American in Paris

Last night we (my wife, Eryn, and me) went to An American in Paris at the Ordway.  It's one of my favorite musicals - despite a little of the hokey 60s musical vibe in spots that's so common to that era.  I listened to the soundtrack as I fell asleep when I was a teenager and loved the movie.  My wife was surprised at how many of the songs were familiar.

There are a couple of great reviews out there, so I'll defer to them.  They note how beautiful the sets were and I can't agree more.  The way they integrated real set pieces with video with video on set pieces with digitized art over the digital set pieces....amazing.  It didn't distract from the acting and dancing at all, but provided a very city of lights and city of art feel.

• https://patch.com/california/studiocity/american-paris-pantages-theatre
• http://triangleartsandentertainment.org/2017/01/an-american-in-paris-now-at-dpac-is-a-delightful-dance-heavy-musical-inspired-by-the-1951-film/

I wasn't sure my 14-year old would enjoy it, but she laughed out loud several times which reminded me of how smart the play is in places.  The dancing was amazing and the acting superb.  My only complaint is that Milo (played by Emily Ferranti) doesn't emerge as the character who gets everything she wants in the end.  She's clearly the best character in the play, and I still think so after 35 years.

American in Paris also fulfilled my basic rule that anything with a bicycle early in it is going to be great.