« It Doesn't Get Any Better Than "The Malo" | Main | Todd Snider @ the Troubadour: August 10, 2006 »
August 3, 2006
Happy Days Are Here Again
We all know that no one could ever compare to the cast of the original television show "Happy Days," and it would be grossly unfair to even dream of doing so. Having said that, props go out to the cast of "Happy Days: A Family Musical" that's playing at the Falcon Theatre in Burbank for the next week and a half. This was my first visit to Garry Marshall's tiny heatre which seats fewer than 150 people, and its intimate setting makes for a really great place to see a show. Andy Karl has replaced Joey McIntyre (yes, the Joey McIntyre of the-band-that-we-shall-not-speak-of, New Kids on the Block) for the final three weeks of the show, and we were pleased with the choice, because not only could we avoid NKOTB flashbacks, but also 'cause we thought Andy was cuter. Christine Lakin (who played "Al" on "Step by Step") doesn't look like she's aged a bit, which made her very convincing as the-all-too-anxious-to-grow-up Joanie Cunningham. Cynthia Ferrer as Marion Cunningham and Anna A. White as Lori Beth Allen led a delightful tap dance routine in the second act, and Fred Applegate as Howard Cunningham was the spitting image of Tom Bosley. Jackie Seiden sometimes came across as too sticky-sweet to be Pinky Tuscadero, but Jaclyn Miller and Philip Lightstone were out-of-this-world hilarious in their multiple roles, most notably the nerdy Hillary and Bag, respectively. However, the show was completely stolen by Ryan Matthew, who played Ralph Malph to PERFECTION. If it's been far too long since you've seen live theatre, this is the show to get you going again!
Posted by darlin at August 3, 2006 8:46 AM
