This post is made possible by support from King Kong Broadway. All opinions expressed in this King Kong Broadway Review are my own.
In 1933, Kong was introduced in a black and white King Kong film. Years later, several other King Kong movies were made. In 1986, I saw a remake of the original movie King Kong. It was my first movie. Kong was spectacular.
With that history, I went to see King Kong Broadway. I’ll admit when I was invited to see the musical, I doubted it could live up to my memories and experience of the 1986 remake. I was wrong.
King Kong Broadway differs from the 1986 Kong storyline. Yes, Kong still falls in love and wants to protect the heroine. However, he appears to be a side character and not the principal character as he was in his namesake films. His twenty foot, 2,000-pound frame, is sure to have played a part in that decision. The new storyline, however, makes up for it.
Rather than searching for oil as they did in 1986, an expedition to the Skull Island is set up by a filmmaker called Carl Denham, who is played by Eric William Morris. The purpose of the trip: to capture a hit movie with Ann Darrow as the featured actress. He promises Ann she will be the Queen of New York after she stars in his film. She throws caution to the wind and agrees to go on the journey with him. Once on the island, she meets Kong. His entrance was spectacular, so spectacular that Carl decides to capture Kong instead.
[Be forewarned: If you sit closer to the stage you will get an up-close look at Kong, as well as those who operate the animatronic puppet. I think this removes the spell of Kong. I recommend sitting 5-7 rows from the stage to get the best view and keep the magic alive.]
The curtains open. We are taken back to the Depression era, a time when economic uncertainty has hit America and left many destitute; yet, out of the desperation, or because of it, Ann Darrow, played by Christiani Pitts, goes in search of her dream in New York.
Ann is a spunky go-getter who refuses to fit into that era’s mold. She has dreams of being something more. She’s doesn’t want to be a “nameless face on [some] fella’s arms”.
“The story ends when you’re some man’s wife.
Heaven forbid I want my own life.
I can’t give up till I’m up on stage.
Cause nobody’s ever going to put me back in that cage.
So if poverty’s how it got to be.
At least I’m not some man’s property.
No one answers for Ann but me!”
One of her opening songs was so powerful, I couldn’t forget the lyrics or the way it was shown on stage. With a look of determination, she belts out the words sending chills down my spine. It wasn’t just the words that drew me in. It was how she owned them.
She is a woman on a mission. She knows what she wants: to become the Queen of New York. We know Kong is instrumental, but I won’t tell you who else she meets, how far she goes, and what she does to attain that dream. For that, I highly recommend you see the play.
Click here to buy tickets to King Kong Broadway. Enter code KKPVM129 to receive $55 off the price of your tickets. Valid between 2/8/19 – 9/1/19
{ 0 comments… add one }