I'm not denying the dazzle. Nor do I dispute the audience reaction. But what does it mean?

Scot: you were supposed to say, "Hippocampus? Are you saying I'm fat?"

You know, I usually expect the hate mail for the pans, but not for the raves. Sorry, but I refuse to be shamed for liking something, least of all this show. You're "disappointed" when I "like a show"? Sorry, but I think that says more about you than it does about me. Can't I simply like a show without people suddenly accusing me of going soft? Of letting down my critical guard? Why would I devote so much time to musical theater if I didn't like at least some of it? Garrett and Gabby, where you see gimmicks and thinness, I see effective techniques and subtlety. Yes, the show is thin on plot, but it's long on atmosphere and characterization. I never said it was a perfect show. But I did enjoy both the show and the production very much. I'm sorry if that disappoints you. If you're looking for nonstop acid, might I suggest John Simon?

Cara, Sorry if I seem to be getting testy here, but saying that these shows have "a real need for the audience to dig deep to find the show" would seem to imply that I am either unwilling nor unable. I am neither. I'm perfectly willing to accede that some shows don't work for all people. And I'm not saying that any show that I don't like is automatically bad. But I bristle at the notion that I'm not responding to a show because I wasn't capable of meeting it halfway. I'm sure you didn't mean it that way, but that's the way I read it.

Cara, No I didn't like American Idiot either. The subtext of your observation seems to be that I don't like rock music. This is not the case. I like any kind of music that works in the context of the show. The reason that I didn't like Here Lies Love or American Idiot was that I didn't think they were good shows, not because I have a distaste for a particular brand of music. Another comment I've received about my not liking Here Lies Love was that I was in the box seats and that I would have enjoyed it more if I had been on the floor. I don't buy that. A good show is going to work no matter where I'm sitting, based on the power and craft of the piece itself. A show that is genuinely good should work regardless of the venue, regardless of the production elements. What matters to me is the inherent quality of the show itself.

I saw Vanya and Sonia et al, and I heartily agree. Probably my most enjoyable theatrical experience of the season.

I did see The Nance and Lane was fantastic. Very real. Raw, but also immensely touching. That will be an interesting race to watch.

Scot, what's the matter? Six trunk songs not enough for you? Yeah, no "Falling in Love With Love" or "The Sweetest Sounds" in this version. And I'm secretly working on Neuroscience - The Musical. When I'm done, would you like to play the hippocampus?

(OK, so Geoff and I don't always agree...)

(I should parenthetically add that Geoff was at the same two performances that I was at, and we compared notes at intermission and after each performance. So any melding of Geoff's impressions with mine are not entirely coincidental.)

Harrison, you're entirely welcome. I'm honored to be playing some small part in your co tinuing education in musical theater. Please let me know if you have any questions about BFA or MFA programs, and about the BoCo programs in particular. Best wishes.

Would you care to elaborate? I'm genuinely interested. I know I'm in kind of a minority here. I'd really like to know what other people see in this show.