The Knockturnal caught a private concert by the original Broadway cast of “Pretty Woman: The Musical” and its creator, Grammy-winning Bryan Adams, presented by Atlantic Records, at the swanky NOMO Soho hotel on Monday, October 15, 2018.
Under opulent chandeliers, climbing vines, and twinkle lights, amidst flowing bubbly and passed hors d’oeuvres, theater fans and stars alike mingled in the hotel’s courtyard enclave to hear a selection of songs from the new Broadway musical, Pretty Woman. It’s based on the 1990 classic Garry Marshall film (he also wrote the book for this production before he passed in 2016) that starred the era’s dream team Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, leaving big shoes to fill. Samantha Barks (who made her feature film debut as Eponine in Les Miserables after reviving the role on the West End) and Andy Karl (who was Tony-nominated for his lead role in Groundhog Day) take on the respective iconic leads.
Their chemistry is strong and you could sense their deep respect for each other’s craft. We caught Karl genuinely rocking out as Barks took the stage to kick off the evening. They each showed their chops on solos in which Barks’ Vivianne, the prostitute with a pure heart and zest for life, dreams of being “anywhere but here,” and Karls’ lonely business tycoon Edward dreams of freedom from the rat race life he leads, and then they shared a charged duet where they grapple with holding on to those dreams. Broadway veterans Orfeh (last seen as a scene-stealer in Legally Blonde: The Musical, and Karl’s real-life wife) and Eric Anderson (who just originated the role of Carl in Sara Bareilles’ debut musical Waitress) round out the cast and lend their rocker edge to the show’s sound.
That sound is nurtured by Adams, who doted on the cast that brought this long-held dream of his to life. He marveled at Barks’ ability to learn and immediately memorize a song just after hearing it (“That’s my job!,” she quipped) and brought them all up to sing his classic “Summer of ‘69” after he borrowed one of Karl’s other ballads from the show. The way this cast completely elevated the harmonies knocked it out of the park. Just for that rendition, and the palpable, infectious bond on display between the players, it’s a group you’d want to see sing anything together again. Especially when it’s a story you know and love, left in the capable hands of artists who all have established careers around adapting films to the stage and bringing them new life with a beautiful melody.
You can catch the show now at the Nederlander Theater, 208 West 41st St. For more information on the cast recording visit here.
