From Oz to Oz

I've decided that once a week I'm going to write up a little dity about some performer that I feel particularly strong about at the time. Whether I continue this weekly tradition remains to be seen; but for right now, let's pretend I will.....

I'd like to start with Stephanie J. Block. Why? Just because I happen to like her. A few years ago I had never even heard her name; but after seeing the Broadway musical, The Boy From Oz (where she portrayed the amazing Liza Minnelli) I was really amazed by her. As was the case with Isabel Keating, who played Judy Garland, I often felt as though I were watching the real-life icon rather than the actress portraying her. From the very moment Stephanie ran on stage saying, "Momma!" I was enthralled. Then during her number, "She Loves To Hear The Music" (an homage to Miss Minnelli's 1972 TV concert, Liza with a Z) I decided, quite frankly, that I loved her. She was one of the people that made The Boy From Oz rise above it's weak book and made you forgive that you were sitting in yet another "Juke Box Musical".

After The Boy From Oz closed, Miss Block went on tour in the new smash musical, Wicked. Though I did not have the pleasure of seeing her perform the role, having seen videos of her performance and comparing her to the original Broadway cast (which I did see), I can honestly say that she embodied the role of "Elphaba" more completely then any previous actress (which is not really surprising seeing as how the role itself was written for Stephanie- but due to the producers' desire to have a bigger "name" in the role, lost it to Idina Menzel).

I also had the pleasure of seeing Miss Block perform at the Duplex, where she sang Scott Alan's brilliantly beautiful "Never Land", to an appreciative crowd. As for her future, she is now preparing to play the title role in Boublil and Shoneberg's new musical, Pirate Queen. Judging by the success of their other musicals, Les Miserables and Miss Saigon, Pirate Queen seems destined for success (of course they also wrote the MUCH less popular Martin Guerre, so I guess all bets are off). But whatever the outcome of Pirate Queen, Stephanie J. Block will most-assuredly bring down the house. And I will most-assuredly be there to cheer her on.