program, but I've guessed where their choreography is -- all over!
My point-by-point comments...
Someone Karen know who saw the show in San Jose said that Chris' fingerprints are all over the show. She's right. I'm pretty positive he did the muses -- this is Chris being a bit avant garde and there are fun and wonderful and playful moves, all those edges and angles and deep knees he loves to give skaters. I think skating fans get the muses more than the general public (meaning I got it but other friends who saw the show recently didn't -- first time SOIers and they were blown away by the show. Still, they wanted to know who those "cowboys" were!?!<G>)
I'd also bet Chris did the opening stuff that Kristi, Kurt and Paul Wylie do, especially Paul. Gotta be Chris, no one else choreographs like that, it reminded me of a lot of the stuff Chris has done for Scott Williams. It was great on the NBC broadcast but in person it is magnificent -- oh Paul, you should let Chris do a whole number for you before you hang up those skates! I'd also put money on the fact Chris and Jayne did a lot of the Olympic parody as well as most of the finale, at least the muses part of the finale looks like Chris. I'm dying to ask him -- wonder if he'll 'fess up.<G>
Okay, let's see, what else did I really love and what order. Wait let me grab my program. B&P's Whole Lotta Love is spectacular in person and SO HOT and so fast, they are all over the ice. LeaAnn Miller choreographed this and she is fast becoming my second favorite ice choreographer after Chris.
Then Katia's "3 Preludes" Gershwin number. This was a nice number, she's wonderful to watch, but the music is kind of strange and I think this might wear thin after a few viewings. Don't like the costume, sorry, I'm just not a fan of white catsuits. Kristi's SWAK Louis Armstrong number is fun but as my friend June said "too long" -- yep, agreed. Paul Wylie then does Sleepers and it's a very powerful number, but the usual "Paul does movie music" with the usual moves. Doesn't he feel like these are all the same???
Then Scott does "With one look at you" and just blew me away. Great skating, great emotion and I am now positive I love it when Scottie does serious numbers -- they are wonderful. We were close enough to see the skaters faces well and the joy in his face when he landed a triple lutz (YES!) and two double axels in a row was so wonderful, it made me cry and I had tears running down my face through the rest of the number it was so beautiful to watch. Honestly, just wonderful and joyous. HUGE standing O and very, very well-deserved. (June jumped up and dumped all the popcorn as she forgot it was on her lap. LOL!)
This number was the start of the show coming really alive and then exploding in the second act into brilliant.
Kat Witt's "Man of LaMancha" is SOOOOO good in person, one of the best things I've ever seen her do. She looks great, skates great, great costumes, wonderful music and she WORKS the audience. The perfect thing to follow Scott (and where T&D's first routine will probably be if they put them in her spots).
Right after this is "Fun & Games" -- gotta tell you, this just doesn't make it compared to "Shameless" or "Red Hat" from last year. I only found it moderately funny, I was kind of disappointed. But there are some parts which are truly hysterical. One of my favorite things was the judges dance which is NOT on the TBS video -- it was GREAT! Very funny, FULL OF DEAN MOVES (gotta be), a hoot.
"Gorky and Park" are also absolutely hysterical and if this isn't a take off on Pash and Splat I'll eat one of the muses black hats -- oh, they'd never admit it, but the opening of the red ant is EITHER "Song of India" or G&P's opening of last year's free dance. HAHAHAHA! See, T&D can say "no, no we're parodying how serious we used to be..." and get away with dissing G&P since G&P steal their stuff. LOL!!!! I loved how they used Broadway songs in this, that cracked me up, they were perfect. ("God I hope I get it", from Chorus Line I especially loved.)Paul Wylie is very funny as the coach. And of course Mr. "Ham on Rye" Kurt Browning is a stitch in this -- his take off on amateur men's skating is a hoot -- and his triple axel the most gorgeous ever -- TAKE THAT ELVIS!!!!!(who recently said he doesn't understand why pros don't keep up their technique -- guess he never watches Kurt or Brian or Viktor, does he, the arrogant little gnome.<G>)
A 20 minute intermission and Act II opens with the muses marching around the arena and down the stairs onto the ice. Very, very cool. The skaters look a little nervous walking on the ice with shoes, especially Kristi. Then they start lacing their skates to more drum music (The Strut by Marvin Dolgay). Katarina Witt was the winner by a LONG margin at this show, Katia the slowest. The muses here were B&P, Katia, Kurt, Paul, Kristi, Katarina, Brian. They do "Diva Dance", a fun little bit (Chris-style, uh-huh...) then R&S do "Time to Say Goodbye" (choreographed by Shanti Ruchpaul). Very nice number, great costumes, some wonderful lifts. Very pretty, audience loved it.
Brian Orser does "Story of My Life" and this is a great number in person, he was fabulous, a very welcome addition, IMHO to this cast. The look on his face when he's doing this, it'll get ya. HUGE applause -- anyone who didn't know his skating was a fan after this.
Next Scottie as a muse does a great little bit then Roz does "Sweet Rossalyn" She was fabulous, very on, nailed all her jumps including a HUGE double axel that the audience gasped at and was hot, hot, hot in this. One of the best numbers I've very seen her do -- LeAnn Miller again. (LeAnn also did Kat's Man of LaMancha -- she's a good choreographer, watch heer stuff!)
Next is, in my opinion until T&D are in the show, the BEST number in the show -- Kurt's "Antares". It was so absolutely fabulous I can't even tell you. The jumps, and yes another triple axel, were those that go up in the air and then the fast spin and the catlike landings. Then he does that amazing footwork right into a triple jump. So absolutely wonderful you don't even care about that ugly shirt!<G> The place went just nuts after this. And my friend June became a diehard Kurt fan at that moment and begged me to dub her a tape of his stuff. HA!!<G>
Next is Kat Witt's "Man's World" -- a good number, but not as great as LaMancha, but still very enjoyable. Then you have Roca & Sur as the muses and they are very funny. They lead on Bechke & Petrov in "Jou Jusqu'au Matin" choreographed by Tamara Moskvina and this is JUST WONDERFUL! Gee whiz, they are just fabulous. No sign of Elena's injury, not a one. So fast, so fun and amazing, amazing lifts and throws. Very cute costumes --
Paul Wylie again in "Go the Distance." I like this number a lot and he skates the hell out of it. Partial standing-O, it was wonderful, again, the look on his face, the joy of skating, you could almost see "last season, make the most of it" written all over him. This is gonna rip people up the last few shows.
Then we have "Fever" and this is very, very good in person. I liked all of it. They all have the right attitude, playful, sexy, cool, hot. It works great and it's really fun at the end to have Kurt skate with both women. I can just watch Katia skate and glide and spin on the ice for hours. Kristi flubbed a flying camel in her "Trouble" number but recovered perfectly. In fact, that was the only obvious bobble of the night, other than one or two singled jumps (one from Paul, one from Katia I think.)
Then we have Scott's "Wizard of Oz" number. This is lots of fun, but unfortunately you're looking more at all the costumes stuff than what Scott is skating, which I think is a shame. It's also almost too much, you feel sorry for him as it looks exhausting! But, the audience loved it and another standing O for Scott.
I love the closer. See, I don't have any negative "Stairway to Heaven" connections, so I think it works. Costumes are fabulous, though I would like to see the men have shirts like Paul's in "Go the Distance", silkier and more flowing.
Okay, here are the color pairings of skaters for those of you who can't make out who is with who from the TV broadcasts:
- Kristi and Scottie -- red
- Roca & Sur - teal green
- Katia and Paul -- deep purple
- Kurt & Roz - violet (a reddish purple)
- Brian & Katia -- maroon
- Denis & Elena -- royal blue (my vote for most gorgeous color)
So, I'm guessing that would leave Chris and Jayne in a forest green, or a burnt orange or hot pink!<G>
I like this number a lot, I like the way everyone gets a featured moment and yeah, I'd say at least the group stuff is Chris. The way there are all edges it looks like his, though could be a little Siebert here, like the opening last year.
Oh and the cast did NOT go around and shake hands with the on ice seats people. Wonder why and I wonder if they've been cutting this out of all the shows.
Really great show, I can't wait until Chris and Jayne are in it. And I couldn't compare it to last year, the shows are very different. All I can say is I liked Shameless and Red Hat better, they were truer ensemble numbers and more fun. But they are different kinds of numbers than these. And the audience did not laugh at the Olympic parody like they did at Red Hat or Shameless. It's almost like it was to much an "insider" joke, some of it. But, I'll bet that gets a whole lot funnier right after the Olympics when T&D are in the show -- wanna bet? Everyone will then have a frame of reference for the parody.
Okay, so how long do I have to wait to see this with T&D -- oh yeah, March 31, Richmond!!!
Marge
From Scott:
I went to the SOI show in LA at the Forum and here are some of my random impressions....I have never watched so much skating and felt the time go by so fast...though not every number worked for me it was great overall and at least they are trying different things....there is way better merchandise for sale this year so definitely bring lots o' cash!.....and lastly this cast has been going to the gym this year because I don't think I have ever seen them so buff!
The highlights included Scott doing "With One More Look"...really , you totally believe he is skating this for you in the audience with
EVERYTHING in him, and it is pretty emotional. Also Bechke and Petrov who are getting better and better as performers every year. Both of their numbers went over huge with the audience. And EVERYTHING Kurt Browning did.....he was hot hot hot. I mean he was giving a jumping clinic, playing with the audience constantly, to their delight, and doing blazing footwork. And of course, my last chance to see Paul, and the beautiful artistry that he has. As I watched, say what you want about Mary's choreography, I was reminded NO ONE interprets every beat of the music like he does. It is our loss.
There were a few low spots for me too, but I won't say anything specific because the good far outweighs the bad. As usual SOI is well worth the wait and the money we shell out to go to this every year.
Until next year...
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